Tennessee Men's Basketball
Brackets & More
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A new starting lineup.
No second-half points from Chris Lofton nor JaJuan Smith.
A 30-win opponent straight out of the movie "Hoosiers.''
Somehow, Tennessee advanced.
The Vols scored a thrilling 76-71 overtime victory over Butler on Sunday at the BJCC Arena. Second-seeded Tennessee (31-4) advances to play third-seeded Louisville (26-8) in the East Regional of the Sweet 16 on Thursday (TV: WVLT, 9:57 p.m.) in Charlotte, N.C. The Cardinals defeated Oklahoma 78-48.
"I coached a lot of teams; this has been my most resilient team,'' said UT coach Bruce Pearl, who started J.P. Prince at point guard for the first time this season. "They do find ways to win, and I think it's because this is a close team.
"There's terrific chemistry, we have too many weapons, and they count on one another.''
It took different Vols stepping up at different times to end the winningest season ever for the seventh-seeded Bulldogs (30-4).
UT didn't seal the win until Smith hit a pair of free throws with 3.8 seconds left in overtime.
"I was thinking, 'Make these free throws, Sweet 16,' '' said Smith, who went 4-for-4 from the line over the final 26.6 seconds of overtime. "I had tried to treat this like a regular game, but in the back of my mind, I knew it could be my last.''
It was certainly one of the most unconventional. The Vols were often out of sync, committing 20 turnovers, and hit just 5 of 19 attempts beyond the 3-point line.
Even Pearl had his shaky moments, admitting he messed up a play call that could've won the game in regulation but instead resulted in a Prince travel with 4.1 seconds left.
"I didn't play-call well, and no fault of his (Prince), he's never been in that situation," Pearl said. "So I said, 'Bail me out.' ''
Prince did just that, preventing Horizon League Player of the Year Mike Green from getting off a potential game-winning shot before the buzzer.
"I just wasn't going to let him score,'' said Prince, who had nine points, seven rebounds, five assists, six turnovers and a blocked shot playing a season-high 31 minutes.
"He (Green) was trying to draw a foul,'' Prince said. "He brought the ball into me; I knew he couldn't shoot over me.''
And so overtime, and more drama, ensued.
Lofton started the extra period with his third 3-pointer, giving the Vols a 66-63 lead at the 3:47 mark.
Butler fought back. Green hit a 3-pointer and A.J. Graves, another of the Bulldogs' five seniors, drove to the basket to put his team up for the first time in the game, 68-66 with 1:44 left in overtime.
The Vols tied the game 68-68 on Ramar Smith's drive with 1:22 left.
And then it was Wayne Chism's turn to assert himself.
Green used a screen to get isolated on Chism and took the ball to the rim, looking to draw Chism's fifth foul. But the 6-foot-9 center moved his feet and cut Green off, forcing him to step out of bounds on the baseline and turn the ball over.
Back on offense, JaJuan Smith looked for Chism posting up inside. Chism took the pass, pivoted, and scored two of his team-high 16 points to give UT a 70-68 lead with 54 seconds left.
Graves drove to the basket with visions of tying the game, but then, another UT hero emerged. Tyler Smith raced across the lane and skied high, pinning the shot against the backboard.
The ensuing loose ball scramble didn't end until Chism threw his 245-pound frame on the floor, grabbing the ball and calling timeout with 32.5 seconds left.
"I knew it was gonna take 'special' for us to win,'' JaJuan Smith said. "And today, Wayne Chism put us on his back.''
Lofton took the inbounds pass, and after being immediately trapped, advanced the ball to Ramar Smith.
Butler swooped in on Ramar Smith, looking to foul him and send him to the free throw line.
But Ramar Smith was too quick, getting a successful shot up at the same time he was fouled, extending UT's lead to 72-68 with 26.6 seconds remaining.
Pete Campbell answered with a basket and the Bulldogs closed to two with 16 seconds left.
The Vols inbounded to JaJuan Smith, who was immediately fouled with 13.6 seconds remaining.
Four free throws later, JaJuan Smith left the court riding Duke Crews piggy-back style.
"I don't know if I'd say that was the best win since I've been here,'' Crews said. "I mean, JaJuan and Chris led us, but they didn't score a lot, and really, everybody wasn't really on.
"We can play a whole lot better. That's the scary thing.''
UT played pretty good early on, leading by as many as 13 points in the first half, 21-8 on a Prince three-point play at the 11:24 mark, before determined Butler started chipping away.
By halftime, the Vols' lead was down to 38-34 and that came compliments of a Lofton NBA-range 3-pointer 2.8 seconds before the buzzer.
"We're just thrilled to survive and advance,'' Pearl said. "That's what it's all about.''
