Tennessee and Ohio State bring a recent history into Friday's Sweet 16 game in St. Louis.
But there's probably not much in that history that will help either team's scouting report for what amounts to a rematch of the 2007 Sweet 16.
"We're both so different, especially us,'' UT coach Bruce Pearl said Tuesday.
The sixth-seeded Vols (27-8) play the second-seeded Buckeyes (29-7) at 7:07 p.m. (EDT) at the Edward Jones Dome. WVLT has the telecast.
Tennessee and Ohio State met twice in the 2006-07 season and once the following year. All three games went down to the final seconds.
Ohio State won in Columbus, 68-66, in January 2007. The teams met again in the Sweet 16 in San Antonio, the Buckeyes again winning a thriller, 85-84.
The following January, Ohio State came to Knoxville. Tennessee prevailed 74-69.
Tennessee's Wayne Chism and Ohio State's David Lighty played in all three games. Both were young and neither was a huge factor.
J.P. Prince and Brian Williams both played against Ohio State in Knoxville.
Williams remembers it as one of his better games (six points, five rebounds) his freshman season.
Prince prefers to not remember it at all.
"That was two years ago,'' he said. "It has nothing to do with this week. Not a single thing.''
Ohio State's Evan Turner, named national player of the year this week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, was a freshman star that day in Knoxville. He scored 21 points and had 10 rebounds.
"Probably the best player on the court,'' Pearl said.
Perhaps. Prince doesn't remember.
"Evan Turner two years ago was a whole different player,'' Prince said. "He was not what he is today. I don't look at that tape. Doesn't mean a thing to me.
"We play this year's Ohio State. Two years ago we had Chris Lofton and he's not here any more.
"That game was in Thompson-Boling. This game is in St. Louis. There's not even nothing the same. We go about winning a different way than we did two years ago.''
If Ohio State coach Thad Matta watches the old tape he'll see the Vols employing fanatical pressure defense and a fusillade of 3-point shots.
"We made 18 threes (16-of-31, actually) in San Antonio,'' Pearl said. "We'd need four games to make 18 this year.''
The Buckeyes have changed as well. In 2007 they had 7-footer Greg Oden protecting the basket.
In 2008, Oden was replaced by another 7-footer, Kosta Koufas.
This year Ohio State's tallest starter is 6-8 and the other four starters all shoot the 3-ball well.
"Oden was a guy you could game-plan for,'' Pearl said. "We pulled him out and ball-screened and we made threes.
"And our pressure. We forced turnovers here and it was a difference. My teams of years ago, I'd rather take that style of play into this game and press them and run them and wear them out.''
Tailgating: UT is promoting a Big Orange Tailgate Tour for alumni to root on the Vols and Lady Vols this weekend.
The men's party is Thursday at 5 p.m. at The Over/Under Bar and Grill, one block from the Edward Jones Dome.
The women's party is Saturday, 9-10:30 a.m. at Alfred's, one block from the FedExForum in Memphis.
Harris Invited: UT signee Tobias Harris has been invited by USA Basketball to the national 18-under tryouts in June. He is one of 21 players invited.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 30
STLVolFan writes:
Going to be at the over/under Thursday and Friday night! Can't wait to see the Vols and Vol fans in my city.
Volsfan94 writes:
This will be an amazing rematch. Jp can take the all everything for OSU i think.
GO VOLS!!!
bluetick writes:
I need a xanax for this one to calm my nerves.
redskinvol1 writes:
A little payback on the way to becoming the greatest team in vol history.go vols!
Volumnus writes:
CBP is going to be ready. He is good and finding the "fix" for big game players. It may be a runner on Turner and a packed zone. It might be man to man at times and 2 guards man to man with zone back up, but be prepared for a new look just tailored for OSU. Let's see if we can't give the buckeyes a black eye. GBO
TNslammabama writes:
Why does OSU coach Mata always walk the sidelines with a banana in his mouth? Oops! That's his nose!
UTVOLSRROCKN writes:
I got mine refilled yesterday..I'm ready! GBO!!!
MemphisVol writes:
GO BIG ORANGE!!!
VolWoman writes:
I was reading the Scout Ohio St board today and they all think we are still a pressing team. I guess they haven't seen us play this year.
texasvol73 writes:
TN defense and rebounding has been solid and will be up to task in this game. I have been saying it for the last week, this team will go as far as it shoots the basketball. If they shoot well - over 50% from the floor and 35% from the 3 - that means they are taking it strong to the basket and being smart with their shots. If those pcts are below those marks, OSU wins. It they are above those marks, TN wins.
utyankee writes:
Is that really necessary? Please, comment on the guy's coaching ability. BTW, his name is Matta.
