Tennessee hopes its loss to Butler will be a wake-up call.

It better. If the Vols don't play better against No. 2-ranked North Carolina, the state of Tennessee men's basketball could fast become a five-alarm fire.

The No. 22 Vols (4-1) play the Tar Heels (3-1) at 4:30 p.m. today (TV: ESPN) in the consolation game of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden. Butler and Gonzaga, both unranked, meet in the championship game at 7.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams said he scouted some of UT's 56-44 loss to the Bulldogs and had an assistant coach there to charting the entire game.

"His (Pearl's) style of play is a little unique, in full-court pressure all of the time,'' Williams said. "It fits his personality and that's the way he feels comfortable coaching.''

Pearl wasn't so comfortable in his Marriott Marquis hotel room following Wednesday night's loss.

"I watched the whole tape of the game,'' Pearl said. "I fell asleep at 3 in the morning with the remote in my hand. I could have done without watching the second half.''

The Vols made 3 of 29 shots (1-of-14 3-pointers) in the final 20 minutes as the Bulldogs pulled away.

Pearl said he believes the 44 points UT scored is the lowest for any of the 14 teams he has coached, which includes stops at Southern Indiana and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"I'll guarantee you that percentage (25 percent for the game) is the lowest we've shot,'' Pearl said. "We score in fits and starts. We don't have any offensive continuity. Our maturity as a team isn't there.''

Pearl said he doesn't have any changes in style or personnel groupings planned for tonight's game.

"Not now,'' he said. "What you see is what you'll get the next couple of games, and then we'll see if we need to re-think it.''

The Vols' most obvious issue is at point guard, where highly touted freshman Ramar Smith is struggling to adjust to the myriad of responsibilities the position demands in college.

Smith, more of a shooting guard in high school, brings athleticism and quickness to the point and has proved a strong defender.

His judgment, however, is lacking, as evidenced by the five turnovers he had to go with his five assists against Butler.

"I'm trying to loosen up,'' said Smith, scoreless against the Bulldogs in 20 minutes of play. "I came here to play point guard thinking to pass first. I'll try to score more. We've got to get better. I want to win.''

Smith was a prolific scorer throughout his high school career. Pearl said his scoring struggles have to do with the difference in competition.

"In pickup ball and AAU there's no team defense or help side,'' Pearl said. "Now, when he gets in the lane, guys are waiting for him.

"I don't have him in a pass-first mode. If he can score, that shouldn't be an issue.''

Smith isn't the only UT player with turnover issues. Juniors JaJuan Smith and Chris Lofton had five turnovers each in the loss to Butler.

"We're making bad decisions about when to penetrate, and guys aren't going to their strengths,'' Pearl said. "Almost all the turnovers were when we were dribbling the ball. The only time you should dribble is when you take it to the basket. We were dribbling in circles.''

While Butler's game plan was to slow down the Vols, the deep and talented Tar Heels like a faster pace.

"It's about as big a variance as you can get,'' Pearl said. "We play into their strengths. We'll need to slow them down with our press.''

And, Pearl said, UT needs execution and team effort.

"We have to have all hands on deck. We're going into a pretty good storm,'' he said. "We can't have guys jumping overboard.''

Freshman Fodder: Freshmen centers Wayne Chism and Duke Crews seem to be rolling with the punches. Both were in good spirits at Thursday's practice.

"This feels like a championship game because it's the No. 2 team in the country,'' said Chism, who was 1-of-8 from the field and 2-of-8 from the free-throw line against Butler. "I have to come back and play hard after (Wednesday) night. I missed some easy shots I need to start finishing.''

Crews, who had four points and three rebounds Wednesday night, said fans shouldn't overreact to one bad game.

"Carolina lost last night, too, and they have five freshmen,'' Crews said. "We hate to lose, but I don't think anyone thought we'd be undefeated. It's one game, and we played bad against a good team.''

What Club: Pearl was corrected by the media after telling them the New York Athletic Club, site of Thursday's practice, is where the Heisman Trophy is awarded.

"Oh, that's the Downtown Athletic Club?'' Pearl said chuckling. "Well don't tell the guys. I told them there's been Heisman Trophy winners in here.''

Did You Know: UT's 44 points are the lowest scored by the Vols since a 43-35 loss at Auburn Jan. 15, 1997.