SB Nation - Renaldo Woolridge

Know Thy Enemy (Tennessee) - Q & A with Rocky Top Talk

Joey Kaufman — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:05:32 -0000

While most Trojan fans right now are likely hung up on the December 26th Emerald Bowl against Boston College and SI.com's exclusion of Matt Leinart and Troy Polamalu from their All-Decade team, it is important to note that the USC men's basketball team (4-4) faces top ten ranked Tennessee this Saturday at the Galen Center. After being embarrassed on the road by two notable ranked teams, Texas and Georgia Tech, Saturday's matchup with the Volunteers should provide an interesting test for the Trojans, who are coming off two solid home victories over Sacramento State and Idaho State.

So, with the game just under two days away, I had the chance to ask Will Shelton, of Rocky Top Talk, some questions about the current Tennessee team and Saturday's upcoming contest

1.) Tell us how confident most Tennessee fans are regarding this year team, especially after their 8-1 start (the only loss was to Purdue by one point in the Virgin Islands).

I think most fans are excited about the potential with this team - the vast majority of these guys played together last year on the team that was bounced in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, but with a year of growth and greater consistency, we think the talent is there for this team to get into the second weekend and beyond. The Vols have just enough talent with their best players, combined with a ton of depth (currently using an 11 man rotation), that this team is capable of hurting the opposition in so many different ways. We won't know for sure for another week or so, when the Vols play Memphis, Kansas, and then start the SEC season, but we like where we are right now.

2.) This is now year 5 of the Bruce Pearl era so the folks in Knoxville have certainly grown more accustomed to the former UW-Milwaukee head coach. What about this Tennessee team is distinctly Pearl-like?

The tempo is definitely where Pearl wants it - the Vols are always at the top of the SEC in scoring, and so far it's been no different this year, averaging 84 points per game. Tennessee will utilize a full court press some, and Pearl's teams are always great at defending the inbounds pass. All of those qualities are there. The Vols have been more disciplined in shooting the three this year; it remains to be seen if this team can rely on the three to help them win games like Pearl's first Tennessee teams did.

3.) How does UT matchup against the Trojans' big men Alex Stepheson and Nikola Vucevic?

The Vols will start with seniors Tyler Smith (6'7") and Wayne Chism (6'9") in the post; Chism is a very good post defender and leads the team in rebounds and blocked shots. Brian Williams (6'10" and a banger at 278 lbs) has also played a lot of minutes. Chism is very prone to early foul trouble; if the Trojans can get him on the bench early, their chances for inside success increase dramatically.

4.) So far this season the Trojans have struggled immensely on offense, but have proven to be quite effective on the defensive end. What are their chances of slowing down 6'7" forward Tyler Smith, who is regarded by many as the Vols' top offensive player while averaging 12.2 points and 4.6 assists.

The assists stat you mentioned is one of the biggest signs that Tyler has become a complete player - he's dangerous in almost every way offensively, capable of knocking down the outside shot, slashing to the hole, scoring from the post, getting to the free throw line...but at times he also operates like a point guard and distributes very well to his teammates. Smith hasn't really gone off in a game this season, in part because the Vols are so deep - if you make a concentrated effort to stop Tyler, the Vols can hurt you inside with Chism, or outside with Scotty Hopson or Cameron Tatum. Having said that, I watched Kevin O'Neill put on some defensive clinics in Knoxville back in the mid-90s, he'll come up with a great gameplan to take away what he perceives to be the Vols' biggest strength. Tyler and Wayne are almost always going to get theirs - the bigger question is how well USC can take away the Vols' other options. If the Trojans make the Vols play their pace, the odds of taking away the other options goes up.

5.) How much does Bruce Pearl and Tennessee care about this game? Do they view as just another non-conference game, or is it an opportunity to establish a greater presence on the west coast and California in terms of recruiting?

Since O'Neill coached the Vols from 94-97, it adds an extra level of interest to this game, even though that was long before Pearl or any of these players came to Knoxville. Tennessee does have a contributor from California in sophomore Renaldo Woolridge (Orlando's son), but most recently the Vols have been working on the Atlanta and NYC areas in recruiting the most. This is Tennessee's first true road game, after playing four neutral site games, and last year the Vols really struggled in the non-conference road games, getting blown out at Temple and giving up 92 points at Kansas. We want to see this team go into another team's building and get it done sooner instead of later.

6.) What is your prediction for Saturday's contest?

