Tonight, the basketball Vols seek to both avoid the first three-game losing streak of J.P. Prince's UT career and exact a little revenge on the Georgia Bulldog team that surprisingly broke a seven-game winning streak on January 23. Pearl's busy pushing buttons, pulling levers, and providing motivation for the team:
This team didn't beat us, they dominated us. They scored like 10 points in the first 3 1/2 minutes, they were on pace to score about 160. They shot 65 percent in the first half, and they were out-rebounding us 28-15 at one point.
Pearl's also plastered (what's with the "Ps" today?) the number "15" all over the locker ("preparation?") room to remind the team that the Bulldogs had 15 dunks the last time we played them.
Pearl's also expected to put point guards Bobby Maze and Melvin Goins on the floor at the same time at some point this evening. One thing's for sure, the Maze and Goins Show isn't lacking for confidence despite the concept still being in the incubation stage. We'll see.
We'll also probably see more of big man Brian Williams, who's still trying to find that "game shape" thing. All in all, I expect the hungry and prepared Vols to really lay it on Georgia this time. Again, we'll see.
Other Talking Points for 2/17/10:
- Hey. An ambidextrous 6'4" point guard with vision and who's a "smooth ball-handler who penetrates defenses effortlessly?" Yeah, sign that guy up.
- SI.com has re-ranked the 2007 recruiting classes based on how they panned out. Tennessee's No. 3 class in the nation, which included Eric Berry and Gerald Jones, is nowhere to be found. Florida and Texas? Well, panned-out did they.
- VolQuest's Brent Hubbs has an excellent point about Dooley's challenge in the trust department (the program has had 37 different coaches since the start of the 2007 season). Last year, Lane Kiffin had the benefit of early buy in from Montario Hardesty and Eric Berry. Who are those guys this year? Any ideas?
- Former Vols Peyton Manning (co-owner) and Will Bartholomew (President and CEO) are opening another D-1 training facility, this one in Knoxville. You may recall that this is the place where Spencer Hall was caught on video puking into a garbage can.