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March 3 , 2007, 4:00 EST
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21-9 (9-6)
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17-11 (8-7)
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Last regular season game, y'all, and the Vols are hoping to avoid a let-down. They're saying all of the right things, that they've put the huge emotional win over Florida behind them and that they're going to handle success and focus only on today's opponent, which is . . . wait, checking, checking . . . oh, yes, the Georgia Bulldogs.
The Vols have won six of their last seven games, five of which have come over opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 (No. 5 Florida, No. 20 Kentucky, No. 23 Vanderbilt, and No. 25 Alabama), and with 21 wins, they are a lock for the NCAA Tournament. (Side note, if you need any evidence that rankings in college basketball are meaningless, look no further than the fact that Tennessee is still not in the Top 25.)
Add to that the fact that today's game will do little to affect the Vols' seeding in the SEC Tournament (because Vandy has already claimed the No. 2 spot and the bye that goes along with it) and you have the makings of a let-down.
And so the challenge today will be to teach the young team to handle success and to play hard and well even when there's not a whole lot at stake.
Leave your pre-, in-, and post-game thoughts below.
Go Vols! Hulk Smash!