Tag: Tennessee Volunteers

Kentucky baseball beats the Tennessee Vols in the series opener on Friday

Kentucky baseball beat the third ranked Tennessee Volunteers in game one of their series.

The Kentucky Wildcats baseball team began their biggest series of the season so far on Friday. The fifth ranked Wildcats hosted the third ranked Tennessee Volunteers over the weekend, and started the three-game set with a 5 – 3 victory.

Tennessee jumped up 2 – 0 on a second inning homerun, but Ryan Waldschmidt hit a solo shot in the third to close the gap. The Vols took a 3 – 1 lead into the seventh inning, but Kentucky scratched out three runs, two of which came via a defensive error. Leading by one, Nolan McCarthy sealed it with a solo homer in the eight.

Waldschmidt went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. McCarthy also had two hits and drove in a run.

Trey Pooser took the hill for Kentucky and had a solid start, surrendering just three runs in six innings. The bullpen didn’t give up a single hit over the final three innings.

The Wildcats and Vols play the second game of the series on Saturday. It’s on SEC Network+ and will be at 2:00 PM ET.

LSU softball shut out in series opener at No. 4 Tennessee

LSU couldn’t get much going offensively and nearly allowed a perfect game to Vols pitcher Payton Gotshall.

LSU has a crucial opportunity to earn a top-five series win at Tennessee this weekend, but coach Beth Torina’s softball team will once again start a game down after a 3-0 shutout loss on Friday night.

Vols pitcher Payton Gotshall nearly tossed a perfect game before she allowed a pair of singles in the top of the seventh, but that wasn’t enough to form the basis of an LSU rally.

After three scoreless and hitless innings, the Volunteers had a trio of singles in the third inning, one of which plated a run. Two other runs scored on a fielder’s choice and a throwing error, as well, as UT claimed the 3-0 midway through the game.

[autotag]Sydney Berzon[/autotag] was good on the mound outside of that inning, allowing no more hits in the final two frames. But LSU’s offense couldn’t do anything with the way Gotshall was pitching.

The Tigers will be back in action in Game 2 on Saturday at 11 a.m. as they look to even the series.

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Tennessee forward Jonas Aidoo enters transfer portal, declares for NBA Draft

Tennessee’s Jonas Aidoo to reportedly enter the transfer portal, while also declaring for the NBA draft.

According to multiple reports, Tennessee Volunteers forward Jonas Aidoo has officially entered the transfer portal as of Thursday, while also declaring for the NBA draft simultaneously.

One of the conference’s top rim protectors this past season, Aidoo started in all 36 games for the SEC’s regular season champions and enjoyed a breakout year with the Volunteers. That season he averaged 11.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and 1.8 BPG on 51.5% shooting from the field, as well as 62.6% from the free throw line to earn Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defense honors.

A former highly-rated four-star prospect from the 2021 class, Aidoo started 45-of-90 games for Tennessee the past three seasons, averaging a combined 7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.3 BPG. Aidoo has also shot a combined 49.8% from the field, 24.2% from three, and 67.4% from the free throw line.

The forward is now Tennessee’s fourth player to enter the transfer portal this offseason, joining Freddie Dilione V, DJ Jefferson, and Tobe Awaka.

Should he remain in the NBA draft, Aidoo currently projects as either a late-second-round pick or an undrafted free agent.

Duke finishes at No. 9 in final AP poll

Four ACC teams, including Duke, crack final AP poll of the 2023-2024 season.

While the season’s outcome was not what many expected when Duke took the floor to start the season, Jon Scheyer’s team was, in essence, just 12 minutes from a Final Four berth.

NC State made more plays down the stretch and ultimately ended Duke’s season before having their season ended by national runner-up Purdue. Connecticut was always the best team from beginning to end, and they proved it by doing what hadn’t been done since Billy Donovan’s Florida Gators teams in 2006–07: winning a second consecutive national title.

It should come as no surprise that the Huskies end the season as the No. 1 team in the final AP poll for the 2023-2024 season. Purdue was second, while Houston, whom Duke beat in the Sweet 16, tied with Alabama for the third-place spot. Tennessee checked in at number five.

Illinois was next at No. 6, followed by North Carolina, Iowa State, and Duke. NC State rounds out the top 10 despite never joining the poll during the regular season. Clemson, one of four ACC schools to make at least the Sweet 16, finished at No. 14.

The ACC had the same number of teams in the final AP poll as the Big 12, with four each.

Tennessee forward Tobe Awaka to reportedly enter transfer portal

Tennessee’s Tobe Awaka to enter transfer portal after two seasons.

According to multiple reports, Tennessee Volunteers forward Tobe Awaka has officially entered his name into the transfer portal, becoming the third player from the SEC regular season champions to do so since the finish of their 2023-24 season.

Awaka joins both Freddie Dilione V and DJ Jefferson, who both previously entered the transfer portal earlier this month.

