Listen to Miranda Lambert’s Hopeful New Single, “Bluebird”

Listen to Miranda Lambert’s Hopeful New Single, “Bluebird”

Miranda Lambert is gearing up to drop a new single, “Bluebird,” from her seventh studio album, Wildcard. The hopeful tune follows the release of lead single, “It All Comes Out in the Wash,” in July.

“Bluebird, which Miranda co-wrote with Luke Dick and Natalie Hemby, impacts country radio on Dec. 9.

“This song is special,” says Miranda. “It’s got this hope to it. It’s got a darkness too, though, but it’s also hopeful. Life is going to give you lemons, period. If there wasn’t problems then we wouldn’t appreciate the great days, but going through those things and overcoming problems—whatever they are—makes us strong and appreciate the sun. You know, it’s like ten straight days of rain and then the sun comes out and you’re like, ‘I forgot how much I loved it.’ Since we wrote ‘Bluebird,’ I’ve been seeing bluebirds everywhere. And the bluebirds have been there, but I never saw them like I see them now. It kinda reminds me to open my eyes to what’s around me.”

Listen to “Bluebird” below.

photo by Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com

Maren Morris, Garth Brooks & Keith Urban Share What They’re Thankful for in 2019

Maren Morris, Garth Brooks & Keith Urban Share What They’re Thankful for in 2019

As everyone takes a break to stuff themselves with turkey and count their blessings on Thanksgiving, we asked three of our favorite country stars—Maren Morris, Garth Brooks and Keith Urban—to tell us what they’re thankful for in 2019. And wouldn’t ya know it, “family” was a common theme.


Maren Morris

photo by Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com

“I’m thankful for my health and my husband [Ryan Hurd] and our baby on the way—and getting to do this crazy dream for a living. The response to my album [Girl] this year has been really emotional and incredible, so I’m thankful for all of that.”


Garth Brooks

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

“The health of my children, the health of my wife [Trisha Yearwood], of course. Also, I’m getting to watch my girls [Allie Colleen, 23, August Anna, 25, and Taylor Mayne, 27] turn into their mother [Sandy Mahl] and Trisha, so it’s beautiful to see that. I’m watching three girls in their 20s step into the workforce. I’m watching them roll up their sleeves—no excuses—and get in there and just work. That makes me proud as a father.”


Keith Urban

photo by Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com

“Seeing our family grow—Nicole [Kidman] and I have almost-9 [Faith Margaret] and 11-year-old [Sunday Rose] girls, seeing them starting to flourish is unbelievable.”

photos by Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com

“CMA Country Christmas” Photo Gallery With Chris Young, Lady Antebellum, Brett Young, Trisha Yearwood & More

“CMA Country Christmas” Photo Gallery With Chris Young, Lady Antebellum, Brett Young, Trisha Yearwood & More

CMA Country Christmas, a two-hour music celebration, will air on ABC on Dec. 3. Hosted by Trisha Yearwood, this year’s festive showcase was taped on Sept. 25 at Belmont University’s Curb Event Center in Nashville.

A number of stars took the stage to sing their favorite yuletide tunes, including Trisha, Dierks Bentley, Runaway June, Kristin Chenoweth, for King & Country, Chris Janson, Tori Kelly, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Runaway June, CeCe Winans, Brett Young and Chris Young.

“Music, memories and enjoying the season with loved ones are what make Christmastime so special,” says Trisha. “Hosting CMA Country Christmas is an opportunity to share joy and celebrate the holidays with friends and family everywhere.”

This year’s artist/song lineup features:

  • Trisha Yearwood – “Silver Bells,” “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Winter Wonderland” medley
  • Lady Antebellum – “White Christmas”
  • Tori Kelly – “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
  • Chris Janson – “Run, Run Rudolph”
  • Rascal Flatts with CeCe Winans – “Go Tell It on The Mountain”
  • Kristin Chenoweth – “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
  • for KING & COUNTRY – “Little Drummer Boy”
  • Dierks Bentley – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
  • Lady Antebellum – “On A Night Like This” and “Silent Night” medley
  • Chris Young – “The Christmas Song”
  • Runaway June – “Sleigh Ride”
  • Trisha Yearwood with Kristin Chenoweth, Tori Kelly, Hillary Scott and CeCe Winans – “Children Go Where I Send Thee”
  • Rascal Flatts – “Deck the Halls”
  • Kristin Chenoweth – “The Christmas Waltz”
  • Brett Young – “This Christmas”
  • Tori Kelly – “Do You Hear What I Hear”
  • Chris Young – “Holly Jolly Christmas”
  • CeCe Winans – “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”
  • Trisha Yearwood – “It Wasn’t His Child”
  • Trisha Yearwood with Kristin Chenoweth, Tori Kelly, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, CeCe Winans and Brett Young – “Feliz Navidad”

Take a look at our photo gallery, courtesy of Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com.

