NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Rennia Davis tied her career high of 33 points to lead Tennessee (3-0) to victory over No. 16/14 Notre Dame on Monday night, 74-63. It was the Lady Vols’ first road win in the series since 2008.
Davis, a 6-foot-2 junior from Jacksonville, Fla., also pulled down 10 boards to record her second double-double of the season and the 20th of her career. Freshmen Jordan Horston and Tamari Key were also in double digits for UT with 12 and 11 points, respectively, while Jazmine Massengill narrowly missed a double-double, pulling down a team-high 13 rebounds and dishing out nine assists to set new career highs in both categories.
Notre Dame (2-1) was led by Destinee Walker, who finished with 18 points. Sam Brunelle pitched in 16.
Horston and Key got things started for UT, combining for UT’s first five points to knot the score at five-all just over two minutes into the game. Davis then scored back-to-back buckets to give the Lady Vols a 9-5 lead by the 6:32 mark, and another Horston 3-pointer stretched the lead to 12-7 by the media timeout with 4:24 to go in the quarter. Coming out of the timeout, Davis poured in another five points to put Tennessee up by 10. A seven-point run by the Fighting Irish cut the lead to three with under two remaining, but UT closed out the quarter with a 5-0 run of its own and took a 21-14 lead into the second stanza.
The first two minutes of the second quarter were riddled with fouls, and neither team scored anything but free throws until Key knocked down a layup off a Massengill assist to put UT up 26-16 with 7:42 remaining in the half. The Irish rallied back with a 7-2 run to cut the lead to five, but Massengill answered with a driving layup to set off a 4-0 run that put UT back up 32-23. Notre Dame again bounced back, scoring five quick points to cut the lead to four with under three minutes left in the quarter. Senior Kamera Harris put up four points for UT, while Massengill blocked a shot on a fast break to hold Notre Dame scoreless for the final three minutes to help the Big Orange take a 36-28 lead into halftime.
Davis kicked off things in the second half, knocking down back-to-back threes to stretch UT’s lead to 42-28 less than a minute into the second half. Katlyn Gilbert hit a layup for Notre Dame to curb the run, but Tennessee answered with a Key layup and Horston trey to lead by 17 at the 8:12 mark. Tennessee maintained that margin through the media timeout, leading 54-37 with 4:05 to play in the quarter. Notre Dame rallied following the timeout, hitting threes on back-to-back possessions, but Kasiyahna Kushkituah stepped up for UT, contributing four points over two possessions and blocking a shot on the defensive end to boost the UT lead to 15 with under three in the stanza. The teams closed out the quarter with both teams shooting free throws, and UT took a 60-47 lead into the final period.
Key and Horston scored the first five points of the final quarter to stretch UT’s lead to 17 in less than a minute, but the Irish fought back with a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 11 with just over six minutes remaining in the game. That score held through the 3:38 mark, when Davis knocked down a 10-footer to stretch the lead back to 13. Anaya Peoples answered with a three on the other end and followed it up with a free throw on the following possession to slice the lead to single digits at 66-57 with 2:29 to play. With time on its side, Tennessee was able to manage the clock and convert on free throws to take a 74-63 victory out of Purcell Pavilion.
Up Next: Tennessee returns home to begin a six-game home stand, hosting Tennessee State at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The game will be available via live stream on SECN+ and will be broadcast on the Lady Vol Radio Network.
Beating Ranked Opponents: This is the first ranked opponent Tennessee has beaten since Dec. 9 of last year when UT, then ranked No. 9, knocked off No. 12 Texas on the road. The last time an unranked UT team beat a ranked opponent was in the 2016-17 season, when the Lady Vols knocked off No. 3/2 Mississippi State in the regular season finale, 82-64. In that same season, unranked UT defeated a sixth-ranked Notre Dame squad in Knoxville, 71-69, Jan. 16, 2017.
Jaz Doing Work: Sophomore Jazmine Massengill dished out a career-high nine assists on offense while also leading UT in rebounds with a team-high 13. While not a career high, she also led the team in blocked shots with four.
Re Making It Rain: Junior Rennia Davis poured in a career-high five 3-pointers en route to tying her career high of 33 points. She shot a scorching 60 percent from the floor, including 55.6 percent from behind the arc.
Davis Moving On Up: With 33 points and 10 rebounds, David recorded her 20th career double-double to tie for 16th all-time at UT. Other Lady Vols with 20 include Dana Johnson, Debbie Groover and Cindy Noble.
Cleaning The Glass: UT dominated the boards at Notre Dame, out-rebounding the Fighting Irish 55-28. UT is averaging 52.7 rebounds per game through three contests while holding opponents to an average of 35.
Big-Time Blockers: Tennessee combined for 12 blocked shots against Notre Dame, tying for fourth all-time in shots blocked in a single game.
Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes met with the media Monday in advance of the Volunteers’ Tuesday home game against Murray State (9 p.m. ET, SEC Network).
