Better on the big stage

Photo by Saul Young // Buy this photo

Tennessee guard JaJuan Smith, top, govers over Middle Tennessee State defender Desmond Yates on a drive to the basket during a game Tuesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway.

Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl believes the national spotlight can shine just as brilliantly across the river in Newark, N.J., at the Prudential Center tonight when the Vols meet West Virginia at 9 p.m.

"The last time we went to New York we played one excellent half of basketball against North Carolina, and the other three halves we didn't play so well on Broadway," said Pearl, referring to UT's 0-2 showing in last year's Preseason NIT at Madison Square Garden.

"You only have so many chances to play on Broadway, and we did not represent," he said. "We need to create an identity and brand, and this is a big stage to do it on."

The winner of the UT-West Virginia game in the StubHub Legends Classic plays the winner of tonight's Texas-New Mexico State game at 7 p.m. Saturday. The losers of tonight's games meet in a consolation game at 4:30 p.m.

The Vols are a 7 1/2-point favorite tonight, but Pearl said UT faces a stiff test against the Mountaineers and coach Bob Huggins.

After all, Pearl studied Huggins' Cincinnati teams for five years while he was coaching at Southern Indiana.

"I was a Division II coach, and he (Huggins) opened his practice to me and his mind," Pearl said. "Dr. Tom Davis was my mentor, but I felt I was deficient in my man-to-man (defensive) teachings.

"Bob Huggins spent time with me and taught me how to teach man-to-man defense. He's a terrific coach, a warm guy and his players love to play for him."

Huggins left Cincinnati two years ago and spent a year at Kansas State before returning to his alma mater, West Virginia.

"Coach Huggins' teams are traditionally big-time athletic, very good on defense and they play physical," said UT junior forward Ryan Childress, who grew up in Cincinnati watching Huggins' Bearcats. "This is going to be a scrappy game, because that's the way coach Huggins likes to play."

The Mountaineers return 71 percent of the scoring from a team that finished last season with 27 wins and won the National Invitation Tournament.

West Virginia has wins over Arkansas-Monticello, 81-53, and Prairie View A&M, 106-41 - teams the Vols also defeated: 101-44 over Arkansas-Monticello and 89-75 over Prairie View A&M).

Cincinnati Chilly: Childress' father, Rick, was a four-year starter at offensive guard in the Cincinnati football program.

"Coach Huggins was good friends with one of our neighbors," Childress said. "We'd see him going up and down the street all the time.

"Growing up, we'd go to football and basketball games there, and it was a big deal."

Baby Steps: Freshman center Brian Williams was full speed in UT's practice Thursday at Saint Peters College in Jersey City, N.J., and could play tonight if needed.

"I feel like I'm ready to go,'' Williams said. "I'll have about 20 people at the game.''

Pearl excused Williams, who is from the Bronx, N.Y., to be with his family early Thursday evening. Fellow freshman Cameron Tatum was allowed to go with Williams for Thanksgiving dinner.

Nice To Visit: Pearl likes playing games in the Northeast because of the exposure it brings, but he said he has no interest in living in the area.

"Too many people going in too many directions," Pearl said. "It's nice to live in a place like Tennessee.''

UT Fans: Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Shank and his wife, Tonya, enjoyed running into the Vols at the Statue of Liberty.

"My wife and I graduated from UT in 1991 and 1992," said Shank, who had a family picture made with Chris Lofton. "We had just come up here on vacation. Now, I think we'll go see them play."

Shanks, who is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, said his wife's father has Vols' season basketball tickets and they try to return to Knoxville each year to catch a game around Christmas.