LOS ANGELES - The coasts are different, but Saturday's situation is eerily similar to Tennessee senior captain Tyler Smith.
It was just over a year ago that the Vols took their show on the road to play a 4-3 team from a major metropolitan area outside the South.
"We've all talked about that Temple game,'' Smith said, recalling then-No. 8 UT's shocking 88-72 loss in Philadelphia to the Owls. "We remember what happened, and we don't want that to happen again. After that loss, the season was all up and down.''
This time, it's No. 9 Tennessee playing Southern Cal (4-4) at the Galen Center this afternoon (TV: SportSouth, 4:30 p.m.).
Like a year ago, these Vols are on a roll.
Like last season's team, this edition's only loss came to a quality opponent (Purdue) in the title game of a November tournament.
But that's where Smith believes the similarities will end.
"We've learned from last year, and we plan to take care of our business,'' Smith said. "We want to stay (ranked) in the top 10 all season; that's one of our goals. We will not overlook USC.''
UT coach Bruce Pearl, like Smith, believes this is a different Tennessee team than a year ago.
"You look back, and here's the difference: we have a better understanding defensively,'' Pearl said. "It takes toughness, effort, execution; and after a year of being together these players understand better what to do.''
UT senior Wayne Chism believes the Vols have a better chemistry, too.
"When we get challenged, we'll see some people step up, and we might see some people struggle,'' Chism said. "But most of all, we will stay together. We've shown we've got each other's backs.''
Southern Cal, with its patient, high-percentage offense and suffocating man-to-man defense, will provide a test.
"We've found ways to win in the 60s and 70s and we may even had to find a way to win in the 50s or even the 40s, like a couple of years ago at LSU," Chism said.
"We have to keep showing the patience to win.''
Southern Cal lost six of the top seven players from last season's rotation, but coach Kevin O'Neill has had his team play well in stretches against quality opponents.
The Trojans were within striking distance in a game at No. 2 Texas earlier this season, trailing only 48-44 with 8:45 remaining before the Longhorns broke loose for a 69-50 win.
At Georgia Tech, USC fell behind 19-0 but battled back to 29-26 before the Yellow Jackets sped away for a 79-53 victory.
This time, the Trojans are at home, and O'Neill, in his first year as USC's coach, is further along with this new group.
USC boasts the two top rebounders in the Pac-10 in 6-foot-10 Nikola Vucevic (10.8 per game) and 6-9 North Carolina transfer Alex Stepheson (9.8).
The Trojans are allowing only 58.1 points per game - the best defense the school has seen since the 1959-60 season.
Coming Home: The Vols have three players from the Southern California area: sophomore forward Renaldo Woolridge, freshman post Kenny Hall and junior college point guard Melvin Goins.
Woolridge attended Harvard-Westlake High School in North Hollywood, Hall lived in the San Fernando Valley until he was 14, when he moved to Atlanta, and Melvin Goins is from San Diego.
All three players visited with family members Friday afternoon.
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 18
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Afraid this game will be more about O'Neill than Pearl in terms of tempo. So far, the Vols haven't had a lot of luck in pushing the tempo against teams that want to walk. This could well be a trap game if the Vols have trouble early scoring in the half-court. As the article suggests, this game will likely be won on the backboards, especially since we may not win the turnover battle by the margin we would like.
lomas98 writes:
Defensive rebounding will be key to our game. More possessions USC gets the lower the score will be. This game reminded me of the Temple game last year when I saw the schedule, the players seem to agree. Talent wise no way USC should win but you never know. With the way our defense has been playing I am okay with a game in the fifties or sixties.
NorthwestVol writes:
Living on the left coast I'm dog tired of the Vols dropping football games to the PAC 10 (UCLA, Cal). Time for some feel good revenge.
murrayvol writes:
The Vols should win but it'll be slow and ugly. O'Neill will insist on it.
VOLoom writes:
sort of incredible the article didn't even mention O'neal as our former coach. I think that would be an angle I would have mentioned if I had written it.
Navalorange writes:
Of course I look at the guide and it says WOMENS BASKETBALL, UT vs USC at 4:30 tomorrow, SPSO. ?
CatScratchFever writes:
If Tennessee's press can create points off turnovers....and I think it will, then the Vols should win this by 10+. I have seen USC once, and I see them having a hard time with the Vols defense. Tennessee 70-58.
FeelVol writes:
I believe if we'll be smart in the half court offense valueing our possessions press when given the opportunity playing sound defense and rebounding we'll be alright and yes of course fast break at every occasion.This is one of those games I truly hope we can come away with would be a tremendous confidence boost to go on the road and get a win. Go Vols!
licknpromise777#651578 writes:
O'Neill plays slow because he has no players..Usc averages a pitiful 55 ppg.Our transition play off missed shots should be enough to put them away..I would expect Chism to have a big game also. This is a game we are supposed to win and that's what's expected of top 10 teams.
muletownvol writes:
May have to mute any microphones near O'Neill.
Unless we want to hear an F-Bomb every 10 seconds.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
They can have their 55 if we get 56! The guys will have to man up, keep their composure, go up strong with all post-ups and put-back attempts, and make their free-throws. If they do that, they should be OK. I agree we should win on paper, but they need to transfer that paper advantage to the court! GBO!!!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
All three of my "leading indicators"--"Sports on TV" and program grids in the newspaper and the on-screen cable guide--say that SportSouth is showing the Lady Vols v. Stanford and the guys v. USC back-to-back this afternoon starting at 2:30 here in the Greensboro area. However, bitter experience has shown me that if SS can find an ACC tiddly-winks match at the last minute, that is what they will show instead, TV listings be damned!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
BTW, we got a good 5+ inches of snow last night with a thankfully THIN glaze of ice on top of it and my power is still on, so I'm looking forward to a cozy day watching bball! Was there any wintry weather in the K'ville area?
AlWilsonFan writes:
Ouch!!!!! This article is pretty dang painful given what's happening tonight.
geraldodell#1377039 writes:
Well the most pitiful performance yet for a Pearl coached team. This team cant shoot (field goals nor free throws) which has been the trend of Pearl coached teams after his first year here. Getting outrebounded by almost 3 to 1 is inexcusable. How many break away layups did USC get off our press? How many turnovers did we create-not many- but we did force them to call time out on a couple of occasions.
What were the Vols doing this week preparing for their debut as future movie stars?
I am ashamed of our lack of preparation and hustle during this debacle.
One suggestion to Coach Pearl, you had better find a couple of players that can shoot the ball as this team has none and are totally out of control.
straightshooter writes:
I hope these kids get a good education as they will surely need to get a "real working job" after college being none will qualify for playing in the NBA! What a pathetic performance. Embarrassed themselves for sure. Is it time to start 2010 football season yet????????
straightshooter writes:
Actually I take back what I previously posted. The young guys whom have yet to play enought to gain experience and skills at the college level still may be NBA talent. But the guys whom have been around for 3 years or more and still can't put on a better performance then this, well, ...........
Plasticman writes:
There is NO NBA talent on this team. Hopson may develop and I think will get better once Smith, and Chism are gone and we get a real point guard that can distribute the ball
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