Up-and-comers know they’re on the right track when they’re invited to play the New Faces of Country Music show at Country Radio Seminar in Nashville. Only a handful of rising stars get the honor of performing before the industry crowd, which includes radio programmers, executives and members of the national media.
The 2020 New Faces class features Ingrid Andress, Morgan Evans, Riley Green, Runaway June and Mitchell Tenpenny. The new class will take the stage at the Omni Hotel for the 2020 New Faces show on Feb. 21.
This year’s class was narrowed down from a group of nominees that also included Hardy, Ryan Hurd, Tyler Rich and Matt Stell.
The New Faces of Country Music show can help artists reach the “next” level—just ask the 2014 class of Cam, Brothers Osborne, Kelsea Ballerini, Old Dominion and Chris Janson. The 2018 class featured Lauren Alaina, Luke Combs, Midland, Carly Pearce and Michael Ray. The 2019 class featured Dylan Scott, Jimmie Allen, Russell Dickerson, Lindsay Ell and LANCO.
Jason Aldean returned to Las Vegas for three shows on Dec. 6, 7 and 8 for his Ride All Night Vegas mini-residency at the 5,200-seat Park Theater in Park MGM.
The mini-residency marked Jason’s first headlining gigs in Vegas since the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting on Oct. 1, 2017, when a lone gunman opened fire on the crowd from an elevated position while Jason was performing onstage. The gunman’s assault killed 58 people and wounded more than 400.
One day after closing his residency, Jason called in to The Ty Bentili Show to talk with the titular host about the experience. The show’s co-host, Chuck Wicks, attended two of Jason’s shows in Vegas.
“We’ve had these [dates] earmarked on the calendar for a long time,” says Jason “It had been a couple of years, obliviously, since we’ve been out here to play a show. This just kinda seemed like the right time to come back and do a couple shows. It was a little bit smaller venue, so it was a little more intimate for fans. We knew there was gonna be a lot of people here from Route 91—and there was. It was a really cool few days, and I think it was something that was kind of a healing process for a lot of people, something that kinda closed the book for a lot of people, I think. It was really cool to come out here and experience it for the last few days.”
“It’s pretty wild when you see the video,” says Jason. “The thing that a lot of people don’t realize is the song that I was playing [when the shooting began] was ‘Any Ol’ Barstool’ . . . so that was the song we were playing [on Dec. 6]. All of the sudden, this guy’s in a wheelchair, and the crowd just kinda lifts him up . . . you have to see the video. I’ve played what seems like a million shows over the years, and that’ll be one of those things that I never forget was that moment, that night.”
Jake announced he will headline an acoustic tour—dubbed the Down to the Tiki Tonk Tour—that kicks off on Feb. 14 in Des Moines, Iowa. The eight-date tour will make additional stops in Green Bay, Mobile and more.
Jake will perform acoustic renditions of songs from his recent album, Greetings From…Jake, including “Homemade,” “I Was Jack (You Were Diane)” and “Down To The Honkytonk.” Larry Fleet will serve as support. Tickets go on sale on Dec. 13.
“Sitting on a bar stool, just playing a guitar and singing songs is how I first started making music and is what first led me to fall in love with performing,” says Jake. “Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to have the venues get bigger, and to play for larger crowds on major headlining tours, but when I sat down to think about what was important to me this upcoming year, I really wanted the opportunity to go back to the beginning of it all. For me, it was that intimate connection with fans and the ability to really engage on a more personal level… it just takes me back to the real roots of where and why you started doing this in the first place. The strength of the songwriting and the magic of how that translates into a room with just a guitar and a song. I really can’t wait to play these rooms.”