On Murray State, and how the Racers look on film:
“They return some experienced players that played for an NCAA Tournament team a year ago and are a year older. Roles will change from year to year, I don’t care who you bring back, but they’re a really solid defensive team. I think they very much play the way that we like to play, inside-out. They have a really good post presence and are really solid defensively, and they’ve got experienced guys that have played in some big games. They’ve added to that two terrific shooters from the perimeter that you’ve got to really know where they are. They’re an inside team, with a really good post presence. (They play) mostly man, but will mix in some different defenses to try and keep you off balance. I just think they’re a well-coached team. ”
Credit: UT Athletics
On areas that Tennessee needs to focus on:
“A couple of areas… one being that our older guys really need to settle in and take care of the ball. If they do that, I think the younger guys will follow that lead. We have to be a lot more efficient with the offense. Defensively, I think we’re playing hard, and we’ve got to play smarter and continue to improve in that area. You can always get better in so many different areas, but I think the biggest thing would be, if we can be more efficient with our offense, that will help our defense, too. I’d like to see some individual guys continue to develop in their roles.”
On if he has a good feel for what this Tennessee team does well:
“I don’t know if we have a great feel yet, because we’ve dealt with injuries where we haven’t really been able to get everybody going in the same direction at the same time where we’re healthy enough to know exactly what we do have and what we can count on night-in and night-out. I like this team a lot. I think it’s a group of guys who want to be good. We’ve got some guys who are going to continue to grow up as we go through the season. Every time they go out, they’re going to experience some things they’ve never seen before in some situations. That’s why it’s so important that our older guys settle in quickly to help those (young) guys. We can’t have learning experiences with the older guys and the younger guys at the same time. The older guys should know right now, understanding and taking care of the ball, and not trying to create situations where they’re trying to hit a home run every single time they have the ball. They’ve just got to let it settle in and let it come to us. The younger guys are going to grow, and that’s what’s going to be fun with this team–watching them grow as we go through this.”
On how seniors Lamonte Turner and Jordan Bowden have responded in practice since the first game:
“With those guys, you know how much we think of them and how important they are to our team. And those two guys are going to be more aggressive. We expect them to be more aggressive. But what we expect them to do more, too, is value the basketball at a very high level. We gave up probably 14 to 16 points just off bad offense where we had no chance to defend. You turn the ball over and take bad shots, you never really get the chance to get the defense set the way you want to and most teams are going to take advantage of it. But with those guys, I believe they know it’s important that they take care of the ball. Just like with our younger guys who need to settle in the roles they need to play.”
On if there is any update on the Uros Plavsic eligibility appeal:
“We’re still working on that, and I hope that we can get some things in this week.”
On how he feels about the post rotation that Tennessee used in the season-opener:
“I think we need them all. You need five post guys, so to answer your question, Drew Pember can help us and Zach (Kent) can help us, and they have to help us. They’ll all do it in a different way, which is fine. We can scheme through that. But what we need all of them to do–and it’s important in this game–is post defense. We can’t win this game without really good post defense, and as the season goes on, you can’t win any game without it because you’ll get exploited down there if you don’t play it. So it’s important that not only Olivier (Nkamhoua) and John (Fulkerson) and Yves (Pons contribute), but we need Zach (Kent) and Drew Pember to help us, too.”
On freshman guard Josiah-Jordan James now that he has one game under his belt:
“I think there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to settle in. I do think he was antsy (in the opener), and I think he was jittery and we’ve talked about it. He missed a really critical part of the year–four or five weeks leading up to the season he didn’t get a chance to practice and do any exhibition game. And the other night was his first time out there. So when you saw him play the other night, that’s the most he has played in six weeks, probably. But I do expect him to settle down and slow down and continue to try to understand what we are trying to do as team. He was there, but when you miss that much, it is difficult to get it all back quickly. He’s been much better in practice the past couple of days.”
On the qualities that define a good sixth man, related to Tennessee football quarterback Jarrett Guarantano:
“Well, the first one would be being unselfish and a team player, because I think every player wants to start. I don’t there’s any question… you ask any of them they would (want to start). I think Jarrett is a great story. He’s a great story in terms of dealing with adversity, dealing with criticism, and yet staying the course. And he’s a great story in the fact that you can be down, but you don’t stay down. You think about where we were as football team and where we are now… it’s really a tribute to our coaching staff, but also the players because they have bought in. The fact that he’s the sixth man tells you he’s bought in to his team first. And there’s no doubt that all of them want to start, but the fact is, that’s the role he’s been asked to play, and he has embraced it. And that’s what makes a great teammate… when you are able to embrace the role that your team needs you to embrace to win, and he’s done that.”
On injured freshman forward Drew Pember:
“He hasn’t practiced since (the Nov. 5 UNC Asheville) game. He was moving around a bit more yesterday, so I don’t know if he’ll play tomorrow or not. My gut feeling is I don’t think so. I’d be surprised.”
