SB Nation - Tyler Smith

Talking Points: Bruce Pearl wants you at the Wyoming game tonight

Joel — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:31:31 -0000

More photos » by Frederick Breedon - AP

7:00! Thompson-Boling! Running! Scoring! Turnovers! Excitement!

Bruce Pearl turned back into a carnival barker (we love that about him) at a recent press conference, urging fans to buy tickets to the Wyoming game.
This will be as exciting of a game as we've had all year. Wyoming turns people over 21 times a game, and they absolutely will not mind running with us.
Oddly, they're not only runners, they're big, too: 7'2" center and 6'10" power forward. Oh, and they make more free throws than anyone in the country. So yeah, it could be a good game. Let's just hope it's not on CSS. Will's got a preview coming at 10:00 this morning.

Senior J.P. Prince is handling the insertion of sophomore Cameron Tatum into the starting lineup over him quite well ($?), thank you.

Didja know that Tyler Smith is second in the nation in assist to turnover ratio? Bruce Pearl says that's what the point forward position is all about and that Smith and Dane Bradshaw have/had it figured out.

Speaking of Will, he's joined by John Adams today in identifying that 12/17/05 game against Texas in Austin as a defining moment in the Bruce Pearl Era.

Lane Kiffin says he, his staff, and the team are not distracted by the recent reports of NCAA investigations and such. What he didn't add but should have is that it's no thanks to the media who keep reporting the same story with no new developments every day. No, the Chimera is working overtime, weekends and all, in an attempt to close a bunch of potential mid-term recruits.

3SiB compares Lane Kiffin to Michael Corleone.

For those like me who don't follow the NFL, you may be surprised to find that Arian Foster carried the ball 13 times for 34 yards and caught four passes for 54 yards for the Houston Texans this past weekend. I didn't even know he'd been picked up, so good for him.

Sun Belt Classic - Tennessee 75 MTSU 54

Will — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 02:30:16 -0000

More photos » by Frederick Breedon - AP

3 days ago: Tennessee guard Melvin Goins (21) jumps over the defense of Middle Tennessee forward J.T. Sulton and guard James Gallman (34) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Dec. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Frederick Breedon)

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Wild assumptions made after listening to the game on the radio:

Tennessee came back from a nine day break for final exams, and in the first half appeared to be following a familiar formula against a mid-major team: build a decent lead, watch the other team work it back within a few possessions, and back and forth we went. The Vols led only 37-30 at halftime with a slower tempo, with MTSU staying in it behind the play of 6'7" senior forward Desmond Yates, who scored 16 in the first half.

But in the second half, Tennessee slowed Yates down just enough (he still finished with 26) to build a lead MTSU couldn't work back from, en route to an eventual 21 point win, 75-54. And again, the Vols did it with balance: the Scotty Hopson thermometer was down again tonight, as he finished with only 4 points on only 4 shots. Wayne Chism was solid (9 points, 9 boards, 2 CHI$$LE!s), and Tyler Smith was quietly the same (7 points, 4 boards, 5 assists).

With their best players scoring in single digits, the rest of the Vols more than picked up the slack: Bobby Maze scored 12, Brian Williams had 6 points and 7 boards, and the player of the game was without a doubt J.P. Prince: 17 points on 6 of 8 shooting, in a huge welcome back game, his first this season in double digits. The Vols proved tonight they can get the necessary contributions from the entire roster, even when the superstars aren't putting up superstar numbers.

Tennessee remains undefeated in what has become an annual neutral site game in Nashville, adding MTSU to the list of teams that includes Oklahoma State, Western Kentucky, and Marquette, all of whom the Vols have beaten at the Sommet Center. Bruce Pearl has repeatedly stated that he wants Tennessee to play a game in Nashville every year - this year it's also the site of the SEC Tournament - and at this pace, why not?

The Vols go to 7-1 on the year, and have six non-conference games remaining before SEC play begins in the second week of January. The competition will build from this point: the Vols host Wyoming on Tuesday night, then travel to Los Angeles to face Kevin O'Neill and Southern Cal next Saturday. The Vols may not be truly tested until the December 31-January 10 stretch that will feature a trip to Memphis (where the Tigers should come in with only one loss, by two points to #1 Kansas), a huge trap game with Charlotte, and a date with the aforementioned Jayhawks. The time for tuneups is almost over...but in lots of different places, the Vols continue to see improvement in these early games.

