All-SEC candidate makes meaningful impact off the court
John Fulkerson was named to the 2020 SEC Community Service Team for men’s basketball, the league announced Thursday.
A redshirt junior from Kingsport, Tennessee, Fulkerson has been one of the nation’s most efficient offensive performers this season. He ranks second in the SEC and 11th nationally with a .616 field-goal percentage.
A candidate for All-SEC honors, Fulkerson has started every game for the Vols and is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder.
His impact in community outreach efforts has been equally as impressive, and a 24-hour span earlier this week illustrated his commitment to enriching the lives of others.
Fulkerson delivered an historic performance—highlighted by a career-high 27 points—to power Tennessee past sixth-ranked Kentucky Tuesday night at Rupp Arena. The game tipped off at 9:05 p.m. ET, and the Vols didn’t arrive back on the UT campus until after 3 a.m. ET Wednesday morning. Despite the lack of rest, Fulkerson honored a commitment to make a 10 a.m. ET appearance at an area elementary school on Wednesday, where he read to students as part of the Read Across America initiative.
Wednesday’s appearance was the latest in a long line of service activities Fulkerson has participated in. He has been very active with Big Buddies Tennessee, which pairs a UT student with an individual who has an intellectual disability to form meaningful, one-on-one friendships. Fulkerson most recently took part in a Big Buddies dance in late February.
In December, Fulkerson spent an afternoon engaging with local children in conjunction with the opening of Knoxville’s Emerald Youth Haslam-Sansom Ministry Complex. And in each of the last four summers, he has joined his Vol teammates at the annual Hoops for Hope basketball clinic that benefits the Down Syndrome Awareness Group of East Tennessee.
He has served for multiple years as one of the basketball program’s representatives on UT’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), and he also serves on the SEC Student-Athlete Leadership Council for men’s basketball.
A multi-year VOLScholar, Fulkerson is on track to graduate in May with a degree in Recreation and Sport Management.
This marks the 22nd year for the SEC Community Service Team for men’s and women’s basketball. All 21 league-sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004, with at-large teams being chosen from 1999-2003. The SEC began the concept with a football Community Service Team in 1994.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. –Tennessee softball home games are now underway, and the 2020 season marks the addition of several fan experience enhancements at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
A variety of ticket packages and single-game tickets remain at AllVols.com.
The Lady Vols’ season continues at home this weekend when they host ETSU, Stanford and Toledo for the Tennessee Invitational Friday through Sunday.
Earlier this academic year, Tennessee thoughtfully implemented beer sales at home football, soccer, volleyball, basketball and baseball events with positive results.
In keeping with established protocol at other UTAD venues, sales procedures will remain consistent at softball games:
A maximum of two alcoholic beverages may be purchased per transaction, and fans are asked to be patient while waiting in line.
Per Southeastern Conference policy, each alcoholic beverage must be poured into a clear cup upon purchase.
Alcohol will not be allowed to leave the stadium. Personnel at the gates will ensure that all cups containing alcohol are poured out and empty as patrons exit the venue.
Regardless of age, everyone will be required to produce a valid photo ID each time alcohol is purchased. Accepted IDs include valid driver’s licenses (cannot be paper), military ID cards, passports, and government-issued photo ID cards.
Individuals consuming alcohol must be able to produce a valid photo ID at all times.
Individuals will be ejected from the venue and are subject to prosecution if they pass off alcohol to a minor, attempt to use a fake ID, or are intoxicated.
Beer sales at softball will conclude each game at the middle of the fifth inning. The point of sale for beer at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium is located in the concourse behind the first-base line.
Additionally, in an effort to keep fans safe from foul balls this season, the stadium’s safety netting now extends farther down the first- and third-base lines.
All season long, Tennessee’s “Fan HQ” team is based in the concourse area behind home plate. Fans have the opportunity to win a host of prizes while cheering on the Lady Vols including a free Chick-Fil-A sandwich, queso from Moe’s Southwest Grill and much more.
Additionally, when attendees catch foul balls, they can return them to a member of the event management or fan experience staff in exchange for a Lady Vol branded softball.
