Martin not likely to change starting lineup

Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin doesn't make changes to his starting lineup very often. He doesn't use it simply as a motivational ploy, but it's ended up working out that way. After their 73-62 victory over Georgia, a game in which the team's second-leading scorer Trae Golden came off the bench for the first time all season, the Volunteers are now 3-0 in games where Martin has tinkered with his typically locked-in starting lineup. "I never really try to give a message," Martin said. "As a coach, you ask guys to work hard, and if it's not falling, you're not going to take the guy out unless somebody's playing really well at that position." The problem with Golden, who averages 11 points per game, was his "approach and intensity" and his defense, Martin said. Just because Golden thrived in his bench role Saturday against Georgia, it doesn't mean he'll be back in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against South Carolina. That's not how Martin operates. "I think Trae's case is really (about) approaching the game at a high level from a work ethic standpoint more than anything," Martin said. The decision to keep Golden in a bench role was made easier by the performance of Skylar McBee. The former walk-on scored 10 points in his first career start. "I thought Skylar did a good job of running the team early," Martin said. "We got the W." NOTES, QUOTES -Point guard Skylar McBee's first career start wasn't lost on him Saturday against Georgia. The former walk-on, who grew up a Tennessee fan, has been waiting for this moment for years. "It was a good feeling. It is an awesome thing to be from this area and get to (start)," McBee said. "I watched guys play when I was in middle school and high school. It is not really about who starts or who finishes. It is about going out there and having five guys play as a unit." McBee scored 10 points in 20 minutes of action. -Freshman power forward Jarnell Stokes has hit a bit of a wall as opposing defenses are finding a way to mitigate his strengths. In games against Kentucky and Georgia this past week, Stokes scored a combined nine points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin seems far from concerned. "I don't think it's lack of production by any means," Martin said. "We have to do a better job putting him positions and making him see things in practice. You're talking about four months behind. He's doing a great job. It's not going to happen overnight." -There's no other way to put it. SF Renaldo Woolridge's senior season has been as up and down as it gets. Woolridge hit five consecutive 3-pointers and led the Volunteers with 17 points in Tuesday's loss to Kentucky. On Saturday against Georgia, Woolridge saw the court for just three minutes, grabbed a rebound and didn't attempt a shot. In SEC play, Woolridge has averaged 3.7 points and 15.4 minutes per game. THIS WEEK'S GAMES vs. South Carolina, Feb. 8 KEY MATCHUPS: Perimeter defense always seems to be an issue for the Volunteers, so containing speedy South Carolina PG Bruce Ellington will be a top priority. Ellington missed the first few games of the year because it interfered with his football schedule, but he has picked up right where he left off. He's second on the team with an average of 9.9 points per game. at Florida, Feb. 11 KEY MATCHUPS: The Gators will be looking for revenge after their embarrassing, SEC-opening loss to Tennessee on the road. The Volunteers simply can't expect perimeter players Bradley Beal, Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker to go a combined 11-of-32 from the field like they did in Tennessee's 67-56 upset. The Volunteers will have to make up for it with their inside game. FUTURES MARKET The Volunteers haven't gotten much from junior-college transfer Dwight Miller, who began his college career at Pittsburgh, spent a season at Midland (Texas) College and was ranked by one scouting service as the No. 10 junior-college player in the country. The Bahamas native has scored just two points and has gone without playing a single minute in four games since the beginning of SEC play. PLAYER NOTES -It's taken longer than expected, but SF Cameron Tatum is closing in on 1,000 career points. After two consecutive games in which he went without a single point, Tatum scored six against Georgia on Saturday. He now sits at 994 career points heading into Wednesday's game against South Carolina. -SF Jordan McRae has been hit or miss throughout SEC play. After going for zero points against Kentucky on Tuesday, McRae scored 14 points off the bench in Saturday's win over Georgia. McRae has scored in double figures in three SEC games, but has combined for 10 points in the rest.