I think this game will be similar to the USC/Texas game, and several that the Vols have played this year: close in the first half, with the Vols depth making a difference in the second half. If Tennessee pushes the lead in the second half, I'm not sure if USC has enough firepower to fight their way back. I have great respect for Kevin O'Neill and the defense his teams play, I just think Tennessee has too much quantity and quality this time around. I like the Vols 67-60.

YouTube Friday

SFBE.NF — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:07:34 -0000

I am undecided on this, but more power to Tennessee's Renaldo Woolridge for splitting these bars...as they like to say.

Have a good weekend

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 Volunteers Pummel Asheville, 124-49

Hooper — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:33:28 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

about 1 month ago: Tennessee's Scotty Hopson shoots for three points during the first half of a NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina-Asheville Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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In what may as well have been an exhibition game, the Tennessee Volunteers jumped out to a quick 20-0 lead and never flinched, cruising to a spectacular victory. The game was a complete mismatch, and the Volunteer defense absolutely suffocated the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs, who only made 2 field goals in the entire first half - and the first one after 17 minutes of basketball.

The Vols played fast and furious for the entire game, constantly passing on offense to open opportunities and flat out running up and down the court in transition. In any questions had existed about early season conditioning (which they didn't), those questions were laid to rest. The team never shown any signs of fatigue, and the aggressive man defense kept Asheville at bay until the scout team players were finally entered into the game.

Scotty Hopson continued his early hot streak, leading all Vols with 25 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Six Vols ended in double figures: Scotty Hopson, Bobby Maze, Cameron Tatum, Wayne Chism, Melvin Goins, and even Renaldo Woolridge, who was not a part of Pearl's "ten". Tennessee was actually outrebounded 42-41, though most of Asheville's rebounds came well after the game was decided. Tennessee lead in assists (34 to 7), steals (13 to 9), blocks (5 to 3), and had fewer turnovers (12 to 29). The Vols also shot 60% from the floor, 55% from three, and 76% from the free throw line. It was a complete game by a team that played harder and faster than at any point last year. With two solid performances in their belt, the Volunteers appear to have the potential for a very bright season and should be strong competitors in the SEC.

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: The Roster

Will — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:00:34 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

about 1 month ago: In this photo taken on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, Tennessee's Tyler Smith (1) defends against Renaldo Woolridge during NCAA college basketball practice in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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Part Two of our weeklong preview of the upcoming Tennessee Basketball season, which tips off Friday, November 13. Part One - Last Year

If there was ever a season where the Vols could absorb the loss of two contributors in the six weeks before the season opener, this is it. Josh Tabb and Emmanuel Negedu may be out, but the Vols still have 12 names on the roster expected to make contributions. You can see how crowded the picture was before Negedu's cardiac incident and Tabb's withdrawal.

In the long run, Pearl is likely to go with a 10 or even 9 man rotation by season's end. But in the early going, you'll get a look at all of these guys:

POINT GUARD

Bobby Maze returns to put on for Tennessee in his senior season. The transfer stepped into a starting role immediately last season, and logged 25 minutes and 8 points per game. But he wasn't the natural PG fit that Pearl wanted, as Maze averaged only 3.2 assists - he had 11 assists in the season opener against UT-Chattanooga, but never got double figures again. Maze finished with a +2.02 assist/turnover ratio and shot only 31.9% from beyond the arc. The Vols have weapons everywhere and don't necessarily need Maze to score, but to distribute. Look for Maze also to be a key factor in reigniting Tennessee's press on defense.

This year's transfer is Melvin Goins, following in Maze's footsteps. Goins is only 5'11" but goes 195 lbs, and could be a more physical presence at the guard spot. Reports out of practice had him struggling with his shooting touch early, and he'll need to adjust quickly to the Vols' up-tempo style if he's going to be productive as Maze's backup.

PERIMETER PLAYERS

The player the Vols need the greatest improvement from is Scotty Hopson, the McDonald's All-American who will enter his sophomore season. Hopson showed flashes of his potential last season - 16 points against Gonzaga in Orlando, 19 against South Carolina, 20 against the Gators and 21 against Mississippi State - but ultimately averaged only 9.2 points per game. And Hopson wasn't the shooter the Vols needed at times last season, hitting 35.7% from three. To be fair to Hopson, Vol fans were spoiled by the 40+ percentage numbers of Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith. But this season, Hopson has added around fifteen pounds and worked on his shooting touch, hoping for less arc and more net. If Hopson can make the leap from a solid contributor to consistent scorer, look out.

