Tennessee Men's Basketball
NEW YORK — Tennessee finally won a first-place tournament trophy under men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl, and it didn’t come easy.
The 24th-ranked Vols scored a 78-68 win over No. 7 Villanova Friday in the championship game of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden.
Scotty Hopson led the Vols (5-0) with 18 points — 11 in the second half — and was voted the tournament’s most outstanding player.
“It’s great for Coach Pearl and this basketball club,’’ Hopson said. “We hadn’t won a championship game, and we were mindful of that. This is our first one with this basketball club, and we hope it isn’t going to be the last.’’
UT junior Cameron Tatum scored 17 points, Tobias Harris had 15 points and nine rebounds, and Brian Williams had 12 points and seven rebounds.
The Wildcats (5-1), who had won 17 consecutive games in the month of November dating back to 2007, likened the game to a brawl.
“Coach (Jay Wright) told us they would come out and make it a street fight, and that’s what they did,’’ said Villanova’s Corey Stokes, one of five Wildcats to score in double figures with 11 points. “We didn’t quit the whole game. We continued to play Villanova basketball for 40 minutes, but Tennessee did a great job.’’
The Vols attacked the rim throughout the action, with Hopson driving and Harris and Williams posting up against 6-foot-10 center and all-tournament pick Mouphtaou Yarou, who finished with 15 points.
UT out-rebounded the Wildcats 41-35 and held them to 34.5 percent from the floor and 19 percent from 3-point range.
“They played great defense, and we couldn’t get any easy baskets,’’ Wright said. “Even in transition a couple of times we got out, and their length changed some of our layups...they got back, and we couldn’t get to the rim.
“They just played a complete game.’’
Complete enough to bring a first-place trophy back to Knoxville for the first time since Jerry Greene’s UT team won the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii in 2000.
Pearl’s Vols had played in four title games — three regular season, and one SEC tournament — but couldn’t finish the job prior to Friday’s win against the Big East powerhouse from nearby Philadelphia.
Tennessee played with purpose from the onset, winning the majority of loose-ball battles while staying patient in half-court sets when transition opportunities didn’t present themselves.
Harris, as he did in Wednesday’s 77-72 semifinal win over Virginia Commonwealth, was the catalyst early, scoring 11 of his 15 points in the first half as UT took a 35-30 lead into the half.
“I just came out and played my game,’’ said Harris, who was also named to the all-tournament team. “In the second half, I started making plays for other guys. Coach Pearl told me when he recruited me he wanted me to be the point forward.’’
Harris and Steven Pearl were forced to shoulder more ball-handling duties than normal when the Wildcats pressed and on account of UT backup point guard Trae Golden missing the game with a fever.
“It was a big stage, and I’m a senior, so I felt I had to step up and give a lot of effort,’’ said Steven Pearl, who had two steals and three rebounds when he wasn’t mixing it up in the paint during his 15 minutes. “It has been a tough couple of months with all the (NCAA investigation) stuff going on, but we’ve come together as a family.’’
The Vols’ mettle was tested when Villanova opened the second half on a 9-2 run and took its first lead of the game on a Stokes’ 3-pointer that made it 39-37 at the 17:29 mark.
“I think the lessons we learned playing close games with Belmont and Missouri State early served us well,’’ said Tatum, who made three of the UT’s 6 3-pointers. “Villanova is a great team so you know they’re going to make a run, but when they came back and took the lead, we didn’t panic.’’
The lead changed hands three more times before UT took the lead for good at the 11:55 mark.
Still, it took a 10-3 run sparked by a Hopson drive at the 6:40 mark and capped by a Skylar McBee 3-pointer with 3:38 remaining to give UT a 66-58 lead and put the Wildcats away.
Villanova didn’t draw closer than five points for the remainder of the game.
The Vols return to action Tuesday at Thompson-Boling Arena against Middle Tennessee State (3-3). Tipoff is 7:30 p.m.
