Bruce Pearl’s 100th victory as Tennessee’s basketball coach was one for the record books Tuesday night.
The 10th-ranked Vols set school marks for most points scored and assists (34) in their 124-49 victory over UNC Asheville at Thompson-Boling Arena.
“We set some records offensively,’’ Pearl said. “But really, it was all about our defense. Our first-half defensive effort was as good as we’ve seen in a while.’’
Tennessee (2-0) raced out to a 66-14 halftime lead with pin-point shooting and smothering defense, much to the delight of the 17,085 in attendance.
The Bulldogs (0-2), picked to finish second in the Big South, didn’t make a basket until the 3:09 mark of the first half. Terrence Turner’s shot in the lane made it 57-10 after UNC Asheville missed its first 19 attempts from the field.
Scotty Hopson led six Vols in double figures with a career-high 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 6 of 7 beyond the 3-point arc. Bobby Maze had 14 points, Cam Tatum 13 and Renaldo Woolridge, Wayne Chism and Melvin Goins scored 11 apiece.
“We knew it was going to be Coach’s 100th, and we wanted to make a statement,’’ said UT senior captain Tyler Smith, who along with teammates took part in a post-game ceremony that saw Pearl honored with a jersey with the number 100 on the back.
The Vols’ intentions were evident from the opening tip; Hopson hit a trey on the first possession, and UT made 24 of 37 shots in the first half, including 8 of 13 beyond the 3-point arc.
It was a preview of things to come; UT shot 59.7 percent from the floor for the game and 55.2 percent beyond the 3-point arc.
The Vols led by as many as 83 points, flirting with the school record for largest margin of victory (79, vs. Mexico in 1966) when Michael Hubert hit a 3-pointer with 1:30 left to make it 124-41.
UNC Asheville, led by J.P. Primm’s 13 points, closed the game on an 8-0 run.
The 75-point margin ranks as the second largest in school history and biggest in Pearl’s five years at UT, surpassing the 109-40 win over Middle Tennessee State in 2007.
“We want to build on this,’’ Pearl said. “I like the chemistry and the way they’re sharing the ball. They can see what they’re capable of doing.’’
The Vols forced 16 turnovers in the first half, the majority before Pearl called off the press at the 7½-minute mark.
“We made some really good reads, and we’re getting more intelligent in it,’’ Pearl said. “We had coverage, but we also made plays out of it. We rotated, and the guys were instinctive, jumping passing lanes, and their offense couldn’t anticipate.’’
Pearl was pleased with the Vols play at point guard, too. Maze had 14 points, seven assists and one turnover, and Goins had five assists, no turnovers, and five steals.
“It all started tonight with our defense, and that’s going to be the key to this team,’’ Maze said. “But if we continue to play like this, we can beat the best teams on our schedule.’’
The Vols traveled to Atlanta after the game, spending the night before a scheduled flight today to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, for the Paradise Jam Tournament.
UT opens the eight-team tournament against East Carolina (1-2) at 3:30 p.m. Friday. No. 7 Purdue is the favorite on the other side of the bracket. Other teams include Northern Iowa, DePaul, St. Joseph’s, Boston College and South Dakota State.
Records: The previous record for points scored was 121 on two occasions, against Mexico (Jan. 24, 1966), and Long Beach State (March 16, 2007). UT’s assist record was set against Chattanooga on Nov. 15, 2008. The Vols have made 16 shots from 3-point range on five occasions, all in the Pearl era.
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 65
tractoronthepole writes:
I think a crime was committed tonight by one of our Vols. Hopson murdered the THREEEEEE!
Plasticman writes:
Unbelievable game for the VOls. Everything seemed to go right and they played with much more intensity than I thought they would. Should be much more competitive this weekend in the Virgin Islands against some possible very formidable opponents (Boston College, DePaul, Purdue) Should be great to watch.
PoochPuntOn3rdDown writes:
Oh, MorrisDowner, I cannot wait to hear you ascertain this slaughter....
Trap set, watch the douchie take the bait....
Chris4Vols22 writes:
As I said on a different article, I can't wait for MorristownWILDCAT and A_VOICE_OF_SLEAZIN' to come on here and say that UT somehow sucked tonight...
MiserableFloridaVol writes:
What a win tonight. Complete game from start to finish. Go Vols!
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
OMG
from the unca official web site
The 124 points was the most ever allowed by an Asheville squad. The 75-point deficit was the worst loss in school history.
PoochPuntOn3rdDown writes:
I think we're gonna own this tourney! Thoughts?
