Adams: Beyond rankings, best yet to come for UT : govolsxtra.com

This isn't football. You can't just flash your conference card at the door, crank up an SEC chant and expect Ohio State to turn to mush.

Nonetheless, Tennessee fans couldn't resist. "S-E-C" they chanted in the opening minutes of Saturday's non-conference basketball game at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Later on, a few fans got more personal, shouting "L-S-U," a reminder of Ohio State's most recent of nine consecutive bowl losses to SEC teams - including back-to-back, double-digit losses in national championship games.

Never mind how Ohio State has fared against the SEC in football. Or that it couldn't keep up with Florida in the Final Four last April.

The Buckeyes don't fold against UT.

You saw that last March when they overcame a 17-point deficit to knock UT out of the NCAA tournament. You saw it again Saturday when the Buckeyes overturned a 10-point UT lead and led by as many as seven points early in the second half before losing to the sixth-ranked Vols 74-69.

"That team will compete for the Big Ten championship," UT coach Bruce Pearl said.

UT fans should hope he's right.

When you're playing for seeding in the NCAA tournament, non-conference games can matter just as much as league games. The better Ohio State does, the better UT's victory looks.

"We need to continue to have those big non-conference wins," Pearl said. "We've got Ohio State. We've got Gonzaga."

They also have non-conference victories over West Virginia (13-4) and Xavier (14-4). Combine that non-conference work with SEC victories over nationally ranked Vanderbilt and Ole Miss, and you can see why the Vols have a No. 1 RPI.

The Vols also are assured of moving up in the polls. No. 1 North Carolina and No. 4 UCLA both suffered losses Saturday.

UT's ranking was in jeopardy as well.

Ohio State's Jon Diebler missed a pair of 3-point tries that would have tied the game in the last 30 seconds.

How fitting that the Buckeyes' last opportunity died on the perimeter.

They made only two of 20 3-point tries, and leading scorer Jamar Butler was just 1-for-7 on 3s.

That's not an aberration.

Two nights earlier, UT held Vanderbilt to 3-for-21 from 3-point range. Shan Foster, the SEC's top 3-point shooter, was 1-for-11.

In contrast, Foster hit four of five 3s and his team was 9-for-19 on 3s in a victory over LSU on Saturday.

"If we give you space, you can run your offense with passing and shooting," Pearl said. "But if we're pressing up on you, it's going to be more difficult for you to get free."

"Every time (Butler) came off a ball screen, we jumped out on him. You've got four guys in particular - JaJuan (Smith), Jordan (Howell), Chris (Lofton) and Ramar (Smith) who are able to do that."

So much has been made of Lofton's shooting slump, he hasn't gotten enough credit for his improved defense.

"Our defense has picked up," Lofton said. "Everybody has bought into 'defense wins championships.'

"Last year, Coach preached it, but we didn't make it as big of a deal. You see where that got us."

The RPI and rankings reflect this team's aspirations. It won't be satisfied with a Sweet 16 finish in the NCAA tournament this season.

But despite UT's lofty status, the team is hardly peaking.

Forward Duke Crews, who has been sidelined since mid-December with a heart ailment, has just been cleared to play. Once he's in playing shape, he should provide a needed rebounding boost.

Lofton's 4-for-10 3-point shooting is another reason for UT optimism.

Against Ohio State's extended zone defense, Lofton's shots were crucial.

"(The ball) felt more comfortable leaving my hand, he said.

Lofton's 3-for-6 3-point shooting in the second half was a reminder that - as successful as the Vols have been - you haven't seen them at their best. But you have seen the next best thing.

"That's what you've got a team for," Lofton said. "When somebody else doesn't play so good that day, you step up for your teammates."

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.