Down to the Tiki Tonk Tour
Feb. 14 | Des Moines, IA | Hoyt Sherman Place
Feb. 15 | West Lafayette, IN | Elliott Hall of Music, Purdue University
Feb. 27 | Green Bay, WI | Meyer Theatre
Feb. 28 | Cedar Rapids, IA | Paramount Theatre
March 6 | Lancaster, PA | American Music Theater
March 7 | Wilkes|Barre, PA | The F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
March 14 | Augusta, GA | Miller Theater | Brian J. Marks Hall
March 15 | Mobile, AL | Saenger Theater
Rennia Davis – Lady Vols / Credit: 99.1 The Sports Animal
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The No. 17/19 Lady Vols suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday, falling to Texas in Thompson-Boling Arena, 66-60.
Tennessee (7-1) was led by junior Rennia Davis who finished the day with 15 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Jazmine Massengill was also in double figures for the Lady Vols with 10. Junior Kasiyahna Kushkituah led the team in rebounding with nine. Overall, Tennessee won the rebounding battle at 54-42.
Seniors Sug Sutton and Lashann Higgs were the leading scorers for Texas (5-4), posting 19 each.
After back-to-back three pointers from Massengill and redshirt senior Lou Brown, the Vols jumped out to an early 6-4 lead over the Longhorns. Davis fought for an offensive rebound and was fouled going up, extending the Big Orange’s lead to 8-4 after both made free throws.
After being down 20-13 in the first, the Lady Vols went on a 6-0 run and came within one at 20-19 after four points from Kushkituah and a jumper from senior Kamera Harris.
At the end of the first 10 minutes, Tennessee was down 22-19 but was leading on the boards with a 15-9 advantage and had eight points contributed by its bench.
Sophomore Rae Burrell scored the first points for the Lady Vols in the second quarter, followed by a lay-up from freshman Tamari Key, pulling Tennessee within one point again at 24-23 with 8:39 left in the half.
Davis made a last-second three-point bucket to close out the first half, making it 42-36 Texas. The senior finished with a team-high eight points and two assists in her first 14 minutes of the game.
The Big Orange came out firing in the third quarter and scored a quick bucket from Massengill, followed by a lay-up from Davis to make it a two-point game at 42-40. The Longhorns, though, went on a 6-0 scoring burst and extended their lead to 48-40.
The Lady Vols kept fighting throughout the third quarter, however, going on their own 5-0 scoring run and pulling to within 48-45. The Big Orange didn’t allow another bucket from Texas in the last 2:24 of the quarter, as the Lady Vols went on another run to cut the deficit to 50-49 at the end of the third.
Tennessee held Texas to a 21.1 shooting percentage in the third, which marked the Longhorns’ lowest of the game. The Lady Vols also out-rebounded the Longhorns, 16-14, and forced three turnovers.
Davis gave Tennessee its first lead of the game since the first quarter with a bucket 18 seconds into the final stanza. Key followed it up with another bucket, giving the Lady Vols a 53-50 lead less than a minute into the fourth period. The Big Orange didn’t score again until the 4:48 mark, while the Longhorns scored eight points in the meantime to regain the lead, 58-55.
Massengill made the next bucket for Tennessee with 2:23 left in the game, cutting the deficit to 60-57. The Lady Vols scored three more free throws in the final quarter but could get no closer the rest of the way.
Up Next: UT closes out its six-game home stand, hosting Colorado State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on SECN+ and broadcast on Lady Vol Network radio stations.
Big-Time Post Play: The Texas duo of Charli Collier and Joyner Holmes had been combining for an average of 33.6 points per game. The Lady Vols held the pair to just eight total points and 15 rebounds. Meanwhile, Tamari Key and Kasiyahna Kushkituah combined for 16 points and 16 rebounds for Tennessee.
Winning The Board Battle: The Lady Vols out-rebounded the Longhorns, 54-42, marking the seventh time this season they’ve bested an opponent on the boards. Tennessee is averaging 51.4 rpg. while holding opposing teams to 36.3 rpg.
Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer
On what Tennessee’s process of selecting a preference for its bowl game was:
“It’s kind of all of the above with what both of the coaches said. It (the Gator Bowl) has a great history, great tradition, and is in a great part of the country to come and play. I’ve experienced it as a player way back when, and as a head coach had a fantastic experience with the Gator Bowl. I’m looking forward to being back as the athletic director. It’s a great matchup with an outstanding school whose staff has done a super job, and I look forward to it.”
On coaching the 1994 Gator Bowl, which was played in Gainesville:
“This is really about these teams that are playing in this game. That was different, but it worked out fine. This is an exciting time, a great venue, a great city to come to and two really fine, improving football teams to play against each other.”
On how close Tennessee was to playing in Nashville for its bowl game:
“Nashville would have been a fantastic destination, they’ve done a great job with their bowl and again, it’s another great venue and a great place. Obviously, it’s in state as well. The conference commissioner in the end makes the decision and asks for our preferences and we’ve been back and forth a couple of times as to what was best, and I think at the end we landed in the right place for this football team at this particular time.”
On how the day played out:
“I think it played out very well. There is a process in place starting with the College Football Playoff. Things fell where they did and being in the group of six that we were in, I think the Gator Bowl got the hottest team going right now with wins in our last part of our season with our five-game winning streak. Coach Pruitt and the job that he’s done, I think it has played out kind of normal. We are happy to be going to Jacksonville.”
On Jauan Jennings suspension for the first half of the bowl game:
“I think coach Pruitt just answered that. We listened and we are going to support the conference and go about our business. That’s all I have to say about it.”
Tennessee Head Football Coach Jeremy Pruitt
Credit: Ut Athletics
On the turning point of Tennessee’s season:
“With the two off weeks this year, we were 1-3 heading into the first off week. We had a disappointing start early in the year, and I feel like our seniors and our coaching staff did a fantastic job keeping this group together. We have a very young and inexperienced team and they stayed together and showed a lot of resiliency and fight and hung in there and we found a way to win ball games down the stretch. I’m really proud of the opportunity this team has presented itself with and giving these senior the opportunity to play one more time.”
On Jauan Jennings’ suspension for the first half of the bowl game:
“Absolutely, we had a talk about it. It is something that has been addressed and moving forward, Jauan has been a great representative for the university and will continue to do that. I know he probably has some frustrations, but it is something we support and will continue to move forward with it.”
The value of playing a bowl game in Florida for recruiting:
“I have recruited Duval County for a long time, and we have had some success there over the years. Just an opportunity to play against a really good football program and a chance for our fans and everybody associated with our university to enjoy a bowl trip. Again, a fantastic venue against a great opponent.”
On bowl game personnel:
“We have been recruiting and our kids have been working on finals. We’ll start practice here shortly and probably have a little better gauge on that when we get everybody back together.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee will be heading to Jacksonville, Florida for the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, which will be played at TIAA Bank Field on Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. ET.
The Volunteers will take on Big Ten foe Indiana in the 75th edition of the Gator Bowl.
“I want to thank TaxSlayer Gator Bowl President and CEO Rick Catlett and chairman Rich Thompson, and the committee and volunteers that work so hard to make the Gator Bowl so special each year,” Tennessee Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer said. “The University of Tennessee is proud to be a part of its rich history, and we are very excited to bring this passionate fanbase and hungry football team to Jacksonville.”
The Volunteers will be making their 53rd bowl game appearance in program history, which ranks sixth among all college football programs. UT holds a 28-24 all-time record in bowl games.
The Big Orange enter the postseason as one of the hottest teams in college football after winning six of their last seven games, including their final five games of the regular season.
“We are extremely excited to be headed to the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl,” head coach Jeremy Pruitt said. “This is a credit to our players, our coaching staff, our support staff, our administration and our fans.
“The Gator Bowl has a rich history and we are honored to be a part of the 75th edition of the game. Jacksonville is a fantastic city and I know our fans will travel and support us. We’ve had a great second-half of the season, winning five straight, but we are not done yet.”
