How Good Is Grant Williams, Really?
He has shown he can put the Vols on his shoulders. But generally only against weaker teams.
Last night’s 58–46 Tennessee men’s basketball victory against last-place Vanderbilt left a bit to be desired.
It was hard to believe Tennessee was setting the pace in a game in which 104 points were scored by both teams.
Grant Williams led the way against the Commodores as he did the first time he played them. But this time he scored 14 points instead of 43.
And a funny thing about Williams. The only team of real quality he’s scored 20 points against this season was Louisville. And the Cardinals weren’t ranked on November 21st when the Vols beat them.
It seemed that Williams had become the player that could put the Vols on his back when they needed him to. The leading scorer in the conference. The reigning SEC Player of the Year. A future first round NBA draft choice. A player who could only be stopped by fouling him, and then he’d drain his free throws at an 84 percent clip.
But he was held in check Saturday against Kentucky, taking only four shots, and only two in the arc with P.J. Washington defending him.
True, Williams shot nine free throws in the game and connected on eight of them.
But it clearly wasn’t good enough against Kentucky. And for all the praise about the double-double Williams had against Vanderbilt last night, it wasn’t the statement Tennessee needed to make if they want to be looked at as a true national title contender.
The Vols needed to smash the last-place Commodores. They needed to be able to name their score.
Instead they lost for the third straight game against the spread and for the fourth time in the last five games against the number against largely mediocre teams.
Yes, Williams scored some big buckets last night, putting the Vols up by eight with 7:40 remaining that probably clinched the game. And any possible hope of a Vanderbilt comeback ended when Williams put the Vols up by nine with three minutes left.
But we’re talking first place against last place here with the first place team at home. And with 8:30 left Tennessee only led 42–38.
With the exception of the first round of the SEC Tournament, the Vols won’t be playing any teams like Vanderbilt henceforth.
Kentucky guard Tyler Herro remarked he thought the Vols were scared of Washington on Saturday when Tennessee fell 86–69 to the Wildcats.
Big talk, but considering how in six career conference and NCAA Tournament games Williams has never scored more than 15 points, one wonders the Vols’ star merely feasts on lesser opponents.
Marky Billson is a sports talk show host in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee area. Watch his show here and follow him on twitter.
