Strange: Fresh start in case UT has gone stale

TAMPA, Fla. - SEC basketball found itself on unlikely turf Thursday, a basketball tournament breaking out amid Grapefruit League spring baseball.

In coming south to Tampa, the SEC men’s tournament has rolled the dice and ventured beyond the league’s usual parameters.

If ever a program ought to be OK with that, it’s Tennessee.

When the Vols hit the St. Pete Times Forum court tonight it will be a fresh start — or at least a fresh venue — in an event that has left the program with an almost annual bad taste in its mouth.

This is the 30th anniversary of UT’s most recent SEC tournament championship. In the interim, nine of the other 11 schools have won a title while the Vols have gone 18-29 and reached the semifinals only twice, 1991 and last year.

“These kids can’t control anything that happened before,’’ coach Bruce Pearl said. “I don’t want these guys to feel responsibility for past teams’ lack of success.’’

Fair enough. Fresh start.

Opening day, however, looked anything but fresh. This was business as usual.

“It was a great win for us,’’ Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie said after a 71-58 victory over Ole Miss. “We’ve been reeling for a while.’’

You couldn’t tell the Wildcats had been reeling – 3-8 in their previous 11 games -- Thursday. Tampa was a dead-ringer for “Cat-Lanta” as thousands of Big Blue fans took over the Forum just as they took over the Georgia Dome for so many years.

One down, three to go for the Wildcats – and that’s one of the compelling storylines to be played out here this weekend.

Here are some plots to watch between now and the championship game on Sunday:

n Which Tennessee team shows up?

If the Vols play with the urgency they showed at Florida and South Carolina recently they can bring home the trophy. If not, it could be another early exit.

“I want my team to remember very clearly how we played at South Carolina and Florida and capture that,’’ Pearl said.

“I know this season has had its ups and downs but I keep going back and wanting to focus on those ups.’’

n Can Kentucky salvage its gone-to-heck season by winning four games in four days?

If not, the Wildcats’ 17-year streak of NCAA tournaments most likely ends.

The fact that the familiar Blue Mist descended over the Forum will be an invaluable ally.

“We always have a great following,’’ Gillispie said, “no matter where we go.

“We definitely had a big-time home-court advantage today.’’

n If Kentucky goes home, will anyone be left in the stands? As of early this week, Kentucky was the only school to sell out its 1,100-ticket allotment.

“Atlanta has been really good for all 12 teams,’’ said a skeptical Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury. “It’ll be interesting to see the head count.’’

n Will anyone capture lightning in a bottle like downtrodden Georgia did last year and pull off a miracle title?

It won’t be the Bulldogs. They went meekly Thursday, losing 79-60 to Mississippi State.

It won’t be Vanderbilt, whose late-season surge was ended by Alabama 82-75.

n Can Florida avoid going from back-to-back NCAA championships to back-to-back NITs?

The toast of the nation in 2006 and 2007, the rebuilding Gators were just toast in 2008. They have work to do here this week to assure a berth in the NCAA bracket.

n Will South Carolina or Auburn play their way into the Big Dance?

Only Tennessee and outright regular-season champion LSU are locks when the NCAA bracket is revealed Sunday afternoon.

South Carolina fits in the “probably in” category but if the Gamecocks lose to Mississippi State today it will be a nervous 48 hours.

Auburn, despite finishing with a rush, might have to win it all to get a thumbs-up from the NCAA Selection Committee.

Six SEC teams made the field a year ago. The league has produced at least five NCAA bids for the past 12 years. That streak is in serious trouble.

Auburn and South Carolina matched Tennessee’s 10-6 regular-season record. No 10-6 SEC team has ever been left out. This might be the year unless Auburn beats South Carolina in the championship game.