Tennessee’s most recent bowl appearance came in 2016 as the Vols defeated Nebraska, 38-24, in the Music City Bowl.
This will be UT’s seventh time playing in the Gator Bowl. The Vols are 4-2 in the previous six appearances, including a 45-28 victory over Iowa in 2015. That bowl appearance snapped a four-year postseason drought for the Vols and was the first of three straight bowl wins in consecutive seasons.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs earned MVP honors after passing for 129 yards and a touchdown and rushing for another 76 yards and two scores to help lead the Vols to their first postseason victory since the 2008 Outback Bowl.
Tennessee’s other Gator Bowl trips came in 1994 (win vs. Virginia Tech), 1973 (loss vs. Texas Tech), 1969 (loss vs. Florida), 1966 (win vs. Syracuse) and 1957 (win vs. Texas A&M).
Fans interested in a premium travel package, including hotel stay, game ticket, reception, bowl souvenir and game day transportation can visit VolSportsTravel.com.
Fans interested in purchasing tickets are encouraged to do so through the Gator Bowl website (TaxSlayerGatorBowl.com) by clicking HERE.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee women’s basketball head coach Kellie Harper met with the media on Friday afternoon at Pratt Pavilion, taking questions about her team’s upcoming game against Texas.
The No. 17/19 Lady Vols play host to the Longhorns in a 2:02 p.m. ET contest on Sunday at Thompson-Boling Arena. ESPN2 will have the telecast. The game is being billed as an “Orange Out,” and tickets are available at AllVols.com.
Tennessee, which is playing its fifth straight game at home, enters the contest at 7-0. The Lady Vols are coming off an 81-54 victory over Air Force last Sunday afternoon.
Texas, meanwhile, stands at 4-4 after dropping two out of three at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu last weekend. The Longhorns beat North Texas on Saturday, 63-57, but dropped contests to No. 12 NC State (84-73) and Hawaii (73-60) on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
The Big Orange leads the all-time series vs. the Burnt Orange, 25-15. The Lady Vols have won the last two meetings, including an 88-82 victory in Austin last season and an 82-75 decision in Knoxville two seasons ago. This will mark the 38th-consecutive season these programs have met on the hardwood.
On her concerns about rebounding leading into the Air Force game:
“I didn’t think our technique was consistent defensively on our box outs. We showed that to our team a little bit. And consistency going to the boards is still an issue. When we go, we do a great job, but we can still find a little more consistency in that area.”
On if getting out-rebounded by Air Force got her point across:
“I hope so. That is certainly my hope. We came in the locker room after and talked about getting out-rebounded and we talked to them about the build-up and how much we have talked about the rebounding concerns that our staff had. I think they understand maybe a little bit more on what that looks like.”
On where she thinks they are at right now defensively:
“I think, defensively, we could be an exceptional team because of our athleticism and our length. There is no doubt about it. We have some playmakers that can come out and do some things. I think that is an accurate statement. To me, the area that we’ve got to grow in is just a little bit of raw toughness that you need to have a great defensive team. Which has nothing to do with positioning or knowing where you need to be, it is just something inside you. I think that just takes time to develop, and we are still working on that.”
On if she has added her full defensive package:
“We do have more to unpack. As a coach, I have really stayed vanilla throughout November, December and a little bit into January, consistently. I think this team needs constant work on the basics, and that is what we stick with. We stick with the half-court man a lot. I think that is going to be who we are the majority of the time. We still have some things we are adding and putting in. I am also a firm believer in adding throughout the season, so in January and February, (we’ll be) finding out little tweaks that we can do both offensively and defensively.”
On if her defense depends on who they are playing or if they’re trying to perfect a certain defense:
“A little bit of both, really. I know that, in my head, there are a couple things I want to do for conference play, and some of those things may not get in until early January. So, I might look ahead and say, ‘I want this specific defense for this specific opponent,’ and we would start working on it a few weeks in advance to get ready for that.”
