Lofton improving, but doubtful for Kentucky

So went the Chris Lofton ankle watch Thursday at Thompson-Boling Arena.

"It's feeling a lot better,'' Tennessee's starting guard and injured leading scorer said. "I'm walking on it real well today.''

But the likelihood that Lofton will be running and shooting jump shots on it Sunday in Rupp Arena remains doubtful.

The Vols (14-6, 2-3 SEC) visit Kentucky (15-5, 4-2) in a 1 p.m. tip-off, hoping to reprise their electrifying win in Rupp Arena of last season.

However, Lofton's sprained right ankle will probably reduce him to spectator status, as it did in an 83-69 loss at Ole Miss on Wednesday.

"I doubt it, I really doubt it,'' coach Bruce Pearl said when pressed on whether Lofton could improve enough to play against Kentucky.

It hasn't been ruled out, though.

"He's got a lot less pain than he had yesterday,'' Pearl said, "so they're working through it.

"Our trainer, Chad Newman, is just so outstanding. It's starting to get some nice discoloration and he's making progress.''

Lofton, the SEC's leading scorer at 21.5 points a game, turned his ankle in the second half of UT's win over South Carolina last Saturday.

He made the trip to Ole Miss but sat on the bench in street clothes, wearing a protective boot.

"It was different,'' Lofton said, "something I've never been a part of.''

He has shot a free throws this week, but no jump shots.

"I'm taking it one day at a time,'' Lofton said. "Each day I come in and it gets better. I can do something else that I couldn't do the day before.

"Hopefully, tomorrow I'll have something else to cheer about.''

When to give Lofton the green light to suit up can be a tricky issue.

"I want to come back when I can contribute,'' Lofton said. "I don't want to bring 'em down.''

Pearl said it is the medical staff's call.

"They're going to be careful with Chris because Chris is going to say whatever he needs to say to get out there. We have to understand that.

"We're not going to rush him. ... It's just not worth it.''

Sunday is the first of 11 remaining regular-season games.

The Vols have lost four of their past five games. The consensus is that they need to finish 8-8 in SEC play to lock up an NCAA tournament bid, given their strong non-conference work.

Anything less than 8-8 would be dicey.

That Lofton's recovery is going well comes as no surprise, given his work ethic and devotion to all things basketball.

"He's been in the training room as much as he's in the gym when he's healthy,'' said teammate Dane Bradshaw, "so that's a good sign.

"It should be the fastest-healing high ankle sprain you've ever seen as much treatment as they're doing.''

Bradshaw chuckled at the suggestion that Tennessee should stand Lofton on the court even if he had to stay in the same spot.

"He's a great contested shooter,'' Bradshaw said. "He'd definitely be contested if he can't move. But I'd still bet on him.''

Painted Pearl: Pearl admitted he was caught off-guard by the national attention generated by his body-painting stunt at the nationally televised Lady Vols-Duke game on Monday nighht.

The bare-chested, orange-painted Pearl has been featured on a number of national web sites, publications and television shows.

"I was way surprised,'' he said. "I was also pleased that with the exception of 'Vandy Skip' almost all of them were tolerant of it.''

The reference was to Skip Bayless (a Vanderbilt graduate) who was critical of Pearl on ESPN's "Cold Pizza".

"I really appreciated that most of the people understood what my intentions were,'' Pearl said.

"But I don't blame people if they didn't appreciate it.''