Lofton rests a sore leg

KNOXVILLE — If Tennessee had played a men’s basketball game Tuesday, coach Bruce Pearl said Chris Lofton would have been in the lineup.

But there was no game — only practice — and the Volunteers’ All-America guard sat on the side to rest his unspecified lower-left-leg injury.

Pearl and several of Lofton’s teammates said they expected the senior to start and play in Thursday night’s Sweet 16 game against Louisville in Charlotte.

Lofton was not made available to the media Tuesday because he didn’t practice, according to UT sports information officials — and he basically didn’t practice, leaving the bench only to shoot free throws. His limp was noticeable, but it wasn’t severe.

Pearl said Tuesday “was just an opportunity to give Chris another day’s rest from a precautionary standpoint.

“The ankle, the heel, the Achilles’, it’s all pretty sore,” Pearl said. “Again, we absolutely anticipate him playing. He’s in the boot just to take as much pressure off it as possible.

“If we had a game today, he’d play, and I would anticipate he will practice tomorrow. I think he’ll be fine.”

Sophomore Josh Tabb got more work with the primary rotation Tuesday, and senior JaJuan Smith — normally a starter at the 3 position — got some practice time at Lofton’s off-guard spot.

“If he comes out and busts for 30, then obviously it was a benefit for him and a stroke of genius by his coach,” Pearl joked. “You just go with it. Some of the other guys got more repetitions.”

Tabb said he was preparing as if Lofton would play.

“I really haven’t thought about it, to be honest with you,” Tabb said. “If Chris can’t go, I’ll try to fill his spot, but I think he’s all right. I think they’re just trying to prevent further injury.

“Unless you’ve got a torn ACL or something major like that, you’re playing. I mean, come on — this is the Sweet 16.”

Vols sophomore forward Duke Crews said he wasn’t concerned about Lofton missing full-speed work Tuesday, adding that Lofton “probably knows our plays by now with his eyes closed.

“Chris is going to be Chris,” Crews continued. “Chris is going to do his thing. It’s the Sweet 16, and he’s from Kentucky, so you’ve got the Louisville thing, too. If it’s the middle of the SEC season, you fight through it. Right now, we just want him as healthy as possible.

“It’s just a little nagging injury. It’s nothing.”

Point guard update

Pearl said he wasn’t sure whether sophomore J.P. Prince or sophomore Ramar Smith would start at point guard Thursday, but he said that duo was still his main rotation.

“I thought they both practiced well today,” Pearl said. “With the exception of how we ended (Sunday’s) game in the last minute, the last couple of possessions, I thought J.P. played really well.”

Pearl said Prince played point guard for nearly the first month of preseason practice while senior Jordan Howell was injured.

“We liked what we saw then enough to think that he might be able to play some at the position (as a junior),” Pearl said. “But when Jordan came back, he and Ramar were a good combination for us.”

Pearl acknowledged that Prince has some difficulties with certain half-court sets “because it’s like only the first or second time he’s run it, and now run it in the NCAA tournament in a tied game.

“It’s just a little bit different with no experience,” Pearl said with a smile.

Pearl said he would “most likely” use Ramar Smith in a close, late-game situation. Ramar played the entire overtime period after Prince’s two turnovers in the final 45 seconds of regulation.