Tennessee Men's Basketball
January came in with a bang for Tennessee basketball. Sunday, it went out with one too.
The last day of one of the program’s more memorable months ended in a celebration, a jump-up-off-the-couch moment, when a long shot by Scotty Hopson went in the basket and then a much closer one by Alex Tyus didn’t.
A 61-60 victory over Florida at Thompson-Boling Arena was the latest gut-wrenching exercise in this revised edition of UT hoops.
Revised, of course, because of the traffic stop on New Year’s Day that rocked Bruce Pearl’s roster.
The Vols made it through a turbulent month with a 6-2 worksheet, the highlight being the shocking upset of No. 1 Kansas on Jan. 10.
Considering UT’s schedule, 6-2 wouldn’t be bad for a normal month, much less one laden with adversity.
The Vols have beaten Charlotte and Auburn, whom they should beat. They’ve come back from one foot in the grave to knock off a good Ole Miss team in overtime. They’ve gutted out a rare win in Tuscaloosa.
They’ve gotten spanked at Georgia, then outplayed down the stretch at home by Vanderbilt.
Finally, they found a way to get in the last lick on Florida and, in doing so, salvage their standing in the SEC East race.
“It’s just another win,’’ said senior J.P. Prince. “You can’t make more of it than it is.
“It’s just one game in the win column.’’
OK, but it could have just as easily slipped into the loss column.
“I saw a gutsy effort,’’ said Pearl. “I don’t think either team played particularly well.
“We were very fortunate to have won that game. We’re fortunate their guards missed some open shots.’’
A little good fortune is part of the recipe these days. Tennessee’s depleted roster isn’t going to overpower anybody in the SEC.
But Sunday, the roster wasn’t as depleted as it has been for the past month.
Tyler Smith is not coming back, and Brian Williams remains in limbo. However, Cameron Tatum and Melvin Goins each played an important role in the victory over Florida.
In his third game back after a five-game hiatus, Tatum scored all eight of his points in the first half when UT was gasping for any form of offense.
Tatum played 15 minutes and knocked down a pair of 3-point shots, a rare commodity these days.
“He kept us in the game in the first half,’’ said Pearl.
Goins, in only his second appearance since the New Year’s Day arrests, played 14 minutes. He didn’t score but made life hard on Florida guards Ervin Walker and Kenny Boynton.
Goins had three steals and two assists. Walker was 3-of-9 shooting and committed six turnovers. Boynton’s line was just as bad: 2-of-11 shooting, four turnovers.
While suspended, Goins lost his back-up point guard job to Josh Bone. He got it back Sunday.
“It’s hard to make a change,’’ said Pearl, “because Josh has been so solid. But you need more against Boynton and Ervin Walker than solid.
“I think Melvin’s quickness bothered ’em a little bit.’’
There has been considerable handwringing among UT fans about team chemistry. The Vols were 5-0 without Tatum and Goins, then 0-2 when they returned.
Make that 1-2. And their teammates shrug at all the chemistry talk.
“That chemistry thing is over-rated,’’ said Prince. “On the court, we’re all on the same page. That’s never changed.’’
Wayne Chism pointed to Tatum’s shooting and Goins’ defense. Enough said, he said.
Goins also deserves an assist, one that doesn’t show up in the box score. It came during UT’s final timeout, in which Pearl designed what would be Hopson’s game-winning shot.
“After Coach had called up the play for me,’’ said Hopson, “Melvin stopped me and said, ‘Big players make big shots.’
“And that was just another confidence-booster for me that my teammates are behind me.’’
February lies ahead. Tennessee still isn’t whole again, and it won’t be. But the Vols are closer to it at the end of January than at the beginning.
Mike Strange may be reached at strangem@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6276.
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Comments » 32
salute_to_the_hill writes:
Well said Mr. Strange! GBO!!!
VolunteerLifer writes:
Does anyone have any word on Williams status? I thought I read that he and the others would have some court action last Friday, the 29th? Does anyone know anything about that? It sure would help to have him back.
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
It was just a win, but JP seemed to do everything to insure it was just a loss..How can a seasoned player drbble himself into trouble with the game on the line?? We'll take the win and pray JP finally gets it..GBO!!