Beginning March 20, every SEC series will feature a pre-game Kids’ Corner plus post-game autographs with select members of the team. For more information about all activities and offers this season at Sherri Parker Lee click HERE.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Lady Vols will remain home for their final tournament of non-conference play and welcome ETSU, Stanford and Toledo for the Tennessee Invitational this Friday-Sunday at Sherri Parker Lee.
Tennessee (10-7) looks to build some momentum behind two consecutive home wins and recover from disappointing play in its previous two tournaments in Tampa, Fla., and Johnson City, Tenn., respectively, that resulted in a 2-5 showing.
However, UT goes into the weekend as the easy favorite with a 27-1 all-time record at the Tennessee Invitational and boasts a combined 23-6 edge over its weekend opponents.
Full Schedule (all times ET and subject to change)
Friday, March 6
G1 10:00 am ETSU vs. Toledo
G2 12:30 pm Stanford vs. Toledo
G3 3:00 pm Tennessee vs. ETSU
G4 5:30 pm Tennessee vs. Stanford
Saturday, March 7
G5 10:00 am Stanford vs. ETSU
G6 12:30 pm Tennessee vs. Toledo
G7 3:00 pm Seed #1 vs. Seed #4
G8 5:30 pm Seed #2 vs. Seed #3
Sunday, March 8
*G9 9:30 am Loser G7 vs. Loser G8
*G10 12:00 pm Winner G7 vs. Winner G8
*Tennessee will play in game 10 regardless of outcome of games 7 and 8
Broadcast Info
All UT games will be streamed on WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app. Andy Brock and Madison Shipman will have the call for the Lady Vols matchups this weekend.
Fans can also listen to the games on UTSports.com and the UT Gameday app with Brian Rice providing coverage.
Quick Hits
Double Down
Tennessee has recorded 14 double plays so far this season, with a single-game season high three against USF on Feb. 22 that ties for a program record. The achievement has only occurred on three occasions, the last time coming at Virginia Tech in 2015. The only other time a UT team had three double plays was in 1998 versus Kansas. The Lady Vols’ 0.82 double plays per game leads the SEC and ranks second in the nation.
Seggern Takes ‘Em for the Team
Senior Chelsea Seggern quickly jumped into another top-10 category early in the season, albeit a painful one. Recording eight hit-by-pitches so far, Seggern ranks seventh all-time in UT history after being pegged at the plate 27 times since she joined the Lady Vols family in 2017. The Thrall, Texas, native ranks second in the SEC and sixth in the nation in HBP per game (0.47). Seggern is also ranked 20th in the nations with 0.576 on base percentage.
Pitching Coming Together
Despite UT’s expected ace Ashley Rogers temporarily sidelined, the young pitching staff has maintained its competitiveness behind freshman starter Callie Turner, who ranks third in the SEC and 30th in the nation with seven victories. Newcomer and redshirt sophomore transfer Samantha Bender has also been reliable for the Lady Vols in the circle recording two saves so far this season, which ranks fifth in the conference and 18th in the nation. Bender has a 3-1 win-loss record om 27.1 innings pitched.
Freshmen’s First Dingers
Kiki Milloy and KK McCrary have stood out for their impressive play at the plate in the early 2020 season. Milloy who was the leadoff hitter in the 2020 lid-lifter, was the first freshman to go yard in their first collegiate at-bat for the Lady Vols since at least 2012, while McCrary was the first of the eight freshmen to go yard at Sherri Parker Lee. McCrary blasted a 2-run homer through centerfield against UT Martin on Feb. 25 to become the first freshman to record a dinger in a home opener since Meghan Gregg hit two against Northern Iowa on March 6, 2015.
Hail Tennessee
Nearly half of the Lady Vols squad is made up of in-state talent. There are nine Tennessee natives on the 2020 roster, believed to be a record for the program. Seniors Treasuary Poindexter (Covington, Tenn.) and Cailin Hannon (Franklin, Tenn.) and sophomores Kaili Phillips (Ooltewah, Tenn.) and Ashley Rogers (Athens, Tenn.) are joined by freshmen Anna Fox (Columbia, Tenn.), KK McCrary (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), Josie Willingham (Medon, Tenn.), Anna Hazlewood (Martin, Tenn.) and Madison Webber (Sevierville, Tenn.).