While it's a dangerous thing to call him a perimeter player after his 3 for 24 performance from beyond the arc last year, JP Prince returns for his senior season as one of the most efficient players in the conference. Prince averaged 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block per game last season. Prince is capable of scoring in spurts if the Vols need that - he had 20 in the division-clinching win at South Carolina last year - but is most dangerous along the baseline as defenses are drawn towards the Vols other playmakers, and Prince was often the beneficiary. Prince is a complete player who can go a long way towards helping the Vols get where they want to go.

Junior Cameron Tatum, who the Vols will need to play a huge role in 2010-11, is already pushing for more playing time after averaging 7.6 PPG last year. Tatum is another perimeter player the Vols are hoping has a more successful year shooting the three - last year Tatum was good for only 32.1% from deep. But Tatum did impress with a greater ability in getting to the hole, and is another guard the Vols will need to be quick and aggressive on the press.

And lest we forget, Swiperboy Renaldo Woolridge also plays basketball, good for 2.6 points in 8.8 minutes per game last season. Woolridge is one who lost playing time as the Vols decreased their rotation late in the season last year, but is back with a bigger frame and an equal chance to contribute.

And then there's Skylar McBee. The walk-on gunner from Rutledge is reportedly working his way into the rotation with his ability to hit the three ball, which as we've noted with all of these guys was an ability that was sorely lacking last season. His defensive abilities are yet to be seen, but if he can knock down shots, he could add a key component to a Tennessee offense that still averaged 78.4 points per game while shooting only 31.5% from three.

POST PLAYERS

It's no stretch to say that the Vols have one of the best post combos in the country. That starts with Tyler Smith, who may also see some work at the 3 this season. Smith turned down NBA and European dollars to stay for his senior season in Knoxville, where he hopes to put the finishing touches on not only his game, but a championship run. Smith averaged 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per contest last season, picking up the first triple-double in school history along the way. He increased his scoring output 2.5 points per game from the 2007-08 season, and scored in double figures in all but two of Tennessee's games. He also dropped a season-high 30 on Vanderbilt. Smith joins Prince as the most complete player on the team, and is on the Naismith Award watch list to open this season.

Tyler is great, but there's been no more entertaining personality on the team in the last four years than Wayne Chism, who is back for one last season. Chism scored 14 points and grabbed 8 boards per game last year, leading the team by far in the latter category. Chism posted six double-doubles last season, including a 26-11 in the win over Marquette and a 15-19 in the overtime loss to Gonzaga. And of course...the big guy can shoot the three. We're going to miss this guy when he's gone.

Back in a supporting role for another year before he'll be asked to take charge in the post next season, Brian Williams will spell Chism, and maybe this year you won't have to hear weight loss stories every time he comes in. Williams is currently listed at 278 lbs - still big enough to take care of business - and gave the Vols 5 points and 6 rebounds off the bench last year.

The lone freshman on scholarship is Kenny Hall, a 6'8" post player from Stone Mountain, GA. The Vols don't need any miracles from him this season (barring injury), but with the loss of Tyler and Wayne after this season, Hall projects to be relied on heavily next season. He should get a few minutes in the post rotation, and we'll see what he's got.

Rounding out the 12 man group expected to fight for playing time is Steven Pearl, now in his junior season. The coach's son doesn't do much offensively, but plays tough and plays hard on the inside defensively, and was good last season in short spurts to give someone else a rest. We'll see how his dad chooses to use him this year.

Poll

Which newcomer are you most excited to see?

PG Melvin Goins

16 votes

SG Skylar McBee

53 votes

PF Kenny Hall

37 votes

106 votes | Poll has closed

BtB 2009-10 Southeastern Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:27:31 -0000

During the two weeks before Selection Sunday last March, I frequently heard these words (or something close) in conversation, "The SEC is going to get more than two or three bids to the Tourney. How can we not? We're the SEC." Of course, it took another surprising run through the SEC Tournament by a team nicknamed the Bulldogs to keep the Southeastern Conference from becoming (gasp) a two bid league. But Mississippi State became the league's second straight surprise auto bid winner. However, just like Georgia in 2008, the boys from Starkville also lost in the first round after getting a low seed.

But it's not like the two SEC teams who earned at-large bids did much better. Ninth seeded Tennessee fell to Oklahoma State in a tight first round contest, while eighth seeded LSU reached round two, where they were outclassed by North Carolina. Kentucky, Florida, Auburn, and South Carolina all ended up in the NIT, where none of the four managed to make it to New York. Vanderbilt won 19 games and didn't even get a postseason bid. All in all, it was a disappointing 2008-09 for a conference used to postseason success.

