Lady Vols Fly Past Air Force, 81-54

Lady Vols Fly Past Air Force, 81-54

Posted on December 1, 2019
Rae Burrell – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In the first-ever meeting between the teams, No. 20/25 Tennessee flew past Air Force, 81-54, Sunday afternoon in Thompson-Boling Arena to open the season 7-0 for 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.

Air Force was paced by sophomore Riley Snyder, who scored 20 points and recorded six rebounds. Kaelin Immel finished with 13 points. 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.

Key scored the first points of the day after being fouled underneath the basket, nailing a pair of free throws. Davis followed that up with the first lay-up of the game and a bucket from beyond the arc, tying the game at 8-8. With two lay-ins from Key and Massengill, the Lady Vols led 12-11 with 3:58 left in the quarter.

UT started pulling away shortly afterward. The Lady Vols tallied four lay-ins in a row, with three of those coming from Kushkituah and the other from Burrell. Later, Burrell finished off the Lady Vols’ scoring in the opening stanza with a jumper, making it a 24-15 lead for the Big Orange after one.

Freshman Jordan Horston started to create havoc for the Falcons in the second quarter by forcing a handful of turnovers that led to fast breaks and points for the Lady Vols, extending UT’s lead to 30-20 with 5:07 left in the half.

Burrell had quick back-to-back buckets with 3:34 remaining, giving UT its then-largest lead of the game at 34-20. Davis contributed a lay-up and was followed by two free throws from Massengill to pad Tennessee’s advantage. Burrell closed out the second quarter with a lay-in on a fast break after senior Kamera Harris forced a turnover. Overall, the Lady Vols shot a blistering 66.7 percent in the second stanza and recorded four steals.

At the intermission, Burrell led the team with 10 points and four rebounds. Massengill was right behind her with nine points, while Key recorded five rebounds and eight points. Defensively, UT forced 14 turnovers and held the Falcons to a 31.3 shooting percentage.

Davis scored the opening points in the second half and was followed by a lay-up from senior Lou Brown, making it a 47-27 advantage for the Lady Vols. UT went on a 7-0 scoring run from that point, as Key contributed a lay-in, followed by a Burrell jumper and three-point bucket – both on fast breaks – to make it 56-32. Kushkituah and Davis scored the rest of the points in the third, giving the Big Orange a 22-point lead heading into the final frame.

Freshman Emily Saunders came off the bench to score the first points in the fourth quarter, giving UT a 69-45 lead. Massengill scored next, adding a lay-up right before the shot clock expired with 6:05 left in the game. Saunders recorded an offensive rebound on UT’s next possession and scored another bucket followed by a three-point score from Burrell, boosting Tennessee to a 76-51 advantage.

Freshman Jessie Rennie also recorded her first points of the game with a three-point bucket with less than two minutes left in the contest. Davis closed it out with a jumper to give UT the 27-point win.

Up Next: Tennessee continues its home stand, hosting Texas on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN2 and broadcast on Lady Vol Network radio stations. Fans can buy tickets at AllVols.com.

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 marks the fourth-straight game the pair have 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 career high 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.

500th Game For Harper: Today marked the 500th game of Kellie Harper‘s head coaching career. The first-year UT skipper is 292-208 in her 16th season on the sideline.

Box Score (PDF) ​| Photo Gallery ​| Highlights | SEC Network Recap ​| Harper Presser ​| Players Presser ​| Postgame Quotes | Photo Lightbox

-UT Athletics

Turner’s Buzzer-Beating Bomb Lifts Vols Past VCU, 72-69

Turner’s Buzzer-Beating Bomb Lifts Vols Past VCU, 72-69

Posted on December 1, 2019
Vols G Lamonte Turner / Credit: UT Athletics

NICEVILLE, Fla. – With 1.7 seconds remaining and the score tied at 69-69, Tennessee senior Lamonte Turner buried a 3-pointer from the corner to lift the Volunteers to a 72-69 victory over VCU on Saturday night at the Emerald Coast Classic.

Turner’s buzzer-beater capped his 12-point, seven-assist performance, which also featured with three steals.