On the NCAA transfer policy:
“I think we’re going to get (to a point where players are allowed to transfer one time without sitting out a year). I don’t think it’s going to be any question. I think that will be a rule. I think it’s already in place for women’s volleyball. I think if that happens, you get a one chance to transfer and go play immediately, and I think the other part of that would be after that, there would be no waivers. I mean, people are worrying about the one-time transfers. There are guys that leave two and three times. I think eventually you want to get to where there is some consistency. I think, as we move forward, I think we’ll go that way. Do I like it? It doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t. Simply because coaches can leave when they want to leave. Administrators can leave and do what they want to do. I do think that the reason (there are so many transfer) is due to the recruiting process. You recruit hard. If you’re not totally transparent and up front, and young people come to campus and expect it to be just like the recruiting process. That’s not going to work. We work hard at really letting the players that we recruit know exactly how we do things, because we don’t want there to be any surprises. Obviously, there’s such a big transfer portal. There are a lot of surprises that go on, and that’s just one theory. It wouldn’t bother me if that’s what it (became). The NCAA is in a really thankless position with transfers and waivers and all of this because they’ve been mandated by the membership. Through time, there’s going to be change, but when there’s change, there’s going to be some good, maybe, and there might be some bad that comes from it. I think you’ve got to be willing to change with the times, and if it works, good. If you change and feel like you’ve made a mistake, you go back and correct it. I like to think that we have a membership that wants to move in that direction, just trying to improve what we do.”
On if freshman guard Davonte Gaines surprised him in UT’s opening game:
“We’re all excited about him as a staff. He’s got that little cast on his hand that still hampers him a little bit, but I don’t think I was surprised with the way he played because I watch him in practice. I do think he’s had days where he’s starting to really understand his role and what he needs to do. He’s got a terrific future, but he, like all of us, needs to get better, and he will because he’s got that kind of makeup. He’s a baller. He just loves to play basketball, and he’ll find a way to fit in, and he’ll play the role that needs to be played. I think as he continues to develop and get older and all that, his role will change drastically, too.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee linebacker Daniel Bituli was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week after a stellar performance in UT’s closely-contested 17-13 comeback win at Kentucky, the conference announced Monday.
The senior led Tennessee with a season-high and SEC-best 19 tackles to help lift the Vols to their third consecutive win.
Bituli spearheaded a defense that shutout the Wildcats in the second half. No stop, however, was bigger than Bituli’s tackle on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line when he stuffed Kentucky quarterback Lynn Bowden’s quarterback option run with just over one-minute remaining to secure the victory.
The Nashville native finished with 10 solo tackles and added a half-tackle for loss as the Vols erased a 13-0 first-quarter deficit and held the Wildcats scoreless in the second half at Kroger Field.
His 19-tackle performance is tied for the fifth-highest total by a Power 5 player in 2019.
The honor marks the second of the year for Bituli who was previously recognized on Oct. 28 after an impressive display in UT’s 41-21 victory over South Carolina when he paced Tennessee with 15 tackles, 1.0 TFL and blocked a punt he returned for touchdown to provide the final scoring margin, which was the largest win the Vols have had over the Gamecocks since 1999’s 30-7 victory.
Bituli was also named to the PFF College National Team of the Week.
Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings has been named to the 2019 Biletnikof Award watchlist, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced Monday.
The redshirt senior is fifth in the SEC in receiving yards (771) and in touchdown receptions (7) while ranking sixth in receptions (50) and eighth in yards per catch (15.42). Jennings has three 100-yard games this season, including a career-high 174 receiving yards in UT’s win over South Carolina to go along with two multi-touchdown receiving games.
Jennings opened the season with at least one receiving touchdown in the Vols’ first three games, becoming the first Tennessee player since Josh Malone in 2016 to do so. He is also the first UT receiver since Malone in 2016 to haul in multiple touchdowns on two occasions in the same year.
His 174-yard receiving performance against South Carolina was the most receiving yards by a Tennessee player in an SEC game since Denarius Moore had 228 at South Carolina in 2010.
Adding to his career year, the Murfreesboro, Tenn., native has been vaulting up the record books this season. For his career, Jennings has hauled in 137 passes which ranks him sixth all-time in program history. His 1,955 career receiving yards rank eighth while the Blackman High School product’s 17 career touchdown receptions place him in a tie with Robert Meachem for eighth all-time in Tennessee history.
The Biletnikof Award is presented annually to college football’s most outstanding FBS receiver at any position by the Tallahassee Football Club Foundation, who will name its 10 semifinalists on Nov. 18. Finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 25, and the winner will be revealed on Dec. 12 during the Home Depot College Football Awards show.
Past Biletnikof Award winners include Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, Larry Fitzgerald and the late Terry Glenn.
During a sit-down interview on The Ty Bentli Show this week, Carrie Underwood was overcome with emotion after hearing Miranda Lambert’s praise regarding her nomination for CMA Entertainer of the Year.
