Strange: Kentucky is moving on up; UT going down

The battle line for the SEC basketball race was officially drawn Tuesday night.

Kentucky is up there.

Tennessee is down here.

The Wildcats came into Tennessee's house and won 90-72. They were an honest 18 points better, at least on this night.

With two league games down and 14 to go before March Madness arrives, everybody now has a better idea what's what.

Tennessee may yet find some traction and make a run at fulfilling its role as preseason favorite. But after Tuesday night, it's clear the Vols have more ground to make up than anyone thought.

UT coach Bruce Pearl, clad in his orange blazer, didn't try to pass off his worst home-court loss as a fluke.

What you saw, he said, was what you got:

"You get a win like that in our place, it's a pretty convincing read.

"We thought we could beat 'em if we played well.''

In a few worrisome areas, the Vols did play well.

Tyler Smith soundly outplayed Kentucky nemesis Perry Stevenson. It didn't matter.

Wayne Chism outplayed the heralded Patrick Patterson in the paint. It didn't matter.

Kentucky was in some serious foul trouble midway through the second half. It didn't matter.

None of that mattered because the Vols had no idea what to do about Jodie Meeks.

Nobody, I would argue, has played a better game wearing a jersey No. 23 since Michael Jordan. And what Meeks did to Tennessee was Jordanesque.

He was simply unstoppable, scoring 54 points. Nobody had ever scored that many in Thompson-Boling Arena.

Nobody had ever scored that many in a Kentucky uniform.

No SEC player had scored that many in two decades, since Chris Jackson got 55 on Ole Miss in 1989.

If a guy gets 54 on you, everything else is pretty much academic. He made 15 of 22 shots, 10 of 15 3-pointers, 14 of 14 free throws.

It added up to a career night for Meeks. He's not the first player to have a career game against Tennessee this year, just the most dramatic.

"Pitiful" was one word Pearl used to assess Tennessee's defense.

What's the fallout for Tennessee?

The Vols didn't lose at home for more than two years. Now they've lost twice in a row.

Tennessee is 10-5. Most UT teams over the past two decades would take that record, no questions asked.

Not anymore. Here are Pearl's three previous teams after 15 games: 14-1 last year; 13-2 in 2006-07; 12-3 his first year.

"This,'' Pearl said, "is not a rebuilding year. We're trying to defend our championship.

"Tonight we were not competitive against a team that's got a chance to win the league.''

One of the joys of Tennessee's basketball renaissance under Pearl has been the ability to stare Kentucky in the eye.

Another, of course, has been dominating Florida. The Pearl-era Vols are 5-1 against the Gators, who were back-to-back national champions during that span.

Against Kentucky, it hasn't exactly been party time. The slate is only 3-4 with a game in Lexington yet to play this season.

And for what it's worth, Pearl hasn't had to face typical Big Blue juggernauts of yore. In his seven meetings, he has faced a ranked Kentucky team only once.

That the Wildcats lost to VMI in Rupp Arena on opening night seems ancient history, a part of another season.

That they're unranked is no doubt temporary.

That they walked out of Thompson-Boling Arena as the new favorite to win the SEC is indisputable.

There's still a long trail ahead. Somewhere, maybe Fayetteville, Gainesville or Tuscaloosa, Meeks won't be Jordanesque and Kentucky will throw in a clunker.

As for Tennessee, it's no longer the team with the bull's-eye on its back. Maybe that works to the Vols' favor.

At any rate, they know where things stand.

Tennessee is down here.

Kentucky is up there.

That's where the line was drawn Tuesday night.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strangem@knoxnews.com.