Vols junior John Fulkerson scored a career-high 17 points and racked up seven rebounds as UT improved to 6-1.

Senior Jordan Bowden was incredibly efficient from the field, knocking down four of his six shots from the field while draining all six of his attempts from the foul line to finish with 14 points.

Off the bench, junior Jalen Johnson was critical to the Vols’ early first-half run, knocking down two big buckets to help give Tennessee its 11-point halftime advantage.

With less than a minute remaining and UT holding a 67-66 edge, Fulkerson blocked De’riante Jenkins’ layup attempt and grabbed the ensuing rebound.

After getting fouled, Fulkerson knocked down both free throws before Jenkins came right back down the floor to hit a three to tie things up at 69 apiece.

With the game tied, Turner knocked down his second three of the night and sealed the win. The shot placed him just one 3-pointer outside the top 10 in Tennessee history for career 3-point makes (170).

In the game’s opening 10 minutes, the teams traded blows, with VCU draining its first four shots from 3-point range, while the Vols were able to get to the rim at will. Tennessee got to the line on three separate occasions and scored eight points in the paint during that span.

At the under-12 timeout in the first half, UT held a slim 20-19 lead with all seven Vols who had entered the contest penning their names on the scoresheet.

Over the next five minutes, UT stretched its lead using a 9-2 run engineered by two buckets off the bench from Johnson and two big baskets in the paint from Fulkerson.

The Vols also held VCU to a 1-of-16 mark from the field over the final 12 minutes of the half.

The incredible effort on the defensive side of the ball, paired with a few timely baskets, gave Tennessee a 37-26 advantage heading into the locker room.

Out of the break, VCU grabbed control, using a 10-3 run over a stretch of 3:17 to cut the Tennessee lead to as few as three points.

With just under seven minutes remaining in the contest, the Rams took a 58-56 lead; it was their first lead since the 15:12 mark of the first half, when they led 12-10.

The teams traded baskets and the lead, heading into the game’s final minute of action.

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful Cover Fulk: Junior John Fulkerson poured in a career-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, and he added seven huge rebounds and a block with less than a minute remaining to keep the Vols in the lead late.

Money from the Line: Tennessee knocked down 13-of-14 attempts from the foul line, a percentage of .938. That percentage was the Vols’ highest of the season as a team, with three Vols shooting a perfect percentage from the charity stripe.

Spreading the Love: All eight Vols who saw action Saturday recorded at least two points on the final stat sheet.

Up Next: Tennessee returns home to Thompson-Boling Arena to take on Florida A&M on Wednesday night. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

BOX SCORE

-UT Athletics

Jimmy’s blog: Vols run past Vanderbilt to end 3-game skid to Dores

Jimmy’s blog: Vols run past Vanderbilt to end 3-game skid to Dores

Posted on November 30, 2019

By Jimmy Hyams

Despite two lengthy weather delays and a less-than-stellar passing attack, Tennessee outlasted Vanderbilt 28-10 to snap a three-game losing streak to an in-state rival on a rainy Saturday night in Neyland Stadium.

On a Senior Day for 13 Vols, true freshman Eric Gray stole the show, setting a Tennessee freshman record with 246 yards on 21 carries to break the mark of 232 set by Jamal Lewis against Georgia in 1997.

Not bad for a guy that didn’t even start and was third-team most of the season.

In the absence of Ty Chandler (ankle), Gray came off the bench to score on runs of 56, 94 and 4 yards for an offense that didn’t do much otherwise. The Vols totaled 417 yards – 297 rushing – against a Vanderbilt team that was punctured for over 400 yards rushing by Kentucky and Ole Miss.

“I’m not surprised,’’ receiver Marquez Callaway said of Gray’s dynamic performance.

“It was a testament to the line,’’ said Gray, who had 211 rushing yards in 11 games before his outburst.  “It was a blessing to the line, a blessing to the coaching staff. … Props to Ty (Chandler) and Tim (Jordan) because they’ve taught me so much.’’

Backed up at UT’s 6-yard line in the second quarter, Gray darted through the line and scooted 94 yards for the second-longest touchdown run in UT history.

