KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – At day one of the Tennessee Invitational, the Tennessee softball team found revenge in a dominant victory over in-state foe ETSU, before falling to Stanford in the night cap.
The results moved the Lady Vols to 11-8 on the still-young season.
Tennessee 10 ETSU 1
An explosive seven spot in the third inning propelled the Lady Vols to their 11th victory of the year.
Redshirt sophomore Samantha Bender was dominant in the circle, striking out four hitters, conceding just three hits and one run, while retiring ETSU’s final seven batters.
Sophomore catcher Ally Shipman had a complete performance, finishing 3-for-3 at the plate with two singles and a double, scoring two runs.
Bender settled in nicely after the Bucs scored the games first run in the opening inning, but the Lady Vols defense held them to the lone score.
The seven runs in the third frame were the most runs the Orange & White have scored in a single inning so far this season.
A two-run homer from freshman KK McCrary (1-for-3) put the wheels in motion for UT giving the Lady Vols a 4-1 advantage.
After junior Ashley Morgan (2-for-2) pushed across another run and Kaitlin Parsons (0-for-1) walked to load the bases, Cailin Hannon (1-for-2) rifled a double into the gap in right center to clear the bases, providing UT with a commanding 8-1 lead. Hannon finished with a game-high three RBIs.
Two more runs in the fourth cemented the contest’s final score in less than two hours of game action.
Tennessee 2 Stanford 7
In the Big Orange’s second contest of the day, Stanford took control in the late innings as the afternoon transitioned to the evening, dropping the Lady Vols to 11-8 on the year.
The squads battled pitch-for-pitch through the first five innings—holding a 2-2 score line—before the Cardinal broke things open with three runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh.
With the bases loaded in the sixth, a three-RBI triple from shortstop Emily Young put Stanford out in front for good.
In the seventh, the red-clad Cardinal added two insurance runs using a station to station approach on the base paths.
Despite giving up seven runs, freshman pitcher Callie Turner struck out five batters and was dominant through stretches in the game’s middle innings.
Next Up
Tennessee is back in action tomorrow when it takes on Toledo in the final game of pool play. First pitch is slated for 12:30 p.m. ET from Sherri Parker Lee Stadium and will be broadcast on SECN+.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee men’s basketball team returns home to Thompson-Boling Arena for its regular-season finale in a Saturday afternoon contest with SEC rival Auburn. Tipoff from Knoxville is set for Noon ET on ESPN2.
Saturday’s game can be seen on ESPN2, online through WatchESPN and on any mobile device through the ESPN App. Fans can access WatchESPN at espn.com/watch. Mike Morgan and Jimmy Dykes will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertlekamp describing the action.
Last time out, the Vols used a dominant second half to battle past Kentucky inside Rupp Arena, 81-73. Junior All-SEC candidate and SEC Community Service Team member John Fulkerson, led the Vols with a career-high 27 points, knocking down 10-of-15 attempts from the field, while also finishing a perfect 7-of-7 from the foul line.
Freshman Josiah-Jordan James was huge in the second half for UT, scoring all 16 of his season-high point output in the contest’s second frame, shooting 5-of-9 from the field, pulling in seven rebounds and dishing off five assists.
A victory on Saturday would end UT’s four-game losing skid against Auburn and give the Vols four wins over top-25 opponents this season.
Up next, Tennessee will travel Nashville to take part in the 2020 SEC Tournament. The Vols are set to begin play on Thursday with a time and an opponent to be determined following the conclusion of Saturday’s SEC contests.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Auburn, 78-42, dating to 1927.
• The Vols have a 48-8 edge when the series is played in Knoxville.
• Tennessee has won 11 of the last 16 meetings in the series.
• The Tigers won this season’s first meeting back on Feb. 22 by a score of 73-66 at Auburn Arena.
A WIN WOULD…
• Give Tennessee a three-game win streak to end the regular season (against teams who occupied the top three spots in the SEC standings last Saturday morning when this three-game stretch began).
• Snap UT’s four-game losing skid in this series.
• Give the Vols four wins this season over top-25 opponents.
STORYLINES
• Senior guards Lamonté Turner and Jordan Bowden will be honored Saturday during a pregame Senior Day ceremony.
• The Vols are 3-1 on Tennessee’s Senior Day during the Barnes era.
• Tennessee ranks fourth nationally in average home attendance, drawing 18,854 fans per game this season.
• UT is holding opponents to 58.1 points per game at Thompson-Boling Arena this season.
• In SEC home games, junior forward John Fulkerson leads the Vols in scoring (15.4 ppg), rebounding (6.9 rpg) and field-goal percentage (.614).
• Josiah-Jordan James had a plus/minus of +19 Tuesday at Kentucky and controlled the second half.
• During SEC play, freshmen account for 40.0 percent of Tennessee’s total minutes played.
LAYUP LINES
• During SEC play, Tennessee leads the league in blocks (5.7 bpg) and owns the conference’s best scoring defense (66.7 ppg).
• SEC Defensive Player of the Year candidate Yves Pons has blocked at least one shot in every game this season.
