It's been said a man is best judged by his peers.

Tennessee senior point guard C.J. Watson would disagree where the SEC Coach of the Year vote is concerned.

"For (UT coach Bruce Pearl) not to get it was disrespectful,'' Watson said Wednesday. "We were all surprised he didn't because of how he turned the program around.

"We're using it as motivation. It makes us want to win the SEC tournament even more.''

The No. 14 Vols (21-6, 12-4 SEC), picked to finish fifth in the SEC East this season, open play at 1 p.m. Friday against the winner of today's 1 p.m. game between Mississippi State (15-14, 5-11) and South Carolina (15-14, 6-10).

UT enters the tournament at the Gaylord Entertainment Center as the SEC East Division champions.

Pearl said he had no problem with SEC coaches voting LSU's John Brady the coach of the year.

The Tigers, Pearl said, were deserving of their accolades because they won the SEC regular season title by two games.

But Pearl said he was disappointed that Watson wasn't able to join guard Chris Lofton on the eight-person All-SEC first team, and he was even more upset that sophomore JaJuan Smith wasn't voted the SEC's Sixth Man Award.

"There's no one on the first team that I'd say doesn't belong there, but how does C.J. go from first team (preseason) to second team?'' Pearl said. "Aren't all his numbers and percentages up from last year?''

Answer: Yes.

Pearl had even-better evidence that Smith got the short end of the stick when Arkansas' guard Eric Ferguson was elected the SEC's top sixth man.

"I'm very disappointed JaJuan didn't win it,'' Pearl said. "He had better numbers, and Ferguson started the last five games of the season.

"JaJuan never started, but he was always the first off the bench. He was the epitome of a sixth man.''

As for those numbers, Pearl pointed to SEC stats:

• Smith averaged 11.3 points, Ferguson 8.6.

• Smith shot .379 from 3-point range, Ferguson .324.

• Smith made 36 treys, Ferguson 22.

• Smith had 27 assists and 21 turnovers, Ferguson had 39 assists and 35 turnovers.

• Smith averaged 3.3 rebounds, Ferguson 2.5.

• Smith had 22 steals, Ferguson had 12.

Smith admitted he was disappointed.

"It was something I was trying to achieve and get, but you don't always get what you work hard for,'' Smith said. "It's something I'm using for motivation. Ferguson is a real good player, no disrespect.

"It's just one of those things. You know me; I always try to prove myself. I'm not where I want to be.''

The Associated Press All-SEC team is due out Tuesday.

"We all had expectations,'' Watson said. "It didn't turn out like we wanted it to. All we can do is put it behind us and try to win this tournament.''