Tennessee 86 Charleston 69 - Vols pull away late

Will — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:47:19 -0000

More photos » by Michael Patrick - AP

17 days ago: Tennessee guard Scotty Hopson (top) shoots over College of Charleston forward Matt Sundberg, front, in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Knoxville, Tenn., Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Patrick)

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The return of Scotty Hopson and an 8-8 night at the free throw line from Tyler Smith were tempered by hot three point shooting from Charleston...for about 33 minutes. Tennessee repeatedly built leads of 8-12 points only to see Charleston work them back down within 3-5. But sparked by a Skylar McBee three, the Vols went on a 15-2 run that finally put the Cougars to bed, as UT picked up their fifth win of the season 86-69.

A decent post-Thanksgiving crowd saw Scotty Hopson finish with 21 points, 7 of 10 from the field and 3 for 3 from beyond the arc, a return to the form he enjoyed in the first three games of the season and his fourth 20+ point outburst of the year. Tyler Smith got it done at the line, and he and Brian Williams helped spell Wayne Chism, who again was on the receiving end of two quick fouls and later picked up a third, getting only five minutes in the first half and only thirteen for the game. Williams and Chism both had 11 points, and BWill also had 7 rebounds in 22 minutes.

Charleston went 11 of 25 (44%) from beyond the arc and got great play from their starters, but only eight points off the bench. By comparison, the Vols got 43 points off the bench in a continually impressive display of depth, and dominated the Cougars inside: +14 in rebounds, + 28 in points in the paint.

The Vols are 5-1 on the year and return to action Wednesday night, hosting an ETSU team that beat Charleston earlier this year, and is currently leading at Arkansas. The Vols will then get a nine day break during final exams before playing MTSU in Nashville on December 11.

Paradise Jam Finals Preview: #7 Purdue vs. #10 Tennessee

Will — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:15:10 -0000

by Brennan Linsley - AP

24 days ago: Purdue's E'twuan Moore scores past an attempted block by South Dakota State's Clint Sargent, during a game in the Paradise Jam basketball tournament, in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. Moore was the top scorer of the game, with 22 points which helped Purdue win 74-63. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

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The marquee matchup everybody wanted will take place tonight in the Paradise Jam Tournament finals, as Purdue and Tennessee square off in the first top ten showdown of the college basketball season. The Vols were untested by East Carolina in their first game in the Virgin Islands, but pushed throughout by DePaul in a defensive battle won by UT 57-53. Purdue has struggled in the first half of both of their Paradise Jam games, but pulled away in the second half each time: they lead South Dakota state by two at the break in the opener before winning by eleven, and led St. Joseph's by only one before outscoring them 54-30 in the second half.

The Boilermakers went 27-10 last year, winning the Big Ten Tournament and advancing to the Sweet 16. They returned six players with starting experience, but lost guard Lewis Jackson to a foot injury. Like all good teams, Purdue can hurt you from inside and outside. The Vols will face one of their most difficult tests of the season in terms of post defense, going against 6'8" Robbie Hummel (13 points, 6 boards per) and leading scorer 6'10" JaJuan Johnson (15 points, 7 boards per). Hummel is also capable of stepping out and hitting the three. Guard E'Twaun Moore dropped 22 on South Dakota State and is the team's second leading scorer.

The contrasting styles of both teams may hold the greatest key to victory: the Vols want to run and have struggled in the halfcourt offense ever since Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith left, while Purdue would love to slow the pace and use DePaul's blueprint with their superior talent to grind the Vols down. If Purdue can slow Tennessee down, will the Vols be able to score in their halfcourt offense? And how will Tennessee defend against Purdue inside?

The Vols will need Scotty Hopson to play well - a good performance against a top ten team will ease everyone's mind about his 2 for 11 display yesterday, but if Hopson struggles again, we'll have to throw that inconsistent label back on him for now. If Cameron Tatum heats up from outside again, even better. We know we'll get the usual from Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism, but will it be more than Purdue gets from Hummel and Johnson?

