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ORLANDO, Fla. - The Tennessee men's basketball team has all but turned into turkeys the past two Thanksgiving weekend tournaments.
Tyler Smith said that's not going to be the case at the Old Spice Classic. The eight-team tournament starts at noon today with the 12th-ranked Vols tipping off against Siena (TV: ESPN2) at The Milk House at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.
"We're going to come out with intensity and treat this like an NCAA tourney seeding game,'' Smith said. "We're not gonna be turkeys, we're not going to have issues, and we're not going to have any 15 or 20-point losses.''
UT suffered back-to-back losses two years ago in the NIT Season Tip-Off in New York City against Butler (56-44) and North Carolina (101-87). The Vols beat West Virginia in the first game of the Legends Classic in Newark, N.J. (74-72) before falling to Texas (97-78) last season.
"Thanksgiving hasn't been too good to me basketball-wise,'' UT coach Bruce Pearl conceded, recalling a Wisconsin-Milwaukee loss to Western Michigan.
UT (3-0) is an 11-point favorite over Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference favorite Siena (2-0), even though the Saints return all five starters from the team that knocked Vanderbilt out of the NCAA Tournament last season with an 83-62 victory.
Both the Vols and the Saints prefer an uptempo style; UT has an obvious advantage with its size and athleticism, while Siena relies on experience and continuity.
"It's hard to beat well-coached teams,'' Smith said. "But I don't think anyone can run with us.''
The Saints said they're going to try to run, anyway.
"They have some big guys, and none of their guys are slow,'' Siena post Ryan Rossiter said. "As a team, we have to beat them down the court collectively.''
Kenny Hasbrouck, the MEAC player of the week after leading the Saints to wins over 2008 NCAA tourney teams Boise State and Cornell, said Siena will play its game.
"This will be a chance to showcase our talents,'' Hasbrouck said. "We play smart; I think we're one of the better running teams in the country.''
The winner of today's UT-Siena game plays the winner of Wichita State (2-1) vs. Georgetown (2-0) at 1 p.m. Friday (ESPN). The losers meet at 10:30 a.m. Friday (ESPNU). Gonzaga (2-0) plays Oklahoma State (4-0) and Michigan State (2-0) faces Maryland (3-0) on the other side of the bracket.
Practice Report: The Vols held a private practice at Rollins College before going to the Milk House at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex for an hour-long public shootaround.
Junior J.P. Prince participated in most drills, but Pearl said the Vols are keeping an eye on Prince's ankle, which he turned in UT's 76-66 win over Middle Tennessee State last Friday.
"We'll have to see how he is (this) morning,'' Pearl said. "It's going to be a tough deal to play three games in four days.''
Wizards' Opening: A Charlotte Observer blog discussed the possibility that Pearl could be a candidate for the Washington Wizards' NBA head coaching job "down the road.''
"I don't know anything about it,'' Pearl said.
Chilly Update: Senior forward Ryan Childress, who injured his knee playing pickup ball in May and underwent surgery in June, said he'll start running next week and hopes to be cleared to practice by Christmas.
Vanderbilt 93, Tennessee 79, Feb. 9…
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Vanderbilt 65, Tennessee 47, Jan. 24…
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Comments » 25
ncvol17 writes:
ESPN II - great Now I can see the BB vols here in NC
orangecountry21 writes:
Is the game at noon?
CleverUserNameVol writes:
Yes it is. Turkey and basketball! Can you think of a better Thanksgiving?
orangecountry21 writes:
An announcement on the HC position would be nice too
CleverUserNameVol writes:
Maybe they're saving that for Christmas
Hunter writes:
Wizards' Opening: A Charlotte Observer blog discussed the possibility that Pearl could be a candidate for the Washington Wizards' NBA head coaching job "down the road.''
"I don't know anything about it,'' Pearl said.
Uh oh......he ain't dumb, so that means "no comment."
orangecountry21 writes:
They will announce it before that. I think Kiffen is our guy and it just leaked.
CleverUserNameVol writes:
I thought the same thing. But, do you think he would leave while Steven's still in school? Seems like he would at least wait until he graduates. That's what I'm hoping anyway. Money talks though, so who knows?
CoverOrange writes:
Just a surmise, but consider this, BP's ex stayed in Knoxville, why? With two kids in school at UT and two underage, she and BP may have made a decision to both stay in close proximity to the children. Thus he can't leave without all following. Just a supposition with nothing to base it on.
overatedvols writes:
Gobble Gobble Vols are in trouble
CleverUserNameVol writes:
...yet they still look better than Memphis.
jturne44 writes:
the wizards will not take bp....you all are so ignorant to the fact that it takes a really special kind of coach to coach in the nba. Coach K is the only man I have seen from college who can and that is coach K, and bruce pearl is no coach K...plus you really think bruce is going to build a castle in knoxville and then just pack up and go to dc? good lord people don't believe the fools spreading this rumor...I'm a huge wiz fan and tapscott is makin the boys play a lot better on d than eddie could.
