Tag: Score

Saints rally and Drew Brees shines, but 49ers outlast in 48-46 barn-burner

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees rallied back, but his defense couldn’t hold off the San Francisco 49ers in a Week 14 barn-burner.

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The New Orleans Saints fought hard and overcame a two-score deficit, but it wasn’t enough to defeat the San Francisco 49ers from inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. On fourth down with seconds remaining, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan found a way to get tight end George Kittle — his best receiving threat — wide-open in the flat for a long catch-and-run to put his team in scoring position. A few plays later and 49ers kicker Robbie Gould sent a chip-shot field goal through the uprights to win, 48-46.

It was a shocker by every measure. No one anticipated the score running so high in this matchup, with both teams trading big plays on offense and a few timely turnovers on defense. Saints quarterback Drew Brees turned in a vintage performance, completing 29 of 40 passes for 349 yards and five touchdown scores — that includes five completions on his seven final attempts in the two-minute drill.

Both defenses were perceived as elite units, but each team played on its heels for most of the game, particularly during the first half. While San Francisco drew more penalties (10) for more yardage (67) than New Orleans (5 for 50 yards), the Saints were hurt by a few dubious non-calls (including a blatant holding penalty on a Taysom Hill punt fake) and two drive-extending free first downs for the 49ers late in the fourth quarter. Saints coach Sean Payton has preached accountability and a need for cleaner play for weeks, but there’s not much to be done against judgment calls like those.

So where do the Saints stand now? They’re still one of four teams competing for a top-three playoffs seed in the NFC, along with this same 49ers squad (that group also includes the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers). New Orleans owns a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Seahawks, but they’ll have to finish strong in December to win a playoff bye. They won’t secure homefield advantage throughout the playoffs without some help, adding further drama; not that we needed any.

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Vols men’s basketball falter vs FSU

NICEVILLE – The Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team’s season-opening winning streak has finally come to an end, losing a tough game in the final minutes on the road to the Florida State Seminoles, 60-57, in the Emerald Coast Classic. The Vols …

NICEVILLE — The Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team’s season-opening winning streak has finally come to an end, losing a tough game in the final minutes on the road to the Florida State Seminoles, 60-57, in the Emerald Coast Classic.

The Vols were led by Lamonte Turner, who scored 20 points, but only shot 4-14 from the field and did most of his damage at the charity stripe, going 11-14; he also gave away 8 turnovers. Yves Pons brought the double-double trouble scoring 13 points, grabbing 10 boards and swatting three shots, representing the Vols’ best performance on the evening. Jordan Bowden was the only other UT player to reach double digit points, adding 11 of his own to go along with five rebounds.

Despite the close finish, Tennessee never led in this game. It was a furious comeback in the last two minutes that produced the final margin of defeat, with the Vols falling short in the end. Their largest deficit of 13 came at 10:42 in the second half, and the Volunteers just were not able to dig themselves out of that hole. FSU made three of four free throw attempts in the final seconds to seal the loss despite a last-second trey by Turner.

Overall, the Vols only shot 33 percent from the field and a putrid 23 percent from behind the arc. Their 89 percent mark from the free throw line on 29 attempts is very encouraging, as was their team total of seven blocks, but it is hard to win games against quality opponents when you cough up the ball 21 times.

The match was the first between the two teams in three decades, with the all-time record in the series now standing at 5-4 in favor of Tennessee. The loss ended a five-game winning streak to open the year for the Vols, though there remain plenty more games to be played.

The Volunteers next face either Purdue or VCU on Saturday at 4 or 7 p.m. ET, depending on game results, and will be broadcasted on the CBS Sports Network.

Saints beat Falcons 26-18, clinch third straight NFC South title

The New Orleans Saints overwhelmed a last-minute Atlanta Falcons comeback effort to improve to 10-2 and win the NFC South division title.

The New Orleans Saints shut down an Atlanta Falcons comeback bid to improve to 10-2 on the year so far and clinch their third consecutive NFC South division title, punching their ticket for the playoffs. It was an impressive win filled with big plays on offense from do-it-all fireplug Taysom Hill and a punishing defense that sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan nine times.

Sure, it wasn’t perfect. The Saints left too many points on the board with dropped passes and three failed onside kick recoveries down the stretch. Penalties plagued the team throughout the game. They obviously have plenty to clean up in the next week-and-a-half before their next kickoff.

But for now, it’s time to celebrate. The Saints won big over a divisional rival that embarrassed them once this year already, and did so on a national stage in Atlanta’s building (the other Mercedes-Benz-sponsored NFL venue). They’re locked in to host a playoff game and the Falcons are mathematically eliminated. Celebrate, New Orleans.

