Volunteers get second chance

they can make the winning plays down the stretch against a national power.

“The thing that separated us and Kansas was the execution later in the game and also just understanding the game plan, us knowing our roles and executing our game plan is the biggest thing,” Tennessee forward Grant Williams said. “That’s what a veteran team should do. We didn’t look like a veteran team in the Kansas game.”

The Vols will face a Gonzaga team that’s shown its veteran savvy on multiple occasions already this season.

Gonzaga blocked four shots in the last 46 seconds of an 89-87 victory over No. 3 Duke and erased a double-digit deficit in a 103-92 triumph at Creighton.

The Bulldogs are facing Tennessee just four days after edging Washington 81-79 on Rui Hachimura’s turnaround jumper with six-tenths of a second remaining.

“Tennessee is a whole different type of challenge,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said after the Washington game. “They are so tough. They come at you and come at you and come at you. They can cause you fits.”

Barnes considers Few a longtime friend and appreciates the Bulldogs’ scheduling strategy. Barnes wanted to give Tennessee a national schedule when he took over this program in 2015. He says two of the first coaches he called to set up high-profile nonconference matchups were Few and North Carolina’s Roy Williams.

Gonzaga beat Tennessee 86-79 in Seattle during the 2015-16 season and 86-76 the following year in Nashville, Tenn.