Forget revenge - survival was the name of the game for the Tennessee men's basketball team Saturday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The sixth-ranked Vols pulled out a 74-69 victory over Ohio State less than 48 hours after an emotional victory over SEC rival Vanderbilt.
"We fought through fatigue,'' said UT coach Bruce Pearl, whose Vols are No. 1 in the RPI ratings. "We were a more tired basketball team.''
Tennessee (16-1) looked to make a statement after falling twice to the Buckeyes (12-6) last season, taking a comfortable 68-55 lead when Ramar Smith split three defenders on a drive with 4:56 remaining.
But Ohio State, playing on four days rest, caught its second wind and pulled to 72-69 on an Othello Hunter tip at the 1:52 mark.
The Buckeyes had the ball on two occasions with an opportunity to tie the game in the final minute but misfired on three 3-point attempts.
Once again, Pearl believed fatigue was a factor, but this time it was Ohio State sucking wind in the final minute.
"I think the difference was nine versus seven,'' Pearl said, referring to the Vols' depth. "Ohio State was a little tired; they expended a lot of energy.''
Tyler Smith finally sealed the Vols 11th straight win this season - and 26th consecutive victory at home - with a pair of free throws with 11.5 seconds left.
"At the end they (Buckeyes) got winded, and it showed,'' said Ramar Smith, who had 12 points, six assists and six rebounds. "Those two losses to them last season stuck with me, and they still do.''
Ramar Smith was UT's catalyst throughout the game, repeatedly slicing through Ohio State's zone defense like a tailback in goal line drills.
"Ramar is really dangerous,'' said JaJuan Smith, who led the Vols with 15 points in addition to six rebounds and three steals. "A lot of guys are concerned with me and Chris (Lofton), but Ramar is the one to be concerned with.
"He's explosive and he can create for himself and others.''
So much so that Pearl kept Ramar Smith in the game for a season-high 26 minutes.
"Ramar's family is here, and the Ohio State-Michigan thing, I think there's something there,'' Pearl said, referring to Smith's upbringing in Michigan. "Ramar was excited about playing. Maybe I should schedule more games against the Big Ten.
"Ramar was playing so well I told (associate head coach) Tony (Jones) to leave him out there.''
The teams slugged it out through the first 20 minutes with the Vols maintaining control en route to a 33-28 half-time lead.
The Buckeyes quickly erased the advantage, silencing the sellout crowd of 21,784 when Kosta Koufos knocked down a 3-pointer to give Ohio State its first lead of the game at 37-36 with 18:07 to play.
There were shades of last season's meetings with the scarlet and gray when Hunter scored inside to push the Buckeyes lead to 46-39 at the 15:51 mark.
Ohio State's front line was dominant at times (Evan Turner 21 points, Hunter 17, Koufos 13), and the Buckeyes were making their free throws (17 of 22).
The Vols, meanwhile, struggled from the line (8 of 17) throughout the afternoon and had started to fade.
Pearl, however, ignited his team during an ensuing timeout. Tennessee responded with a 15-3 run that Lofton capped with one of his four 3-pointers as the Vols took a 54-49 lead with 11:17 left.
Moments later, UT ripped off an 11-1 run featuring three Ramar Smith drives to build its 13-point lead, 68-55.
"Against zone, there's always an opening somewhere,'' Ramar Smith explained. "I'm a penatrator. That's the kind of point guard I am. This is a big win.''
The Vols return to action at 9 p.m. Tuesday at Kentucky.
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Comments » 159
AllVol writes:
Top five comin' up. GO BIG ORANGE!!
Kwitcherbellyachin writes:
As I said on other posts...
Could this day have gone any better (NC and UCLA lose) with the Vols winning?! Awesome!
danthemanwells#1340833 writes:
UCLA and North Carolina both lost, and Duke still has to play Clemson. If Clemson wins, it's really conceivable that UT could be number 3!
Kwitcherbellyachin writes:
I look forward to reading commentary here since my local affiliate in East Texas decided that the UCLA/USC game would draw a bigger audience (despite the hundreds of SEC bumper stickers I see around here!)
knoxtenor writes:
Soooweet! Bruce and the boys played hard. Killed 'em off the bench: 23-0 there. NC and UCLA lost so the Vols'll be on the move.
jevolball7 writes:
It were'nt pretty, Worst game we've played IMO. They made us play their game. Foul shots almost beat us. Am I the only one that thinks we get NO calls in the paint? Do other teams constantly go over our backs? Do we drive to the hole and hammered,with no foul called? Not just this game, most all of them. Once again,when the chips are down,Bruce is a God!!!!
