Tennessee’s lost four of its past five games and isn’t getting much from anyone besides Scotty Hopson and Tobias Harris. Hopson and Harris combined for 50 of the Vols’ 69 points in Saturday’s loss to Georgia.
So Bruce Pearl has a simple request
“In order for us to fix what’s ailing us, I need some step up,’' Pearl told the Knoxville News-Sentinel, ticking off the requisite names of Melvin Goins, John Fields, Cameron Tatum, Skylar McBee, Kenny Hall and Josh Bone. “If we don’t get more from each and every one of them, these (unsatisfactory) games are going to continue, because Vanderbilt is better than Georgia.’'
(You’ll notice center Brian Williams didn’t get singled out. That’s because he’s actually worthwhile.)
So what’s wrong with the Vols? Actually, if Hopson and Harris start sharing the ball, that might help. They account for more than 60 percent of Tennessee’s shots and nearly 55 percent of all possessions used, yet aren’t efficient scorers. Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler, they’re not.
There’s no reason guys like Tatum, Fields or Bone can’t get more looks, not to mention Williams.
But hey, that’s how it goes with Hopson as your point guard.
“Bottom line,’' Pearl told the paper, “it’s all of us.
“Scotty had a brilliant offensive game against Georgia but at the same time he’s got to do better than an 0-for-5 start and he had some defensive missed assignments. It’s everybody.’'
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