VOLS HOOPS
' TENNESSEE VS. LOUISIANA
' THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA, KNOXVILLE
' TONIGHT AT 7
' TV/RADIO: SEC NETWORK/102.3 FM
Tennessee (1-0)
Projected starters: Ht. Pts
G Jordan Bone 6-3 18.0
G Jordan Bowden 6-5 11.0
F Admiral Schofield 6-6 13.0
F Grant Williams 6-7 13.0
F Kyle Williams 6-11 16.0
Key reserves:
G Yves Pons 6-6 7.0
F John Fulkerson 6-9 6.0
Louisiana (1-0)
Projected starters: Ht.
G Marcus Stroman 6-2 8.0
G Cedric Russell 6-2 10.0
G Malik Marquetti 6-6 19.0
F Justin Miller 6-6 11.0
F JaKeenan Gant 6-8 19.0
Key reserves:
G Jeremy Hayes 6-3 16.0
F Jerekius Davis 6-6 14.0
Vols report
The sixth-ranked Volunteers scored 86 points in a 45-point defeat of Division II program Lenoir-Rhyne on Tuesday, but more impressive might have been the fact that the Bears were limited to 13 percent shooting from the field in the second half and 21 percent for the game. All five Tennessee starters reached double figures in points, and while they didn't shoot great, the Vols responded with 46 points in the paint and 22 points off 17 Lenoir-Rhyne turnovers.
Ragin' Cajuns report
Louisiana, which won 27 games and played in the National Invitation Tournament last season, opened this season by putting up 121 points in a 41-point defeat of the University of the Virgin Islands, an NAIA program. Six Ragin' Cajuns scored in double figures, led by Gant - a preseason All-Sun Belt selection - and Marquetti. Stroman, another preseason all-conference selection, added 10 assists to his points total Tuesday.
Key matchup
After a first half in which Lenoir-Rhyne made seven 3-pointers, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes challenged his team's defense. The Vols responded by forcing the Bears into misses on each of their 15 second-half attempts from beyond the arc. The Vols will be challenged again tonight by Louisiana, which hit 14 3-pointers in its opener, so finding a way to turn solid defense into efficient offense could be a point of emphasis against the Ragin' Cajuns.
- Gene Henley