25th Anniversary
On Feb. 23, 1996, Tennessee fielded its first softball team at the 10th Annual Louisiana Classics in Lafayette, La. A 1-0 loss to Baylor, a program that had been around since 1979, marked the beginning of what would become one of the Vols and Lady Vols premier athletic programs. The Lady Vols bounced back the following day to pick up the program’s first win, a 5-4 victory over the Bears and eventually took the series in a rubber match on Feb. 25, a 9-8, eight-inning victory. Fast forward to 2020 and 1,124 wins later, the Orange and White opens the programs 25th year in extant as the season commences on Feb. 8 in Tempe, Ariz., against Northwestern.
All-American Homecoming
In late January, Tennessee announced that it would host the U.S. Women’s National Team as part of Team USA’s “Stand Beside Her” Tour – a nationwide tour where the Red, White and Blue will face top Division I collegiate teams in preparation for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. On April 8, the Lady Vols face off against the WNT at Sherri Parker Lee and will welcome back Tennessee great Monica Abbott, a four-time All-American (2004-07), three-time SEC Pitcher of the Year (2004, 05, 07), USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year trophy winner and NCAA/UT program record holder. Tickets for the event are currently sold out, but the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Scouting Report
ETSU
2020 record: 7-10, 0-0 SoCon
Series: 19-1
Last meeting: A 20th-ranked UT fell 4-3 on March 1, 2019 in Johnson City, Tenn.
Key players/stats: Kylie Toler was named SoCon Player of the Week and leads the team with 13 RBI and three homers. The Bucs clipped the Lady Vols 100-game win streak against in-state opponents in the recent stunner.
Stanford
2020 record: 18-3, 0-0 Pac-12
Series: 3-5
Last meeting: A second-ranked Tennessee downed the 13th-ranked Cardinal 3-1 in Cathedral City, Calif., on Feb. 23, 2014
Key players/stats: Led by Hannah Howell’s .444 batting average and Teaghan Cowles 20 runs. In the circle, Alana Vawter is undefeated with a 1.13 ERA and has thrown 37 strikeouts.
Toledo
2020 record: 9-4, 0-0 MAC
Series: 2-0
Last meeting: A 14th-ranked Lady Vols squad won 6-2 in Knoxville in 2018
Key players/stats: Led by Hannah Howell’s .444 batting average and Teaghan Cowles 20 runs. In the circle, Alana Vawter is undefeated with a 1.13 ERA and has thrown 37 strikeouts.
Cumulus Nashville will be hosting a Cumulus Cares Tornado Relief Radiothon on March 6 at Edley’s Bar-B-Que in East Nashville.
Cumulus stations WKDF (Nash FM 103.3), WSM-F (95.5 Nash Icon), WGFX (104-5 The Zone), WTN (Super Talk 99.7) and WQQK (92Q) will broadcast live from Edley’s at 908 Main Street from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Listeners can text “NASHVILLEStrong” to 68683 for the direct link to make a donation to Tennesseans in need. In addition, Cumulus Nashville will be collecting diapers, blankets, baby formula, wipes, gloves, toothpaste, Ziploc bags, Tide pods and feminine hygiene products at accessible areas near the broadcast site.
Jeremy Pruitt and Doug Pederson / Credit: UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Super Bowl LII champion head coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt headline the 2020 Tennessee Football Coaches Clinic, which will be held March 26-28 at the Anderson Training Center.
The clinic is open to all high school and middle school head and assistant coaches.
Pederson, who also won a Super Bowl as a player, owns 15 years of coaching experience, including three as the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs and four as the head coach of the Eagles. He has quickly established himself as one of the league’s top coaches, compiling two NFL East titles, three playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title.
The clinic will start on Thursday night with a barbecue dinner followed by presentations from NFL coaches and keynote speakers. FCS, Division II & Division III national championship coaching staffs will speak on Friday followed by a steak dinner and chalk talk sessions with these speakers and the Tennessee football coaching staff. Attendees will also have the opportunity to attend spring football practice Friday afternoon. The clinic will conclude on Saturday with talks by Pruitt and Vol assistant coaches.
