Congratulations to Dan+Shay’s Shay Mooney and wife Hannah on the arrival of their second child.
Ames Alexander Mooney was born on Feb. 21. Ames joins older brother Asher James, 3, in the Mooney household.
Shay posted a series of photos of Ames Alexander on his Instagram account, with the caption: “Ames Alexander, welcome to the Mooney family. Asher has been so excited to meet you, “baby brover”. You are already so loved. I’m so proud to be your dad. And you have have the best momma on planet earth. ❤️😭 Yesterday, Asher asked Hannah when baby brother’s mom was gonna come pick him up and take him to his house…so we might be in for a slight rude awakening. 😂 Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes.”
Shay and Hannah were married in October 2017. Congrats to the happy family.
Knoxville, Tenn. — Tennessee held off in-state rival Vanderbilt on Sunday afternoon, winning in Thompson-Boling Arena, 67-63.
Junior forward Rennia Davis led Tennessee (18-9, 8-6 SEC), posting a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Jordan Horston was close behind with 16 points, while sophomore forward Rae Burrell finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.
Chelsie Hall and Mariella Fasoula were the high scorers for Vanderbilt (13-14, 3-11 SEC) with 20 and 18, respectively.
Early in the first quarter, the Lady Vols claimed a 6-2 lead with four of those points coming from freshman Tamari Key. Defensively, UT held Vanderbilt without a field goal until the 4:27 mark in the opening stanza.
Horston led the team with seven points, as the Big Orange led Vandy 18-14 after the opening 10 minutes of action. UT also out-rebounded the Commodores, 19-13, and held them to a 27.8 shooting percentage in the initial period.
Davis and Horston traded baskets at the beginning of the second quarter, providing Tennessee its largest lead at that point, 27-18. The offense would continue to produce points, as UT completed a 10-0 run to push the score to 32-18 with 5:33 to before the half. During that outburst, Vandy went zero for six in field goal attempts.
Vanderbilt, however, responded with its own run with a 6-0 burst. Freshman Jessie Rennie ended that streak, thought with a three-pointer to give Tennessee a 10-point lead. The Commodores finished the second quarter with five more points, cutting UT’s lead to 38-33 going into the locker room.
At the half, the Lady Vols maintained a 30-25 rebounding edge and had forced 11 turnovers. Horston led the team with 14 points and three assists over the first 20 minutes, while Brown recorded a team high of eight boards. The bench contributed 19 of UT’s 38 points for UT, and 24 of those came inside the paint.
Coming out of the break, Davis scored the opening points for Tennessee. Brown and Davis then went on to contribute to a 5-0 scoring run for the Big Orange, increasing UT’s lead to eight with 5:44 to go in the third period.
Vanderbilt responded with its own 7-0 run to make it a one-point game, 45-44, with 3:49 left in the quarter. Davis ended the scoring drought with a jumper to increase UT’s lead to three. Tennessee then ended the third stanza with back-to-back buckets from Burrell and Davis, giving the Lady Vols a 51-47 lead with one quarter left. The Big Orange also continued its supremacy on the boards, holding a 42-35 advantage.
With 6:02 left in the game, VU pulled ahead by one on the strength of a 5-0 run. The Lady Vols, though, took action and went on an 8-0 run of their own with buckets from three different players to command a seven-point lead.
The Commodores stuck around, however, as they went on a 7-2 spree and pulled within a point with 1:25 left. Horston gave UT a late cushion, though, making a lay-up in the paint on a fast break and giving Tennessee a three-point advantage with less than a minute to go.
Sophomore Jazmine Massengill sealed the win by draining a free throw in the last eight seconds, and Tennessee thwarted any last-second buckets by the Commodores.
Up Next: The Lady Vols will play their final home game of the season on Thursday, hosting Ole Miss at 7 p.m. for Senior Night. The game will be available for streaming on SECN+ and broadcast on Lady Vol Network radio stations.
Hot Start Horston: Jordan Horston got off to a fast start on Sunday, hitting three of four attempts in the first quarter and six of 10 in the first half to lead UT with 14 points at the break. She finished with 16 for the game, marking her best scoring effort since dropping 19 on Alabama on Jan. 20.
Double-Double Davis: With 18 points and 10 rebounds against Vanderbilt, Rennia Davis recorded her 27th career double-double. She is now just two double-doubles away from tying Bashaara Graves for 10th all-time among Lady Vols.
Lou Takes Charge:Lou Brown took her 11th charge of the season against VU. She accounts for 11 of the 15 charges taken by UT this season and is just one charge away from tying the team total of 12 from the 2018-19 season.
Picking Pockets: UT had six players combine for nine steals against Vanderbilt, tying the team high for the most steals by the Lady Vols in SEC play this season.
Turn ‘Em Over: The Lady Vols forced 20 turnovers against Vandy, besting their previous SEC high of 17 turnovers forced. It is the third time this season Tennessee has forced 20 or more turnovers.
ROUND ROCK, Texas – Connor Pavolony’s bases-clearing double and the power arm of Jackson Leath led Tennessee to an 8-4 win over Houston at the Round Rock Classic on Saturday afternoon.