Here’s a little backstory regarding Miranda’s praise.
Last month in a lengthy Instagram post, Miranda Lambert shared her personal thoughts about the five nominees for Entertainer of the Year—Keith Urban, Garth Brooks, Eric Church, Chris Stapleton and Carrie Underwood—at the upcoming CMA Awards on Nov. 13. While Miranda had positive things to say about each nominee, she stumped for Carrie to be recognized as Entertainer of the Year, saying, in part, “That iconic voice has been classin’ up our stages, charts and televisions for a decade and a half.”
“To me, the Entertainer of the Year is who’s represented the genre in every way the best for that year,” says Miranda. “It just was kind of haunting me. I really felt compelled to say something and, you know, watching Carrie host the CMAs pregnant [last year], and also do the Monday Night Football campaign, and also have a brand, and also work with charity, and be a wife, and be a mother and then host [the CMAs this year] with two legendary country artists . . . and go on tour. She tours like a rock star—she does every other day while we’re weekend warriors over here. I just know how much work that is. She works harder than I do, and I work hard [laughing]. I just felt like, as a whole, with her tour and everything she encompasses and what she’s represented for country music, she deserves it. She just does.”
When Carrie visited The Ty Bentli Show, the titular host played Miranda’s audio from Kix’s show, letting Carrie hear it for the first time.
“It’s really cool,” says Carrie. “She’s always been just super supportive and super sweet.”
Ty followed up by asking Carrie about the prospect of winning CMA Entertainer of the Year, which elicited a heartfelt, genuine response from one of country’s biggest stars.
“First, I’m kind of emotional,” says Carrie. “It’s a nomination for all of us. It would definitely be, ya know, not just a win for all of the things that we’ve been doing, all that stuff that [Miranda] mentioned that I’m so lucky and blessed enough to do, but you know, you watch other women in this industry do the same thing, you know, it’s . . . I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”
Carrie turned her attention to her recent tourmates, Maddie & Tae and Runaway June, by singing their collective praises.
“I watched Maddie & Tae and Runaway June, and I saw all of the stuff that they did everyday just trying to move forward and trying to get more and more people to notice—they’re so stinking talented,” says Carrie. “They have great songs, and I’m like, ‘You guys work harder than anybody I’ve ever been around in this business.’ They did not have days off. They were out hustling. I feel like we have so much talent, we just need some more open doors, and I don’t want any woman to feel like they can’t do everything—they can’t have this life, and have a family and have all of the things going on together and do what they do. We’re all in it together. If there’s one incredible thing that’s happened from all of this talk about women in country music, it’s the fact that I feel like we’ve all banded together. We all understand—we’re the only ones that can understand because we’re women in this business. They don’t know what it’s like to be us. We lift each other up. We support each other. Miranda didn’t have to say any of that stuff.”
Carrie’s entire interview from The Ty Bentli Show will air on Nov. 13.
Watch the aforementioned clip of Carrie’s interview from The Ty Bentli Show below, and tune in to the CMA Awards on Nov. 13 to see who takes home the Entertainer of the Year trophy.
Performing rights organization SESAC held its Nashville Music Awards at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Nov. 10 to honor its Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year, Publisher of the Year and the its Most Performed Songs of 2019.
Justin Ebach, who co-penned Dustin Lynch’s “Good Girl” and Brett Young’s “Here Tonight,” among others, was named Songwriter of the Year, while Luke Combs’ “Beautiful Crazy, which was co-penned by Luke, Wyatt Durrette and Robert Williford, was named Song of the Year. Warner Chappell Music was awarded Publisher of the Year.
Jimmie Allen’s “Best Shot,” Russell Dickerson’s “Blue Tacoma,” Runaway June’s “Buy My Own Drinks,” Eric Church’s “Desperate Man,” Luke Combs’ “Beautiful Crazy,” Chris Young’s “Hangin’ On,” and more were among SESAC’s Most Performed Songs of 2019.
Blanco Brown, Jimmie Allen and Ray Wylie Hubbard performed during the evening’s ceremony.
A number of stars walked the red carpet before the ceremony, including Ray Wylie Hubbard, Rosanne Cash, Lee Brice, Jimmie Allen, Runaway June, Blanco Brown and more.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Head Coach Kellie Harper met with the media on Sunday afternoon in advance of her team’s trip to Notre Dame.
The Lady Vols, who are receiving votes in both the AP and USA Today Coaches’ Polls, will face the No. 16/14 Fighting Irish in Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center at 7 p.m. ET on Monday. The game will be televised by ESPN2 and broadcast on Lady Vol Network radio stations and via a live stream on UTSports.com.
Tennessee and Notre Dame both enter the game with 2-0 records. The Lady Vols defeated East Tennessee State in Johnson City last Monday night, 72-68, and handled Central Arkansas in Knoxville on Thursday evening, 63-36. The Irish, meanwhile, opened with a 60-55 victory at Fordham last Tuesday and defeated Loyola Maryland at home on Friday night, 84-60.
