DESTIN, Fla. -- Coach Bruce Pearl has taken Tennessee to back-to-back NCAA tournaments. He has won three of four games against Florida and two of four games against Kentucky, the elite programs in SEC basketball.

But as he looks forward to what should be his best UT team, he doesn't ignore the past or tradition.

For example, take his response to a recruiting question posed during a break at Wednesday's SEC spring meetings.

He was asked if he had a rooting interest in the recruitment of blue-chippers Patrick Patterson and Jai Lucas, who didn't sign until this month after considering Kentucky and Florida. Patterson, a power forward, finally decided on Kentucky; Lucas, a point guard, opted for Florida. That was fine with Pearl.

"From a self-serving standpoint, I want Kentucky and Florida to get them all," Pearl said. "I compete with Vanderbilt, Georgia and South Carolina (in the SEC East).

"With those two programs (Kentucky and Florida) in our division, we're competing for the next spot. That doesn't mean we can't finish ahead of them."

That probably strikes you as an odd assessment from a coach as driven and competitive as Pearl. But don't take it too literally.

Both the coach and his program have thrived in the underdog role the last two seasons. Why change the script just because your third team could be a consensus top-10 preseason pick, ranked higher than either Kentucky or Florida?

At the same time, he's putting his success in perspective. Florida has won back-to-back national championships, Kentucky ranks with the most tradition-rich programs in the country, and UT is a new kid on the basketball block.

Never mind that he's 5-3 against Florida and Kentucky, or that the Vols have finished ahead of the Wildcats each of the last two seasons and won the East in 2005-06. Pearl realizes you don't establish a track record in two years.

"If we keep doing what we're doing, let's visit that down the road and see if it changes," Pearl said. "The farthest we've ever gone is the Sweet 16. So we're not there yet."

Since UT lost only one key player from a Sweet 16 team, further advancement is a reasonable expectation. Also, there's room for improvement in the East, where two-time national champion Florida has lost its five starters.

But no one, least of all Pearl, expects Florida to fall off the basketball tournament map. With the late addition of Lucas, its recruiting class ranks with the best in the country.

Pearl also expects more competition from South Carolina, which will add two transfers "who are maybe better than anybody on their team," according to Pearl; and Georgia, which returns five of its top six scorers.

Recruiting Upgrade: The coaching change at Kentucky might pose a greater long-term challenge for the Vols. As good a coach as Tubby Smith has been, he struggled more and more in recruiting. New coach Billy Gillispie had an immediate impact on recruiting with the late signing of Patterson and Alex Legion.

"I think he will be a more aggressive recruiter (than Smith)," Pearl said.

Pearl also thinks Arkansas helped itself by hiring former Kentucky player John Pelfrey to replace Stan Heath.

"Arkansas has the best personnel in the league if all their guys come back," Pearl added.

One Foot Backward: Pearl doesn't like the recent NCAA rule change, which will move the 3-point line back a foot to 20 feet, 9 inches, beginning in the 2008-09 season.

"I don't think it will have the desired effect," said Pearl, whose teams rely heavily on 3point shooting. "I think you will see more zone.

"I think the traditional teams will get stronger. I think it will hurt the Vanderbilts and Tennessees, who tend to be a little undersized.

"But I don't care. We'll adjust."

Exposing A Program: Pearl has been as aggressive in scheduling as recruiting since taking the UT job. And he has made it clear to the conference and networks, that he's willing to move games for more television exposure.

"We were willing to move the Mississippi State game to Sunday to accommodate TV (last season)," Pearl said. "And we were willing to move the Florida home game to later in the year to accommodate (a CBS game with) Ohio State. We made sure the league office understands that we will trade games for television, and I think that's helped us.

"I think the league is going to encourage schools to be more flexible to play on more nights (for TV purposes)."