Ramar Smith and Jordan Howell get the point.

Both Tennessee point guards are aware they need to step up for the Vols to make a run in the NCAA tournament.

Smith has scored in double figures just once in the past 16 games while sinking only 10 of 19 free throws (.526), including two clutch misses in the 92-91 SEC tournament semifinal loss to Arkansas last Saturday.

Howell, meanwhile, is 0 for 12 from the field in UT's past three games and 8 of 52 (.154) over the past 14 contests.

The second-seeded Vols open the first round Friday (TV: WVLT, 12:15 p.m.) against Patriot League champion American (21-11) at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.

Howell, a senior, is hoping it will be sweet home Alabama after the slump he has suffered dating back to a Jan. 29 trip to the Heart of Dixie to play the Crimson Tide.

"I have played three games in that (BJCC) building, one in the state tournament Final Four as a freshman, and we played for the state championship game my senior year,'' said Howell, who averaged about 20 points as a senior at Bob Jones High School in Auburn, Ala. "It's going to be nice to play where I kind of made a name for myself.''

Howell said he doesn't like the way he would remember his senior season if it were to end today.

"A lot of people were taking the blame after the Arkansas game, but it was all my fault, because if I make a couple of those shots, it's a totally different game,'' said Howell, who was 0-for-4 shooting against the Razorbacks. "I broke down after the game because this is the end of my career, and I feel like I'm not doing enough to help my team.

"I was crying big time in the locker room; this isn't how I envisioned it. The way I look at it, I have six games left to re-write the story.''

The way Smith looks at it, the NCAA tournament is in itself a whole new story.

"The season is over now, and this is a brand-new season as far as tournament-wise,'' said Smith, a sophomore who has started the past 15 games after losing the starting job to Howell three games into the season. "I don't think I've played as good as I did last year, but it's time to put that behind me.''

UT coach Bruce Pearl said "people want to smash our point guard play,'' but he doesn't believe that's a completely accurate assessment.

"They're playing good, not great,'' Pearl said. "They're not scoring as much, but they're playing good defense and not turning the ball over.''

A closer look at the numbers backs up Pearl's sentiments.

It's easier to understand how Smith's scoring has dropped from 10.7 points per game last year to 7.5 this season when one notes his playing time has decreased proportionately, from 27 minutes to 21 minutes.

Smith's free throw shooting percentage has dipped from .662 as a freshman to .615 as a sophomore, but he's shooting a better percentage from the floor this season (.443) than last (.437), and he has more assists and steals per game this year.

Howell, meanwhile, might have spoiled UT coaches and fans by getting off to a hot start this season, connecting on 29 of 66 (.439) of his 3-point attempts through the first 16 games.

Howell like Smith, has dropped off in free throw shooting the past year (.684 to .667), but he's averaging more points, assists and steals while playing the same number of minutes per game (18.3) that he did as a junior.

"The last however many games, I haven't provided what I can provide for our team,'' Howell said. "I'm not turning the ball over, but I'm still not contributing enough offensively. It has been weighing heavily on me, eating me up inside.

"The bottom line is me and Ramar know we need to play better.''

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.