The Academy of Country Music announced the addition of more than 15 artists for ACM’s 7th annual Party for a Cause, which will take place at select venues in Las Vegas on April 5–7 in conjunction with the ACM Awards on April 7.
Newly announced artists include Jimmie Allen, Carlton Anderson, Big Kenny, Jordan Davis, Brantley Gilbert, Ashley Gorley, Adam Hambrick, Caylee Hammack, Tracy Lawrence, Chase McGill, AJ McLean, Jamie O’Neal, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce and Cassadee Pope.
Previously announced artists include Lauren Alaina, Rhett Akins, Rodney Atkins, Ross Copperman, Easton Corbin, Morgan Evans, Walker Hayes, Chris Lane, Maddie & Tae, Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde, Scotty McCreery, Lori McKenna, Michael Ray, Runaway June, Darius Rucker, Dylan Scott, Mitchell Tenpenny and Brett Young.
ACM Party for a Cause events support ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music.
ACM Stories, Songs & Stars
April 5, 7:30 p.m.
Location: Marquee Ballroom, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Talent: Rhett Akins, Ross Copperman, Ashley Gorley, Shane McAnally, Lori McKenna, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne and more
ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-Off
April 6, 10 a.m.
Location: Topgolf Las Vegas, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Talent: Hosted by Darius Rucker and Scotty McCreery, plus performances by Morgan Evans, Chris Lane, Scotty McCreery and more
ACM Decades
April 6, 7 p.m.
Location: Marquee Ballroom, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Talent: Lauren Alaina, Carlton Anderson, Rodney Atkins, Easton Corbin, Jordan Davis, Tracy Lawrence, Maddie & Tae, Jamie O’Neal, Carly Pearce, Michael Ray, Mitchell Tenpenny and more
ACM Awards Official After Party
April 7, 8 p.m.
Location: Marquee Ballroom, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Talent: Hosted by Shawn Parr and Big Kenny, plus performances by Jimmie Allen, Big Kenny, Brantley Gilbert, Adam Hambrick, Caylee Hammack, Walker Hayes, AJ McLean, Cassadee Pope, Runaway June, Dylan Scott, Brett Young and more
Travis Tritt and Charlie Daniels are going on the lam with their new Outlaws & Renegades Tour.
The 40-plus-date tour kicks off on March 8 in St. Augustine, Fla., making additional stops in Cincinnati, Baltimore, Myrtle Beach, Pittsburgh, Baton Rouge and more. The Cadillac Three, The Marshall Tucker Band and Love & Theft will serve as support on select shows throughout the tour.
Outlaws & Renegades Tour
March 8 | St. Augustine Amphitheatre | St. Augustine, FL*
March 9 | Space Coast Daily Park | Viera, FL*
March 10 | Pompano Beach Amphitheater | Pompano Beach, FL*
March 16 | Florence Civic Center | Florence, SC*
March 17 | Altria Theater | Richmond, VA*
March. 22 | United Wireless Arena | Dodge, City, KS*^ (CDB not appearing)
March 23 | Deadwood Mtn Grand Resort | Deadwood, SD* (CDB not appearing)
April 12 | Charleston Civic Center Coliseum | Charleston, WV*< (CDB not appearing)
April 13 | East Kentucky Expo Center | Pikeville, KY*< (CDB not appearing)
April 14 | Berglund Center | Roanoke, VA*< (CDB not appearing)
April 26 | Propst Arena | Von Braun Center | Huntsville, AL *< (CDB not appearing)
April 27 | Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort Event Center | Cherokee, NC*< (CDB not appearing)
May 17 | House of Blues | N. Myrtle Beach, SC* (CDB not appearing)
May 18 | Anderson Music Hall | Hiawassee, GA* (CDB not appearing)
May 19 | Tivoli Theater | Chattanooga, TN* (CDB not appearing)
May 24 – Viaero Event Center | Kearney, NE*
May 25 | Silverstein Eye Centers Arena | Independence, MO*
May 30 | Koka Booth Amphitheatre | Cary, NC*
May 31 | Stage AE – Outdoors | Pittsburgh, PA*
June 1 | Rose Music Center at The Heights | Huber Heights, OH*
June 2 |Riverbend Music Center | Cincinnati, OH*
June 7 | Ozarks Amphitheater | Camdenton, MO*
June 8 | Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie | Grand Prairie, TX*
June 9 | HEB Center Cedar Park | Cedar Park, TX*
June 13 | UMBC Event Center | Baltimore, MD*
June 14 | Express Live! Outdoor Amphitheatre | Columbus, OH*
June 15 | Sangamon County Fair | New Berlin, IL*
June 22 | Weedsport Speedway | Weedsport, NY *
June 28 | BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove | Southaven, MS*
June 29 | Oil Palace | Tyler, TX*
June 30 | Raising Canes River Center | Baton Rouge*
Aug. 9 | Las Colonias Amp | Grand Junction, CO>
Aug. 10 | Sky Ute Casino | Ignacio, CO>
Aug. 13 | Northern Quest Resort Casino | Airway Heights, WA>
Aug. 15 | Tulalip Casino/Orca Ballroom | Marysville, WA>
AUBURN, Ala. — No. 5 Tennessee will have a chance to repeat as SEC Champions on Saturday, as the Vols travel to take on Auburn in the regular-season finale.
