Here we go again.

What happened last year with Tennessee Basketball was unique. Special. From a projected fifth in the SEC East to a two seed in the dance and the SEC Eastern Division Championship. A love affair with Bruce Pearl.

When the great recruiting class followed, the foundation was set. But you knew there would be reality. Major Wingate's dismissal, the lack of size and the abundance of youth (four freshman playing significant roles). And when the Vols went to New York City and scored 44 points against Butler and were soundly beaten by North Carolina, you said "Okay, back to normal. We'll dig in, grow up, and hopefully we'll win enough games to make the tournament." And all of a sudden, the daunting schedule that Pearl helped put in place looked like a gauntlet instead of an opportunity.

Last year, the Vols announced their presence at Texas and then proved they were here to stay against Florida. After those two wins, you started expecting victories. And they kept delivering, winning at Kentucky, beating Florida again, winning all the games they were supposed to win. You believed.

What Tennessee (read: Chris Lofton) did to Memphis twelve days ago was certainly enjoyable. There are few teams I'd rather beat than Tiger High School. But there were still questions. As posted earlier today on this blog, you didn't know if this week - Oklahoma State in Nashville, Texas in Knoxville - was a golden opportunity, or impending doom.

The thought is, you can win on any given night with Bruce Pearl and Chris Lofton. You've got other guys - JaJuan Smith and Dane Bradshaw foremost among them - who can also knock down a three. If this team is hot, they can beat anybody.

So on a night when the Vols shoot 4 of 23 from beyond the arc and Lofton misses more than he hits, when Dane Bradshaw can't even shoot a free throw because his shoulder is so messed up, playing against a team that seems built to beat you and is physically intimidating against your freshmen inside, the same team that dusted you 89-73 last year, playing away from Knoxville, and when - in the most bizzare moments of the night - Chris Lofton misses four critical free throws in a row...

The Vols win. 79-77 over an ex-undefeated #14 Oklahoma State.

You expected the 05-06 team to create the unexpected. Two out-of-the-ordinary steals in the final minute to beat Florida twice. A second half three point shooting streak at South Carolina that defied words. A miracle three by Lofton to survive and advance in the NCAAs. Things that didn't make sense, but you came to expect. Because that team was special.

But now, it looks like that wasn't just limited to that team.

On a night when Lofton just couldn't knock them down, and the 92% free throw shooter missed the biggest four of the night in a row, the Vols proved they're more than just #5. When the Vols are challenged inside, Duke Crews arrives. This kid shows flashes of future dominance, and he's certainly fun to watch right now. When Oklahoma State survived the initial 16-6 spurt and calmed down and then locked down, the Vols stayed alive long enough, and then made critical plays to put Mario Boggan in foul trouble, and then Lofton proved his worth even when not hot by making a great steal and fouling out JamesOn Curry.

And of course, with the game on the line in the final minute, another chapter is written in the Legend of Dane Bradshaw. Bad wrist, bad shoulder, playing out of position, doesn't matter. Right place, right time, right moment leads to a tip in and a win. Tennessee continues to find ways to get the job done. This is a team that expects to win close games and has the evidence to support the claim.

This game felt like an NCAA Tournament affair. The largest lead of the night was seven points for Oklahoma State. It had the emotion and the excitement of every play that made you say "this is a great game, and there's still ten minutes left?!" One that you would've hated to lose, and loved to win. And kudos to the Nashville fan base for making the neutral site crowd a factor. This was quality basketball.

Are the Vols one of the most talented teams in the nation? Probably not. Definitely not one of the most experienced, and they're still playing in a loaded conference. The Lofton Factor will always be there. But what you saw tonight is that it doesn't matter if Lofton is on or not, the Vols can still get it done. Will they go undefeated from here on out? Probably not. But this game tonight proved that this team will continue to play their butts off for 40 minutes, be competitive, and put themselves in position to win. And more often than not, they're getting it done.

Last year, Bruce Pearl said that the basketball team "carried us through the winter." And he was dead on - the Vols were the shot in the arm that the fanbase needed after a 5-6 football disaster. Now that all is well in the football universe, the basketball team is morphing from a great story into a consistent factor. Saturday in Knoxville they'll trot 'em out again and take on another great team in Texas. Win or lose, this team does not disappoint. And all signs point to another interesting, exciting winter in Knoxville.

Go Vols.