Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl has sent off the appeal and now he's just playing the waiting game.

In-state star Tyler Smith, whose father has cancer, is trying to get a waiver of the NCAA's transfer rule so that he can play this season.

``We've got to let it run its course," Pearl said on Wednesday morning. "But I think it's got a real good chance."

Pearl declined to comment on Smith's impact if he is able to play this season, but was quick to point out what a classy move it was for new Iowa coach Todd Lickliter to allow Smith to leave so he could return home.

``This is a very competitive business and Tyler Smith is probably his best returning player," Pearl added. "I really respect what Todd did. He did right by this young man."

Smith, who is currently in summer school in Knoxville, is an athletic 6-foot-7 wing who averaged 14.9 points and 4.9 rebounds as a freshman last season.

Pearl said that with or without Smith this season, it'll be his deepest and most talented team since taking over.

``We have traditional size and have some experience back," Pearl said. "Guys will remember the Alamo."

What Pearl means is the loss to Ohio State in the NCAA tournament in which the Vols had a 20-point lead at one point.

The Vols are taking an overseas trip this summer and Pearl said he will experiment with using Chris Lofton at the point guard spot - and will also put Duke Crews away from the basket.

One key for UT could be the development of incoming freshman big man Brian Williams, an agile 280-pounder with soft hands and quick feet who has dropped 40 pounds in the past two years.

``I've always felt that Brian was a sleeper," Pearl said. "He rebounds, understands ball-screen offense and has really changed his body."

GATORS RECRUITS ON BOARD

Nick Calathes, a McDonald's All-American guard who is the centerpiece of Billy Donovan's five-man incoming freshman recruiting class, said that he has spoken to the other signees and all four are excited about Donovan's imminent return to Gainesville.

``I've talked to everybody and we're all going to stay," Calathes said on Wednesday night. "We've got to stay. We're the number one recruiting class in the country and there's no reason to break that up."

John Lucas, the father of Gators signee Jai Lucas, also confirmed to FOXSports.com that his son would be headed to Florida as long as there are no more snags in the Donovan situation.

This may actually help Donovan's recruiting efforts going forward if he has a ban on going to the NBA. That will mean Donovan is one of the few elite coaches that will be entrenched in his situation and won't be the speculation of the coaching carousel.

WOLFF RETURN

Boston University is further along than just about any team in America.

Dennis Wolff's Terriers have already had 10 practices and went on a foreign tour to Taiwan, where they beat the University of British Columbia in double overtime to win the Kainan Tournament Championship.

Freshman guard Corey Lowe scored 33 points in the win - including a game-tying 3-pointer that sent the game into the second overtime. Tyler Morris, Carlos Strong and Wolff's son, Matt, each scored 20 points in the victory.

BU won all four games despite only playing with two post players. Ibrahim Konate made the trip, but didn't play due to a leg injury - and incoming freshman aren't allowed to go with the team on foreign tours.

Terriers assistant Orlando Vandross said that Wolff, who missed all of last season after tearing ligaments in his left knee four games into his sophomore campaign, was impressive.

``He really played well and is much stronger physically," Vandross said. "He rebounds, finished and handled the ball well."

WATERS FLOWING

Keep an eye on Gary Waters and Cleveland State.

Waters finished 10-21 in his first season after leaving Rutgers, but he will likely have 10 new faces this season - including a trio of key transfers who sat out last season.

Cedric Jackson is a 6-foot-3 scoring point who came in after starting 40 games at St. John's. Waters and his staff also brought in George Tandy, an athletic 6-foot-8 shot-blocker who was the Freshman of the Year in the Ohio Valley at Eastern Illinois, and local standout Chris Moore, a 6-foot-10 center who transferred from UC Santa Barbara.

The Vikings also brought in a strong freshman class headlined by athletic wing D'Aundray Brown and point guard Norris Cole. Add in the fact that the team's top two returning scorers, sophomore power forward J'Nathan Bullock and 6-foot freshman shooting guard Joe Davis, both return.

DUDLEY DOING RIGHT

We can't say we're all that surprised that former Boston College standout Jared Dudley has been impressive thus far in front of NBA teams.

According to numerous NBA executives, Dudley was the best player at last week's NBA Pre-Draft Camp and he carried it over on Tuesday night in front of more than 10 NBA teams in a workout put on by Houston.

The workout also included Morris Almond and Reyshawn Terry.

Dudley made 21-of-25 shots from 3-point land and his body has also improved dramatically thanks to a few weeks out in Las Vegas. Dudley is now at 218 pounds - a dozen less than his playing weight.

Dudley will work out at Miami on Wednesday, then go to a joint workout with New York and New Jersey on Friday before heading to the Wizards on Sunday.

BUZZ' REPLACEMENT

If Coastal Carolina coach Buzz Peterson does leave to take a position with his buddy, Michael Jordan, in the Charlotte Bobcats organization, look for assistant Jamie Kachmarik to get a hard look at replacing his current boss.

Kachmarik was at Coastal with the previous regime and has recruited the bulk of the players currently in the program. He also spent three years as an assistant at William & Mary.