 

photos by Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com

Maddie & Tae’s Maddie Marlow Marries Jonah Font

Maddie & Tae’s Maddie Marlow Marries Jonah Font

After getting engaged in June 2018, Maddie & Tae’s Maddie Marlow, 24, and her longtime boyfriend, Jonah Font, 25, tied the knot in Arrington, Tenn., on Nov. 22.

Maddie and Jonah were high school classmates in Texas.

According to People, Maddie and Jonah got married in front of about 150 family and friends. The newlyweds danced their first song to Kacey Musgraves’ “Late to the Party” and will honeymoon in the Exuma islands in the Bahamas.

Congrats to the happy couple.

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

American Music Awards Red Carpet Photo Gallery With Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett, Kelsea Ballerini, Dan + Shay, Shania Twain & More

American Music Awards Red Carpet Photo Gallery With Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett, Kelsea Ballerini, Dan + Shay, Shania Twain & More

Before the 2019 American Music Awards were handed out at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Nov. 24, many country stars walked the red carpet, including performers Shania Twain and Thomas Rhett, winners Carrie Underwood, Kane Brown and Dan + Shay, presenter Kelsea Ballerini and more.

Check out our red carpet photo gallery below, courtesy of O’Connor/Arroyo, AFF-USA.com.

photos by O\’Connor/Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Carrie Underwood, Dan + Shay, Kane Brown & More Win American Music Awards

Carrie Underwood, Dan + Shay, Kane Brown & More Win American Music Awards

The 2019 American Music Awards, the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, handed out trophies at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Nov. 24.

Carrie Underwood (Favorite Female Artist-Country and Favorite Album-County) and Dan + Shay (Favorite Duo/Group-Country and Favorite Song-Country) took home two awards apiece, while Kane Brown (Favorite Male Artist-Country) and Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus (Favorite Song-Rap/Hip-Hop) scored one trophy each.

Carrie has now won 15 American Music Awards, tying her with Reba McEntire for the most-awarded female artist in country music history.

Check out the country-centric winners below.

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY 

  • Kane Brown WINNER
  • Luke Combs
  • Thomas Rhett

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – COUNTRY 

  • Kelsea Ballerini
  • Maren Morris
  • Carrie Underwood WINNER

FAVORITE DUO or GROUP – COUNTRY 

  • Dan + Shay WINNER
  • Florida Georgia Line
  • Old Dominion

FAVORITE ALBUM – COUNTRY 

  • Kane Brown – Experiment
  • Dan + Shay – Dan + Shay
  • Carrie Underwood – Cry Pretty WINNER

FAVORITE SONG – COUNTRY 

  • Luke Combs – “Beautiful Crazy”
  • Dan + Shay – “Speechless” WINNER
  • Blake Shelton – “God’s Country”

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

  • Luke Combs
  • Billie Eilish WINNER
  • Lil Nas X
  • Lizzo
  • Ella Mai

COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR

  • Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow”
  • Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road”
  • Marshmello & Bastille – “Happier”
  • Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” WINNER
  • Post Malone & Swae Lee – “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)”

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO

  • Billie Eilish – “bad guy”
  • Ariana Grande – “7 rings”
  • Halsey – “Without Me”
  • Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road”
  • Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” WINNER

FAVORITE SONG – POP/ROCK

  • Halsey -“Without Me” WINNER
  • Jonas Brothers – “Sucker”
  • Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road”
  • Panic! At The Disco – “High Hopes”
  • Post Malone & Swae Lee – “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)”

FAVORITE SONG – RAP/HIP-HOP

  • Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus -“Old Town Road” WINNER
  • Post Malone – “Wow.”
  • Travis Scott – “SICKO MODE”

photo by O\’Connor/Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Dominant Passing Attack Leads Vols Past Missouri, 24-20

Dominant Passing Attack Leads Vols Past Missouri, 24-20

Credit: UT Athletics

COLUMBIA, Mo. – A career performance from redshirt junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and 100-yard receiving outputs from three different receivers pushed Tennessee past Missouri 24-20 for its fourth consecutive win and its fifth win in six games on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

The Vols improved to 6-5 on the year and 4-3 in SEC play, becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2016, while Missouri fell to 5-6 and 2-5 in conference play.