As for Awaka, the forward has spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Tennessee, where he has appeared in 69 career games off of the Volunteers bench. Over that span, Awaka has averaged a combined 4.2 PPG and 4.2 RPG, while also shooting 59.1% from the field.

This past season, Awaka appeared in 35 games off the Tennessee bench in which he averaged 5.1 PPG and 4.6 RPG for the Volunteers. Awaka also shot 59.1% from the field, as well as 74.2% at the free throw line.

The forward was a former three-star prospect from Tennessee’s 2022 class out of Cardinal Hayes in New York.

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2025 NCAA basketball championship odds: Who is favored? Will UConn 3-peat?

Looking at the 2025 NCAA basketball championship odds as the 2023-24 season just wrapped up.

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It’s never too soon to think about next season.

While the UConn Huskies were finishing off the Purdue Boilermakers Monday in Glendale, Ariz, other programs — and players — have already set their focus on what it will take to get to the 2025 National Championship Game in San Antonio’s Alamodome next April 7.

Numerous players have entered the transfer portal, from FAU G Johnell Davis to Arizona C Oumar Ballo. Davis reportedly will test the waters and enter the NBA Draft.

Florida G Walter Clayton Jr., LSU G Jalen Cook and even USC G Bronny James are among a group who have declared or reportedly will declare for the upcoming draft.

Coaches are on the move, too. Sources have John Calipari leaving Kentucky for SEC rival Arkansas. He would replace Eric Musselman, who is headed to USC … which lost Andy Enfield to SMU.

So, who will win the championship next season?

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

2025 NCAA basketball championship odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday, April 8, at 11:56 p.m. ET.

THE FAVORITES

  • Duke Blue Devils +1100 (bet $100 to win $1,100)
  • Kansas Jayhawks +1200
  • Alabama Crimson Tide +1500
  • Houston Cougars +1500
  • North Carolina Tar Heels +1500
  • UConn Huskies +1800

THE CONTENDERS

  • Arizona Wildcats +2000
  • Kentucky Wildcats +2000
  • Baylor Bears +3000
  • Gonzaga Bulldogs +3000
  • Purdue Boilermakers +3000
  • Tennessee Volunteers +3600
  • Texas Longhorns +3600

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

YOU NEVER KNOW

  • Arkansas Razorbacks +4000
  • Auburn Tigers +4000
  • BYU Cougars +4000
  • Illinois Fighting Illini +4000
  • Iowa State Cyclones +4000
  • Creighton Bluejays +4500
  • Marquette Golden Eagles +4500

NOTEWORTHY ???

  • Michigan Wolverines +5000
  • Miami Hurricanes +5000
  • Florida Gators +5500
  • Michigan State Spartans +5500
  • Ohio State Buckeyes +5500
  • St. John’s Red Storm +5500
  • UCLA Bruins +5500
  • Villanova Wildcats +5500
  • Wisconsin Badgers +5500

+6000

San Diego State Aztecs | USC Trojans

+8000

Indiana Hoosiers | Kansas State Wildcats

Louisville Cardinals | Virginia Cavaliers

Washington Huskies

+10000

Iowa Hawkeyes |  Oklahoma Sooners

Oregon Ducks |  Syracuse Orange

+15000

Colorado Buffaloes | NC State Wolfpack

Northwestern Wildcats | Notre Dame Fighting Irish

+25000

Arizona State Sun Devils

+30000

FAU Owls | Stanford Cardinal

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

LONGEST SHOTS (+50000 each)

McNeese Cowboys |  Oakland Golden Grizzlies

Oregon State Beavers | UC Irvine Anteaters

Vermont Catamounts | Yale Bulldogs

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin /
College Sports Wire: Men’s hoops / Women’s hoops / High School

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Sooners land commitment from three-star safety Marcus Wimberly

Oklahoma lands its 11th commit of the 2025 cycle with a pledge from safety Marcus Wimberly.

April has started with a boom for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners landed their 11th commit of the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] when three-star safety [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag] announced his commitment to the Crimson & Cream on Saturday afternoon.

Wimberly, a native of Arkansas, was in town for Oklahoma’s “Heisman Hangout” weekend, which featured many guests from the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes. Without much more information, it looks like that recruiting event has already paid dividends.

247Sports composite lists Wimberly No. 624 overall in the 2025 recruiting class. He is a top 50 safety nationally (No. 47) and a top-five player in the state of Arkansas.

Wimberly is a talented player with a nice blend of athleticism and instincts. Once he arrives on campus, he’ll be a safety in this defense.

In a previous interview with OUInsider at Rivals, Wimberly explained his priorities in his search.

“I’m gonna say the No. 1 thing is culture,” he said. “I want to go somewhere that I’m not only going to grow as a football player and an athlete, but I want to go somewhere that I’m going to grow as a human being to where I can be a great father, a great husband — and maybe one day, since God called me to it, a great youth pastor.”

