Strange: UT, Memphis pass like ships in the night

NASHVILLE - On one side of the aisle dividing the Sommet Center, blue spread out in one direction, orange in the other.

The Memphis Tigers and the Tennessee Vols, rivals from opposite ends of the state, met in the middle Saturday night. But like their fans, they only brushed elbows.

In their role as guests of the Sun Belt Conference, the ranked powerhouses only passed in the hallway as Memphis was leaving the court after beating Middle Tennessee State 65-41 and Tennessee was taking it prior to an 88-82 win over Western Kentucky.

Memphis got the easier end of the deal, grinding down a team Tennessee destroyed by 69 points last month. UT needed an astounding game from freshman Brian Williams to survive the scrappy Hilltoppers.

The marquee match-up would have been the No. 2-ranked Tigers against No. 12 UT.

For that, we have to wait until Feb. 23, when the Vols visit FedEx Forum.

Both teams have conference priorities, of course, but it's still a date worth anticipating.

ESPN apparently thinks so. The network's College GameDay program will be in Memphis for the game, Tigers coach John Calipari said.

"To include Tennessee in that, to get some of the glow off that, it'll be fun,'' said Calipari.

But if Calipari had his way, the Vols and Tigers would play every winter on this neutral floor. That keeps Memphis out of Thompson-Boling Arena and Bruce Pearl out of Shelby County.

"It would be good for the state,'' said Calipari, "and good financially for both teams. We'd both get a payday every year instead of every other year.''

Pearl, on the other hand, prefers a home-and-home rivalry. UT has a large fan base in West Tennessee. He also wants to wave the orange flag in recruiting hotbed Memphis as often as possible.

Basketball fans might say they don't care where you play it as long as you play it. Both programs are a show.

Similarities abound, beginning with energizer coaches from the Northeast - Pearl from Boston, Calipari from Pennsylvania.

The Vols rip and run to the tune of 88.7 points a game. The Tigers aren't far behind at 82.3.

Neither club wants to have to ice a close one at the free-throw stripe. If you thought the Vols were suspect at 63.7 percent, get a load of Memphis at 56.8 percent.

Both programs have Bolivar High School products, UT's Wayne Chism and Willie Kemp of the Tigers.

Both programs found a blue-chipper in Detroit, Ramar Smith of UT and leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts of Memphis.

Both programs even have new transfers from, of all places, the state of Iowa.

Tyler Smith came to UT from the University of Iowa. Shawn Taggart, a 6-9 transfer from Iowa State, scored 11 points for Memphis Saturday.

There are differences as well.

To boil it down, Tennessee shoots it better, while Memphis plays better defense and rebounds harder.

As for individual matches, Tennessee has no equivalent to Joey Dorsey - unless Williams has a lot more in him like he did Saturday.

Dorsey, the sculpted 6-9 senior, is irrelevant more than five feet from the basket. But in his small world he is a beast, as his 11-point, 12-rebound, three-blocks effort against MTSU attested.

Neither team is in February form yet. Both are feeling their way to optimum rotations. UT, meanwhile, is getting too little out of too many players, Chism in particular.

Calipari was asked what he'd like to see his team do by February.

"Make more shots,'' he answered quickly.

Pearl's response:

"We've made a lot of progress in the last 11 days. We've just got to keep getting better.

"And we've got to get better on the boards. Brian Williams is certainly going to help.''

It would have been a good match in December. It'll be a great one in February.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.