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Comments » 112
skroutyboy writes:
Mr. Griffith, your second sentence states there were no second half points from JaJuan or Lofton, then you mention the free throws JaJuan hit in overtime. Overtime occurs in the second half.
jpbryson#215688 writes:
If we don't play better against Louisville, we won't be in Charlotte very long.
beachvol1 writes:
Great win, but better cut down on the turnovers and get a little more production out of the shooting guards, or it's lights out....Louisville is just as athletic as the Vols are....nice to make it to the 16 again!!!!!!
rabidvol1998 writes:
skroutyboy - overtime is overtime, not the second half. Don't pick nits, we're in the Sweeeeeeet 16.
Imagine how we would have done had Lofton or JuJuan hit a 3 during the second half. Defense wins championships and so does unselfish teamwork.
Hope the next refs don't call such a tight game. I thought it was called fair, but too tight.
rabidvol1998 writes:
skroutyboy - overtime is overtime, not the second half. Don't pick nits, we're in the Sweeeeeeet 16.
Imagine how we would have done had Lofton or JuJuan hit a 3 during the second half. Defense wins championships and so does unselfish teamwork.
Hope the next refs don't call such a tight game. I thought it was called fair, but too tight.
invisiblekid writes:
The turnovers by Prince were ugly but I think the move by Pearl has to be considered a success. I am of the opinion that Green and Graves don't go a combined 10-35 from the floor with Howell guarding them for 20 minutes. I don't think Howell makes the block at the end of regulation to get it to overtime, it was obvious that Prince's size bothered them.
With the roll that Lousiville is on and the way they dismantled OK, it will take a much better effort from the Vols than we have seen lately to go any further. It's time for a big game from Lofton and more focus across the board from everyone else.
skroutyboy writes:
And rabid, I disagree--second half is second half. But, I did get your message the first time.
anthony writes:
come on beachvol, give it a rest, can't you think of something better to say than that? Great victory, something we all wanted , celebrate it today.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
okay, I see the naysayers are out....
I posted this on anohter board, but here goes:
against Butler, Chris and Jajuan needed to focus on defending the 3. They did so. When they defend the 3, it hurts THEIR shooting.
When that happens, wayne and Tyler have to step up.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
About UL;
UL will need to be Jajuan and Chris doing their thing. Should be LOTS of up and down, two very deep teams.
I'm not buying that we can't win. Even against UNC. We might not, but I keep saying this and it is true: the UT Vols men are a tough bunch.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
About UL;
UL will need to be Jajuan and Chris doing their thing. Should be LOTS of up and down, two very deep teams.
I'm not buying that we can't win. Even against UNC. We might not, but I keep saying this and it is true: the UT Vols men are a tough bunch.
rabidvol1998 writes:
skrouty - I must have double-clutched. Isn't it great to be argueing over the definition of second half instead of whether TN men will ever have a good basketball team?
eduardo writes:
Louisville is in the same predicament we are with questionabel point guard play. Pilino's not to enthralled with Sosa. If they want to run look out for a big Vol win. Got to get that energy level back up to play on Sat. against Uncle roy's bunch.
eduardo writes:
WE OWE U OF L, BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tigervol9802 writes:
According to ESPN.com, tip off Thursday night at 9:57 EST.
Hope my bosses don't expect productivity Friday.....
ULTIMATEVOLUNTEER writes:
CAN I GET A POSTER MADE OF TYLER'S CRAZY BLOCK IN OVERTIME?
Razzle writes:
I know alot of the 'experts' are going to be picking Louisville to beat UT. Hope this translates into us being the underdog.
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
Ok nafslov you whined that whine in the other thread, we heard you the first time and you just cant stand that few others are on board with you on that---we had 1 less foul than they did so find something else to cry about
Madkels writes:
WOW! This is going to be fun. Already getting calls for bets from relatives in Louisville. I'm taking the Vols to step it up and meet UNC on Saturday. Great game guys. This team rises to the occassion when ask to. When one is off his game a little, someone else steps it up. See y'all in Charlotte!
splinterdand#602266 writes:
mparker, please explain how Chris and JuJuan defending the 3 hurts their shooting.
Madkels writes:
Lady Vols on ESPN 2 and putting a woopin' on ORU at halftine 48-34.
pupvol writes:
how do other teams best shooters get open alot and ours can"t shake loose at all? is the flex offense any good or are our guards too slow to get around screens on offense and defense?
huntined#565710 writes:
LADY VOLS DON'T HAVE A PLAYER THAT CAN DRIVE TO THE BASKET
gohawks1 writes:
Gotta go with rabid on this one - overtime in basketball is not part of the 2nd half any more than overtime in baseball is part of the 9th inning.
