O'Gara: Who's the X-factor for Tennessee vs. Purdue? Why it's Josiah-Jordan James

It was a moment that had to feel like a massive exhale for Tennessee.

After a 1-for-21 start from 3-point range, Dalton Knecht finally broke the ice and splashed a long-range jumper to give Tennessee an 8-point lead with less than 6 minutes left of the Round of 32 matchup against Texas. The Vols needed someone to hit an outside shot. It just so happened to be the All-American/potential final piece of the program’s first Final Four berth who did that.

You could feel the weight lifted off Tennessee’s shoulders after that Knecht 3. Two possessions later confirmed that. Zakai Zeigler found Josiah-Jordan James in the corner, who rose, uncorked that smooth lefty stroke and drilled another long-range shot to add to the Tennessee lead. It was his first 3-pointer of the night. Better yet, it was his first 3-pointer in 2 weeks. James went 132 minutes and 29 seconds of game time in between 3-pointers. For some, that’s not a big deal. For the guy who ranks No. 8 on Tennessee’s all-time 3-pointers made list, it had to feel like a big deal to finally end that drought.

The following game confirmed that when James knocked down 3 three-pointers to help lift Tennessee to its second Sweet 16 victory in program history.

Knecht is the straw that stirs the drink. But the X-factor for Tennessee to reach its first Final Four berth? That’s James, AKA the glue that holds the Vols together.

The current context is relevant to that claim. With all due respect to Santiago Vescovi, we just watched Tennessee earn one of its best March wins in program history with Vescovi out with the flu. Jahmai Mashack did an excellent job starting in his place, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Even if Vescovi is limited, it’s not fair to say that he’s the X-factor against Purdue.

James is that guy, and not just because of what he can do to get clean looks that aren’t obstructed by 7-foot All-World center Zach Edey.

Related: Tennessee fans, want to bet on the Vols’ Elite Eight matchup against Purdue? Bet365 has the Vols as a slight underdog to the Boilermakers on Sunday.

Spend enough time watching Tennessee and you can see why James has become such a Rick Barnes-coached player. He guards multiple positions at a high level, so he rarely gets switched into a mismatch. Taking away as many of those non-Edey options as possible is vital for the Vols. When those guys confident, Purdue might be unbeatable. James might have the best say in that matter.

Anybody who has watched Tennessee knows that there’s another positive about the 6-6 senior in a game like this — his offense doesn’t dictate his defensive effort. It’s why even on a quiet or frustrating offensive night, he rarely leaves the floor.

Go back to when Tennessee and Purdue met in Maui in November. James made 1 of his 4 shots, yet he played a team-high 34 minutes that night. He’s that valuable.

Of course, it also helps when he does have that outside shot going. You saw that when he went off for 26 points in a 103-92 win at Kentucky in February, and again at Alabama when James’ 11 points and 13 rebounds fended off the Tide with College GameDay in Tuscaloosa. That night, he drilled an all-important shot from beyond the arc to give Tennessee a 5-point lead with 2 minutes left.

Clutch? You bet. Mature? After 5 years in Knoxville, there’s no denying he checks that box, too.

He’s a 5-year starter who averaged 30 minutes per game as a true freshman. Yet even as more offensive weapons came in, James never opted for a different, more prominent offensive role elsewhere. Even when Knecht stepped in and instantly took on a starring role, James and Vescovi were willing to differ. It’s why James, even after taking his name out of the NBA Draft, returned for a 5th year and is averaging his fewest shots per game (7.0) since his true freshman season when he averaged 6.8.

From a big-picture standpoint, that’s as team-first as it gets. One doesn’t have to be a diehard Tennessee fan to see that the offense should (and does) run through Knecht. But James’ ability to knock down shots and make a collapsing defense pay is what could make Tennessee unbeatable against Purdue.

Regardless of whether the Vols get revenge on Purdue — that goes back to the 2019 Sweet 16 loss — James will be remembered as one of the best players of arguably the golden era of Tennessee hoops. In some ways, a 5-year guy like him will be tougher to replace than a 1-year wonder like Knecht. Leadership, unselfishness and buy-in like that don’t grow on trees. James has had it in spades.

And if he can be part of the first Final Four team in Tennessee history? James will prompt a whole lot of exhales on Rocky Top.

O'Gara: Who's the X-factor for Tennessee vs. Purdue? Why it's Josiah-Jordan James

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