Coach K 'not fooling around' with Vols

LAHAINA, Hawaii — The tranquil oceanside setting of the EA Sports Invitational news conference belied the intensity of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski Sunday morning.

Krzyzewski, the winningest coach in Division I men's basketball history with 904 career victories, also ranks as the best in the 28-year history of Maui Isle's tournament, posting a 12-0 mark in four previous appearances.

Coach K's No. 6-ranked Blue Devils (4-0) look to make it 13 straight wins when they tip off against Tennessee (2-0) at 5:30 today (TV: ESPN2) in what appears to be a mismatch on paper.

But Krzyzewski clearly isn't taking anything for granted against a Vols team that lost four starters from last season.

"All my games are marquee games — I'm not fooling around here," Krzyzewski said. "I don't think you look at any game as not marquee or you don't win that game. I look at every game we coach as a big game.

"They (Tennessee) are hungry and they have something to prove, and whenever somebody takes over a new program, and it's not a talentless program — they have talent — they want to make their mark," he said. "So to have an opportunity to come here and get a chance to beat us, if I was in their shoes, I'd look forward to that opportunity. They are gonna fight you for 40 minutes. That's the kind of program he'll build there."

UT coach Cuonzo Martin also takes each game personally and expects nothing less than the best effort from the Vols.

"I look at it as a battle every time I step on the court as a coach; it's a personal battle to be the best I can be in my preparation and focus, and that's the same for our players," Martin said following the Vols' Sunday night practice at the Lahaina Civic Center.

"It's not necessarily who I'm up against, but we know who we're up against. The thing about Coach K's teams, you have to beat them, because rarely do those guys beat themselves."

Krzyzewski said it doesn't matter how much coaching experience Martin has, and though he has great respect for former Purdue coach Gene Keady, he doesn't concern himself with Martin's association with him, either.

"I'm not a big guy on comparing the guy and his coach; I'd rather just talk about Cuonzo, and he's a damn good coach," Krzyzewski said. "I never look at who is down at the other bench. If you do that, you're not focused on the right thing. You have to focus on what the coach is trying to implement on the court, not the coach himself."

The Duke staff has focused as much on film of Martin's Missouri State teams as the Vols' two games this season. The Blue Devils scouted UT for last season's NCAA tournament, as they were in the same bracket, but Krzyzewski said those notes are outdated.

"I think all these (UT) kids did not have the roles they have now last year," he said. "We're looking at what currently has happened, they have played hard. (Trae) Golden has had as good of a start as any kid in the country.

"Just from watching Cuonzo's teams the last thee years, they play hard and play together, they're tough and they play outstanding defense."

Martin said that's the plan for the Vols today, from the opening tip in the 2,800-seat Lahaina Civic Center.

"You have 40 minutes, but you set a tone early on both ends of the floor," Martin said. "We want to set the tone from a physical standpoint but without fouling."

Martin has faced Duke twice, first as a player in the 1994 Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament. The Blue Devils eliminated Martin and Purdue 69-60 in Knoxville, one game after Martin hit a school-record eight 3-pointers in a win over Kansas in Thompson-Boling Arena.

In 2003, as an assistant to Gene Keady at Purdue, Martin emerged victorious with a 78-68 win in the Great Alaska Shootout.

"They've been sticking to the same script for years," Martin said. "On the defensive side, our transition defense is very important. We have to put pressure on the ball. Our bigs have to sprint back on defense after trying to rebound, and our guards have to protect on the wings.

"Offensively, they do a good job of pressing the passing lane, forcing us to dribble up under them, so you have to make good, sound plays and be in control of the ball. There's not much more to say, it's almost time to battle."

Mike Griffith covers Tennessee men's basketball. Follow him at http://twitter.com/MikeGriffith32