The game will tip at 12 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN and can also be viewed online through WatchESPN. Fans can listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.
Tennessee (27-3, 15-2 SEC) has never won back-to-back conference titles in program history, and a win against the Tigers would clinch at least a share of the SEC Title. A victory would also give UT its second-most wins ever in a season (28) and would match the program record for wins during conference play (16).
It will be no easy task, though. Auburn (21-9, 10-7 SEC) is fighting for the four seed in the SEC Tournament, which grants a double bye. The Tigers have won five of their last six games and own one of the most explosive offensive attacks in the country, ranking sixth in the nation in threes per game (11.0) and seventh in total 3-pointers made (330) while shooting a 38-percent clip from beyond the arc.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Auburn, 78-39, dating to 1927.
• The Tigers have a 27-23 edge when the series is played in Auburn.
• Tennessee has won 11 of the last 13 meetings in the series, including four of the last five in Auburn.
A WIN WOULD…
• Give Tennessee back-to-back SEC regular-season championships for the first time in program history.
• Give Tennessee 28 wins this season, tying for the second-most victories in program history.
• Give the Vols 16 SEC wins for just the second time in program history. The 1976-77 SEC Championship team also won 16 league games (16-2).
• Signal the most victories by a Rick Barnes-coached team since his 2010-11 Texas squad finished 28-8.
STORYLINES
• Tennessee is in a two-way tie for first place in the SEC standings with LSU.
• Two of Tennessee’s three losses this season have come in overtime, and all three were away from home against top-15 opponents and Q1 teams.
• For the second year in a row, the Vols are assured of finishing the season with single-digit losses.
• Tennessee’s final average home attendance of 19,034 ranks fourth nationally.
• Vols junior Grant Williams and Auburn senior Bryce Brown enter Saturday’s game tied with 1,506 career points—tied for third among active SEC players.
• Tennessee guards Jordan Bone (2.9) and Lamonté Turner (2.3) rank first and third in the SEC, respectively, in assist/turnover ratio during league games. Not surprisingly, the Vols also rank first as a team (1.6).
ABOUT AUBURN
• With a bid for the four seed and a double bye in the SEC Tournament on the line, Auburn (21-9, 10-7 SEC) has won five of its last six games.
• Auburn is this week’s top vote-getter among teams outside the AP Top 25.
• Head coach Bruce Pearl and the Tigers boast wins over Arizona, Washington and Xavier in non-conference play and are an impressive 14-2 at home this season.
• Auburn is led by its All-SEC duo in Bryce Brown (15.7 ppg, 1.8 apg, .400 3FG%) and Jared Harper (15.2 ppg, 5.8 apg, .384 3FG%). The two have combined for 176 of Auburn’s 330 3-pointers this season.
• Another player to keep an eye on is sophomore Chuma Okeke. The 6-8 forward is averaging 11.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. He has the ability to score at all three levels and is third on the team in 3-pointers, with 39.
• Auburn is seventh in the nation in total 3-pointers made while also ranking sixth in threes per game (11.0) and 3-point field-goal percentage (.375). The Tigers are dangerous from beyond the arc and that is a big factor in them placing third in the SEC in points per game at 79.9.
LAST MEETING VS. AUBURN
• Sophomore Lamonté Turner scored a career-high 25 points, but the No. 23 Tennessee Volunteers lost to Auburn, 94-84, on Jan. 2, 2018, in UT’s SEC home opener at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• Turner scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half for Tennessee—including a perfect 13 of 13 from the free throw line—but Auburn made five 3-pointers in the final six minutes to pull away for the victory.
