Hoops Preview: #25/RV Lady Vols VS. #RV/RV LSU

Hoops Preview: #25/RV Lady Vols VS. #RV/RV LSU

Posted on February 11, 2020
Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 25/RV Tennessee (17-6, 7-3 SEC) and RV/RV LSU (17-5, 7-3 SEC) will meet for the second time this season, as they face off Thursday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La., at 6:32 p.m. CT (7:32 ET).

This will mark the 67th meeting in a series that began in 1977, with Tennessee leading 51-15 after the Lady Vols defeated the Tigers, 63-58, in Knoxville earlier this season on Jan. 26.

UT and LSU enter the game tied for third in the Southeastern Conference standings at 7-3, and the winner will take sole possession of the three spot. The loser, meanwhile, will fall into a tie for fourth place. In addition to conference seeding, Thursday night’s contest offers Tennessee an opportunity against an LSU squad that ranks No. 24 in the RPI.

As of Feb. 11, the Lady Vols occupy the No. 48 spot in the RPI, with games against LSU (No. 24) and Texas A&M (No. 17) this week providing a chance to improve that stock.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

  • Thursday night’s game will be streamed on SECN+ with Lyn Rollins (PxP) and Victor Howell (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.

THE ROAD LEADING UP TO THIS

  • Tennessee enters Thursday night having lost three of its past five, but those setbacks were at No. 3 UConn (60-45) on Jan. 23, at No. 1 South Carolina (69-48) on Feb. 2 and vs. No. 8 Mississippi State (72-55) on Feb. 6.
  • Counting those three losses and the setback to No. 1 Stanford on Dec. 18, four of Tennessee’s six losses this season are to teams ranked in the nation’s top eight.
  • UT’s wins during its recent five-game set were vs. LSU in Knoxville on Jan. 26 (63-58) and at Vanderbilt (78-69) on Jan. 30.
  • UT had won six straight SEC contests before falling in back-to-back games vs. No. 1/2 South Carolina and No. 8/8 Mississippi State.
  • Rennia Davis is averaging 23.3 points per game over her last three, shooting 46.9 percent (23-49) from the field and 95.5 (21-22) at the charity stripe.
  • Rae Burrell had a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double vs. Mississippi State and is averaging 12.0 ppg. and 5.7 rebounds over the past three contests.
  • Jazmine Massengill is averaging 10.3 ppg. and shooting 52.0 percent over the last three games.
  • LSU lost senior leader Ayana Mitchell for the season after she suffered a knee injury vs. Texas A&M on Feb. 2.
  • The Tigers, however, managed to overcome that terrible misfortune to beat the Aggies, 59-58, in Baton Rouge on Feb. 2.
  • LSU followed that with a 66-58 home triumph over Missouri on Monday night to extend its winning streak to three games.
  • The Bayou Bengals are 10-1 at home this season, including 5-0 in SEC games with wins over Alabama, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Missouri at the PMAC.
  • LSU’s only home loss came vs. Florida State, which currently ranks No. 14 in both polls.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

  • Tennessee is closing out a four-game swing where it has played three of four away from home.
  • The Lady Vols now get to play three of the next four at home, including No. 16/18 Texas A&M on Sunday (3 p.m. ET), Vanderbilt on Feb. 23 (noon) and Ole Miss on Feb. 27 (7 p.m.). The lone road game during that set is at No. 23/RV Arkansas on Feb. 20 (6 p.m. CT/7 ET.
  • Sunday’s goal for UT is to have #12KinTBA (a season-high 12,000 in attendance) for the Texas A&M game.
  • The Vanderbilt game is UT’s Live Pink, Bleed Orange (Play4Kay) game, and the Ole Miss date is Senior Night.
  • LSU plays its next two on the road, traveling to Auburn on Feb. 16 and to No. 1 South Carolina on Feb. 20.