VolinCalif writes:
I sure hope so. It's been a bad week so far, this being the only bright spot for the men. I guess Pat's spoiled me when it comes to sports. But Bruce has done wonders and I would wear Kiffin panties. He and the staff have really done a great job if we take away this past week. In fact the Vol sports program is very good.
knoxvilleCatFan writes:
No UT didn't suck tonight. What sucks is the fact that you have team ranked #10 and there might have been 6,000 people at the game. The official attendance was over 17,000. Where were the fans? Don't give me the excuse that they were playing UNC Ashville. A real program like UK gets over 20,000 to watch the blue/white game, exhibition games and regular season games against mid-majors. UT will not be taken seriously if you can not get the fans to the game. GO BIG BLUE!
pdparker14 writes:
So yea...I'm pretty sure the sweet and sour chicken I ate for supper would have put up a better fight than UNC Asheville.
Good game boys.
Chris4Vols22 writes:
Don't harass me seeing as how I arrived at Thompson-Boling at 6 PM and stayed til the final scores were announced.
rclarkfork#639958 writes:
Are you talking about the same little kitties that barely squeaked by Miami of Ohio who just got beat by the Towson Tigers by 10. LOL
Please don't teach us how to be a real program.
veinsoforange writes:
Just give KNS some time to come up with something negative! It's terrible how they publically talk about UT.
volsftw1535 writes:
NICE
bigorange61 writes:
Kansas 57
Memphis 55
UTByrd writes:
This game was great for their confidence in CBP's system. However, I am holding any verdict until they face adversity. Personally, I believe that will handle that with the maturity and wisdom of a veteran team as well as with the youthful exuberance of "You can't beat us!".
I know it's early in the season, but I can smell a Final Four cooking.
By the way, does any one have an update on Negedu?
huntined#565710 writes:
Memphis looked good tonight as they took the number 1 team to the wire.. Great game for our VOLS as they seemed to hit everything they shot>>
huntined#565710 writes:
Also our LADY VOLS were playing at the same time many fans just stayed home and watched both games switching the stations..
richvol writes:
Amazing effort by the Vols tonight but it was UNCA after all. The defense and shooting was remarkable.
Brian Williams played better but still had a layup blocked by a much shorter player. Why can't one of the coaches teach him to go up strong and dunk or at the least learn to use that huge body to block defenders away from his shot if he's going to attempt a layup instead of a dunk. He made a beautiful pass in the lane for someone elses layup but he has got to get some INTENSITY. He could be unstoppable with more effort.
beachvol1 writes:
Just hope the Vols can keep up the intensity...glad to see something positive this week....Appears Conman Cal leaving the Tigers didn't have much effect as Kansas had their hands full...
marc_ash#231781 writes:
I was a season ticket holder for many years, but I live in Chattanooga and games that take place on Tuesday nights at 7pm just don't work for me living 2 hours away, having a family and going to work early the next day.
Does that excuse the stands being empty, no...but I know I can't make a trip mid week and I think a lot of fans feel the same way.
Kentucky basketball is different than many programs. The bball team is the hottest ticket in town, and the culture is such that everyone wants to go. Remember, UK basketball is the ONLY thing the state has...period. They don't have the Titans, they don't have a college football team, they don't have the Lady Vols....UK basketball is ALL FANS HAVE. So, of course folks are going to attend bball games in Lexington...other schools (like UT) have more teams fans will disperse their fan dollars towards. It is still football season in Knoxville by the way...not that anyone in Lexington cares about football.
On a side note, you UK fans are going to be VERY disappointed with your squad this year...they struggled against Miami of Ohio (lol) and give up WAY too many points on defense.
Good luck with your high expectations, but you heard it here FIRST....UK will NOT win the SEC!!
marc_ash#231781 writes:
I am going to enjoy seeing memphis lose a lot of games this season. Funny how none of their fans got on here to say anything...not a peep.
In reality, Kansas played very poorly IMO. I think they should have won by a lot more than they did.
I do find it interesting how many times they brag on their program, but they are 0-9 against top ranked teams at all time. Not exactly Elite. They will struggle this year.
marc_ash#231781 writes:
Tobias Harris WILL be a Vol IF they can beat out Syracuse. Harris is very close to signing, but is also being looked at and courted by the Cuse.
I think he'll be a Vol in the end, but the home town program is trying their best to get him.
vol88 writes:
IMO if I was a UK fan, I would be more worried about my team than I am about UT's attendance.
VolJunkie writes:
This is going to be a much better tourney than I thought when it was first announced. It's still early but I hear Purdue deserves their ranking and they play physical ball. BC is always a competitive program. After two sacrificial lambs, it will be good for UT to face a couple of tougher teams.