• Yves Pons leads the SEC and ranks 24th nationally with 2.4 bpg. His 2.4 bpg during SEC play also leads the league.
• Barring injury or illness, senior guard Jordan Bowden will finish his career in the top five on Tennessee’s list for career games played. Saturday will be the 132nd game in which he’s appeared—tying him with former teammate and current NBA rookie Admiral Schofield for fifth-most all-time.
• Saturday will be Jordan Bowden’s 99th career start. Only 13 Vols have ever logged 100 starts.
ABOUT AUBURN
• Auburn is coming off consecutive losses for the third time this season after falling on the road at Kentucky (73-66) on Saturday and at home against Texas A&M (78-75) Wednesday night. The Tigers’ loss on Wednesday was their first home defeat of the season. Auburn currently sits at 24-6 (11-6 SEC).
• As the regular season comes to a close on Saturday, the Tigers have already clinched a double-bye to the quarterfinals of next week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville. Auburn is the defending SEC Tournament Champion after winning four games in four days at last year’s event.
• On offense, Auburn is led by senior guard Samir Doughty. Doughty’s 16.2 ppg not only leads the Tigers, but also ranks 10th in the SEC. This year he has been a consistent threat, scoring 20+ points on 10 different occasions, while pouring in a career-high 33 points back in November.
• Underneath the rim is Auburn’s senior center Austin Wiley. Wiley leads the Tigers and ranks second in the SEC in rebounding with 9.3 boards per game. He’s also been a force on the defensive end, ranking fifth in the SEC with 1.6 blocks per game. Along with crashing the glass, he has also been an effective scorer, recording 13 double-doubles this season.
• Since returning from injury in Auburn’s win over Ole Miss, the Tigers’ second-leading scorer and rebounder, Isaac Okoro, has made an instant impact, averaging 11.3 points per game in those contests.
• The Auburn football team was coached by the famous John Heisman, the namesake of college football’s premier individual award, from 1895-1899.
LAST TIME VS. AUBURN
• A career-high 28 points from senior Jordan Bowden wasn’t enough to push the Tennessee men’s basketball team past 13th-ranked Auburn, as the Vols fell, 73-66, inside Auburn Arena on Feb. 22, 2020.
• Bowden scored his 28 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field, and he was 7-of-7 from the foul line. He also added a game-high six assists to his already stuffed stat line.
• Junior Yves Pons was efficient on the boards, pulling in a game-high 10 rebounds, with five of them coming on the offensive glass.
• After a slow start from the Vols and three early baskets from Auburn, Tennessee ripped off a 15-6 run, during which UT held the Tigers without a field goal for more than five minutes of game action. The run gave the Vols an 18-14 lead at the under-12 media timeout.
• As the half wore on, the Vols were balanced on offense and used timely stops to take a 41-33 lead into the halftime break. UT was propelled by 17 first-half points from Bowden.
• Out of the break, hot shooting from the Vols allowed them to increase their lead to as many as 17 points in the second half’s opening six minutes.
• Auburn responded, cutting into the Vols’ lead to bring the score to 54-47 in favor of the Orange & White at the period’s midpoint.
• At the under-eight media timeout, the Tigers rode a 20-2 run to take a slim 57-56 lead, holding the Vols without a bucket for nearly seven minutes.
• With less than two minutes remaining and the score knotted at 64, a 9-2 run, pushed the Tigers past UT.
MEMORABLE VOL PERFORMANCES AGAINST AUBURN
• Carl Widseth made a then-school-record 17 free throws on The Plains against the Tigers en route to another school record, 47 points, on Feb. 25, 1956, in a 91-87 Tennessee triumph.
• Dalen Showalter recorded a double-double with 27 points and 13 rebounds as the unranked Vols upset No. 2 Auburn, 56-55, at UT’s Armory Fieldhouse on Feb. 23, 1959.
• Playing a team four times in a calendar year is rare. In 1979, UT played a home-and-home series with Auburn. They met again in the 1979 SEC Tournament. The first game of the 1979-80 series was played in December. The Vols were 4-0 vs. Auburn in 1979 (Feb. 2 & 7, March 2, Dec. 12).
• Tony White broke UT’s single-game scoring record with 51 points against the Tigers in Stokely Athletics Center on Valentine’s Day 1987. UT won 103-84.
THE INCREDIBLE (ALL-SEC) FULK
• Junior forward John Fulkerson is playing at an All-SEC level in his first year as a starter, and the numbers back it up.
• He ranks second in the SEC and 11th nationally with a .616 field-goal percentage this season.
• Fulkerson has drawn 46 fouls over UT’s last six games (7.7 fdpg).
• He is 20-for-30 from the field over UT’s last two games (wins over Florida and Kentucky), averaging 24.5 ppg. In those wins, he has battled head-to-head against the preseason SEC Player of the Year (Kerry Blackshear) and a leading candidate for actual SEC Player of the Year honors (Nick Richards).
• Fulkerson is averaging a team-best 1.66 points per shot this season.