This will be a great test for the Vols against what should turn out to be the type of team we'll have to beat in March to reach our ultimate goals. Tennessee hasn't won a tournament of any kind in nine years...can this group break the trend and make a huge statement that this team is good enough to achieve its goals and reach new heights this season? 8:30 PM EST, Fox College Sports (simulcast on Fox Sports Net).

For more on Purdue, check out Hammer & Rails.

Paradise Jam: Tennessee 57 DePaul 53, Vols play for title Monday

Will — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:43:04 -0000

More photos » by Brennan Linsley - AP

Since Brian Williams finished 0-3, I'm gonna say this shot didn't go in.

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Everything we'd seen in Tennessee's first three games of the season was absent in the Paradise Jam semifinals tonight. The Vols scored 83 against Austin Peay, a school record 124 against UNC-Asheville, and 105 against East Carolina. And the Vols won those three games by 29, 75, and 39 points. DePaul was 0-18 in the Big East last year and though they upset Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals, most expected this game to be another cupcake tuneup.

But credit the Blue Demons not only for slowing Tennessee down, but giving the Vols a run for their money into the game's final minute. Everytime it looked like Tennessee was going to run away, including a 12 point lead early in the second half, DePaul worked the lead back down. The Blue Demons even went in front with seven minutes to play, though the Vols instantly took the lead back. DePaul closed Tennessee's lead from six to two in the final minute, but a ticky-tack foul with just four on the shot clock sent Tyler Smith to the line, and the senior knocked down both free throws to give the Vols a four point lead with thirteen seconds left, leading to the 57-53 final.

Tennessee advances to play the winner of #7 Purdue vs. St. Joseph's in the Paradise Jam finals, Monday night at 8:30 PM EST. If Purdue advances as expected, the Vols will find out very quickly if tonight's game was an aberration or a real cause for concern.

As several noted in our live game thread, this performance felt a lot like last season: the Vols relied heavily on their two best players in the post, with Tyler Smith getting 14 points and 8 rebounds, and Wayne Chism leading the charge earlier in the second half to finish with 13 points and 7 rebounds. Other than that, Tennessee really had nothing of merit offensively.

Skylar McBee did have an eight point burst at the end of the first half, but Scotty Hopson went 2 for 11, 0 for 5 from 3, and after picking up two dunks in the game's first five minutes, didn't score again. The Vols shot 37% from the floor and just 3 of 12 from beyond the arc. Thankfully, DePaul wasn't any better, at 35% from the floor and 4 of 17 from three.

Tennessee hasn't won a tournament of any kind since the 2000 Rainbow Classic, and if it's Purdue, it'll be a top ten showdown and a great test for where this team truly is. Hopefully, the Vols' shooting touch will return, because Tennessee is going to need more than just Tyler & Wayne to get it done tomorrow night.

Paradise Jam: Vols beat ECU 105-66

Will — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:31:31 -0000

Based on what we could gather from the audio only - because none of us wanted to pay eight dollars for the opening round of the Paradise Jam Tournament, Fox Broadband - the Vols kept right on rolling in their third game of the season, beating Conference USA's East Carolina 105-66.

The Vols were sloppy in the first eight minutes, watching ECU jump out to a 19-13 lead. But from there, the Vols went on a 22-3 run and never looked back. It was a big day for Tennessee's guards: Cameron Tatum stayed hot from beyond the arc and finished with 17 points, Bobby Maze had a big day and got 15. And the news continues to be great about Scotty Hopson's maturation process, which looks more and more like the real deal every game: Hopson puts in 25 points before coming out with eight minutes left in the game, shooting 10-of-15 and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Hopson has been the best player on the floor in all three games thus far.

When you combine the great offensive guard play with a swarming defense that forced 35 turnovers and a balanced attack that got 48 points in the paint and 48 points off turnovers, it's all good news for the Vols. Tyler Smith is still around with 13 points, and the Vols utilized an 11 man rotation, including Renaldo Woolridge who had 8 points, to wear ECU out. The Vols shot 13-of-26 from three as a team, and even better, 12-of-14 at the free throw line. All good.

