MURFREESBORO - Bruce Pearl is a little crazy. What exactly was Tennessee's basketball team doing in a snake pit like this Friday night?
Since UT pumped up its first basketball 100 years ago, it took an NIT committee from New York City to get the Vols into the Murphy Center on the Middle Tennessee State University campus.
That was way back in 1988 and it didn't turn out well for the orange. Middle won, 85-80.
Twenty years later, of his own free will, Pearl brought a UT squad back into harm's way, back into a scene where most of his colleagues wouldn't be caught dead.
How often does Duke go to Western Carolina?
How often does Ohio State go to Toledo?
How often does Kentucky go to Murray State?
And yet here were the Vols, in the midst of a blue tornado with prestige to lose and not a lot to gain.
Good for Bruce Pearl.
Tennessee escaped with a 76-66 victory and 11,802 fans who squeezed into every available seat got a whale of a ball game.
Last year Pearl took the Vols to Chattanooga and escaped with a 76-70 win over the Mocs before another crowd that smelled orange blood.
"What a great day for basketball this early in the season,'' said Pearl. "What an environment.
"Their fans were great. Our fans were great.''
And yet, Pearl admitted, this unusual trip wasn't just about giving the fans a good two hours of heated hoops.
"I'm a self-serving guy,'' said Pearl. "This is going to help us win on the road.''
After two exhibitions and two blow-out wins, all in the friendly confines of Thompson-Boling Arena, it was indeed time to take the show on the road.
And a young show it is. Scotty Hopson, Reynaldo Woolridge, Emanuel Negadu and Cameron Tatum need seasoning before they go to Rupp Arena.
You could argue that they could get some seasoning in Little Rock or Norfolk and not risk losing a game - and face - to an in-state rival like Middle.
The Blue Raiders, by the way, are a nice team, picked to win the Sun Belt Conference. This wasn't UT-Martin.
Pearl, though, has never been much to back away from challenges.
"You hope,'' he said, "you're good enough not to get beat.
"You hope you have a good enough relation with your fans that we could lose one of these.
"I've got to be confident enough in my position and in my team to do this.''
It was indeed a good night for basketball early in the season.
Orange was plentiful in the stands, but blue was dominant. When Tennessee took the floor, the boos easily covered the cheers.
The Vols, to their credit, never let Middle make enough happen to get the crowd whipped into a frenzy.
Tennessee got just enough here and there from enough people to stay in the driver's seat.
With 19 seconds to play, the chant "It's great to be a Tennessee Vol," broke out.
It was soon died and was replaced by "It's great to be at Middle Tennessee.''
And Pearl and his team pulled it off. They gave the mid-state an excellent night of basketball and emerged intact.
Hopson, Tatum, Woolridge and Negedu will be a little tougher for their time here in a hostile environment.
Josh Tabb will be bolstered by the fact that he made a serious contribution at point guard in relief of Bobby Maze.
Everyone will be 40 minutes more confident in putting the ball in Maze's hands and let him control the game down the stretch.
In the end, the teams shook hands. Pearl flipped a wave, wiggling his fingers, at a Tennessee cheering section as he walked to the tunnel.
Then the MTSU band played "Tennessee Waltz" and everybody on both sides felt at home as they headed home.
Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strangem@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 16
tenuscvol writes:
Good Article Mike....
They sure are fun to watch...
Looking for the upset tommorrow on the gridiron...
GoVols!
VolsFan3390 writes:
Cant wait for that OLD SPICE TOURNY...It should be a good one with teams like Mich. State, and Georgetown. Siena will be tough but i believe this team has enough swagger to make a run at this tournament...cant wait!
GO VOLS
Raynoch writes:
Great article. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to this. Great environment, great fans, great game. I like the trend of playing an away game at one in-state school every few years.
Go Vols!! Beat Vandy!!
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
This is the kind of a fan and person I respect. Thanks Mr. R, for everything you've done and are. Good luck to you and to your teams.
CleverUserNameVol writes:
I'm glad Mike mentioned Josh Tabb's performance. We all know Josh was the team's new defensive "pest", taking over for Jujuan Smith, but I was really wondering how he was going to handle being the back-up point guard. I think he showed that he's more than capable. Kudos to Josh, and to Bobby, who I think only missed one free throw(free toss if you're Bob Kesling) and showed that he can pretty much score at will. Here's to not having to worry about who's running the point anymore!
volburger writes:
Good job scotty! Hang around a few years and you will become a legend. Something money cant buy.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I didn't see the game--no CSS on my cable system here in NC--but it surely sounded, despite Kesling's stumbles, as if we have a solution to our old PG problem. B.Maze seems to be the total package of skill, toughness, and smarts, and it is a great relief to know that Tabb can be a capable fill-in. With JP available as a third PG if needed, we should be as well-set at that position as anybody.
volburger writes:
Scotty, you and Woolridge with the dude comming next year could win it all if you stick around through your junior year. Stay with us for a while and you'll be a legend.
CleverUserNameVol writes:
we have a football team?
murrayvol writes:
For everything else there's a guaranteed NBA contract.
murrayvol writes:
I'm all about enjoying this year. If he's good enough to be one and gone, we'll still be glad he came.
murrayvol writes:
Good article Mike but come on. "It was soon died" :) You're better than that.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
People should just stop worrying about Hopson's minutes. I'm pretty sure he didn't think he was coming here to save our program--if he was worried about that, he could have gone to UK or Memphis(;-P). He is just one of several talented players we have at his position. Some nights he will be "the man" and some nights it will be someone else. CBP is still learning how best to use him along with all our other great talent. I surely haven't heard HIM complain about his minutes, not that we are likely to hear about it even if he does. Don't get me wrong, I'm REALLY glad he's here. No question that he has phenomenal talent and potential. That said, he still has a lot to learn about the game, he needs more strength and stamina, and he needs to show that he can blend in with a strong team. I think he needs to stay another year or two, but as I said on another thread, the temptation to go for the big bucks may be too strong, no matter what any of us, or even CBP, may say.
supersteve17 writes:
Daniel West would have been a nice addition at point. Anyone who saw him this summer in the Rocky Top/Pilot league can attest to that. I hope he gets things straightened out and gets back here ASAP. Maze will get the job done until Joe Johnson can get here from White Station in the fall of 2010 (I hope).
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Unfortunately, "ASAP" will not be until next year, the way I understand it. I just hope he can (or will) hang on that long. I don't know if he will be B.Maze's successor, but I hope we get a chance to find out.
kingwoodtx_vol writes:
This is what college basketball should be. I would rather see UT play 2 and 1 (2 our place, 1 at yours) for all of the in-state Div 1 schools. Memphis (probably 1 and 1), UT Martin, Chattanooga, ETSU, MTSU, and Austin Peay are all worthy opponents that are good enough to get prepared for the SEC plus get some wins for tournament time. Still leaves time for a couple of true intersectional games like Kansas, Gonzaga, and Ohio State. Good for the state, good for UT fans outside of Knoxville, good for the other schools. Seems like a win-win for everyone.
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