Tennessee Volunteers
Last Season 21-13 (.618)
Conference Record 10-6 (t-1st)
Starters Lost/Returning 0/5
Coach Bruce Pearl (Boston College '82)
Record At School 98-37 (4 years)
Career Record 184-75 (8 years)
RPI Last 5 years 104-8-12-3-29

COACH AND PROGRAM

One day, the coaching job Bruce Pearl turned in last season might come to be regarded as one of his best.

After losing Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith, Jordan Howell and Ramar Smith, Pearl found himself with a guard-poor group that had only two players shorter than 6-6. He had no pure point guard, and no speedy lockdown type to create havoc in his trademark press, which he ultimately had to shelve. Worse, three-point shooting, a deadly weapon in Pearl's first three seasons, became a liability; the Vols ended up shooting .315 in the Southeastern Conference, last in the league.

Throw in the usual array of injuries, egos, personal problems, etc., and it was a miracle the Vols managed to win 21 times, impressive that they tied for first in the SEC's Eastern Division and groundbreaking that they advanced to the finals of the league tournament. They hadn't played in the league title game since 1991 and hadn't won the tournament since 1979.

Last year's championship game, against Mississippi State, turned out to be a microcosm of the season. The Vols lost several close games -- the kind they had won the previous three seasons -- but losing in the closing minutes to the Bulldogs, said Pearl, "was one of the most disappointing games in my career."

It wasn't a picnic losing to Oklahoma State by two points in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, either, but Pearl kept a good attitude about the Vols' entire body of work.

"It could have been a lot better," Pearl said. "But it could have been a lot worse, too. I'm proud we were able to capture the SEC East. You better enjoy those championships when you can get them."

This season, Pearl has another team capable of winning championships on his hands. The return of Tyler Smith, who many assumed would be off to the NBA draft, was a big lift, as was the addition of junior college point guard Melvin Goins, a speedy, defensive-minded type who will give incumbent Bobby Maze some competition. The Vols are experienced and they're deep.

"I really like our experience, our depth and our balance," Pearl said. "We'll have a chance. The SEC is going to be really challenging this year, but we'll have a chance."

PLAYERS

PG-BOBBY MAZE (6-3, 195 lbs., SR, #3, 8.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.6 tpg, 25.1 mpg, .426 FG, .319 3PT, .694 FT, Suitland HS/Forestville, Md./University of Oklahoma/Hutchinson CC/Hutchinson, Kansas). Maze's mistake last season was starting out his second-chance D-I career like a mini Magic Johnson. In late November, Maze handed out 11 assists in a thrashing of Chattanooga, scored 12 points and made 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch in a win at Middle Tennessee, and contributed 14 points, nine assists and three steals in an impressive victory over Georgetown. In early December, Maze reached double figures in three straight games against Temple, Marquette and Belmont and also chipped in with six assists against the Golden Eagles.

Vol fans and coaches were ecstatic ... until Maze hit a wall in SEC play, struggling with his shot, his defense, and, in the opinion of one assistant coach, his attitude. Steve Forbes, who recruited Maze, jumped him at halftime of a game at Georgia and lowered the boom in words that can't be reprinted in a publication that might be read by young children. Maze got the hint, contributing 16 points, six boards, two steals and a couple of three pointers as the Vols scratched out a much-needed road win.

Pearl had his own way of dealing with Maze.

"I held Bobby back a bit," Pearl said. "Defensively, I thought he could have done more. I battled with him to be a more productive defender, a guy I could stick on the ball and lock down somebody, or take a charge. Therefore, I didn't empower him enough offensively."

All things considered, Maze didn't do half bad when he was empowered. Tennessee was 6-1 when he passed for five or more assists. His assist-to-turnover ratio was a solid 2.02, third in the SEC. His 15-foot jumper with 5.4 seconds left at Arkansas helped the Vols pull out another crucial road win.

"If we hadn't signed Bobby Maze [late in the recruiting process], last year's a disaster," Pearl said.

Despite that high praise of Maze, Pearl and his staff went out and signed another JUCO point guard, Melvin Goins, who has the rep of being a nasty defender. A little competition might be just what Maze needs.

"I think he's bought into defense," Pearl said. "He's stronger and he worked hard [in the off-season]. It's going to be a very interesting competition between Bobby and Melvin. They'll push each other."