The Vols will now face DePaul in the tournament semifinals Sunday night at 6:00 PM EST (a game we believe will be seen on Fox Sports South or SportSouth). The Blue Demons upset defending Missouri Valley tournament champions Northern Iowa 60-52, a big win for a team that went 0-18 in the Big East last year. The Vols will play Monday evening at some point, depending on the outcome of Sunday's game, with #7 Purdue as well as Boston College, St. Joseph's and South Dakota State lurking in the other half of the bracket.

Tennessee vs. UNC-Asheville Game Preview

Will — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:23 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

If Bruce Pearl wasn't busy tonight, he'd be in the live game thread too. Also, is that tie reversable?!

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Bruce Pearl goes for his 100th win as Tennessee's head coach tonight against the Bulldogs of UNC-Asheville (7:00 PM EST, Fox Sports South). It's game two for the Vols this season, and the final tuneup before heading to the Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam Tournament this weekend. The Vols opened the season with an 83-54 win over Austin Peay, and look to improve to 7-0 all time against UNC-Asheville.

The Bulldogs are 0-1 on the year after losing 86-70 at future Tennessee opponent "don't call us UNC-"Charlotte. The Bulldogs got 22 points from guard Chris Stephenson and 15 from Rocky Top League vet J.P. Primm, but were outrebounded by 17 and hacked their way to defeat: Charlotte shot 40 free throws, UNC-Asheville shot 10. For a Tennessee team that continued their yearly struggles at the charity stripe in the season opener (5 for 11), I don't know if that's good or bad.

What I do know is that last year when these two teams met, Tyler Smith recorded the only triple-double in the history of Tennessee Basketball. The Vols got what they expected from Tyler and Wayne Chism in the opener, with each contributing a double-double. You don't want to formulate too many storylines after just one game, but here's what we'll be watching for tonight:

Consistency from Scotty Hopson. We won't truly be able to buy into Hopson's maturation process until we see him play well against good teams, but if you want to believe, the season opener was a good start: Hopson led the Vols in scoring with 16 points and was 4 of 6 from beyond the arc against Austin Peay - will he play that well again, and can we expect that sort of performance from him all season?
Who gets more minutes: J.P. Prince or Cameron Tatum? Prince is the starter and the seasoned, multitasking veteran, but Tatum was right behind Hopson on Friday night against Austin Peay with 15 points on 3 of 6 beyond the arc, and got 22 minutes to Prince's 17. As rotations continue to be established, this will be an interesting battle to watch.
Will we get to use "Skylar McBee....FOR THREE!" The Vols' walk-on shooting specialist went 0-4 in his opener, though he showed up well in all other aspects. Everyone in the arena wants to see him get hot, a factor that's increased by the memories of Chris Lofton plus the anemic three point shooting the Vols put up last year (31.5%). He needs to knock one down to breathe a sigh of relief...and then let's see what he can do.

We'll be here with the live game thread for tipoff at 7:00...see you then.

Tennessee 83 Austin Peay 54 - Slow Start, Fast Finish

Will — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:34:12 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Confidence: a shooter's best friend.

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As season openers go, this was about what you'd expect (unless you're #19 Mississippi State, who got routed at home by Rider 88-74). The Vols relied on a couple of patented BruceBall spurts, including a 13-0 run, to build a comfortable lead on the Governors of Austin Peay in the early going, but suffered a late lapse at the end of the first half that closed the margin to just five points at the break, 31-26.

Tyler Smith ensured there would be no lapse to start the second half: the Vol senior scored the first six points after the break and made plays on the defensive end as well, giving the Vols a double digit lead. And when Cameron Tatum got hot from beyond the arc, Tennessee pushed the game out of reach.

The Vols' advantage in athleticism and experience paid off in padding the lead late, as UT outscored Austin Peay 52-28 in the second half. And while there were familiar moments both good and bad - the return of the press and its ability to create turnovers (19 for AP), as well as a reliance on three point shooting early, even when they weren't dropping - in the second half, there were plenty of encouraging moments as well.

