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The Tennessee men's basketball team met with the media Wednesday afternoon offering up no excuses.
There's plenty of experience, size and talent for the Vols to accomplish their goals this season according to the players.
"The seniors, we've seen it all, been up and down and No. 1,'' said J.P. Prince, one of four projected senior starters joining Tyler Smith, Wayne Chism and Bobby Maze. "Last year was a learning year. It was my first time starting, Tyler's first time being the No. 1 option and the first time Wayne had to shoulder the load without Duke (Crews) behind him.''
"And it was the first time we had to play without Chris (Lofton) and JaJuan (Smith), two of the greatest shooters in UT basketball history. It changes the game when they're not on the court.''
The Vols won 21 games last season against the second-rated schedule in the nation, captured the SEC East Division and appeared in the SEC tournament championship game for the first time since 1991.
And yet, UT coach Bruce Pearl found himself apologizing for what the Vols didn't do last season rather than getting pats on the back for what the team accomplished with five new players in the 10-man rotation.
"Somehow, the expectations do change,'' said Pearl, who became the first coach in UT history to finish ahead of Kentucky four consecutive SEC seasons. "And we felt that, although last year was another (East Division) championship season, we had the ability to go a little farther than we did and accomplish more than we did.
"We left some unfinished business on the court.''
Chism was more blunt.
"Last season was very unsuccessful, to us,'' Chism said. "We had five new players, but now, you can see they're all grown up.
"This year's team can do a lot, but we have to take one step at a time.''
The Vols have baby-stepped through the limited individual and team workout sessions since mid-August, practicing the NCAA-allotted two hours per week.
Pearl said those limited workouts have prepared the team for the start of full-scale, 20-hour practice weeks which begin Friday and will lead up to the opening exhibition game at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 against North Alabama.
"We've been able to do a great deal of conditioning, a lot of weight training and player development,'' Pearl said. "Last year, we spent a great deal of time competing for positions ... it took us too long to come together as a team.
"We didn't play our best basketball until late February; this group has been together an entire season, and we're closer.''
It's Pearl's most experienced team since he took over the UT job nearly five years ago, but he said he's not sure he can call it the most talented team he's coached here - yet.
"It's too early to tell,'' Pearl said. "C.J. Watson was our point guard and he was in the NBA. ... Chris Lofton is playing in Spain and set a record in the NBA summer league for his 3-point shooting. ... JaJuan Smith made it to the last cut with the Dallas Mavericks.
"Tyler, Wayne, J.P. and Bobby have a chance to put up some numbers and win some championships and be regarded with the all-time great players at Tennessee because of what they accomplish as a team.''
Prince said that's the goal.
"We want to leave a legacy,'' Prince said. "Our story isn't done. We aren't going to have any excuses.''
Orange Slices: Juco point guard Melvin Goins said he's ahead of schedule rehabilitating from arthroscopic knee surgery and hopes to be ready to play in two weeks. ... It's the first time Prince (shoulder) has been healthy at the start of a UT season. ... Pearl said walk-on Skylar McBee is the hardest worker on the team ... Sophomore Scotty Hopson said one of his goals is to earn All-SEC recognition this season.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 20
volfan2002 writes:
I really like this team and think they ca win the SEC title and make a run for the NCAA title. I look forward to the season.
IBleedOrange444 writes:
Can't wait for b-ball to roll around! These guys have a lot of potential. We need to outplay UK this year and we will make a big splash with the recruits. FYI for all the west coast Vol fans. Single game tickets go on sale for USC men's b-ball tomorrow. UT at USC is December 19th.
VolGraduate writes:
This could be a final four team if...
utvolz#637682 writes:
Skylar McBee, almost as good a name for a walk-on as Jim Bob Cooter! GO VOLS!
wayoutwill writes:
I got a feeling about this bunch!I don't think I've ever been as excited about a Vol B-Ball team going into the season and:you know what?I truly belive that as long as we got Bruce Pearl as the Head Coach,things are gonna be just fine for the Big Orange!He is a great Coach,because he is a great person,a person that belives in himself,a person that doesn't B.S. anyone,but most importantly,he doesn't B.S. himself!GO VOLS!
beachvol1 writes:
Still too slow, not a lot of team speed here...no proven 3-point shooter that can make the perimeter game deadly...hopefully this bunch can scrap and claw for wins with effort and heart....just beat Conman Calipari is all I ask....
tennrich1 writes:
The biggest improvements usually come between the freshmen and sophomore season...that should help....
volsunited writes:
Really a mempuss fan! did u not get the memo we dont care about yall anymore, the rivalry was with calipari, ur schhol is an afterthought i dont even know why ur on our schedule anymore since cal left. we might as well play uab go away mempuss fans
halloffamebowler writes:
TigerNash,I want to thank you for that post.I was planning to go to the game,but now I will cancel and stay home with my family and enjoy the New Year celebration with them.No need to waste all the travel time and money for something where the outcome is known.I will also place a large sum on the game and know I will walk away a winner.Thanks again for that helpful information.It will indeed be a happy new year, after I collect my winnings.
murrayvol writes:
I'm sure Skylar is a great kid and a pretty good basketball player but nobody's ever reminded me of Pistol Pete.
IPFreely writes:
is this your idea of talking smack? If so, sad, very sad.
IPFreely writes:
Yeah! I get those tests and have no problems! Sadly though, if you knew anything, you would know they already are tested randomly and routinely.
hueypilot writes:
You sound like anything but a voice of reason. You post like you need to dial back on the caffeine. How about a little civility? This is just a place where people can swap thoughts about Tennessee sports. No more, no less
copjon writes:
If Prince and Hopson can get their outside game going, we can be very dangerous and can go deep in the tourney.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
As I have said before, things will likely never be so favorable for the Vols to make a deep run in the postseason. Losing Negedu was a tremendous blow, but if everybody else stays healthy, the chemistry works out, and the guys can play effective pressure defense, this Vol team will a be LOAD. If they do really well, the recruiting might fall into place to keep it going for awhile. No question last season was a step backward, as many of the guys seem to realize, so it will be interesting to see if everybody can get back into stride.
On a another note, there is a MARVELOUS article on the Yahoo home page on UK's Patrick Patterson. I have been a great admirer of his talent as a player from the first time I saw him, but according to this article by Jason King, he is an even better person. Even UK haters--of which I am one!...well, ENVIERS might be more accurate--would agree that college sports could never have enough guys of such character. I recommend it to all.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Does he have long, floppy hair and wear saggy socks? Otherwise, there is no possible comparison to Pistol Pete. I am rooting for Skylar because I would love to see a local East Tennessee kid make it at UT, but if he were one quarter the player Maravich was, the Vols would be the hands-down favorite to win the NCAA this year. I can only guess that whoever made that comparison is too young to have actually seen Pistol Pete play. Either that, or Skylar McBee is the best-kept secret in all of college basketball(;-P)!
DC_Vol writes:
To funny! Hysterical post!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Sounds like we are contemporaries, you old geezer, you(;-P)! No question Pistol Pete was one of a kind. He controlled the ball like a yo-yo master. He had more moves than a chess tournament and more shots than a hospital. He was, bar none, the best individual player I have seen in more than 50 years of following basketball at all levels.
Stokes44yrs writes:
Any of the Harlem Globetrotters!! Pete handled the ball like Curly and didn't need to look at the basket to make the shot.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Yeah, but Pete did it in real games against guys who were actually trying to stop him!
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