After jumping out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, the Vols had to rally late after giving up four unanswered runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the seventh, Pavolony was called upon as a pinch hitter and delivered the biggest hit of the game, a three-run double off the wall in left center field to give the Big Orange a 6-4 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Leath was able to silence the Cougars’ bats after coming on in relief of starter Chase Wallace, who gave up three runs on three hits in 4.1 innings of work, while setting a new career high with seven strikeouts.
Leath allowed just two hits and one unearned run while striking out eight batters in 4.2 innings of relief to earn his second win of the year. The Waxahachie, Texas native struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to erase any hopes of a Houston comeback.
A two-run homer by Steven Rivas in the fourth inning got the Cougars on the board and cut the deficit to two. Ryan Hernandez doubled to drive in a run in the fifth to tie the game and Lael Lockhart Jr., scored on a throwing error in the sixth to give Houston their first lead of the afternoon.
The Vols would not be denied, however, as Beck drew a walk before Soularie and Liam Spence both singled to load the bases and set the stage for Pavolony’s bases-clearing double in the seventh. UT added two more insurance runs in the ninth on a single by Jake Rucker, who led the Vols with three hits on the day.
Tennessee will take on No. 25 Stanford on Sunday at noon ET to conclude play at the Round Rock Classic.
Notable Starting Fast
Tennessee has made a habit of getting off to quick starts this season. The Vols have scored in either the first or second inning in all six games this year. They have scored multiple runs in the first inning in each of their past three games.
Make It a Double
UT had its streak of five consecutive games with a home run halted on Saturday, but they did hit a season-high five doubles.
Mowing them Down
After striking out 12 batters in his Tennessee debut last Sunday, Leath was incredible again against Houston. The junior right hander struck out eight batters in 4.2 innings of relief. He leads the team with 20 punchouts this season in just nine innings pitched.
TAMPA, Fla. – Freshman Kiki Milloy showcased her power as she belted a long shot to right center that impressed onlookers from both Tennessee and USF as the ball smacked the top of the Bulls’ video board.
No. 12 UT (7-5) took a 1-0 lead, and after keeping a three-win Bulls team scoreless through six innings with steady defense, that advantage appeared to be enough.
Unfortunately, even after turning three double plays and a solid effort in the circle by freshman Callie Turner, who struck out four batters, a much-needed win by the Lady Vols, desperately trying to get the taste of back-to-back run rules out of their mouths, was subverted by a two-out, two-run dinger in the bottom of the seventh.
UT fell 2-1 in its third consecutive loss of the weekend, while the Bulls upset their third top-20 team of the season also downing a then No. 17/19 Texas Tech and No. 15/15 Georgia a week ago.
Tennessee missed out on a fourth double play to finish the game with a defensive highlight as Milloy caught a fly out in center and threw toward second base to put out the runner who was trying to get back to the base. But, freshman Josie Willingham caught the ball in the cut on a miscue, which allowed USF’s runner to reach back safely.
Turner (5-3) picked up the loss after 6.2 innings of work giving up six hits and one walk.
Next Up
UT faces USF on Sunday for a getaway day game at 11:30 a.m.
No. 12 Tennessee was greeted by the Florida sun Saturday morning, which provided a bit of warmth to a 39-degree start to the day.
Unfortunately, the cool weather appeared to have cooled the bats of the Lady Vols who only recorded one hit, albeit a big one, in its consecutive run-rule loss to UCF (11-3) this weekend.
Freshman Josie Willingham gave UT a jolt of energy blasting her first career homer to clip the Knight’s no-hitter in the bottom of the third, however, the Lady Vols (7-4) could not put together any additional offense to extend play after the fifth inning in the 9-1 loss.
Tennessee’s defense, which was able to keep UCF off the board in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, struggled throughout the morning outing recording four errors.
Redshirt sophomore Samantha Bender (2-1) was credited with the loss giving up eight hits, two walks and three earned runs in 3.1 innings of work.
Blowing a late lead against South Carolina was a gut punch.
Blowing a 17-point second-half lead at Auburn was a death knell.
Any hopes the Vols had of a fast finish dissipated under a barrage of middle-school turnovers and mistakes as Auburn rallied from a monumental deficit with 14:30 left in the game to torment Tennessee 73-66 Saturday afternoon.
It was one of UT’s most heart-breaking regular-season losses in the Rick Barnes Era.
Auburn recorded 18 steals and turned 24 UT turnovers into 27 points as Bruce Pearl sparked his team to a second 17-point second-half comeback this season and kept the Tigers unbeaten at home at 15-0.
Tennessee’s second-half collapse was alarming and came in a variety of ways: A 10-second violation, a silly backcourt foul, teammates bumping into each other at midcourt, bad passes, balls stolen, missed chip shots, fouling a 3-point shooter.
Tennessee led 54-37 with less than 15 minutes to play – a lead built without much help from leading scorer John Fulkerson, who played just three first-half minutes due to foul trouble.
The Vols were on the verge of their biggest win of the season, a road upset over the No. 12 team in the country, a victory over a former Tennessee coach.
But then all heck broke loose.
Tennessee had scoring droughts of seven and four minutes while Auburn, which shot poorly from 3-point range for much of the game, nailed 5 of its last 7 treys.
Barnes said after his team almost blew a late 12-point lead against Vanderbilt that his players must play smarter and with a better basketball IQ.
They didn’t against Auburn.