Guarantano put together an impressive display through the air, completing 23-of-40 passes for a career-high 415 yards and two touchdowns. Guarantano’s performance moved him into eighth all-time in career passing yards, surpassing 1998 National Champion quarterback Tee Martin. Guarantano sits with 4,721 career passing yards.

This was Guarantano’s first career 400-plus yard performance and the first 400 yard passing output for any Vol since Tyler Bray threw for 404 yards in 2012, when current offensive coordinator Jim Chaney was in his first stint with the Vols.

Tennessee closed tonight’s contest with seniors Jauan Jennings and Marquez Callaway and junior Josh Palmer each surpassing 100 receiving yards. This is the first time UT has had three receivers surpass the century mark in a single game.

Palmer finished the night with a career and game-high 124 yards on six receptions.

Callaway and Jennings each finished with one touchdown and 110 and 115 yards, respectively. Both Callaway and Jennings moved into the top-10 in program history for career 100-yard performances. This was Jennings’ sixth career 100-yard output and the fifth for Callaway.

Jennings’ 115 yards moved him into sixth all-time in career receiving yards with 2,070 yards, passing Denarious Moore and Tim McGee.

On the defensive side of the ball, senior Daniel Bituli impressed with a game-high 12 total tackles and a crucial sack early in the fourth quarter to force a Missouri three-and-out.

The Tigers opened the scoring with a 30-yard field goal from Tucker McCann, following an 11 play, 57-yard drive that took 4:28 off the clock, giving them an early 3-0 advantage.

The Vols responded with a six play, 58-yard drive, yet Brent Cimaglia’s 34-yard field goal was blocked, holding the score at 3-0 in favor of the Tigers.

After holding the Missouri offense, UT drove 86 yards in nine plays, with freshman linebacker Quavaris Crouch punching it in on offense from a yard out for his first career touchdown in the second quarter. The drive was highlighted by a 51-yard pitch-and-catch from Guarantano to Jennings, tying Jennings’ season-long reception.

Crouch’s touchdown was the first by a UT defensive player, since AJ Johnson did so in 2012.

On Missouri’s ensuing drive, the Tigers strung together 75 yards in nine plays, with quarterback Kelly Bryant connecting with Tyler Badie from nine yards out, to give Missouri its second lead of the evening at 10-7.

After the teams traded three-and-outs, Tennessee regained the lead following a 16-yard touchdown connection from Guarantano to Jennings. Jennings corralled the ball at the five-yard line, before breaking a series of tackles on his way to the end zone.

Earlier in the same drive, Guarantano found Jennings for 20 yards on a key conversion on third-and-18 to keep the drive alive.

After the UT defense forced a Missouri punt, Guarantano and the offense took advantage of the final 38 seconds of the half, driving 66 yards in five plays, before Cimaglia connected on a 27-yard field goal to extend the Tennessee lead to 17-10 heading into the halftime break.

Guarantano found Palmer twice on that drive for 44 yards to help put the Vols in position to score.

Out of the locker room, Missouri opened the second half scoring with an eight-play, 55-yard drive, capped off by a second touchdown grab by Badie, this time coming from receiver Micah Wilson who acted as the Tigers quarterback, tying the contest at 17 apiece.

After trading punts, the Tennessee offense went back to work as Guarantano found Callaway twice through the air for 48 yards. The first connection between the two, put the Vols just outside the red zone, while the second went for a 17-yard touchdown as Callaway pulled in an impressive grab with a Missouri defender draped over him, giving Tennessee a 24-17 lead late in the third quarter.

Following a Tennessee fumble in the early stages of the final quarter, Missouri cut into the UT lead after McCann converted his second field goal of the night, this time from 33 yards, making the score 24-20 still in favor of the Vols.

Holding a slim four-point advantage, the Tennessee defense forced a late three-and-out, while the offense moved the chains twice to run out the clock, cementing their sixth win of the season.

Up next, Tennessee returns home for Senior Day when it takes on Vanderbilt inside Neyland Stadium, next Saturday for a 4 p.m. ET kickoff on SEC Network. UT’s class of 14 seniors will be honored on the field prior to kickoff.