DIVING INTO TENNESSEE’S UPSET WIN OVER #6 KENTUCKY
• Prior to Tennessee’s 81-73 win at sixth-ranked Kentucky Tuesday, the Wildcats were 129-0 over the last 10 seasons when leading by double digits at halftime. That mark was blemished when UT rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit—and a 17-point deficit at the 17:31 mark in the second half—to win.
• The win made Rick Barnes the first coach to lead Tennessee to multiple wins at Rupp Arena. He also became the first UT coach to log multiple wins over the Wildcats in Lexington since Ray Mears (four).
• With Tuesday’s win, Tennessee has now won six of the last nine meetings in the series, and Kentucky was ranked in the top 10 for four of those wins.
BOWDEN’S SUCCESS VS. BORDER RIVAL KENTUCKY UNCOMMON
• Senior guard Jordan Bowden is 6-4 against Kentucky during his career and stands as one of only three Vols ever to play in six or more wins over the rival Wildcats.
• Terry Crosby (1975-79) played in seven wins over UK, while Bowden and Johnny Darden (1975-79) played in six.
• Bowden averaged 30.1 minutes and started seven of the 10 meetings. He averaged 7.8 points and 3.8 rebounds and totaled 12 assists, three blocks and nine steals against UK.
• Bowden and junior teammates John Fulkerson, Yves Pons and Jacob Fleschman are among only 12 all-time Vols who played for teams that won multiple games at Kentucky’s Rupp Arena.
Kasiyahna Kushkituah – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Greenville, S.C. — #RV/NR Tennessee (21-9, 10-6 SEC), the No. 6 seed, will meet No. 3 seed and #16/18 Kentucky (21-7, 10-6 SEC) on Friday at approximately 8:15 p.m. ET in the third round of the 2020 SEC Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
The Lady Vols advanced to the third round by coming from 13 down to defeat No. 11 seed Missouri, 64-51, on Thursday night. UT now has won four straight games. The Lady Vols have come from behind 14 times in the 22 games they’ve trailed this season, and the 13-point deficit was the biggest they’ve erased to win this year and biggest since flipping the script on a 20-point, third-quarter hole vs. Stetson last year.
As a top-four seed, UK received a double bye and is making its first appearance in Greenville in 2020. The Wildcats have lost two of their past three contests and have gone only 6-5 in their last 11 games.
This will mark the second meeting this season between UT and UK. The Lady Vols dropped an 80-76 decision in Lexington on Jan. 5 in a game where a young UT team got its first look at a highly-athletic and defensively-aggressive team in the Wildcats. Tennessee owns a 55-13 advantage over Kentucky, but the Cats have won the past two and three of the past five.
The winner of Friday night’s contest advances to the semifinal round to meet the
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Friday’s game will be televised by the SEC Network with Courtney Lyle (PxP), Carolyn Peck (Analyst) and LVFL Andraya Carter (Reporter) on the call.
The SEC Network studio crew includes Alyssa Lang, Andy Landers and Steffi Sorensen.
SEC Radio Network will broadcast every game from the SEC Tournament on SiriusXM 374 as well as on Sirus 138/XM 190 and on Sirius/XM app. channel 961.
The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network radio stations and by audio stream, with Mickey Dearstone calling the action for the 21st season and Bobby Rader serving as the studio host.
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.
For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on Vol Network Affiliates in the black bar at the top of the page.
Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
SECN+ games are online broadcasts and are available only on WatchESPN via computers, smartphones and tablets.
All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) and the SEC Network will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
TENNESSEE IN THE SEC TOURNAMENT
Tennessee enters Friday night’s game with an 80-23 (.796) all-time record in the 41st year of the SEC Tournament.
The Lady Vols improved to 36-5 all-time in their opening game of the SEC Tournament and are 26-9 in their second contest of the tourney.
UT was a No. 8 seed a year ago and is playing as a No. 6 seed for the first time.
No. 6 is the Big Orange’s highest seeding since entering as a No. 5 in 2017 at Greenville.
Tennessee is seeking to capture its league-leading 18th SEC championship trophy. UT was victorious in 1980, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.
The Lady Vols were runners-up on six occasions, including 1982, 1990, 1991, 1995, 2003 and 2015.
UT has advanced to the title game in two of the past six seasons, winning in 2014 as a #2 seed, 71-70, over #4 Kentucky and falling as a #2 seed to #1 South Carolina, 62-46, in 2015.
The Big Orange women are 25-7 in SEC Tournament play since 2007-08.
Tennessee has had 15 SEC Tournament MVPs through the years, with a Lady Vol winning four of the last nine awards.
Isabelle Harrison (2014), Glory Johnson (2012), Shekinna Stricklen (2011) and Alyssia Brewer (2010) were the past four MVPs from Tennessee.
The Lady Vols won the very first SEC Tournament title in 1980, defeating Ole Miss, 85-71, at Stokely Athletics Center in Knoxville.
UT/UK FAMILY TIES
Kellie Harper (1995-99) was teammates at UT with UK associate head coach Kyra Elzy (1996-2001) and assistant Niya Butts (1996-2000). The trio played on the second and third of UT’s three-straight NCAA titles in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
Elzy served a tenure on UT’s staff that included roles as assistant coach and associate head coach from 2012-16.
Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell was a grad. asst. at UT in 1999-2000.
UK assistant Amber Smith was a G.A. at Tennessee in 2013-14.
BACK IN GREENVILLE
This marks the fourth time Greenville has played host to the SEC Tournament.
UT stands at 5-2 in games played in the city after beating Mizzou in Thursday’s second round.
No. 2 seed Tennessee defeated #1 seed LSU in the tourney title game, 67-56, on March 6, 2005, the first time the event was held here.
Shyra Ely was named the SEC Tournament MVP that year, while Shanna Zolman and Brittany Jackson joined her on the all-tournament team.
UT beat Auburn in the second round (64-54) and Vanderbilt in the semifinals (76-73) that year.
PARKER IS UT’S SEC LEGEND
Two-time NCAA champion Candace Parker, UT’s all-time No. 3 scorer (2,137 pts.) and No. 8 rebounder (972 rebounds), is being honored as the Lady Vols’ SEC Legend at this week’s SEC Tournament.
Parker was introduced at halftime of UT’s first game of the tourney and will be at halftime of game nine on Friday.
The 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic gold medalist is a WNBA star for the Los Angeles Sparks.
She also is a TV commentator for NBA on TNT, NBA TV and NCAA Tournament coverage by Turner Sports and CBS Sports.
BIG ORANGE TAILGATE TOUR
Join the Big Orange Tailgate Tour, March 5-8, in Greenville, S.C., for food, fun and Rocky Top at the SEC women’s basketball tournament.
The official UT Alumni and Lady Vol fan tournament headquarters is the Carolina Ale House, located at 113 S. Main Street in Greenville. It’s a short walk to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
The following Big Orange Tailgates will be held ONLY if the Lady Vols advance to that day’s tournament play.
Friday, March 6 | Tailgate: 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET | Game: (approx) 8:30 p.m. ET vs. Kentucky
Saturday, March 7 (semifinals) | Tailgate: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET | Game: (approx) 7:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 8 (championship) | Tailgate: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET | Game: 2:00 p.m. ET
THE ROAD LEADING UP TO THIS
Tennessee has won its last four contests, defeating Vanderbilt (67-63) and Ole Miss (77-66) in back-to-back home games, closing out the regular season at Auburn (56-55) and toppling Missouri, in the SEC Second Round, 64-51, to rise to 21-9 overall, 10-6 SEC.
Despite its substantial personnel losses from a year ago, UT has managed to improve upon its 19-13/7-9 outcome of 2018-19.
The past four wins have been critical bounce-back contests after UT dropped five straight during a brutal stretch that included No. 1 South Carolina, No. 8 Mississippi State, LSU (receiving votes), No. 16 Texas A&M and No. 22 Arkansas in succession.
UT had won six straight SEC contests and stood at 7-1 before dropping those five consecutive contests.
Tennessee’s Rennia Davis is averaging 18.2 ppg. in all games, shooting 47.4 percent (204-430) from the field and 80.4 (86-107) percent at the charity stripe.
Sophomore Rae Burrell and freshman Jordan Horston join Davis as UT’s next highest scorers, contributing 10.7 and 9.6 per game.
Burrell has scored 12 or more points in six of eight games since earning her first start vs. Miss. State.
In three of her last four games, Jordan Horston has committed two or fewer turnovers. In those contests, UT has committed 14, 12 and 10 as a team.
RECAPPING OUR LAST CONTEST
No. 6 seed Tennessee overcame a 13-point second-quarter deficit and ended up winning by 13, in a 64-51 victory over 11th-seeded Missouri in the second round of the SEC Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Thursday night. The Lady Vols advance to play No. 3 seed Kentucky (21-7) at 8:15 p.m. on Friday in the SEC Third Round.
UT (21-9), which won its fourth straight game, put three players in double figures. Sophomore Rae Burrell led the team with 16 points, and juniors Rennia Davis and Kasiyahna Kushkituah finished with 15 and 13, respectively.
Missouri (9-22) was led by Aijha Blackwell with 13 and Hannah Schuchts with 11.
NOTES FROM THE MISSOURI GAME
Rae Can Play: Sophomore Rae Burrell, who scored just two points in the first half against the Tigers, put up a 9-0 run all on her own in the third quarter, fueling a 16-0 spree that moved UT from being down five midway through the period to leading by 10 points a minute into the fourth. She finished the day with a game-high 16 points, marking the fourth time in eight career starts she’s led Tennessee in scoring.
Kasi Stepping Up: Junior Kasiyahna Kushkituah poured in 13 points against Missouri, finding her way into double digits for the first time since her 13-point performance against Air Force on Dec. 1, 2019. Prior to this game her highest point total this season in an SEC contest was eight against Ole Miss on Jan. 9.
Comeback Kids: Tennessee overcame a 13-point deficit against Mizzou to win by 13 points. It’s the largest comeback UT has made since bouncing back to win after being down 20 points in the third quarter against Stetson on Dec. 5, 2018.
