Josiah-Jordan James has been a catalyst for Tennessee late this season, posting some career-best numbers and having the most impact on the Vols in his third season under Rick Barnes. However, much like the Vols this season, it certainly didn’t start smoothly.
Coming off a promising sophomore campaign that saw James excel as a defender, it was his offensive game that everyone was waiting to see make the leap. For the first half of the season, Tennessee wasn’t getting much from James offensively. Though his defense continued to improve, James’ early season struggles could largely be attributed to a torn ligament in his left hand—his shooting hand—that he suffered in Tennessee’s loss against Villanova back in November, missing three games as a result.