HAHAHA, YOU SUCK VOLS

HT: Tennesseean.  As if they'd actually give me permission to use their photos.

Hey, Commies fans, that was fun last night, wasn't it?  It was kind of a weird game for me to watch, mainly because there wasn't just one thing the Dores did to beat UT.  The zone did a good job of limiting Tennessee's athleticism, but it's not like Vandy is lacking in that department these days.  Andre Walker made all the hustle plays he usually does, Jenkins hit some great threes, and Tinsley found his stroke and also managed to find his way to the line.  Taylor struggled a bit, but he did not quit and played some good defense to go with 10 points.  A.J. was far from dominant, but he, along with Festus and Steve Tchiengang, managed to hold UT's best player, Wayne Chism, in check for most of the night.  Foul trouble was not kind to either team, but when your bench is only about two or three deep like the Vols' is, that's extra painful. 

Really solid game all around for everyone.  Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Jermaine Beal.  Best game I think I've ever seen him play last night.  He hit contested threes, basically shut down Bobby Maze (not all that hard, but still) and ran the offense effectively for the most part.  Yes, he still did some Beal-y things like try to run into the third row on fast breaks and take a few bad shots (that still went in), but he really limited turnovers and did a good job feeding the post when it was open.

The Vandy blogs are obviously aflutter about the win.  I agree with the guys at Anchor of Gold when they said Vandy outswaggered UT on their home floor.  The Dores certainly were not rattled, and looked confident from the opening tip, a welcome change from the outright confusion we saw back in November and December.

All of this good feeling is a real contrast to Kentucky's current mood of reflection and middling about the Carolina loss two nights ago.  TBA can be an intimidating place to play, and I've seen Vandy come in to Rupp two years in a row now and look pretty flustered.  I don't see that happening with this team, though.  Vandy is the real deal this year, and Kentucky had better recognize it or the Cats are going to really have their work cut out for them if they want to win the SEC.