Jimmy’s blog: Great game by Guarantano puts Tennessee in bowl game

Jimmy’s blog: Great game by Guarantano puts Tennessee in bowl game

By Jimmy Hyams

Tennessee started the season with an embarrassing loss to 25-point underdog Georgia State.

The Vols started the season blowing a game to BYU when coaches didn’t call for a prevent defense.

They started the season 1-4 and were given up for dead by many.

So was the quarterback, Jarrett Guarantano.

Man, how things have changed.

Tennessee defeated Missouri 24-20 Saturday night to win its fifth game in six outings and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2015.

And they couldn’t have done it without Guarantano.

The junior from New Jersey looks like a New Man. He completed 23 of 40 passes for 415 yards – the fourth most in school history – and tortured the Tigers by consistently converting on third-and-long. Only Peyton Manning and Tyler Bray have had more passing yards in a game for Tennessee.

“Jarrett played a great game,’’ Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt said. “And the receivers did a great job attacking the ball.’’

For the first half of this season, Guarantano was under attack. He stared down receivers, threw into coverage, slid before making a first down, checked to the wrong plays, fired interceptions, then came the Alabama Debacle.

A lesser man would have gone into a shell, might have quit.

Not JG. He apologized to the team after the Alabama faux pas, accepted a demotion, started playing the like a four-star recruit, and put his team in postseason play.

“Jarrett made some really good throws, really good throws,’’ Pruitt said after the Missouri (5-6) win. “He hung in there.

“Jarrett’s a winner. I said it when we went to the other quarterbacks, that he would help win games this year and he’s helped us win five out of the last six.’’

Tennessee (6-5) has beaten each of its last six opponents not named Alabama.

It’s been an impressive turnaround not just for Guarantano, but the coaching staff.

You could blame the coaches for not having the team ready for Georgia State and for not going into a prevent defense late against BYU.

But the staff did a marvelous job keeping the team together after the disappointing 1-4 start, putting players in position to succeed and pushing forward with an optimistic approach.

Guarantano wasn’t the only star on a night when UT scored only its second win at Missouri. His top three receivers made school history by becoming the first trio to each rack up 100 receiving yards.

Josh Palmer had six catches for 124 yards. Marquez Callaway had six catches for 110 yards. Jauan Jennings had five catches for 115 yards, and scored on a 16 yarder by breaking three tackles in a vintage Jennings move.

It didn’t hurt UT that two of Missouri’s top two cornerbacks were hurt.

Guarantano brushed off his performance by saying of his wideouts: “They had a better night catching the ball and they were getting open all night long.’’

Yes they were, thanks to a strange defense employed by Missouri. The Tigers’ defensive backs consistently gave enough cushion for the Vols convert third downs of 8, 18, 9, 5, 6, 8 and 5 yards, and one third-and-21 resulted in a 20-yard gain.

Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney was brilliant in his play calling, picking on cornerback Christian Holmes, who not only was victimized by catches but was guilty of three pass interference calls.

“He calls plays to make us successful,’’ Callaway said.

Remarkably, Tennessee had 10 completions of at least 20 yards and two more of more than 15 yards. And that was against the No. 1 pass defense in the SEC, mind you.

“We have the best receivers in the SEC,’’ Jennings said.

UT outpassed Missouri 415 yards to 181, outgained the Tigers 526 to 280 and might have won by a larger margin of not for some self-inflicted wounds.

The Vols had two field-goal attempts blocked and a late hit led to a Missouri field goal.

“We made a million mistakes out there,’’ Pruitt said. “We’ve just got to play smarter.’’

Guarantano certainly played smart.

“I’m just happy we won the game,’’ Guarantano said. “Glory to God.’’

Teammates were giving glory to Guarantano.

“We’ve always had confidence in Jarrett since the very first game,’’ Palmer said. “He always gives 100 percent every game and every practice.’’

Pruitt said the turning point of the season is when the Vols returned home from a 34-3 pasting to Florida.

“This is what were’ going to do,” Pruitt told the team, “we’re going to find a way to get to a bowl game.

“We’re still a long way from where we want to be, but we’re learning.’’

Tennessee got revenge against a Missouri team that had won two in a row over the Vols by 50-17.

Next up is Vanderbilt, which has won three in a row against the Vols.