Tennessee is now 15-12, 7-7 in the SEC. With an NCAA NET of 64 entering the game, UT’s only chance of an NCAA bid is to win the SEC Tournament.
After all, UT has to face Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, then Auburn again.
What are the chances UT wins all four? Or even two or three?
“Yea, no doubt,’’ UT’s Jordan Bowden said of blowing the Auburn game. “We let this one slip away with turnovers.’’
Bowden had his best game of the season: 28 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field and 7-for-7 at the foul line, six assists, four rebounds.
“When we’re executing on both ends of the floor,’’ Bowden said, “we’re a tough team. But when we get sloppy, it’s tough to win.’’
Tennessee did so many things well. It shot 54% for the first 25 minutes, won the battle of the boards 37-28 and hit 16 of 17 free throws.
But UT couldn’t overcome a plethora of mistakes.
“For 27 minutes,’’ Barnes said, “we looked like a team that could play with anybody. Then we splintered.’’
Barnes pointed to “silly turnovers. No excuse for them. We’ve harped on it and harped on it and harped on it. Is it frustrating? It is frustrating.’’
Just as frustrating was point guard Santiago Vescovi picking up a silly fourth foul in the backcourt. When he went to the bench, Auburn went on an 18-0 run.
Vescovi’s foul was about as big as any turnover UT had.
And the deflating defeat to Auburn was UT’s biggest loss this season.
It would take a near miracle for UT to get an NCAA bid – just like it took a near miracle for Auburn to rally from 17 down in the second half.
Give UT an assist for Auburn’s comeback.
And assist that will haunt their postseason hopes.
AUBURN, Ala. – 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 Saturday.
Tennessee fell to 15-12 overall and 7-7 in SEC play, while the Tigers improved to 23-4 and 10-4 in league action.
Bowden scored his 28 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field, and he was 7-of-7 from the foul line. The Knoxville native has now knocked down 20 consecutive attempts from the charity stripe. 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 64-64, a 9-2 run, pushed the Tigers past UT.
Absolutely Not: SEC Defensive Player of the Year candidate Yves Pons finished the afternoon with one block, increasing his block streak to 27 consecutive games. Pons now has 67 blocks on the year and is just seven blocks away from breaking Tennessee’s single-season record.
Up Next: The Vols continue their two-game road swing when they head to Fayetteville to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks on Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Jordan Horston – Lady Viols / Credit: UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Lady Vols and Commodores met in Nashville on Jan. 30, with UT coming away with a 78-69 victory in Memorial Gymnasium. This will mark the 84th contest in a rivalry that began in 1976. UT leads the series, 73-10, and has won 11 of the past 12, with Vandy picking up its first-ever victory in Knoxville last season on Feb. 28, 76-69.
UT is out to snap a five-game losing skid, including its last two at home, while Vanderbilt brings a three-game losing streak to Knoxville and has dropped nine of its last 10.
The Lady Vols face their final three games of the regular season vs. teams that aren’t ranked after falling to top 25 schools in four of their past five games. Two of those foes were ranked in the top 10.
Tennessee enters Sunday’s contest in seventh place in the SEC standings, two games ahead of eighth-place Alabama, Georgia and Florida. VU comes to Rocky Top occupying the No. 13 spot in the standings.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Sunday’s game will be televised by ESPN2 with Roy Philpott (PxP) and Brooke Weisbrod (Analyst) handling the call.
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.
LIVE PINK, BLEED ORANGE GAME
Sunday is the annual “Live Pink, Bleed Orange” game, in conjunction with the national Play4Kay initiative, at Thompson-Boling Arena, as Lady Vol basketball tries to increase awareness in the fight against breast cancer.
The first 5,500 fans will receive a free “Live Pink, Bleed Orange” T-shirt upon entry.
A mobile mammography unit, provided by UT Medical Center, will be available to fans for screenings beginning at 9:45 a.m. on Phillip Fulmer Way near the G-10 parking garage.
The Lady Vols will wear pink uniforms that feature the Play4Kay ribbon on the back.
There will be an online pink jersey auction benefiting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
OTHER GAME INFO./PROMOTIONS
Tickets for Sunday’s game start at $10.
Doors open at 11 a.m., and free parking & shuttle service will be available from UT’s Ag Campus beginning at 10 a.m.
Enjoy the pregame Kids’ Corner near section 113. It opens one hour prior to tipoff. Meet and take pictures with everyone’s favorite dog, Smokey X. More fun includes free face painting, the Big Orange prize wheel, visits from cheerleaders, crafts and more at the Kids’ Corner.
Postgame Layups: Kids 12 & younger can shoot a layup on the court after the game.
High-Five the Lady Vols: Kids 12 & younger can pick up a wristband at the Fan HQ table on the concourse to participate in the pregame high-five tunnel. Wristbands are limited. To purchase discounted group tickets and reserve wristbands for your team, call 865-946-7000.
Want to be the Jr.Vol of the Game? Sign up for the Jr.Vol Club today and get the chance to see yourself on the video board. Members also receive free Jr.Vol swag, tickets to games for all sports, and exclusive Jr.Vol events.
You can be a part of the Lady Vols’ electric introductions. Make sure to download our light show app courtesy of Coca-Cola. The “Hoops Hype” app is available free of charge from the Apple Store or on the Google Play Store.