On how important it is for this team to have players like Rae Burrell and Kasiyahna Kushkituah to come off the bench and score in double figures:
“It is critical that we have some depth and have two players come off the bench that give us a punch. They give us something. They give us a spark. They have been able to score and rebound and sometimes change the tone of the game.”
On how much of a difference playing Texas will be compared to the last few teams:
“I think this is going to be a big difference for us from what we have seen. I think size wise will be the first difference we will see. The athleticism is terrific for Texas. I know our post players haven’t seen a lot of big bodies on the block. Even playing Notre Dame, they didn’t play a lot on the block, so this is going to be a big challenge, not only for our guards with guarding some athletes on the perimeter, but also for our post players guarding big, physical posts.”
On how she is getting the players ready on playing Texas:
“We have been talking about it. We have been talking about playing teams down the line, so we will go through some things in a scouting report for our previous opponent. It will look very different for this game. We just are very honest when we are telling our players that. One of the ways that we have tried to prepare them is that we have tried to prepare them for the best. We don’t try to prepare them for a 5-foot-10 post player. We try to prepare them for a 6-5 All-American, and we have some good and big practice players that have given us some pretty accurate looks that will show what we are going to see. They have really challenged us.”
On if she is happy with their shooting percentage:
“I think we did a really good job getting the ball inside. We passed the ball inside well. We did well on transition offense. I think any time that we get the ball to the paint that is a very big positive for us.”
On if she likes that they are second in the nation in blocked shots:
“I have never paid attention to the blocked shot stat. Obviously we are going to have a lot just because we are tall. I am not saying that I don’t like blocked shots, but I like position defense better. If you are in position, you are rarely trying to make blocked shots.”
On if she thinks that shot blocking is a byproduct of good position defense:
“Jazmine (Massengill) is getting a lot of blocks. She is getting a lot of blocks in transition defensively. And then when people are driving on her, they may have an angle and they may get a little bit behind. I am completely fine with an easy contest block, just because we are tall and have the length to do it. I don’t like giving the lane and trying to make a heroic play to get a blocked shots. I definitely don’t want to foul shooters. If you are going for a block, you can’t foul on the shot. I think there are very positive blocked shots, I really do. It is just not something we are going to practice or preach.”
On if she is eager to see how they are tested late in the games with the tougher competition:
“I am really looking forward to seeing where we are in those situations. Right now, we have been ahead. We are able to stay ahead even in that early game where it was close. We have been okay when we are frontrunners. I want to see where our competitiveness is and where our toughness is when we are in a battle and have to worry about every single possession. You just don’t know until you are in it, so I am looking forward to having some big challenges coming up.”
On what other challenges Texas presents when she is watching film:
“Their two post players are dynamic. They can score. They can run. They can rebound. Their point guard is also crafty and shifty and can get shots and score. She can create for herself or other teammates. Their wings are just solid and athletic. I think right now you have to take care of the basketball against them, because they can get after you and pressure you. You have to keep them off the boards, then you have to understand that you are going to have to defend some dynamic players.”
On how it feels to be 7-0 in her first season at UT:
“I am glad we are 7-0. I am happy with where we are and with what we have faced. I am proud of our team. I think they have had good attitudes and understand where we need to improve. They have to keep that. And if we were to lose a game, they have to be able to get through that.”
On if she likes how they are performing with assists:
“I think our assists have been really good. I think that it shows how unselfish this team is. We really look to pass the ball to our teammates. I think that is a really positive stat for us, and we want to keep trending in that direction.”
On if the Lady Vols appreciate the “real UT” rivalry:
“We haven’t talked too much about Texas yet, but once you get going, you have a UT, you have Texas and Tennessee orange. I think there is a lot of fun in this rivalry, and there is a lot of tradition in this rivalry. It is good to be part of it.”