Greenville, S.C. — #RV/NR Tennessee (20-9, 10-6 SEC) will open play on Thursday at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET in the second round of the 2020 SEC Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
The Lady Vols, who tied for third in the league standings, were assigned the No. 6 seed based on the SEC’s tie-breaker policy. They will meet No. 11 seed Missouri (9-21, 5-11 SEC), which defeated Ole Miss (7-23, 0-16 SEC), 64-53, in a first-round contest on Wednesday afternoon.
Tennessee defeated Mizzou, 77-66, in Knoxville to open the SEC slate back on Jan. 2. The Lady Vols lead the all-time series vs. the Tigers, 10-3.
UT comes into the tournament on a three-game winning streak, having defeated Vanderbilt and Ole Miss at home and Auburn on the road to secure the program’s 43rd 20-victory season in the past 44 years. The 2018-19 squad finished 19-13 and came up a win short of keeping a lengthy streak intact.
The winner of Thursday night’s contest advances to the third round to meet No. 3 seed Kentucky at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Friday.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Thursday’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 Thursday night’s game with a 79-23 (.775) all-time record in the 41st year of the SEC Tournament.
The Lady Vols improved to 35-5 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 24-7 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.
This also is the first SEC Tournament for Kellie Harper and her coaching staff while at Tennessee.
Kellie Harper had an 11-1 record at the SEC Tournament during her time as a student-athlete at UT with postseason tournament titles in 1996, 1998 and 1999. The only loss was in the 1997 semifinals.
Assistant Lacey Goldwire worked on Mike Neighbors’ staff at Arkansas last season during the Razorbacks’ drive to a runner-up finish.
Rennia Davis has averaged 14.0 ppg. in four SEC Tournament games, tallying 16 and five vs. Auburn and South Carolina in 2018 and 19 and 16 vs. LSU and Mississippi State in 2019.
PREVIOUS VISITS TO GREENVILLE
This marks the fourth time Greenville has played host to the SEC Tournament.
UT stands at 4-2 in games played in the city after beating LSU and falling to Mississippi State last year.
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), will be honored as the Lady Vols’ SEC Legend at this week’s SEC Tournament.
Parker will be introduced at halftime of UT’s first game of the tourney and 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.
Thursday, March 5 | Tailgate: 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET | Game: (approx) 8:30 p.m. ET vs. Ole Miss/Missouri
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 three contests, defeating Vanderbilt (67-63) and Ole Miss (77-66) in back-to-back home games and closing out the regular season with a 56-55 squeaker at Auburn to improve to 20-9 overall and 10-6 in league play.
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 three 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 18.3 ppg. in all games and 19.9 ppg. in SEC play, shooting 49.6 percent (118-238) from the field and 82.8 (48-58) percent at the charity stripe vs. league foes.
Sophomore Rae Burrell and freshman Jordan Horston join Davis as UT’s next highest scorers in SEC play, contributing 10.5 and 9.9 per game.
Burrell has started the past seven games after coming off the bench the previous 22 contests. She is averaging 13.0 ppg. and 6.3 rpg. over her last seven games.
Horston has come off the bench and has produced 8.8 ppg., 4.6 apg. and 4.4 rpg. the past five games.
RECAPPING OUR LAST CONTEST
Junior Rennia Davis tallied a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and freshman Jordan Horston hit a runner in the lane with 0.6 seconds left on the clock to lift Tennessee to a crucial 56-55 win at Auburn to close out the regular season on Sunday afternoon.
The victory improved the Lady Vols’ record to 20-9 overall and 10-6 in the SEC, earning them a four-way tie for third place in the SEC regular season with Texas A&M, Kentucky and Arkansas.
The double-double was the 29th of Davis’ career (11th this season), tying Bashaara Graves for 10th all-time among Lady Vols. Redshirt senior Lou Brown was Tennessee’s next highest scorer, posting nine points off three-of-six shooting from behind the arc.
Auburn (10-17, 4-12 SEC) was paced by senior Daisa Alexander, who finished with 15 points, followed by sophomore Robyn Benton who had 11.
NOTES FROM THE AUBURN GAME
Keeping Thompson In Check: Auburn junior Unique Thompson entered the game averaging 16.6 ppg. and 11.6 rpg. and was fresh off recording her 41st career double-double against Missouri. Tennessee managed to hold her to just six points and five rebounds on the day.