On her expectations for the game against Notre Dame:
“I hope our team comes out and plays with poise and plays with confidence and plays with great passion and great intensity, but I’m excited to be able to see where we are. Going up and playing against a tough team in a tough environment, I think it will really challenge our players, and hopefully we’re ready to compete.”
On the players’ mindset the past few days knowing they’re facing a top-20 opponent:
“I think they’ve been excited about the opportunity. I think that’s how they look at things. And I think they were excited about our progress from game one to game two; I think that was a real positive for us. But I think mindset-wise, they’ve been ok. They’ve come to practice in a good state mentally, and they’re just looking forward to tackling their next opponent.”
On the challenge of playing three games in seven days:
“As a coach, I sure wish I had three more practice days in there, but coaches, we never get enough practice days. It’s come quickly. They’ve had to bounce back quickly. They’ve had to learn quickly. They’ve had to take film sessions that maybe would’ve been a little bit longer, but we had to shorten them to be able to get through what we needed to get through to prepare for another team. These scouting reports have really come quickly.”
On the value of having already played a road game:
“Honestly, for us, our first road trip was a lot about logistics, management, seeing where we need to clean some things up. We want to make sure we’re efficient, we’re effective, how we get in and out of the locker room. There were a lot of things that I needed under their belts logistically before we go up to Notre Dame, so that was a good positive that we got that done. When you have that confidence that you know what’s about to happen – you know what pregame is going to look like, you know what riding on the bus to the game is going to look like. And that can give you confidence in many other areas.”
On the differences between playing home and away:
“There are differences, even how you handle yourself at the hotel. Just having that (game at ETSU), and knowing our expectations and having done it, I think, is important. Also, at ETSU we played in a pretty loud and a pretty tough environment, and I think that’s going to be beneficial.”
On the challenges Notre Dame will present:
“I think Notre Dame is really good in transition. They are great passers, and they are great cutters. And I think those three things – you’ve got to slow them down in the transition game, but you’ve got to be able to defend the cuts. They’re great passers in the half-court game as well. Obviously, they’re not deep, but the players they do have can make plays.”
On if she wants to push the tempo:
“I think our pace is important to us, and when we’ve played fast, we’ve been better. So yes, we want to have a good tempo, especially offensively. And we’ve got to be able to slow their tempo down on the other end.”
On how this year’s Notre Dame team is different from last season:
“They’re different in their personnel, but they’re doing a lot of the same things. They’re just tough. Notre Dame players are just coached very tough. They’re going to be physical, and they’re going to do what they need to do defensively. They’re going to change up their defenses and really pound you on the boards, but I think one of the things they were known for last year was their transition offense. That hasn’t changed. The personnel has changed, but they’re looking for the same things.”
On what she looks for in a sixth man:
“High energy. A player that’s going to come in and make plays. I have had some terrific players come off the bench for me in the past. I’ve had all conference players come off the bench in the past. I think you’ve got to have someone who is going to come in the game and give you a boost of energy when they enter the game and be a playmaker for you.”
On if games like this will help when they get into SEC play:
“Oh, absolutely. I want to play a tough schedule. I want to play teams that are going to challenge us. You may walk out of the non-conference schedule with a loss or two more than you would’ve otherwise, but the ultimate goal is to be the best at the end of the season, and we have to be ready for SEC play, so we have to be playing teams that are big, strong, athletic and can execute.”
On if she talked to the guards about being more aggressive after Central Arkansas:
“We have talked to all of our guards about being a little more aggressive when they get the ball to the paint. We showed them the film. There were a few times where we passed up some opportunities, and I think that’s going to be a work in progress for us. We’ve worked on it in practice, but we’ve got to make that a habit. Our guards have to be a little more aggressive and play a little more downhill when they’re going to the basket.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee men’s basketball returns to the hardwood for the second game of its two game homestand when it takes on Murray State at Thompson-Boling Arena on Tuesday night. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Tuesday’s game will be available on SEC Network and online through WatchESPN. Visit espn.com/watch or download the ESPN app to view the game on a computer or mobile device. Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play) and Dane Bradshaw (color) will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to catch Bob Kesling and Bert Bertlekamp calling the action.
The Vols opened the new season last Tuesday with a 78-63 win over UNC Asheville. UT saw key contributions from juniors Yves Pons and John Fulkerson. Pons tallied a career-high 15 points, while helping Tennessee control the glass, pulling in seven rebounds. Fulkerson nearly recorded a double-double, scoring 10 points and bringing down a team-high nine rebounds.
The matchup will be the fourth for the Vols against Murray State, with the last meeting coming in December of 2006. The Vols currently hold a perfect 3-0 record over the Racers, looking to retain their unblemished mark against the program form Kentucky. Tuesday’s game will also be the first ever meeting for Rick Barnes against Murray State.
Racers head coach, Matt McMahon–a native of East Tennessee and the city of Oak Ridge–will make his Thompson-Boling debut in his first matchup against the Orange & White.