All of us hoping that Scotty Hopson had grown into a more complete player saw what we wanted to see in his first game this season: 16 points on 6 of 8 shooting, including 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. Hopson's shot has less rainbow-effect to it this season, and it was working tonight. Hopson was also the beneficiary of an alley-oop from Cameron Tatum, who was right behind him with 15 points on 6 of 9, 3 of 6 from beyond the arc.

The rest of the three point shooting wasn't so hot - the remaining Vols went 3 of 11 - but if those two can carry that load this well every night, the Vols will be in great shape. The overall team percentage was way up from last year's frustrating 31.5%, with UT shooting 43.5% tonight. That cushions the blow, a little, from a 5 of 11 night at the free throw line. Like I said, much familiar.

But much that's familiar is also good: double-doubles from Tyler Smith (14 and 11) and Wayne Chism (11 and 10) gave the Vols four players in double figures and a +15 margin on the glass. As for the new guys...it took them awhile to get going, and they all showed the positives and negatives you'd expect in their first game. Melvin Goins had 5 points, 4 assists and 2 steals, and played well defensively. Skylar McBee and the TBA crowd couldn't will any of his four three point attempts in, but this kid had three rebounds, three assists and two steals, and will dive after a loose ball. His shot will fall sooner than later. Kenny Hall had moments where he looked lost early, but had a strong second half to finish with 4 points and 4 rebounds.

A little sloppy, a few lapses, but enough talent and experience to pull away in the second half. If the Vols can find more of those 13-0 spurts in them, and if Hopson and Tatum continue to play this well from beyond the arc, this team will go far in reminding Vol fans of BruceBall teams of the past, and will combine well with Tyler & Wayne inside to eventually make a solid team of the present. Game two is Tuesday night against UNC-Asheville.

Thoughts From Scrimmage: A few things to watch for during the Tennessee game tonight

Hooper — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:32:36 -0000

by Wade Payne - AP

about 1 month ago: In this photo taken on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl, left, instructs Wayne Chism during NCAA college basketball practice in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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On Tuesday this week, I was fortunate enough to have the spare time available to attend the open scrimmage of the Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball team. My plan had been to compile my thoughts and observations on Thursday, but ... yeah. So with full apologies for the short notice, here are some of the things I noticed.

Tempo = Up. We all know that Bruce Pearl likes the team to play fast. 'Controlled Chaos' is his theme. Watching him run practice on Tuesday, it's clear that he doesn't want a repeat of last year's pace. This team will run. Period.
Point Guards are still a work in progress. Give the points a few games. Remember that Melvin Goins is still new to the team, and that Bobby Maze is going to be leading a different tempo of offense this year than last year. I don't see any reason why they won't be successful, but there will be a bit of adjustment as they play more live-fire games.
Skylar McBradshaw. I know, I know: it's way too early to project a walk-on when he has yet to play an official game for the team. But Skylar McBee is going to be a player you love. He'll have his growing up to do as well, but he's a hard worker and he really exudes a love for his situation. If you're watching on the telly, take note whenever he shoot the ball; the crowd will pull for every single shot.
Wayne Chism is a forward. With Kenny Hall in the rotation, Chism is playing more forward than center. This allows for a lot of options with both Brian Williams and Wayne Chism on the floor at the same time, and also give Chism the chance to shoot threes while having a center available for a rebound.
Speaking of Kenny Hall... he looked really good in practice. He's still new, so give him the proper grace, but he appears to be climbing the learning curve quite nicely.