Anyway, half time is over and the Lady Vols are back on... gotta run.
huntined#565710 writes:
NO WAY NAME ME ONE THAT DRIVES TO BASKET FOR A LAY-UP
splinterdand#602266 writes:
Candace Parker can't drive to the basket?
smokey101 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
utchris writes:
Chris hit a 3 pointer with about 3 mins to go in the 2nd half...that would constitute 2nd half points.
huntined#565710 writes:
Parker does from short-in but seldom from the key--guards start but pass the ball. I am talking about a player that takes the ball drives thru 2-3 players and makes a lay-up...seldom takes place
tripper writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
vol4good#206163 writes:
WHOO HOO!! Sweet Sixteen! Man I believe I can fly right now. I dont see anything wrong, and I dont give a phooey what anyone that does see anything wrong says--To be able to say that TENNESSEE, my School is the last of the SEC schools standing, and has a chance to whoop up on Ricckkkkeyy!! Well that makes my freaking day. Keep playing hard fellas and oh, just score one more point than loooseville.
GO VOLS!!!
gohawks1 writes:
Don't be shy, tripper. Say what's on your mind. LOL!
MrBamSeydu writes:
skroutyboy: No, overtime is an extra period. If it were part of the "second half" as you said, that isn't exactly "half" now is it? 20 minutes / 25 minutes.... just thought I'd clue you in on that.
Great win fellas, but I just don't see us getting by Louisville if we play like we did today. We were pretty sloppy and this whole lineup change in the tourney SEEMS like a great idea, but JP just hasn't had enough work at PG to be efficient against much better defensive teams down the road (Louisville is an excellent defensive team, NC not so much, Kansas would kill us more than likely if we made it to the Final Four).
GO VOLS!!!!
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
splinter, sorry I was away from the PC.
IMHO, when Chris and Jajuan have to go balls to the wall guarding the other team's shooters, they wear out and don't have their legs under them.
That was even written about Chris in the American game. It seems to me what CBP is trying to do is use UT's inside play against these teams like American and Butler.
Against UL and UNC (should we get their), I think those teams will be more 'straight up'. They'll trap, press, and dare Chris and Jajuan to shoot.
I know if I wanted to beat UT, I would clog the middle on Wayne and Tyler, and make Chris and Jajuan win it from 3-point range.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
Talk about a team getting screwed, MSU got screwed today. That thug Dorsey was simply lowering his shoulder against MSU's inide guys...
I really hoped MSU would pull it out, but it seemed like every scramble or carom went to Memphis. I loved the announcers saying it was a 'measure of revenge' since MSU is an SEC team.
I'm getting pretty sick of that Memphis bunch, tho I do think Willie Kemp and Rose are both good players.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
ball-busters:
Wisconsin, Wash State, Stanford. Those teams will just bang the phooey out of you on every play.
The sweet-16 has some interesting matchups, it's just too damn bad UT has to play a final four team all the way from Butler to the, well, real final four.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
Finally, this:
I think the first two games UT played 'not to lose'.
The next 2, they go in with 'let's win'. I really, really do expect to see Chris and Jajuan taking a LOT of shots. Hopefully Tyler and Wayne can be patient.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
okay, the real 'finally'.
You guys near K-town can buy wayne a beer when he's old enough. He's done some great things this year.
You know, poetic justice would be him outplaying psycho-T, wouldn't it???
BillVol writes:
kimzy, please, no.
overatedvols writes:
Hey can somebody help me out? I"m trying to find when the teams from the SEC will be playing in round 3. I'm having some trouble. I haven't been able to find any other than Tenn. There were six and so i'm puzzled. Does anyone know when the other teams are playing? I just can't find their games listed anywhere. As I was searching someone joked and said maybe all the others lost and I said no way, these are sec teams. They are so much better than c-usa teams. Maybe 1 would lose and who knows..maybe even two, but 5 no way. That would mean the teams weren't any good, that the SEC was overrated. So, anyway, if someone call tell me when the other SEC teams will be playing.
Oh also I was asked many times, how many c-usa teams made it into the tourney? Well, now i can say there are as many c-usa teams in the tournament as their are sec teams.
john#208876 writes:
OK overatedposter, I posted this on another thread but since you are an idiot I'll post it for you again. And by the way, the other Conf USA teams packed their basketballs away last week!
Observations:
The CBS coverage sucks, especially if you are outside of TN, hope it is better in state; wish ESPN had it.
The SEC has gotten no respect in this draw. Most new GA was a fluke and not going to keep up the "Atlanta windfall". KY deserved to be in the tourney but losing their best player late in the regular season doomed them in the tourney. Seeding screwed Ark and Miss. St. and while Ark. was outclassed, State almost took out a #1 seed.
Tenn. had by far the toughest draw of any of the top teams. So except for Vandy wetting the bed, the SEC's performance under the circumstances is about as expected. Hopefully what doesn't kill us will make us stronger!
This is why BP politics for UT & the SEC in his comments, hoping to avoid this kind of screwing; but in the end you just have to win to get the respect you deserve.