LET’S NOT FORGET

  • The Lady Vols are 17-6 overall, 7-3 in the SEC, tied for third in the SEC standings and ranked No. 25/RV nationally.
  • Their only losses are to four top-eight teams (South Carolina, Stanford, UConn, Mississippi State), No. 13/13 Kentucky and Texas.
  • 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

  • The No. 23/25 Lady Vols took a lead into the second quarter but couldn’t hang on, falling to No. 8/8 Mississippi State on Thursday night in Thompson-Boling Arena, 72-55.
  • Sophomore Rae Burrell led Tennessee (17-6, 7-3 SEC), scoring 20 points and pulling down 10 boards to record a double-double in her first career start and her third overall. Freshman Jordan Horston and sophomore Jazmine Massengill were also in double digits with 12 and 11, respectively, as the Lady Vols played without leading scorer Rennia Davis (18.1 ppg.), who was recovering from a bout with the flu.
  • Rickea Jackson was Mississippi State’s (21-3, 9-1 SEC) high scorer, tallying 14 points and nine rebounds. Chloe Bibby was close behind with 13 points.
  • UT out-rebounded Mississippi State, 40-39, as both teams recorded 16 offensive boards. Tennessee shot at a 36.2 percent clip from the field while holding the Bulldogs to a 40-percent performance that was 7.5 percent below their 47.5 season mark. The Big Orange also held MSU 9.5 points below their typical scoring average of 81.5.

UT-LSU SERIES NOTES

  • UT enters the 67th meeting in the series with a 51-15 edge, including a 23-3 record in Knoxville, 15-8 slate in Baton Rouge and a 13-4 mark at neutral sites.
  • Tennessee has won 14 of the last 18 games, including the last three in a row, but has dropped its last two in Baton Rouge.
  • The Lady Vols are 1-1 vs. LSU in overtime games. The last time the two teams went to OT was on March 1, 1997. Tennessee won the game 100-99 to advance to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament.
  • The last time these programs met in the SEC Tournament was last season on March 7, as the Lady Vols captured a 69-66 squeaker over LSU to clinch an NCAA Tournament bid.
  • Kellie Harper is 1-1 vs. LSU, losing to the Tigers on Dec. 2, 2012, 81-73, when she was NC State’s head coach and winning on Jan. 26, 2020, in her first try as Tennessee’s skipper.
  • Harper is 1-2 against Nikki Fargas-coached teams, with NC State losing to LSU and to a Fargas UCLA team (74-54) on March 21, 2010, before breaking through in 2020 in the Lady Vols’ 63-58 victory in Knoxville on Jan. 26.
  • At least one team has been ranked in this series in 64 of the 66 games that have been played.

ABOUT LSU

  • The Tigers returned nine letterwinners, including four starters, from last season’s team that finished 16-13 overall and 7-9 in SEC play (t8th).
  • LSU is led by junior guard Khayla Pointer, who averages 15.0 ppg. Faustine Aifuwa adds 10.2 ppg. and 8.3 rpg. The Tigers lost All-SEC candidate Ayana Mitchell (13.7 ppg., 8.9 rpg.) on Feb. 2 due to a knee injury in the Texas A&M game.
  • The Tigers are coached by Nikki (Caldwell) Fargas, who played at Tennessee (1991-94) and was a G.A. (1998-99) and assistant (2002-08) at Rocky Top.
  • LSU was picked to finish eighth by the media and sixth by the coaches in the SEC preseason polls.

RECAPPING LSU’S LAST GAME

  • LSU (17-5, 7-3 SEC) took down Missouri (6-18, 3-8  SEC) in a battle Monday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, 66-58.
  • Redshirt junior Faustine Aifuwa tallied a season-high 19 points and tied her career high for rebounds with 16.
  • Senior Jaelyn Richard-Harris had a season-high-tying 14 points, junior Khayla Pointer had 12 and junior transfer Awa Trasi, starting in place of the injured Ayana Mitchell, scored 11.
  • Richard-Harris was perfect from the free throw line, hitting eight of eight attempts and contributing to a team free throw percentage of 77.8.

