MURFREESBORO - Bruce Pearl is a little crazy. What exactly was Tennessee's basketball team doing in a snake pit like this Friday night?

Since UT pumped up its first basketball 100 years ago, it took an NIT committee from New York City to get the Vols into the Murphy Center on the Middle Tennessee State University campus.

That was way back in 1988 and it didn't turn out well for the orange. Middle won, 85-80.

Twenty years later, of his own free will, Pearl brought a UT squad back into harm's way, back into a scene where most of his colleagues wouldn't be caught dead.

How often does Duke go to Western Carolina?

How often does Ohio State go to Toledo?

How often does Kentucky go to Murray State?

And yet here were the Vols, in the midst of a blue tornado with prestige to lose and not a lot to gain.

Good for Bruce Pearl.

Tennessee escaped with a 76-66 victory and 11,802 fans who squeezed into every available seat got a whale of a ball game.

Last year Pearl took the Vols to Chattanooga and escaped with a 76-70 win over the Mocs before another crowd that smelled orange blood.

"What a great day for basketball this early in the season,'' said Pearl. "What an environment.

"Their fans were great. Our fans were great.''

And yet, Pearl admitted, this unusual trip wasn't just about giving the fans a good two hours of heated hoops.

"I'm a self-serving guy,'' said Pearl. "This is going to help us win on the road.''

After two exhibitions and two blow-out wins, all in the friendly confines of Thompson-Boling Arena, it was indeed time to take the show on the road.

And a young show it is. Scotty Hopson, Reynaldo Woolridge, Emanuel Negadu and Cameron Tatum need seasoning before they go to Rupp Arena.

You could argue that they could get some seasoning in Little Rock or Norfolk and not risk losing a game - and face - to an in-state rival like Middle.

The Blue Raiders, by the way, are a nice team, picked to win the Sun Belt Conference. This wasn't UT-Martin.

Pearl, though, has never been much to back away from challenges.

"You hope,'' he said, "you're good enough not to get beat.

"You hope you have a good enough relation with your fans that we could lose one of these.

"I've got to be confident enough in my position and in my team to do this.''

It was indeed a good night for basketball early in the season.

Orange was plentiful in the stands, but blue was dominant. When Tennessee took the floor, the boos easily covered the cheers.

The Vols, to their credit, never let Middle make enough happen to get the crowd whipped into a frenzy.

Tennessee got just enough here and there from enough people to stay in the driver's seat.

With 19 seconds to play, the chant "It's great to be a Tennessee Vol," broke out.

It was soon died and was replaced by "It's great to be at Middle Tennessee.''

And Pearl and his team pulled it off. They gave the mid-state an excellent night of basketball and emerged intact.

Hopson, Tatum, Woolridge and Negedu will be a little tougher for their time here in a hostile environment.

Josh Tabb will be bolstered by the fact that he made a serious contribution at point guard in relief of Bobby Maze.

Everyone will be 40 minutes more confident in putting the ball in Maze's hands and let him control the game down the stretch.

In the end, the teams shook hands. Pearl flipped a wave, wiggling his fingers, at a Tennessee cheering section as he walked to the tunnel.

Then the MTSU band played "Tennessee Waltz" and everybody on both sides felt at home as they headed home.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strangem@knoxnews.com.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.