Thompson-Boling Arena is all but a finished project, but the Tennessee men's basketball team remains a work in progress.

The Vols will continue building what they hope is an SEC championship team when they take the floor for tonight's exhibition game against Division II California (Pa.).

"The arena looks fantastic,'' UT coach Bruce Pearl said Thursday, admiring $20 million worth of renovations and additions completed over the offseason to the 20-year-old arena. "It's way beyond my expectations. The court just jumps out at me.''

So do the ticket sales: The Vols are approaching a sellout for tonight's game and will most likely break the school's former exhibition game attendance mark of 18,503 set Nov. 21, 1988.

The Vols' defensive play, however, has not been anything to cheer about, according to Pearl.

"We've spent a lot of time on our defense, and I haven't seen the results to my satisfaction,'' Pearl said. "I don't know if we've made as much progress as I'd like heading into this game.''

UT senior Chris Lofton said if there's one thing he wants to see out of the team tonight, it's "better defensive play.''

The Vols, ranked No. 7 in the preseason USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll, will likely be without sophomore center Wayne Chism, who remains sidelined after suffering a concussion that led to a trip to the emergency room Tuesday night. Chism did not practice Wednesday or Thursday.

Additionally, sophomore center Duke Crews is out after suffering a twisted ankle in the Tuesday night workout.

J.P. Prince, who suffered a gash over his eye when he fell during Wednesday's practice, also aggravated a shoulder injury on the play and did not practice Thursday. But Prince, a transfer from Arizona, is not eligible to play until Dec. 15, anyway.

The status of Chism and Crews means more minutes for junior Ryan Childress and freshman Brian Williams.

Williams, 6-foot-10 and 272 pounds, will get the start at center, Pearl said.

"Brian Williams would have challenged for the starting position whether or not Wayne and Duke were injured,'' Pearl said. "That's how well he's practiced.''

Williams said he looks to make the most of his opportunity.

"Coach said I earned it, and I'm going to try to make the best of it and earn the position.''

Tonight's game will also mark Tyler Smith's UT debut, though the transfer said he feels like he already knows Knoxville and the fans know him.

"One of the reasons I don't feel so nervous is because I'm not making a first impression,'' said Smith, who earned All Big Ten freshman honors last season at Iowa. "Playing in the summer Rocky Top League, some people saw me and I got to meet a lot of them signing autographs and playing with the little kids.''

Pearl said his team better not underestimate California (Pa.), because it's a team that can give Tennessee trouble.

The Vulcans, 24-7 and winners of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference last season, are ranked No. 21 in a preseason poll by the Division II Bulletin.

California (Pa.) played both Maryland (78-79) and Arkansas (68-75) close before falling in exhibition games last season.

"This team is capable of beating us,'' Pearl said. "I want us to be challenged. We have a limited amount of stuff in because I want that challenge.''

This will be the first meeting between UT and the Vulcans, and the first of two exhibition games for the Vols.

Tennessee plays host to Lincoln Memorial on Monday night before opening the season at home against Temple on Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

All-SEC: Lofton was a unanimous choice on the All-SEC preseason team as voted on by the league's coaches.

Junior wing JaJuan Smith and Tyler Smith were second-team selections.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.