• Auburn extended its winning streak to 11 games, recording its first win in Knoxville since 1998.
• Grant Williams matched his season high with 22 points for the Vols. Jordan Bone added 18 points for the Vols on 6-of-10 shooting, including three 3-pointers.
• The Vols jumped on a 14-2 run early. Admiral Schofield completed a three-point play to cap the run and give the Vols a 23-9 lead with 11:52 remaining.
• Auburn dug in and turned the tide. Down 28-14, the Tigers went on a 19-3 run to take a 33-31 lead on a 3-pointer by Bryce Brown. The Tigers closed out the half leading 42-36, the first time Tennessee has trailed at half all season.
• The Vols retook the lead in the second half and led by as many as five points at 59-54 on a pair of free throws by Turner with 9:07 left.
• Auburn took the lead for good on an 8-0 run, capped by a steal and a dunk by Mustapha Heron, putting the Tigers ahead 64-61 with 7:10 left. Auburn eventually led by as many as 12 points.
MEMORABLE VOL PERFORMANCES AGAINST AUBURN
• Carl Widseth made a then-school-record 17 free throws on The Plains against the Tigers en route to another school record, 47 points, on Feb. 25, 1956, in a 91-87 Tennessee triumph.
• Dalen Showalter recorded a double-double with 27 points and 13 rebounds as the unranked Vols upset No. 2 Auburn, 56-55, at UT’s Armory Fieldhouse on Feb. 23, 1959.
• Playing a team four times in a calendar year is rare. In 1979, UT played a home-and-home series with Auburn. They met again in the 1979 SEC Tournament. The first game of the 1979-80 series was played in December. The Vols were 4-0 vs. Auburn in 1979 (Feb. 2 & 7, March 2, Dec. 12).
• Tony White broke UT’s single-game scoring record with 51 points against the Tigers in Stokely Athletics Center on Valentine’s Day 1987. UT won 103-84.
VOLS vs. FORMER HEAD COACHES
• Tennessee is 8-5 all-time when facing a team led by a former UT head coach.
• The Volunteers have gone up against teams coached by Don DeVoe (1979-1989), Kevin O’Neill (1994-97), Bruce Pearl (2005-11) and Cuonzo Martin (2011-14).
• The first time the Vols faced a former Tennessee head coach was Jan. 17, 1990, when the Big Orange beat DeVoe’s Florida squad 80-75 in Gainesville. The Vols also won the rematch later that season, defeating Florida 75-57 in Knoxville on Feb. 17.
• Tennessee played a home-and-home series with Southern California, coached by O’Neill, during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. On Dec. 19, 2009, the Trojans defeated UT, 77-55, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. USC also posted a 65-64 win Dec. 21, 2010, in Knoxville.
• Tennessee is 4-2 against Pearl during his tenure at Auburn, and the Vols are 2-1 against Martin’s Missouri teams.
TENNESSEE HAS NEVER WON BACK-TO-BACK SEC TITLES
• While Tennessee’s 10 SEC championships are tied for second-most among league schools, the Volunteers have never captured consecutive conference crowns.
• Tennessee won a share of the regular-season SEC championship last year with a 13-5 record in league play.
• In addition to Tennessee’s 10 SEC titles (three of which came via winning the conference tournament in 1936, 1941 and 1943), the Vols also won the SEC Tournament in 1979.
• A league title this season also would give head coach Rick Barnes his first back-to-back league titles. He enters the 2018-19 campaign with three Big 12 and one SEC championship under his belt.
TENNESSEE’S WINS TOTAL AMONG PROGRAM’S BEST
• Tennessee has recorded 27 wins for the third time in program history. This is the first time the Vols have won at least 25 games in back-to-back seasons.
RECORD SEASON SEASON RESULT
31-5 2007-08 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
28-9 2009-10 NCAA Elite Eight 27-3 2018-19 TBD
26-9 2017-18 NCAA Second Round
26-7 1999-2000 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
FROM LOSING SEASON TO #1
• Tennessee’s four-week reign atop the national rankings this year marked the 26th time in AP poll history that a team ascended to No. 1 within three seasons of posting a losing record. The Vols were 15-19 in 2015-16 and 19-19 in 2016-17.
• Before UT this year, the last programs to do experience such a turnaround were Indiana and Michigan, both in 2012-13.