The good news for the SEC is that the league should be far better this year, thanks to a couple of major coaching hires (as explained in my Coaching Carousel column) and an infusion of new talent (some of whom are listed in my All-Transfer and All-Freshman team columns). But there's a lot more going on in the league than what happened in Lexington and Tuscaloosa this offseason, which I'll explain after the jump.

Let's first take a look at last season's SEC standings.

Southeastern Conference Standings

(updated 3.25.2009 at 10:42 PM EDT)

East	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
South Carolina Gamecocks	10	6	21	10
Tennessee Volunteers	10	6	21	13
Florida Gators	9	7	25	11
Kentucky Wildcats	8	8	22	14
Vanderbilt Commodores	8	8	19	12
Georgia Bulldogs	3	13	12	20

West	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
LSU Tigers	13	3	27	8
Auburn Tigers	10	6	24	12
Mississippi St. Bulldogs	9	7	23	13
Alabama Crimson Tide	7	9	18	14
Mississippi Rebels	7	9	16	15
Arkansas Razorbacks	2	14	14	16

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order. If a school's name appears in red, that's a link to its SBNation site. You can go there for more detailed analysis throughout the season.

West Division

Auburn (last NCAA: 2003) The Tigers fell to Baylor in the NIT quarterfinals last season, a disappointing end to a good season that could've ended in the NCAA Tournament with a marquee win or two. It's going to take a lot for Jeff Lebo's team to reach that level of success this season. Even with the graduation of Rasheem Barrett (9.9 ppg) and Quantez Robertson (6.0 ppg, 3.2 apg), DeWayne Reed (13.2 ppg, 3.7 apg) and Tay Waller (12.1 ppg) anchor a solid backcourt that will give the opposition fits. However, Korvotney Barber and his contributions of nearly 13 points and 10 rebounds a game will be severely missed in the frontcourt, even in Lebo's guard-oriented system. Seniors Brendan Knox and Johnnie Lett will have to step up to fill the void left by Barber's departure, and freshmen Rob Chubb and Ty Armstrong can expect to see playing time as well. Junior college transfer Kenny Gabriel should also see significant time, as he can be a true inside/outside threat for Auburn.

LSU (last NCAA: 2009) Expect the Tigers, last year's SEC regular season champs, to take a step back after the loss of three key starters. F Marcus Thornton and his 21 points per game are gone, so is C Chris Johnson, and the team's heart and soul, PG Garrett Temple. However, LSU still has Tasmin Mitchell, who averaged 16.3 points and 7.2 rebounds last season, while spending time at both small forward and power forward. Guard Bo Spencer is the other returning starter. He's a good shooter (averaging 11.4 ppg while shooting 40% from beyond the arc), but is coming off wrist surgery. Beyond those two, head coach Trent Johnson has his work cut out for him, as none of the other returnees averaged more than 2 points per contest. Expect the newcomers, like G Aaron Dotson (coming off a patellar tendon injury) and Fs Eddie Ludwig and Garrett Green (a medical redshirt last year), to see significant time during the rebuilding process.

Arkansas (last NCAA: 2008) It hasn't been the greatest of offseasons in Fayetteville, where head coach John Pelphrey will suspend at least one player after an offseason rape investigation that resulted in no charges. The possibility of suspensions will make the Razorbacks task of recovering from last season a bit more difficult. The Hogs were in full rebuilding mode last year, but managed to get off to a 12-1 start, featuring wins over regional rivals Oklahoma and Texas. It didn't last, and Arkansas finished bottom of the SEC West with a ghastly 2-14 record. This season, the Razorbacks will again roll out a three-guard lineup in their search for more consistency. That quest starts at point guard, where sophomore Courtney Fortson did a great job of distributing the ball (nearly 6 assists per game), while turning it over far too often (4.4 per game). Rotnei Clark led the nation's freshmen in three point shooting (39.3%), and Stefan Welsh contributed 11.5 oints per game. PF Michael Washington decided to stay in school, which means the Hogs keep their leading scorer (15.5) and conference-leading rebounder (9.8). The biggest reason Arkansas is this low is depth, with only six returning players from last season, Pelphrey will need a lot out of his newcomers to move up the SEC ladder.