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Watch: Taysom Hill blocks a Falcons punt, catches a touchdown pass

New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill made two big plays against the Atlanta Falcons, blocking a punt and catching a touchdown pass.

The New Orleans Saints started their Thanksgiving night game with the Atlanta Falcons in the most entertaining way imaginable. Defensive end Marcus Davenport sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on the first play of the game, and the Saints snuffed out Atlanta’s efforts at trying to dig out of that hole.

Forced to punt, the Falcons failed to block reserve Saints quarterback Taysom Hill, who crashed through the line and blocked the punt to give New Orleans the ball inside Atlanta territory. It was a huge breakdown for the Falcons and possibly the worst start they could have hoped for. Check out Hill big play for yourself:

However, Hill wasn’t finished yet. He caught two passes on the Saints’ first drive to first convert a fresh set of downs and then score the game’s opening touchdown, grabbing a shovel pass from Brees and following his blocker into the Falcons’ end zone. All told, Hill almost gave the Saints’ an early 7-0 lead over Atlanta on his own. It’s going to be tough for Hill’s detractors to talk down his impact in this one:

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Lady Vols basketball tame Golden Lions

KNOXVILLE – The Tennessee Volunteers women’s basketball team continued their winning ways on Tuesday night, manhandling the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions, 92-51. The Lady Vols were led by double-double machine Rennia Davis, who scored 17 points …

KNOXVILLE — The Tennessee Volunteers women’s basketball team continued their winning ways on Tuesday night, manhandling the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions, 92-51.

The Lady Vols were led by double-double machine Rennia Davis, who scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, along with four assists. Rae Burrell came off the bench to add 17 points of her own, as well as six rebounds in an outstanding sixth-women effort. Kasiyahna Kushkituah also added 15 points and six rebounds off the pine to round out the Volunteers in double figures.

Tennessee never trailed in the match, taking their first lead two minutes in on a Lou Brown layup. UT’s largest lead of the game as the final margin, which steadily built up over the course of the match, as the Golden Lions never threatened. Remarkably, the Lady Vols nearly shut out their opponent in the second quarter, allowing UAPB’s first score at the one minute mark and only allowing four total points before the halftime buzzer.

Despite the impressive final margin of victory, the Lady Vols committed 19 turnovers along with 19 personal fouls, and they also missed all 10 of their three-point attempts — all numbers that can be improved upon. Otherwise, the girls looked great, shooting 55 percent from the field overall and making two-thirds of their free throws.

The win moves the Lady Vols to 6-0 on the season, taking their first three road games along with the trio of home matches they have played thus far on their six-game homestand. It also elevates the women’s home record at Thompson-Boling Arena to an astounding 456-45 record over the years.

The Lady Vols next take on Air Force at home on Sunday, December 1. Tip-off is schedule for 2 p.m. ET and can be watched on SECN and listened to on affiliated Vols networks.

Vols basketball skin Mocs to extend winning streak

Vols basketball skin Mocs to extend winning streak.

KNOXVILLE — The Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team continues to roll along, handling the Chattanooga Mocs at home, 58-46.

The two teams traded leads during the opening three minutes of the game, after which the Vols never trailed again. Tennessee’s largest lead of 16 came at the 5:35 mark of the second half, and UT coasted from there to finish with the final margin.

Lamonte Turner paced the Volunteers with 16 points and 12 assists, as well as three rebounds and a steal. John Fulkerson chipped in 14 points and four rebounds of his own, while Jordan Bowden scored 13 points and kept the window clean with 12 boards. Josiah-Jordan James also grabbed 11 boards to go along with 4 points to round out the Vols in double-digits.

Tennessee shot a lethargic 37 percent from the field, including 28 percent from behind the arc on 18 attempts. Their 10 turnovers was a modest sum, while the Vols’ seven blocks and 43 total rebounds show that they dominated the paint. It was not UT’s best performance, but it was good enough tonight against a lesser opponent.

The victory extends the Volunteers’ Division I-leading home-court winning streak at Thompson-Boling Arena, now sitting at 30 straight games. Much less, the Vols also extended their season-opening winning streak to five games.

The Vols next play on Friday, November 29, against the Florida State Seminoles. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and can be watched on the CBS Sports Network.

 

6 takeaways from Saints’ win over Panthers in Week 12

The New Orleans Saints took down the Carolina Panthers in Week 12, but not without a serious rash of penalties and some dubious decisions.

Week 12 came and went for the New Orleans Saints, and it did so with plenty of chaos and fanfare. Despite controlling the game for most of the outing, the Saints made enough mistakes and created enough opportunities for the Carolina Panthers to fight their way back into it. But the important thing to remember is that the Saints did win, proving their resiliency. Here are our six biggest takeaways from Sunday’s victory.