SFOrange writes:
yep, sweet. out FT (7/18) has to improve...and this is not close. don't worry about rankings---this is taking care of itself with the wins.
GreenbackMike writes:
As much as I hate to, I only see the Vols moving up to Number 4 if they move up at all. The ESPN poll love the other schools way to much!
tuckepk writes:
2nd worst game they've played all year and we still won. Officiating was pitiful and I hate to watch games on CBS! And they still won. Lofton is starting to get cranked up. We really need to improve free throw shooting, but we still won.
Kwitcherbellyachin writes:
Personally, I wouldn't say that I am "worried" about rankings. I just think it would be nice if in late February, we had a 1 vs 2 matchup in Memphis. Try getting tickets for THAT game.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Wow, walked away several times from this one to play Spider. Hard to take that FT shooting.
All considered, a great win without our best effort. You rock, Pearl. Break out the unicycles.
GreenbackMike writes:
True Belly, Didn't even think about that. Is that game in Thompson or in Memphis?
tennecwingrider writes:
Great intense game. Way to go Vols!!! Two words to live by during practice for the rest of the season: FREE THROWS - FREE THROWS - FREE THROWS!!!
dfreeman writes:
I am with you guys on the free throws!! In March we have to hit those or we go home early!! However, we did win and UNC and UCLA both lost to unranked teams!! Lofton is beginning to look good!! Go Vols!!
AlpharettaVol writes:
Each game the other team shoots about twice as many FTs as we do. I'm not sure why we don't get the calls but so many times we get drilled under the boards and they do not call fouls. I think our guys need to initiate the contact when we shoot from in close. That seems to work with the other guys.
knoxtenor writes:
CBS said it's in Memphis.
weedbreath writes:
I love it!! I think it was a hangover game from the win against Vandy. When we were down by seven I was starting to sweat a little but the Vols really kept their composure and fought back. Great win!!
Titan writes:
Clark Kellogg (OSU alum) was absolutely awful on the broadcast.
hdhurst writes:
Free throw shooting is the pits, but you got to love the rebounding edge the VOLS had.
Overall, the team seems to play in spurts, kind of like just playing up to the opponents level. That will have to change if we are to get the the final 4.
We are no doubt a top 5 team. Playing Memphis will be interesting. So, if Memphis is No. 1 when we play them, and we beat them as a top 5 team, shouldn't we then be No. 1? That my opinion.
Looking forward to taking down KY....GO VOLS!!!
pms151 writes:
Got to start hitting those free throws. Should not have been this close. Go Vols.
Kwitcherbellyachin writes:
How many times did Kellogg use the term "spurtability"? He always uses that term when he's broadcasting a UT game. Also, I was disappointed that Gus Johnson wasn't the play-by-play guy. Some people think he's obnoxious, but I love his exuberance. College broadcasts need more Gus Johnson types.
tdvolman writes:
I agree with you jevol...we don't seem to get very many calls go our way. FT shooting wasn't good today but this team doesn't panic. Good game Ramar driving to the basket and finishing.
Go Vols!!!
rockyknox writes:
Get ready for a hit in the RPI come Tuesday night. The Mildcats have an RPI of 177. Come on Hamilton, can't you schedule better opponents? :-)
pms151 writes:
Kwitcherbellyachin,
Man we got it here in Houston, where the Hell in East Texas are you?
dwolfcreek#397971 writes:
KEEP THE CAMERA'S OUTA DRESSING ROOM , THAT SHOULD BE FOR COACHES AND PLAYERS . GO MEN AND LADY VOLS .
AlpharettaVol writes:
Clrk Kellogg sounded like he had done absolutely no homework on the Vols. Some of his comments were asinine and his lack of background on any of our players showed time and again. When ESPN did the Vandy game with Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes they actually knew what they were talking about. Could be because Nessler is a true Southerner who lives in Atlanta.
tuckepk writes:
I usually like to listen to Clark Kellog, but I agree that he showed a lot of big 10 bias. The CBS commercials wear me out. Go Vols!!!!
pms151 writes:
dwolfcreek, Bet my bottom dollar that BP wanted those cameras. Almost bit him in the ass though.
jevolball7 writes:
Game is in Memphis. Last time I heard "spurtability" I think Ron Jeremy was doing the color.
glenncandrews#217154 writes:
Can Bruce coach basketball and football? Maybe he should be athletic director too.
