I caught up with Bruce Pearl on Saturday while he was taking the car for a fill-up and a wash.

Where, I wondered, would he watch the Ohio State-Memphis game in a couple of hours? Since he wouldn't be in San Antonio coaching in a Tennessee-Memphis game, that is.

"I won't watch it,'' Pearl said. "I can't.

"I started watching the Vanderbilt game (Friday night), then I got to the North Carolina game and couldn't watch. I put on a movie. Too painful.''

The wound from the way the Vols' 2006-07 season ended is too fresh to allow Pearl to kick back and enjoy the rest of March Madness.

Now, the Vols' 2007-08 season? That's a topic he can warm to.

Pearl's upcoming third season at UT has the potential to be his best and his first two were fairly amazing.

The Vols return all but one player from their nine-man rotation and have reinforcements on the way.

They'll practice in a new facility, play in a remodeled Thompson-Boling Arena.

They'll compete in an SEC Eastern Division that will almost certainly look very different from the season past.

Kentucky lost its coach, who felt unwanted, and its go-to guy, Randolph Morris, who became an instant New York Knick.

Vanderbilt's Sweet 16 team loses its best player, Derrick Byars.

At Florida, Lee Humphrey is the only senior starter, but from one to four juniors could leave for the pros. Coach Billy Donovan (assuming he's not bound for Lexington) has reloaded with more blue-chippers.

For Tennessee, the season begins sooner than you think. The Vols are headed to Europe this summer for a timely head start.

"First and foremost,'' said Pearl, "we have to learn to play without Dane Bradshaw.''

It remains to be seen if anyone can provide the intangibles the Vols got from their only senior. Transfer J.P. Prince is the most likely candidate.

Pearl was uncertain whether to take Prince from Arizona at the semester break. After two-plus months of practice, there's no waffling.

"I'm glad we took him,'' said Pearl. "He can play one through four.''

Signee Cameron Tatum is another rangy guard who can score, never a bad thing. Center Brian Williams is a project, but Pearl sees good hands, good feet and a good basketball IQ.

"What you see,'' Pearl said, "is a foundation being laid for a solid program, bringing in a couple of classes of good players.''

Last year's good class will be sophomores, stronger and wiser. Pearl's staff has proved in two years it can develop players.

Better depth leads to better competition for playing time. That translates to more leverage for the head coach.

One way he plans to wield that leverage is to demand more accountability on defense.

Defensive breakdowns and poor free-throw shooting were the two biggest reasons the Vols weren't in San Antonio on Saturday playing Memphis. Ohio State's rally from a 20-point deficit to an 85-84 win provides ample, if painful, motivation to improve in both areas.

"I'll throw that in their faces — no, our faces — all summer,'' Pearl said. "Every chance I can.

"If the practice facility were up and running I think they'd be over there today shooting free throws and working on their (defensive) slides.''

So, to review: Tennessee should be an improved team, a deeper team, a more physical team, playing in a division in which every rival has issues to address.

Furthermore, it should be a hungry team, inspired by the sour taste of unfinished business.

But there are no guarantees. Part of the attraction of sport is its unpredictability. The script is edited by the week, by the hour, by the dribble.

"I want the Tennessee fans to understand,'' said Pearl. "Just because we got there once doesn't mean we'll get there every year.''

"Now we're going to work to get there every year.''

Looking to a new season, "there" has been redefined for Tennessee. It now means being within one driving shot at the buzzer of the Elite Eight.

Regardless of whether that shot finds the basket — and the pain is terrible if it doesn't — it's a good place to aim for.