A CLOSER LOOK AT TENNESSEE
The Lady Vols’ only losses this season are to nine teams that appear destined for NCAA Tournament bids. Seven of those teams were ranked, including four that were top-10 ranked teams, when UT played them.
While UT beat Notre Dame when the Irish carried a No. 15/14 ranking, the most appealing win on the résumé currently appears to be the home triumph over LSU on Jan. 26. The Tigers are continuing to receive votes in both polls.
UT has a two-point loss to #16/18 Texas A&M, a four-point setback at #RV/RV LSU and a six-point loss to Texas among its “Ls”.
In the Feb. 18 edition of Bracketology, Charlie Creme has the Lady Vols listed as a No. 9 seed, playing eighth-seeded Drake in the NCAA First Round in Eugene, Oregon, as part of the Portland Regional. The winner would meet No. 16 UC Davis or No. 1 Oregon in the second round.
THE ROAD LEADING UP TO THIS
The Lady Vols will try to snap a five-game losing streak after falling in recent games vs. No. 1 South Carolina, No. 8 Mississippi State, LSU, No. 16 Texas A&M and No. 22 Arkansas.
UT had won six straight SEC contests and stood at 7-1 before dropping those five contests, including three straight on the road.
Tennessee’s Rennia Davis is averaging 18.1 ppg. in all games and 19.9 ppg. in SEC play, shooting 51.1 percent (94-184) from the field and 83.0 (39-47) percent at the charity stripe vs. league foes.
Sophomore Rae Burrell is UT’s only other active double-figure scorer, contributing 10.7 per game.
In SEC play, Burrell also averages 10.7 ppg., and is joined by freshman Jordan Horston (10.1 ppg.) in double figures.
Vanderbilt has struggled in SEC play, giving up 75.3 ppg. while scoring 61.0 ppg. and shooting 39.4 percent from the field while allowing a 44.2 percentage.
The Commodores pushed Missouri in their last game, going into the fourth quarter knotted up but being outscored in the final frame, 26-14.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
After facing Vandy, the Lady Vols have one home game remaining in the regular season. They face Ole Miss at 7 p.m. ET on Feb. 27 (SECN+) in the Senior Night contest for Lou Brown and Kamera Harris.
Tennessee will close out the regular season on March 1 at Auburn (3:05 p.m. ET/2:05 CT). That date features whip-around coverage on the SEC Network.
The SEC Tournament will be held at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., on March 4-8.
Vanderbilt will close out its season at LSU on Feb. 27 and at home vs. Kentucky on March 1.
LET’S NOT FORGET…
Tennessee did not begin the season in either the AP or USA TODAY Coaches polls.
UT was picked sixth by the media and seventh by the coaches in the 2019 SEC Preseason Polls.
The Lady Vols returned only two starters and six total letterwinners from last season’s squad.
Six of UT’s 12 players this season had never played in this program before.
All 12 (now 11) active players had never played for first-year head coach Kellie Harper before.
AFTER all of the preseason picks were made, one of UT’s two returning starters, Zaay Green, was lost for the season after two games due to a torn ACL.
With Green’s season-ending injury, Tennessee has lost five of its top six players from a year ago.
RECAPPING OUR LAST CONTEST
Rae Burrell poured in 15 points in the fourth quarter to pull UT within four in the final minutes, but it wasn’t enough to overcome No. 22/25 Arkansas on road in an 83-75 setback Thursday night at Bud Walton Arena.
Burrell led Tennessee (17-9, 7-6 SEC) in scoring and rebounding with 21 points and nine boards, narrowly missing a double-double. Rennia Davis was also in double digits, finishing with 18 points and eight rebounds.
Amber Ramirez was Arkansas’ (21-5, 9-4 SEC) high scorer, posting 29 points, and Alexis Tolefree was close behind with 22.
NOTES FROM THE ARKANSAS GAME
Starting Suits Her: In her four career starts, Rae Burrell is averaging 15.5 ppg. and 7.3 rpg. She led the team in both scoring and rebounding in three of those contests.
Rennie Sniping: Freshman Jessie Rennie hit three of four 3-point attempts against Arkansas. She is averaging 62.1 percent from behind the arc over her last 17 games, and her season average of 47.7 leads the team.
Davis Climbing The Charts:Rennia Davis’ 18 points against Arkansas moved her career points total to 1,312, passing Tonya Edwards (1,309 pts) to rank 30th among Lady Vol scorers. She is closing in quickly on No. 29 Alexis Hornbuckle at 1,333 career points.
UT-VU SERIES NOTES
The Lady Vols are 33-1 vs. the Commodores in Knoxville, 30-7 Nashville and 10-2 at neutral sites, with those being postseason games.
UT had a 10-game series winning streak snapped last season, when Vandy won for the first time ever in Knoxville.
These squads have been to overtime on one occasion, with Tennessee seizing a 92-79 decision in Nashville on Jan. 19, 1997.
Including that OT game, Kellie (Jolly) Harper was 9-0 vs. Vanderbilt as a Lady Vol point guard and is 2-2 vs. the Commodores as a head coach.
She is 1-0 as UT’s coach after a win in Nashville.
Harper was 0-1 vs. VU while head coach at Western Carolina (73-44, March 21, 2009), and 1-1 vs. the Commodores while at NC State, dropping a 77-71 decision on the road on Nov. 28, 2009, and winning at home, 66-59, on Dec. 18, 2011.
