25South Carolina 56 - 89 5Tennessee
Final
  for this game

Tennessee aims to send senior trio out on high note

Mar 9, 2008 - 1:33 PM South Carolina (13-16) at No. 4 Tennessee (27-3) 2:00 pm EDT

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - After clinching its first Southeastern Conference title for the first time in over 40 years, Tennessee is merely thinking about doing what it can to secure a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The fourth-ranked Volunteers host South Carolina in the SEC regular-season finale for both teams on Sunday.

Tennessee (27-3, 13-2 SEC East) clinched its first outright conference season title since 1967 with an 89-86 win over Florida on Wednesday. JaJuan Smith scored 23 points and Chris Lofton added 21 more.

Sunday will mark the final home game for Lofton, Smith and Jordan Howell - a trio of seniors that have combined for 34.7 points per game this season for Tennessee and helped reverse the fortunes of a program that languished through a 14-17 season in 2004-2005 - the season before coach Bruce Pearl joined the team.

South Carolina (13-16, 5-10) hopes to avenge an 80-56 rout at the hands of the Volunteers on January 12.

The Gamecocks lost for the fourth time in five games, dropping a 71-63 decision to Kentucky on Wednesday. Junior guard Zam Fredrick scored 19 points in the setback.

Sunday's game will also mark the final regular-season game for retiring South Carolina coach Dave Odom.






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