Strange: No. 15 had Georgia scratching

False alarm, it turned out. It wouldn’t be No. 5 who stuck a dagger in their hearts.

It was No. 15, which qualified it as a sneak attack.

Sundiata Gaines and Levi Stukes, two veteran Bulldog guards, had been playing against No. 15 for the past two years and couldn’t remember anything he’d ever done.

For good reason, that. Other than signing a letter-of-intent with Georgia out of high school and then getting his release when coach Jim Harrick resigned, Jordan Howell had never been a blip on Georgia’s radar.

Howell rerouted to in Knoxville in the fall of 2003 but had never scored a point against the program he left.

Until now.

After a little chat with coach Bruce Pearl, Howell went out and played the game of his career in the Vols’ 82-71 victory.

That conversation after the morning shoot-around went something like this:

Pearl: We miss Lofton. Everybody’s got to pick up the slack. You’re playing more minutes this year. It’s time to come out of the shadows and be a factor.

In short, shoot the d--- ball.

Howell: You’re right.

Howell can take coaching. He responded with a career-high 11 points. He hit 3-of-5 from 3-point range.

Georgia never saw it coming.

"He (Pearl) said, ‘I want you to look for your shot,’ and I went in with that attitude tonight,’’ said Howell.

"After one timeout, he got onto me because I didn’t look for a shot I could have taken. Then he ran a few plays for me.

"It gave me confidence that he had the confidence in me to give me the play calls.’’

Howell played 26 minutes and played them well and turnover-free.

Eight of Howell’s 11 points came in the stretch drive when the Vols were attempting — erratically at times — to salt away a double-digit lead.

His 3-pointer from the corner gave UT a 13-point lead with 5:30 left.

When the Vols went on a four-turnovers-in-four-possessions binge, it was Howell who steadied the ship by hitting both ends of a one-and-one with 2:31 on the clock.

When he drained another trey with 1:33 left, Tennessee had its biggest lead, 79-63.

That was the signal for Georgia coach Dennis Felton to begin composing his post-game benediction.

"The nail in the coffin,’’ said Pearl.

Pearl and Howell have had this conversation before, just never with this sense of urgency.

The Vols had lost five of six games. Their NCAA tournament posture was slouching badly. And Lofton, the SEC’s leading scorer, might still be a few games away from testing that sprained ankle in the heat of battle.

Howell has never been seen as a playmaker, as in a maker of plays. Last year, for example, his role was to spell C.J. Watson in emergency situations, and keep the wheels from falling off.

More is expected this year. After the team’s poor showing in New York, Howell moved into the starting lineup for five games — all wins.

Then he suffered an injury to his right wrist and missed seven games. Georgia was only his fourth game back.

"I don’t want to blame it all on the hand,’’ Howell said, "but I just hadn’t gotten in a rhythm.’’

Pearl sensed Howell needed to find that rhythm for Tennessee to break out of its slump and get positioned for a strong stretch run. Time to push a button.

Howell: "He told me, ‘You’re twice as good as you were last year because you’ve worked so hard, but you’re not playing like it, though.’

" ‘You can be better’ is what he was saying.’’

Teammate JaJuan Smith agreed with Pearl’s assessment.

"He’s improved a whole bunch,’’ said Smith. "On a scale of one to 10, he might have been a four and now he’s eight-and-a-half.’’

Wednesday, Georgia had 11 reasons to remember No. 15.

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