Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess // Buy this photo
Tennessee's Jordan Howell, left, and Brian Williams laugh during a timeout against North Carolina-Asheville on Wednesday at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Photo by Wade Payne
J.P. Prince has been a welcomed addition to the Tennessee basketball team.
Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl pushed back the Vols' return game in this home-and-home series with Xavier for two years after taking over in Knoxville.
Pearl admits he wouldn't have minded pushing back today's 2 p.m. tip off at the sold-out 10,250-seat Cintas Center once again.
"This is a game I'd like to have had a few more days to prepare my team for," Pearl said. "We as coaches are prepared, but our players have only had two days of work since we played Wednesday night. Xavier has had all week, so we know that they'll be ready."
The 12th-ranked Vols (10-1) will put their five-game win streak on the line against Xavier's 14-game home win streak with an ESPN television audience looking on.
The Musketeers (8-2) were ranked 17th before a shocking 77-55 upset at Arizona State last weekend dropped them out of The Associated Press poll and down to No. 24 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll.
Pearl said the Vols need a radically different approach to stopping Xavier than the Sun Devils employed last weekend.
"Xavier got beat against a team that played 40 minutes of zone, and we haven't played 40 seconds of zone all year," Pearl said. "It's all about matchups, and we have some concerns."
Pearl said the Vols must hold their own in rebounding to have any chance to win.
"Xavier could dominate us on the boards, and that could be a real problem," he said. "Whether there's an adjustment for that, or it becomes a fact of life, I can't tell you.
"Then, they have Drew Lavender, an All-American type of point guard who's a one-man press breaker."
The Musketeers are averaging just 12 turnovers per game - an area in which Pearl's UT teams have typically generated a lot of offense.
The quickest fix for the Vols' offense would be a return to form by senior All-American Chris Lofton. Lofton is playing closer to his hometown of Maysville, Ky. - 60 miles - than he has in any other game since arriving at UT. (Lexington is 64 miles away).
Lofton, who became the Vols' all-time leading 3-point shooter in UT's win over UNC-Asheville Wednesday, said he still hasn't found his groove.
"I've spent extra time in the gym working on my shot and watching film of myself from last year," said Lofton, who has hit 38.8 percent of his treys since opening the season 3-of-17 beyond the 3-point arc. "My elbow has been out too wide, and I've been kicking my leg out when I need to be going straight up.
"My shot still hasn't come around yet."
Pearl said this is the type of game where it needs to.
"Obviously, when you play the best teams on your schedule, you need something special to happen," Pearl said. "This game is like other opportunity games we've had. We've gone on the road and beat Florida, Kentucky and Texas, and I thought last year's win at Arkansas was big.
"This win would be right there. I like the progression we've made this year, and we are much more prepared to be competitive in this game than we were a month ago."
That doesn't change the fact that Xavier, with six players averaging double-figure scoring, figures to be one of the toughest matchups of the year.
"Lavender is about as good as the Texas point guard, (D.J.) Augustin, and I think he has a better supporting cast," Pearl said. "Xavier is a great team that has six very good, if not great, players.
"This environment will be the toughest we've played in this season. It's not time to panic, but are we a little concerned? Sure."
Cable Power: Xavier has won nine consecutive games that have been broadcast over various ESPN networks. It was 8-1 last season on ESPN and is 1-0 this year.
Memorable moments in Pat Summitt's…
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Phillip Fulmer through the years
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 25
ncvol17 writes:
Lofton will have a break out game & stick it to the Musketeers
Kwitcherbellyachin writes:
Interesting that the ESPN announcers for the WKU game noticed the leg kick issue that Lofton cites as one of his mechanical flaws this season. Maybe they watched the same game tape.
wisonsinvol writes:
Easy to see that kick. Makes me think of Reggie Miller with the Pacers. He had a patented kick that he used to get fouls called. Only thing was that Reggie was MONEY with his 3kick (and not the MONEY Bertelkamp yells when Lofton hits his first 3 after missing 7 straight).
MrBamSeydu writes:
Listening to Bertelkamp makes me want to cut my leg off and beat myself to death with it. He sounds so stupid and redneck. His "MONEY!" and "SWEET!" one liners erk me almost as bad as the way he calls every player by first name basis and always says something about one of the other team's players like "now that _______, he'za good plaaayer buddy!" Kesling, although very boring, at least sounds intelligent.
GO VOLS!!!
1955_Vol writes:
Nice hair-doo Howell...you don't look like Screech anymore. Everyone play with the intensity of a Bradshaw tomorrow and we win by 10.
chrisw2967 writes:
yemmusdarb: I have to agree with you, Bertelkamp is a joke period, him and his "Money" & "Sweet"
makes one want to puke. You would think Kesling would tell him how stupid he sounds but nobody has told Kesling how stupid he sounds either.
But we have what we have.