SG-SCOTTY HOPSON (6-7, 200 lbs., SO, #32, 9.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.4 tpg, 23.4 mpg, .428 FG, .357 3PT, .625 FT, University Heights HS/Hopkinsville, Ky.). It turns out Hopson wasn't a one-and-doner after all, as some had predicted. But that's a good thing for Hopson, and the Vols.

He's obviously a remarkable talent who will one day play in the NBA. But his game is far from being a finished product. Hopson will benefit from at least one more year in school, maybe two.

We say that without hesitation, because he's getting good coaching from Pearl and his staff. Take for example Hopson's formerly high-arcing jumper, a shot that could have brought rain if he were playing outdoors.

Balloon balls and their polar opposite, line-drive shots, work fine when the shooter is in a good rhythm and gets hot. But they also lead to inconsistency, which was Hopson's problem; he'd either hit nothing but the bottom of the net or shoot an air ball.

In the off-season, Tennessee coaches deconstructed the mechanics of Hopson's jump shot, with excellent results.

"We had to readjust his arc," Pearl said. "His elbow was so raised and his finish was so high it was almost as though he had practiced shooting over a broom. Most people shoot too flat. Scotty's ball flight was exaggerated so much because there was so much of an arm motion, almost a sling.

"Now, it's in his fingertips and he has a more natural ball flight. He had to change it, and he understood that and worked on it."

The other change Pearl seeks to make in Hopson's game will come between the ears. He wants Hopson to take on more of an aggressive mindset, mixing the drive with his new and improved jumper and also rebounding more aggressively. Hopson seemed tentative at times last year, in part because he wasn't asked to take over games or carry his team.

"Going through the NBA [draft] process with Tyler Smith, I got a lot of compliments from NBA people on the way we used Scotty last year," Pearl said. "We didn't put him in position to look bad. Did he look tentative at times? Yeah, but tentative is a lot better than forcing things and showing us what you can't do."

Hopson showcased his skills on several occasions. He scored 21 points to go along with six rebounds against Mississippi State, the team to which he had originally committed. He made 4-of-6 three-pointers and scored 20 against Florida. And in a game at Arkansas, he unleashed a 360-degree dunk. Not many players in the nation have the guts or the hops to pull that off.

Hopson led the Vols with 46 three-pointers, and he also markedly improved his on-ball defense as the season progressed.

Pearl expects a lot more from Hopson this season, and it stands to reason. He was already a decent three-point shooter. If he can tack a few percentage points on his success ratio while continuing to use his size and jumping ability to attack the rim or post up, Hopson's going to have many big nights this winter.

SF-J.P. PRINCE (6-7, 205 lbs., SR, #30, 9.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.5 spg, 2.0 tpg, 26.4 mpg .572 FG, .125 3PT, .610 FT, White Station HS/Memphis, Tenn./University of Arizona). Pearl would love to see Prince go through a season -- or an off-season for that matter -- without suffering an injury or undergoing surgery.

"There's not a player in college basketball that has had more tough breaks than J.P.," Pearl said.

He makes a compelling point. From an infection after a routine wisdom tooth extraction that nearly killed him to operations on both shoulders and freak ankle injuries, Prince has run the gamut on the injury front, literally from head to toe.

He began last season having recovered from off-season shoulder surgery, but he still managed to score in double figures in his first seven games. Just when Pearl could begin to count on Prince's production, he slipped off an elevated court during a practice session at Temple, injured his lower left leg and ankle, and missed three games.

Prince returned and started the final 22 games, finally allowing everyone to see what he's capable of when reasonably healthy.

At his best, Prince uses his athleticism and high basketball IQ to become a point forward, capable of running an offense and picking apart defenses with his size and passing ability. In Tennessee's last 15 games, Prince passed for 63 assists (4.2 apg), including a five-game streak of nine (Florida), six (Arkansas), seven (Auburn), five (Georgia) and seven (Vanderbilt).

About the only thing Prince can't do is shoot from the perimeter (3-for-24, .125 from three-point range last year). He's got the rest of the floor covered, though; Prince shot .626 on two-point attempts. That's because he's adept at getting to the rim off the dribble, finishing on breaks and collecting offensive rebounds and dunking them back.

Defensively, Prince led Tennessee in steals (47) and tied for second in blocked shots (20). His assist-to-turnover ratio was a solid 1.5, eighth in the SEC. He was 10th in the league in steals and assists.

It's a wonder this guy hasn't put together a triple-double yet. He grabbed 10 boards in a game twice last season, set his career high with nine assists and reached double figures in scoring 18 times.

