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| INSIDE THE NUMBERS |
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2000-01 record: 15-16;
7-9 in SEC (4th/East)
Postseason: Nine. Last NCAA appearance was in 2001.
RETURNING LEADERS
Points: Slay 14.8
Rebs: Slay 6.5
Assists: Higgins 3.9
FG: Crump 59.4%
3pt: Higgins 36.0%
FT: Slay 75.7%
01-02 Stats:
Tennessee | SEC
KEY LOSSES
V. Yarbrough | 18.1 ppg
Marcus Haislip | 16. 7 ppg
Jenis Grindstaff | 6.3 ppg
PROJECTED STARTERS
G | C.J. Watson | Fresh
G | Jon Higgins | Senior
F | Brandon Crump | Soph
F | Derek Stribling | Soph
F | Ron Slay | Senior
Player to Watch
Ron Slay
Senior Forward
A healthy Slay key to the Vols' postseason aspirations.
DATE TO REMEMBER
The Gators-Vols rivalry isn't just for football. Five of the last six meetings have been decided by six points or less, with Tennessee naturally losing two hearbtreakers last year by a total of 10 points. Florida has won four straight in the series.
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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
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If it's true that the breaks eventually even out, the SEC's Heartbreak Kids are due for a few this year. Nobody endured more rotten luck last year than the Volunteers. Ten of their 16 losses came by a total of 30 points, including gut-busting buzzer jobs against Louisville, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Florida and Georgia. Injuries and academics kept the lineup in flux, with only four players appearing in all 31 games and only two starting them all. And there was the difficult task for first-year coach Buzz Peterson of exorcising the Jerry Green coaching from the leftover players. No wonder Peterson said, "The biggest thing that excites me is that this is the second year." Peterson begins Year Two with Mouth of the South Ron Slay in the leadership position. That's a scary premise on one level, but there's no doubting the demonstrative Slay's scoring and rebounding ability, or his enthusiasm. He's also back 100 percent -- and looking more toned -- after a season-ending knee injury suffered at midseason. Guards Jon Higgins and Thaydeus Holden played every game last year, but neither was a natural at point guard. Higgins wound up with a solid 2-to-1 assist/turnover ratio, but isn't much of a penetrator and seems a better weapon as a three-point-shooting off-guard (he canned 50 threes a year ago). The point position may fall to freshman C.J. Watson, a blue-chipper from Las Vegas. The development of Brandon Crump from freshman to sophomore will be a key. Crump's natural ability was obvious last year. This year he needs to blossom.
TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
We'll finally find out how good Ron Slay can be this year, since all the other Green-recruited hotshots are finally gone. With added strength and experience, Crump's game will jump forward. The entire operation will run more smoothly in Peterson's second year, and the team will play harder. Last but not least, we'll no longer have the painful experience of watching Vincent Yarbrough play defense.
TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
The Vols have a solid recruiting class, but are missing a break-down-the-defense wing player. The very concept of Slay being the foundation of the team is an eyebrow-lifter, given his penchant for getting caught up in woofing and wrestling instead of winning. The rest of the division will make upward mobility difficult.
BOTTOM LINE..............................
Tennessee has a chance to win more than it loses, but that's about the size of it. For a true surprise season to unfold, some young players will have to step up and at least one Eastern Division rival might have to take an unexpected step back. Peterson has this program moving the right direction, but don't look for gratification this year.
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