Vols Outdone by Division II Greyhounds
As if the Tennessee Volunteers' Men's Basketball program needed more negative attention, the Bruce Pearl's Vols fell to Division II Indianapolis Greyhounds in an exhibition Monday night. The team struggled against the Greyhounds full-court pressure defense, the same one that Pearl administers in practice everyday as a part of his own strategy, but apparently his team was not ready for it. Tennessee turned the ball over 25 times, shot just 14-of-27 from the foul line and was a woeful 7-for-29 from 3-point range en route to a 79-64 loss.
The defeat also created questions for a young and inexperienced Tennessee team that lost three senior starters from last season's squad- Wayne Chism, J.P. Prince and Bobby Maze. Can Scotty Hopson perform on a consistent basis, leading the team with his perimeter shooting? He fouled out with six minutes remaining with just nine points. How well will freshman Tobias Harris fill in for Wayne Chism? Talent-wise, Harris has the potential to be better. He finished the exhibition with a double-double, but can he fulfill the leadership that Chism brought?
There are still more questions to be answered for Bruce Pearl and the Tennessee program that can only be answered when Chattanooga comes into Knoxville on Friday night in the season opener.
By President Corey Ruff - 11-10-10