“It’s been a dream of mine,’’ Gray said, “to be backed up like that and take it 94 yards.’’

Gray said he once had a 96-yarder as a high school junior.

Offensive lineman Trey Smith was impressed with Gray’s long jaunt.

“Oh crap,’’ was Smith’s initial reaction. “I didn’t think he’d break it. When he got past the 50, I thought, `Oh, he’s gone.’’

Based on the weather forecast, Smith had a feeling UT would rely heavily on the run game.

“It’s gonna be dirty, it’s gonna be muddy,’’ Smith said. “It’s gonna get physical.’’

Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, who passed for 415 yards against Missouri last week, was rendered ineffective by the rain and wind. He threw an interception on UT’s first possession and had just 26 passing yards at halftime. He finished 6 of 17 for 120 yards and one score.

Tennessee’s fifth win in a row and sixth in seven games helped erase most of the sting from a 1-4 start and put the Vols in position to get an attractive bowl bid – most likely to the Outback, Gator or Music City bowl. All three would clamor for a hot team with fans that travel well.

“When we were 1-4, probably nobody gave us much hope,’’ said coach Jeremy Pruitt. “But these guys stayed together and stayed the course.’’

Pruitt said the team couldn’t have done it without good relationships between coaches and players, and players and players.

“They did what most teams can’t do,’’ Pruitt said of the turnaround.

Much of the credit goes to a defense that improved almost game by game. In a contest was delayed 28 minutes at the start and 39 minutes in the fourth quarter, UT held Vandy to 279 total yards, 110 rushing.  Scheduled to kickoff at 4 p.m., the game didn’t end until 8:15.

But it didn’t delay the inevitable victory that ended Vanderbilt’s win streak over the Vols.

“For me, if you lose to Vanderbilt,’’ said defensive lineman Matthew Butler, “I’m going to be real with you, that’s embarrassing.’’

UT embarrassed a team hardly worthy of SEC stature. Vandy went 3-9 this year, 1-7 in the SEC with each league defeat by at least 17 points.

Watching Vandy quarterback Riley Neal struggle (he was 14 of 29 for 139 yards with three sacks) was a reminder of how much the team missed Kyle Shurmur, who put 38, 42 and 45 points on UT.

Tennessee also did a terrific job on 1,000-yard rusher on Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who had 13 yards on six carries.

It took Tennessee a while to get going on offense as the unit failed to get a first down on the first series. The Vols scored touchdowns on the next three drives to build a 21-3 halftime lead.

From there, it was a matter of putting the finishing touches on a remarkable turnaround – one that seemed so improbable after a 1-4 start.

 

Sponsored by Big Kahuna Wings: The wings that changed it all 

Hoops Preview: #17 Tennessee vs. VCU

Hoops Preview: #17 Tennessee vs. VCU

Posted on November 30, 2019
Credit: UT Athletics

NICEVILLE, Fla. – No. 17 Tennessee men’s basketball returns to the hardwood for a Saturday afternoon matchup with the VCU Rams at 4 p.m. ET in the third-place game at the Emerald Coast Classic. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. ET and can be seen on a free live stream provided by the tournament.

Saturday’s game will be available through the tournament’s web streaming service. Access to the afternoon’s stream can be found HERE.

Fans can also listen in to their local Vol Network station to hear John Wilkerson (play-by-play) and Bert Bertelkamp (color) describing the action.

Last time out, the Vols dropped their first game of 2019-20, falling to Florida State 60-57 in the Emerald Coast Classic. Junior Yves Pons was a bright spot for UT, dropping 13 points, corralling a career-high 10 rebounds for his first career double-double, while also rejecting three shots, marking the fifth multi-block game for him this season.

This will be the sixth all-time meeting between Tennessee and VCU. The last time the programs met was to open the 2014-15 season, when then 15th-ranked VCU took down the Vols 85-69 in the 2014 Veterans Classic.

Up next, the Vols will return home to Thompson-Boling Arena to take on Florida A&M on Wednesday Dec. 4, 2019. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET and can be seen on SEC Network.

THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with VCU 4-1, dating to 1981.
• Tennessee is 26-14 all-time against current members of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
• Rick Barnes won his only previous meeting with VCU, and it came during his first season as a college head coach (1987-88) when he was at George Mason. Barnes is 11-8 against all current members of the A10, including an 0-1 mark at Tennessee.

A WIN WOULD…
• Leave Rick Barnes‘ two wins away from recording his 700th career head coaching victory.
• Give Tennessee a 53-15 record as a ranked team (AP rankings) during the Barnes era.
• Prevent UT’s first two-game losing skid since Dec. 30, 2017, and Jan. 2, 2018 (Arkansas and Auburn). Tennessee has since played 63 games.

STORYLINES
• Rick Barnes spent time in Virginia when he was the head coach at George Mason for the 1987-88 season.
• Tennessee Director of Basketball Operations Mary-Carter Eggert is a native of Richmond.
• VCU senior De’Riante Jenkins took an official visit to Tennessee when he was a prospect. He was one of four official visitors that weekend, and the three players who joined him all were NBA Draft picks—Jordan Bone (Tennessee), Josh Okogie (Georgia Tech) and Grant Williams (Tennessee).

LAYUP LINES
• Tennessee is ranked No. 17 in this week’s AP poll and No. 16 in the current coaches poll.
• Other than the SEC Tournament in March, this week marks the only time this season Tennessee will play on back-to-back days.
• Tennessee leads the SEC in blocks per game (6.8 bpg) and assists per game (16.5 apg).
• Yves Pons has 17 total blocks through six games this season. His 2.8 bpg leads the SEC.
• Josiah-Jordan James leads the Vols and ranks 11th in the SEC with 7.2 rebounds per game. He is the top-rebounding freshman in the league.

ABOUT VCU
• VCU is coming off a nail-biting loss to Purdue in their Friday matchup at the Emerald Coast Classic, 59-56.
• Before heading south to the Emerald Coast Classic, VCU opened its season with six straight home games, most notably defeating nationally ranked LSU 84-82 inside the Siegel Center.
• Under second-year head coach Mike Rhoades, the Rams are fresh off their first outright Atlantic 10 regular-season title in 2018-19. They did so using a stifling defense that ranked seventh in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency (89.5), holding opponents to 28.5 percent shooting from 3-point range and a 43.8 percent mark from two-point range while forcing turnovers on more than 23 percent of their total defensive possessions.
• While the Rams excelled on the defensive side of the ball, they will look to improve upon a rough year shooting the ball from behind the 3-point line. VCU ranked 332nd in shooting the ball from behind the arc last season, with a 3-point percentage of .305.
• The Rams will look to rely on senior guard Marcus Evans. Evans is coming off an injury-plagued past two seasons that saw him tear both of his achilles since transferring to VCU from Rice prior to the 2017-18 season. He currently leads the Rams in both scoring (13.8 ppg) and assists (2.7 apg) through six games.
• Junior forward Marcus Santos-Silva is currently 20th in the country in  rebounding, averaging 10.5 rebounds per game.
• VCU’s hospital performed the state of Virginia’s first-ever liver, kidney and heart transplants, while also becoming the first hospital on the east coast to conduct an artificial heart transplant. #DonateLife

LAST TIME VS. VCU
• Tennessee opened the 2014-15 season with an 85-69 defeat at the hands of 15th-ranked VCU Nov. 14, 2014, in the Veterans Classic at the U.S. Naval Academy.
• The game marked the regular-season debut for Donnie Tyndall in his lone season as Tennessee’s head coach.
• Down by as many as 20, Tennessee cut its deficit to eight points on several occasions late in the second half, but couldn’t get any closer.
• VCU’s full-court pressure forced the Vols into 19 turnovers, which the Rams converted into 26 points.
• Tennessee’s Robert Hubbs III, Kevin Punter and Derek Reese made their first career starts. Despite fouling out, Punter finished with eight points, five rebounds and a game-high seven assists.
• Vols freshman forward Jabari McGhee grabbed five offensive rebounds.
• The game featured 62 total fouls (34 by UT).
• Guard Melvin Johnson led the Rams with 23 points, but the Vols held preseason All-American Treveon Graham to 3-of-13 shooting (eight of Graham’s 15 points came at the foul line).

