Add it up: No. 1 job for No. 2 is Auburn

"Let's get it on.''

That's the prevailing sentiment of the Tennessee men's basketball team and the song senior Jordan Howell will be shown singing on the scoreboard screens prior to tonight's game introductions.

The second-ranked Vols (23-2, 10-1 SEC) have won 29 consecutive home games at Thompson-Boling Arena entering the 7:30 tip against Auburn.

The Vols can take another step toward winning their first outright conference title since 1967 with a win over the Tigers (13-10, 3-7).

While many UT fans can't help but look ahead to Saturday night's game with other Tigers - the No. 1-ranked variety from Memphis - Howell said the Vols are focused on tonight's game.

"We've got some unfinished business to take care of,'' said Howell, an Auburn, Ala., native. "My brother played there and was a graduate assistant there last year, so that's family bragging rights.

"But it's big for our team, too. When we left there last year, everyone was upset about what happened.''

The Vols exited the court incensed at the way their 83-80 loss to the Tigers ended before a cat-calling crowd at Beard Eaves Memorial Coliseum.

Auburn clearly wasn't intimidated by UT then - All-American Chris Lofton's named was misspelled on the scorecard ("Loftin'') - and the Tigers most likely aren't scared now, having beat the Vols at their own up-and-down style of game last season.

The Tigers celebrated the win over UT by rolling Toomer's Corner, a tradition usually reserved for football victories.

UT coach Bruce Pearl left Auburn as angry as anyone, having been assessed a technical foul he didn't feel was warranted with 21 seconds left, enabling the Tigers to increase their lead to five points and effectively seal the result.

"We were very upset,'' Pearl said. "It was a tough loss, our third in a row, and our season was in the balance. It was a very difficult locker room.''

Tennessee led by 14 points with 9:43 remaining when Auburn went on an 18-0 run.

Lofton missed five consecutive shots during that stretch, and Duke Crews and Wayne Chism were outplayed and outscored in the foul lane by their Tiger frontline counterparts (28-11 points, 17-15 rebounds) despite not giving up a height advantage.

"I remember when the clock hit zeroes they had more points than us, and we were not happy,'' Crews said. "It's not like it's gonna be a feud with us and Auburn, or anything like that.

"But there's something to wanting revenge.''

Pearl said there's also something about the need to play well to get a win against the Tigers.

"Here's some perspective,'' Pearl said. "Last year, Florida had five NBA players, and the separation between Florida and the bottom of the league was significant.

"The difference between the top teams and the bottom of the SEC is not that great. Look at Georgia (three-point losers to UT Saturday), and LSU, the last-place team in the West, gave us all we wanted and beat Florida.''

Pearl said the Vols haven't been playing their best of late.

"We had one of our most interesting film sessions (Monday morning),'' he said. "Our players know our last six opponents have shot 47-percent against us.

"Auburn is a nightmare match up. It's a very physical and aggressive team.''

Lofton said the Vols need to play well just to prove something to themselves, if no one else.

"We have a long ways to go,'' Lofton said. "Our half-court offense isn't great, we're not pressuring the ball and we're not running the fast break like we used to.

"We're not ready to accept the high ranking. … Don't get me wrong, we love it. But I don't think we're right there yet.''

Come Saturday, the Vols will be right there on the FedEx Forum floor taking on the undefeated and No. 1-ranked Memphis Tigers.

But first things first … Auburn's Tigers.

Let's get it on, and get on with it.

Memphis Series: Memphis coach John Calipari said the people who want to keep the Memphis-UT series on a home-on-home basis are being selfish.

Pearl's response?

"I'm sure their fans in Memphis, as far as their season tickets, this is a game they look forward to,'' Pearl said. "Selfishly, I do want the fans in Knoxville to see that game.

"We play in Nashville already, we play Vanderbilt there every year and we've played other games in the Gaylord (Sommet) Center.''

Pearl pointed out it doesn't matter what anyone's opinions are on where the game is played because there is a contract signed to play eight more games on a home-and-home basis.

Tickets Left: Just a few hundred tickets remain for tonight's game with Auburn, but the game, which will not be televised, is expected to be sold out by tip-off, according to UT officials. The Vols have sold out seven consecutive games.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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