CoodyJohnson writes:
We can do it, but it won't be easy.
eduardo writes:
Not many of the talking heads give us a chance...Good!!!!
veinsoforange writes:
I hope we are prepared for their zone D because I'm pretty sure that's what we will get most of the time.
Maze, Goins (much improved shooting), Chism, Tatum, & maybe even McBee have to NAIL DOWN the 3-pt shot in this game to put them back into man-to-man so we can play our style of slashing/dashing or we lose.
I look for Chism to hit at least three 3-pointers as he will be able to shoot over anyone matched up with him. Over the final stretch of the season/tournament, it seemed we were actually running Chism off some screens to get him open.
We have been playing to the level of our competition all year. Now it's time to step over that competition and take it to the Elite 8.....and on!
licknpromise777#651578 writes:
You are again correct..In our wins we are shooting in the high 40's..If Maze and Prince come out with a hot hand OSU is in trouble; if we come out with our patented slow starts we are doomed..
licknpromise777#651578 writes:
Defending OSU is much like playing KY.. 3 talented guards and a good post player..Bruce has had some excellent game plans in the tourney and this team is playing with a lot of discipline; something thats been missing in the past.Foul trouble maybe the deciding factor in this game, For Tenn. it breaks up cont unity .. For OSU their bench is weak and unreliable.
Chris4Vols22 writes:
M. Strange, nice use of "fusillade".
1974Vol writes:
I like CBP when he has a week to game plan. I think JP will be able to hang with Evans. Should be a great game.
rbhobbs73#226545 writes:
I am nervous about this team shooting in a Dome. Other than that, I REALLY like our chances Friday night! Especially the more pub that Ohio State gets....that is when Pearl is at his best!
GBO!
usnavyvolfaninva_still_getting_paid writes:
Get 'em in foul trouble early.
CoverOrange writes:
Guys, tOSU may have no one taller than 6-8 but their shortest starter is 6-5, they are not like Ohio U. 4 players average over 35 minutes a game and less than 3 fouls per game. Without pressing (which we haven't done all year) it will be hard to tire them out or get them in foul trouble. Defend the three, own the glass.
Whatever happens, I hope it doesn't come down to a bucket in the last 8 seconds after a FT.
VolsFanSince2010 writes:
hahahahahahahaha.
I hear Conan is looking for writers.
virginiavolfan writes:
Their starters never come out of the game. We will play them even until will sub with steven pearl and the other subs and they will jump out to a lead and never look back. I predicted UT wins in the first two games but I have to go with Ohio State in this one. Buckeyes 69
Vols 65
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
Well..we are once again back to Steven Pearl. Basically if he plays in the game, we lose..Forget the other 9 players that play at some point during the game. It's funny that we have won 2 games in the tourney with Steven Pearl and THE OTHER SUBS playing. Yes, I know OSU is better competiton, but we always play up/down to our competition. AGAIN I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY CERTAIN PEOPLE THINK THAT EVERYTHING THAT GOES WRONG IS SP'S FAULT. I SWEAR THE SKY COULD FALL AND IT WILL BE HIS FAULT!!! SHEESH!! I trust CBP's judgment about who plays and who doesn't..It has worked thus far because winning 27 games shows that he knows what he is doing.
VOLS 75
Buckeyes 70
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
Oh and one more thing..Their starters playing the whole game will hurt them because they will get tired...and you can't be very productive when you're tired..So their starters playing so much is NOT and advantage.
VolsFanSince2010 writes:
It may have hurt them in November, not in March. They've been doing it all year. Turner didn't look too tired when he tossed up that 40 footer to beat Michigan. He even had the swagger to walk back to the bench with an expression of "so what, I was SUPPOSED to do that, and we were SUPPOSED to beat them". OSU has had several come from behind wins this year. Conditioning won't be an issue Friday. Fouls can/will be an issue though. Imagine if you're not one of the 6 regulars and, because of foul problems, you finally get your chance, late in the game, in the sweet sixteen. No pressue or anything. That's when the wheels could fall off of OSU.
I'm both an OSU and UT fan. It sucks that one has to lose. I think the Vols win this one with a better X's and O's coach.
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
Thanks for your input. I haven't watched OSU a whole lot, so I didn't know that the starters playing the whole time wasn't a problem. I'd say it does suck being a fan of both. I have heard of what you call "divided" families meaning one is a fan of one team and one is a fan of a big rival of that team(example:UT/UF).
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
I think JP will be adequate on Turner, but I also think this will get him into foul trouble and cause us some offensive shortcomings. I hope Maze and Scotty help defend him.
SmokeytheVol writes:
JP is so thug
LiveFaith writes:
Skylar could be an offensive factor in this one, considering OSU's zone tendency, and UT's lack of reputation for raining down 3s.
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