AUBURN, Ala. — Tennessee showed its resiliency once again.
The Auburn men’s basketball team continued to exhibit ineptitude.
The Vols, missing their coach and leading scorer, dominated from start to finish in a 69-56 men’s basketball victory Thursday night before a crowd of 6,274 at Auburn Arena.
Tennessee (15-7, 5-2 SEC) was without injured junior Scotty Hopson and coach Bruce Pearl, who served the seventh game of his eight-game league suspension.
UT associate head coach Tony Jones, who has handled Pearl’s game-day duties during the suspension, said the Vols merely stuck to their game plan.
“The key was sticking to our mantra, which is defense, rebounding and building a wall,’’ Jones said. “Auburn had obviously been a difficult place for us to get a win, so we’re glad we got it done.’’
With Thursday’s victory on The Plains, Pearl’s staff has led Tennessee to victories at every SEC road venue over the past five-plus seasons.
Hopson, who averages 16.5 points per game, didn’t make the trip on account of the sprained ankle he suffered in practice on Tuesday.
Jones said Hopson is questionable for Tennessee’s next game against Alabama at 5 p.m. Saturday in Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Vols made up Hopson’s firepower Thursday night with balance, efficiency and brute power.
“It’s a matter of two different level programs,’’ Auburn coach Tony Barbee said. “I thought we played scared tonight.
“Tennessee is a good team, they’re huge, and they overwhelmed us on the backboard tonight.’’
The Vols held a 38-24 rebounding advantage, including 13 offensive rebounds.
Brian Williams and Cameron Tatum each scored 15 points to lead UT, and Tobias Harris added 14.
The Tigers (8-14, 1-7) also were a man down.
Sophomore starting center Rob Chubb was suspended prior to the game for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Chubb, 6-foot-10 and 222 pounds, averages 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
The Vols took full advantage, attacking the rim early and often.
UT built a 37-24 lead by the half as Williams scored 12 of his points.
“I got some looks and some play calls,’’ said Williams, who was 6-of-8 shooting and led the Vols with eight rebounds. “I just tried to take advantage of that.’’
Tennessee used a 13-2 run to break open the game early. Williams, who scored six points during the run, capped the surge with a pair of free throws at the 11:52 mark to give UT a 19-6 lead.
Auburn, which managed only six assists while turning the ball over 14 times, didn’t draw closer than eight points after that.
The Vols pulled away throughout the second half, taking their biggest lead on a pair of Harris free throws with 9:34 left that made it 60-38.
Harris didn’t show any ill-effects of the turned ankle he suffered in last Saturday’s win at Ole Miss.
“I didn’t really feel it during the game, but I’m starting to feel it now,’’ said Harris, who played 25 minutes despite missing practice on Monday and Tuesday. “We all just knew we needed to step up tonight, and I thought we played well.’’
Senior Josh Bone made his first start at UT in place of Hopson and scored eight points on 2-of-7 shooting while dishing out three assists in his 28 minutes.
Tennessee’s next game features the two hottest teams in the SEC.
The Crimson Tide (14-7, 6-1) has won four games in a row while the Vols bring a three-game win streak into the action.
“Alabama is playing as well as anybody right now,’’ Jones said. “It’s obviously a very important game for us and we’ll be looking forward to having our home crowd there to support us.’’
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Comments » 79
Stokes44yrs writes:
wtgbo
acworthdave writes:
That is what you are supposed to do to teams that are not very good, whether at home or on the road. Step on their necks and don't ever let them feel they are in the game. Congrats to TJ and the rest of the Volunteers.
boonevol writes:
Nice to see the Vols play (nearly) to their potential and not at opponent's level. Brian outdid himself. Cam needs to step it up a bit; he'll have that opportunity Saturday against the Elephants. GBO!