Alabama (last NCAA: 2006) Bama alum Mark Gottfried resigned as head coach last January, when it was clear that the Tide would spend a third straight year outside of the NCAAs. Anthony Grant left a good gig at VCU to take the head job, and he's going to try to implement a more up-tempo style in Tuscaloosa. Alabama's biggest issue over the past few seasons has been inconsistent point guard play, especially with Ronald Steele's injuries and eventual departure from the program. Senior Mikhail Torrance (10 ppg, 2.3 apg) moved to the 1 slot after Steele left the program and performed well, though he's more of a natural shooting guard. As Grant implements his offense, watch for 5-9 Anthony Brock and Andrew Steele, Ronald's brother, to get time at the point, so Torrance can move over to his natural position. In the frontcourt, Grant has two 6-9 guys who will need to step it up. JaMychal Green had a decent freshman season, but will need to better his averages of 10.6 ppg and 7.6 rpg. Justin Knox, who averaged 5.7 ppg and 5.1 rpg, should be able to increase both those numbers with more time on the court.

Mississippi (last NCAA: 2002) Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy made headlines for all the wrong reasons last season, when he was arrested for allegedly assaulting a cab driver the night before the Rebels faced his former employer, Cincinnati, in the SEC/Big East Invitational. Things only got worse from there, as Miss lost All-SEC guard Chris Warren to a knee injury during that outing. Add in the fact that the Rebels had already lost Eniel Polynice and Trevor Gaskins to injuries, and it's amazing that they managed 16 wins last year. This season, all three guards are back, making the loss of Florida transfer David Huertas almost inconsequential. Zach Graham, the team's best three point shooter, is also back, giving the Rebels perhaps the best backcourt in the league. Kennedy's frontcourt isn't quite as strong. Sophomore Murphy Holloway will have to improve on his 8.4 points and 6.6 boards per game, while 6-8 freshman Reginald Bucker and 6-9 JC transfer DeAngelo Riley will have to contribute immediately. The fact the Rebels don't quite have the inside force to match Miss State's Varnado means they should finish behind their in-state rivals in the standings.

Mississippi State (last NCAA: 2009) Rick Stansbury recruited Renardo Sidney to provide some support for C Jarvis Varnado inside. However, it doesn't look like the NCAA is going to rule Sidney eligible. Stansbury also got a commitment from 7-2 Sudanese C John Riek, who was finally ruled eligible, but will have to sit out the first 9 games of the season. That means Varnado, who fell ill at one point this summer, will likely see some time as the lone big man on the court if Stansbury runs out a four-guard offense, as he did frequently last season. When you have guards like Dee Bost, Ravern Johnson, Barry Stewart, and Phil Turner who can shoot the three well, that offensive strategy isn't a bad idea. However, with the development of 6-8 Fs Kodi Augustus and Romero Osby (and Riek's eventual eligibility), you can expect to see Varnado get far more frontcourt help. Additionally, Varnado only needs 19 blocks to pass Shaquille O'Neal as the SEC's all-time leader in that category (though Shaq did it in fewer games).

East Division

Georgia (last NCAA: 2008) For some reason, Mark Fox decided to leave a Nevada program he (along with LSU head man Trent Johnson) made into a national name. Fox now replaces Dennis Felton at the helm of a Georgia program that has never fully recovered from the Jim Harrick era, which is now six years in the past. After the graduation of G/F Terrance Woodbury (14.0 ppg), Fox is left with only one double-digit scorer from last season. However, 6-9 F Howard Thompkins is a pretty good player to have on your roster. Thompkins averaged 12.6 points and 7.4 boards per game, and should be even better after an offseason spent on the USA's Under-19 World Championship-winning team. In the backcourt, Dustin Ware should start at point guard, as he averaged 7.2 points and 3.4 dimes per game in 2008-09. After that, Fox has a lot of decisions to make, and that means the Bulldogs will probably be rooted to the bottom of the SEC standings yet again.

South Carolina (last NCAA: 2004) In Darrin Horn's first year at the helm, the Gamecocks managed to tie Tennessee atop the SEC East. Even though they only lost guard Zam Fredrick and his 15.5 points per game, Carolina probably won't reach such heights this season. That's not to say that the Gamecocks won't manage to get back to the NCAAs, something they failed to do last year. Thanks to the return of G Devan Downey (19.8 ppg, 4.5 apg, SEC leading 89 steals) and F Dominique Archie (10.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg), the Gamecocks still have some real star power in the lineup. Returning starters Mike Holmes (10.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and Sam Muldrow (5.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg) should provide even more help to Archie in the frontcourt this season, while JC transfer Johndre Jefferson will be expected to spend time at both small and power forward. In the backcourt, Evaldas Baniulis, after averaging a bit more than 6 points a game while shooting 48 percent from behind the arc, is expected to take a more active role in the offense with the graduation of Fredrick, as is 6-5 swingman Lakeem Jackson, a heralded recruit from Charlotte.