Keeping Shooters Quiet: Tennessee ranks fifth in the country in field goal percentage defense. While the Tigers shot 48 percent from the floor in the first half (12 of 25), UT held them to just 13.3 percent in the second half (4 of 30), putting Mizzou’s field goal percentage for the game at 29.1. It is the 10th time the Lady Vols have held a team below a 30 percent field goal percentage this season. Only four teams have shot better than 40 percent against Tennessee this season, one of which was Missouri which shot 40.4 percent the first time the two teams met.
Turnovers In Check: The Lady Vols turned the ball over just 10 times against Missouri (including once in the second half), making it their best outing of the season. Their previous best was 11 turnovers against Stanford, and their lowest total against an SEC opponent was 12 twice vs. Ole Miss and at LSU.
UT-KENTUCKY SERIES NOTES
This marks the 69th edition of UT vs. UK, with the Lady Vols leading the series, 55-13.
UT has faced only two other teams as many times as the Wildcats – Vanderbilt in 84 meetings and Georgia in 69 games.
Tennessee is 21-9 vs. UK in Lexington and 10-0 at neutral sites. The Lady Vols are 9-0 in postseason games.
The Lady Vols are 20-7 all-time at Memorial Coliseum and 1-2 in Rupp Arena.
The Big Orange women own a 24-4 mark against UK in games played in Knoxville, with the Wildcats winning on Rocky Top in 1983, 1985, 2014 and 2019.
UT is 3-1 in overtime games vs. Kentucky, including 3-0 in Lexington and 0-1 in Knoxville, with the last OT contest in the series coming in 1994.
Since Feb. 16, 2014, a four-point Tennessee win in Knoxville, six of the past 10 meetings have been decided by four or fewer points.
UT’s Rennia Davis showed out with 27 points on 60-percent shooting in the meeting earlier this season, but Rhyne Howard’s 37 points pushed UK to the four-point win on Jan. 5.
ABOUT KENTUCKY
Kentucky was picked by the media and the SEC coaches to finish fourth in their preseason polls.
The Wildcats returned three starters, including consensus national freshman of the year Rhyne Howard, plus eight other players.
UK was 25-8 a year ago, finishing fourth in the SEC with an 11-5 mark.
SEC Player of the Year sophomore Rhyne Howard (21.3 ppg.) and transfers Chasity Patterson (11.4 ppg.) and Sabrina Haines (10.0 ppg.) pace the Big Blue attack. Patterson (SEC 6th Woman of Yr.) came from Texas and Haines from Arizona State.
RECAPPING UK’S LAST GAME
Rhyne Howard scored 26 points, but the 15th-ranked Kentucky women’s team was upset by Vanderbilt 70-64 on Sunday afternoon at Memorial Gymnasium.
Vanderbilt rallied in the final period, outscoring Kentucky 24-9 over the game’s final 10 minutes to turn a nine-point deficit into a six-point victory.
Kentucky (21-7, 10-6 SEC) hit just 20 of its 60 field goal attempts (33.3 percent) in the game, including just seven of 24 (29.2 percent) from behind the arc. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt connected on half of its shots (28 of 56), including one of three from behind the arc. The Commodores used their superior size to dominate points in the paint, 42-28.
THE LAST TIME WE MET THE CATS
Rennia Davis turned in a 27-point performance, but it wasn’t enough to pull off the upset bid over No. 13/13 Kentucky as the No. 22/23 Lady Vols fell in Memorial Gymnasium on Jan. 5, 80-76.
Also in double figures for Tennessee (11-3, 1-1 SEC) were sophomore Rae Burrell,who finished with 16 points and six rebounds, and freshman Jordan Horston, who posted 13 points and a career-high nine assists.
UK (12-2, 1-1 SEC) was led by Rhyne Howard with 37 points and nine rebounds, while Sabrina Haines added 11.
MOST RECENT TOURNEY MEETINGS
Tennessee and Kentucky last faced one another in the postseason during the 2015 SEC Tournament in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The Lady Vols grabbed a 75-64 victory in the semifinals.
The season before, UT captured its 17th all-time SEC Tournament title in Duluth, Ga., edging the Wildcats, 71-70, in the championship game to hoist the trophy.
UT and UK also met for tourney titles in 2010 and 2011, with the Lady Vols taking a 70-62 decision in Duluth in 2010 and cruising to a 90-65 triumph in Nashville in 2011.
SCHEDULE NOTE: Friday’s game has been moved to a 4 p.m. start. The game was originally slated to begin at 6:30 p.m.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The high-scoring Tennessee baseball team is back in action at home this weekend as the 11th-ranked Vols host Wright State Friday-Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The Big Orange enter the series unbeaten at 13-0 after a midweek thrashing of Longwood. UT is one of only four undefeated teams remaining in college baseball.
Broadcast Info
All three games will be streamed on WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app. Joel Silverberg will have the call for Friday’s contest, while Vince Ferrara will call the action on Saturday and Sunday.
Fans can also listen to the games on UTSports.com and the UT Gameday app.