Rennia Davis has scored 17, 14 and 22 points in her last three games vs. Vanderbilt for an average of 17.7 per contest.
ABOUT VANDERBILT
Vanderbilt returned four starters and seven total letterwinners from last season’s squad which finished 7-23 overall and 2-14 (14th) in the SEC. VU was picked to finish 14th by the media and 12th by the coaches in the 2019-20 preseason poll.
The Commodores are led by freshman forward Koi Love (13.8 ppg.), redshirt senior forward Mariella Fasoula (12.8 ppg.) and junior guard Chelsie Hall (10.2 ppg.).
VU stood at 12-4 after an SEC-opening victory over Auburn on Jan. 2, but the Commodores have gone just 1-9 since then with a current three-game losing streak in tow.
RECAPPING VANDY’S LAST GAME
Vanderbilt held a fourth-quarter lead over Missouri, but the Tigers escaped Memorial Gymnasium with a 78-66 win on Thursday night in Nashville.
The defeat snapped Vanderbilt’s nine-game home winning streak against unranked opponents, as the Commodores dropped to 13-13 overall and 3-10 in SEC play.
Three Commodores finished in double figures, led by junior Chelsie Hall’s 15 points, fifth-year senior Mariella Fasoula’s 14 points and six rebounds, and 10 points and eight boards from freshman Koi Love.
Vanderbilt held a 40-36 edge in rebounding and both teams shot just over 40 percent, but the Tigers were 8 of 23 (34.8%) from three and the Commodores finished 1 of 10 from behind the arc.
THE LAST TIME WE MET THE COMMODORES
Junior forward Rennia Davis poured in 22 points to lead No. 22/22 Tennessee to a 78-69 victory over in-state rival Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium on Jan. 30.
Davis scored 16 of her points in the second half to hit double figures in points for the 19th straight game and for the 33rd time in her past 34 games. Jazmine Massengill was Tennessee’s (17-4, 7-1 SEC) second-highest scorer with 14 points, and Jordan Horston and Rae Burrell each turned in 11.
Vanderbilt (12-9, 2-6) was led by Koi Love who had 16 points. Kiara Pearl added 13.
LAST TIME WE SAW VU IN KNOXVILLE
Redshirt senior Cheridene Green posted a career-high 20 points on Senior Night, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a Vanderbilt team that shot 53.8 percent from the floor, handing Tennessee a 76-69 loss at home on Feb. 28, 2019.
Green’s previous best scoring performance also came against Vanderbilt, on Jan. 17, 2018, when she tallied 17 points.
Rennia Davis was also in double figures for Tennessee (17-11, 6-9 SEC) with 14.
Vols DL Coach Jimmy Brumbaugh & OLB Shelton Felton / Credit: UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee head football coach Jeremy Pruitt announced the hire of two new assistant coaches in Jimmy Brumbaugh and Shelton Felton.
Brumbaugh is the Volunteers’ new co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach, while Felton is set to take over as outside linebackers coach. They replace Tracy Rocker and Chris Rumph, who each spent the past two years with the program.
“I’m excited to announce that we have added Jimmy Brumbaugh and Shelton Felton to our coaching staff,” Pruitt said. “They are both tireless workers and will bring a lot of positives to our staff in terms of coaching and recruiting. They are family men who will be outstanding role models and mentors for our student-athletes.”
Brumbaugh Joins Tennessee Staff as Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach
Brumbaugh joins Tennessee’s coaching staff after a two-year stint at Colorado, where he was the Buffaloes’ defensive line coach.
In 2018, Brumbaugh’s first season at Colorado, the Buffs’ totals in rushing defense, total defense and scoring defense all improved. Powered by Brumbaugh’s defensive line, Colorado improved its national ranking in rush defense by 64 spots, allowing 62.4 fewer yards on the ground per game. Overall the Buffs’ defense allowed 70.3 fewer yards per game and improved by 57 spots in 2018.
Under Brumbaugh’s direction, defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson registered 57 tackles, 16.5 TFLs and 8.5 sacks in 2018 to earn All-Pac 12 honorable mention accolades.
Before joining the staff at Colorado, Brumbaugh was the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Maryland for two seasons. He had spent the prior four seasons at Kentucky—working alongside current UT defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley for three years—establishing himself as one of the top defensive line coaches in the country. He has also served as an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech and Syracuse and was an assistant strength and conditioning coordinator at LSU.
“Jimmy has a proven track record of developing outstanding football players everywhere he has been,” Pruitt said. “He also has experience coaching in the SEC and is familiar with the demands that come with coaching in this conference. We are excited to have Jimmy here at Tennessee and expect him to be a great addition to our coaching staff.”
As the defensive line coach at Kentucky (2013-16), Brumbaugh developed a pair of 2015 NFL Draft picks. Bud Dupree was a first-round selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Za’Darius Smith, who Brumbaugh coached in junior college, was chosen in the fourth round by the Baltimore Ravens. Smith was named to the 2020 Pro Bowl after leading the Green Bay Packers with 13.5 sacks. Overall, four defensive linemen earned All-SEC honors during his tenure with the Wildcats.
