In the end, another lost opportunity

A 70-68 loss to Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena was, in the end, a virtual replay of last week's heartbreaker at Ole Miss.

A brilliant, career-high 30-point effort by freshman Chris Lofton was wasted when the Vols couldn't make the big shot at the buzzer.

This time it was C.J. Watson who had to improvise when the designed play broke down. His 16-foot, off-balance runner in traffic bounced off the rim with three seconds to play and the crowd of 19,084 exploded.

"If I've got my math right,'' said UT coach Buzz Peterson, "that's five losses in the conference on the road by a total of 15 points.

"We're so close.''

Peterson's math is right. The Vols have lost at South Carolina, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Arkansas by a combined 15 points.

Tennessee won its other two road games, at Georgia and Florida. In short, the Vols are 15 points from being 7-0 on the road in the league with a visit to Kentucky looming on Wednesday.

Saturday was the third time in those five losses the Vols had a shot in the air to tie or win the game.

At South Carolina last month, Lofton's 3-pointer to tie rimmed off. A week ago at Ole Miss, Dane Bradshaw's 3-pointer missed and the Rebels won 60-58.

"I think we have a jinx on us,'' said UT senior Brandon Crump, "especially these late games. Maybe it's a curse.''

At any rate, the Vols (12-15, 5-9 SEC) are now assured of a losing record unless they win at least two games in the SEC tournament.

Their first game in the tournament will almost certainly be a rematch with Arkansas (18-9, 6-8).

The Razorbacks got 23 points from sophomore Ronnie Brewer, outrebounded the Vols 38-32 and hit five of eight shots from 3-point range in the second half.

Two of those treys loomed large.

Tennessee had rallied from a nine-point deficit to lead 61-56 on Major Wingate's only basket with 7:45 to play.

On the ensuing possession, UT sent Arkansas' 7-foot freshman Steven Hill to the free-throw line.

He hit the first shot, then missed the second. Arkansas, however, hustled down the rebound and Brewer drilled a 3-pointer to cut UT's lead to 61-60.

Later, with the score 64-all, Eric Ferguson's 3-pointer put the Razorbacks ahead to stay.

"It's not so much the play at the end of the game,'' said Peterson, "as it's the little things, the missed box-out at the free-throw line.''

Leading 69-66, Arkansas had a chance to clinch but Olu Famutimi missed two free throws. UT went to Crump and he responded with a bucket with 1 minute to play to cut it to 69-68.

Arkansas missed a shot, but another offensive rebound with 29 seconds left forced UT to foul.

Dontell Jefferson hit one of two to make it a two-point lead.

Tennessee called time and designed a play to go to Crump in the paint.

However, the Razorbacks' pressure forced Lofton to catch the ball too far out to make an entry pass to Crump.

Swarmed 25 feet from the basket, Lofton passed to Watson, who fought his way through a crowd to miss the shot that would have forced overtime.

Watson finished 2-of-10 and scored four points.

"It's frustrating,'' said Lofton, who was 9-of-20 overall and 7-of-14 from 3-point range. "But it's something you've got to deal with in life.

"It's not going to be perfect every day.''

Lofton wasn't perfect but he was impressive. After scoring 16 points in the second half, though, he appeared to hit the wall. After a long 3-pointer put UT up 64-62 with 6:14 left, he missed his last four shots.

"I think I got a little tired,'' he said. "I didn't come out much.

"I'm just trying to do what I do to help my team win the game. If I've got to be aggressive, that's what I'm going to do.''

Notebook: Scooter McFadgon was in street clothes and missed a third consecutive game since suffering a bruised knee on Feb. 12. ... In his past two games, Lofton has scored 55 points and is 14-of-27 from 3-point range. ... Wingate played a season-low four minutes, which Peterson attributed to Andre Patterson (11 points, eight rebounds) and Jemere Hendrix (six points, five rebounds) being productive. "Major was just the odd man out tonight,'' Peterson said. ... At one point in the first half, Peterson had a lineup of starter Bradshaw and subs Wingate, Hendrix, Stanley Asumnu and JaJuan Smith on the court. Arkansas ran off six quick points, forcing Peterson to use a timeout to sub four starters back in the game.