Since Venables and Co. took over, Oklahoma has been known for its culture and plans for its players after football, an attribute that is central to winning recruits and their families. Wimberly had been trending in the Sooners’ direction for weeks as predictions rolled in for the Sooners to land him.

Wimberly is the fourth defensive prospect to pledge to the Sooners and the first defensive back in the Sooners’ class. He chose the Sooners over Michigan, Memphis, Tennessee, Arkansas and Wisconsin.

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Kara Lawson reportedly not pursuing vacant Tennessee job, will stay at Duke

WUNC reporter Mitchell Northam reported on Friday that Duke women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson didn’t interview for Tennessee’s open coaching job.

Duke women’s basketball head coach Kara Lawson is staying in Durham despite her alma mater Tennessee looking for a new leader.

WUNC’s Mitchell Northam reported on Friday that Lawson didn’t interview for the Volunteers coaching job, instead opting to stay with the Blue Devils.

The Volunteers fired former head coach Kellie Harper last week after five seasons. Harper won at least 20 games in four of her five seasons, but the eight-time national champions never made it past the Sweet 16.

Lawson, a former Tennessee basketball player, was considered a favorite for the opening position. The Blue Devils head coach played for legendary head coach Pat Summitt for four years in 2000-03, averaging 13.7 points across her career and making three Final Fours in four seasons.

The Blue Devils have won 48 games across the last two seasons with Lawson, headlined by a second-round upset of Ohio State in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Tennessee fires women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper after five seasons

Three-time national champion Kellie Harper is dismissed as head coach at Tennessee.

As more and more eyes turn to women’s college basketball, the pressure to win continues to rise. For the Lady Vols, the latest decision to not keep Kellie Harper as head coach is evidence for that. On Monday, Tennessee Volunteers AD Danny White announced the departure.

“After a thorough review of our women’s basketball program, I have informed Kellie (Harper) we are making a change in leadership,” White stated. “Decisions like these are never easy to make especially with someone who has done so much for the Lady Vols as a three-time national champion student-athlete.

“Her love and passion for Tennessee and the Lady Vols is second to none. She has invested so much heart and soul into our program and truly has given her all for Tennessee. I thank Kellie for her stewardship of our women’s basketball program and wish her and Jon well in the next chapter of their lives.”

Harper played under the legendary Pat Summitt from 1995 to 1999. She went on to play in the WNBA in 1999 for the Cleveland Rockers before turning to coaching in 2000. She had stints with the Auburn Tigers and Chattanooga Mocs as an assistant before becoming a head coach of Western Carolina in 2004. She spent the last five years with her alma mater.

Harper has a head coaching record of 393-260 since 2004. As a leader of the Lady Vols, she only missed the NCAA women’s tournament once. It was the year that the postseason was canceled due to COVID-19. The Lady Vols were bounced this year in the second round to NC State, who is gearing up for a Final Four matchup with No. 1 South Carolina.

I doubt this is the last time we hear of Kellie Harper as a head coach of a women’s program.

As for Tennessee, it has been 12 years since the late Pat Summitt retired, and the program has failed to reach those heights again. Replacing a legend is never easy. The best return was back-to-back Regional Finals under Holly Warlick in 2013 and 2014.

The search for the next head coach at Tennessee begins now.

After securing second ACC series over UVA, Duke moves up to No. 9 in latest D1Baseball poll

Duke pushes back into top 10 in latest D1Baseball Poll.

Duke baseball is back in the top 10.

After a little bit of a bump in the road, Chris Pollard’s team desperately needed a big week on the diamond to shift the momentum. They got just that with a 3-1 week that saw them take down ACC foe UVA for the Blue Devils’ second ACC series win of the season.

The week started with the Blue Devils hammering in-state opponent Campbell 11-1 on Tuesday. The Blue Devils got back after it on Thursday when they hosted a top-25 Virginia team. Ace pitcher Jonathan Santucci dazzled, working five innings of two-hit baseball to improve his record to 5-0, and Duke won 9-4.

On Friday, UVA bounced back with a 7-3 win to even the series at one game apiece. Another Duke comeback spearheaded Saturday’s rubber match. After the Blue Devils were down 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, they exploded for five runs in the seventh and pulled out a 7-4 win to take the series.

Joined by UNC and Clemson, Duke now gives the ACC three teams ranked in the top 10. Arkansas remains number one for another week, Clemson is number two, and Texas A&M rose from fourth to third.

The fourth spot belongs to Tennessee with the fifth going to Oregon State. Virginia Tech (11), Florida State (14), Virginia (15), NC State (19), and Wake Forest (21) make up the rest of the ACC teams on this week’s poll.

Duke was named the No. 9 team in the country by Baseball America and the No. 7 team by Perfect Game.

The Blue Devils will be back in action on Tuesday to take on Liberty in Lynchburg, Va., for a midweek game before returning home to host Miami for ACC play at Jack Coombs Field next weekend.