Tennessee men's basketball program is taking its best shot at landing one of the nation's top recruits.

Duke Crews, a 6-foot-7, 230-pound wing, has flown into Knoxville to take a look around the UT campus this weekend.

"I haven't been to Tennessee before, but I know enough about the coaching staff that I feel comfortable,'' said Crews, who stars at Bethel High School in Hampton, Va. "That coaching staff has a track record of winning wherever they go.''

Crews has quite a resume, too. He was rated the No. 2 player at the Nike Camp in Indianapolis this summer, and with his size and athleticism has the potential to start for the Vols immediately.

Crews is rated the 14th-best player in the country by HoopScooponline.com and rated as the 10th best player out of the NBA Camp in Virginia and the third best combo-forward. Crews is rated the 28th best player nationally by Hoopmasters.com.

Scouts who have seen Crews play compare him to former UT legend Bernard King -- he dribbles, he drives, he shoots and he scores.

And, he plays the type of tenacious defense that has made UT coach Bruce Pearl a winner at his previous coaching stops.

Crews said his mother is accompanying him on the trip to Knoxville and will check into UT's academic and social environment.

Crews, who's also considering Wake Forest, North Carolina and Georgetown, said he'll be taking a close look at the UT basketball program, from top to bottom.

"I have three other schools I'm going to talk to,'' said Crews, who visited Wake Forest last weekend and has visits set up with Georgetown next week and North Carolina the week after. "I want to win no matter where I go.

"But I look at the people Tennessee has signed so far, and they've done well.''

Crews said he could see how the Vols could fill up 24,535-seat Thompson-Boling Arena by landing prospects rated in nation's top 50, like UT commitments Wayne Chism and Marques Johnson.

"I'm definitely looking to help fill up a stadium; I like big crowds,'' Crews said. "If Tennessee's winning, people will want to come to the games.''

Another Visitor: Michael Taylor, a 6-2 combo guard from Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla., will also visit this weekend.

The Vols will most assuredly need to sign another guard to complement Johnson after Willie Kemp of Bolivar elected Wednesday to stay home and play for Memphis despite his mother's wishes he sign with Tennessee.

Johnson was rated the 20th best player at the NBA Camp in Virginia. Kemp was rated the 25th player at that same camp. Johnson also ranked as the No. 6 point guard in the camp, and is 41st overall by HoopMasters.com and 42nd by HoopScooponline.com.

Pearl has continued his travels on the recruiting trail this week visiting Arkansas, Florida and Ohio.

Practice Notes: Pearl said junior Dane Bradshaw has impressed him in the team's limited practice time.

"Dane is shooting the ball better now than he was a year ago,'' Pearl said. "He's been getting a lot of extra shooting and he's a really smart player.''

Bradshaw averaged 3 points per game last season shooting at a 40-percent clip.

Pearl said newcomer Anthony Passley, a 6-5, 195-pound forward, has also shined.

Alas, Passley lost his appeal to be eligible this season after transferring from Wisconsin-Milwaukee and won't be eligible until the 2006-07 season.

Open Season: Pearl said the Vols start practice Oct. 14 in Thompson-Boling Area. The UT women will practice from 7-9 p.m. with the men following from 9-11.

Pearl said the practice -- and all of his practices -- will be open to the public.