Here’s an impressive photo gallery of over 100 images from Tennessee’s Week 14 game at Neyland Stadium against Vanderbilt. Photos are property of Cumulus Broadcasting Knoxville and taken by staff photographer Sam Forman.
Emily Saunders – Lady Vols F / Credit: UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — For the 41st time, Tennessee and Texas will do battle in women’s basketball. The Lady Vols lead the series, 25-15, after winning the past two meetings.
The No. 17/19 Lady Vols (7-0) play host to the Longhorns (4-4) at Thompson-Boling Arena in a 2:02 p.m. ET contest on Sunday. The match-up is part of the 10-game Big 12-SEC Challenge, with Sunday’s tilts closing out the week-long competition.
The Lady Vols are playing their fifth of six straight games on Rocky Top after opening with two of the season’s first three contests on the road. After facing Texas, UT welcomes Colorado State (Dec. 11, 7 p.m.) to The Summitt to close out the fall semester slate of home games.
Tennessee remained unbeaten last Sunday, flying past Air Force, 81-54, on the strength of a season-best 54.8 percent shooting performance.
Texas comes to Knoxville after dropping two out of three contests at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu. The Longhorns fell to No. 12 N.C. State (84-73) and Hawaii (73-60), and picked up a victory in between over North Texas (63-57).
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Sunday’s game will be televised by ESPN2 with Courtney Lyle (PxP) and Carolyn Peck (Analyst) on 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.
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.
PROMOS
Fans are encouraged to wear Tennessee Orange to create an “Orange Out” atmosphere and display what Lady Vol fans appreciate as the better choice of orange compared to the hue our Texas friends wear. The Lady Vols will be donning their traditional road orange uniforms at home on Sunday.
Tickets are available to the general public at AllVols.com. Spark the Summitt with tickets starting at $5. Gates open at 1 p.m.
It’s also “Moms and Sons” day at T-BA. For $20, a mom and son duo can purchase two tickets to the Lady Vol game vs. Texas, get a pregame tour of Neyland Stadium, attend an exclusive pep rally at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, get T-shirts for themselves, receive two hot dog vouchers for the game and make memories that last a lifetime.
The best way to spread holiday cheer is singing Rocky Top for all to hear. Spend your “Volidays” with Tennessee Basketball, singing Rocky Top. Purchase the Voliday Package at AllVols.com.
Enjoy the pregame Kids’ Corner at Gate F. It opens one hour prior to tip-off. Fun includes free face painting, the Big Orange prize wheel, visits from Smokey and cheerleaders, crafts and more. The first 100 kids can receive a free Orange Dreamsicle.
Participate in “High-5 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-5 tunnel. Wristbands are limited. To purchase discounted group tickets and reserve wristbands for your team, please call 865-946-7000.
Free parking & shuttle service is available from UT’s Ag Campus. Shuttles begin two hours prior to tip.
RECAPPING OUR LAST GAME
In the first meeting between the teams, No. 20/25 Tennessee flew past Air Force, 81-54, last Sunday afternoon in Thompson-Boling Arena to open the season 7-0 for the fifth time in the past 10 years.
With a season-high crowd of 8,032 looking on, nine different players scored for the Big Orange. UT tallied 56 points inside the paint, had 23 points created from 22 Air Force (1-7) turnovers and shot a season-high 54.8 percent from the field. UT knocked down a sizzling 66.7 percent of its shots in the second quarter and 64.7 percent in the third period.
Junior Rennia Davis just missed her fifth double-double, recording 18 points and nine rebounds to share leading scorer honors with sophomore Rae Burrell, who posted a scoring career high for the second straight game.
Three other Lady Vols scored in double digits, including junior Kasiyahna Kushkituah, sophomore Jazmine Massengill and freshman Tamari Key, who contributed 13, 11 and 10, respectively. Massengill added a game-high six assists.
The Falcons shot only 29.6 from the field, but out-rebounded Tennessee, 40-39. It marked the first time all season UT has been beaten on the boards.
