5 key questions before season starts

The Tennessee men’s basketball team is a consensus top 10 preseason pick, carrying the momentum of $37 million worth of new and improved facilities and four returning starters.

But these Vols are far from a finished product as coach Bruce Pearl enters his third year at the helm.

UT opens the exhibition season Nov. 2 at Thompson-Boling Arena and starts the regular season Nov. 9 at home against traditional power Temple.

What happens between now and then is paramount to what Pearl and UT fans hope will be an SEC championship and Final Four run.

Here are five key questions UT must answer between now and the opening tip:

1. Who’s starting?

The favorites are Wayne Chism at center, Tyler Smith at power forward, JaJuan Smith at wing, Chris Lofton at shooting guard and Ramar Smith at point guard.

Tyler Smith, who some NBA services project as a late first-round pick, is that good. Perhaps more importantly, the 6-foot-7 Smith meshes well with the team and has proven to be humble and unselfish.

Junior Ryan Childress is pushing hard for a front line spot and has emerged as one of the hardest, most intense workers wearing the orange and white. Childress closed last season strong with four 3-pointers in the Sweet 16 loss to Ohio State, and he followed up by having the most impressive performance of any of the Vols on the five-game European trip in August.

The versatile J.P. Prince is talented enough to start, but as a mid-term transfer last season won’t be eligible to play until UT’s Dec. 15 game in Nashville against Western Kentucky.

Pearl said he’s far from settled on a lineup. For the first time since he’s been at UT, Pearl will chart shooting percentages from practices.

“Right now is a time for them to show what they’ve got,’’ Pearl said. “If guys take possessions off defensively, they’ll be out of there.’’

2. How’s the team chemistry?

So far, so good. The returning players and newcomers deserve credit for buying into the team philosophy.

Transfers Tyler Smith and Prince are mature beyond their years, having both gone through adversity before returning to their home state to play basketball.

Freshmen Cameron Tatum and Brian Williams came with nothing promised and are just excited to have an opportunity to be a part of what could be a championship team.

All of the Vols’ coaches and players openly admire Lofton as a person and a player, and the charismatic JaJuan Smith is proving to be an effective leader who knows when and how to lighten the mood amid Pearl’s firestorm workouts.

The mutual respect among teammates is also evident; one of the more telling moments came at an unsupervised workout when Childress had a major collision driving on Chism, leaving both sprawling.

Childress was quick to help up Chism, and both players went about their business with pain, but not hard feelings.

“Last year, that would have been different,’’ Duke Crews said at the time.

3. With or Without Duke?

Tennessee misses the intensity and skills of suspended sophomore frontcourt player Crews, but it’s a necessary setback according to Pearl.

“When you suspend someone, it needs to be for a period of time where they do feel the effects,’’ Pearl said. “I’m rooting for him as much as anyone else, but there’s things that need to be in place. He is making progress.’’

Pearl said there is no timetable for when Crews, suspended Sept. 26, might return. The Vols took a team picture at media days with Crews — and took another one without him.

Crews brings toughness to the floor, using his intimidating frame to muscle up in the paint while his athleticism has led to blocked shots and rim-rattling dunks that set a tone.

Chism isn’t the same without his close friend pushing him at practice, but he’s not the only one who misses Crews.

“Duke is one of us,’’ Lofton said, “and when he hurts, we all hurt.’’

4. How many will play?

Pearl said the rotation could go as deep as 10 players, which leaves capable players out of the mix.

In addition to the projected starting five, Childress, Josh Tabb, Prince, Jordan Howell and Crews, should he be reinstated, seem to be the favorites to complete the rotation.

That would leave redshirt freshman Steven Pearl (power forward/wing) Tatum (wing) and Williams (post) on the outside looking in.

Pearl is a scrapper in the Dane Bradshaw mold with a high-energy game in the paint and a good basketball IQ, though lacking the passing skills and presence that made Bradshaw special.

Tatum shows flashes of brilliance but has freshmen moments and will benefit greatly from a year in the weight room. Williams improves each day but has yet to show the power needed for SEC play. A full year with strength coach Troy Willis, provided Williams maintains his blue-collar work ethic, will pay great dividends.

5. Can they close in recruiting?

A big part of the answer will come on Nov. 2, when Eliot “E-Mail’’ Williams from St. George Academy in Collierville announces his school of choice.

The recent commitment of 6-foot-8 wing Renaldo Woolridge was cause for celebration in the coaches’ office and solidified what will be a good class at the very least. The Vols are in desperate need of perimeter shooters with seniors Lofton, Howell and JaJuan Smith moving on.

UT addressed a concern for athleticism in the paint with the commitment of 6-10 Phillip Jurick of East Ridge High School.

Williams, a likely McDonald’s All-American, would take the Vols to another level. The 6-5 Williams features a multi-faceted game like few other prospects who have come out of the state.

With Duke, Memphis and Virginia also in the hunt for Williams, the pressure is on the staff to show Tennessee basketball is ready to land the top in-state prospect.

If the Vols don’t get who they want, don’t be surprised if Pearl elects not to use all four scholarships this year. Junior Leslie McDonald (6-4, guard) of Memphis Briarcrest Christian is at the top of the wish list for next year’s class. McDonald already is rated as the No. 17 overall player in the Class of 2009 by Rivals.com.

Mike Griffith covers Tennessee men’s basketball. He can be reached at griffithm@knews.com.