Prior to his time at Kentucky, Brumbaugh spent two seasons at Syracuse, where he coached defensive tackles in 2011 and the defensive line in 2010. The Orange defense displayed drastic improvements under Brumbaugh in 2010, moving from 81st to 17th nationally in scoring defense, and from 37th to seventh in total defense. Under Brumbaugh’s tutelage, defensive end Chandler Jones garnered All-Big East recognition twice and was drafted 21st overall by the New England Patriots in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Before taking the job at Syracuse, Brumbaugh coached the defensive line at Louisiana Tech in 2008 and 2009. He took over a defensive front that ranked 46th nationally against the rush in 2007 and moved that ranking to 13th at the conclusion of the 2008 season.
In 2012, Brumbaugh was at East Mississippi Community College, where he was in charge of the defensive line and also was the strength and conditioning coordinator. He helped lead the Lions to a top-10 national ranking, an 8-2 record and the Mississippi North Division championship. Brumbaugh’s defensive line combined for 224 tackles, including 44.5 tackles for loss, 21.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles. For the season, the EMCC defense allowed just 75 rushing yards and only 15.3 points per game.
In his lone season at EMCC, Brumbaugh developed six defensive linemen who signed Division I scholarships, including Kentucky’s Smith, the nation’s No. 1-rated junior college defensive end prospect by JCGridiron.com.
Brumbaugh also has extensive experience as a strength and conditioning coach, working two seasons (2006-07) as an assistant strength and conditioning coordinator at LSU. Under then-head coach Les Miles, LSU won the 2007 national championship, defeating Ohio State, 38-24, in the BCS title game in New Orleans. While with LSU, Brumbaugh helped produce 12 NFL Draft selections, including five first-round picks.
Brumbaugh lettered four years as a defensive lineman at Auburn, playing both the nose and outside tackle positions, from 1995-99. He started 44 of his 48 career games, recording 291 tackles and 15 sacks. Brumbaugh was named to the SEC All-Freshman team in 1995, earned Auburn’s Most Improved Defensive Lineman honor for spring ball and then garnered second-team All-SEC honors as a sophomore in 1996 before earning first-team All-SEC accolades as a junior in 1997.
Brumbaugh was a member of the Tigers’ 1997 SEC Western Division champion team and played in the 1995 Outback, 1996 Independence and 1997 Peach Bowls. Due to an injury he sustained at the end of the 1997 season, Brumbaugh played in only three games in 1998. He was granted a medical hardship waiver and had 51 tackles, six sacks and three fumble recoveries after returning for the 1999 season.
Brumbaugh played in the Blue-Gray Classic All-Star Game following the 1999 campaign and participated in preseason camp with the San Francisco 49ers in 2000 after signing as an undrafted free agent. He went on to play in the XFL with the Birmingham Bolts and then in arena football with the Georgia Force and Birmingham Steeldogs before embarking on a coaching career.
Brumbaugh returned to Auburn after his pro career to finish up his degree, graduating in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Performance. He then decided to get into coaching, starting out as a student assistant for Jacksonville (Ala.) State, which won the 2004 Ohio Valley Conference championship with a 7-1 league record and 9-2 overall mark. His first full-time position followed the next year, as he was the defensive line coach at Chattanooga, which posted a 6-5 record in 2005.
Brumbaugh and his wife, Kelly, have two sons, Legend and Nash.
Felton Returns to Rocky Top to Coach Outside Linebackers
Felton was a quality control analyst for UT during Pruitt’s first season as head coach in 2018 and returns to Rocky Top after spending one year as the outside linebackers and defensive line coach at Akron.
“Shelton is a guy who was with us in a quality control role during our first season and did a fantastic job,” Pruitt said. “I was impressed by his work ethic and knowledge of the game. He’s coached in college for several years, and he also was an outstanding high school coach in Georgia. His ability to connect with the players on and off the field will make him a valuable piece to our on-field coaching staff.”
During his lone season with the Zips, Felton helped develop redshirt-senior linebacker John Lako into a first-team all-conference selection. Lako led the Mid-American Conference and ranked fifth in the nation with 138 total tackles in 2019.
Prior to shining a quality control analyst for the Vols in 2018, Felton spent one season as the outside linebackers coach at Chattanooga. With Felton’s help, the Mocs had the top defense in the Southern Conference in 2017 and finished the year ranked No. 25 in the FCS in total defense, allowing just 326.4 yards per game.
Felton began his coaching career in the high school ranks, where he spent time at three different high schools in Georgia.
Most recently, Felton was the head coach at Crisp County High School in Cordele, Georgia, for two seasons. He was the first African American head coach in the school’s history and led an impressive turnaround in just two seasons at the helm. After going just 3-7 in Felton’s first season as head coach in 2015, the Cougars went undefeated in the regular season and finished the year with a 13-1 record in 2016, advancing to the state semifinals for the first time in program history.
Under Felton’s guidance, Markaviest Bryant and Quay Walker became the first players in Crisp County history to garner All-America honors.
Following Crisp County’s impressive turnaround in 2016, Felton was named the Georgia Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year, the Recruit GA Coach of the Year and the Region 1AAA Coach of the Year.
Before accepting the job as head coach at Crisp County, Felton spent two seasons as the run game coordinator and defensive line coach at Georgia high school powerhouse Colquitt County. The Packers won the Class 6A State Championship in 2014, and Felton was named the Georgia Coaches Association Class 6A Assistant Coach of the Year.