NOTES FROM THE LAST GAME
On The Break: UT recorded a season-high 15 steals against Air Force, converting those into a season-high 21 fast-break points. The Lady Vols had previous season highs of 12 and 20, respectively, vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the last game.
Consistent Bench Play: Sophomore Rae Burrell and Kasiyahna Kushkituah each finished the day in double figures with 18 and 13 points, respectively. It marked the fourth-straight game the pair had come off the bench to contribute double-digit points.
Rae Heating Up: Sophomore Rae Burrell has improved her career high in two straight games, recording 17 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and 18 against Air Force. Her previous best was 14 points, initially set against Florida A&M on Nov. 18, 2018, and tied earlier this season against Tennessee State.
Balanced Attack: UT finished the day with five players in double digits (Davis, Key, Massengill, Kushkituah, Burrell) and nine of 10 active Lady Vols contributed at least one bucket.
Point Guards Dishing: Freshman Jordan Horston and sophomore Jazmine Massengill lead the team in assists this year with 33 and 32, respectively. If the season ended today, Horston’s average of 4.7 apg. would rank second all-time for Lady Vol freshmen behind only Ariel Massengale who averaged 4.9, while Massengill’s average of 4.6 apg. would rank fifth all-time for Lady Vol sophomores.
HARPER HISTORY IN THE MAKING
Kellie Harper coached the 500th game of her head coaching career on Dec. 1, as the Lady Vols defeated Air Force, 81-54, in Knoxville. She improved to 292-208 in her 16th season on the sideline.
Kellie Harper will attempt to open a season 8-0 for the first time in her head coaching career. She twice opened 4-0 at NC State in 2011-12 and 2012-13 before topping that with a 7-0 start at UT this season.
On Nov. 18, 2019, Kellie Harper became the 40th person to play for and coach an AP-ranked women’s basketball team when UT debuted at No. 23.
She became the 13th person to accomplish that feat at the school where she also played.
According to Hoops Guru Mel Greenberg, UT and USC are the only schools with two alums to accomplish that feat. Harper and Holly Warlick did so at Tennessee, while Cheryl Miller and Cynthia Cooper-Dyke did so at Southern Cal.
Harper is one of only 11 coaches to lead three different women’s teams to NCAA Tournament appearances (Western Carolina, NC State, Missouri State).
She will attempt to join Jim Foster (St. Joseph’s, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, Chattanooga) in becoming the only coaches to take four different women’s teams to the NCAA tourney.
TENNESSEE TOPICS
Tennessee has opened a season 7-0 for the third year in a row and will attempt to make it 8-0 for the third time in as many seasons and for only the fifth time in the past 10 years.
The Lady Vols defeated Texas last season to go 8-0.
Reserves Rae Burrell and Kasiyahna Kushkituah each have scored in double figures in the past four games. Burrell is second among active players at 10.6 ppg., while Kushkituah is third at 9.4 ppg.
Burrell is UT’s leading scorer in home games at 13.4 ppg., hitting 47 percent of her shots in Knoxville.
Starter Rennia Davis has scored in double figures in five straight contests and is up to 16.0 ppg.
Kasiyahna Kushkituah averaged 14.0 ppg. last week in two games while shooting .857 from the field.
Tennessee is holding opponents to 46.0 ppg. at home, while those foes shoot only .265. UT, meanwhile, is averaging 76.4 ppg. and shooting .489.
The highest field goal percentage UT has allowed in a game this season was .348 to ETSU in the opener.
The Lady Vols had won the rebounding battle in the first five games before Air Force outworked the Lady Vols, 40-39, last Sunday. UT still has a +15.6 margin vs. opponents that ranks No. 2 nationally.
Seven Lady Vols average better than 5.0 rpg.
Tennessee is allowing only 51.6 points per game and has given up more than 55 points only twice.
