Hatvol has just posted his preseason basketball top 10 for the 2008-2009 season:

Last year, Wayne Chism and Ramar Smith both played a role in the final play of the Vols NCAA Tournament game against Ohio State. Chism was to set a screen at half court to free up Ramar for a drive to the basket.

I know, it’s football season but I thought the basketball team heading off to Europe was news worthy. Here are coach Pearl’s comments before heading out.

Recently the Tennessee and Iowa athletic departments sat down for a friendly game of go fish. We found this transcript highlighting the final minutes of the match:

On Tuesday, the Tennessee Athletic Department held the first annual VOLSCARS at the Knoxville Convention Center. The awards, modeled after the ESPYs, were to honor the individual and team accomplishments of both the women’s and men’s athletic departments.

I don’t know if I ever remember talking so much about Tennessee basketball in the month of April. It’s amazing to me, it really is.

Today’s basketball game against Vanderbilt was a big one.

At the risk of being sacrilegious, I would like to tell you a bit about our basketball team. Last season, before the UAB game I went to Thompson Boling Arena to watch our basketball team play a pick up game.