Mike Griffith covers Tennessee men’s basketball. Follow him at http://twitter.com/mgrif32 and at http://blogs.knoxnews.com/askgriff/
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Comments » 206
rockytom writes:
First....maybe....whatever thats worth
Volborn writes:
this is Pearl's best TEAM yet.....1st?
sandiegovolunteer writes:
A beautiful thing!
TNVOLNTX writes:
Ok Trolls and Haters. Let's hear you spin this one negatively. One of you will be stupid enough to try. Who's first?
Great D. Great Intensity. Great Win. Go Vols!
196SVol writes:
If Bruce keeps winning like this, who cares what he does!!
sandiegovolunteer writes:
Cat scratch where are you??? Nice game against Uconn by the way.
xliveitup writes:
Great all around effort against one of the best teams in the nation. UT played EXCEPTIONAL. Only knock was a few bad fouls and turnovers but the effort was A+++
halloffamebowler writes:
Excellent half court defense tonight.
Pearl and McBee were demons on defense.Williams possibly played his best game as a Vol.
Too many fouls were called on both teams tonight.60 free throws by both teams.
Orangelife writes:
Great game boys! One of the longest bball games I've ever watched.
orangecountyvols writes:
The naysayers are looking a bit silly right now.
What do you Vols think proved to be the difference?
IMO, this team is playing extremely hard on each and every play and various guys are stepping up, hitting the key shots, fighting for rebounds, blocking shots, making free throws etc.
And.............what was that about VCU being a weak sister in BB? Beating UCLA makes Tennessee look even better.
Now, just one more piece of business to take care of, Saturday.
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor say heck yea! Witch Doctor make money on this one! Wooooo hooooooooooo
Go Vols!
Bones never lie.
thevoice writes:
WOW!! Something to look forward to. Keep up the defense, Vols. Congratulations.
VOLFORLIFE1974 writes:
GREAT JOB VOLS!! LET'S KEEP IT ROLLING!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Ditto to all. The teams kept trying to play a real ball game and the refs turned it into a whistle-fest. Who would have thought that the Vols would shoot their free-throws so well? Except for a couple of bricks by Fields, two misses by Tatum, and two by Harris, they must have shot well over 80% as a team.
james#216392 writes:
I hope all you guys that were picking double digit loses enjoyed eating your words. This team plays defense and Hopson is getting better every game. Harris is a stud and Williams/Tatum played well. Hall needs to replace Fields and will once he gets completely in shape. Congrads.
mlynn1 writes:
Goins was the man , great job on defense and at the foul line, also Scottie lit um up in the second half. hallofamebowler is right, great half court team defense, that's what wins tournys.
MiserableFloridaVol writes:
Heavy on the leadership and poise! If Goins and Harris play like that all year, we will be tough to beat. Strong Defensive effort!
vol_4_fan writes:
Big time win for CBP & the Vols, These guys went to NY and never blinked despite all of the media wanting to focus on the pending off court issues. Now they can talk about the tough half court D. Scotty, Tobias, Cam, Brain & Melvin led the way. Really happy for all of the BB team. Go Vols!
LiveFaith writes:
Wow! That's all I can say. Just Wow!
danisavol writes:
nice win GOVOLS!!!
TopTenn writes:
This team continues to play great DDDD. GBO!!!!
TommyJack writes:
Bruce was, and is, da man.
peerless1 writes:
outstanding effort when it counted most-lackluster in 1st 2 games, then gritty game vs VCU had some worried(OK i was too)=to notch defensive showing against great team(according to ESPN....) Thank you players for winning this game and shutting up the ESPN bobbleheads talking smack about Pearl(every broadcast!!)
top notch(i meant)
.....
BleedsOrangeinMO writes:
OK, I've missed something, why was Golden not playing?
Now all we need is for the Lady Vols to win tonight, for the VOLS to win at Neyland Saturday and then for the Lady Vols to win Sunday.
Stokes44yrs writes:
I didn't see any negative posts...Yipppeeee!!!
for the game not the missing posters...who really cares about them.
peerless1 writes:
duh read the previous basketball article
ETownVol writes:
rofl... glad you made a few bucks WD. :) Great game played by the bb vols. Keep it up, guys!