Jazmine Massengill has recorded 21 assists vs. only four turnovers in five home games this season.
Tennessee has had 16 or more assists in each game this season and a season-best 25 vs. UAPB.
UT reserves have outscored the opposing bench in each game, building an average score of 31.0 to 12.7.
The Lady Vols have shot for a higher percentage every game.
UT-TEXAS SERIES NOTES
Tennessee leads the series with Texas, 25-15, and has a 12-6 edge in Knoxville, an 11-8 record in Austin and a 2-1 mark at neutral sites.
The Lady Vols ended a three-game overall losing skid in the series in 2017 and halted a two-game road losing streak in the series a year ago. Tennessee now will try to add on to its current two-game winning streak in the series and make it two in a row at home as well.
While the first meeting in the series was on Dec. 8, 1978 (Tennessee 84, Texas 60), this marks the 38th-consecutive season these programs have met. The UTs played twice in 1986-87 and 1991-92 in regular-season tourney match-ups in addition to the regularly-scheduled games.
Lady Vol freshman Zaay Green (injured/out for the season) hails from Duncanville (Texas) High School, the alma mater of Lady Vol, Olympic and WNBA hoops legend Tamika Catchings.
Tennessee is 58-22 all-time vs. schools currently in the Big 12 after winning at Oklahoma State and Texas last season.
Lady Vol Head Coach Kellie Harper was 4-0 vs. Texas as a Tennessee player from 1995-96 to 1998-99.
Two of women’s college basketball’s most successful coaches put these programs on the map: Tennessee’s Pat Summitt (1,098-208, 8 NCAA titles) and Texas’ Jody Conradt (900-307, 1 NCAA title).
Popular Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes‘ previously coached at Texas from 1998 to 2015.
ABOUT TEXAS
The Longhorns returned three starters and eight total letterwinners from last year’s squad that finished 23-10 overall and 12-6/3rd in the Big 12.
Texas has been led this season by the one-two inside punch of 6-3 forward Joyner Holmes (17.3 ppg., 9.9 rpg.) and 6-5 forward/center Charli Collier (16.3 ppg., 10.5 rpg.).
Guards Sug Sutton, Celeste Taylor and Lashann Higgs are averaging 9.5, 8.6 and 8.1 ppg., respectively. Higgs was Texas’ leading scorer through four games a year ago (13.8 ppg.) before an injury ended her season. Sutton averaged 12.7 in 2018-19.
Head coach Karen Aston is in her eighth season at the school and is 169-76. She is 270-139 in her 13th season overall.
RECAPPING TEXAS’ LAST GAME
Hawaii held Texas without a field goal for the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter, as the Rainbow Wahine defeated the Longhorns, 73-60, in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown last Sunday afternoon in Honolulu.
Hawaii (4-4) hit 10 of 19 three pointers and made 21 of 24 free throws. Texas (4-4) led by three at the end of the third period, but Hawaii outscored the Longhorns, 28-12, in the fourth quarter.
Charli Collier scored 18, Joyner Holmes 17 and Celeste Taylor 13 for Texas. Amy Atwell scored 24 for Hawaii, which included a 9-of-14 performance from three-point territory and six-of-seven from the free-throw line.
Following the November release of his No. 1 album, What You See Is What You Get, Luke Combs has dropped a new three-song EP, Luke Combs: The Writer’s Cut, via Apple Music.
The three-song set features Luke and his songwriter companions, Drew Parker and Ray Fulcher, teaming up with producer Chip Matthews to revamp two of their original songs. “1, 2 Many” features Drew backing up Luke on vocals, while Ray joins in on the new track “Reasons.” In between, the troupe takes on Glen Sherley’s “Greystone Chapel,” which Johnny Cash made famous on his album, At Folsom Prison.
“Songwriting . . . it’s always been a teamwork thing for me,” says Luke in Apple’s accompanying short film about the project. “I don’t really like writing by myself all that much.”