Florida (last NCAA: 2007) Has it really been over two years since the Gators last featured in an NCAA Tournament game? While the days of back-to-back championships may be in the rear-view mirror, Billy Donovan's latest group has the chance to finally get off the bubble. Georgetown transfer Vernon Macklin will be eligible this season, and he'll slide into the center position. That will allow Alex Tyus to move back to his natural position, power forward, which will allow Dan Werner to move to small forward. Kenny Kadji should be better in his sophomore year as well, giving the Gators more of a presence inside. More consistency is expected out of swingman Chandler Parsons, whose performances alternate between brilliant and frustrating. In the backcourt, Erving Walker (10.1 ppg, 2.4 apg) will lead the offense after Nick Calathes' departure for Greece. Israeli newcomer Nimrod Tishman could also see time at the point if the NCAA rules him eligible. Impact freshman Kenny Boynton will start at shooting guard. He's expected to be the Gators new three-point threat, though he can also really drive to the hoop.

Vanderbilt (last NCAA: 2008) The Commodores sat at home last postseason, despite finishing the regular season with 7 wins in their last 10. Vandy shouldn't be so unlucky this season. Chemistry should be good, as head coach Kevin Stallings gave up a $100,000 raise so the team could take a scheduled trip to Australia, home country of star C A.J. Ogilvy. Ogilvy averaged 15.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and those numbers should improve if he stays healthier this season. The 'Dores frontcourt boasts an international flavor beyond their Aussie star with Swede Jeffery Taylor (12.2 ppg. 6.2 rpg) a fixture at small forward, 6-9 Cameroonian PF Steve Tchiengang (3.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg) expected to spend more time in the 4 spot, and 6-11 Nigerian C Festus Ezeli (3.8 ppg. 2.6 rpg) expected to both backup and spend time on the floor with Ogilvy. 6-7 Andre Walker may also return to the starting lineup, after suffering an ACL tear early last season. The backcourt may be more US-centric, but it's still talented. Jermaine Beal (12.5 ppg, 3.2 apg) amd Brad Tinsley (11.0 ppg, 2.8 apg) will take turns running the offense, but 6-4 John Jenkins, the USA's highest scoring high school player last season, will get plenty of opportunities to showcase his inside/outside game. Even if he only manages 25 percent of his senior year average, Jenkins should provide plenty of scoring punch for the Commodores.

Tennessee (last NCAA: 2009) The Volunteers return all five starters in their quest to improve on last year's NCAA first round exit. The best news for the Vols this offseason was Tyler Smith's decision to skip the NBA Draft and return for his senior season. Bruce Pearl is glad he doesn't have to replace Smith's 17.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Wayne Chism (13.7 ppg, 8 rpg) will continue to be a force inside, while 6-10 C Brian Williams will need to improve his scoring (5 ppg) to match his rebounding (5.6 rpg). Bobby Maze (8.2 ppg, 3.2 apg) will run the offense, while J.P. Prince and Scotty Hopson, who were forces at both ends of the floor last year, are expected to continue their strong two-way play. Cameron Tatum (7.6 ppg) and Renaldo Woolridge, son of former NBA star Orlando, are going to be Bruce Pearl's key swingmen this season.. Woolridge, who only managed 2.6 points in a little more than 8 minutes a contest, should be improved in his sophomore season. The Vols only personnel loss is a sad story, as Nigerian F Emmanuel Negedu, as he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest last month.

Kentucky (last NCAA: 2008) During my Season Preview series, I've written a fair amount about John Calipari's arrival in Lexington and his stellar recruiting class. Patrick Patterson (17.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg) will lead a strong frontcourt that already features senior Perry Stevenson (7.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg), and will be bolstered by the arrival of the 6-11 DeMarcus Cousins and 6-10 Daniel Orton, two highly coveted recruits. And the backcourt will feature the most highly coveted recruit for this season, 6-4 point guard John Wall, who will be responsible for running Calipari's dribble drive offense. If the chemistry works, the Wildcats will quickly be on their way, and the blue half of the Commonwealth will quickly forget about the Gillispie period.

