Tennessee Basketball faces Guard Depth, Turnover Issues After Syracuse Loss
Syracuse, NY – Tennessee suffered a 79-78 loss to Syracuse on Saturday, raising concerns about guard play and recurring turnover problems as the Volunteers’ schedule intensifies. The loss dropped Tennessee to 7-2 on the season.
Dalton Knecht led Tennessee with a career-high 22 points. Jonas Ament contributed with four points during a second-half comeback attempt, supported by post scoring from Tobe Carey.
The Volunteers where without J.P. Estrella due to a right ankle injury sustained against Kansas.
Turnovers plagued Tennessee throughout the game, with 17 miscues resulting in 24 points for Syracuse. Ament committed a season-high seven turnovers, exceeding his previous maximum of three.He committed back-to-back turnovers in the final four minutes after briefly giving Tennessee a one-point lead with a three-pointer.
“Some of the turnovers we had was ridiculous,” said Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes.
Tennessee’s guard rotation is becoming increasingly thin. Barnes stated the team’s “guard play wasn’t very good,” specifically citing struggles from backup guards.Ethan Burg saw limited playing time and has been struggling since the Players Era Festival. Amari Evans received extended minutes in the first half due to foul trouble for Bishop Boswell and Ja’Kobi Gillespie, but struggled. Troy Henderson played only two minutes.
Amaree Abram provided a spark with two three-pointers and played key minutes during Tennessee’s second-half rally, becoming the only backup guard demonstrating consistent performance. The primary guard mix is currently Gillespie, Boswell, and Abram alongside Ament.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson. consider a digital subscription for full access to his coverage.