Projected Starting Pitchers Game 1: RHP Chad Dallas (3 GS, 3-0, 1.59 ERA) vs. RHP Daniel Kreuzer (3 GS, 0-3, 7.04 ERA) Game 2: TBD vs. RHP Bradley Brehmer (3 GS, 0-3, 8.36 ERA) Game 3: RHP Chase Wallace (3 GS, 1-0, 3.21 ERA) vs. RHP Austin Cline (3 GS, 1-2, 7.90 ERA)
Series History vs. Wright State
Overall: UT leads, 1-0
In Knoxville: UT leads, 1-0
In Dayton: N/A
Neutral Sites: N/A
Last Meeting: W, 16-4 (March 20, 2007)
Notable Vols Rank Among the Nation’s Leaders
Tennessee enters this weekend ranked among the nation’s leaders in a handful of statistical categories. The Vols rank among the top 25 in the country in each of the following categories:
Offense
Batting Average: .325 (12th)
Doubles: 32 (9th)
Hits: 149 (4th)
Home Runs: 24 (1st)
On-Base Percentage: .458 (3rd)
Runs: 153 (1st)
Runs/Game: 11.8 (1st)
Slugging Percentage: .560 (4th)
Stolen Bases: 26 (14th)
Walks: 109 (1st)
Pitching
ERA: 1.46 (3rd)
Hits Allowed/Nine Innings: 5.54 (6th)
Shutouts: 3 (4th)
Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio: 5.63 (2nd)
WHIP: 0.82 (2nd)
Walks Allowed/Nine Innings: 1.85 (2nd)
Here Come the Vols
Tennessee moved up or into all of the major college baseball polls this week after posting a 5-0 record last week. The Vols debuted at No. 11 in the USA Today Top 25 poll, their highest ranking in any poll since being ranked No. 11 in Baseball America’s 2007 preseason poll.
UT entered play this week ranked No. 16 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper (up seven spots), No. 16 by the NCBWA (up eight spots), No. 17 by Perfect game (up two spots) and No. 20 by D1Baseball.com (up four spots). The Big Orange also made their season debut in Baseball America’s poll, coming in at No. 18.
Historic Home Run Pace
UT has come out of the gates swinging this season with a nation-leading 24 home runs through 13 games this season. The Vols have hit multiple home runs in 11 of their 13 games and have hit more homers (24) than runs have been scored against them (22).
Tennessee hit 11 home runs in five games last week with eight different players going deep. In total, 13 different players have already hit a home run for the Vols this season.
Precision Pitching
The Vols’ pitching staff has been every bit as impressive as the offense so far this season, leading the SEC in ERA (1.46), strikeout-to-walk ration (5.63), WHIP (0.82) and walks allowed per nine innings (1.85).
Over five games last week, UT’s pitching staff posted a 1.00 ERA and allowed just six runs (five earned) over 45.0 innings. The staff held opposing hitters to a .184 batting average and had 43 strikeouts while issuing just six walks.
The bullpen was even more dominant than the starting pitching, allowing just two runs and one walk while striking out 23 batters in 26.1 innings pitched. In UT’s series sweep of George Washington, the bullpen did not allow a single run or walk in 14.0 innings and racked up nine strikeouts.
Soularie Starting to Heat Up
After a slow start to the season, Tennessee preseason All-American Alerick Soularie has started to heat up over the past few weeks. The Houston native ranked second on the team with a .412 batting average last week, racking up seven hits, five runs scored, two homers and five RBI. In Tuesday’s midweek win over Longwood, Soularie hit his third home run of the year and finished the night with two hits, three runs and four RBI.
Opponent Scout Wright State Raiders (3-8)
2019 Record: 42-17 (22-8 Horizon League)
2019 Postseason: N/A
Head Coach: Alex Sogard (2nd season) // Was named Horizon League Coach of the Year during his first season at the helm in 2019 after leading the Raiders to a regular-season conference title.
Wright State was picked to finish second in the Horizon League Preseason Poll.
Tennessee will be the third SEC opponents for the Raiders already this season. They were swept by Mississippi State to open the year and were also swept by Auburn last weekend.
One of Wright State’s three wins on the year was against then No. 1 Louisville, 10-3, on Feb. 19.
The Raiders returned 21 players from last season’s team, including sophomore infielder Tyler Black, who was named to the 2019 Horizon League First Team and All-Freshman Team after hitting .353 with 11 doubles, seven home runs and 41 RBI. They also return Horizon League All-Freshman team honoree Damon Dues, who hit .307 with 14 extra base hits and 33 RBI in 2019.
Redshirt junior outfielder Quincy Hamilton leads the team with a .357 batting average, 15 hits, one home run and seven RBI entering this weekend’s series.
Wright State’s pitching has struggled so far this season. The Raiders have a 6.56 team ERA and their projected weekend rotation on Daniel Kreuzer, Bradley Brehmer and Austin Cline are a combined 1-8 so far this season.
Game Promotions
Upcoming promotions for all Tennessee athletics home events can be found on the UT Fan Experience page by clicking HERE.
ALL SERIES
Second Harvest Weekend: Free general admission ticket with the donation of two (2) canned food items.
FRIDAY
Free Food Friday: First 75 students will get free Chick-fil-A.
