Over the last three years under coach Bruce Pearl, Tennessee has won 36 SEC games and two Eastern Division titles, captured the school's first overall league championship since 1982, won five of six games over Florida, including three of four over the Gators' back-to-back national champions and split six games against arch-rival Kentucky.

Just last season, the Volunteers won a school-record 31 games and rose to No. 1 in the polls for the first time in school history.

And the scary thing for their opponents is that they just may be getting warmed up.

The upcoming Vols squad is missing its top two scorers (Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith) from last season but probably is more talented all-around than last season's team.

"I think our depth and athleticism will be key," Pearl said in evaluating his team's prospects. "We will have a different kind of length than we have had in the past, and that should translate well to defense and rebounding.

"I think the high end of this team could be as high as it was last year. However, the inexperience and the strength of our schedule will make it very difficult to be consistent."

You start with Tyler Smith, a 6-7 forward who will be a Player of the Year candidate in the SEC. He averaged slightly less than 14 points and seven rebounds a game last season and has the kind of athleticism that fits in well with Pearl's up-tempo approach.

Wayne Chism, a muscular 6-9 forward, and 6-10 Brian Williams have the ability to dominate in the low post. Chism is a returning starter who just missed averaging in double figures.

The flaw for the Vols last season was at point guard. Pearl actually looked to 6-7 J.P. Prince to start there in the NCAA tournament. That won't be necessary this season. Junior-college transfer Bobby Maze, who spent his freshman year at Oklahoma, looks to step right in. Prince can concentrate on running the floor and scoring.

Despite some struggles last year, Lofton's 3-point shooting will be missed, but incoming freshman Scotty Hopson is one of the top recruits in the country and has the potential to fill that void. Like Lofton, he's also a Kentucky high school product.

The Vols have depth on the wing with the likes of Cameron Tatum, a redshirt freshman who is another 3-point threat, and Josh Tabb, who is considered their top defender.

If there have been any complaints during Pearl's tenure, it has been the Vols' failures in tournament play. The Vols have won only one game in the SEC tournament in three years and haven't made it past the regional semifinals in the NCAA. That's something this club could remedy.

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