Go Vols!
VolJunkie writes:
Agreed, Kansas let Memphis hang around, the final score is not indicative of how this game played out. Still, IMO, it will give the UM team some confidence and I give them credit for continuing to play a tough non-conference schedule.
et_vol_fan writes:
Memphis may see double digit losses this year. If I didn't have to work late then I would of been at the game last night.
Witch_Doctor writes:
..well...Witch Doctor say this gonna constipate MorristownVol for a few days...he be back whining soon enough.
Bones never lie
CatScratchFever writes:
You are right. Kentucky did not get out on perimeter defense against Miami, and struggled at times with defensive assignments/switches. They have a long way to go before they can compete in the SEC.....and Cal would tell you the same thing.
The positves for Kentucky is that they did overcome a 17 point deficit to win against a team that was shooting lights out from the arc. I actually like a close game, as the one the Cats had, as I think it will pay dividends in the long run. It exposes your weaknesses early on.
On a different note, it was a great offensive showing by the Vols....not matter who the opponent. 124 is a lot of baskets.
BolivarBob writes:
Joyfully shocked by The Vols performance last night. Memphis is for real and if that game had been called equitably for both teams, Memphis would have won.
Go Vols!
TheBanker writes:
Congratulations Coach Bruce Pearl!!!!!
The chemistry on this team looked great. The taste of a triple shot of orange Kool Aid quenches a mighty thrist.
bluevol writes:
Markazz, you aren't a complete fool. Some parts are missing. Memphis loses to the top ranked team by 2 points and Memphis had nothing to do with it? And you sit here and crow about beating, who, NC Ashville??? You are a slimy slug and an egregiously dissolute plebeian and a loathsome, feeble-minded proof that evolution can go in reverse. You can't wait to see a team that was gutted and has 7 scholarship players lose, real classy lunkhead. We'll you're in for a surprise because this team will have fewer loses than your once again way overrated Dolls. Oh Memphis has lost to 9 #1 ranked teams. How many teams has Floppy Top defeated in a Sweet Sixteen? Well, none, the Dolls have never in their history won a Sweet Sixteen game, never! And the Tigers will send your overrated joke on a basketball team and it's bozo of a coach home with their heads on platters come December 31st. Lets see in my next post what the press says about Memphis.
FreeTDTN writes:
Kiffin panties. Hmmm. Would you rather wear?
A) Monte's
B) Lane's
C) Layla's
D) Knox'es
bluevol writes:
Greener pastures under Pastner
By Jason King, Yahoo! Sports
ST. LOUIS – One is a future Hall of Famer with a national championship ring. The other had just coached his second collegiate game.
Still, when Kansas’ Bill Self crossed paths with 32-year-old Josh Pastner in the handshake line following his squad’s 57-55 victory over Memphis on Tuesday, the coach of the nation’s No. 1-ranked team was the one paying his respect. “Your guys played great tonight, Josh,” Self told Pastner. “Good job.” Self echoed the sentiment 20 minutes later when he saw Pastner near the Memphis locker room.
“Hey, Josh,” Self said. “Great job. Great job.”
Self was talking about the last two hours – but he could’ve easily been referring to a seven-month stretch that has seen Pastner ascend from his position as John Calipari’s fourth assistant to one of the best stories in college basketball. After spending the offseason re-energizing a fanbase that was devastated by Calipari’s departure to Kentucky, Pastner couldn’t have asked for a much better start to his first season. Along with nearly beating No. 1 Kansas, Pastner signed a seven-man recruiting class that was ranked as the nation’s best by Rivals.com. Let’s repeat that: The guy’s first-ever recruiting class was ranked No. 1. What’s Pastner going to do for an encore? Win the national championship? “If I was a Memphis fan, I would be really pleased,” Self said. “Not because of how hard they played tonight. I don’t think there are moral victories. The fact is that they could’ve easily won this game tonight. They’ve got a really good team [right now]. And they’ve got a really good team coming [next year]. “They’re recruiting at a level … I mean, they haven’t gotten guys like this consistently. They’ve had premier players. But they’ve never had a class like this.” Three of Memphis’ seven recruits are ranked among Rivals.com’s Top 12 prospects, including No. 8 Jelan Kendrick from Georgia and No. 11 Will Barton from Baltimore. So, too, were the Memphis fans, who were the loudest group in the arena Tuesday – both before and after the game. Memphis – an 11-point underdog that was supposed to be rebuilding under a young, inexperienced coach – nearly beat the top team in the land. Never has a loss felt so good. “That was a big wake-up call, a big message for everyone: Don’t count us out. We’re going to be the same Memphis that makes it to the Elite Eight, Final Four, the championship game. We’re still here. Memphis is still here.”