VolunteerLifer writes:
Another good win. I like how people were stepping up in Scotty's absence. Good job coaches and players. But now there's a tough Alabama team coming in, and we only have a day to prepare for them. Let's get that home win and we'll be right in the chase for the SEC title.
mercuryvol writes:
Good job Vols. Now go trash the mullet kings on Saturday.
volingville writes:
GO VOLS! Anyone get the feeling on the coaching front this could be a mirror image of when Johnny Majors was out for medical reasons and Phil Fulmer was named interim head coach only to take over program. I love Coach Pearl but Tony has done a great job and administration could move in his direction to avoid any potenital problems down the road with NCAA. I hope I'm wrong but it would not be the first time something like this has transpired.
alvol3460 writes:
Nice job basketvols. Harris - awesome. Great job Tatum, Williams, Goins... keep it up. Bone looking sharp too. Thanks Pearl for your bringing your best effort every night, it shows even though the refs seem to call you down a little too often IMO. But not surprising for aggressive defense. Keep after it, eventually they'll respect you and let you play. If Skyler can find his 3-pt range off the bench this team will have much better chance to go deep.
kyletrktr writes:
Tony Jones is ok, but remember, Pearl is still the one preparing for the games. Plus, we could've won one of the first 2 games with Tony if he would've coached better. Needs to learn the timeout system...
tnvol4ever writes:
Tony will not be the coach to "avoid any potential problems". He might be coach in CBP worst case scenario.
He is doing a nice job. GO VOLS!
usnavyvolfaninva_still_getting_paid writes:
TJ is doing a good job, but let's not get carried away. CBP is preparing the teams for the games, even if he isn't the one on the sidelines right now. I do think that TJ will make a fine full-time head coach somewhere (even, yes, at UT if things with CBP somehow don't work out). I for one am content to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
SummittsCourt writes:
A SEC road win is always nice even if it is against a team that is struggling. Although, after Auburn destroyed SC in Columbia you might have thought they would have showed some fire and made this more of a game, but UT saw fit to not let that happen. Way to go Vols!
botetourtvol2 writes:
Hope it does work out for Pearl - but if it didn't - do you think Larry Brown would be a fit?
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Nice one!
GBO
sol_way writes:
you idiots calling for Pearls head better be careful what you wish for, cause you might just get it. And basketball pre Pearl was a joke.
easleychuck writes:
Huh? Players have to execute. You can't wait until the last 5 minutes of a game on the road (Arkansas) and then decide to play.
Players also have to have more pride and guts than to let a team (Florida) come into your place and take you to OT and then just want it more.
Who was on the bench had nothing to do with these 2 losses.
GreeneVol writes:
Auburn fans still looked giddy over football NC... Good job of taking care of business guys, although the turnovers were a bit of a problem in the first half. Now let's UT fans be a force to be reckoned with by getting all over that team from Tuscaloosa Saturday afternoon! With or without Scotty, I feel confident in this bunch. His absence actually may be a blessing in that it forces the other players to focus and man-up a bit more.
Next three games are huge - if TN can win 2 of 3, I'd say we've got a real chance at some regular-season hardware.
easleychuck writes:
Coach Majors drank himself out of a job. Fulmer was just there to slide in when UT brass used the health issue to kick Coach Majors to the curb.
huntined#565710 writes:
Jones is getting his chance to be looked at by a lot of schools. If we get to keep Pearl then Jones may get some calls. He has done a good job keeping this team together.
brentrod writes:
good win against a team with some fight in them. need improvement from goins in the clock management category. one waisted possession can be critical in a close game. i hate that we only had mays for two years. wished we had more like him.
davidray31#232814 writes:
I remember years when we struggled to get one or two conference road wins and one year when we didn't get any! No matter the competion it is still tough to do and TJ as three of them. Great jobs Vols!
CrankE writes:
I've been saying this since before the whole thing started. Is Pearl's contract signed yet? Enquiring minds...
On their own, they wouldn't release Pearl and keep Jones. Hamilton's fate is tied to Pearl's success. Unless the NCAA letter forces his hand, he wants to keep Pearl. However, if the NCAA unloads, then Hammy looks doubly dumb for not having dropped Pearl last fall and moved on.
The assumption has been that UT would suffer without Pearl, but it doesn't seem to be the case, does it?
manoffewwords writes:
In reply to the comment " Coach Majors drank himself out of a job" . Where is the evidence that he was or is a drunk? Ben Byrd wrote a piece
years ago staking his reputation (Byrds) on the fact that he wasn't a drunk. Did Pitt allow a drunk to return. Ive never bought it.
mogreer_tn#213464 writes:
You are so right tartarsauce, some people seem to forget the past. I for one do not want to go back to pre Pearl basketball days.
Coach Pearl is not only responsible to creating a bright future for UTK Men's basketball; he has also bridge the past.
We might never have witnessed the retirement and return of past players such as Bernard King and Allan Houston.
He is building a great basketball legacy by bridging the present and past with our men's basketball at UT; I never thought that to be possible.