• Only 10 players in SEC history have experienced a losing season and a No. 1 AP ranking in their career, and seven of the 10 were Vols: Kyle Alexander, Lucas Campbell, Admiral Schofield and Brad Woodson from this year’s team; and Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith and Jordan Howell from the 2007-08 squad.
• The other three SEC players were members of Alabama’s 2002-03 team.
BONE’S ROLE, MINUTES WAY UP
• Through 30 games, junior point guard Jordan Bone has played the equivalent of seven more games than he did a season ago (40 mins = one game).
• As a sophomore last season, Bone played 681 minutes through 30 games (681/40 = 17.0 total games played).
• This year, Bone has logged 971 minutes in 30 games (971/40 = 24.3 total games played).
• The Nashville native has 182 assists this season; he totaled 190 assists in his first two seasons combined (58 games).
On March 7, Chuck proposed to girlfriend Kasi Williams, who is the sister of Jason Aldean.
Chuck posted a video of the engagement, which took place at Lake Louise in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, on Instagram, saying: “About last night….. I lOVE YOU @kasirosa ❤️ We could hear a pin drop in that woods. Nothing but us and the snow falling. It was absolutely perfect. Even if the camera stand I got just for this moment was having some issues. Lol. I’ve waited forever for you and now I will forever be yours.#arewedreaming”
Kasi added: “My person—my FOREVER. You make me so happy beyond my wildest dreams @chuckwicks 💫❤️ I love you! #pinchmeimdreaming”
On March 18, the Country Music Association will elect one new member/act to the Country Music Hall of Fame in each of its three categories: Modern Era, Veteran Era and Songwriter/Musician/Non-Performer (this category rotates, and this year a non-performer will be elected).
Reba McEntire will host the announcement at the Hall of Fame’s rotunda on March 18 at 10 a.m. CT.
Let’s take a look at the Modern Era candidates, who are eligible for induction 20 years after they first achieve “national prominence.”
While there are several candidates who could also be considered in the Veteran Era (40 years after achieving national prominence), the pool of possible Modern Era candidates includes, among others, Clint Black, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, David Allan Coe, Crystal Gayle, Mickey Gilley, Faith Hill, The Judds, Toby Keith, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Charlie Rich, Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Shania Twain, Gene Watson, Keith Whitley, Hank Williams Jr. and Dwight Yoakam.
While all of the aforementioned names are deserving candidates, here are four of the leading nominees—in my opinion.
Dwight Yoakam
photos by Jim Casey
Singer, songwriter, musician, actor—Dwight Yoakam is a man of many hats in the figurative sense, but you probably recognize him from the low-tilted Stetson that frequents his dome. Underneath that cowboy hat is undeniable genius. For the last 30 years, Dwight has been swiveling his talented hips across the U.S. of A. with a distinctive croon that’s unmatched in the genre.
Along the way, Dwight has sold more than 11.5 million U.S. units, according to the RIAA, and earned seven platinum albums, including the triple-platinum This Time. Five of those albums have topped Billboard’s Country Albums chart as well as two Billboard No. 1 singles (“Streets of Bakersfield” and “I Sang Dixie”). In addition, Dwight has been nominated for 21 Grammy awards, winning two during his illustrious career.
More impressive than all of his accolades, Dwight was a pioneer in the area of country rock. Dwight mixed his Kentucky country roots with touches of Bakersfield and punk rock to create a new kind of country music, one that found its way to a younger—and definitely hip—audience. Toss in his movie and television roles and you have the definition of a diversified entertainer. Speaking of diversification, in 2016 Dwight added another genre-crossing album to his repertoire with Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars, a collection of tunes from his past catalog that were reinvented as bluegrass ditties.
Plus, Johnny Cash called Dwight his favorite modern country artist. That’s not something you put on your Hall of Fame plaque—that’s something you put on your tombstone.
Hank Williams Jr.
photo by Jason Simanek
First of all, can you believe Hank Williams Jr. is NOT in the Country Music Hall of Fame? That, itself, is a travesty. But let’s get down to brass tacks, because 2019 could be the year Rockin’ Randall carries on the family tradition (his daddy was inducted in 1961).
Hank Jr. has released 37 albums over his six-decade career, selling more than 19.5 million units in the U.S., according to the RIAA. In addition to his induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Jr. has topped the charts with 13 singles and has thrice been named the ACM Entertainer of the Year and twice the CMA Entertained of the Year. Add eight platinum albums, 15 gold albums and a Grammy to his résumé, and you’ve got badass Bocephus who was a pioneer in bringing arena rock productions to country music with epic songs like “Family Tradition,” “All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)” and “A Country Boy Can Survive.”
