Tennessee Basketball: 5 Positive Signs For 2014-15 Season

By Taylor Sturm

Tennessee Basketball: 5 Positive Signs For 2014-15 Season

Tennessee Volunteers Basketball — The Tennessee Volunteers went to the Sweet 16 of the 2014 NCAA Tournament, but they will come into the 2014-15 college basketball season with a completely different team and coach. The only major name returning for the Vols is senior Josh Richardson, who will try to lead Tennessee to another top five finish in the SEC. Here are five positive signs for the Vols' upcoming 2014-15 season.

5. Average Non-Conference Schedule

Tennessee Cheerleaders

5. Average Non-Conference Schedule

Tennessee Cheerleaders — Kansas State and (potentially) Kansas are the only two extremely good teams that the Vols play in their non-conference schedule. With their next toughest games against Mercer, North Carolina State, VCU and Butler, the Vols should easily win around 20 games.

4. Underrated Returners

Armani Moore

4. Underrated Returners

Armani Moore — All of the focus has been around the transfer of A.J. Davis and Darius Thompson in the offseason, but the returning players are highly underrated. Armani Moore is hard-working and efficient, Robert Hubbs III was injured or he could have helped Tennessee go even further than the Sweet 16 and Derek Reese is a very capable defender.

3. Arrival of Donnie Tyndall

Cuonzo Martin

3. Arrival of Donnie Tyndall

Cuonzo Martin — Losing Cuonzo Martin was, in my opinion, the most ill-advised thing that the Vols could possibly do. However, Tyndall’s arrival from Southern Miss should reinvigorate this team and the (somewhat) stable future should allow players to play more comfortably.

2. No Home-and-Home with Projected Top SEC Teams

Billy Donovan and John Calipari

2. No Home-and-Home with Projected Top SEC Teams

Billy Donovan and John Calipari — The Vols only face Kentucky, Florida, Ole Miss, Alabama and Georgia once this season. All of these teams are projected to finish higher than the Vols, but Tennessee faces several bottom-feeders like Mississippi State, South Carolina and Vanderbilt twice.

1. Josh Richardson

Vols Hoops

1. Josh Richardson

Vols Hoops — Richardson is one of the best returning basketball players in the country. Last season, his one-on-one defense was arguably the best in all of college basketball. This season, he’ll be expected to shoot more and will be given free rein to do so.

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Tennessee Volunteers

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