So again, as tartarsauce mentioned, be careful what you wish for.
brokendownoldvol writes:
Auburn is really bad. Basically, TN beat them 3 on 5 with Pearl and Skyler McBrick playing most of the game. If TN had played 5 on 5 the whole game it would have been a 40 pt. game.
SunshineVol writes:
Gotta love how Coach Jones immediately pulls a player that's making fundamental mistakes.
Rich_Is_Re-born writes:
Tony jones lied to the NCAA as well,LOL.
As for the game... this game helped support my theory. Hopson has been to blame for EVERY game we have lost this season. A couple of those games, he scored double digits only to see the bench score 6 points. Some of those games when Hopson DOES NOT do good, someone else needs to pick it up. That's what we are FINALLY seeing. Why it's taken half a season for Cam and Brian to start producing, I'LL NEVER KNOW. But when they play well, along with Hopson and Harris, this is a LETHAL team. If they can get 10ppg from Cam and Brian along with good minutes from Fields they can go far. GOOD WIN. Bama will be tough.
jbaz65 writes:
Hey all, I want to share my story as being a displaced Vol fan living in Alabama. My job transferred me to Montgomery, Al last year right before football season. So I had checked the b-ball schedule and knew we were playing Auburn on Feb 3rd @ Auburn. Only a 50 mile drive so I checked into getting tickets. No luck early because a new arena and got a lot of messages about no tickets were available.
So I contacted someone at UT to seet if I could at least come to team hotel and see the team off to arena and let them know they have a fan in Alabama that is pulling for them.
Well my contact suprised me not only with the opportunity to meet and greet the team as they were leaving, I was also given two seats in the UT section.
So I want to use this forum to thank Drew Edwards and Tom Satkowiak for their help and generosity.
Had some great seats at the game and it was a great reminder why it is "Great to be a Tennessee Vol".
1vavolfan writes:
It was Bruce Pearl who coached the close losses to Oakland, Charlotte, & USC. These losses were a lot worse than losing on the road to Arkansas and to Florida at home. Jones is a bigger factor in games than you think. When Pearl is coaching it is TJ who manages the subs and much of the game.
volman2010 writes:
You have no clue what your talking about. The fact is Johnny was ticking off every booster in the place thinking he was such a legend that he could not be fired..PF comes in while John is sick and just wins games and kids love him..They did not love Johnny who abused them every chance he got.. After 16 years the kids still loved PF.. Now do not blame Phil for taken a job when he had a chance..Would you have said no?
volman2010 writes:
Hopson is a game changer.. he can cause a turn-over and allow the other team score at will at anythime. With him out of the line-up UT is a better team..Steven Pearl is the other factor as well..The guy changes UT into a great team..Why Bruce benched his minutes is beyond me..If Pearl play 20 mins we win..If not the game is close.. That is supported by the facts..
98reax writes:
Kudos, Tony Jones. He's done a masterful job, and you all know it. I wish you would give the coaching staff the benefit of the doubt, and put your shovels away. Whatever happens happens, but there's no need to keep digging up the past. One has absolutely nothing to do with the other.
Phil Fulmer has moved on; Johnny Majors is long gone; Bruce Pearl will be back soon and Tony Jones has a 5-game win streak. It is what it is.
brentrod writes:
very well said. jones could easily be 6-1. should have beaten florida at home. should have little problem with them in gainesville.
1965Vol writes:
Nice to see our basketVols get a breather game for a change. Now get ready for the red elephants.
richvol writes:
McBee missed badly on all of his shots. Not sure why he plays as there are other options.
NashvillePreds writes:
Hot Plate Williams en fuego!!!
Futurecoach16 writes:
What, coaches like Bobby Knight who threw chairs, Calipari who calls players mother f-ers on national TV, they have REAL character right? Or what about Stallings at Vandy calling Pearl a "pompous a-hole" in an interview? That do it for you? There is more to character than one situation. I know for a fact that Pearl came to the back of the plane after losing to Mich. State and shook every hand of every donor, cheerleader, and band member apologizing for his team not getting it done. Things like that stick out a lot more.
brentrod writes:
let's take a poll. does anyone really give a sh** was mrpearl_still thinks? so far it's one vote that doesn't. go back to your pathetic life freak.