"You want to talk about talent and instinct and feel and understanding," Pearl said. "J.P. came here to try and destroy what negative stories there were out there about him: Things he couldn't do. He wasn't tough enough.

"We think he's done that. He plays great on the road because he's got guts. All I know is that some of his best games -- at Xavier, at Memphis, at South Carolina, we don't win without him. He's a guy that makes everybody better."

If only Prince could stay healthy. Once again during the off-season, he underwent shoulder surgery. Pearl is praying Prince recovers to play his senior season at full strength.

PF-TYLER SMITH (6-7, 215 lbs., SR, #1, 17.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 0.7 spg, 2.0 tpg, 32.6 mpg, .439 FG, .292 3PT, .766 FT, Giles County HS/Pulaski, Tenn./Hargrave Military Academy/Chatham, Va./University of Iowa). For the second consecutive off-season, Smith kept Vol fans guessing as he explored his NBA options. And just like the year before, Smith ultimately decided putting his name in the draft was too risky.

"I think my chances of making a team as a second round pick were good, and I did think about it," Smith said after removing his name from draft consideration in mid June. "But you have to look at the statistics of what's happened to [second-round draft picks]. Last year, only eight guys out of 30 picked in the second round made a team. That's something that you have to look at hard."

Clearly Smith got some good advice and listened to it. And if he continues to listen to good advice, next June he might well realize his lifelong dream of becoming an NBA draft pick.

"He was told by the guys at the next level to work on his range, work on guarding multiple positions and work on his handle," Pearl said.

Actually, Smith doesn't have to work on his shooting range. He already has range and a technically sound jumper. It's a misnomer that Smith is just a run-jump slasher type. All he needs to do is gain complete confidence in his ability to knock down threes at critical stretches in games.

Last season, when Tennessee coaches practically forced Smith to start cranking up the three ball more often, he became that much tougher to guard. He was 6-of-12 from behind the arc in two games against Florida, and 3-of-4, en route to a career-high 30 points, in a big win over Vanderbilt. Smith did force up the occasional ill advised three -- such as when the Vols were trying to protect a slim lead in an eventual loss at Auburn -- but that's all part of the process of developing Chris Lofton-like confidence.

Smith's scoring average increased last year, but most of his other numbers, notably steals and field-goal percentage, declined. There was a three-fold reason for that. One, he was forced to play nearly 33 minutes a game, which can have diminishing returns when fatigue sets in. Two, Smith might have had the NBA more in the front of his mind than the back of it. Three, he was thrust into more of a leadership role than his first season.

"I think Tyler is going to be able to relax more now, and not play every possession like he's trying to get himself into the NBA," Pearl said. "Last year, he was more of a leader, but at times, he was focused on his own game, so he was conflicted."

That won't be the case this season. Smith knows without a doubt this will be his last go around in college bas-ketball. Informed by what he learned working out for NBA teams last spring, Smith worked on his game all summer, taking thousands of three-pointers and getting into the best condition of his life.

"He's gotten faster and quicker, so he'll be a monster defensively," Pearl said. "He'll shoot the ball from three and he'll be our best breakdown guy. He'll lead us in assists and make everybody better."

Smith -- who last season became the first player in Tennessee history to record a triple double with 12 points, 10 boards and 10 assists against UNC Asheville -- will continue to shift between small forward and power forward, making him one of the toughest defensive assignments in the college game. He's always been able to post up smaller defenders from the three spot and drive around big men from the four. Now that he's duty bound to make the three more a part of his arsenal and has improved his ball handling, well, Pearl just shook his head at the thought of trying to check him.

"Tyler's going to be a nightmare match-up," Pearl said.

C-WAYNE CHISM (6-9, 246 lbs., SR, #4, 13.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.0 bpg, 2.0 tpg, 25.7 mpg, .466 FG, .320 3PT, .716 FT, Bolivar Central HS/Bolivar, Tenn.). Last season Chism elevated his play to the point where everyone -- fans, coaches, media -- had to take notice (he earned second-team All-SEC recognition from the league's coaches). It's hard to miss someone capable of scoring 27 points in one game, grabbing 19 rebounds in another, blocking six shots in still another (against Kansas, no less), passing for five assists (Georgia), or making four three-pointers (Chism did that twice).

How many post men in the country can do all that?