THE LAST TIME WE FACED THE TIGERS

  • The No. 23/23 Lady Vols got back in the win column on Jan. 26, defeating LSU, 63-58, in a key SEC match-up in front of a season-best crowd of 10,230 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
  • Junior forward Rennia Davis led Tennessee (16-4, 6-1 SEC), going a perfect 10 of 10 from the free-throw line en route to a game-high 30 points.
  • LSU (14-5, 4-3 SEC) was led by redshirt senior Ayana Mitchell, who logged a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Khayla Pointer was also in double figures for the Tigers with 12.
  • Despite being out-rebounded 45-32, UT held LSU to 33.3 shooting and forced 17 turnovers.

LAST TIME WE MET IN BATON ROUGE

  • Mercedes Russell scored 14 points and added 10 rebounds, but No. 10/10 Tennessee could not overcome a 44-point second half by LSU in a 70-59 loss in Baton Rouge on Jan. 28, 2018.
  • The Lady Vols (17-4, 5-3 SEC) hit 9-for-30 from the field over the final 20 minutes and saw a five-point halftime lead slip away. UT was also faced with foul trouble in the second half, as six players picked up at least three personal fouls.
  • LSU (13-6, 5-3 SEC) was fueled by a dominant effort on the glass, including 23 offensive rebounds. Chloe Jackson led the Lady Tigers with 21 points and nine boards. Raigyne Louis added 18 points.

UT Athletics

Kelsea Ballerini Adds “Co-Producer” to Her Résumé for New Album: “I Trust Myself a Lot More”

Kelsea Ballerini Adds “Co-Producer” to Her Résumé for New Album: “I Trust Myself a Lot More”

Posted on February 11, 2020

Kelsea Ballerini will release her third studio album, Kelsea, on March 20.

In addition to penning every track on the upcoming project—much like her 2015 debut album, The First Time, and 2017 sophomore album, Unapologetically—Kelsea serves as the co-producer on her new album. Kelsea marks the first time Kelsea has assumed the role of co-producer on one of her albums.

“This is the first album that I’ve gotten to co-produce,” says Kelsea to Nash Country Daily. “I’ve written everything for all of my albums, but I really dug in a little bit more as a songwriter on this one. I’m really proud of it.

“I learned a lot [as co-producer]. I think on my first two albums, I was more of a student. I think I was learning more about musicality and being a musician. I hadn’t even played a full band show when I made my first album, so I think I had a lot to learn. But now, I trust myself a lot more. I’m more invested in this album. Not only did I write it all, but I was part of bringing it to life in the studio, too, which is the full journey of the songs.”

In the lead up to the album’s release, Kelsea has already shared a few tracks, including lead single “Homecoming Queen,” “Club” and “LA,” which you can listen to below.

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Rennia Davis Earns Place on Citizen Naismith Trophy Midseason List

Rennia Davis Earns Place on Citizen Naismith Trophy Midseason List

Posted on February 11, 2020
Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Atlanta Tipoff Club revealed Tuesday the 30 college basketball players vying for the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year, and Tennessee’s Rennia Davis is on that list.

The 6-foot-2 junior from Jacksonville, Fla., is making her first appearance on the midseason list after also earning preseason recognition a year ago. She is averaging a career-best 18.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest to lead the Lady Vols, ranking second and sixth, respectively, among SEC players. In conference action, she has averaged 20.4 points and 7.8 rebounds, ranking first among all league players in scoring and seventh in rebounding.

The UT standout is shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 80.7 percent from the free throw line in all games to rank ninth and third, respectively, in the conference. In SEC play, she is hitting field goals at a 53-percent clip to rank fifth among her peers and is second at the charity stripe with an 82.9 percentage.

Davis leads the team in three-pointers with 27 buckets from long range and is second in steals (21) and third in assists (48).