Brooks & Dunn
photo by AFF-USA.com
Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn are the best-selling duo in country music history with 27.5 million U.S. units sold, according to the RIAA. Let that sink in for a minute
With their high-energy live show, they broke out of the box like a bull from the bucking chute, earning four No. 1 singles in a row starting with “Brand New Man” in 1991. They remained in the Top 10, with very few exceptions, until their final release as a duo in 2009. On April 5, Brooks & Dunn will release a new album, Reboot, which features an all-star cast of artists, includingKacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, Lanco, Ashley McBryde, Midland, Luke Combs, Brothers Osborne, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi and Tyler Booth.
With their 11 platinum albums, they have amassed more than 80 industry awards, including two Grammy, 20 CMAs and 29 ACMs, making them the second-most-awarded act in ACM history. They have been named Entertainer of the Year four times collectively by the ACM and CMA.
Shania Twain
photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com
Shania Twain remains the first and only female artist in history to have three consecutive albums certified diamond by the RIAA for sales of more than 10 million units each. “The Queen of Country Pop,” a title she definitely deserved to call her own, earned five Grammys, four ACMs and two CMAs, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
With 48 million U.S. units sold, Shania is the top-selling female artist in country music history, trailing only George Strait and Garth Brooks on the all-time country list.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 8 seed Tennessee (19-11, 7-9 SEC) will meet No. 1 seed Mississippi State (27-2, 15-1 SEC) at noon on Friday in the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament.
Tip-off is slated for 12:02 p.m. ET at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., for a contest that is being televised by the SEC Network and carried by the Lady Vol Radio Network and SiriusXM Radio. The winner of the UT-MSU game will advance to face the victor of Friday’s contest between No. 4 Kentucky and No. 5 Missouri at 5 p.m. ET (ESPNU).
The Lady Vols survived and advanced by coming from seven down in the third quarter to defeat LSU, 69-66. The win gave UT a season sweep over the Lady Tigers. After a six-game midseason losing streak, UT has won seven of its past 11 contests and finds itself playing for its 43rd-straight 20-win season.
Mississippi State won its second straight SEC title this season, closing the year at 15-1 in league play with a 68-64 victory over South Carolina in Columbia on Feb. 3. The Bulldogs’ only two losses came at Oregon on Dec. 18 (82-74) and vs. Missouri on Feb. 14 (75-67).
In the first meeting this season between MSU and UT, the Bulldogs grabbed a 91-63 triumph in Starkville on Feb. 10, just four days prior to MSU’s Mizzou loss. The Lady Vols, who trailed MSU by six (40-34) at the half and cut the deficit to three in the third period, played without point guard and leading scorer Evina Westbrook. She sat out due to a violation of team rules (missing a class).
This marks the 43rd all-time meeting between these schools in women’s hoops and the sixth time they’ve faced off in SEC Tournament play. UT is 4-1 in previous meetings in the tourney and 37-5 overall vs. MSU.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Courtney Lyle (play-by-play), Tamika Catchings (analyst) and Steffi Sorensen (sideline) will have the call for the SEC Network.
Mickey Dearstone is behind the microphone for IMG College/Lady Vol Network radio/online broadcasts for the 20th 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.
Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
The SEC Radio Network will broadcast all games during the tournament and can be heard on Sirius 138, XM 191 and Online 962.
UT-MSU SERIES NOTES
This marks the 43rd meeting between the Lady Vols and MSU, with UT possessing a 37-5 record in the series.
Tennessee won the first 36 games in the series, dropped three straight to the Bulldogs and then won one in Starkville before dropping the last two contests.
UT is 17-2 vs. Mississippi State in Starkville, 16-2 in Knoxville and 4-1 at neutral sites.
Including this game, MSU has been the higher ranked team in the past seven games, entering this one with a 5-1 edge over UT.
Holly Warlick is 4-5 vs. the Bulldogs and Vic Schaefer, including 2-2 at home, 2-2 on the road and 0-1 at neutral sites (2016 SEC semifinals).
The Lady Vols were unable to defend their home court last season, falling, 71-52, on Jan. 21 and fell in Starkville in 2019, 91-63. UT point guard Evina Westbrook missed this year’s first meeting due to a violation of team rules.