Previously dismissed by some as a perimeter drifter who's content to launch three-pointers without discretion, Chism demonstrated big-man skills as a junior. His blocked shots were down, but his rebounds were up. He drastically improved his free-throw shooting (he shot a combined .572 his first two seasons) and thus cashed in with greater regularity when he got fouled in the paint. Not surprisingly, Chism called for the ball a lot more often, and his teammates tried hard to get it to him.

True, Chism still hoisted the three-ball a good bit for a post guy (128 times, an average of 3.76 per game), and several of those shots were of the I-can't-believe-he-just-did-that variety. But he also broke open games with clutch threes, and he shot just well enough -- 33 percent is an acceptable success rate from behind the line -- for Pearl to let him have the green light.

Chism is a rare talent who can play inside and out, and he needs only to continue to mature, slow down, and let the game come to him in order to play for a living. His 69 turnovers indicate that Chism sometimes gets in too big a hurry for his own good. But that's a minor quibble compared to the overall improvement of Chism's game.

"Wayne has gotten better every year," Pearl said. "Every year his percentages and his totals have increased. Wayne has improved his mid-range game, and his ability to be a threat off the bounce. And we're working on him having him be more effective in the post. He's got a better post game than he gives himself credit for. We need him to continue to take advantage of it."

We've gone this far and haven't even mentioned Chism's defense. The big fella can guard.

"Wayne's ability to guard all five positions is a big key for us," Pearl said. "He's one of the best defensive big men in the country, a great defensive player. He single-handedly beat Marquette. People talk about the game he had [26 points, 11 boards] and the big shots he made, but he drew two charges on [Jerel] McNeal or we don't win. He does an unbelievable job of help defense, and we're able to switch ball screens with him.

"Why did [Florida point guard] Nick Calathes never beat us? One reason was Wayne Chism could switch a ball screen and guard him."

G-MELVIN GOINS (5-11, 195 lbs., JR, #21, 17.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.9 apg, 2.0 spg, .400 FG, .327 3PT, .716 FT, Christian Life Center Academy/Humble, Texas/Ball State University/Mt. San Jacinto College/San Jacinto, Ca-lif.). The Tennessee coaches believe Bobby Maze will show significant improvement in his second season in the program, but just in case he doesn't, or perhaps to ensure that he does, they signed Goins to provide a little competition for the starting point guard job.

Goins is similar to Maze in some ways, notably that both began their college careers at a Division I school. But whereas Maze is a scorer by trade, Goins is more of a true point guard.

"He makes us better in transition," Pearl said. "He's got better timing [than Maze]. And on the ball, he can really guard. He's a lockdown guy. He can really help us press full court."

Goins takes pride in his defense and is also aggressive on the other end with his ability to see the floor on the break and penetrate in half-court situations. Pearl envisions him generating a lot more easy baskets than the Vols were able to score last year, either in transition or on wide-open three-pointers after dribble penetration.

Goins has won awards everywhere he's been. A year ago he was chosen Player of the Year in California's competitive Foothills Conference. And in his freshman season at Ball State, he earned MAC All-Freshman honors after averaging 8.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 28.5 minutes in 26 starts.

F-KENNY HALL (6-8, 220 lbs., FR, #20, 21.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, Redan HS/Stone Mountain, Ga.). The Tennessee staff has been trying to mine nearby and talent-rich Georgia ever since Pearl took over the program. There have been some well-publicized near misses (J.J. Hickson, Chris Singleton), but Hall was a big prize that didn't get away. He was rated by Scout.com as the No. 9 power forward and No. 29 overall prospect. Like Scout, Rivals evaluated Hall as a four-star player and rated him among its top 75 seniors in the nation. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution placed Hall on its Class 5A All-State first team.

"Kenny's got a great upside," Pearl said. "He's a tough kid and a competitor. He gives us good versatility on the front line because he can play the four and five. He's got real quick post moves, and defenders have a hard time keeping him in front. He blocks shots, and he can also shoot it."

Hall will almost certainly fit into Pearl's post rotation, especially after redshirt freshman Phillip Jurick left the program.

F-EMMANUEL NEGEDU (6-7, 218 lbs., SO, #5, 1.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 7.2 mpg, .472 FG, .333 3PT, .800 FT, Brewster Academy/Wolfeboro, N.H.). This cat is a big-time athlete, and we've got numbers to prove it. Try his 40-inch vertical leap on for size. Or how about his 3.02 three-quarter-court sprint time? The NBA uses that measuring stick at its combine, and Negedu's time would rank him among the top 10 of all players ever tested. That's impressive.