CleverUserNameVol writes:
Ahhhhhh, yet another voice of optimism and good cheer for this holiday season. Warms my heart. Maybe we should change the team nickname from the Volunteers to the Negative Nacys.
jturne44 writes:
thank you
MrBamSeydu writes:
Would everyone PLEASE stop crying that Bruce Pearl is going to leave EVERY SINGLE TIME A JOB OPENS UP.....ANYWHERE??
I mean seriously... Pearl was supposed to leave for the Boston College job (where he played college ball aka his apparent "dream job") and he was supposed to go to Indiana, too. But it didn't happen. Then we heard he was going to Kentucky before they hired Gillespie and that he may leave for Arizona when Olsen retired.
I think Bruce Pearl likes the idea of having been able to BUILD a program and have his signature on it. Not to mention he is being paid VERY well for what he's done so far (a pair of Sweet Sixteen's and a regular season conference title), as well as having his athletic director supporting him 100% with the renovation of TB Arena (which is one of the nicest stadiums in basketball now) and the new practice facility. Plus, he has his recruiting going like a snowball downhill with better players coming in every year.
Why would he leave? Bruce Pearl is a hero in Knoxville.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
We owe Wichita State one, and wouldn't we like to see Coach Pearl beat Georgetown! But first got to get past the first round. Too bad if CBP goes pro? Too bad how Tennessee treats their long time coaches at UT, Delmonico and Fulmer , isn't it. Will that be a concern for C Pearl? You bet it will be, who wants to stay at a University who fires someone after 37 years loyal service?
THE_VOL writes:
Head coaching announcement will happen by Wednesday of next week.
THE_VOL writes:
Forget about it...it ain't happenin'...not now, not next month, not next year....remember this nonsense started on some redneck blog in Charlotte.
THE_VOL writes:
So if we apply YOUR moronic logic...every team except the champion finishes the year as turkey's?????? Now as for not playing quality teams for awile:
Today - Sienna - final 32 team with everybody back.
Dec 13 - AT Temple - will contend for A-10 crown
Dec 16 - Marquette - 3 potential NBAers
Jan 3 - AT Kansas - nuff said
Jan 7 - Gonzaga - (and may see them this weekend too)
ALL of those BEFORE even getting into conference play.
But you are correct that there are many teams tha can run with, around and past these boys - problem is THEY JUST CAN'T BEAT US YOU FREAKING IDIOT!!!! Now go deep fry a FROZEN turkey - and stand REAL close when you drop it in!
THE_VOL writes:
Your right - NOBODY want to stay at a place like TN. Why don't you help the cause AND LEAVE!!!
THE_VOL writes:
BTW....in case you're planning on wagering today...JP Prince is playing and will get regular minutes. Lay the 8 cause this is a confortable double digit win today! The boys took in the Tower of Terror last night at Universal and will drop the Saints in similar fashion!
CleverUserNameVol writes:
I wish you'd go with him. On this day of thanks, I'm thankful for people like you. You make me feel so much smarter. That being said, your posts were bordering on readable today. I guess the sun shines on a dog's @$$ some days. Happy Thanksgiving, jerk.
THE_VOL writes:
REALITY CHECK: You may FEEL smarter but your inbred ignorance appears to be permanent! Again, I ask the question - IS THIS NONSENSE YOU POST THE REASON I "DON'T WANT TO MATCH WITS WITH YOU?"
C'mon dude, just be thankful today that they have electrical lines to that trailer! Don't overload them with that toaster oven either! Happy T-Day!!
THE_VOL writes:
In between games here in FL as the Vols won easily as predicted.
As for your post, while you are correct, perhaps you should worry more about your namesake than a 3 minute a game guy. HOPSON just played about as poorly as a supposed "one and done" guy can play. Through 4 games now he's showing himself to be pouty and immature when he's not "getting his" offensively AND he's yet to play ANY defense! At least he did let a rebound or two fall in his lap today. I realize it's just 4 games but for someone with all the hype, this kid appears severely lost more often than not - and we cannot get to our ultimate destination without him being a MAJOR contributor.
CleverUserNameVol writes:
You can't "match" wits with me because you don't have any. That's why I keep it toned down and use smaller words for you. I think of it as charity work, it's nice to let the "special" kid think he's still in the race. It's getting a bit too easy, though. I could just say nothing and let the garbage that spews out of your keyboard speak for itself, but your mother asked me to get on here and give you sh!+ because she hates you even more than I do. Maybe next year, when you get in 4th grade, you can play ball with the big boys. Keep trying, though. It's fun.
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