UTByrd writes:
First off: excellent game and execution.
Second, and off topic: Can we start a petition to eliminate the phrase "dribble-drive" from basketball commentators? Every time I hear it I want to get sick. What is it, a double ententre or something? You CAN NOT drive without dribbling.
Anyhow, great game and...
Go VOLS!!!!!
CryptoVol writes:
Great Game Guys!!!! Keep it rolling!!!
ratkins589#246270 writes:
Steven Pearl My #2 MVP
SeanJean writes:
Huge win. Great job Vols! Loved watching this game. Proud of this team.
volman33 writes:
williams played his best games as a vol goins looked like allstar
samvol writes:
Hopson is really stepping up....GoVols!
huntined#565710 writes:
That was a great win!!! Proud of our VOLS..That D was tough and had their players off their game.
AVOL4EVR2 writes:
My! My! Where are all the trolls....Where are the Steven Pearl bashers.....All the.....Never mind!!!
halloffamebowler writes:
Golden had a temperature of 102.9.
AlpharettaVol writes:
Even when became obvious the Vols were going to win, the announcers were still giving all the love to the Nova guards. When Goins got 2 steals in less than a minute they were still whining about the Nova team wanting to use November games to decide who they are. They seemed pretty irritated that the lowly Vols would dare to travel to the Big Apple and give the boys from Philly a whipping.
gillblog writes:
Make no mistake, we won this game at the foul line and Goins was there more than anybody else. Like I said before, he and Williams are providing a subtle but clear leadership. National stage-Vols win...you gotta love it.
BTW, my first experience using IE8 and I say it #*(&#s !! Nothing promised is provided.... I despise IT people!!
schymtz writes:
I agree, at least from the point of view of too many detractors and low expectations. He got a late steal and played great defense without errant shots.
Orangeblood13 writes:
Hey this is a good win against a team that is well known and top ten. Good help D, good not great spacing and just solid guard play.
There will be some up and downs this year, but overall this team will mesh and be good I think.
GBO!
vol_4_fan writes:
It was nice to see an SEC team finally beat a Big East team this week! Go Vols!
peerless1 writes:
hahahhahahah-all 3 PG's fouled out for nova!
UKandUF writes:
Congratulations to the Vols on a big win today, the SEC East basketball will be like the SEC West in football.
westknoxvol24 writes:
Melvin Goins is a BEAST !
bsimpg3 writes:
I think we'll look back on this game & label it one of UT's signature wins. Frankly, this is a game we would've lost last November. I know it's early but this TEAM is special. U can just tell.
Btw, when is Josh Bone scheduled to return? He will only add to team depth (hopefully).
sidwalkvol writes:
I heard the ESPN folk giving us some props, and especially on defense... said it was a perfect plan executed perfectly. Also made a point to say that the same guards that LIT UP UCLA had only 25 points to go with their 15 fouls (all three fouled-out) and there however-many (considerable) turnovers... also said Goins played Fisher to distraction. And they said Pearl was not on the floor because he was the coach's son but because he was an outstanding defensive player ("his lone mistake tonight..."). I was pretty pleased with their commentary, actually.
schymtz writes:
Great Philly Cheese steaks require Provolone not Cheese Whiz. Getting a bit better in the southeast, but nothing like those Philly rolls!
sidwalkvol writes:
should be "their" not "there"
Hounddog writes:
Hounddog will be waiting for the new basketball polls to come out Monday. Great win and good for the SEC. I am sure CatScratch, Memphis State Teacher College fans, Mr. Pearl do not have anything to say, at least until we lose a game. Then just like something floating in a toliet they will surface. Hounddog
johnlg00#206211 writes:
They surely do, and they play great basketball there, too. That's what made this such a great win for the Vols. Villanova is a name program in a name conference in a city that is CRAZY about college basketball. In terms of the national basketball community, Villanova is one of the programs we would like to be compared with on a regular basis.
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