IMO UNC, Memphis, TX, and TN. are the best teams left in the tourney. Unfortunately only two will go to San Antone.
Good luck and GO VOLS, get to Charlotte and sprinkle some orange in amongst all the powder blue, I'm going to try to make it from VA.
wjackson#226202 writes:
Hey overatedvols. The key phrase even you mentioned is made it to the dance. ONLY 1 from CRAPPYUSA even made it to the dance and that is only because you play nobody during the regular season to test you. Oh yeah you did play one good team. AND YOU LOST FOOL!!! AT HOME TO WHO???? yeah boy, TENNESSEE. So until you losers beat tennessee. your comments are that of some stupid inbread from memphis. Now go back to bed. Your momma misses you.
hippie60 writes:
Why are all the good teams in the East? Good going NCAA selection committee.
schymtz writes:
UT has not yet beaten UofL in this century and only once in the last half of the last century. That needs to change! That will change! UT has never been a ranked team when going up against Louisville. This is Pitino, remember him? I like Louisville, but not this weekend in Charlotte. Tough opponent:athletic, fast, disciplined, focused-strong inside and out- but not unbeatable. Their best game is behind them. GO VOLS! Yesterday's game was hopeful for the Vols. The team played with a spark that's been missing since the Memphis game, but their best game is yet to be! Beat 'em , Vols! Beat 'em, beat 'em, BEAT 'EM BAD!
VolJunkie writes:
I like our chances against UL. Similar style of play, it will be good to see UT in a fast-paced game, score probably somewhere in the 80s.
IMO, JP did a great job at the point yesterday. Couple of mistakes at the end but he brought tremendous energy to the point guard position, rebounding numbers second only to Tyler. Classy move by CBP to take the blame for the last UT possession in regulation that resulted in the traveling violation.
Lastly, Wayne Chism has played inspired ball the past couple of games. I would like nothing more than to see him match up against Psycho-T, but let's get past UL first.
Go VOLS!!!
jeffersongavol writes:
To all of you fellas complaining about JP Prince: Bruce Pearl made a brilliant move here in order to survive and advance, which is what the "dance" is about. JP is not the best point guard I agree, but he made plays, more good than bad. Howell would not have had those kind of numbers (points, assists, rebounds and blocks). BP has the luxury now of going back to our orginal starting lineup against a L'ville team that plays our tempo. We could certainly lose, but I like our shot to win because we finally get to play our kind of game. Wisconsin or Michigan State teams would give us fits right now, so believe it or not, I like the bracket were in. You gotta believe. So your saying theres a chance? Yes sir!
volssam writes:
I think Lofton will turn it on, esp. since it's a KY team in L'Ville that didn't give him a shot coming out of High School as a Mr. Basketball.......
Back to the Butler game -- Butler is a good team, so just winning against them, no matter the way we had to do it, is good....
Duke has to play more like a man: none of this trying to float the ball in and getting it stuffed back in your face; take the ball up and jam it through....
Tyler is amazing, but I think he may have had more turnovers in this game than he had the whole season; hopefully it was just tournament jitters and they're out of his system now. That being said, we obviously would not have won without him.
Also, at one point in the game, our 3 best players (Lofton Jajuan and Tyler) were all out at the same time; didn't really understand that, but Pearl is awesome and I'm so glad he's here and I hope he never leaves......GO VOLS!!!
asleep#212036 writes:
Pupvol,
I think the reason our shooters don't get open as much is because our offense does not utilize the penetrate and pass back out philosophy. We use a lot more screens and motion. The other teams are simply playing almost a box and one with their best defender on Lofton. However, I think Butler only shot in the low 30's percent with our switching man to man. Also, most other teams either drive more (which T. Smith and Prince should be doing!) or have a bigger inside presence, forcing us to respect the pass in the paint.
In general, I disagree that Prince is not a point guard. He was a high school All-America out of Memphis at that position and recruited all the way to Arizona by Lute Olsen. I will concede that it is certainly interesting to put him in that position now, on the biggest stage of his young career. He did make some mistakes, especially down the stretch but just remember who our other options were: Ramar Smith or Jordan Howell. I doubt if Prince will play that position against Louisville but we'll see. Go Vols, great win.
GoVol writes:
Lofton - so disappointed in you. You are a senior and you needed to take control of that game toward the end...and simply did not. Seniors step up when the team needs them...especially in the closing minutes of NCAA tournament game.
Lofton - where are you?
dirtdobber1 writes:
F-bomb Vern Lundquist! Vern if you are going to shout "Oh....My....." make sure the person doest miss a lay-up or get his shot jacked up about 4 rows into the crowd!
Hats off to NC for winning at home against an unranked opponnent.
Vols will do it again Thursday---book it!
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