UT won on MSU’s 2017 senior day, 82-64, with Jaime Nared registering a career-high 30 points to lead the Big Orange siege.
Tennessee suffered its first-ever loss to the Bulldogs on Jan. 28, 2016, when #13/13 MSU came from 12-down in the fourth quarter to force OT and defeat the #19/23 Lady Vols in Starkville, 65-63.
#15/15 MSU took the second meeting in the SEC semifinals that year, taking a 58-48 triumph over the unranked Lady Vols in Jacksonville on March 5, 2016.
In the 2012 matchup in Starkville, won by Tennessee, 57-41, UT scored its (then) fewest points in the series, while State posted its second-lowest total.
UT’s 48 points in the 2016 SEC tourney became UT’s lowest scoring total in the series.
Third-year UT assistant coach Sharrona Reaves was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at MSU from 2008-10.
LADY VOL NOTES
E420: Against LSU, Evina Westbrook had her 10th 20-point game of the year. She tied Shanna Zolman for 15th on a list of Lady Vols with the most career 20-point games.
RELIABLE RENNIA:Rennia Davis scored in double figures for a team-high 24th time on Thursday. She also had a 5-of-6 day at the free throw line and continues to lead the SEC with an .871 shooting percentage.
TOP SOPHS: Evina Westbrook ranks No. 3 all-time among UT sophomores for single season assist average (5.1) and is fifth in scoring (15.1). Rennia Davis is No. 7 in scoring (14.7).
MIMI MAKING MOVES: Freshman Mimi Collins started her second straight game and scored 10 points in 21 minutes. She’s averaging 11.0 ppg. and hitting 63 percent on field goals and 78 percent at the free throw line over the past three games.
GREEN MACHINE:Cheridene Green is averaging 13.3 ppg. and 8.0 rpg. the past three games, shooting 71 percent from the field.
YOUNGSTERS CLUTCH VS. LSU: UT got all 22 of its fourth-quarter points against LSU from the trio of sophomore Rennia Davis (12), sophomore Evina Westbrook (6) and freshman Mimi Collins (4). Davis and Westbrook combined for 27 of UT’s 41 second-half points.
STRONG ON THE BOARDS: UT has won the rebounding battle in 25 of 30 games, including vs. 15 of 17 SEC opponents (MSU, VU).
RISING TO THE OCCASION: UT is learning to play under pressure with such a young team. The Lady Vols are 14-0 when leading after three quarters, but their victory over LSU gave them just their third triumph this season in 14 games where they trailed heading into the fourth quarter.
MAKING GOOD SHOTS: UT has been more patient in seeking good shots, and the results are showing. The Lady Vols were 16 of 27 in the second half vs. LSU (.593), helping them turn in a percentage of .491 for the game that ranked as their fourth-best all season.
TENNESSEE IN THE SEC TOURNAMENT
Tennessee enters Friday’s game with a 79-22 (.780) all-time record in the 40th year of the SEC Tournament.
UT improved to 35-5 all-time in its opening game of the SEC Tournament and is 26-8 in its second contest of the tourney.
UT was a No. 7 seed a year ago and is playing as a No. 8 seed for the first time.
Tennessee is seeking to capture its league-leading 18th SEC championship trophy. UT was victorious in 1980, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.
The Lady Vols were runners-up on six occasions, including 1982, 1990, 1991, 1995, 2003 and 2015.
UT has advanced to the title game in two of the past five seasons, winning in 2014 as a #2 seed, 71-70, over #4 Kentucky and falling as a #2 seed to #1 South Carolina, 62-46, in 2015.
The Big Orange women are 24-6 in SEC Tournament play since 2007-08.
Holly Warlick has forged a 10-5 record in SEC Tournament games as a head coach, including 1-1 in title games.
Tennessee has had 15 SEC Tournament MVPs through the years, with a Lady Vol winning four of the last eight awards.
Isabelle Harrison (2014), Glory Johnson (2012), Shekinna Stricklen (2011) and Alyssia Brewer (2010) were the past four MVPs from Tennessee.
Current assistant coach Bridgette Gordon was a two-time SEC All-Tournament selection (1988, 1989), claiming MVP honors in 1989.
UT head coach Holly Warlick was a senior point guard on the Lady Vol team that won the very first SEC Tournament title in 1980, defeating Ole Miss, 85-71, at Stokely Athletics Center in Knoxville.
PREVIOUS VISITS TO GREENVILLE
This marks the third time Greenville has played host to the SEC Tournament.