I'm picking Kentucky to win the overall SEC title, so they'll take the league's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-SEC team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-SEC Team

Player of the Year: Tyler Smith, 6-7 F, Sr. (Tennessee)

Remainder of the Team
Devan Downey, 5-9 G, Sr. (South Carolina)
Tasmin Mitchell, 6-7 F, Sr. (LSU)
Patrick Patterson, 6-9 F, Jr. (Kentucky)
Jarvis Varnado, 6-9 F/C, Sr. (Mississippi State)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the SEC this season?

Alabama

9 votes

Arkansas

9 votes

Auburn

3 votes

Florida

14 votes

Georgia

2 votes

Kentucky

213 votes

LSU

3 votes

Ole Miss

7 votes

Mississippi State

57 votes

South Carolina

5 votes

Tennessee

68 votes

Vanderbilt

17 votes

407 votes | Poll has closed

Rocky Top Basketball League - Vols on the Rosters

Will — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:35:56 -0000

If you're looking for a nice diversion from all this football anticipation as we sit 12 weeks away from kickoff, the Rocky Top Basketball League begins its third season of play on Monday at Bearden High School in Knoxville. The six team summer league will feature games at 6:00, 7:30 and 9:00 PM each Monday and Wednesday night for the next three weeks, with free admission. The summer league style of play may not be conducive to producing discipline and wise shot selection...but Bruce Pearl will be quick to point out that he likes the conditioning it provides, it's become a nice presence for Tennessee Basketball in the offseason in a short time, and regardless of its shortcomings, it's highly entertaining.

The league is also a great chance to see not only current Vols, but Vols past and future, as well as other local talent. The draft was held on Wednesday, with CJ Watson selected with the first pick. The league has its own official site that will do stat-tracking throughout the season, and where you can see the complete rosters for each team. A couple of notes - it's unclear if Chris Lofton will make it through Knoxville in the next three weeks to participate, but if he's available he's said he'll play. And JP Prince appears to be a no-go this year in the league as he recovers from offseason surgery.

Here's a quick look at each team, where the Vols have landed, and who else of note will be featured in the league this year (the league is sponsored by Pilot with each team carrying an additional corporate sponsor):

Knoxville News-Sentinel

Current Vols: Scotty Hopson, Brian Williams
Future Vols: Skylar McBee
Ex-Vols: Dane Bradshaw, Ben Bosse (now at King College)

HT Group

Current Vols: Wayne Chism, Renaldo Woolridge
Other Notables: Boo Jackson (Eastern Michigan), Jon Primm (UNC-Asheville), Jalen Steele (Fulton High School, Knoxville)

Ray's ESG

Current Vols: Steven Pearl
Future Vols: Kenny Hall
Ex-Vols: CJ Watson, Jon Higgins, Ron Slay

Richardson Construction

Current Vols: Tyler Smith, Josh Tabb
Ex-Vols: Damon Johnson
Other Notables: John Mueller (Marquette), Tony White Jr. (College of Charleston)

First Tennessee Bank

Current Vols: Emmanuel Negedu, Bobby Maze
Ex-Vols: Rashard Lee

Choice Spine

Current Vols: Cameron Tatum
Ex-Vols: CJ Black

Poll

Which team will win the Rocky Top Basketball League?

Knoxville News-Sentinel

26 votes

HT Group

6 votes

Ray's ESG

30 votes

Richardson Construction

10 votes

First Tennessee Bank

3 votes

Choice Spine

3 votes

78 votes | Poll has closed

Melvin Goins is Officially a Tennessee Volunteer!

Hooper — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:27:56 -0000

Today, Melvin Goins made his commitment to UT official by submitting his Letter of Intent and will officially be a BallerVol for the 2009-2010 season. Only the second incoming player for the 2009 recruiting class (the other is forward Kenny Hall), he fills a tremendous need at point guard for a team that suffered in backcourt play - a fault that eventually cost them a chance to go deep in the NCAA tournament.

Goins will be in his first year under Pearl, but there is reason to think he might transition faster than many point guards in a new system. In 2007, he played for the Ball State Cardinals, where he played in 30 games. He then transferred to Mount San Jacinto Junior College for the 2008 season and was named the MVP of the Foothill Conference. It may not sound terribly impressive on the surface, but the number of games played and the MVP season do tell us that he can learn to fit in with a team quickly. With some training and (productive) use of the Rocky Top Pilot League, he may be ready to play straight out of the box.