Student Rewards Swipe In: On the plaza down the right-field line.
Dads & Daughters Day: Delta Gamma and Kappa Kappa Gamma
SATURDAY
BASEketball: Free admission to the baseball game if you show your men’s basketball ticket for the game versus Auburn.
SUNDAY
Kids Day: All kids 12 and under receive free admission. Run the bases and get postgame autographs from select players (weather permitting).
First 50 kids in attendance will receive a free Kids Combo meal.
On Deck
The Vols will wrap up their 10-game homestand with a midweek matchup against in-state foe ETSU on Tuesday, March 10 at 6 p.m. General admission tickets for the game are just $2 as part of our year-long $2 Tuesday promotion. Get your tickets at AllVols.com.
Gameday/Stadium Policies & Information
All of the information listed below and more can be found on the Tennessee Baseball Gameday Information page HERE.
Parking
Baseball parking is located primarily in Lots GF3, GF4, and S23 at the Haslam Music Center. Lots C1, C22 and G16 are available only on dates that Thompson-Boling Arena and Neyland Stadium have no scheduled events.
Additional street parking is located in C10 along Todd Helton Drive and Chamique Holdsclaw Drive, as well as along West Volunteer Blvd.
Parking for MVP ticket holders is located in Lots GF1 and GF2.
Handicap parking is located in marked handicap spaces on Pat Head Summitt Street and in the G16 Volunteer Blvd garage.
A parking map for the 2020 season can be found by clicking HERE.
Beer Sales Policy
New this season, beer will be sold at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Protocol for beer sales will be consistent with all other on-campus venues that have sold alcohol this season.
Clear Bag Policy
In an effort to enhance safety and expedite fan entry at Tennessee athletic events, UT has implemented a clear bag policy at Lindsey Nelson Stadium and all other athletic facilities. Only one clear bag no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches (gallon size) per person is permitted. Fans are also allowed a small clutch purse not exceeding 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches. Gates will open until 90 minutes prior to game time.
The guys from Old Dominion—Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Geoff Sprung, Brad Tursi and Whit Sellers—have cancelled five tour dates in Europe due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.
The five dates—Berlin (March 7), Amsterdam (March 8), Dublin (March 13), London (March 14) and Glasgow (March 15)—were part of the C2C: Country To Country Festival.
The band made the announcement via Instagram: “After much consideration, we have decided to withdraw from our upcoming performances as part of the @c2cfestival in Berlin, Amsterdam, Dublin, London, and Glasgow. We are so sorry to disappoint our fans overseas; however, with the growing uncertainty and unpredictable nature of the virus that is spreading throughout the world, the safety and security of our entire team is the top priority. We are forever grateful for every opportunity we get to witness just how far our music is reaching, and we will be back across the world as soon as we can. Much love and thank you for your support. -Matthew, Trevor, Brad, Geoff & Whit”
Artists slated to perform at C2C include Luke Combs, Eric Church, Darius Rucker, Charles Esten, Tanya Tucker, Brett Young, Tenille Townes, The Cadillac Three, Abby Anderson, Eric Paslay, Runaway June and Jordan Davis.
A number of artists are joining forces for the To Nashville, With Love benefit concert on March 9 at Marathon Music Works.
Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Brothers Osborne, Dan Auerbach, Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Sheryl Crow, Soccer Mommy and Yola are slated to take the stage to help raise money for the To Nashville, With Love Fund, which was created by a group of music industry professionals to assist those affected by the tornadoes that struck Middle Tennessee on March 3. All donations to this fund will be administered by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
“Amanda [Shires] and I are proud to call Nashville our home, and we’re proud of the Nashville community’s ability to come together in a time of crisis,” says Jason Isbell. “We’re lucky that our home and our loved ones are safe, but we know that isn’t the case for many Nashvillians. I’m happy to do what I can to help the city recover.”
Keith Urban stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on March 5 to perform his new song, “God Whispered Your Name.”
Penned by James Slater, Shy Carter, Micah Carter and Chris August, “God Whispered Your Name” is Keith’s first new music in 2020.
“‘God Whispered Your Name’ really spoke to me the very first time I heard it,” says Keith. “The opening line, ‘I was so cold and lost / and nothing seemed to ring true’—God, I know that place so well, and the rest of the song unfolded, and I just followed it every step of the way. At the end of the day if I’m gonna record a song that I didn’t write, like this one, then it’s gonna be a song that speaks to me really strongly. And ‘God Whispered Your Name’ absolutely spoke to me and tells my journey in such a profound way going through a season in life of being very lost and lonely and confused and not knowing how to get out of that, and then the chorus hits: ‘God whispered your name’ and everything starts to open up and become clear. And that second verse when it said, ‘I can feel the sunshine for the first time in a while,’ again, it just went right to the core of me. And [it was] the most extraordinary song, and I just knew right then and there I had to get into the studio and record it.”
Watch Keith’s performance of “God Whispered Your Name” below.
