Strange: Chism is inside story for Vols

We expect Bruce Pearl to come up with good lines. So Thursday night we chuckled appropriately when he delivered what sounded like a wisecrack.

"I think Wayne Chism had more rebounds tonight than he did in December," Pearl said in perfect deadpan at his post-game press conference.

Maybe Pearl was trying to get a laugh but, surprising as it sounds, he was just about on the money.

Chism came up big in Tennessee's 80-60 demolition of Vanderbilt at Thompson-Boling Arena with a career-high 18 rebounds.

Then I totaled up his rebounds for five games in December and it came to?

Well, 18.

Another piece of the puzzle is falling into place for the Vols.

"He's gonna get'em if he wants 'em," said Tyler Smith, meaning rebounds.

"When he does that, it takes a lot of pressure off the other guys."

Chism wasn't a one-trick pony Thursday. He also scored 18 points. Had he not come up empty on his four free throws in the final minutes, he would have eclipsed his career scoring high as well.

Four blocked shots, that was another career best.

But as welcome as his points were to a crowd of 20,799, those 18 rebounds and four blocked shots were his most appreciated contributions.

No one in a Tennessee uniform had collected 18 rebounds in a game since Damon Johnson did way back in 1996 against College of Charleston.

Way back in December, Tennessee was outrebounded in all five games. The SEC opener against Ole Miss made it six in a row.

When the network talking heads size up UT as a national contender, it goes like this: a stream of compliments, inevitably followed by a disclaimer that the lack of an inside presence will be Tennessee's Achilles' heel.

Indeed, at tipoff Thursday night, the most-discussed inside presence was Vanderbilt's A.J. Ogilvy.

The big freshman from Australia has been the revelation of the SEC. Just this week Pearl called him the best at his position in the league.

This was a challenge for Chism, who has a tendency to lurk on the perimeter when his team needs him in the paint banging. Exhibit A? Those 18 rebounds in December.

This night, Chism was the revelation, not Ogilvy.

Chism blocked two of Ogilvy's early shots and never let the 6-foot-10 freshman get in a comfort zone. Ogilvy finished with 12 points, five rebounds and four turnovers.

The personal duel was Chism's by unanimous decision. He said Ogilvy's reputation and favorable press clippings were not a source of motivation.

"I didn't hear it or read it," said Chism. "He kept me motivated. He's a big man who can move."

So is Chism. Mobility is one of the skills that give him a shot of playing at the next level.

Another is his 3-point touch. He's shooting a modest 29.3 percent beyond the arc this season, but even that's enough to stretch the defense.

He burned Vandy twice from long range during a 23-6 first-half spurt that blew the game open.

"I know," said Pearl, "when he squares up, the whole crowd goes, 'No-o-o-o …. Yes!'

"It just changes the way our opponent has to guard us when he steps up and makes that shot."

And when Chism decides to bang in the paint, it changes the way everybody has to handicap Tennessee as a factor in March and even into April.

December is over. In three SEC games in January, Chism is averaging 11.3 rebounds.

That's a good sign for the Vols. It's an ominous sign for everybody else.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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