“Can’t wait to see ‘em.’’ Jennings said. “Can’t wait to see ‘em. Can not wait to see ‘em.’’


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

 

Hoops Preview: Tennessee vs. Chattanooga

Hoops Preview: Tennessee vs. Chattanooga

Vols F Yves Pons / Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – 20th-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball hits the hardwood for a Monday night matchup with Chattanooga inside Thompson-Boling Arena. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

Monday’s contest can be seen on SEC Network, online through WatchESPN and on any mobile device through the ESPN App. Viewers can log on to WatchESPN at espn.com/watch. Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Daymeon Fishback (color) will have the call.

Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling (play-by-play) and Bert Bertelkamp (color) describing the action.

Monday is Salute to Service night at Thompson-Boling Arena. Current and former military members can gain free admission for themselves and their immediate family members by showing a valid Military I.D. at gates c, e and the ticket tent located on Phillip Fulmer Way.

Last time out, the Vols steamrolled past Alabama State 76-41 on Wednesday night. The night was highlighted by seniors Jordan Bowden and Lamonte Turner becoming the 51st and 52nd members of Tennessee’s 1,000 Point Club. Bowden did so midway through the first half on a jumper from the short corner. Turner achieved his milestone bucket on a driving layup that led to an and-1 opportunity. Freshman Josiah-Jordan James was also impressive, bringing down a season-high 13 rebounds, while also dishing off five assists.

Tennessee’s matchup with the Mocs will be the 40th all-time meeting between the programs, with the Vols looking to avenge an 82-69 loss, the last time the teams met. UT currently sits with 94-17 all-time record against teams from the Southern Conference.

Up next, the Vols will travel south, to Niceville, Florida for the Emerald Coast Classic on Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30. On Friday, UT will take on Florida State at 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. On Saturday the Vols will take on either Purdue or VCU at 4 p.m. or 7 p.m. ET. Both games will take place inside The Arena on the campus of Northwest Florida State College.

THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Chattanooga, 33-6, dating to 1913. The Vols had won four straight in the series before the Mocs toppled the Big Orange, 82-69, in the 2016-17 season-opener at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• The Vols are 94-17 all-time against current members of the Southern Conference.
• Rick Barnes is 0-1 against the Mocs, as his lone previous meeting against Chattanooga was UT’s opener three seasons ago.

A WIN WOULD…
• Give the Volunteers their 30th consecutive home win; it is the longest active home win streak in Division I.
• Leave Rick Barnes‘ three wins away from recording his 700th career head coaching victory.
• Give Tennessee a 52-14 record as a ranked team during the Barnes era (AP rankings).

STORYLINES
• Chattanooga freshman Grant Ledford is a Knoxville native who graduated in May from Grace Christian Academy, where he totaled more than 2,400 points and more than 1,000 rebounds.
• The Vols are 14-4 against in-state opponents under Rick Barnes. See note on Page 4.
• Vols seniors Jordan Bowden and Lamonté Turner both surpassed the 1,000-career-point milestone during Wednesday’s win over Alabama State. They became the 51st and 52nd Vols ever to score 1,000 points, respectively.
• Monday’s contest is the second of two straight home games for the Vols before they travel to the Destin, Florida, area for the Emerald Coast Classic. Tennessee faces Florida State Friday before playing either Purdue or VCU on Saturday.

LAYUP LINES
• Tennessee returned to the top 25 last week, landing at No. 20 in the AP poll and No. 17 in the coaches poll. The Vols spent all of last season ranked in the AP top 10. The polls will be updated the day of the Chattanooga game.
• Tennessee leads the SEC in 3-point shooting percentage (.411), blocks per game (6.8 bpg) and assists per game (19.3 apg).
• Lamonté Turner ranks second among Division I players with 8.5 assists per game, trailing only Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton (10.3 apg).
• It was announced Thursday that the Vols are set to play in next season’s Charleston Classic in Charleston, South Carolina. That is the hometown of current Vols freshman Josiah-Jordan James.
• Yves Pons made 39 field goals in his first two seasons as a Vol (59 games). He has 24 made field goals in UT’s first four games this year.

