KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Indianapolis coach Stan Gouard took a note out of Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl’s own playbook to lead his Division II Greyhounds to an upset exhibition win over the 23rd-ranked Volunteers.
Gouard, who was part of Pearl’s 1995 Division II national championship team at Southern Indiana, had his players use Pearl’s trademark style of full-court pressure to force 25 turnovers en route to a 79-64 win over Tennessee on Monday night.
“He thought we did a great job of controlling the game,” Gouard said. “I owe a lot to him. I told him also that this was the toughest win I have ever had, because I could not get too excited. I felt like I was beating my dad. He is like a dad to me. I have tremendous respect for him.”
It’s not Tennessee’s first exhibition loss under Pearl – the Vols lost 103-98 to Pezinok BK while on a summer trip in Slovakia in 2007 – but it doesn’t do much to quell the questions about the coach, who is currently under NCAA investigation because of his staff’s recruiting practices.
Pearl acknowledged in September that he mislead investigators about photos taken of him and recruit Aaron Craft, when Pearl improperly hosted the prospect at his home in 2008. Tennessee also revealed he and his staff made excessive calls to recruits.