BLOCK PARTY
• Tennessee ranks eighth among Division I teams with 6.8 blocks per game. Individually, Yves Pons leads the league and ranks 22nd nationally with 2.8 bpg.

 

UT Athletics

Vols Fall to Florida State at Emerald Coast Classic, 60-57

Posted on November 30, 2019
Credit: UT Athletics

NICEVILLE, Fla. – A poor shooting night and an early 12-point deficit brought the Tennessee basketball its first loss of the season in a 60-57 result against Florida State at the Emerald Coast Classic Friday night.

The Vols fell to 5-1 on the year, while the Seminoles improved to 6-1, winning their sixth consecutive contest.

Tennessee junior Yves Pons put in a solid performance in his sixth straight start, tallying 13 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for his first career double-double. Pons also recorded two blocks, marking his fifth multi-block game of the season and keeping his six-game block streak alive.

Senior Lamonte Turner was big from the charity stripe, knocking down 11 of his 14 free throw attempts. Turner finished the night with a game- and season-high 20 points.

Freshman Josiah-Jordan James added a season-high-tying nine points while also pulling down seven rebounds.

The Seminoles jumped out to an early lead, using a 10-0 run in the first half to put the Vols in a 12-point hole. The run was ceased by a dunk from Pons, who cut down the middle of the lane on a dish from James.

Over the next seven minutes of play, the Vols fought their way back, outscoring FSU 15-8 to cut the deficit to 22-17 with 7:06 remaining in the opening half.

Following an evenly matched end to the half, UT fended off the Seminoles’ offense in the final minute to hold the score at 29-24 in favor of Florida State as both teams headed to the locker rooms.

Florida State came out of the halftime break in the same fashion they opened the first stanza. The Seminoles came out quick, outscoring UT 11-5 in the first five minutes of the second frame, extending their lead to 40-29.

The final 15 minutes of action provided a lot of back-and-forth basketball, with the Vols cutting the Seminole lead to as few as three points. However, several key buckets and stops from FSU in the game’s latter stages cemented the final outcome.

Up Next: Tennessee returns to the hardwood Saturday for a 4 p.m. ET tip against either Purdue or 20th-ranked VCU inside Raider Arena at Northwest Florida State College. The game can be seen through the tournament’s live stream web page, which can be accessed HERE.

 

UT Athletics

Hoops Preview: #20/25 Lady Vols vs. Air Force

Hoops Preview: #20/25 Lady Vols vs. Air Force

Posted on November 30, 2019
Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. —  The Lady Vols (6-0), who are ranked 20th in this week’s AP Poll and debuted on Nov. 26 at No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, welcome Air Force (1-6) to Thompson-Boling Arena for a 2:02 p.m. ET contest on Sunday.

This marks Tennessee’s first matinee of the season after opening with seven straight 7:02 p.m. tips, including the exhibition. The Lady Vols are playing their fourth of six straight games on Rocky after opening with two of the season’s first three contests on the road.

After facing Air Force (Dec. 1), UT welcomes Texas (Dec. 8) and Colorado State (Dec. 11) to The Summitt. The Air Force game is part of UT’s Salute to Service Week, while the Texas match-up is part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

The meeting with the Falcons is the first-ever between the programs in women’s hoops.

Tennessee stayed perfect on the season on Tuesday night, bolting to a 48-11 halftime lead and coasting to a 92-51 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Air Force, meanwhile, began a two-game eastern U.S. swing in Annapolis, Md., dropping a 67-59 decision against Navy on Wednesday evening.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

  • Sunday’s game will be televised by the SEC Network with Eric Frede (PxP) and Christy Thomaskutty (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

  •  It’s Salute to Service Week, when we honor all who have served and say thank you for their service and sacrifice. Current military members and veterans may present their Military ID or DD 214 at Gate C, Gate E or the ticket tent located on Phillip Fulmer Way prior to entering Thompson-Boling Arena for complimentary admission for themselves and their immediate family.
  • Tickets are available for the general public at AllVols.com. Spark the Summitt with tickets starting at $5! Gates open at 1 p.m.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Post-game Lay-ups: Kids 12 & younger can shoot a lay-up on the court after the game!
  • Free parking & shuttle service is available from UT’s Ag Campus. Shuttles begin two hours prior to tip.