Slystone writes:
Interesting comment. Makes you go hmmmm....
budd#207344 writes:
I'm starting to wonder if you're right. The guy plays his heart out and sometimes makes mistakes of too fast and hard. I guess we prefer mistakes of laziness. Without JP we are nowhere near 6-2 for January.
tennrich1 writes:
I'm just rambling here and being negative but we have to keep Steven P. in a "dont try to do too much" mode when he's on the court. He real hurt us today on three occassions that i can recall...true, he had three steals and a rebound or two, but he just needs to understand his role. Having said that, his teammates give him a touch in heavy traffic seemingly like he can create space and make a play...its not going to happen against the SEC level athlete....but i appreciate his hustle and determination....two costly, almost, turnovers by JP as well...but we won...admittedly, we just arent very strong...we REALLY need a huge body down low to help out...
tennrich1 writes:
Let me assure you, if JP reads that comment he will laugh his head off...ala...Isaiah Thomas' comment about Larry Bird....that's what Larry did....just laughed because its funny...Of course, later Isaiah said it was a very dumb thing to say....
newportvol writes:
steven def..is much much better than his offense.. HE tries hard plays with heart.. Hes had 3 steals and didnt he take a charge or was that the last game.? His shot is always 2 hard Probably because he doesnt get much playing time and tries to hard..
theoldbear writes:
Agree for the need of a huge body!
JP has always seemed to me to be a turnover looking for a place to happen. He may wind up being the second coming of Scotty Pippen, but he costs as much as he benefits. Fouls, turnovers, missed opportunities. Remember, the Vols run that beat Kansas came with JP on the bench.
Point guard play (particularly on defense) continues to trouble the Big Orange. Goins came through today on defense.
Is it my imagination, or is the SEC East in basketball becoming like the SEC East in football: the top three teams could be ranked in the top 20 nationally.
TommyJack writes:
Don't make irresponsible remarks like that.
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
Where in God's Blue Earth did I mention race??
I agree JP played well early, but he is terrible late with stupid decisions and missed FT's..ReRead my post, C1..You will see that you started something that didn't exist..
ORNGFACTOR writes:
WARNING WARNING
Now that TN has received three more commitments plus this huge win over FL, then expect another crappy article from Adams and the KNS.
Outside of that nonfactor, congrats Big Orange!
newportvol writes:
We won the game...Or by reading these post it was a moral lost..
easleychuck writes:
Weak comment. If you know anything about basketball (which I doubt) you wouldn't bring up something racial when it is irrelevant to the game.
For every 1 good play that JP made Sunday, he made a play that turned out badly. Did he do it on purpose? Of course not, but, he is a senior and fouling someone on a long 3 point shot late in the count or game is not using your head. He took several ill-advised 3's early in the game. He drove into trouble a couple times down the stretch when there was nothing there. To balance that out he drew 2 nice charges, and hustled his backside off on several put backs.
Again, an uneven performance from a seasoned player. And the only one that noticed or seems to care about his skin color is you.
Stephen Pearl had a very similar game on a much smaller scale. He made several nice defensive plays but lost the handle on the offensive end a few times. He is a walkon playing against much more physically talented players than himself. Did you realize that he is not black?
The only thing that I know about any of these young guys is that they hustled their tails off today and got a must needed win at home.
The are our mens's Tennessee Volunteer basketball team and I appreciate every one of them. And, I am at a loss as to what the color of their complexion has to do with anything.
easleychuck writes:
Thank you for showing JP such love. All UT fans appreciate your incisive comments about someone that you do not know anything about.
You are a great fan.
bmaples writes:
Wait ... am I reading a Vol board, or a board from some other team? Came on here looking for some celebration I could join in -- and get a bunch of griping about JP and Goins and who-knows-what.
Sorry, folks, this is one win I don't want to analyze. The team played hard, cranked up the defense, and stopped a Florida team that had won four straight. Was it a thing of beauty? No, but it wasn't a grind-it-out thing of boredom, either. It was tough, it was hard, and it was a WIN. And I'll take a W every time.
Now excuse me while I try to find some story on this site where people are being positive and excited about Big Orange Basketball, both men's and women's.
