Tag: Vols

Tennessee rolls past Alabama State

Tennessee rolls past Alabama State.

KNOXVILLE — The Tennessee men’s basketball team extended their Division I-leading home winning streak to 29 games after defeating the Alabama State Hornets on Wednesday night, 76-41.

The Hornets jumped out to a three point lead on the opening possession, but the Vols answered back and tied the score just one minute into the game; UT took the lead on their next possession and held it for the rest of the game. Their largest lead of 37 came at the 1:01 mark of the second half after a late-game surge, and Alabama State managed to sink a couple of free throws in the final minute to clinch the ending score.

Tennessee was led by Jordan Bowden, who notched 16 points to pace the Vols, while adding a couple of rebounds and an assist. Three other starters also posted double-digit points, with Lamonte Turner adding 13 of his own along with six dimes, Yves Pons adding 11 with five rebounds, and John Fulkerson scoring 10 points with three rebounds in support. Guard Josiah-Jordan James pulled down 13 boards and dished out five assists.

The Vols hit 46 percent of their shots from the field, though that includes a sub-par 29 percent mark from beyond the arc. They only shot 64 percent from the charity stripe on 25 attempts, which could stand for some improvement. Tennessee’s 12 turnovers to ASU’s 19 is a respectable margin, and the team total of eight blocks is encouraging.

The Vols’ next game is on November 25 against the Chattanooga Mocs at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tip-off is schedule for 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcasted on SEC Network+.

UT News: November 20, 2019

UT News: November 20, 2019

College basketball is currently in high gear, and both the men’s and women’s teams have been rolling along nicely to start the season. The Lady Vols extended their winning streak to five games with their victory last night over the Stetson Hatters, while the men face the Alabama State Hornets tonight looking to move to 4-0. There are also a couple of former Vols making the news in the professional ranks worth mentioning. But first, a bit about tonight’s basketball match.

Vols basketball host Alabama State

No. 20-ranked Tennessee Volunteers welcome the Alabama State Hornets to Thompson-Boling Arena tonight in a match between an unbeaten and a winless team.

The Vols return home after an impressive performance in Toronto, Ontario, defeating the then-No. 20-ranked Washington Huskies. The Hornets are unlikely to be as big of a challenge, though one can never sleep on their laurels when it comes to NCAA basketball. A win, however, would be Tennessee’s 29th-straight at the friendly confines — a mark that currently leads Division I.

This is only the second meeting between the two schools, with the Vols defeating the Hornets 71-45 in their lone matchup back in 2005. Head coach Rick Barnes is also undefeated against foes from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, currently sporting a 10-0 record. Barnes also faced ASU once prior, leading Providence to victory back in 1991.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and can be watched on SEC Network+, as well as heard on the Vol Network.

NEXT: Former Vol hoists MLB championship trophy

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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.

UT News: November 19, 2019

UT News: November 19, 2019

Excitement for the upcoming match between the Tennessee Volunteers and Missouri Tigers football teams is steadily rising, fueled by the Vols’ three-game winning streak and their push for a bowl bid. Speaking of winning streaks, the Lady Vols basketball squad look to extend their season opening surge to five games tonight against the Stetson Hatters. For starters, one particular Vol has been playing his best in recent weeks.

Warrior playing his best football

Senior DB Nigel Warrior has been playing his heart out this season.

His 58 tackles are the second most for the Vols and he is currently in a tie with three other players for most interceptions in the Southeastern Conference, with four; three of those interceptions have come in the last five games. He has also broken up five passes and added a tackle for loss.

Head coach Jeremy Pruitt had the following to say about his star secondary player.

“Nigel has continued to work hard every day at practice. He’s been a really good leader for us. He has improved tremendously from last year to this year and he continues to get better. He’s playing his best football right now.

“He’s kind of turning into a complete player, whether it’s playing the ball, playing man-to-man, or tackling in space, he has improved and continues to improve in all of those areas. Like everybody else, he wants to play his best game this next week. So, he’s going to work hard to do it this week.”

Warrior has been named to the PFF College SEC Team of the Week now twice and on the PFF’s National Team of the Week once.

NEXT: Lady Vols basketball takes on Stetson

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Vols basketball ranked No. 17 in USA TODAY latest poll

Vols basketball ranked No. 17 in latest USA TODAY poll.

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team is ranked No. 17 in the latest USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll. The Vols moved up eight spots from their previous rank of No. 25.

The team has started off the year a perfect 3-0 after their first major test of the season, defeating the previously ranked No. 20 Washington Huskies on Saturday.

Tennessee also joins SEC teams Kentucky (10) and Auburn (18) in the Top 25. While conference foes No. 6 Florida and No. 24 Louisiana State dropped out of the rankings.

USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll

  1. Duke
  2. Louisville
  3. Michigan State
  4. UNC
  5. Kansas
  6. Virginia
  7. Maryland
  8. Gonzaga
  9. Ohio State
  10. Kentucky
  11. Oregon
  12. Texas Tech
  13. Seton Hall
  14. Arizona
  15. Villanova
  16. Utah State
  17. Tennessee
  18. Auburn
  19. VCU
  20. Memphis
  21. Xavier
  22. Texas
  23. Baylor
  24. Washington
  25. Colorado

Schools dropped out

No. 6 Florida; No. 20 St. Mary’s; No. 22 Purdue; No. 24 Louisiana State.

