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Tennessee looks for smoother win vs. UNC-Wilmington

Nov 14, 2006 - 3:23 PM UNC Wilmington (1-0) at No. 24 Tennessee (2-0) 9:00 pm EST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - Tennessee needs to play a more fundamental brand of basketball if it plans on playing at Madison Square Garden next week.

Coach Bruce Pearl hopes the 24th-ranked Volunteers can reduce turnovers, limit mistakes and stay out of foul trouble Tuesday when they meet North Carolina-Wilmington in the second round of the NIT Season Tip-Off.

After opening the season with Friday's win victory over Middle Tennessee, the Volunteers had trouble putting away Fordham before holding on for a 78-71 victory on Monday.

Chris Lofton made 9-of-16 shots to score 30 points for Tennessee, which committed 26 turnovers and 26 fouls. Three players finished with four fouls each and the Volunteers allowed the Rams to shot 59 percent (13-of-22) from the floor in the second half.

UNC-Wilmington posted its first victory in three tournament appearances by capturing its season opener with Monday's an 88-83 triumph over Belmont.

Vladimir Kuljanin scored a career-high 20 points, including 16 in the second half, and Montez Downey added 17 to enable Benny Moss to win his debut as Seahawks coach.

Tennessee won the only other meeting against UNC-Wilmington, an 85-57 triumph on December 21, 1985. The Seahawks have lost eight of 10 games against Southeastern Conference teams.