Bruce in Louisville
SGTSpurge writes:
I didn't actually see the game, but from all accounts I've read, it was one of those "ugly wins." "UT got lucky," is what some are saying. Well, Ugly or Lucky, or whatever you want to call it, it is a win for UT and a loss for Florida. Bruce Pearl still OWNS Billy Donnovan! The Big Orange still rules! Go VOLS!
james#216392 writes:
JP plays great defense. He should never shoot a three and should never attempt anything other than a simple pass. He is a good slasher and fair rebounder. I generally come out of every game loving and hating him. GO get'em JP.
HtownVol writes:
Well anyone that knoes basketball knows that we lost two gfames and the 1st half today b.c Steven Pearl was on the court WAY WAY too much.
Why is Bruce killing tyhe team by getting his son PT? He has NO (ZERO) basketball talent. His size dont matter b/c he is out of position, he can not make a lay up. Dont ask him to make one free throw ( out of ten if hes lucky).
Tennessee gets behind when Steven Pearl is out there. I understand giving the big guys a rest, but that means 2-3 minutes.. Not 10-15 minutes per game,'
Bruce, I appreciate everything you go, but playing your son is starting to cost us.
Just look at the 7 game win stretch, how much did he play? Now, look at the 2 L'S, how much did he play?
Bottom Line is Steven Pearl kills everything that UT can do. We basically have only 4 guys on the court. Steven is just out there to act like he is on the team.
MAAN, that kid would not be picked up in a pick up game at the gym. HE IS THAT SORRY!
I am sorry guys, he gives his all for UT,. but his all is lass than any other descent players 1%. He just plain can not play basketball. I am not hating on him, I just saying that there are better options than playing him the wasy he has the last week and a half. Please go back to Steven on the bench until the game is decided.
Sorry guys, you all know we do not want to see Steven Pearl on the court (as much as he was the last 2 and a half games.
Case and point.. Todays game.
1st half-Steven plays about 8 minutes, We are down by 10
2nd half-Steven plays 2 minutes. We are a top 15 team and can beat anyone in the country.
STEVEN PEASL IS THE KEY TO W's AND L's.
vol75 writes:
The key to success is to concentrate on the players that are there rather than the ones who are not. That being said, the player being missed tho most is really Negedu. He battled on the boards and played great defense on the post. But you have to admire what these players have done in the face of adversity. And Pearl is probably doing his best job of coaching ever.
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
"Without JP we are nowhere near 6-2 for January."
Finally, someone pointed that out. Thank you!
asleep#212036 writes:
I know we had a couple of ugly losses but goodness folks, there isn't a single person on this site who, on Jan 2, thought we would be 6-2 on Jan 31. I'm very proud of this team and although they may not get as far as the preseason predictions, they have shown character and toughness beyond many of Coach Pearl's more talented teams. And you never know. Get Williams back, get a few more games under the belt, and this team may gel into something we haven't seen in TBA in a couple of years - a team. No superstar, no hotshot, just a team - and a pretty good one at that. Go Vols!!!
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
Let me know when you find that site because I will join you.
chl1958 writes:
Both our Men's and Ladies' teams won games yesterday they could have easily lost,but they won by playing with heart. Quit the belly aching and be proud of our student athletes and our coaches. GO VOLS!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Astonished as I am to actually say it, BOK may have a bit of a point. It almost seems that Maze has gone from being the lightning rod for many fans last year to being taken for granted this year, with hardly a stop in between for appreciating what he has meant to this team. I liked Goins' defense as much as anyone on here, but Maze did a pretty solid job, too, and provided much more offense than Goins is ever likely to do.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
This particular debate has gone back and forth long enough that I am convinced that it will never be settled until Steven never sees the court again. However, I will try ONE MORE TIME to make the point that Steven plays BECAUSE WOOLRIDGE IS MOSTLY EVEN WORSE! When have you EVER seen Woolridge take a charge or get a steal? He has fewer rebounds for minutes played than anyone else on the team. He has had EXACTLY ONE GAME in his whole career--against Kansas this year--where he has even somewhat resembled the top-150-type player he was supposed to be coming in. When Woolridge vanishes and Hall or Chism are in foul trouble or tired, there just is NO ALTERNATIVE to playing Steven.
