Strange: Pressure off; it's history : govolsxtra.com

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - They got the news they so coveted in bits and pieces Wednesday night.

Chris Lofton happened to look up at the Jumbotron scoreboard during a late timeout and noticed a score: Vanderbilt 86, Mississippi State 85.

"It went through my mind that if we win, we're the outright champions,'' Lofton said later.

Bruce Pearl wasn't informed until after the final horn - after Tennessee had come back from the dead, had overturned a 16-point deficit and beaten Florida, 89-86.

His reaction was predictable for anyone who has observed Pearl the past three seasons:

"Emotional,'' he said quietly.

Everyone who cares about Tennessee basketball has a right to be emotional today. The Vols are the outright regular-season SEC champion for the first time since 1967.

Tennessee won. Mississippi State lost. The race is over, with a game to spare.

The pressure off, the Vols can focus on honoring three seniors in style on Sunday when South Carolina visits Thompson-Boling Arena.

After the final horn, the Vols' reaction was more businesslike than overtly jubilant. They exited the court like warriors.

A few wristbands were thrown up to a gaggle of Tennessee fans on the O'Connell Center balcony above the exit.

Pearl, after planting a kiss on the cheek of Lofton's mom, then Jordan Howell's, embraced long-time trainer Chad Newman.

Waiting in the hallway were Pearl's parents. More embraces. More emotion.

College basketball is in fact a postseason sport. The bottom line is yet to be written.

But for this program, so starved for success and respect, this season isn't just about the tournaments to come.

It's also about the journey to get to those tournaments. Fitting that a school-record 27th victory clinched the first outright conference championship in 41 years.

"He (Pearl) has been preaching we've got a team capable of making history since day one,'' said JaJuan Smith, the senior whose cold-blooded 3-point shooting stopped the Gators in their tracks in the second half.

On March 6, 1967, Tennessee gutted out a triple-overtime victory at Mississippi State to clinch an outright title. To this day, players like Bill Justus, Tom Boerwinkle and Ron Widby are Tennessee heroes.

But players, coaches, administrators and a generation of fans came and went before that distinction was duplicated. Only Bud Ford, UT's veteran sports information director, was on hand for both victories.

This moment Wednesday night wasn't entirely unexpected. Tennessee was a consensus pick in preseason to win the SEC. That didn't make actually winning it any easier.

"Because we were expected to win,'' said Pearl, "let's not celebrate it any less.''

Not much chance of that, coach.

"Being from Tennessee,'' said Tyler Smith, "knowing that four or five years ago Tennessee basketball wasn't nothing to be proud of, it's a great feeling.''

Or, if you will, a wonderful feeling.

"It's a wonderful feeling,'' said JaJuan Smith. "I grew up watching Tennessee basketball and knowing what's gone on in the past, this means a lot to me and my family.''

JaJuan Smith arrived at a program four years ago, along with Lofton and Howell, that wasn't talking about championships, much less winning them.

"That's what this class is about,'' said Lofton, "to make history.''

And that's how it will be remembered, regardless of what else may happen in the weeks to come.

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