Vols go covert after running Drill Sgt. Pearl's course

The Tennessee men's basketball team has to play a tough opponent before Saturday's game in Nashville against Western Kentucky: Itself.

Coach Bruce Pearl put the Vols through a furious 90-minute workout Monday at Pratt Practice Pavilion in preparation for today's closed scrimmage.

"This is the first time since early November that we've really had a chance to practice on us,'' Pearl said. "It's been refreshing; hard, sharp, picking up the intensity and the angles.''

Drills ranged from taking charges, to the "Forbes'' (slide-step) shuffle, to a series of two-minute full-court sprints disguised as a layup drill.

Pearl, all the while, barked out orders like a drill sergeant with a familiar wild look in his eyes.

"We are going to get better this week,'' Pearl emphatically said. "I've got my teams ready for the games the next two days, and we're going to play a couple games.''

The White team consists of Duke Crews, Ryan Childress, J.P. Prince, Josh Tabb, Chris Lofton and Jordan Howell.

The Orange team is Brian Williams, Wayne Chism, Tyler Smith, JaJuan Smith, Cameron Tatum and Ramar Smith.

"There's going to be a lot of talking between the teams,'' Chism said. "There already is.''

Chism also is one of the Vols talking about needing to make immediate improvement.

"I'm in a slump, and I honestly don't know how I got into it,'' said Chism, who lost his starting job at center two games ago. "I just know I need to get out of it. I've been shooting terrible. I'm not even shooting 50 percent on my free throws; actually, I'm not even hitting 40 percent.''

Chism is 3-of-12 from the free-throw line the past five games, dropping to .381 on the year, and he has failed to score in double digits or pull down more than five rebounds in any of the past four games.

"A couple of times I've felt like I had the hot hand, and I was thinking I needed the next shot,'' Chism said. "But I don't need to be thinking selfish about my shooting. That thought just doesn't need to be there.''

Chism also pointed to early foul trouble as a problem he must overcome.

"Sometimes that's been a problem, because you get those two early fouls and your first half is pretty much over,'' Chism said. "I want to play hard, but I don't want to get those fouls.''

Chism does not have a problem coming off the bench - he did so the first half of last season. But he's quick to admit it was not his choice this season.

"It was because of my performance,'' Chism said. "I played terrible. I really did.''

Chism believes the intensity and pace Pearl has offered the past two practices will serve him and his teammates well.

"It seems like things have been moving a lot faster for us,'' Chism said. "It has been very competitive, and that's good.''

Pearl said he's glad the Vols are taking it upon themselves to improve.

"You've basically got about half the guys on the team saying and knowing they can play better,'' Pearl said. "That's exactly where you want to be at this stage of the season.''

Poll Drop: Tennessee dropped from No. 10 to No. 12 in the Associated Press poll Monday despite winning the only game it played last week, 76-70 at Chattanooga.

"We're a one-loss team, and they (voters) obviously felt there are better one-loss teams out there,'' Pearl said.

UCLA (8-1), Michigan State (8-1) and Marquette (6-1) are the only one-loss teams ranked ahead of the 8-1 Vols.

Marquette and Pittsburgh (9-0), both of the Big East, were the teams that jumped the Vols in this week's poll, the Panthers edging UT by a single point.

The SEC's non-conference struggles could have something to do with it; the SEC went 1-3 in the SEC-Big East challenge recently. Vanderbilt, 9-0 and ranked No. 20, is the only other SEC team ranked in the top 25.

Top Five: The Vols' 22-game home win streak is the fifth-longest streak of its kind in the nation behind Memphis (36), BYU (35), Notre Dame (25) and Indiana (23).

Tabb Ankle: Tabb suffered a light ankle sprain Friday but shot for an hour Sunday and practiced some Monday. Pearl said Tabb will be ready for Saturday's 9 p.m. tip against Western Kentucky at the Sommet Center.

Memphis plays Middle Tennessee State at the Sommet Center on Saturday in the first game of the doubleheader.

Pearl On Jayhawks: Pearl said he's excited about landing a home-and-home series with Kansas.

"Oh my gosh yes, we want to play the names that are synonymous with the best in college basketball,'' Pearl said, pointing toward next year's Dec. 20 matchup at Allen Fieldhouse. "You look at the Big 12, and we've played Oklahoma State, Texas and now Kansas. The ACC, we've played North Carolina, and Ohio State of the Big Ten. Then we've got Gonzaga coming up. It's huge.''

Kansas has had 100 consecutive sellouts at Allen Fieldhouse, which lists 16,300 as its capacity.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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