One thing that could be tried, depending on match-ups, is to play Tatum in his place. That would be a small team at a severe disadvantage on interior defense and rebounding, but maybe they could press some and run more to make up for it in spurts anyway. In the meantime, put your disappointment where it belongs, namely, on a guy who apparently cares more about his music career than he does about getting his pretty face hurt rebounding, diving for loose balls, and taking charges.
And BTW, the expression, which you and countless others on here misuse, is "case IN point", not "case AND point". It is a legal term for a case cited in support of an argument in a brief or in court, which is the sense in which you used it. And for some others, the expression is "all of A sudden", not "all of THE sudden". These are common English idioms that every literate person has known for centuries, but this IS the post-literate generation.
Sorry for the rant, but so many people seem determined both to slam Steven--and, by implication, CBP for playing him--AND to casually butcher the language that it sometimes gets the better of me.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I agree. MOST teams have an ugly loss or two on their resumes. It may take Williams, if and when he returns, even longer than it has taken Tatum and Goins to get his "game shape" back, but if he can do so before the end of the regular season, the team could be in pretty good shape for the tournaments. The Vols aren't dead yet, and they have what I see as only one sure loss, at UK, coming the rest of the way. Because of our offensive shortcomings, there is NO room for error, but if they keep fighting on defense and tighten up the ball-handling a bit, they have a chance to be in every game.
Volumnus writes:
Dang fortunate to be 6-2,
Dang fortunate to be #14,
Dang site better than anyone thought on 1/1/10,
And being considered for the dance.
All and all, a pretty good month. If any of us were given that scenario on 1/2/10, we would have gladly signed up. Look how much the team has grown, look how much they have overcome, look how much they can accomplish....
Go Vols!
volbald writes:
O contrar. Chemistry is not overrated. UT was lucky against UF on Sun. Has anyone noticed how much Prince lolligags around and sluffs off mentally when any of the gang of 4 have been on the team this season? He actually appears to regress. Pearl will have to be creative to survive keeping Goins and Tatum on the same team as the non-felon players who give 100% every game. Good luck to the team and the fans.
mcdevitt#229126 writes:
Stephen Pearl needs to ride the pine. He absolutely and completed messes up the offensive on the floor. Worst player I have ever seen put on the orange and lace up their shoes. Its so discouraging to see him waiting at the scores table to check in. The other posters are correct in the fact that the entire team drops several notches when he is on the floor. How is it that the coach's son cannot shoot free throws. If he is going to play, he needs to be able to convert at the charity strip or sit his butt on the bench until he make free throws. His 1 for 10 shooting is absolutely no excuse. My 5th and 6th grade kids shoot better than Stephen Pearl. If the kid ever played pick up basketball in his life, he would be able to make the free throws or he would be standing on the sideline in the gym all day long. WHEN DOES THIS KID GRADUATE AND GET OUT OF KNOXVILLE!!!!!!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I confess I haven't seen Prince lollygagging any more with any of the Gang of Four on the court, because I have seldom seen him lollygag LESS when they WEREN'T on the floor. For a goodly portion of nearly every game in his entire career, JP lollygags! He has been and can be helpful when his head is in the game and not focused on himself, but he is just not good enough to try to play "sorority queen" and determine for the whole team who is "in" and who is "out". I sincerely hope you were not including JP in the "players who give 100% every game". Not real good evidence for the argument you seem to be trying to make.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
One thing I have yet to see in any of these rants against Steven Pearl--and, by implication, CBP for playing him--is any real suggestion as to who should take his place. It is not enough to say flat out that Steven can't play if you don't have a solution in mind. It is also not enough of a reason to sit him because he can't hit free-throws; JP and Hall aren't very good at them either. He doesn't shoot well from the floor, either, but he also doesn't heave up nearly as many "no-chancers" as Woolridge.
In fact, as I suggested above, the reason Steven plays is because when he is in, he at least plays hard, which is just about the LAST thing anyone can say about Woolridge. So, again, CBP doesn't play Steven because he is his son, he plays him because the few other players he has on the roster LEAVE HIM NO CHOICE. If you want to sit Steven, fine; who would YOU play instead? And don't say "anyone"; you are trying to act like the coach so go the distance and defend your choice.
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