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Tennessee hoping SEC opener helps stop slide

Jan 10, 2009 - 11:32 AM No. 25 Tennessee (9-4) at Georgia (9-6), 12:00 p.m. EST

ATHENS, Georgia (Ticker) -- Losers of two straight, Tennessee is one setback away from matching its loss total from all of last season.

The 25th-ranked Volunteers hope to get back on track when they visit Georgia in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams on Saturday.

The SEC East champions two of the past three seasons, Tennessee is coming off back-to-back losses to Kansas and Gonzaga - its third and fourth losses of the campaign. The Volunteers had 29 wins before suffering their fourth defeat last season.

Freshman Cameron Tatum scored a season-high 22 points but the Volunteers blew a 12-point second-half lead as they fell to Gonzaga, 89-79, in overtime on Wednesday.

Tyler Smith added 17 points in the loss and leads the team at 17.2 per contest.

Georgia went just 4-12 in the SEC last season but won four straight tournament games to make the NCAAs despite a 17-16 record overall.

The Bulldogs are not expected to contend this season and are coming off consecutive defeats to Missouri and Georgia Tech.

Freshman Howard Thompkins scored 20 points as Georgia was defeated, 67-62, at Georgia Tech on Tuesday. Thompkins is averaging 14.4 per game to lead the Bulldogs.