Scotty Hopson is more physical. He's more willing to take the bumps and to play tighter defense. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see his game take a major step forward this year.
Brian Williams and free throws don't mix. Maybe he just had a bad day on Tuesday, but he did seem to follow the Shaq school of big-man free throws. But to his credit, he most well and he looks to be in very good shape.
Our team has a great scout team. Sure, they're not as physically talented as the regulars, but the scout players do their job very well. They're smart and they know the system. It's a phase of the game that we never see, but you can rest a little easier knowing that our Vols are getting some great workouts during the practice sessions. And Steven Pearl is a very smart player. It appears that he leads the scout team, and does a good job with them.
The offense is more involved than you think. Just listening to Pearl teach the team, you can tell that there are a lot of subtle details that go into the offense. Pearl isn't just a run-and-gun kind of a guy. When the team finds their groove, we should be in for a real treat.
Championship driven mentality. The eyes are on the prize, in a big way. The scrimmage wasn't about getting ready for tonight; it was about getting ready for the Kansas Jayhawks, the Kentucky Wildcats, and the SEC and NCAA tournaments. Bruce has a ridiculously high bar set for the team, and he expects them to learn how to clear it.
Black jerseys? Bruce is very much a traditionalist. Black jerseys will not show up on the road (basketball teams wear white a home and colors on the road). However, he did say that he recognizes the game to be a student-athlete game, and that if a special occasion warranted, he might consider doing it for a home game. It led to one of his more interesting philosophies:
Let 'em hate. In a nutshell, if rivals hate some UT tradition, he wants more of it. Hate the orange? Wear more! Hate Rocky Top? Play it all the time! (With that, I propose that the pep band play only Rocky Top whenever they're on the road with the team.)
Did I mention tempo? They're going to run. No, they're going to run. This team will know what it's like to run all game long. If they can't beat a team straight up, they're going to run them into the ground and win the war of attrition.

Tennessee Basketball Season Preview: Five Questions

Will — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:35 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

In Year Five of BruceBall, can the Vols beat Kentucky, bring home another championship and finally make it past the Sweet 16?

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Seven days away from tipoff, the 09-10 Vols prepare to embark on a 30 game schedule as defending SEC East Champions and with every major contributor back. Bruce Pearl has changed everything about Tennessee Basketball in his first four seasons, to the point that we enter this year with a top ten ranking and championship expectations. The overall goals continue to be the same as they have been since Pearl established himself: success is defined now by more than just making the tournament, but by higher seeds and deeper progress, and by winning the division and winning the conference, two things that will require going through our biggest rival from the Bluegrass. The rivalry between Tennessee and Kentucky has a chance to reach unprecedented heights this season, and both have a chance to do something special.

As always, the biggest goal for Tennessee Basketball continues to be the Elite Eight, the promised land that the Vols have never reached, falling thrice in the Sweet Sixteen in this decade. Get there, and hey...we might as well make the Final Four.

This team has the talent, experience and coaching to go far. Exactly how far will be determined by the answers to these questions:

5. How much productivity will the Vols get at point guard?

The Vols have plenty of guys who can score, but need someone who can distribute. Last year Bobby Maze put up numbers that were very similar to what we saw from Ramar Smith: 8.2 points, 3.2 assists, a low shooting percentage from behind the arc...and while Maze was +2 in assist/turnover ratio and did a serviceable job at the position, the Vols need the combination of Maze and Melvin Goins to run the offense with greater efficiency. And on the defensive side of the ball, the point guard will play a key role in answering our second question...

4. How effective will the Controlled Chaos Press be after its absence last season?

Pearl's first three teams may not have been the most talented or later the most experienced, but they played with a certain style: fast, tenacious, leading the conference in scoring while also turning teams over on the defensive end. There was no one better at getting a turnover on an out-of-bounds play, and the Vols used a small, quick lineup to exectue a full-court press that wore teams down. Last year, the Vols traded speed for size at the guard positions, and also lost years of experience with Pearl's system with the departure of Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith. As a result, the Vols stayed away from the press while allowing opposing guards to routinely go off for career nights.

Pearl has promised that the Vols are going back to their old ways this season, but doing so will involve the same personnel stepping up considerably on the defensive end. Josh Tabb was one of Tennessee's best and most experienced defenders, and his departure further complicates this problem. Tennessee has the athleticism with Scotty Hopson, Cameron Tatum, JP Prince and others to run the scheme, but its overall effectiveness will be in question until we see it working regularly again. Will this feel like a Bruce Pearl team again?

