Tennessee men's basketball fans might be getting their final look at an undefeated team.

The Vols (4-0) host Appalachian State (3-3) at 7 p.m. Tuesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena before a 10-day break and a date at No. 2 Texas.

"I better take the good while I've got it,'' UT coach Bruce Pearl said Monday. "Keep in mind, we beat Eastern Kentucky, not Kentucky, and we beat the Louisiana from Lafayette, not Baton Rouge.

"This team has not had enough success to be even close to being satisfied.''

Pearl said UT is not good enough to assume anything about any game, including tonight's game against the Mountaineers.

"Appalachian State will be the best transition offense we've seen to this point,'' Pearl said. "They're averaging 11 threes made a game. ... They'll expose our ability to defend the three (3-point shot).''

D.J. Thompson leads the Mountaineers with 18.7 points per game and guard Nathan Cranford is scoring an average of 11.2.

Pearl said the 5-foot-8 Thompson is comparable to East Tennessee State's star guard Timmy Smith.

"He (Thompson) is a better shooter and he's faster,'' Pearl said. "He's fast getting the ball up the court.

"We'll have to get back and defend in transition, and we like to run, too, so it ought to be a fast-paced game.''

Pearl pointed out that Appalachian State beat Arkansas-Little Rock and hung with Wake Forest before falling 91-78 on the road, so the Mountaineers won't be intimidated.

"We've been down in the second half in two of our four wins,'' Pearl said. "Your concern is these are mid-major opponents we're having to come from behind against.''

While it's clear the Vols have improved through their first four games, Pearl said UT is a long way from having arrived. He's still concerned with finding an eighth man to play significant minutes in the rotation.

"We need for Ryan Childress, Jordan Howell or Eddie DeBro to really come on and give us depth,'' Pearl said. "(But) I'm not unhappy with any one of them.''

Just not happy enough.

Pearl also remains concerned with the Vols' rebounding, though he said upon closer film study, Major Wingate isn't doing as bad of a job as his 3.8 rebounds-per-game average might suggest.

"Looking at tape, in fairness to Major, his man does not get the ball,'' Pearl said. "He's checking his man out; the thing he's not doing is he's not releasing and then going back to the ball.

"I have to give him credit for boxing out and keeping opponents' big guys off the boards.''

That shouldn't be too much of a problem tonight. The Mountaineers largest starter is 6-9 freshman Tyler Webb, and his rebounding average is two.

History: The Vols held a 37-34 halftime lead over Appalachian State the last time the teams met (2001) before scoring a 97-66 win.

Plus-Minus: UT senior point guard C.J. Watson was the leader in the plus-minus category in the Vols' 64-53 win over Murray State last Wednesday. UT outscored the Racers by 16 when Watson was in the game. Dane Bradshaw and Chris Lofton each had a plus-minus of 12 points.

Do You Know: Appalachian State associate head coach Matt McMahon spent the 2001-02 season as a graduate assistant at UT. McMahon is an Oak Ridge native and was the starting point guard for the Mountaineers when they played UT in 1997.

Mountaineers head coach Houston Fancher was born in Elizabethton and was reared in Newport.

Did You Know: Pearl is the last of the coaches in their first year at a school which is undefeated.

Pearl said the Vols are also one of only 25 teams who remain undefeated.

See Ya Later: UT's next home game after tonight is Dec. 27 against Alabama A&M. The Vols open the SEC season Jan. 8 at South Carolina before returning home Jan. 11 against Georgia.