Vols rout UNCA

KNOXVILLE -- The UNC-Asheville men's basketball team was picked second in the Big South Conference preseason poll, and the Bulldogs competed well against Charlotte despite the absence of their best big man.

Perhaps that adds context to UNC Asheville's 124-49 loss at 10th-ranked Tennessee on Tuesday night in Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Volunteers topped their typical flair to get Bruce Pearl his 100th win as UT coach, setting program records in points and assists (34). UT tied the program record with 16 3-pointers, but UNCA's game-ending 8-0 run kept the Vols from breaking the program's margin-of-victory mark.

"At the beginning of the game, we did not do a darn thing," UNCA coach Eddie Biedenbach said. "I am embarrassed for UNCA-Asheville for Tennessee folks, because we want to come in here and make them learn, make them be a better basketball team. All we did tonight was give them some exercise.

"That is not UNC-Asheville. I am really disappointed in all of us. I never saw anything like that in (youth) basketball, grade school, high school. That is not the way you are supposed to play."

UT had leads of 23-1, 49-6 and 63-10 before slightly gearing down to a 66-14 halftime advantage.

Senior wing J.P. Prince put UT up 98-31 by slamming a lobbed pass off the backboard from senior point guard Bobby Maze, who added a 3-pointer moments later to push the Vols over the century mark with 8:22 left.

UNCA made its final four shots from the field but still finished only 16-for-67.

The Vols, meanwhile, started the game 30-for-43 -- 11-for-15 from behind the arc. The Bulldogs were 5-for-35 at that point, and it took them nearly 17 minutes to make a field goal.

"It was like we couldn't miss," Maze said. "It was special."

Pearl and his players swore they were more pleased with the defense than anything else.

"We set some record offensively, and I'm sure that's all that's going to get discussed ... but really, it was all about our defense," Pearl said. "Our first-half defensive effort was as good as I've seen in a while.

"I think we're getting some understanding of how we're supposed to guard and help one another."

UT forced UNCA into 29 turnovers, 13 by steals. The Vols called off their full-court press when things got out of hand midway through the first half.

"What we're trying to get our identity to be is a being a hard-nosed defensive team that pressures you for 90 feet," sophomore guard Cameron Tatum said. "Once we get this defense down, we can be really special.

"I've been in similar games in high school, but in the college ranks, I've never been a part of any game like this. We just played great team defense today, and great offense."

Scotty Hopson stood out in an otherwise balanced night for the Vols. The guard continued a sizzling start to his sophomore season with 25 points on 8-for-11 shooting, and 6-for-7 from long range. He made his first six attempts before firing an airball in the second half.

"I feel great," Hopson said. "It's my second year, and I'm more confident. I feel a lot different. Getting that year of experience under my belt was great. Now, going into a game, I really know what to expect. I know when to make plays, and when to be aggressive, and when not to defer to other players.

"Honestly, I feel like a new guy out there."

Maze and backup point guard Melvin Goins combined for 25 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and one turnover on 11-for-19 shooting.

The Vols' schedule is about to get tougher at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam. UT will play East Carolina at 3:30 p.m. Friday but could face Purdue, Boston College, Saint Joseph's and mid-major menace Northern Iowa later in the weekend.