From the Associated Press via ESPN.com.

I’ve already ordered a t-shirt.

Team manager starts ‘Outlive’ program

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Former Tennessee guard Chris Lofton quietly went through cancer treatments during his senior season last year, while forward Tyler Smith’s father died from complications of lung cancer.

Brooks Savage saw how cancer affected his teammates and wanted to do something about it.

So the Vols’ graduate manager came up with the business plan for Tennessee’s “Outlive” program, a drive to raise money to support cancer programs and screenings, and showed it to Tennessee director of basketball operations Ken Johnson.

Now with help from coach Bruce Pearl, the school is selling Outlive T-shirts for $15 each at Knoxville-area sporting goods stores and at UTsports.com to raise money for cancer prevention programs at the University of Tennessee Medical Center Cancer Institute.

More than $10 from each sale will go toward the programs and screenings.

“I just kind of came up with this idea after being inspired by those stories,” Savage said, “and just felt this was a good way for the people in our program and our community to make a difference.”

Pearl is hoping fans who come to the Florida game on Jan. 31 will wear the shirt, giving the Vols’ arena a whiteout effect during the nationally televised game.

“We want to encourage our Tennessee fans to really step up like they always have, and I think we can make a great statement on Jan. 31 to the nation and do an awful lot of good here at home with the awareness that this thing is going to create,” Pearl said.

Lofton’s testicular cancer was discovered during a routine drug test required by the NCAA and caught early enough that, with treatment, he made a full recovery.

In 2008, the American Cancer Society estimated that more than 1.4 million new cases of cancer would be diagnosed in the U.S. and 560,000 people would die.

“The way to most quickly and easily improve those statistics is by early screening and prevention, and that’s what this is about,” said Dr. Dan Green, a radiation oncologist at UT Medical Center.

Post from: EveryJoe

Vols Start Program To Outlive Cancer

– Boston College guard Tyrese Rice scored 24 on 7-9 shooting (5-5 from downtown) in a 6 point win over UAB.

– Wake Forest super sophomore James Johnson scored 18 on 8-13 shooting in a victory against UTEP. Star guard from UTEP, Stefon Jackson, scored 31 and pulled down 9 boards in the loss.

– Tennessee forward Tyler Smith shot 50% from the field and 90% from the line en route to a 21 point effort in a win over Georgetown.

– Syracuse shifty sophomore guard Jonny Flynn scored 15 to go along with 6 feeds in a 3 point in over Virginia.

– Pittsburgh big man DeJuan Blair notched his 4th double-double of the season with 15 and 11 in a 13 point beat down of Texas Tech. Forward Sam Young scored 24, but it he took 25 shots in doing so.

– Michigan State foward Raymar Morgan scored 29 points on 9-11 from the floor and 11-13 from the charity stripe in a 15 point victory over Oklahoma State.

– Oklahoma brute Blake Griffin did not have a compelling performance from the field (5-13) but he did have 21 rebounds and 3 blocks in an overtime win over Purdue. Although Blake’s brother Taylor was not a Wooden Preseason Top 50 player, he scored 19 on 8-11 shooting.

Mind-boggling STAT of the DAY

Oklahoma shot 46 free throws compared to only 5 for Purdue. Oklahoma connected on 4 three pointers compared to 12 three pointers for Purdue.

The difference…

Sooners had 7 more offensive rebounds and 7 more steals than the Boilermakers, plus 5 less turnovers.

Post from: EveryJoe

Friday’s solid performances

secsports.com

Tennessee was predicted to defend its 2008 Southeastern Conference men’s basketball championship in a voting by a select panel of both SEC and national media members. Each SEC school selected two media members that cover their team and six additional writers from across the nation were selected by the conference office to form the 30-member voting panel.

The Volunteers are coming off an appearance in the Sweet 16 of the 2008 NCAA Tournament and a school record 31 wins. They earned 23 first-place votes, topping Florida’s five votes and Kentucky’s two as the SEC Champion. Tennessee returns six letterwinners, including starters Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism.

Tennessee was the media’s favorite to win the East with 172 total points (23 first-place votes), ahead of second-place Florida’s 143 points (five first-place votes). Florida returns four starters, including seven of its top eight scorers, from last year’s 24-win team. Kentucky, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Georgia round out the top six.

In the West, Alabama’s 151 total points (11 first-place votes) were slightly ahead of LSU’s 147 points (11 first-place votes). Ole Miss received eight first place votes and were picked third with 136 points. Alabama returns a total of nine letterwinners from last year’s squad. LSU returns 10 lettermen and a total of five starters for new head coach Trent Johnson while Ole Miss brings back three starters from last year’s team that advanced to the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament. Mississippi State, Auburn and Arkansas round out the top six in the West.

Tennessee junior forward Tyler Smith was the choice of the media for SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year with 17 votes, followed by nine votes for Kentucky sophomore Patrick Patterson. South Carolina junior guard Devan Downey received two votes while LSU senior guard Marcus Thornton and Florida sophomore guard/forward Nick Calathes each garnered one vote.

Smith, Patterson, Downey and Calathes were joined on the All-SEC First Team by Vanderbilt sophomore center A.J. Ogilvy.

LSU’s Thornton led All-SEC Second Team honors and was joined by Mississippi State junior forward/center Jarvis Varnado, Alabama senior guard Ronald Steele, LSU junior forward Tasmin Mitchell, Ole Miss sophomore guard Chris Warren and Alabama senior guard Alonzo Gee.

Just imagine if Marresse Speights had returned to Florida.

Tennessee would then have some legit competition for the SEC crown.

Have fun sitting on the bench in Philly Marresse!

Post from: EveryJoe

SEC Preview