University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Face Stiff Test From Ole Miss
January 08, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Despite being undefeated, Mississippi is still struggling to get national respect.
A victory over No. 8 Tennessee in Knoxville for the first time in nine tries could give the No. 16 Rebels some legitimacy.
Mississippi (13-0) goes into Wednesday's SEC opener as one of six remaining undefeated teams. Four of those teams -- North Carolina, Memphis, Kansas and Washington State -- take up the top four spots in the AP poll while conference rival Vanderbilt is ranked 13th.
The Rebels broke into the top 25 for the first time this season following an 85-82 win over then-No. 15 Clemson on Dec. 22. Since then, Mississippi has beaten Southern Mississippi 78-58 and Alabama A&M 86-50.
"I do think we're focused," coach Andy Kennedy said of the team's record. "I know we're going to be excited. Whether we'll be able to get the job done remains to be seen."
Looking for a high-profile road win to further their best start in school history, the Rebels visit Knoxville, where they have lost eight straight since a 93-88 victory Feb. 27, 1991. The Rebels, who average 86.2 points, defeated the Volunteers 83-69 at home last season.
Ole Miss players should be well-rested for this contest as no starter played more than 25 minutes last Wednesday against the Bulldogs.
David Huertas matched a career-high with 17 points and leading scorer Chris Warren added 15. The Rebels took a 46-19 halftime lead at the half and broke the school record for consecutive wins, set in 1926.
"This could have been a game where our guys may have let their guard down," Kennedy said. "They have had a business-like approach ... Tonight was an opportunity to gain experience in several areas for our new guys and I thought our kids responded well."
The Volunteers (12-1) have won seven straight since a 97-78 loss to then-No. 15 Texas on Nov. 24, closing out their non-conference schedule with an 82-72 win over Gonzaga on Dec. 29 to extend their best start since the 2000-01 team began 16-1.
Tennessee had six players score in double figures, led by 18 from JaJuan Smith. Tyler Smith added 11 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
The Volunteers scored 28 points off 18 Gonzaga turnovers and they held the Bulldogs to 39.3 percent shooting for the game.
"Our best defensive effort," JaJuan Smith said. "We were told to press them really hard, to try to see if they could handle our pressure."
The Volunteers are the fourth highest-scoring team in the nation at 87.4 points per game. They were 10-of-29 from 3-point range against Gonzaga, with JaJuan Smith connecting on four and Chris Lofton hitting three.
Tennessee's only game against a ranked opponent was the loss to the Longhorns, but coach Bruce Pearl considered his non-conference schedule a good primer for the SEC season. The Volunteers have played seven home games -- second-fewest in the SEC -- including just one in December.
"I think we are prepared for the SEC," Pearl said. "We faced a challenging non-conference schedule. At the same time, I think the league is as balanced as it has ever been."
The Volunteers went 8-0 in home SEC games last season, including four straight wins over top 25 teams. Tennessee, which leads the all-time series 64-37, is 36-10 all-time at Knoxville versus Mississippi.
