Vols win share of SEC East, Pearl talks of fashion
The No. 10 Vols won 76-72 at No. 12 Florida on Wednesday to take home a piece of the East crown for the first time since 1999-2000. Tennessee (20-4, 11-2) last reached 20 wins in 2000-01, Jerry Green’s final season.
The Vols have three regular-season games remaining: Arkansas on Saturday, Kentucky on March 1 and at Vanderbilt on March 4. A sweaty Pearl didn’t allow his team to celebrate beyond the locker room except for some smiles on the bus and plane ride home.
After wins over Texas and at Kentucky and displays of hustle that have defined Pearl’s first year, some may have thought the Vols couldn’t accomplish anything else. They would have been wrong.
“I think a lot of people thought that was it. We’ve done everything we could do, and I think that would be a fair assessment,” Pearl said after practice. “I saw more than I thought we had. It was nice to see it.”
And there’s still plenty to play for in the regular season, such as the overall SEC championship. The Vols could share it with LSU.
“Just like getting to the Final Four or getting in the NCAA tournament, you just don’t know when you’re going to get there again. Who knows when we’re going to get this close to an SEC championship?” Pearl said.
As the Vols continue to win, Pearl draws more and more national media attention. After the Florida game, he was hearing many comments about how he sweated through his suit during the game. His gray suit turned black in splotches of sweat.
“My wife normally packs my suits, and the next time we go to Florida or a place that’s pretty hot and humid we’ll wear a darker suit for sure,” Pearl said. “It doesn’t bother me at all. We’re working hard, and as long as we get out of there with a great win I don’t care how I looked.”
Junior Dane Bradshaw made the key play of the game. The Vols chose to go for the steal on Florida’s inbound play after a timeout, and Corey Brewer attempted to throw the ball around Tennessee’s Major Wingate, but it was tipped. Bradshaw came up with it and dribbled to the basket for a layup with 15 seconds left.
He said all the success is hard to handle with games still to play.
“It’s tough for it to sink in right now for everybody. We’re just enjoying how it is. We can’t reflect on it now, but at the same time we realize what we’re doing and what we’re capable of,” Bradshaw said.
One motivation for the Vols is seeding. They’ve already wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the East for the SEC tournament, which means they get a bye in the first round.
Pearl hopes Tennessee can secure at least a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament.
“We talk about seeding without a doubt because it’s the way you advance. It’s the best chance you have to advance. You have to get a good matchup,” he said.
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