CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl has to enter the locker room happy that his team has responded to every Xavier run with a big shot to keep the lead. Those big shots include two in the final minute of the half. The first one was luck as 6-foot-9 forward Wayne Chism banked in a three-pointer to break a tie that Xavier's Stanley Burrell had just forced with a three on the Muskies' previous possession.

Then, after an acrobatic tip-in by Xavier's Adrion Graves, Tennessee forward Ryan Childress, playing in the town where he starred at Moeller High School, grabbed a loose ball and layed in a runner from the left side in the closing seconds of the half to give Tennessee a 39-36 halftime lead. You've got to figure the second half will contain more of the same.

Tennessee must continue hitting shots to hang on and win this game, but the Vols have to feel pretty good to have a lead on the road against a Top 25-caliber team while only getting six first-half points from preseason All-American Chris Lofton. If Lofton can locate his shooting touch in the second half, the Vols might be able to pull away.

Similarly for the Muskies, star guard Stanley Burrell offered little in the opening half, scoring only six points of his own and committing three turnovers. Burrell has struggled in big games throughout his career at Xavier, and if Sean Miller and company are going to pull the upset, Burrell must get himself on track.

Xavier also must get something out of forward Josh Duncan, who was 0-for-6 shooting (0-for-4 on three-pointers) and did not score in 16 minutes of play in the half. If Duncan and Burrell combine for only six points again in the second half, Xavier won't win this game. Just as Pearl probably feels good to be up three with little production from Lofton, Xavier coach Sean Miller is likely not disappointed to be down three while getting so few points out of two of his key players.