Tennessee Men's Basketball
If you were watching sports on TV Sunday night or Monday morning - be it in Altoona or Anaheim - Tennessee basketball was back in the spotlight.
Surf the Web. Hit your favorite sports sites and click the college basketball link. What do you find?
Vols, that's who.
A stunning upset of No. 1 Kansas on Sunday produced more positive spin for Tennessee's battered image than hiring a team of PR sharpies.
A week ago Monday coach Bruce Pearl walked into his weekly media luncheon looking as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The arrests of four of his players on misdemeanor gun and marijuana charges were still fresh. The mood in the community was hostile. The media was sorting out details, one headline at a time.
What a difference a couple of well-played wins make.
When Pearl met the local media Monday the bounce was back in his step. The first item of business was promoting the fight against cancer, not the fight against crime.
Pearl modeled the new OUTLIVE T-shirt that will be sold to raise funds to benefit the UT Medical Center's cancer facility.
Then the talk turned to basketball. As in on-the-court basketball.
Beating Charlotte on Wednesday minus four suspended players was the first step toward regaining equilibrium.
Upsetting the No. 1-ranked Jayhawks before a national CBS audience Sunday was a master stroke.
When I looked around the press workroom at Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday afternoon, I wondered what message the Vols might send to the flock of national media who showed up.
They smelled a good story. In one corner, unbeaten, pristine Kansas; in the other corner, tarnished Tennessee.
Forty scintillating minutes later, the Vols delivered an emphatic answer.
Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News called the upset "nothing short of a miracle.''
Gary Parrish of CBSsports.com fashioned a flattering Skylar McBee feature.
From Brian Bennett of ESPN.com: "Vols showed chemistry that KU didn't."
And from Jeff Goodman of Foxsports.com: "A Few Good Men.''
Dick "Hoops" Weiss of the New York Daily News said that where UT's win at No. 1 Memphis two years ago was surprising, beating Kansas was "seismic.''
The Vols were even back in the New York Times (at least the Web version) on Monday, but this time it was all hugs and joy.
"The good message,'' Pearl said, "is consistent with the majority of messages we've been sending.
"The negative message was not the norm.''
ESPN's Andy Katz (who wasn't present) declared Tennessee his team of the week.
Bobby Maze is the SEC Player of the Week. The Vols jumped back into the top 10 in the polls.
Their RPI has beefed up to No. 21 and Joe Lunardi, everyone's favorite bracketologist, rates UT as a cozy No. 3 seed.
While three players remain in unresolved suspension, the preponderance of signs are pointing back in a positive direction.
The fan base has even re-fallen in love with the hustle and energy the short-handed Vols have put forth in these two timely wins.
Now comes the hard part - sustaining it.
The SEC season is a very different animal. It starts Thursday night when Auburn visits, followed Saturday by Ole Miss.
"It's conference time,'' Pearl said. "I've got to find a way to make sure our players understand the level of intensity from opponents will be even greater in conference play.''
If you don't bring your "A" game in conference play and the other guy does, chances are you lose. On the opening weekend, South Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi State got road wins and lowly Georgia gave Kentucky a scare in Rupp.
"It says that the league is going to be awfully competitive,'' Pearl said.
Tennessee will have to maintain its refound focus to stay competitive. The Vols still have a short bench and they know Tyler Smith won't be coming back to deliver any big baskets at crunch time.
It's been a great week of recovery. But it's only a beginning.
Mike Strange may be reached at strangem@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6276.
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Comments » 21
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
This article isn't about football.Comment totally unneccessary.
LEXKYVOLS writes:
A Miracle? You would have thought Tennessee was a 20-30 point underdog when actually it was only 7 points. Vegas either knew how good Tennessee was, short the 4 players, or they knew how not so good Kansas actually was. Or maybe Vegas was also betting on a MIRACLE!
vol_4_fan writes:
very good point, the number i had was UT + 5-,,,them boys in vegas do know what they are doing!
bmaples writes:
Survive and advance, survive and advance -- works for the SEC regular season just as well as for the tourney. The guys have to take it one bitterly-fought game at a time.
Hounddog writes:
Got to hit foul shots to subsatin...in the SEC.
Great Win!
Let's play basketball. Hounddog
murrayvol writes:
"Got to hit foul shots to subsatin...in the SEC"
Okay Hounddog, I give. What the heck are you saying?
hillsborovol writes:
Good question.
volgrog#210164 writes:
A couple of things: 1) For those of you talking about Vegas odds, a 7 point dog at home is like 17 on the road. We weren't considered all that good vs. Kansas, 2) I travel quite a bit and got calls from people I know in Minneapolis, Alabama, Georgia, and New York about TN's win vs. Kansas. It was BIG news across the country. Great job Bruce Pearl and the Vols!!!!
Volumnus writes:
Keep the team and the chemistry as it is. They will only get better. They can play and they have each other's backs. If these guys lose every game hustling like they hustled Sunday, I for one will be in their corner and cheer them on! They are true Tennessee Volunteers! GBO!!
VOLKING writes:
The SEC is a 'grind it out' schedule where we will likely lose a couple of close, hard-fought games to lesser ranked teams. Don't fret, because it's all about what we can do in March. Play together and out-hustle your opponent and get a good draw in the tourney. I am proud of these underdog Vols!!! Keep on believing!
Hounddog writes:
Sorry it took awhile for me to respond.
After watching the replay of the game I noticed how the missed foul shots were an obvious and only flaw in the teams effort against Kansas.
The article asked the question, "could UT substain this momentum in the SEC conference race?" I simply was making an obvious point.
Let's play basketball. Hounddog.
LEXKYVOLS writes:
I agree but calling it a Miracle? That was the USA beating Russia in the 70's in hockey, not UT beating KU. WE are a better team/program than that.
gnm53108 writes:
Agree dog.
We are also going to have to get better with our fouls.When we hit the meat of the sec teams are going to become extreamly physical,and we cant win a war of attrition.We're gonna have to cut down on the cheap fouls.
Brillovol writes:
Update:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebaske...
About what I figured. I wonder if Williams will be suspended the rest of the year.
Mule_Days_King writes:
Tatum and Goins maybe next week.
I'm guessing Williams 5-10 more games.
ssgdebity writes:
Apparently you don't know your history very well. We actually beat Russia in the 1980 winter olympics. And yes under all the adversity this team faced I do consider this as a miracle.
OrangeVeins writes:
Don't forget that BP coached a hell of a game with what guys he had...?!?!?
LEXKYVOLS writes:
Mark, You so good!! Give me some of dat! ;)
VolGrad writes:
Tyler Smith, Brian Williams, Cameron Tatum, Melvin Goins..., who needs them? Maybe UTC?
:) GBO!!!
volgrog#210164 writes:
Well, actually I have to agree with LexyVol on the miracle thing. I limit my miracle discussions to things like resurrection, making the blind see, etc. But you are right about the 1980 Hockey Team.
AtLeastMyTeamHasPerfectSeasons writes:
Remember in '07 TN beat Memphis to claim #1 spot....then 3 days later went to Nashville and lost to Vandy...the team looked flat. I am glad they play Auburn at home MAYBE this repeat won't happen.
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