Hoops Preview: No. 11/12 Lady Vols vs. Presbyterian

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 11/12 Tennessee will open the 2018-19 regular-season schedule on Sunday (Nov. 11), as the Presbyterian Blue Hose come to Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville for a 2 p.m. ET contest (SECN+).

The match-up marks the beginning of the seventh season of the Holly Warlick era and the first-ever meeting between these schools in women’s basketball.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Mick Gillispie (play-by-play), Steve Hamer (analyst) and Kasey Funderburg (sideline) will describe the action for the UT-Presbyterian online broadcast on SECN+.
Mickey Dearstone is handling the call for IMG College/Lady Vol Network radio/online broadcasts for the 20th season. A link to the live audio stream can be found on each game’s Hoops Central page or the Lady Vol schedule on UTSports.com.
Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.

PROMOTIONS FOR THE GAME

The UT men’s basketball team used the successful campaign, #FeedTheFloor, a year ago, and this year the Lady Vols will try to reinforce the importance of active, vocal fans with a #SparkTheSummitt initiative. Fans can ignite the home team’s players on their appropriately-named court (The Summitt) with relentless enthusiasm. The home fans can give their all for Tennessee, just like the Lady Vols.
Salute to Service Weekend: UT says thank you for the service and sacrifice by members of our U.S. armed forces.
Current military members and veterans may present their Military I.D. or DD-214 at Gate C, Gate E or the ticket tent located on Phillip Fulmer Way prior to entering Thompson-Boling Arena for complimentary admission for themselves and their immediate family members.
Enjoy the pregame Kids’ Corner at Gate F. Opening one hour prior to tip-off, the fun includes free face painting, the Big Orange prize wheel, visits from Smokey and cheerleaders, crafts and more.
It’s National Sundae Day! The first 100 kids at Kids’ Corner can build their own sundae with a wide variety of toppings.
Post-game lay-ups: Kids 12 and younger can shoot a lay-up on the court after the game!
High-Five Tunnel: Kids 12 and younger can pick up a wristband at the Fan HQ table on the concourse to participate in the pregame High-5 Tunnel. Wristbands are limited. To purchase discounted group tickets and reserve wristbands for your team, call 865-946-7000.
Free parking and shuttle service is available from UT’s Ag Campus. Shuttles begin two hours prior to tip.
If you attended Rocky Top Tip-Off and have a free ticket voucher for the home opener, present your voucher at Gate C, Gate E or the ticket tent located on Phillip Fulmer Way prior to entry to Thompson-Boling Arena.

LADY VOLS IN OPENERS

The Lady Vols are 40-4 in season openers over the past 44 years, including 25-3 at home, 8-0 at neutral sites and 7-1 on the road.
UT is 5-1 in season openers under Holly Warlick, including 3-0 at home and 2-1 on the road.
UT is 41-3 all-time in its first home game of a season, including 6-0 during the Warlick era.
Tennessee has a 30-1 record at Thompson-Boling Arena in its first home appearance of a season, including 3-0 during the Warlick era.
UT has won 12 season openers in a row at home, dating back to a 69-64 setback to #6 Louisiana Tech in Knoxville on Nov. 14, 1999.
UT has won its last five season-openers and 17 of its last 18.

WHAT TO WATCH

THREE STARTERS RETURN: The Lady Vols return three starters in senior guard Meme Jackson and sophomores Rennia Davis (G/F) and Evina Westbrook (PG). That trio should set the tone for UT.
PRESEASON PUB: Davis and Westbrook are preseason All-SEC picks and are on the preseason watch lists for the Cheryl Miller Award and Nancy Lieberman Award, respectively. Both made SEC All-Freshman in 2017-18.
NO. 4 RECRUITING CLASS: The fourth-ranked signing class in 2018 will make its regular season Rocky Top debut. That group of freshmen includes guard/forward Rae Burrell, forward Mimi Collins, guard Zaay Green and point guard Jazmine Massengill.
NEW FACES IN THE PAINT: With Mercedes Russell gone to the WNBA, Cheridene Green, Kasiyahna Kushkituah, Mimi Collins and Kamera Harris are trying to provide UT a new inside presence.

UT’S LAST GAME

No. 11/12-ranked Tennessee cruised past Carson-Newman, 128-59, in its season-opening exhibition game last Monday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Lady Vols, who now have beaten the Lady Eagles 15 years in a row in preseason affairs, had eight players register double-digit points in the win. The true freshman duo of Zaay Green (28 points, 10 rebounds) and Mimi Collins (16 points, 10 rebounds) each posted double-doubles, combining for 44 points and 20 rebounds in their college debuts.
Sophomore Rennia Davis (17 points, nine rebounds) and freshman Jazmine Massengill (12 points, nine rebounds) were each a rebound shy of double-doubles. Redshirt senior Cheridene Green (16 points), sophomore Kasiyahna Kushkituah (12 points), sophomore Evina Westbrook(11 points) and freshman Rae Burrell (11 points) rounded out the Big Orange players scoring 10 or more points.

A LOOK AT PRESBYTERIAN

Presbyterian is directed by Alaura Sharp, who is in her first season at the school.
She came from La. Tech, where she was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator (2016-18).
Sharp is 95-63 as a head coach at Garden City (Kansas) Community College (2009-13) and Lamar (Colo.) Community College (2008-09).
The Blue Hose return three starters and nine total letterwinners and welcome four newcomers.
PC finished 12-18 overall and 9-9 in league play a year ago, good for fifth place.
Kacie Hall, a 5-7 junior guard, is the team’s leading returnee, averaging 11.1 points per game and firing in 62 three-pointers in 2017-18.
Hall was an All-Big South Honorable Mention selection as a sophomore. She is a preseason All-Big South First Team pick in 2018-19 after posting 12.7 ppg. in league games last year.

PC’S LAST GAME

Freshman Shamani Stafford scored a game-high 18 points and senior Salina Virola added a double-double, as the Presbyterian College women’s basketball team defeated Augusta 65-47 in an exhibition game at the Templeton Center in Clinton, S.C., on Nov. 4.
Stafford led all scorers with 18 points. She went 7-of-15 from the floor and 2-of-4 for three. Olivia Swantson led Augusta with 15 points, with most of her points coming off 4-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc.
Virola posted a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, a game-high, in just 15 minutes played. In total, PC had four players in double figures with Kacie Hall and Bria Gibbs each scoring 11 points.

UT Athletics