Chew on that, putz.
eduardo writes:
Be afraid kenlucky......Be very afraid!!!!!!!!!!!
licknpromise777#651578 writes:
If Harris was there it would be impossible for him not to like what he saw!!!Unfortunately it's hard to pull a player from a close hometown tie.Our facilities,training and arena make Syracuse look like,,,Asheville!!
FreeTDTN writes:
I see we had a little bit of an off shooting night. It is still very early in the season. Be patient. Scoring 150 a game will come soon.
FreeTDTN writes:
Speaking of Kentucky, whatever happened to all those 5th graders they offered?
FreeTDTN writes:
Nothing a little prune juice and Jack Daniel won't handle.
FreeTDTN writes:
Before or after it was digested?
KatManDewVol writes:
Maybe because the only game in town in Lexington is men's basketball. The Vols have football, men's basketball, & women's basketball sharing the spotlight. How many fans do the Cats have coming to their football games and women's basketball games compared to UT ????
smokey_bites_traitors writes:
Bluevol...what is your major malfunction???
I don't care if it was UNCA!!! To beat ANY team by 75 points is spectacular in my book....
DON'T YOU DARE COME ON A VOL SITE AND MOCK OUR SCHOOL IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER!!! YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR TIGERS AND THEIR NEW AND VERY YOUNG COACH!!!
ALL I CAN SAY IS PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS SINCE YOU ARE COMING ON HERE AND MAKING GUARANTEES ABOUT YOUR TEAM!!!
roobomb writes:
What's hard to take seriously is a #4 team that beats Miami of Ohio by 2 pts on a last second shot.
licknpromise777#651578 writes:
Give me a break..I fail to see the relevance of a UT vs Memphis rivalry.If anything it's more a recruiting rivalry.. Only once or twice has the game really meant anything..Anybody with eyes can see that Pastner has done a great job and little has change in the quality of recruiting.Memphis will field another good team this year and even better the next..My only knock against the tigers is John C. arrogant attitude and even a tiger fan must admit that the C-USA conference is a joke which makes their win/loss record and 61 game streak not that impressive..Kudos to memphis for almost beating Kansas with 4 new starters and having the b#lls to play the game this early in the season. It's time to bury the hatchet and be proud our tennessee has 3 contenders in the NCAA
CuccessfulVol writes:
Well we had about 100k resting up for this Saturday. We have a diversified sporting attendance. I am so sorry Kentucky has basketball and....oh yeah a football team we have beaten 24 times in a row. Thats why everyone would rather watch your kitty cats play basketball.
CatScratchFever writes:
I would give some credit to Miami. They had a solid game plan, and executed it nicely. The way they were shooting, they would have beaten a lot of teams. Of course Kentucky did not help matters much with poor perimeter defense (primarily due to missed assignments).
Any team can beat ANY team on a given night, and Miami just about got the Cats.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Well, in BW's defense, that "much shorter player" is or soon will be UNCA's career leader in blocked shots. He is a very quick leaper who has no doubt made a LOT of bigger guys look bad on occasion. However, I have reluctantly concluded that BW is never going to be the back-board destroying monster some of us think we would be if we were his size. He is what he is; a finesse player in a giant's body. He will do some things with passes that will take our breath away and he will duff some easy shots that may cost us a game at some point. For me, it is still a marvel that he is even a serviceable D-I player given his background.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Anybody would have to be impressed with the UM defensive effort, but they have no real offensive post game, still can't shoot free-throws, and only Williams and Mack can hit from outside. Agree that Kansas looked far from the best team in the country last night.
roobomb writes:
The last few years we have had one of the top RPI's in the nation, but that hasn't served us much in March. Several of the other programs that have gone further in the tourney play several cookies early in the season just to get their legs under them. We will be plenty prepared after we go through the SEC. From there, if we are good enough we'll advance, if not we'll go home, but I don't think it will be because we haven't been adequately prepared.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Well said. As for the non-conference schedule being a joke, most people would be surprised at how many outright cupcakes many ranked teams play in the preseason. For another thing, UT will likely play two from among Purdue--picked as a Final Four team by Dickie V., FWIW--Boston College, and DePaul--both perennially strong programs--in the Paradise Jam Tourney this weekend. We also play Kansas a bit later. The Vols may not be playing the strongest non-conference schedule ever assembled, but it will probably be a top-10-RPI-type schedule by the end of the season. As you suggest, playing in March is a whole different season. I hope we are readier for it than we have the last two seasons.
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