Pearl wants Vols to play more like team

Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl said Saturday he can take losing.

"I don't like it, but I can take it,'' Pearl said after the 77-58 loss at Kentucky. "But not like that.''

After hours in the film room Sunday and discussion with his assistant coaches, Pearl wants to set straight a few things he said in the post-game.

"The biggest thing, I wasn't as displeased with our effort as our purpose,'' Pearl said. "It's our execution and our understanding that to play great basketball, you have to play as a team, offensively and defensively.''

Too many players are trying to take too many responsibilities onto themselves.

"We still rank high in assists and field-goal percentage, and that's a function of playing as a team,'' Pearl said. "But (against Kentucky) we weren't setting screens, making passes, throwing it inside-out and turning down shots to get better shots for teammates.''

Pearl said that's as much on him as his players.

"I haven't taught and disciplined our players enough to play our best basketball,'' Pearl said. "I haven't gotten our guys to understand that for them to play well as individuals, we have to play well as a team.''

That said, Pearl pointed out UT (16-10, 7-5 SEC) is still in position to win the SEC East Division.

"This team should be where it's at, and that's competing for a conference championship,'' Pearl said. "But if we don't fix what's ailing us, we won't win the championship.

"We've got our backs up against the wall.''

And Pearl didn't mind putting it there when he said the Vols need to beat Mississippi State on Wednesday to make the NCAA tournament.

"The math may indicate otherwise, with our strength of schedule and RPI,'' Pearl said. "But I feel like we need to deserve victory, and we have work to do.

"Me saying that was along the lines of keeping it real and being honest with our team and our fans.''

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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