Lofton will break out , just hopes its tomorrow
newtonrail writes:
I too love Bertlekamp's analysis and commentary.
BillVol writes:
Me, too, newton. Bert, don't change a thing. You are MONEY! You can't please everybody, Bert, but most of us are very happy with your commentary!!!
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
i too like Bert but I do have to agree 1 in a row after missing 6 in a row isn't MONEY---still have no problem with him if that what excites him
stroker writes:
If you don't like Bert then don't watch Andy Griffith. We don"t want you to change him.
mj54 writes:
It's amazing to me that Kesling is really good at calling the basketball games and absolutely sucks at football.
Kesling and Bertlekamp are a really good broadcasting team and Bert is a homer for UT, but I love him because he's also not afraid to call out a stupid play by UT, usually Chism jacking up a 3 or JuJuan Smith doing something wild and out of control, or even a bad call by the ref.
Oenoboy writes:
Once I stopped comparing Kesling to John Ward, I actually noticed how good he has become calling football. I was an anti-Kesling person myself until I had no other option but to listen to two games this year on radio and found him better than any of the usual talking heads on TV.
Chainsaw writes:
Kesling and Bert have gotten better as a team. I have no problem with Bert's MONEY! calls. It works for him, and adds some excitement to the call. If you don't like it, turn your radio off.
Bigger_Al writes:
I understand not liking his accent, but I do like Bert. My favorite Bert line was in 2000 when we were in a tight game in Gainesville, and during a last minute timeout he overheard UF officials talking about whether they were going to let the crowd storm the floor after the Gators victory. Bert says, "Ya'll might not win!" They didn't. Vols did.
Now, he was a plaaaaaayer, too.
DSaVol writes:
A thought for those that don't like our guys - buy a ticket once in a while! Now enough of that nonsense.
Today is huge to say the least. Concerned about our guys looking toward getting home after the game. I like our match-ups overall but can only hope that Ramar comes to play as I don't believe Jordan can handle Lavender defensively for long periods. Xavier is not deep so we should wear em down a bit. Our perimeter guys MUST keep them off the board as X-men love to team rebound. Inside we can handle them if they don't get help from the outside. Amazing to me that we are a 4 pt DOG - I'll take that though as Vols win by double digits.
BluetickBlues writes:
Bert Bertlekamp is MONEY! Don't hate, appreciate. Merry Christmas Bert and Bob, keep up the good work.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I'm not too surprised that we are a 4-pt dog on the road against a sound Xavier team. The Vols acquired an enviable rep as "road warriors" in the past two years, but this team has yet to show that. As for Chris's shot, he has always had his right elbow a little wider than most people think is ideal, but it has seemed a little wider this year than in the past. The leg kick has also been a little more prominent this year. Funny how someone who works as hard as he does can develop little flaws like that--overthinking, maybe. As CBP says, practice doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent. Hope that isn't the case with Chris! Go Vols!!!
NatiVol writes:
I'll be at the Game today! Live in Cincinnati, life long Vol (From Chattanooga) and go to UC. Seen a lot of Xavier this year, and they are good. Match up well with the Vols (as the story says) and they have had a lot of time to get ready for the game. I hope UT pulls it out and Chris is Chris again! Go Vols.
NatiVol writes:
yeah you don't have to worry about that, I will be. I think there will be a lot of UT people there. This area has a large amount of VOL fans. X fans are ridiculous and rude, I went to UC / X 2 years ago, and going to UC have an obligation to pull for the school that gets my money (unless it conflicts with UT's interest). The point is they cussed us out, yelled and at one point threw a cup at us but it doesn't bother me, nothing personal. Just makes them look uneducated.
tigervol9802 writes:
How dare anyone speak negative towards the greatness that is Bert Bertlekamp.
cjraney writes:
At least you can tell which team Bert is pulling for. Can't always tell with Kesling.
etvolfan writes:
Bert is great. He wasn't afraid to call out Jerry Green for his stupid sub patterns on air. Nobody is going to be John Ward but Bob isn't bad though.
ncvol17 writes:
Feel good: Go to the Adams column and give your memories of the food on the 'strip'...
jevolball7 writes:
Hey guys,fresh meat here.My first post on here,so use me gently!I luv Berts call
(spontaneous) not a talking head in need of a circumcision or a bubble headed bleach blond! I'll be posting quite often.But you don't have to worry about spell checking me often.
phi0129 writes:
Did anyone watch this game on ESPN? It was unbelievable. Not only were the refs clearly screwing us, but did anyone listen to what the announcers were saying? Especially the first half. All they did was talk trash about us and get down on their knees for Xavier.
Actual paragraph
"TN is 10 for 21 for the half. Yeah with 13 bad shots."
" And here comes Lavender for Xavier. What a great pass. Did you see that pass? And then the amazing dunk. Wow these guys are great."
It was one of the most appalling things I have ever seen
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.