Davis, who has led a young Tennessee squad to a 17-6 record and No. 25 national ranking thus far, has scored in double figures in 20 straight games and in 21 of her 22 contests this season. Including last year, she has hit 10 or more points in 34 of her past 35 starts. She has registered five 20-point games so far in 2019-20, moving into a tie for ninth on UT’s career list with 12 games of scoring 20 or more.

She also has tallied eight double-double efforts thus far and would move into the top 10 all-time for Lady Vol juniors with just one more. She currently ranks 11th in career double-doubles with 26 during her third year on Rocky Top.

Earlier this season, Davis reached the 1,000-point scoring plateau, becoming the 46th Lady Vol to reach that milestone. She has since climbed to No. 32 on the list with 1,257 points entering the LSU game.

Davis and her teammates will play at LSU on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CT (7:30 ET) in a contest streamed by SECN+ and carried by the Lady Vol Radio Network.

 

UT Athletics

Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, Tanya Tucker & More Help Raise $800,000 for Country Music Hall of Fame

Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, Tanya Tucker & More Help Raise $800,000 for Country Music Hall of Fame

Posted on February 11, 2020

The star-studded 7th All for the Hall benefit concert on Feb. 10 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, which was hosted by Keith Urban, helped raise more than $800,000 for the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum’s education programs.

The all-star lineup featured performances by Keith Urban, Ingrid Andress, Luke Combs, Lauren Daigle, Brothers Osborne, Carly Pearce, Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton, Tenille Townes, Tanya Tucker and Morgan Wallen. During this year’s concert—which was themed Under the Influence—each artist performed a song that was recorded by an artist who strongly influenced them, in addition to one of their own hits.

Over the years, Keith’s All for Hall concerts have raised $4.2 million in support of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s education programs.

Set List

  • Keith Urban – “Wasted Time” and “Blue Bayou”
  • Ingrid Andress – “More Hearts Than Mine” and “Country Roads”
  • Luke Combs – “Even Though I’m Leaving” and “Brand New Man”
  • Lauren Daigle – “You Say” and “Killing Me Softly”
  • Brothers Osborne – “Ain’t My Fault” and “The Bottle Let Me Down”
  • Carly Pearce – “Every Little Thing” and “Man, I Feel Like a Woman”
  • Blake Shelton – “Ole Red” and “Dallas”
  • Chris Stapleton – “Millionaire” and “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”
  • Tenille Townes – “Somebody’s Daughter” and “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
  • Tanya Tucker – “Bring My Flowers Now” and a medley including “Blue Kentucky Girl” and “Stand By Your Man”
  • Morgan Wallen – “Whiskey Glasses” and “Take It Easy”

main photo by Jason Kempin and Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

photo by Jason Kempin and Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Listen to Russell Dickerson Confess His Love in New Single, “Love You Like I Used To”

Listen to Russell Dickerson Confess His Love in New Single, “Love You Like I Used To”

Posted on February 11, 2020

Russell Dickerson will try to score his fourth No. 1 single with the release of “Love You Like I Used To,” which will impact country radio on March 1.

The new tune, which is the first sample of new music from Russell’s upcoming sophomore album, serves as a love letter to his wife of six years, Kailey.

“The beginning of this song is intentionally different from me,” says Russell. “It makes you think it is a breakup song, but it is really a lead up to how great loves evolve and get better over time. Like all of my songs, I’ve lived it. I started dating my wife 10 years ago, and it is true—I don’t love her like I used to, and I think a lot of people will be able to relate to this song. It’s a really special song that I’m crazy proud of!”

After topping the charts with “Yours” and “Blue Tacoma” in 2018, Russell scored his third No. 1 single with “Every Little Thing” in November 2019. All three of Russell’s No. 1 songs are featured on his 2017 debut album, Yours.

Listen to “Love You Like I Used To” below.

Hoops Preview: Tennessee vs. Arkansas

Hoops Preview: Tennessee vs. Arkansas

Posted on February 10, 2020
Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee men’s basketball team hits the hardwood once again on Tuesday night for a home bout with SEC foe Arkansas. Tipoff inside Thompson-Boling Arena is set for 7 p.m. ET and the action can be seen on SEC Network.

