KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee basketball team will face its second-consecutive Big South opponent Tuesday night, as the Vols host High Point at Thompson-Boling Arena for a 7 p.m. ET tip.
Tuesday’s game is available online through SEC Network + (WatchESPN). Visit WatchESPN.com or download the WatchESPN app to view the game on a computer or mobile device. Courtney Lyle (play-by-play) and Vincent Yarbrough (analyst) are on the call for Tuesday’s matchup.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to catch Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.
Tickets are still available and can be purchased online through AllVols.com.
Tuesday’s game will be the first-ever contest between the Vols and High Point, and both teams hold 1-0 records heading into the contest.
RIGHT NOW
• Tennessee has never previously faced High Point on the hardwood, but the Vols are 23-0 all-time against current members of the Big South Conference.
• Attendance for UT’s opener on Friday was 15,047.
• Admiral Schofield tied his career-high with 22 points in Friday’s win over Presbyterian.
• All 16 Vols on the roster played in that opening victory.
A WIN WOULD…
• Allow Tennessee to take an unblemished record into the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis.
• Extend Tennessee’s home winning streak against non-conference opponents to eight games. That streak dates to last season’s win over Appalachian State on Nov. 15, 2016.
ABOUT HIGH POINT
• Founded in 1924 and located in High Point, North Carolina, High Point University is a member of the Big South Conference.
• High Point head coach Scott Cherry is entering his ninth season with the Panthers. He holds a 132-118 record during his stint at the helm of the program.
• After capturing four consecutive Big South regular-season championships from 2013-16, HPU went 15-16 last season, ending a streak of four straight postseason appearances.
• Junior guard Andre Fox (12.7 ppg, .352 3FG) was the Panthers’ second-leading scorer a year ago. His contributions will be bolstered by those of sophomore guard Jamal Wright (8.0 ppg, 3.6 apg) and junior forward Ricky Madison (6.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg).
• The Panthers defeated Averett, 90-66, in a home exhibition game on Nov. 5. And last Friday, High Point showcased a potent offensive punch during a convincing 100-66 home win over William & Mary.
PANTHERS’ STRENGTH COACH PLAYED FOOTBALL FOR VOLS
• High Point head strength and conditioning coach Andrew Crossley was a four-year member of the Tennessee football team (running back), graduating in 2004 with a degree in Biochemistry.
• Immediately after graduating from Tennesee, Crossley interned with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs and WNBA’s San Antonio Stars.
• Crossley completed his master’s degree in Education in Interdisciplinary Studies at Campbell University in December 2012.
• He has also previously worked as a strength coach at Campbell and North Carolina.
VOLS SHINE IN LATEST GSR DATA
• The Tennessee basketball program had plenty to celebrate following the Nov. 8 release of the latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data.
• The program’s multi-year GSR of 89 percent is an all-time program record (besting the previous high by 16 percentage points).
• The UT men’s basketball program has improved its multi-year GSR 29 percentage points in four years—from 60 percent in 2014 to 89 percent in 2017.
PRESBYTERIAN RECAP
• Tennessee used a 28-0 run in the first half to fuel its way to an 88-53 victory over Presbyterian in its season-opener on Friday night at Thompson-Boling Arena in front of 15,047 fans.
• After Presbyterian scored the opening basket of the game, the Vols did not yield a point over the next nine minutes to help build a 46-14 lead going into halftime. UT also kept the Blue Hose scoreless over the final 2:11 of the opening frame while holding them to 26 percent shooting.
• Jordan Bowden led the way offensively for the Vols in the first half, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and 3-for-3 from 3-point range. Bowden finished with 15 points and five rebounds.
• Admiral Schofield went for a game-high and career-high-tying 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting while posting five rebounds. Grant Williams added 14 points and a team-high seven boards.
• Redshirt freshman forward John Fulkerson dished out a team-high five assists in his first action since suffering a season-ending injury in Tennessee’s 10th game last season (Dec. 15, 2016).
• The victory marked the 400th home win of UT head coach Rick Barnes‘ 31-year career.
WILLIAMS EARNS COACHES’ PRESEASON ALL-SEC ACCLAIM
• The SEC unveiled its men’s basketball coaches’ preseason All-SEC teams last week, and Tennessee sophomore Grant Williams earned second-team acclaim.
• The Volunteers’ leading returning scorer (12.6 ppg) and rebounder (5.9 ppg), Williams put together a remarkable true freshman campaign last season, starting 29 games for the Big Orange.
• His 402 total points last season ranked sixth all-time among Tennessee freshmen, trailing only Bernard King (661), Allan Houston (609), Tobias Harris (521), Ernie Grunfeld (453) and Chris Lofton (410). And his 30-point performances against Lipscomb and Georgia made him just the third Vol in history to record multiple 30-point games as a freshman, joining King and Houston.
• Williams’ 61 blocked shots last year shattered Tennessee’s previous freshman record of 39 (C.J. Black, 1996-97) and ranked as the second-most ever recorded in a single season by a Vol. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native’s 1.9 bpg average ranked third all-time for a single season and easily bested the previous freshman record of 1.41 (C.J. Black, 1996-97).
UP NEXT: BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS
• Tennessee will make its second appearance in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in one week. The 2017 field includes the Vols, Arizona, NC State, Northern Iowa, Purdue, SMU, Villanova and Western Kentucky. The Vols open against Purdue Nov. 22.
• The Battle 4 Atlantis takes place at the prestigious Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas.
• In Atlantis in 2013, Tennessee dropped its opening game to UTEP before bouncing back to defeat Xavier and Wake Forest.
-UT Athletics