Others receiving votes

Oklahoma 47; St. Mary’s 46; Florida 40; Marquette 25; Florida State 22; Louisiana State 20; Purdue 19; Michigan 15; Kansas State 14; Butler 11; Vermont 10; Penn St. 9; Arkansas 9; Evansville 8; Wisconsin 7; Dayton 7; Utah 5; Creighton 5; Syracuse 3; San Diego St. 3; Southern California 2; Missouri 2; Mississippi 2; Tulane 1; Oklahoma State 1; Cincinnati 1.

UT News: November 18, 2019

UT News: November 18, 2019

Welcome back from a football bye weekend for the Tennessee Volunteers. It was not all quiet the past few days, as the men’s basketball team triumphed over Washington on Saturday night, keeping their record perfect at 3-0. As for other news, the women’s volleyball team has announced some signings and the Lady Vols track and field team scored their best regional finish in a decade.

Lady Vols volleyball signs three

Women’s volleyball coach Eve Rackham announced the signing of three recruits for the 2020 class on Friday.

The trio of prospects — Jasmine Brooks, Allie Holland and Kya Moore — are all top-150 players, according to PrepVolleyball.com. Coach Rackham had the following to say about the newest members of the Vols family.

“We are excited about our newest additions to the Lady Vol Volleyball family. Each of these young women are talented in their position and will add great depth to our 2020 roster. Not only are they outstanding athletes, but they are also high-level students, active in their communities and will represent our program with class. I am particularly excited about the work ethic and positivity they will bring to our culture.”

The three prospects promise to bolster the volleyball program and will very likely debut in 2020.

NEXT: Lady Vols track and field record best finish in a decade

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Jerry Palm discusses where Tennessee is most likely to go bowling

Tennessee will return to action in Week 13.

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KNOXVILLE – Tennessee (5-5, 3-3 SEC) will return to action in Week 13 following an open date.

The Vols will play at Missouri (5-5, 2-4 SEC) with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. ET.

A win would make Tennessee bowl eligible with a regular season finale home contest against Vanderbilt awaiting on Nov. 30.

Ahead of the Tennessee-Missouri game, Jerry Palm of CBS Sports provided his thoughts on where the Vols could go bowling in the postseason.

If UT finished the regular season with a 7-5 or 6-6 record, Palm views Tennessee’s bowl destination the same with six or seven wins.

“Their record does not really matter,” Palm told Vols Wire.

Palm mentioned Tennessee’s destination most likely “depends more on whether the Music City Bowl prefers Louisville (6-4, 4-3 ACC) or Kentucky (5-5, 3-5 SEC).”

“I think the Music City Bowl or Liberty Bowl are most likely,” Palm said of Tennessee. “The Texas Bowl and Belk Bowl are also in play with an outside chance at the Gator Bowl.”

Palm currently has Tennessee projected to play Louisville in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.

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 are needing one win in final two games for bowl eligibility

2019 Tennessee football: Week 12

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KNOXVILLE — Tennessee (5-5, 3-3 SEC) is one win away from becoming bowl eligible.

The Vols are in the same situation in 2019 — one win shy of bowl eligibility with two games remaining — as they were last season.

Tennessee lost at home to Missouri and at Vanderbilt to conclude the 2018 season, finishing with a 5-7 record.

The Vols have an open date before playing the final two regular season contests and second-year UT head coach Jeremy Pruitt discussed last year’s team also having a 5-5 record entering the final two games of the season.

“Last year’s team has had really no impact on this year’s team — this is a totally new team,” Pruitt said. “I do think that the people that were on this team can learn lessons from last year and can draw upon experiences.

“We’re focusing on the things that we need to, to have success for the remainder of the year. We have to clean up a lot of things on both sides of the ball and special teams. It’s a great opportunity for our guys to continue to improve as players and for us to improve as a football team.”

UT News: November 14, 2019

UT News: November 14, 2019

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The start of college basketball’s fall signing period began yesterday with a big splash for both the Tennessee Volunteers’ men’s and women’s team. The men signed an elite trio while the the ladies picked up a dynamic duo. On top of that, the women’s volleyball team rallied to defeat the Razorbacks on the road to keep the winning week for Vols athletics going.

Men’s basketball signs three top recruits

The big news on Wednesday was the signing of National Letters of Intent from a trio of promising prospects.

The ball got rolling when four-star recruit Corey Walker signed his letter, and he was followed up by five-star prospects Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer who also gave their official signatures. Head coach Rick Barnes had this to say about his newest crop of players.

“The combined talent and potential of Keon, Corey and Jaden is really exciting. All three of them fit the culture of this program and come from incredible families who have provided wonderful support and guidance to get them to this point. It’s our responsibility now to help each of them take the next steps in their individual development—not only athletically but also as men.”

The three freshly-anointed Volunteers are expected to enroll at the university in the summer of 2020. Next season promises to be an exciting one on Rocky Top.

NEXT: Lady Vols basketball sign two

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