UT improved to 4-1 in games played in this city after beating LSU on Thursday, 69-66.
No. 2 seed Tennessee defeated #1 seed LSU in the tourney title game, 67-56, on March 6, 2005, the first time the event was held here.
Shyra Ely was named the SEC Tournament MVP that year, while Shanna Zolman and Brittany Jackson joined her on the all-tournament team.
UT beat Auburn in the second round (64-54) and Vanderbilt in the semifinals (76-73) that year.
The last trip to Greenville was a short visit for the Lady Vols, as they fell to Alabama, 72-64, in the second round on March 2, 2017.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE LADY VOLS
Sophomores Evina Westbrook and Rennia Davis combined for 27 second-half points to rally eighth-seeded Tennessee to a 69-66 win over ninth-seeded LSU in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday.
Westbrook led UT in scoring with 20 points while Davis was close behind with 19. Freshman Mimi Collins tallied 10 points in the game, eight of which came in the second half.
LSU was led by Khayla Pointer, who had 21 points and five assists. Faustine Aifuwa and Ayana Mitchell were also in double figures for the Lady Tigers with 16 each.
NOTES FROM UT/LSU GAME
Cleaning The Glass: The Lady Vols out-rebounded the Lady Tigers 31-28. They have now out-rebounded 25 of 30 opponents on the season by an average of 43.4 rpg. to 34.2 rpg.
20+ Westbrook: With 20 points against LSU, Evina Westbrook recorded her 10th 20+ performance of the season and first since knocking down 24 against Arkansas on Jan. 21.
Collins Coming On Strong:Mimi Collins recorded her seventh double-digit effort of the season with 10 points against LSU. Over the last three games she is averaging 11 ppg., raising her season average to 5.3 ppg. Prior to the last three games she was averaging just 4.6 ppg.
Competitive Friends: Head coach Holly Warlick and LSU coach Nikki Fargas are long-time friends. Warlick will have bragging rights this offseason after taking two from the Lady Tigers this year to improve her record to 7-3 vs. Fargas. Warlick is now 41-18 in games vs. teams with former Lady Vol players and/or staffers.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
Back-to-back SEC champion MSU is led by 6-7 center Teaira McCowan, who averages 17.3 ppg. and 13.4 rpg. and shoots 65 percent from the field.
Also scoring in double figures are Texas A&M graduate transfer Anriel Howard (15.9 ppg.) and Arkansas transfer Jordan Danberry (13.3). MSU lost three-point ace Chloe Bibby (11.9 ppg., 36 3FGs) to a knee injury in the season’s 18th game.
The Bulldogs are outscoring foes 86.2-57.0 in all games and 81.0-61.1 in league play.
MSU has finished as runner-up at the Final Four the past two seasons and won its first-ever SEC regular season crown in 2017-18.
MSU lost four starters from that squad, including WNBA Draft pick Victoria Vivians (19.8 ppg.).
MSU’S LAST GAME
No. 5 Mississippi State repeated as the SEC regular-season champs after defeating No. 14/15 South Carolina on the road on Feb. 3, 68-64.
The Bulldogs (27-2, 15-1 SEC) overcame a seven-point halftime deficit and their first time trailing at the break this season, outscoring the Gamecocks (21-8, 13-3 SEC), 36-25, in the second half. State survived a late challenge from S.C., who outscored MSU, 9-4 in the final 3:30 of play.
Teaira McCowan collected her 63rd career double-double with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Anriel Howard recorded her 42nd double-double with a season-high 16 boards and 13 points. Andra Espinoza-Hunter (17) and Jordan Danberry (12) joined them in double figures.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The Lady Vols scrapped to within three in the third quarter but couldn’t overcome a No. 6 Mississippi State team that shot an impressive 52.2 percent to win 91-63 on Feb. 10.
Tennessee (15-8, 4-6 SEC) was led by sophomore Rennia Davis, who fired in a season-high 29 points. Freshman Zaay Green added 13.
UT leading scorer Evina Westbrook missed the game due to a violation of team rules.
MSU’s (22-1, 10-0 SEC) high scorer was senior Teaira McCowan, who logged a double-double with 24 points and 15 rebounds. Seniors Jordan Danberry and Anriel Howard also had big days for MSU, finishing with 20 and 16 points, respectively. Howard added 11 rebounds to claim a double-double on the afternoon.
