Tennessee stepped on the gas in the second half, and Division II Tusculum ran out of it.

The Vols struggled throughout much of the first half before their press took its toll in a 100-57 victory over the Pioneers in Friday night's exhibition game at Thompson-Boling Arena.

JaJuan Smith led UT scorers for the second time in as many games with 21 points. Wayne Chism scored 12, Ramar Smith and Duke Crews had 11 apiece and Chris Lofton finished with 10.

After shooting 34.9 percent from the floor in the first half, Tennessee opened the second half with an 11-2 run to go up 47-29 on a Lofton 3-pointer at the 18:03 mark.

As if the 8,746 in attendance needed any more convincing, the Vols poured it on with a 25-1 run from the 14:25 mark to 10:01 of the second half when a Crews' dunk made it 78-37.

Tennessee shot 71.1 percent from the floor in the second half and 51.9 percent in the game. The Vols also out-rebounded Tusculum 44-34.

"I think fatigue was a factor with everything that happened,'' said UT coach Bruce Pearl, whose team opens the regular season at home next Friday night against Middle Tennessee State. "We turned them (Tusculum) over 36 times. This has a chance to be a very good pressing team, and it has to be, because we have some challenges in the drop-back (defense).''

The Vols also have some challenges at the free-throw line: UT made 4-of-15 from the charity stripe Friday night.

"You'll have to talk to Crews and Chism - I'm throwing them under the bus,'' Pearl said. "It's not for lack of trying. It's bothering them a little bit.''

Crews was 1-for-5 from the line, and Chism was 2-for-6.

"I think Wayne is a really, really good shooter, but he's never been a good free-throw shooter,'' Pearl said. "Duke will make them when they count; he has that type of toughness.

"We'll have to do some more volume, because those guys will get fouled.''

Chris Poore, a 6-foot-4 senior from Greeneville, led the Pioneers with 21 points, seven rebounds and two steals.

"Chris Poore could play for us,'' Pearl said. "I'd find a spot for him on the floor.''

That's saying something considering Tusculum coach Jim Boone said "Poore is a much better player than what we saw tonight.''

Still, Pearl made it clear he was appreciative of the Pioneers' gritty effort and disciplined offense, saying Tusculum "exposed'' Tennessee's half-court defense.

The Pioneers, with a band of rowdy fans opposite the UT student section, also embarrassed the Vols early on.

Tusculum stayed even with UT for the first 8 1/2 minutes, leading on four occasions before Lofton hit his first shot of the game, a 3-pointer that put the Vols up 18-15 at the 11:06 mark.

"I was a little bit embarrassed, but they are a great team,'' Lofton said. "We started out kind of sluggish, but in the second half we were more intense.''

JaJuan Smith, who had five rebounds and four steals to go with his 21 points, said the Pioneers deserve high praise.

"You've got to give credit to them, because they came out and stuck to their scouting report,'' Smith said. "We came out and we weren't playing our kind of ball; we were playing their kind of ball.''

Boone indicated he was more impressed with UT than Atlantic 10 preseason favorite Xavier, which defeated the Pioneers 82-58 Tuesday night.

"Tennessee is just a lot bigger and stronger, and much more physical than Xavier,'' Boone said. "Tennessee's level of pressure and their athleticism just caught up with us during the second half. It wears on you.

"Our defense did a good job of slowing Tennessee down in the beginning, but eventually it's just a matter of time before they get on track because they are a very good basketball team.''

No Chilly Dipping: Sophomore Ryan Childress continued to impress Pearl, scoring nine points and claiming nine rebounds in 21 minutes. Childress, a 6-foot-9 forward/center, managed the sound performance without committing a foul.

"No fouls, that's probably a first,'' Pearl said. "I'm happy for Ryan. He changed his body and worked real hard. He did it through diet and exercise."