NASHVILLE – Tennessee basketball has historically prided itself on its defense.
Recent great perimeter defenders Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack handed the reigns to a younger crop of guards. They’ve done well, helping the Vols maintain the stingiest defense in the SEC.
Vanderbilt guard Duke Miles sliced through that vaunted defense in its 75-68 win over Tennessee (22-11) in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on March 13.
Miles joined Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard as the only players to score 30 or more points against Tennessee this season. Hubbard had 31 points in a 74-63 loss to Tennessee on Feb. 11.
Miles went 11-of-14 from the field for 30 points at Bridgestone Arena, and he was 4-of-5 from 3.
He didn’t miss a shot until the 12:38 mark in the second half.
“I’m hurt,” said Tennessee sophomore guard Ethan Burg. “My pride hurts. My ego hurts. That dude just scored 30 points, and a lot of them were on me. I could’ve done a better job and I take full accountability for that. I don’t know how much time we have left until the (NCAA Tournament), but I’ll work every day to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
Burg was assigned to Miles when he came off the bench, but sophomore Bishop Boswell shadowed the senior as well.
“He did a really good job attacking gaps, getting downhill,” Boswell said on how Miles was so effective. “Once he got some of those layups to fall, he got to the free-throw line and hits some 3’s, so he had a good game.”
Burg wasn’t just irritated with Miles’ offensive outburst. When Tennessee last played Vanderbilt on March 7, Burg fouled out of the game. He picked up another four fouls against them in the SEC Tournament.
“I’ve got to guard without fouling,” Burg said four times.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes mentioned fouling as one of the “little things” the Vols need to clean up heading into March Madness. Boswell recalled Barnes saying they were “good enough to win the national championship.”
Burg believes the Vols already know what to do to get to that level.
“At this point in the season, we already know what Coach wants, what the rest of the coaches want,” he said. “We should be able to do that. We should’ve done it today.”
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
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