RECAPPING OUR LAST GAME

  •  No. 20/25 Tennessee moved to 6-0 on the season, defeating the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, 92-51, on Tuesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.
  • The Lady Vols were led by junior forward Rennia Davis, who recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore Rae Burrell added a career-high 17 points, while junior Kasiyahna Kushkituah chipped in 15.
  • The Golden Lions (0-4) were paced by junior Trasity Totten, who finished the night with 19 points and four rebounds. Jayla Atmore and Tyler Pyburn contributed 12 and 11, respectively.
  • Tennessee finished the game with 54 points off the bench and 62 in the paint, both season bests. The Lady Vols also out-rebounded the Lady Lions 53-32, continuing their streak of out-performing their opponents on the boards for the sixth-straight game.

NOTES FROM THE LAST GAME

  • Big First Quarter: The Lady Vols poured in 26 points during the first quarter against UAPB, their highest point total in any quarter this season. Meanwhile, they held the Golden Lions to just seven points, the fewest scored by any UT opponent in a first quarter this season.
  • Balanced Attack: Tennessee’s first four baskets came from four different players, and by halftime 10 of the 11 active roster members had scored at least two points. By the end of the game, Tennessee had seven players with five or more points and three in double figures.
  • Lockdown Defense: The Lady Vols held Arkansas-Pine Bluff scoreless for nearly nine minutes in the second quarter, allowing just four points to tie for the third-fewest allowed in a quarter all-time. The 11 points allowed in the first half tied for the fifth-fewest scored by a UT opponent in any game.
  • Hot Hands: The 92 points against the Golden Lions was the highest point total managed by a Lady Vol team since they scored 98 against Murray State on Dec. 28, 2018. With a field goal percentage of 54.5 percent against UAPB, the Lady Vols posted their highest shooting percentage of the season and best since clicking at a 61.7 rate vs. Liberty in the NCAA First Round on March 16, 2018.
  • Bench Points: Tennessee’s bench produced a season-high 54 points, outscoring the Golden Lions’ bench by 28 points. UT had 15 in the first quarter.
  • Double-Double Davis: Junior Rennia Davis logged her fourth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The effort moved her career total to 22, tying her with Shekinna Stricklen, Karla Horton and Shyra Ely for the 11th-most career double-doubles by a Lady Vol.

HARPER HISTORY IN THE MAKING

  • Kellie Harper will attempt to open a season 7-0 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 6-0 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 programs to NCAA Tournament appearances (Western Carolina, NC State, Missouri Stat
  • 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 6-0 for the third year in a row and will attempt to make it 7-0 for the  third time in as many seasons and for only the fifth time in the past 10 years.
  • Junior guard/forward Rennia Davis has posted double-doubles in three of her past four games. She ranks No. 8 nationally with four double-doubles.
  • Junior forward Jaiden McCoy (injured left hand/missed three of last four games) returned to action vs. UAPB, tallying a season-best six points and five rebounds.
  • The Lady Vols have won the rebounding battle in all six games and have an +18.3 margin vs. opponents.
  • Eight players currently are averaging at least 4.5 rebounds per game, led by Rennia Davis at 8.5 and Kasiyahna Kushkituah at 6.2. Seven different players have led the squad in rebounds during the first six games.
  • Tennessee is allowing only 51.2 points per game and has given up more than 51 points in only two of its six contests.
  • At home, the Lady Vols are allowing only 44.0 ppg.
  • The highest field goal percentage UT has allowed in a game this season was .348 to ETSU in the opener.
  • Rae Burrell leads Tennessee in scoring average in home games at 12.3 ppg.
  • Jazmine Massengill has recorded 15 assists vs. only three turnovers in four home games this season.
  • Kasiyahna Kushkituah is shooting 63 percent from the field and averaging 10.3 ppg. in home contests.
  • Tennessee has had 16 or more assists in each game this season and a season-best 25 vs. UAPB.
  • The Big Orange have been big on swatting shots, averaging 7.5 blocks per contest. Tamari Key averages 2.8 per game.
  • Jordan Horston (10-24, .417) and Rennia Davis (6-19, .316) have accounted for 16 of UT’s 28 three-pointers this season. Lou Brown has four.