3. Can Scotty Hopson make the leap?

The pieces are there: former McDonald's All-American, 6'7" frame that added fifteen pounds in the offseason, occasional flashes of brilliance in a respectable freshman season (9.2 points per game), and word that his jump shot has been altered for the better. Hopson has so much raw talent that I still believe that if he fully harnesses it, he won't be in Knoxville for his senior season. Part of it is determining what kind of player he's going to be - is he going to attack the basket, or is he a jump shooter? - but in all reality, Hopson is capable of being both. The Vols could use more touch from beyond the arc, but Pearl talks about players with the ability to create their own shots, and Hopson can certainly do that as well.

If Hopson makes the leap from potential to reality, not just every now and then but consistently, Tennessee's chances of winning the SEC and playing deep into March increase dramatically. The Vols have two clear scoring options in Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism, but neither can contribute the way Hopson is capable of, from both beyond the arc and slashing to the hole. If Hopson has improved and matured as much as we hope this season, there will be very, very few teams that will out-talent Tennessee.

2. Will the three-point shooting improve, and how much will we rely on it?

I still have to remember that Lofton and Juanny aren't walking through those doors, because we were incredibly spoiled for two great years with both of them in the starting lineup. When the Vols could spread the floor with those guys on either side and Tyler Smith posting up down low, good grief we were dangerous. The Vols may not get back to the days where two guys are knocking down threes over 45% of the time, but things can still improve.

It wasn't just that Tennessee shot poorly from three last season, at 31.5% as a team. And it wasn't just that the wealth was spread around: Josh Tabb was the only player to break 40%, and seven guys took more threes than he did, all shooting between 27.5% (Renaldo Woolridge) and 35.7% (Hopson).

Tennessee was the worst three point shooting team in the NCAA field last season, and still jacked up 33 of them in the game against Oklahoma State. Really, this problem goes back to the first three questions: an inability to run an effective offense outside of jacking threes more often than not, no press and thus little transition game to create turnovers and easier scoring opportunities, and only two guys in Tyler and Wayne - and Wayne likes to shoot as much as anybody - who could create their own shot from inside the arc.

So for starters, the Vols need to run a better halfcourt offense, need the press to create the transition opportunities we all know and love from earlier BruceBall seasons, and need Scotty Hopson to become a scoring threat inside the arc. From there, Tennessee will do less standing around and less settling for threes, and find more balanced scoring and hopefully, more open threes that are knocked down more of the time. After the Florida game in Knoxville last season, Pearl asked if we couldn't shoot the three, or if we had good shooters that just weren't hitting. Relying on the three less will hopefully lead to good shooters hitting them more this season. And the more we get to use "Skylar McBee...for three!", the better.

1. Will this team play its best basketball when it matters most?

That starts in the last five minutes, where in the regular season last year the Vols lost games to Gonzaga (overtime), Memphis (54-52), LSU (79-73), Auburn (78-77), and Alabama (miracle shot). Pearl's first three teams were excellent at winning close games, but last year the list of teams Tennessee beat in crunch time reads like this: Belmont, Arkansas, Mississippi State. The other close wins were the result of dwindling big leads in games the Vols still managed to win.

Being a team that wins games in crunch time will help the Vols become a team that wins games in March. Tennessee was right there in their two biggest games last season, but lost them both on the final possession to Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament Finals, and to Oklahoma State in the NCAA Tournament. The Vols must play with greater confidence and poise in the last five minutes, and the journey of the season must lead to fully realized talent and a fully mature team come tournament time. Last year this team struggled with unrealized expectations, and walked the fine line between success and disappointment. This year, can they come together and improve, so that we're winning these close games instead of losing them?

The pieces are there. Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism are great players in their senior seasons, JP Prince is capable of contributing from everywhere, the team is deep and experienced and could get an even bigger boost from Scotty Hopson. If the Vols can get back to playing what has become Tennessee Basketball under Pearl - running in transition, forcing turnovers, knocking down threes and winning the last five minutes - this team is capable of reaching its goals: standing toe to toe with Kentucky and finishing higher than them in the standings for the fifth year in a row, winning another division and conference title, and reaching the promised land of an Elite Eight/Final Four in March.

(What did we miss? As always, we invite you to leave your questions and answers in the comments...)