Negedu's mad hops and sprinter's speed didn't net him a ton of PT his first season. But that is likely to change. The native Nigerian has got brains (he speaks four languages and understands a fifth) and skills (check out his free-throw percentage) to go along with his athletic ability. As he matures and learns the game, he'll be hard to keep out of the lineup.

Negedu gave Vol coaches little glimpses of his talent last season, such as when he logged a season-high 20 minutes against Georgetown and contributed five points, six rebounds, a block and a steal. "Without Emmanuel, we don't beat Georgetown," Pearl said after the game.

Negedu scored 11 points against LSU, and in the season finale against Oklahoma State in the NCAA Tournament, he accounted for six points and three rebounds in just six minutes.

"He'll get on the floor," Pearl said. "Emmanuel plays with so much energy, and he makes things happen. He's still undersized at either the four or the five, but he plays so hard. As a coach, you have to love that."

G/F-CAMERON TATUM (6-6, 197 lbs., SO, #23, 7.6 ppg, 2.2 ppg, 0.8 apg, 1.2 tpg, 18.4 mpg, .419 FG, .321 3PT, .604 FT, Tucker HS/Tucker, Ga./Patterson Prep/Lenoir, N.C.). Tatum's second chance at a freshman season -- he redshirted after playing in just seven games in 2007-08 -- was marked by inconsistency. His jumper would take the occasional leave of absence, which could be attributable to a lot of things, notably sore knees, indecisive shot selection and the lack of a drive-and-dish point guard who could get him open looks.

But boy, when Tatum was feeling it, when he just jumped straight up and shot the ball, he put together some three-point shooting that reminded Tennessee fans of Chris Lofton. The first explosion came in his very first game. Tatum scored 19 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting against Chattanooga. Four games later he lit up Georgetown, knocking down 5-of-6 threes en route to 17 points in just 16 minutes.

Tatum was on fire again in a home game against Gonzaga. He cranked up 10 three-pointers and made five of them, ending up with 22 points. Alas, Tatum followed that performance with a 1-for-10 effort from behind the three-point line in his next game. After that, his confidence seemed to slip a bit.

Pearl is trying to prevent that from happening this year.

"I don't think I'm going to have him compete with Scotty Hopson at the two," Pearl said. "I'm going to give him a good strong look at the three spot. There aren't enough minutes at the two for both of them."

Pearl thinks Tatum could become a consistent double-figure scorer if he'll shore up a few weaknesses.

"He's got to improve his ability to catch and shoot," Pearl said. "And he's got to take the ball to the basket more. But he's going to be fine because he works so hard.

"He wasn't healthy last year, and his legs and core weren't strong. He couldn't finish plays. This year if he's healthy, I think you'll see the real Cameron Tatum."

C-BRIAN WILLIAMS (6-10, 278 lbs., JR, #33, 5.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 16.4 mpg, .538 FG, .300 3PT, .509 FT, Christopher Columbus HS/Bronx, N.Y./Harmony Community School/Cincinnati, Ohio). The big man who learned the nuances of basketball by playing video games has made impressive improvement in his first two seasons at Tennessee, but Pearl thinks he's capable of even more.

"It all depends on what your expectations are," Pearl said. "People back in New York look at Brian and see how far he's come since high school. But to me, I think I've got a lot more confidence in Brian than Brian does in himself, and I expect a lot from him."

Williams had his moments last year, but they were few and far between. He scored a career-high 21 points (and grabbed 12 boards) in just 18 minutes again Tennessee-Martin in the second game of the season, but it took him 21 games to reach double figures again, and that was the last time he did so all year. In a six-game stretch starting with a career-high 15-rebound game against Gonzaga, Williams averaged eight boards. In three subsequent games he accounted for just four rebounds.

Pearl has a theory why Williams was inconsistent.

"He struggled at the free-throw line," Pearl said. "When bigs don't shoot well from the foul line, it affects their post game. They don't want to get fouled for fear they'll miss their free throws."

Pearl would like Williams to improve his strength and gain some more lift and explosiveness. If he does that and improves his eye at the free-throw line, Williams could become a real load.

G-JOSH TABB (6-4, 195 lbs., SR, #25, 3.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.0 tpg, 17.2 mpg, .506 FG, .424 3PT, .464 FT, Carbondale HS/Carbondale, Ill./Harmony Community School/Cincinnati, Ohio). Tabb has been the epitome of the good soldier in his time at Tennessee. He's never griped or moaned about playing time, always expends maximum energy, and does what he's told, even if his roles have involved the more blue-collar aspects of the game.

