Top-ranked Tennessee looks to continue one of the best starts in school history when it hosts Middle Tennessee on Monday night in nonconference play at Knoxville, Tenn. The Volunteers (11-0) can move into a tie for the second-best start with a victory over the Blue Raiders. The 14-0 opening stretch in the 1922-23 season is the school's top beginning to a season.
Tennessee concludes nonconference play against Norfolk State on Dec. 31 and the only test it has received thus far came in a 66-64 road win at Illinois on Dec. 14.
The Volunteers have won seven games by more than 20 points, topped by last Tuesday's 84-36 rout of visiting Western Carolina. Tennessee's scoring margin of 25.2 is second best in the country.
The Volunteers also rank second in scoring defense (55.9 points per game) and lead the nation in field-goal percentage defense (33.9).
Tennessee blanketed Western Carolina in the first half to 15 points on 13.5-percent shooting in the first half. The Catamounts didn't have a single two-point basket in the half.
Overall, Western Carolina shot 21.9 percent from the field and 15.4 percent (6 of 39) from 3-point range.
"I don't know if I've coached in a game where I don't think they scored a two-point bucket in the first half," said Volunteers coach Rick Barnes, who is in his 38th campaign as a head coach. "But they were just coming in shooting it. .
.. Obviously, our talent was a major factor in the game.
" North Florida transfer Chaz Lanier continues to be a scoring force .
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