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SEC Recap: Tennessee vs. Alabama

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By IRA KAUFMAN

ikaufman@tampatrib.com

Published: March 14, 2009

Updated: 03/14/2009 12:44 am

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Every player Coach Bruce Pearl called upon performed well for the Vols, but it was Tyler Smith who predictably set the tone in Friday night's rout of Alabama.

The 6-foot-7 junior forward led all scorers with 22 points, sinking eight of his 17 FG attempts and making all five foul shots to pace a balanced attack.

Smith was a unanimous all-SEC selection as Tennessee went 19-11 during the regular season and he kept going hard to the basket all evening against the overmatched Tide, who yielded 60 points in the paint.

"They had Tyler Smith in the middle and a couple of guys running the baseline and that made things tough," Alabama freshman JaMychal Green said.

Smith also scored five points early in the second half as the Vols opened with a 17-0 blitz for a 60-32 lead.

When Smith ran along the right baseline and slammed down an alley-oop pass from Cameron Tatum with 5:10 remaining, Tennessee fans roared in delight.

Alabama's most lopsided loss of the season came only five days after the Tide registered a 70-67 upset at Knoxville.

"It's human nature to say they beat us at home and ruined our Senior Night," Smith said. "Tonight, we came out ready."

UNSUNG HERO

Tennessee's J.P. Prince is a cousin of Tayshaun Prince and he showcased the versatile skills of the Detroit Pistons' forward in 30 dynamic minutes against the Tide.

When he wasn't playing suffocating defense against Alabama's top scorer, Alonzo Gee, Prince found time to score 14 points, leading the Vols with 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals.

It was Prince who triggered the early onslaught with a dunk 19 seconds into the game and he continually frustrated Gee, who burned Vanderbilt for 25 points Thursday.

"Prince was very aggressive tonight and he did a lot of things to help his team win," said Gee, who shot 4-for-11 from the field en route to 12 points.

TURNING POINT

One night after bolting to a 10-2 advantage against Vanderbilt, Alabama fell behind 9-2 three minutes into the game and never recovered.

Tennessee kept pushing the ball, finishing with a 20-2 advantage in fast-break points, and the Vols established a 10-point lead within the first seven minutes.

"It was important that we score in transition in this game," Pearl said. "The way you do that is to rebound and play defense. We also played unselfishly with 20 assists. I like the basketball we put on the floor."

DIGITS

4: Assists by Alabama.

4-for-24: Tennessee's shooting from 3-point range.

19-1: Tennessee's record when outshooting the opposition from the floor.

Ira Kaufman

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