Up next, Tennessee will head north to make its Canadian debut in the 2019 James Naismith Classic on Saturday, Nov. 16 for a 5 p.m. ET tip against Washington in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. The game will be available on ESPN+ for fans in the U.S. and can be streamed online and on any mobile device through the ESPN app.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads the all-time series with Murray State 3-0.
• After first meeting in Knoxville in 1945, these programs did not play again until November of 2005 in Nashville. The most recent meeting came in December of 2006 in Knoxville.
• Murray State head coach Matt McMahon is a native of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and a graduate of Oak Ridge High School.
• McMahon was a graduate assistant at Tennessee under head coach Buzz Peterson during the 2001-02 season.
A WIN WOULD…
• Give the Volunteers their 28th consecutive home win; it is the longest active home win streak in Division I.
• Leave Rick Barnes‘ six wins away from recording his 700th career head coaching victory.
STORYLINES
• Tennessee looks to extend the nation’s longest active home win streak Tuesday. A victory over Murray State would stand as UT’s 28th straight win at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• Tennessee has won five straight home games against teams from the state of Kentucky, dating to February of 2016. That includes four victories over Kentucky and a victory over Eastern Kentucky.
• Murray State is adjusting to life after All-American guard Ja Morant, who was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the No. 2 overall pick in June’s NBA Draft. Morant led the Racers to back-to-back OVC regular-season titles, OVC Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament berths.
LAYUP LINES
• Eight of the nine Vols who played in last Tuesday’s season-opener vs. UNC Asheville scored.
• Rick Barnes hopes to see a dramatic reduction in turnovers after the Vols’ starting backcourt accounted 13 turnovers in the opener.
• Juniors Yves Pons (15 points) and Jalen Johnson (eight points) both set career-highs for scoring in the win over UNC Asheville.
• Junior forward John Fulkerson was +20 against UNC Asheville and was one rebound shy of logging a double-double (10 points, nine rebounds).
• 7-foot transfer forward Uroš Plavšic is inactive this season after his NCAA waiver for immediate eligibility was denied.
• Freshman forward Drew Pember suffered a right ankle injury during UT’s Oct. 30 exhibition. He missed the UNC Asheville game, and his status is day-to-day.
ABOUT MURRAY STATE
• The Racers opened their 2019-20 campaign with a 69-49 victory over Southern University on Saturday night. Top returners, Tevin Brown and KJ Williams led the way for Murray State accounting for 17 and 15 points respectively. The victory was the Racers 21st home opening victory since moving into the CFSB Center 22 years ago, with the lone loss coming in 2014 against Houston.
• After losing the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, guard Ja Morant, Murray State will look to redshirt sophomore guard Tevin Brown as a key contributor. Brown is the Racers’ leading returner in scoring (11.8 ppg), assists (2.3 apg) and steals (1.1 spg), while also showing himself as a force on the glass, averaging 6.5 rebounds per game last season.
• The Racers also return forward Darnell Cowart. The senior, in his first season with Murray State—after transferring from junior college—was named to the 2019 OVC All-Newcomer Team after averaging 10.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season. After Cowart was inserted into the starting lineup in their 22nd game, the Racers reeled off 12 consecutive wins to end the season before losing to Florida State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Murray State head coach Matt McMahon and assistant coach Tim Kaine are both East Tennessee natives, hailing from nearby Oak Ridge.
• Along with two key returners, the Racers also look to gain production from their talented class of freshmen guards. Noah Kamba (6-2, Brookline, Mass.) provides a unique playmaking ability, along with a high level of quickness and speed. While, Chico Carter Jr. (6-2, Columbia, S.C.) has the ability to distribute as well as any guard, along with being an effective scorer.
• Murray State was named the most Instagrammed college in the state of Kentucky in a 2019 study.
• The Boy Scouts of America Scouting Museum is located on Murray State’s campus.
LAST MEETING WITH MURRAY STATE
• All-American guard Chris Lofton scored 20 points, Wayne Chism added 13 and Tennessee beat Murray State 89-64 on Dec. 1, 2006, at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• Lofton made his first four shot attempts—all 3-pointers—in the first half when the Volunteers led by as many as 18 points.
• The Racers opened the second half with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 42-35, but Tennessee followed with a 15-0 run started on a basket by Duke Crews. A dunk by Chism gave the Vols a 57-35 lead with 15:05 remaining, and Murray State couldn’t keep up afterward.
• Crews and Dane Bradshaw each scored 12 points for the Vols. JaJuan Smith added 10 points and eight rebounds for UT. Chism grabbed nine rebounds.
• Tennessee’s Jordan Howell played his second game as the starting point guard, taking over for freshman Ramar Smith.
• Tyler Holloway, Kevin Thomas and Marvin Williams led Murray State with nine points each.
McMAHON AN OAK RIDGE NATIVE
• Murray State head coach Matt McMahon is a native of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and is a graduate of Oak Ridge High School.
