Tennessee started its suspension-riddled part of the season with an 88-71 win against Charlotte.
The Volunteers played the 49ers, who notched a big win at Louisville earlier in the season, without Tyler Smith, Cameron Tatum, Brian Williams and Melvin Goins, who are suspended indefinitely after they were arrested Jan. 1 on gun and drug charges. They account for more than a third of the team’s scoring and rebounding.
In their absence, Wayne Chism led the way with 18 points. The determined Volunteers overcame an early first-half deficit with a 14-0 run that put them up for good. Another 14-0 run later in the first half iced the game, despite a 21-2 run by Charlotte in the second half.
Although Charlotte isn’t an SEC heavyweight, the 49ers are a tough team. With so many key players missing, Tennessee is essentially starting from scratch in building an NCAA Tournament résumé. The selection committee will want to see how the Volunteers perform without key players like Smith, Tatum and Williams. Tennessee entered the season as one of the favorites to contend with Kentucky for the SEC title.
The incident is the second newsworthy legal malfeasance at Tennessee in recent months. Three football players were arrested and charged with attempted armed robbery. In response to the latest troubles, university athletic director Mike Hamilton wants to impose harsh punishments, according to an Associated Press report.
“I think it’s a really good time to do a gut check with our student-athletes and our coaches and our staff to make sure we’re doing everything possible,” Hamilton said.