Felton also spent three years as the defensive coordinator at Dooly County High School (2010-12), where he coached future Auburn All-American Montravious Adams. He began his coaching career at Crisp County as the linebackers coach and defensive coordinator from 2005-09. Throughout his prep coaching career, Felton helped elevate more than 20 players into Division I football careers.
A native of Cordele, Georgia, Felton was a defensive lineman at Troy from 1999-02, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in social work in 2002 and a master’s degree in education in 2008. He also earned an E.D.S. in physical education from Jacksonville State in 2012.
Felton and his wife, Laquanda, have four children: Alexius, Shelton, Jr., Shemori and Shelton III.
TAMPA, Fla. – There was no sunshine for the Lady Vols’ first day in Florida, but they did brighten the day fittingly with their all-orange uniform combination.
Unfortunately, despite the bright spot early on from the uniforms and a win over FIU, things ended gloomily.
Unable to string together more than a few hits in the top of the fourth inning, No. 12 UT was upset 10-1 in a quick five by UCF (10-2), falling to its first unranked team in preseason play since 2018 when it fell to FAU 3-2 in Clearwater, Fla.
After holding on to a 1-0 lead through 2.5 innings, UCF belted a nine-run half in the bottom of the third to keep things out of reach for Tennessee.
In a late effort, junior first baseman Ashley Morgan recorded a one-out double to spark the offense. Freshman Amanda Curran stepped up and blasted a two-out RBI single to bring in Amanda Fox, who pinch ran for Morgan. The momentum was short-lived and the Lady Vols could not get two more runs in time to prevent the early ending.
Lefty Callie Turner was credited with her second loss of the season giving up four earned runs and three walks, while fanning three batters.
Up Next
The Lady Vols continue their Tampa adventures on Saturday with a 9:30 a.m. (ET) rematch against UCF before taking on host-team USF at 2 p.m.
Tennessee 9, FIU 1
The Lady Vols kicked off the USF Invitational with a decisive run-rule win over the Panthers after gradually building offensive momentum to balance out a solid effort in the circle by redshirt sophomore Samantha Bender.
Led by senior Chelsea Seggern’s perfect outing at the plate Tennessee picked up its second run-rule win of the season with a 9-1 showing in six frames. Seggern (4-for-4) bombed a two-run long shot through center in the bottom of the third, and a three-run dinger the following inning, to give the Lady Vols an 8-1 lead.
The Thrall, Texas, native recorded seven RBI in the outing, tied for sixth in program history in a single game. Stepping into second base for the first time this season, Seggern also found the plate twice.
To open their third-ever meeting with the Panthers, the Lady Vols got some quick production from the top of its lineup with junior Amanda Ayala drawing a lead-off walk and then Seggern getting her home on an RBI double to jump ahead 1-0.
Seggern punctuated the day with the walk-off RBI single with loaded bases to bring in senior Treasuary Poindexter from the hot corner.
Bender picked up her second win of the year in the circle behind three strikeouts, one run and one walk in 4.2 innings of work.
AUBURN, Ala. – The Tennessee men’s basketball team hits the road for a Saturday afternoon matchup with No. 13 Auburn. Tipoff inside Auburn Arena is slated for noon ET on CBS.
Saturday’s game can be seen on CBS, online through CBS Sports Live, which can be accessed here and on any mobile device through the CBS Sports App. Spero Dedes and Clark Kellogg will have the call.
Fans can also listen in on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertlekamp describing the action.
Last time out, the Vols battled past Vanderbilt to sweep the season series against the Commodores for the third consecutive season. UT was led by senior Jordan Bowden and junior John Fulkerson who scored 17 points each. Junior Yves Pons upped his blocks streak to 26 consecutive games with at least one rejection and is now just eight blocks away from break UT’s single season blocks record.
A victory on Saturday would give the Vols their third victory over an opponent ranked inside the AP Top 25 and would be Tennessee’s first true road win over a ranked team, since Feb. 6, 2018 when the Vols took down No. 24 Kentucky inside Rupp Arena.
A win would also stand as UT’s 50th regular-season SEC victory under head man Rick Barnes.
Up next, Tennessee hits the road for its second consecutive road bout, when it travels to Fayetteville for a rematch with SEC foe Arkansas. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Auburn, 78-41, dating to 1927.
• The Tigers have a 28-23 edge when the series is played in Auburn.
• Tennessee has won 11 of the last 15 meetings in the series.
A WIN WOULD…
• Give the Vols three victories this season over opponents ranked in the AP Top 25.
• Stand as UT’s first true road win over a ranked opponent since the Vols beat #24 Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Feb. 6, 2018.
• Snap Tennessee’s three-game losing streak vs. Auburn.
• Be Tennessee’s 50th regular-season SEC victory under head coach Rick Barnes.
STORYLINES
• Tennessee has five regular-season games left on its schedule, and those opponents combine to own a 76-28 (.731) record and an average NET rating of 33.3.
• Due to Auburn hosting the 2020 SEC Swimming & Diving Championships, the UT basketball travel party is split between three hotels during its stay on The Plains.
• Jordan Bowden is the only active Vol who scored the last time UT faced Auburn. He had 10 points in that March 17 loss in Nashville.