There is more to be excited about with Goins: at 5'-10" and 190 lbs, he is much stockier and more powerfully built than Maze or West. It's the kind of build that made Byron Eaton of Oklahoma State so successful. He plays a strong transition game with great ball control - something that must really make Pearl happy. If he plays with intensity and speed on the defensive end, he might fill the "JaJuan" role that we missed last year.

Outlook

Through the last basketball season, the most common lament of Vols fans was the lack of leadership in the backcourt. With the end of eligibility of both Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith and the unfortunate loss of Ramar Smith in the offseason, UT went from perhaps the most experienced and cohesive backcourt in the SEC in 2007-2008 to the youngest set of guards in 2008-2009. Most notably, the Vols didn't have a clear lead point guard.

The problem was supposed to be solved by the addition of two new players: Bobby Maze and Daniel West. Maze had a decent season, but there were noticeable hitches in his game that were likely the effect of the transition to Pearl's style of play. Meanwhile, West fell victim to one of the crueller twists of the NCAA knife. Known to be a risky academic case, the NCAA decided to wait until after the fall semester registration deadline to tell West that they were going to reject his SAT retake and deny his scholarship. Saddled with a committed courseload after the drop/add date and with an intense desire to play under Pearl, West decided to stick with UT and pay for school out of pocket until he can get his situation fixed. (As an aside, there is still no word whether West will be eligible next year. I hope he pulls through, especially since the NCAA completely jobbed him by delaying their decision for so long.)

Sometimes, though, time is indeed the greatest cure. Maze has a year under his belt and can spend the offseason tuning his game to Bruceball. If he stays on task, West should have his academics clear and, if he continues with his plan to play at UT, would be a very welcome addition. And now we can add Melvin Goins.

Ideally, all three will be available. Maze is not as pure of a point guard as West or Goins, so he may find more time in the 2 slot if all three play. If so, his experience at point will still be great to have, especially if one of the other two should get injured. The change-up combination is also great; Maze and West play long and lean, while Goins is built like a backcourt bulldog. That should help UT tailor their lineup to play against a wider array of opponents - a luxury that is absolute gold for tournament play.

Logistics

The one issue with Goins coming in is that UT is now one player over the scholarship limit. The problem could be solved if one of the Wayne Chism, Tyler Smith, and J.P. Prince trio leave early. In that scenario, the most likely is Smith and, as much as I'd hate to see him go, it might be the right answer for him and his family. Also, if Emmanuel Negedu continues to improve, Renaldo Woolridge steps up his game, and Kenny Hall has a strong start, the team may actually be in better shape to have the extra point guard without Smith than vice versa. (Not that it's a choice between the two; just an observation.)

Another possibility is that someone loses a scholarship. It happened last year with the departure of Crews and Ramar. Playing the role of the grim reaper, the first name that comes to mind is West. If he doesn't get academically cleared, then his loss would be made up by the gain of Goins at point. No Vols fan should want to see that happen, but it's always a possibility until we know it isn't.

However it works out, we have a new Vol to welcome to the family. It's all orange-tinted goggles right now, but the next season looks like the Vols' year. Even if Smith leaves, they will have an experienced team with a well-built backcourt and the physical diversity to match up against almost any team in the nation.

In search of the Volscars' Bruce Pearl rap scene

Joel — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:26:53 -0000

The Volscars sound like incredible fun. Bobby Maze made an appearance to do his Put On for Tennessee, and then Renaldo Woolridge piped up with a portion of his Facebook BallerVols rap.

And then . . . and then Bruce Pearl appeared from behind a purple curtain, "dressed in an orange-and-white checkered jacket with sunglasses, a large silver necklace and a street-wise strut." First one to find and post that video gains the esteem of his colleagues. Go! Find!

[Note by Joel, 04/14/09 9:05 AM EDT ] And here it is (chest bump to raynoch46):

The line of the evening apparently belonged to Dane Bradshaw, who created a new award for Best Halftime Adjustment:

After allowing Kentucky's Jodie Meeks to score 26 points in the first half, the team went to work and made adjustments and held him to 28 in the second half.

Vladimir Richard apparently did a skit where he was some UT enforcement officer or something and tackled a secretary for not following protocol in remedying a paper jam.

Lane and Monte Kiffin performed a skit in which Lane drew up a play on the whiteboard and Monte made the defensive adjustments while Lane wasn't looking, foiling the whole thing, which fans are hoping is an accurate description of what's happening on the practice field.