Vols' Bradshaw plays on despite shoulder injury

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Dane Bradshaw is so valuable to Tennessee that coach Bruce Pearl says his name defines a certain kind of player.<br> <br> This week the senior guard-turned-forward is an example of determination to play through another injury. Pearl said he encompasses playing to his maximum ability and showing intelligence, a winning attitude and toughness.<br> <br> ``Bradshaw is an adjective,&#39;&#39; Pearl said Thursday. ``When you want to describe that about some other team, anybody in the SEC, all you have to do is say &#39;He&#39;s like Bradshaw.&#39; Enough said. He&#39;s an adjective.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Late in the game against Oklahoma State on Monday, Bradshaw could barely lift his right arm to shoot a free throw.<br> <br> Yet, he still made the game-winning shot with his right hand, a tough tip back with 1.9 seconds remaining. Two days later he found out he has a contusion in his right shoulder and biceps tendinitis, an explanation for the soreness he had felt for several weeks.<br> <br> Think that&#39;s going to keep Bradshaw off the floor? Nah.<br> <br> After all, that&#39;s nothing compared to playing with a torn ligament in his right wrist last season.<br> <br> Well, what would keep him from playing?<br> <br> ``If it was irreparable damage, but I don&#39;t even know if that would be the case,&#39;&#39; Bradshaw said. ``I know can play through it, and I wouldn&#39;t let anything stop me from my last hurrah here at Tennessee.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The Volunteers (9-2) face another big test Saturday when they host Texas (8-2). Tennessee upset the Longhorns 95-78 last year.<br> <br> And again Bradshaw will be key as a leader. He ranks first on the team in assists at 46, blocks at 10 and is tied with JaJuan Smith in steals at 27. Bradshaw averages 7.5 points and 4.1 rebounds a game.<br> <br> Pearl recommending having a ``Dane Bradshaw&#39;&#39; award on campus.<br> <br> ``It&#39;s going to be (for) a guy that does it the right way and achieves at a high level, but has nothing to do with overachievement,&#39;&#39; Pearl said. ``Dane is a talented player who comes as close as any athlete I&#39;ve coach to maximizing his abilities. ... Dane is a great athlete.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Pearl was relieved by the MRI news Wednesday that indicated Bradshaw&#39;s injury was not serious enough to keep him from playing.<br> <br> ``I think he&#39;ll play better because he&#39;ll feel confident in playing through the pain,&#39;&#39; Pearl said.<br> <br> Last year&#39;s wrist injury was by far more serious.<br> <br> ``He was limited and as the season progressed it got worse, it got more painful,&#39;&#39; Pearl said. ``I think this will get better because that was an injury where he had no ligament attached to his wrist.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Bradshaw participated in conditioning and shooting during practice Thursday but did not do any live contact work.<br> <br> ``It feels about the same, but it&#39;s better just as far as my mindset goes because when I feel the pain I know what it is,&#39;&#39; Bradshaw said.<br> <br> ``As far as I&#39;m concerned it&#39;s already better knowing that it&#39;s not torn.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The pain is ``pretty much most of the time&#39;&#39; and comes and goes with moving his arm or carrying weight. Bradshaw is not sure when he first injured his shoulder. He remembers hurting his left shoulder and then waking up in pain after the North Carolina game on Nov. 24.<br> <br> ``I&#39;m not complaining at all. I&#39;m just glad it&#39;s nothing worse,&#39;&#39; Bradshaw said.