Kwitcherbellyachin writes:
I'm south of Tyler. Damn the Tyler TV station management. Damn them all!
pms151 writes:
jevolball7,
U been spending some money onlne haven't ya. Your wife know? LOL
jevolball7 writes:
If he's still out there,I am old!
pms151 writes:
I am sure all of you that saw the game on CBS saw that high five from Pearl to Fulmer. Why isn't CPF sitting with his recruits?
pms151 writes:
He is still there.bud. Better to spend your dough elsewhere though.
VolBall writes:
Ramar came to play! He was strong with the ball finishing at the hoop. Williams contributed nicely. Our depth was really the difference. I thought we were a little flat, probably due to big effort against Vandy two night ago. Refs sucked...Go Vols!!!
pms151 writes:
They did look a bit flat, however their perimeter D looked solid. Just didn't get the inside D from Chism like against Vandy. Can't wait for Duke to get up to speed. They will be unstoppable.
jevolball7 writes:
Last 8 games:W.KY-good team;UNC ASH.-good team;Xavier-very good;theZags-very good;Ole mess-very good;SC-well?;Vandy-very good;OSU-very good. Go back and throw in WVU-very good and UTC ain't bad. Boys thats pretty damn good!
pms151 writes:
With a RPI of 1..they have got to be #3 this week.
Smokey91 writes:
Hit free throws and this game is a blow out. Foul shooting will hinder the Vols in the tournemnt if they can't improve in that area. Still great win. Buckeyes looked a lot better than I thought they would. Well coached team.
Kwitcherbellyachin writes:
Prediction - #4 in the polls. They pass Georgetown, and UCLA. They'll still trail UNC.
pms151 writes:
OSU is a lot like UF. Better watch out for those teams rebuilding. They all have talent.
VolBall writes:
maples, you're sure right. Tonight's game had the tempo and ticky-tack foul calling reminiscent of a NCAA tournament game. Each possession counts and foul shooting is critical. We've got to shoot foul shots more confidently. There's no excuse for Chism shooting 39% from the line. He's got too good a touch for that, it's all about confidence.
danthemanwells#1340833 writes:
Lunardi, on his weekly braketology video, said that UT (even before UCLA lost) could definitely be a #1 seed and may have a better case for it than UCLA.
After this week, with Georgetown, NC, and UCLA losing and UT beating Vandy and OSU since the last voting, we've got to be 3 or 4. If they decide that a 2 point loss isn't a big enough deal to drop UNC past number 3, then we'll be 4, but in all likeliehood (based on how UNC has been playing lately) they'll drop to 4 and we'll be number 3. So, it should be:
1. Memphis
2. Kansas
3. Tennessee
4. North Carolina
5. Duke
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
We do NOT get calls in the paint, especially at home????
OSU got almost half their first-half points from free throws.
Y'know, maybe Bruce wanted OSU to feel a 'close loss', and reined the kids in for this game :)
Great job by Ramar today.
Kwitcherbellyachin writes:
dantheman, that's how it SHOULD be... but it won't. The voters have a love affair with all things Tarheel.
pms151 writes:
danthemanwells,
It's really to soon for seeds but you are right. Let's just hope it doesn't jump up and bite us in the ass. FT shooting will kill us if we get overconfident.
Volssux writes:
TIC TIC TIC.
The bomb blows up 2/23/08 in Memphis. It will be a big orange mess in the FedEx Forum!!!
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
geezzzz, more belly-achin over officiating---its a given on this board after every game, football or basketball, home or away. There is no bias against UT in officiating (or by tv announcers) koolaiders and then mparker to even suggests it on our home court. They got a lot of points off FTs parker because they made theirs when they had the opportunity. Theres no law that says both teams have to go to the line equally---we didnt make ours.
But agree with parker on Ramar----hes making impact now. We made it more interesting then it had to be but with BP running the show its easy to remain confident
bugman (Inactive) writes:
we'll be #3 in AP and #5 ESPN. The dookies will be ahead of us in the ESPN poll and UNC will also. The poll are all politics but the RPI can't be denied.
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