Tuesday’s game can be seen on SEC Network, online through WatchESPN and on any mobile device through the ESPN App. Fans can access WatchESPN at espn.com/watch. Kevin Fitzgerald and Joe Kleine 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 fell in a tight SEC battle, 77-64, against 15th-ranked Kentucky. UT was led by 15-plus point outputs from senior Jordan Bowden, junior John Fulkerson and freshman Santiago Vescovi.

Vescovi finished the afternoon with a game-high-tying and a season-high-tying 18 points, knocking down four 3-point attempts. Bowden and Fulkerson finished with 16 points apiece.

A victory would give the Vols a three-game win streak over Arkansas and Rick Barnes a victory over every active SEC head coach except Buzz Williams.

Up next, Tennessee hits the road for a Saturday night matchup at South Carolina. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Arkansas, 21-20, dating to 1936.
• The Vols have a 12-4 edge when the series is played in Knoxville.
• UT scored 106 points when these team met last season.
• Tennessee plays the Razorbacks in Fayetteville on Feb. 26.

A WIN WOULD…
• Give the Vols a three-game win streak in the series.
• Mean that Rick Barnes has logged a head-to-head victory against all but one active SEC head coach (Buzz Williams).
• Give the Vols victories in 17 of their last 18 TV appearances on the linear SEC Network. Tennessee had won 16 straight SEC Network games before its loss to Texas A&M on Jan. 28.

STORYLINES
• Tennessee ranks fourth nationally in average home attendance, drawing 18,934 fans per game this season.
• In SEC home games, junior forward John Fulkerson leads the Vols in scoring (14.0 ppg), rebounding (7.6 rpg) and field-goal percentage (.610).
• With 171 career 3-point makes, senior Jordan Bowden ranks tied for 10th on Tennessee’s all-time list.
• Vols freshman Josiah-Jordan James has missed Tennessee’s last three games with a groin injury. He had started every game prior to this setback, and his current status is day-to-day.
• Tennessee averaged 14.3 turnovers through its first 17 games but has averaged only 10.5 turnovers in its last six outings.
• The Vols have committed the exact same amount of turnovers as their opponents this season (306).

LAYUP LINES
• During SEC play, Tennessee leads the leagues in blocks (6.2 bpg) and owns the conference’s second-best scoring defense (65.9 ppg).
• Junior forward Yves Pons has blocked at least one shot in every game this season. He leads the SEC and ranks 18th nationally with 2.7 bpg. His 3.0 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 (11), averaging 2.2 made threes per game.
• For each of the last three games, Tennessee’s starting lineup has featured four different nationalities (American, French, Serbian, Uruguayan).
• VFL and NBA rookie Grant Williams is averaging 15.7 minutes per game in 49 appearances for the Boston Celtics this season. The Celtics are undefeated when Williams plays at least 26 minutes.

ABOUT ARKANSAS
• Following a near flawless non-conference campaign, Arkansas has seen an up-and-down first 10 games of SEC play. After beginning the year 12-1, the Razorbacks currently sit at 16-7 overall and 4-6 in league play.
• The Razorbacks are coming off back-to-back overtime losses, at home against Auburn (79-76) and on the road at Missouri (83-79).
• Arkansas is led by first-year head coach Eric Musselman who comes to Fayetteville following a four-year stint at Nevada, where he won 110 games, three consecutive Mountain West regular-season titles, the 2016 CBI championship and made three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. The most notable of those NCAA berths came in 2018, when the Wolfpack overcame two double-digit deficits (against Texas and Cincinnati) to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
• Not only has Musselman brought a new staff to Arkansas, but he also added five transfers to the Razorback roster.
• Among those transfers is grad transfer guard Jimmy Whitt Jr. Whitt Jr., along with returner Mason Jones, sit atop four statistical categories for the Razorbacks. The backcourt tandem ranks first and second in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals, with Jones (20.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.4 apg and 1.8 spg) leading each category and Whitt Jr. (14.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.7 apg and 1.3 spg) following right behind him. Jones’s 20.5 ppg also leads the SEC.
• Notable alumni of the University of Arkansas include current Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones. Jones graduated from Arkansas in 1965 and was a captain on the 1964 National Champion Razorback football team.

