In addition to averaging 17.5 points a game over an 11-season NBA career, Allan Houston has found - no, has made - the time to reach out a helping hand to all sorts of worthy causes.

There's the "Read to Achieve" program. There's "My Teacher Is My Hero," and "Allan Houston's Courtside Classroom'' and the "Poetry Slam.'' The "Allan Houston Charitable Fund" that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for causes in New York and Louisville.

"My belief and experience is that people can reach any level,'' Houston explained, "but you have to have people who help you.

"Anybody who has been successful or has been at peace with what they're doing has had people to help them get there. That's why we do what we do.''

By "we,'' Houston is including his family, namely his wife, Tammi, whom he met as an NBA rookie in Detroit. They have two children and a third on the way.

Now, Houston is willing to extend a hand to another cause he considers worthy - the basketball program at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee.

UT's all-time leading scorer (men's division) was on campus last week to announce his re-connection with a program that has struggled to rise above mediocrity.

The Vols, who have only two active NBA alumni - Houston and Marcus Haislip - can use all the profile enhancement they can get. And Houston, a class act when he was here from 1990-93, remains a class act with whom any program would be only too happy to affiliate.

"You go around the NBA,'' Houston said, "and you see guys proud of where they went to school. I wanted to feel that like everybody else. I just felt like I wanted to be part of everything again.''

The wounds from the unhappy departure of his father and coach, Wade, from UT in 1994 have largely healed in Allan's mind. Since leaving coaching, Wade has been involved in a highly successful family business in Louisville.

"He's more of an amateur golfer than anything,'' Allan said with a smile.

Allan's grandparents still live in Maryville. He and his family are ensconced in Connecticut, a short commute from the Knicks' practice facility.

Houston was at his Connecticut home on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, when his dad called from Louisville and urgently told him to turn on the TV.

What he saw, of course, was the World Trade Center towers crashing down a few blocks from Madison Square Garden. The next month, Houston purchased four season tickets to provide at least a brief diversion for families who lost loved ones in the terrorist attacks.

As for UT, Houston isn't sure yet what forms his assistance might take. But he's on board, expressing conviction that athletic director Mike Hamilton and coach Buzz Peterson are steering the program in a positive direction.

"There's a right way to do things,'' Houston said, "and I believe in time they're going to be rewarded for that.''

Downey Visits: Devan Downey completed his official visit Saturday. UT is the first of five visits for the South Carolina point guard. The Vols have been on Downey longer than almost any other school and are attractive because C.J. Watson will be a senior in 2005-06.

Maryland, Downey's next visit, might be the team to beat. Downey is ranked No. 42 nationally by Rivals.com and 37th by Theinsiders.com. He moved his Miami visit up to Sept. 6 to catch the Florida State football game. Arkansas and Cincinnati also have visits scheduled.

The 5-foot-9 Downey got a good workout Friday in pickup games with the Vols.

Tyler Smith is due on campus for the UNLV game. Indications are growing stronger that Smith might be close to a commitment to the Vols after his visit.

Jamont Gordon, now at Oak Hill Academy, won't take any official visits until after he takes the standardized test. That could happen in late September.

Remember Damien Harris? Harris, who signed in November but didn't qualify, will spend this year at Prince Avenue Prep in Pickens, S.C.

Scheduling: Assistant coach Ed Conroy says putting together a schedule is getting harder by the year. One factor is uncertainty created by the ongoing legal tug-of-war between the NCAA and the exempt events.

Another headache is getting high-major name schools to commit. Some that won't agree to a home-and-home would gladly play at a neutral site. Financially, it behooves UT to play at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Vols have been frustrated in their attempts to give Watson a home game in Las Vegas. Conroy is still hopeful it can happen in '05-06, Watson's senior year.

The Preseason NIT is on UT's docket for '06-07. An SEC-Big 12 showdown, explored for several years, remains elusive. One stumbling block is conflicting semester exam schedules at 24 schools.

Mike Strange covers University of Tennessee sports. He may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.