GREENVILLE, S.C. – No. 6 seed Tennessee overcame a 13-point second-quarter deficit and ended up winning by 13, in a 64-51 victory over 11th-seeded Missouri in the second round of the SEC Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Thursday night. The Lady Vols advance to play No. 3 seed Kentucky (21-7) at 8:15 p.m. on Friday in the SEC Third Round.
UT (21-9), which won its fourth straight game, put three players in double figures. Sophomore Rae Burrell led the team with 16 points, and juniors Rennia Davis and Kasiyahna Kushkituah finished with 15 and 13, respectively.
Missouri (9-22) was led by Aijha Blackwell with 13 and Hannah Schuchts with 11.
The Tigers got off to a hot start with Blackwell and Jordan Roundtree combining for nine points to give Missouri a seven-point lead four minutes in before Rennia Davis knocked down a long-range jumper to end the Mizzou run and pull the score to 9-4 at the media timeout. Following the timeout Blackwell converted on a three, but Kushkituah got the put-back on the other end and freshman Jordan Horston followed it up with a driving layup on the next possession to move the score to 12-8 with just under two minutes remaining in the quarter. The Tigers answered with a 5-0 run before redshirt junior Jaiden McCoy hit a pair free throws to send UT into the second period trailing 17-10.
Mizzou struck first to start the second quarter, but Kushkituah rallied UT, scoring five-straight points to pull the Big Orange within four just 1:15 in. The Tigers bounced back with a 9-0 run to lead by 13 at the 5:10 mark before the Lady Vols outscored Missouri 11-6 to close the half down by eight at 34-26.
Freshman Tamari Key was the first to score in the second half, putting in a turn-around jumper that Burrell followed up with a baseline three to pull UT within three just over a minute into play. A minute and a half later Davis converted on an old fashioned three-point play to tie the score at 34-all. Mizzou built its lead back up to six off free throws and a Jordan Chavis layup before Burrell scored seven-straight points to give UT its first lead of the game at 41-40 with 3:39 left in the period. Burrell scored two more points on a running jumper, and Kushkituah and Horston each added buckets to extend the Tennessee run to 13-0 and stretch the lead to 47-40. Jazmine Massengill beat the shot clock to score the final bucket of the quarter and put the score at 49-40 heading into the final stanza.
Davis hit a free throw at the start of the fourth to stretch the Lady Vols’ run to 16-0 before Hayley Frank posted a 3-point play to cut the score to 43-50. Kushkituah stretched the lead back to nine before the media timeout, but Schuchts hit a three to cut the deficit to six with 4:52 left in the game. Horston and Davis combined for four-straight points for UT to boost the lead back to 10 by the 2:39 mark. Mizzou scrapped back within seven off free throws, but Tennessee closed out the game with an 8-2 run to win 64-51.
Up Next: The Lady Vols advance to the SEC Third Round, where they will face No. 3 seed Kentucky on Friday. The game will tip off 25 minutes following the conclusion of the 6 p.m. contest (approximately 8:15 p.m.) It will be televised on the SEC Network and broadcast on SEC Radio Network, SiriusXM 374, Sirius 138/XM 190 and Lady Vol Network radio stations.
Rae Can Play: Sophomore Rae Burrell, who scored just two points in the first half against the Tigers, put up a 9-0 run all on her own in the third quarter, fueling a 16-0 spree that moved UT from being down five midway through the period to leading by 10 points a minute into the fourth. She finished the day with a game-high 16 points, marking the fourth time in eight career starts she’s led Tennessee in scoring.
Kasi Stepping Up: Junior Kasiyahna Kushkituah poured in 13 points against Missouri, finding her way into double digits for the first time since her 13-point performance against Air Force on Dec. 1, 2019. Prior this game her highest point total this season in an SEC contest was eight points against Ole Miss on Jan. 9.
Comeback Kids: Tennessee overcame a 13-point deficit against Mizzou to win by 13 points. It’s the largest comeback UT has made since bouncing back to win after being down 20 points in the third quarter against Stetson on Dec. 5, 2018.
Keeping Shooters Quiet: Tennessee ranks fifth in the country in field goal percentage defense. While the Tigers shot 48 percent from the floor in the first half (12 of 25), UT held them to just 13.3 percent in the second half (4 of 30), putting Mizzou’s field goal percentage for the game at 29.1. It is the 10th time the Lady Vols have held a team below a 30 percent field goal percentage this season. Only four teams have shot better than 40 percent against Tennessee this season, one of which was Missouri which shot 40.4 percent the first time the two teams met.
Turnovers In Check: The Lady Vols turned the ball over just 10 times against Missouri (including once in the second half), making it their best outing of the season. Their previous best was 11 turnovers against Stanford, and their lowest total against an SEC opponent was 12 twice vs. Ole Miss and at LSU this season.
On Thursday, Tennessee baseball held a free kids clinic to benefit those affected by the mid-state tornadoes earlier this week. Vols head coach Tony Vitello, RHP Sean Hunley (Mount Juliet, TN) and LHP Will Mabrey (Cookeville, TN) spoke to the media just before the camp started about the event and the concern over their home towns being impacted directly. Videos are courtesy of WVLT-TV 8 Knoxville. Special thanks to them.