LAST TIME VS. ARKANSAS
•  Behind a 31-point contribution from the bench in the first half, No. 3 Tennessee jumped on the Arkansas Razorbacks early, guiding the Vols to a 106-87 win in Thompson-Boling Arena on Jan. 15, 2019.
•  The Vols’ 106 points scored against the Razorbacks marked the most against a conference opponent since Feb. 9, 2000, when they defeated Georgia, 110-83. It was also the first time since Feb. 5, 2008 (104-82 over Florida), that Tennessee scored more than 100 points against an SEC foe.
•  UT had a double-digit lead for 34 minutes in the game as it took advantage of its opportunities at the free-throw line to help extend the lead to as much as 30 points. Tennessee knocked down 35-of-39 shots at the charity stripe on the night.
•  Jordan Bowden and Lamonté Turner teamed up for 40 points off the bench, leading the team to a season-high 50 points from non-starters. Bowden was perfect from the field until his final shot of the game, finishing the night 6-of-7 from the field and 5-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc.
•  Turner had a season and team-high 21 in the game, finishing the night 6-of-8 from the field, including a trio of 3-pointers.
•  After being held without a point in the first half, Admiral Schofield exploded to open the second half. The senior netted the Vols’ first 14 points in the half to help extend the lead to 27 points with 14:06 to play in the game. That stretch tied Schofield for fifth all-time in consecutive points scored by a Vol.
•  Arkansas entered the game as the SEC’s No. 2 team in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.32). The Vols were able to hold Arkansas to only 16 assists while forcing 19 turnovers.

BOWDEN ON TARGET VS. ARKANSAS
• In four previous games against Arkansas, Jordan Bowden averages 7.0 points while shooting .750 from the field (9 for 12) and .833 from 3-point range (5 of 6).

MEMORABLE VOL PERFORMANCES AGAINST ARKANSAS
• Bristol, Tennessee, native Bobby Hogsett scored eight points and added 10 rebounds as Tennessee won its first-ever game against Arkansas, 77-57, on Dec. 27, 1963, in Shreveport, Louisiana.
• In front of 21,237 orange-clad fans, UT knocked off Nolan Richardson’s fifth-ranked Razorbacks, 83-81, in Knoxville on Feb. 5, 1992. Lang Wiseman and Allan Houston both scored 26 points.
• The Vols upset No. 13 Arkansas in Fayetteville, 101-91, on Feb. 16, 1993, thanks to a double-double by LaMarcus Golden (22 points, 11 rebounds).
• Cleveland, Tennessee, native JaJuan Smith dropped 32 points on the Hogs during a 93-71 win over Arkansas in Knoxville on Feb. 5, 2008.
• Jordan McRae powered Tennessee to an 81-74 win over Arkansas on Jan. 22, 2014, exploding for 34 points—including UT’s final 13—at Thompson-Boling Arena.

MUSSELMAN’S SEASON AT LSU SAW TIGERS SPLIT WITH THE VOLS
• Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman was an assistant coach on Johnny Jones’ staff at LSU during the 2014-15 season.
• The Vols and Tigers met twice that year. LSU defeated UT, 73-55, in Knoxville. Less than three weeks later, Tennessee went to Baton Rouge and managed a 78-63 road win.
• Top performers on that LSU squad were forwards Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey.
• Donnie Tyndall was Tennessee’s head coach in 2014-15, and Rick Barnes was hired shortly after the conclusion of the season.

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 23 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 14 games this season, including a program-record-tying six-block effort against Jacksonville State on Dec. 21.
• With eight regular-season games left to play, he already ranks tied for third on UT’s single-season blocks list. The record is 73, by C.J. Black in 1997-98.

 

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