Too many penalties to ignore

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

There’s no excusing how poorly the Saints executed against Carolina, especially on defense. They committed 18 penalties on Sunday, though six were either declined or offset by the Panthers’ fouls. Still, at the end of the day a dozen penalties for 123 yards is impossible to overlook. All of those mistakes and self-inflicted wounds — like Cameron Jordan’s uncharacteristic personal foul — kept the Panthers in the game even after the Saints took a substantial lead, and New Orleans has got to clean up its act. That’s easier said than done with such a quick turnaround for Thursday night’s game with the Atlanta Falcons. This Saints team may just be a sloppy bunch. This is their third game in a row in which they’ve drawn nine or more penalties.

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Lady Vols basketball trounce Stetson

Lady Vols basketball trounce Stetson.

KNOXVILLE — The Tennessee Volunteers women’s basketball team defeated the Stetson Hatters on Tuesday night, 73-46, in their 500th game at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Lady Vols were led by Rennia Davis, who scored 15 points, along with five rebounds and two assists. Jordan Horston scored 11 points in the first quarter, including three three-pointers, en route to a 14 point performance in support; she also grabbed five boards and dished out seven assists. Three other players — Jazmine Massengill, Kasiyahna Kushkituah and Rae Burrell — also posted double-digit points.

The Volunteers came out of the gates making three buckets from beyond the arc on three straight possessions, missing the fourth consecutive attempt to break the streak. The Lady Vols never trailed and reached their biggest lead of 27 at the 1:52 mark of the fourth quarter, which ultimately was the final margin of victory.

Tennessee shot 43 percent from the field with a 38 percent mark from three-point range after a hot start, and they posted a 65 percent free throw average on 23 attempts — all numbers that indicate another solid performance by the squad. Their 13 turnovers to Stetson’s 11 suggest that the game was well-executed on both sides.

The win improved the program to an incredible 455-45 record at Thompson-Boling Arena in their second game of a six-game homestand. It also marks head coach Kellie Harper’s first 5-0 start of her career.

The Volunteers will next host the Arkansas-Pine Bluffs Golden Lions next Tuesday, November 26, heading into the Thanksgiving break. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

Lady Vols throttle Tennessee State

Lady Vols throttle Tennessee State.

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KNOXVILLE — The Lady Vols basketball team remains perfect on the year after handily defeating the Tennessee State Tigers at home, 73-43.

The Volunteers never trailed in the game — the last time the match was tied came at the 3:36 mark of the first quarter, after which Tennessee steadily pulled away. UT’s largest lead of 32 points came at the 6:09 mark in the fourth quarter, and from there they drifted to a 30-point margin for the final score.

Sophomore swingwoman Rae Burrell led all scorers, notching 14 points off the bench while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out three assists. Junior swingwoman and SEC Player of the Week Rennia Davis added 12 points of her own along with 11 rebounds for her third double-double in four games to open the season. Junior center Kasiyahna Kushkituah was the only other Vol in double digits, scoring 11 points along with seven rebounds coming off the pine.

The Lady Vols shot 42 percent from the field, including a paltry 26 percent from behind the arc. Tennessee’s 19 turnovers were also a bit of a blemish, but they outrebounded State 60-38 — 18 of which were of the offensive variety. UT shot 62 percent from the charity stripe, showing some continued improvement in that department, but still with some room to grow.

The next game is on Tuesday, November 19, against the Stetson Hatters at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

Vols rally for win against Racers

Vols rally for win against Racers.

KNOXVILLE — The Murray State Racers came into Knoxville to play, and it took a second half rally for the Tennessee Volunteers to emerge with a 82-63 victory.

The win extends the nation’s longest current home winning streak to 28 games in a row at Thompson–Boling Arena.

Murray State kept the Vols in check for a good portion of the game, taking their first lead at the 16:05 mark of the first frame and holding it until midway through the second half. After a bit of back-and-forth, the lead was finally relinquished and Tennessee rode the rest of the way to victory. They held the Racers scoreless for the final seven-and-a-half minutes to seal the deal.

The Volunteers were led by Jordan Bowden’s 26 points, along with a couple of rebounds and an assist. Yves Pons was the only other player in double figures for the Vols, adding 19 points along with four rebounds and just as many blocked shots. Lamonte Turner dished out 14 assists in the winning effort.

Tennessee shot 50 percent from the floor, including an eye-popping 55 percent from behind the arc. They only coughed up the ball eight times, compared to 12 for Murray State. Their 68 percent mark from the charity stripe still leaves something to be desired, but a win is a win.

The Volunteers next face the No. 20-ranked Washington Huskies on Saturday, November 16, in Toronto, Ont. for the James Naismith Classic. Gametime is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.