UT-AIR FORCE SERIES NOTES

  • Tennessee and Air Force are meeting for the first time in women’s basketball. This is also the first time a Kellie Harper-coached team has faced the USAFA program.
  •  The Falcons are members of the Mountain West Conference.
  •  UT is 3-0 in all-time meetings vs. schools currently in the MWC.
  •  The Lady Vols also play host to Mountain West Conference school Colorado State on Dec. 11.
  •  UT is 1-0 each vs. MWC schools Boise State, San Jose State and UNLV.
  •  In the most recent meeting with a Mountain West Conference program, a No. 6/5 Lady Vol unit turned back the Boise State Broncos in Knoxville during the NCAA First Round on March 21, 2015, 72-61.
  •  In games vs. other service academies, the Lady Vols own a 3-0 mark. They are 2-0 vs. Army and 1-0 vs. Navy.
  •  The most recent meeting between the Lady Vols and a service academy occurred on Nov. 13, 2016, when Tennessee played host to Navy. Tennessee came away with an 85-55 victory in that match-up.
  •  Kamera Harris was the only current member of the team to play in that contest vs. Navy, carding one blocked shot in the match-up.
  •  The second of UT’s two all-time contests vs. Army occurred on March 19, 2006, when then-redshirt freshman Candace Parker set an NCAA record with two dunks in a 102-54 win in Norfolk, Va.

ABOUT AIR FORCE

  • Air Force returned four starters and six other letterwinners from a year ago, when an extremely young Falcon squad posted an 8-22 ledger and finished 10th in the Mountain West Conference with a 4-14 record.
  •  The team is still quite youthful, featuring no seniors, two juniors, five sophomores and five freshmen. First-year player Kamri Heath has started all six games for the Falcons, joining two juniors and two sophomores in the lineup.
  •  Kaelin Immel is leading the Air Force in scoring for the third-straight season, averaging 14.9 points per game.
  •  Second-leading scorer Riley Snyder (12.3 ppg.) was named to the Mountain West All-Freshman Team last season.
  •  The Falcons are coached by Chris Gobrecht, who is 20-157 in her fifth season at the Air Force Academy and 562-580 in her 40th year as a head coach.
  •  Gobrecht had DI stops at Cal State Fullerton (1979-85), Washington (1986-96), Florida State (1996-97), USC (1997-2005) and Yale (2005-15) before arriving in Colorado Springs. She last faced UT as USC’s coach on Dec. 14, 2002, falling 71-39.
  •  Associate head coach Stacy McIntyre was a standout player at Kentucky, a two-time team captain, an All-SEC Second Team honoree in 1992 and a 1994 graduate.
  •  The Falcons were picked to finish 10th this season in the Mountain West Conference.

RECAPPING AIR FORCE’S LAST GAME

  •  Air Force dropped a 67-59 contest to Navy, Wednesday evening in Alumni Hall on the campus of the United States Naval Academy.
  •  The Falcons, now 1-6 on the season, were led by junior co-team captain Kaelin Immel who scored a season-high 24 points on the night.  The Mids ended their three-game losing streak, improving to 3-3 on the season.
  •  Immel, who has led the Falcons in scoring for three-straight games, left it all on the court, snagging six rebounds and dishing three assists while shooting 9-of-17 from the field in her attempt to rally the Falcons to victory.
  •  A native of Beaverton, Ore., Immel has two 20-point games and five double-figure scoring marks this season. She now has 952 career points, continuing her run to become the 16th all-time Falcon to achieve 1,000 career points.
  •  Sophomore forward Riley Snyder dropped 12 points for her fifth double-figure scoring mark this season. Snyder shot 40-percent from the field and notched her fifth perfect game from the free throw line this season (4-4). Sophomore teammate Haley Jones record eight points and five rebounds on the night.

UT Athletics

Country News

Weather

  • Forecast
  • Currents
  • Planner