• McMahon spent the 2001-02 season on staff at Tennessee as a graduate assistant under head coach Buzz Peterson.
• Racers assistant coach Tim Kaine also is a native of Oak Ridge.
VOL LEGEND’S SON ON RACERS STAFF
• Murray State Director of Player Development Ronrico White is the son of Tennessee All-American Tony White.
• Ronrico White is in his first season on the Racers’ staff. He was an assistant coach at Gardner-Webb last season. A Knoxville native and Bearden High School graduate, Ronrico played collegiately at Chattanooga.
• Tony White ranks third on UT’s all-time scoring list with 2,219 career points from 1983-87. The 1987 SEC Player of the Year joins Bernard King as the only Vols ever to lead the SEC in scoring multiple times. He also holds Tennessee’s single-game scoring record, as he dropped 51 points on Auburn on Valentine’s Day in 1987.
FRONTCOURT EFFICIENCY
• In Tennessee’s season-opening win over UNC Asheville Tuesday, forwards John Fulkerson, Yves Pons and Olivier Nkamhoua combined to shoot 14-of-21 (.667) from the field.
• That trio also had five assists and only two turnovers in 69+ total minutes of action.
NATION’S LONGEST WIN STREAK
• Tennessee is riding a 27-game home win streak that is tied for the longest active streak among Division I teams. Buffalo has won 26 straight at home and hosts home games on Nov. 8 (Dartmouth) and Nov. 11 (Nazareth College).
• 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 fourth-longest in UT history. The Vols have also authored home win streaks of 33 games (1966-68) and 28 games (1935-37).
TENNESSEE PROGRAM READY TO MAKE ITS CANADIAN DEBUT
• After facing Murray State, Tennessee makes its Canadian debut (in any team sport) Nov. 16, as the Volunteers are set to face Washington as part of the James Naismith Classic in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
• The inaugural tripleheader event also features games between Buffalo-Harvard and Rutgers-St. Bonaventure.
• In their second season under the direction of head coach Mike Hopkins, the Huskies won the 2019 Pac-12 regular-season championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Washington finished with a 27-9 (15-3 Pac-12) record. Hopkins has led UW to back-to-back 20-win seasons and has claimed consecutive Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors.
• Tennessee is 18-11 all-time against current members of the Pac-12.
• Vols head coach Rick Barnes owns a 30-22 career record against current members of the Pac-12. Washington is the only Pac-12 school he has never faced.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A goal-line stand on fourth-and-goal by the Tennessee defense sealed a 17-13 victory over Kentucky at Kroger Field on Saturday night.
After Tennessee stifled three consecutive Wildcat runs from inside the 6-yard line, Kentucky quarterback Lynn Bowden Jr. ran for the end zone on fourth-down and was stopped by the Vols’ Daniel Bituli and Ja’Quain Blakely with 1:17 remaining.
When the Vols got the ball back, redshirt junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano put the game away with a 10-yard run on third-and-four to allow Tennessee (5-5, 3-3 SEC) to run the clock out.
Led by Guarantano, Tennessee came back from a 13-0 first-half deficit to win. It was the largest deficit that a UT team has overcome to win since Sept. 4, 2017 against Georgia Tech. Guarantano came off the bench to start the second half under center and engineered back-to-back touchdown drives in the third quarter, completing his first seven passes in the process.
Marquez Callaway collected 104 yards and one touchdown through the air, his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. Josh Palmer had a season-high-tying 55 receiving yards and caught his first touchdown of the season.
The Tennessee defense held the Wildcats to 327 yards of total offense and 25 yards passing, while collecting a pair of sacks and an interception. Daniel Bituli led all players in tackles, tallying a season-high 19 stops.
Kentucky opened the game with an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive that took more than 10 minutes off the clock, capped off by an Asim Rose two-yard run. After blocking a Tennessee punt, UK scored again on a 22-yard run from Kavosiey Smoke. Vols defensive lineman Darel Middleton blocked the extra point attempt to keep the Wildcat lead at 13-0 with 2:28 left in the first quarter.
Tennessee’s first points came in the second quarter via an 11-play, 71-yard drive, capped by a Brent Cimaglia 26-yard field goal.
The Vols held Kentucky scoreless for the rest of the first half, as a Nigel Warrior interception halted a Wildcat drive near midfield. The interception was Warrior’s fourth this season.
After entering the game to start the second half at quarterback, Guarantano pieced together a seven-play, 75-yard drive, resulting in the Vols’ first touchdown of the game. Guarantano connected with Callaway on a 33-yard pass to move into Kentucky territory before the duo again hooked up on a 17-yard scoring pass to make it 13-10.
The defense followed UT’s scoring drive by forcing a UK three-and-out highlighted by a Darrell Taylor sack.