20+ Davis: With 22 points against Auburn, Rennia Davis recorded her sixth 20+ game of the season and the 13th of her career, putting her at ninth all-time among Lady Vols.
Dominating The Boards: The Lady Vols out-rebounded the Tigers by a commanding 50-26 margin. UT has now out-rebounded 21 of 29 opponents on the season and boasts a +11.4 rebounding margin.
20-Win Season: With the victory over Auburn, UT claimed its 20th victory of the season. Tennessee has now posted 20-win seasons in 43 of the last 44 years.
Team Effort: Every Tennessee player who saw action against AU contributed at least two points to the victory, and UT’s bench outscored Auburn’s 15-9.
UT-MISSOURI SERIES NOTES
The Lady Vols hold a 10-3 all-time record vs. Missouri, dating back to Jan. 14, 1978, with Tennessee winning the past two meetings.
Against Mizzou, the Lady Vols are 5-1 in games played in Knoxville, 1-0 at neutral sites, and 4-2 in Columbia.
Three of the past four meetings between these schools have resulted in a four-point game in Columbia in 2018 (MU, 77-73) and two-point differentials in Knoxville (MU, 66-64) and Columbia (UT, 62-60) in 2019.
Tennessee beat MU, 84-39, in Knoxville on Jan. 10, 2013, in their first-ever SEC meeting. Later that season Mizzou evened the score, defeating UT, 80-63, in Columbia.
UT owns a 7-3 mark against Missouri since the Tigers joined the SEC. Robin Pingeton has been the head coach in Columbia that entire time.
Prior to 2013, the Lady Vols defeated Missouri as a non-conference foe three times, most recently at the 2010 Paradise Jam tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands, 82-44.
Tennessee’s Kellie Harper is 3-4 vs. Missouri, with the first three wins coming while leading the program at Missouri State from 2013-19 and the most recent coming on Jan. 2 of this season in Knoxville (77-66).
Harper is 2-2 in home games, 0-2 away and 1-0 at neutral sites vs. the Tigers.
Missouri State won its first two vs. Mizzou under Harper’s tutelage in 2013 and 2014 and lost a four-point decision to the Tigers a year ago in Columbia, 65-61, before the Bears got their train rolling toward a season-ending berth in the NCAA Sweet 16.
Tennessee football wide receiver Grant Frerking is the brother of Missouri’s coordinator of recruiting operations, Kate Frerking. Kate played basketball at Auburn from 2013-17.
• These teams have never met during the SEC Tournament.
ABOUT MISSOURI
Missouri was picked by the media and the SEC coaches to finish ninth in their preseason polls, and they wound up 11th.
The Tigers returned two starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s squad that finished 24-11 overall and 10-6 in the SEC to tie for fourth place.
Mizzou is led by Robin Pingeton, who is 180-140 in her 10th season at the school and 515-297 in her 25th year as a head coach.
Freshman guard Aijha Blackwell is Mizzou’s top player, averaging 15.1 ppg. and 7.1 rpg. Senior guard Amber Smith (12.2 ppg.) and freshman forward Hayley Frank (12.0 ppg.) also pace the attack.
RECAPPING MU’S LAST GAME
Aijha Blackwell and Jordan Chavis combined for 27 points to pace No. 11 seed Missouri (9-21) to an SEC Tournament first-round victory over No. 14 seed Ole Miss (7-23) on Wednesday afternoon at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
Blackwell tallied nine second-half points to finish with a game-high 16 points and added six rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal in 28 minutes.
Chavis, meanwhile, scored nine of her 11 in the first half, as the Tigers built a 34-24 lead at the break.
Mizzou shot 60 percent from the field, including 77 percent (10-13) in the third quarter.
THE LAST TIME WE MET MIZZOU
A dominant effort in the paint and an outstanding defensive second quarter helped the Lady Vols give Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper a victory in her Southeastern Conference debut on Jan. 2, 2020, as No. 22/23 UT defeated Missouri, 77-66, to open conference play.
Tennessee (11-2, 1-0 SEC) held the Tigers (3-11, 0-1 SEC) to three field goals and just seven points in the second period. And the Lady Vols outscored Mizzou, 44-22, in the paint during the triumph.
The Lady Vols lived up to their reputation as one of the nation’s top-rebounding teams, out-rebounding the Tigers, 43-22. Tennessee pulled down 18 offensive boards and enjoyed a 19-4 edge in second-chance points.