• With 175 career 3-point makes, Jordan Bowden ranks ninth on Tennessee’s all-time list. VFLs Jordan McRae and Vincent Yarbrough are tied for eighth with 179 3-pointers.
• In SEC road games, Jordan Bowden and John Fulkerson lead the Vols in scoring with 13.8 ppg and 13.7 ppg, respectively.
• During SEC play, freshmen account for 39.8 percent of Tennessee’s total minutes played.
LAYUP LINES
• Tennessee ranks fourth nationally in average home attendance, drawing 18,795 fans per game this season.
• During SEC play, Tennessee leads the league in blocks (6.2 bpg) and owns the conference’s best scoring defense (64.9 ppg).
• Tennessee ranks second among Division I teams in assist percentage, having assisted on 64.7 percent of its field goals this season.
• SEC Defensive Player of the Year candidate Yves Pons has blocked at least one shot in every game this season. He leads the SEC and ranks 20th nationally with 2.6 bpg. His 2.7 bpg during SEC play also leads the league.
• Freshman point guard Santiago Vescovi has made at least one 3-pointer in every game in which he’s appeared (14), averaging 2.2 made threes per game.
• 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 128th game in which he’s appeared.
ABOUT AUBURN
• Heading into Saturday’s contest on The Plains, Auburn is coming off back-to-back road losses to Missouri and Georgia. The Tigers were without freshman forward Isaac Okoro in both games. Okoro is currently averaging 13.1 ppg and 4.8 rpg, both of which ranked second on the team prior to his injury.
• Auburn currently sits in second in the SEC with a 9-4 mark in league play and a record of 22-4 overall. Auburn began the year 15-0 and was one of two undefeated teams remaining in Division I as January reached its midpoint. All of this comes one year after the Tigers won the 2019 SEC Tournament and played their way to the program’s first-ever Final Four appearance.
• Even with Okoro’s injury, the Tigers are led by their senior backcourt duo of Samir Doughty and J’Von McCormick. Doughty leads the Tigers in scoring (16.0 ppg) and steals (1.1 spg) and ranks second in assists (2.6 apg). McCormick ranks second for Auburn in scoring (12.2 ppg) and steals (1.0 spg), but is the Tigers’ leading assist man, with 4.5 helpers per contest.
• In the paint, the Tigers have seen solid production from senior center Austin Wiley. Wiley is averaging 10.5 ppg, which ranks third on the team, and his team-leading 9.4 rpg rank second in the SEC, trailing only Mississippi State’s Reggie Perry.
• Auburn University was not given its current name until 1960. From its opening in 1856 through 1960, the institution went through multiple name changes which included the East Alabama Male College and the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. Its name officially changed to Auburn in 1960 after the Alabama Legislature granted it university status. Its new name better expressed the expanded curriculum the school had been offering for years.
LAST TIME VS. AUBURN
• No. 8 Tennessee couldn’t match No. 22 Auburn’s hot shooting, falling, 84-64, in the SEC Tournament Championship Game on March 17, 2019, at Bridgestone Arena.
• The Vols played one of their least efficient games of the season on the offensive end, turning the ball over 17 times. That led to 21 points for Auburn. The Tigers rained 3-pointers to keep the momentum in their favor, connecting on 15 long balls.
• Tennessee’s offense went cold in the first half, going on a seven-minute scoring drought and missing 10 consecutive shots. UT was up early on the Tigers with a 17-13 lead.
• Auburn capitalized on its opportunities and swung the momentum in its favor. While the Vols struggled on offense, the Tigers rattled off a 16-0 run to take a commanding 13-point lead. On the defensive end, AU forced the Vols into 12 turnovers and held the Big Orange to 32 percent shooting from the floor. At the break, Auburn held a 32-23 advantage over the Vols.
• Vols junior Lamonté Turner was hot early on, scoring eight points behind a pair of 3-pointers in the first four minutes. He finished with a season-high 24 points on 7-of-12 shooting and four 3-pointers.
• The only success UT found in the opening period was on the glass, where it held a 26-19 advantage and limited Auburn to just four offensive rebounds.
• SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
• Despite the loss, Tennessee players were recognized for their play throughout the tournament, as Williams and All-SEC wing Admiral Schofield were named to the 2019 SEC All-Tournament Team.
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.
PONS RIDING BLOCK STREAK
• Yves Pons, the SEC’s leading shot-blocker, has blocked at least one shot in every game this season.
• His streak of 26 straight games with at least one block is the longest such streak by a Vol since at least the 1988-89 season (research is ongoing).
• Pons has blocked three or more shots in 15 games this season, including a program-record-tying six-block effort against Jacksonville State on Dec. 21.
• With five regular-season games left to play, he already ranks second on UT’s single-season blocks list. The record is 73, by C.J. Black in 1997-98.
ROAD WARRIORS
• Dating to the start of the 2017-18 season, Tennessee has won more than half of its true road games, going 18-12 (.600).
• That includes victories at Kentucky, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Memphis, Alabama and Florida.
WE LOVE A PACKED HOUSE
• Dating to the start of last season, Tennessee has played 19 games in front of sold-out—and sometimes over-capacity—crowds.
• That includes seven home games as well as games at Memphis, Florida, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn, the 2019 Emerald Coast Classic (two games), Cincinnati and Kansas.