The next drive, UT would take its first lead of the night as Guarantano and Josh Palmer connected on a 12-yard touchdown pass to put the Vols up 17-13. Guarantano completed all five of his throws on the seven-play, 68-yard drive.
The defense then stymied UK for the second-straight drive. On fourth-and-six, Matthew Butler sacked UK quarterback Lynn Bowden Jr. for a loss of six yards to give UT the ball.
After a quick possession by the Vols and with UK driving late in the fourth quarter, the Tennessee defense forced an incompletion on fourth-and-three to give the ball back to the offense.
A revised year-by-year progress plan is in place for the Neyland Stadium renovation project. Tennessee Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer announced last November that it was prudent to conduct a full review of the plan initially approved in 2017.
The decision to pause the renovations process allowed the project team to review and confirm the scope elements and financial model associated with the project. That review has resulted in a rigorously contemplated, highly prioritized and well-balanced design approach to meet a broader list of project goals—outlined below—and ultimately enhance the fan experience for the entire community in attendance on gamedays.
PROJECT GOALS
Design a stadium exterior integrated into the campus fabric that embraces the objectives of the Campus Masterplan and the established architectural language of the university
Build new entry plazas in the southwest and southeast that create a cohesive exterior architecture while consolidating stadium entry for easier access, improved security and operational control
Expand the main south concourse to improve safety, functionality and fan comfort
Improve restrooms to comply with modern standards for number of fixtures, accessibility and ease of use by patrons
Increase the quantity of concession stands in the south end of the stadium while also upgrading food and beverage quality, selection and availability
Develop an on-site kitchen and commissary to enable catering service to designated points throughout the stadium
Create new and diverse seating alternatives and gathering spaces
Upgrade technology infrastructure and capabilities throughout the stadium—specifically addressing sound quality along with digital video displays
The updated plan meets the requirements from the previous Board of Trustee approval and outlines specific improvement outcomes from 2019 through 2023.
“I appreciate the patience of our fans and donors as we’ve worked through a very thorough review of our plans to start preparing Neyland Stadium for its next 100 years of service,” Fulmer said. “I’m very pleased about where we’ve landed. It was important to me that the earliest work of the upcoming renovations focused on areas that impacted the fan experience for everyone in the stadium.”
This fall, fans visiting Neyland Stadium have experienced a new, 360-degree LED ribbon board, as well as the opportunity to purchase alcoholic beverages. Another fan enhancement this season was the replacement of all cushioned seats for the more than 15,000 ticket holders who take advantage of that opportunity.
Next, the stadium’s sound system will be replaced and significantly upgraded prior to the 2020 football season.
“After addressing what we identified as immediate and key enhancements for all of our fans stadium-wide, the renovations then transition to other important features that will positively impact program recruiting and fan comfort and enjoyment,” Fulmer said.
Upgrades for the fall of 2021—the stadium’s centennial—include a renovation of The Lauricella Center for Letter Winners and Wolf-Kaplan Hospitality Center, and the conversion of fifth-level media facilities on the stadium’s west side into a unique, open-air donor lounge. As a result, facilities for working press on gamedays will be relocated to the stadium’s east side, in closer proximity to the Stokely Family Media Center. Broadcast media—TV and radio crews—will remain in the current west-side location.
By the fall of 2022, the updated plans enable the completion of main level-one south concourse renovations, the addition of a north-side videoboard and the rebuilding of the lower-west-side seating deck.
This phase of substantial renovations concludes in the fall of 2023 when Tennessee unveils two redefining and fan-engaging plazas at Gate 4 and Gate 10. The latter will feature a signature indoor/outdoor gathering space and amenity area serving select food and beverages.
The overall exterior design will dramatically improve pedestrian traffic and stadium ingress and egress flow.
The project remains within the $180 million budget that was approved by the Board of Trustees in November of 2017. These renovations will continue to be made possible by a funding model that does not require any state funds or subsidies.
ANDERSON TRAINING CENTER UPGRADES ON THE HORIZON
In addition to the impending improvements at Neyland Stadium, expansion and enhancements of Tennessee’s football facilities at Anderson Training Center (ATC) also are on the horizon.
Athletic department officials are in the design stage of a project that is highlighted by the development of a state-of-the-art recovery area, a new players’ lounge and additional square footage for football program use.
The ATC project also includes a complete renovation of the football practice locker room.
“I’ve asked our administration to help us enhance what we do to support the well-being of our student-athletes, and these upgrades deliver the very best for our players,” Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt said. “The spaces we’re creating enable Tennessee to stay on the leading edge from a facility and support standpoint. It’s exciting, and I appreciate the time and effort that Coach Fulmer and his staff have dedicated to this critical piece.”
Fulmer remains clear in his intent to ensure that Tennessee’s other sport programs also remain national standard bearers.
“With a solid roadmap in place for Neyland Stadium and our football program, we must now turn our attention to developing a facility master plan that is comprehensive of all athletic facilities and develop a course of action to ensure that all of our more than 500 student-athletes have what they need to compete at the highest level.”
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