Tabb's primary job description had been defensive stopper. But last season after freshman Daniel West was forced to sit out the year with eligibility issues, Tabb had to fill in at point guard, even earning 11 starts. Typically, he did so without flash or sizzle, but with a high degree of efficiency. His 1.70 assist-to-turnover ratio was solid and indicative of a guy who has typically played within himself.

What wasn't unexpected was Tabb becoming a three-point gunner. The man who had shot .293 from behind the arc his first two seasons (17-of-58), shot .424 (14-of-33) as a junior, including .571 (8-of-14) in SEC games. His late three-pointer in a win over Marquette was a deal-sealer, and his two threes in a victory at Florida were as huge as they were surprising to the Gators.

That newfound marksmanship may help Tabb earn some work this season. The point figures to be handled by Bobby Maze and Melvin Goins, and there are similar logjams at the two and three. Somehow, Tabb will find a way to fit in.

"Players need to carve their own roles," Pearl said. "And Josh, every year he's been here, he's played a role on this team. At this level, not a lot of guys can say that. He's a good defender and a physically tough kid who does what he needs to do to help us."

F-RENALDO WOOLRIDGE (6-8, 208 lbs., SO, #0, 2.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 8.8 mpg, .311 FG, .275 3PT, .529 FT, Harvard-Westlake HS/North Hollywood, Calif.). Woolridge, the son of former Notre Dame star and NBA stalwart Orlando Woolridge, got lost in the shuffle last season. Though he had some moments -- including a 14-point, six-rebound effort against Siena during which he made 3-of-6 three-pointers -- Woolridge mostly sat and watched during SEC play, that after starting six non-conference games.

Part of the reason for Woolridge's inactivity was J.P. Prince's return to good health. And factor was that Woolridge seemed a bit unsure of his role and often reverted to shooting three-pointers when his physical tools would have allowed him to do damage going to the rim or collecting garbage baskets.

Like last season, Woolridge faces considerable competition for playing time. That could mean a redshirt year. Pearl would hate for Woolridge to waste another season averaging around nine minutes a game, because he sees big things for him in the future.

"When he gets to the point in our program where he's a go-to guy, he'll be effective," Pearl said. "He's a physical specimen. He's big and strong, and he's got skills and some smooth moves. I really like his future."

G-SKYLAR MCBEE (6-3, 190 lbs., FR, #13, 24.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 4.3 apg, 3.6 spg, .394 3PT, .825 FT, Grainer HS/Rutledge, Tenn.). Blue Ribbon doesn't usually list walk-ons, but McBee is no ordinary walk-on, and in fact should be on scholarship next season. He could have taken a full ride at several schools, notably Marshall and Santa Clara, but he chose to stay close to home and play for his beloved Vols.

Without a scholarship to offer, Tennessee coaches had to hope McBee's loyalty to the state school would lead him to Knoxville. Recent precedent would suggest it's dangerous to bypass a sweet-shooting guard who played high school ball within an outlet pass of Tennessee's campus and bleeds orange -- like, say, Lee Humphrey, who helped lead Florida to a pair of national championships and holds the NCAA Tournament record for career three-pointers (47).

"He's very similar to Lee Humphrey, that's a good analogy," Pearl said. "Like Lee, he can make shots, but he's also an underrated defender who can move his feet and stay in front of people."

McBee can also play the point in a pinch, but it's his ability to bomb away from past the three-point arc that led Tennessee coaches to his doorstep.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

BACKCOURT: A
BENCH/DEPTH: A
FRONTCOURT: A
INTANGIBLES: A

Once Tyler Smith pulled his name from the NBA draft pool, college hoops pundits who had assumed he was history began reassessing this team. And the consensus is Pearl might have something special on his hands.

The Vols will battle with Kentucky for the SEC's Eastern Division and overall championship. And regardless of whether they win the division, they'll probably claim a favorable NCAA Tournament seeding and have a chance to make their deepest run yet in Pearl's tenure.

The Vols have twice advanced to the Sweet 16 under Pearl. This year they have Elite Eight potential, and once they get that far, anything can happen.

For the most comprehensive previews available on all 334 Division I teams, order the "Bible" of college basketball, the 2009-10 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, at Blue Ribbon Yearbook - BLUE RIBBON YEARBOOK ONLINE or call 1-877-807-4857.