Lady Vol junior Rennia Davis recorded her seventh double-double of the season and the 25th of her career, finishing with 19 team-high points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Sophomore Jazmine Massengill handed out a career-high 12 assists and also added seven points and six rebounds.
Freshman Tamari Key totaled 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and fellow first-year performer Jordan Horston scored 13.
The Red Cross, CMT and local NBC affiliate WSMV News 4 have joined forces to host a telethon on March 5 to support Middle Tennessee tornado relief efforts.
The telethon will be filmed live at CMT Studio in downtown Nashville with country music artists, local television personalities and volunteers answering phones to take donations. News 4’s Tom Randles will anchor coverage alongside CMT’s Cody Alan.
The telethon will air live on WSMV News 4 from 4–7 p.m. In addition, CMT will feature the telethon across its social media platforms. All donations will support the American Red Cross.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Lady Vols took care of business in their first of a seven-game homestand, downing Lipscomb 9-1 in five innings behind timely hitting and focused defense.
Heading into Wednesday being outscored 23-4 in first innings, Tennessee (10-7) closed the gap a bit recording four runs to get a comfortable lead that it would hold onto the remainder of the game.
After senior Chelsea Seggern (1-for-1) drew the lead-off walk, a string of multi-base hits sparked the Lady Vols for the rest of the evening. Junior Amanda Ayala (1-for-1) knocked a deep double to left field that fell just inside the line to put the pair into scoring positions and set the table.
Sophomore catcher Ally Shipman (1-for-2) belted a two-RBI triple into center field to bring in Seggern and Ayala before Kaili Phillips (1-for-3) punctuated the scoring with a two-run shot over the left field wall to give UT a 4-0 lead.
“I think the girls really bought into the game plan that we had for the first pitcher that we faced tonight,” said co-head coach Karen Weekly. “They went up there and just really trusted their swings and did some good damage.”
The following inning, freshman KK McCrary (1-for-2) doubled to bring in Seggern, who recorded a game-high three runs, and Jenna Holcomb (1-for-2), who finished with two on the night. McCrary and Shipman combined for six of the Lady Vols’ nine RBIs as UT kept its undefeated home streak on March 4 alive. Tennessee is 12-2 all-time on the day, and 10-0 in Knoxville.
In the bottom of the third, Seggern brought in freshman shortstop Josie Willingham (0-for-1) on an RBI single. Continued patience at the plate fell in favor of the Lady Vols, who recorded nine walks on Wednesday night. A pair of those walks turned into RBIs for McCrary and Shipman as the bases remained loaded in the bottom of the third frame.
Giving up just one hit through the first four innings, freshman Callie Turner was one out away from recording her first one-hit shutout before giving up two hits and a walk in the top of the fifth. The freshman picked up her seventh win of the season, throwing one strikeout in 5.0 innings.
“I liked the way our pitcher came out and threw a first-pitch strike, got the first batter early in the game,” Weekly said. “I thought she Callie really set the tone for our defense. I liked the way we executed the game plan in the first inning and then continued in the second inning.
“We didn’t settle for the four runs in the first, we continued in the second inning and put more runs on the board.”
Next Up
The Lady Vols continue their homestand with the Tennessee Invitational on March. 6-8. UT will host ETSU at 3 p.m. and Stanford at 5:30 p.m. on Friday before opening Saturday at 12:30 p.m. against Toledo in a round-robin format that will peg the top-finishing team against the team with the fewest wins later Saturday. Consolation and championship rounds will be played on Sunday, with the Lady Vols playing at 12:30 p.m., regardless of finish.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee baseball will hold a free kid’s clinic on Thursday, March 5 from 4:30-6 p.m. at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, with donations being accepted to help benefit those affected by the devastating tornadoes in Nashville and surrounding areas in the midstate.
UT players and coaches will be on hand to provide instruction as well as sign autographs for those in attendance. The clinic is limited to kids in kindergarten through eighth grade (K-8).
There will also be ticket giveaways and the chance to win Tennessee baseball gear.
Those who plan on attending are asked to park in the G16 garage located on the corner of Volunteer Blvd. and Pat Head Summitt St.
