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Tennessee Volunteers

Rick Barnes addresses play of Jonas Aidoo vs. standout post threats, previews UNC

Ethan Stone

By Ethan Stone

Published:

Rick Barnes and the Tennessee Vols face off against North Carolina on Day 2 of the ACC/SEC Challenge. Day 1 starts tonight with Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech.

The Vols have faced a tough, tough schedule already this season. Tennessee downed Wisconsin before falling to No. 2 Purdue and No. 1 Kansas in close battles back-to-back nights.

Purdue and Kansas feature Zach Edey and Hunter Dickinson, 2 of the better post players in the country. And though he’s a half-step down from their level, North Carolina’s Armando Bacot will be another tough test for Vols center Jonas Aidoo come Wednesday.

Aidoo has had a great start to his junior year at Tennessee given the circumstances. He’s show to be a capable rim defender and a strong rebounder, especially on the defensive end.

Barnes spoke about Aidoo’s start while previewing the Tar Heels Monday night at Vol Calls:

“They were right there against… Villanova had a great tournament down there, obviously, but beat Arkansas. They’re gonna play fast. You look at ’em, they can shoot the ball. They got (Armando) Bacot — you think about our schedule, we’re playing the three premier low post players in the country. I think it’s been good for Jonas. I’m hoping that Jonas is going to get more assertive and understand that he’s right there with those guys and if he’ll get assertive and demand the ball, make our guys want to throw him the ball. And it’s harder to put it in there than you’d think, but if those post guys want it, then we gotta get it to them. I think that’s where we gotta get that balance.”

The Vols and Tar Heels face off at 7:15 p.m. ET from the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill. The game will be aired on ESPN.

Ethan Stone

Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.

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