Rich_Is_Re-born writes:
YOU ARE INSANE!!!! The games we lost have been do to the fact that THE TEAM didn't step up. Cam Tatum and Brian Williams mainly.I knew it was a matter of time before the "we don't need Scotty" crew came out. Bone, Pearl, and McBee did a good job last night. But this team will perish without Hopson long term wise. Auburn is a HORRIBLE team.
huntined#565710 writes:
YOU FINALLY POSTED SOMETHING CORRECT!!!
Rich_Is_Re-born writes:
Because they heard an NCAA analyst say that we were 9-0 when Pearl played 20+ minutes. The next day it was posted ALL OVER this board. THE VERY SAME ANALYST stated that we were 15-1 when Hopson scores 15+pts. Didn't hear ANYONE mention that. How much you wanna bet that the 20+minute games for Pearl were mainly during the 15+point games for Hopson? I'm betting most of them are. The we don't need Hopson crew makes me LAUGH! What we do need is Cam and Brian stepping up.
rbhobbs73#226545 writes:
Rich,
I always appreciate the attempt to bring sanity to this board. Just realize that it is nearly impossible.
There are factions on here that believe:
1) Hopson sucks and we would be better off without him.
2) Fulmer was God.
3) Majors was God and Fulmer stole his job.
4) Fulmer shouldn't have been fired.
5) Tennessee will never be good in football again.
6) Derek Dooley is in over his head.
Even though NONE of these things are true, it doesn't keep them from believing them and spewing the same whine over and over again.
Throw in the KNS plants to troll the board....and, well...you get the picture.
I always enjoy the takes of the posters that want to discuss current UT sporting events, even those I don't agree with. However, this board spends more time on the past/delusional thinking than I thought was humanly possible.
Rich_Is_Re-born writes:
Thanks man... I'm pretty sure I'm viewed as a troll by many. You used the words DELUSIONAL...SPOT ON.
givehim6 writes:
Totally agree, BP is coach at UT, but if the NCAA make iy to where he can't TJ is a proven back up. On other news will no it be nice after sat. not to have the game commentators talk about CBP's suspension?
Orangeblood13 writes:
dumb post yet again
everyone makes mistakes, he came forward, I suggest yoou and the rest of the idiots calling him classless, characterless, etc, to get a life and move on.
My son can play for CBP anyday
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Agree with all, but remember that Auburn was without their only real inside presence when they suspended Chubb. He got 18 in their win at SC and could have both gotten a few of those rebounds the Vols were gobbling up and made them play honest on the inside, giving their perimeter players a bit more room to operate. However, all I think it would really have accomplished would have been to make the Vols work a little harder.
I would never give one back, especially one where the program under CBP has never won and with so many tough ones coming up, but about all we can really say is that the Vols played well enough to win, so now it's time to focus on Bama and getting Scotty well for UK next Tuesday. Also hope Harris didn't do any further damage to HIS ankle. I think I might have sat him down a little earlier last night.
kazoo writes:
When this team plays great defense, it is formidable. When it doesn't, anybody can beat us. Yes, it helped that auburn is a terrible offense team, but we still played well defensively. If Hobson were tougher and Tatum more more consistent, this team might go places. Those two are too up and down. I actually saw Williams make two straight free throws--amazing!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
The stat he was probably referring to came from a graphic shown on one of the recent telecasts which stated that when Steve plays 15 or more minutes, the Vols are undefeated; when he plays less than eight, they were only .500, or maybe less than that. I don't remember exactly and I didn't tape it.
In any case, you could line up a pretty impressive group of commentators who have given Steve his due for his tangible and intangible contributions to the team. But none of those household names know a thing compared to your omniscience, except for the ones who slam CBP, of course. No one has ever said Steve was an all-star type player, just that he does the often unnoticed "dirty work" that often makes the difference between winning and losing, and that most of the other players could stand to do a little more of that.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Did it ever occur to you that Hopson might have many of his higher-scoring games BECAUSE Steve is ALSO on the floor? The extra possessions he gets and saves, the assists, the screens, the stops--don't you think they might give Scotty more opportunities to score?
I agree that the "we don't need Hopson crew" is WAY off-base; so are the "we don't need Steve" types. And of course I agree that Cam and Brian have to be MAJOR contributors for the team to go as far as it can.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
FWIW, I don't think you are a troll. Your only major delusion is in apparently believing that Steve Pearl has no value for the team. Otherwise, I agree with you a good part of the time.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I'm afraid we will continue to hear about it for the rest of the season. It is just one of the "tag lines" announcers use, a phrase which creates instant identification for people who don't follow the team on a daily basis.
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