ABOUT CHATTANOOGA
• A member of the University of Tennessee system, UT Chattanooga is coming off an 89-53 loss against Florida State in Tallahassee Wednesday night. The Mocs currently sit at 3-2, with a consistent starting five that features team leaders in nearly every major statistical category.
• Chattanooga looks to continue its climb back to the top of the Southern Conference ranks in 2019-20. After winning the SoCon Tournament and representing the league in the NCAA Tournament in 2015-16, the Mocs have failed to advance past the SoCon quarterfinals.
• After the transfer of three of its top four scorers, UTC seeks positive contributions from its own incoming transfers, Ramon Vila and Matt Ryan. Ryan currently ranks second on the team in both scoring (15.4 ppg) and steals (1.0 spg), while Vila has been a force on the boards, ranking second on the team with 5.6 rpg.
• The Mocs also lean on their leading scorer, redshirt-junior guard David Jean-Baptiste (16.4 ppg) who is the last holdover from the coaching change that saw the departure of Matt McCall and the hiring of current head coach Lamont Paris.
• In their history, the Mocs have won 10 SoCon Tournament titles, 10 regular-season crowns and made a memorable run to the Sweet Sixteen of the 1997 NCAA Tournament as a #14 seed, defeating Georgia and Illinois before falling to Providence.
• Notable alumni from UTC include the late actor Hugh Beaumont, who portrayed Ward Cleaver in the hit television series Leave it to Beaver, which ran from 1957-63.

LAST TIME VS. CHATTANOOGA
• Taking the court with its youngest lineup in 20 years, Tennessee dropped its season-opener, 82-69, to Chattanooga Nov. 11, 2016 in Thompson-Boling Arena.
• The Vols took a 17-10 lead on freshman guard Jordan Bone’s 3-pointer with 10:32 to go in the first half, which marked their biggest lead of the night and their only made shot from long range. Tennessee finished 1-16 from 3-point range and shot just 32.8 percent from the field.
• Bone led the Vols with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting in his Tennessee debut. Another freshman, redshirt Lamonté Turner added 12 points off the bench. Grant Williams, also a freshman, had a team-high 10 rebounds for Tennessee.
• Senior Justin Tuoyo led Chattanooga with a game-high 22 points, while Tre’ McLean added 20. Tuoyo (11) and McLean (10) posted double-digit rebound totals.
•  The loss marked just the third time Tennessee had lost its season-opener in 30 years at Thompson-Boling Arena.

VOLS SUCCESSFUL ON THE IN-STATE CIRCUIT
• Tennessee has won its last seven games against in-state opponents and is 14-4 vs. in-state foes under coach Rick Barnes.
• Those 14 wins include triumphs over ETSU (twice), Lipscomb (twice), Memphis, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech (twice) and Vanderbilt (six times).

NATION’S LONGEST HOME WIN STREAK
• Tennessee is riding a 29-game home win streak that is the longest active streak among Division I teams.
• The streak dates to the 2017-18 season. The Vols won their final eight games at Thompson-Boling Arena that year before going 18-0 at home last season.
• Tennessee’s last loss in Knoxville was a 94-84 loss to Auburn on Jan. 2, 2018.
• The program record for consecutive home wins is 37 (2006-09). The current streak is the third-longest in UT history. The Vols have also authored a home win streaks of 33 games (1966-68).

KENT STEPS AWAY INDEFINITELY
• It was announced on Nov. 20 that redshirt sophomore forward Zach Kent decided to step away from the program indefinitely.
• Kent’s absence is in no way disciplinary in nature. He remains enrolled in classes and has the full support of the program and university.
• There is no timetable for his return.

WINDICATORS
• Tennessee under Rick Barnes is 40-4 when holding its opponent below a .390 field-goal percentage.
• Tennessee under Rick Barnes is 39-3 when it takes a double-digit lead into halftime.
• The Vols are 13-1 during John Fulkerson’s career when he grabs five or more rebounds.
• Tennessee is 7-1 during Lamonté Turner’s career when he makes four or more 3-pointers.
• The Vols are 5-0 during Yves Pons’ career when he scores 10 or more points.

GUARDS HITTING THE GLASS
• Did you know that Vols senior Jordan Bowden has the sixth-most career rebounds among all active players in the SEC? He has 351 boards in his career.
• Two other UT guards rank among UT’s top-five rebounders this season. True freshman Josiah-Jordan James (6.3 rpg) ranks second on the team, while Lamonté Turner ranks fifth (4.3 rpg).
• James pulled down 13 rebounds in UT’s win over Alabama State on Nov. 20.

-UT Athletics

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