LAST TIME IN THE SEC TOURNEY
Tennessee’s SEC Tournament run came to an end on March 5, 2016, as the Lady Vols fell to No. 3 seed Mississippi State, 58-48, in the semifinals.
Diamond DeShields paced the Lady Vols (19-13) with 22 points. Victoria Vivians scored 30 points to help No. 16/16 Mississippi State (26-6) punch its ticket to the title game.
Dustin Lynch dropped a new three-song EP, Ridin’ Roads, on March 8.
The title track, which Dustin co-penned with Ashley Gorley and Zack Crowell, serves as Dustin’s new single,
“We have a lot more colors to paint with than we did on the first album,” says Dustin. “I don’t think there are any more genre walls. It’s all about the lyric and the message, and we let the song steer us. If we dig it, we’ll take a chance.”
The new EP follows the release of Dustin’s 2017 album, Current Mood,” which featured No. 1 singles “Seein’ Red” and “Small Town Boy.” In 2018, Dustin released the standalone track “Good Girl,” which also reached No. 1.
Brooks & Dunn’s upcoming Reboot album, which drops on April 5, features an all-star cast of artists collaborating with country’s greatest duo.
Artists taking part in the project include Kacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, Lanco, Ashley McBryde, Midland, Luke Combs, Brothers Osborne, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi and Tyler Booth.
In addition to previously released songs “Brand New Man” with Luke Combs, “Believe” with Kane Brown, and “My Next Broken Heart” with Jon Pardi, Brooks & Dunn released their new version of “Mama Don’t Get Dressed Up Nothing,” which features Lanco.
“This whole experience has been humbling to say the least,” says Ronnie Dunn. “What a cool rush to hear somebody do one of your tunes in a unique way, and it still holds up. That’s the greatest compliment you can get as an artist. People used to ask us all the time about the legacy we wanted to leave, and it’s honestly just that—you hope the music stands up over time. This is the first opportunity we’ve had to run it up a new flagpole . . . and it really flies.”
“They’re making their own music,” says Kix Brooks about the Reboot guest list. “But just like we did, they still remember and respect the music they grew up with. It makes you feel good that these acts were inspired by us in some small way.”
The new album will be Brooks & Dunn’s first studio album since 2007’s Cowboy Town.
Reboot Track List
1. Brand New Man (with Luke Combs)
2. Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You (with Brett Young)
3. My Next Broken Heart (with Jon Pardi)
4. Neon Moon (with Kacey Musgraves)*
5. Lost and Found (with Tyler Booth)
6. Hard Workin’ Man (with Brothers Osborne)
7. You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone (with Ashley McBryde)
8. My Maria (with Thomas Rhett)
9. Red Dirt Road (with Cody Johnson)
10. Boot Scootin’ Boogie (with Midland)
11. Mama Don’t Get Dressed Up For Nothing (with LANCO)
12. Believe (with Kane Brown)
Produced by Dann Huff
*Produced by Dann Huff and Kacey Musgraves
Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes spoke to the media Thursday ahead of Saturday’s regular season finale at Auburn with a chance at at least a share of the SEC regular season championship. Video courtesy of UT Athletics and VFL Films for Vol Network affiliates in Knoxville.
Vols HC Rick Barnes / Credit: UT Athletics & VFL Films
Below are my observations from the University of Tennessee’s first spring practice of 2019 at Haslam Field in Knoxville on Thursday.
There are plenty of changes to the UT football roster with position moves, jersey number changes and updated heights/weights. I’ve listed all of those here as well.
Vince’s View – Practice 1
Notables out due to injury or precaution:
OL – Trey Smith
OL – Brandon Kennedy
OL – Chris Akporoghene
DL – Kurott Garland
LB – Darrin Kirkland Jr.
RB – Eric Gray
DB – Tyus Fields
*Pruitt did not address Trey Smith’s status
*Kennedy is just being held back as a precaution and would have been able to play a game
*Pruitt said Akporoghene, Fields and Garland should be back soon
*Pruitt said Peterson is banged-up and should be back soon, but he was in some drills while we had viewing
*There were coaches everywhere with the Coaches’ Clinic at UT
*The drills we were able to view in our three periods looked crisp, organized and energetic
*Jr. S Theo Jackson impressed me by how vocal he was at calling out formations and communicating with his teammates
*You can see the work done in the off-season in the strength and conditioning program, especially year two for many of the players
*It was good to see OL Trey Smith at practice with his jersey on, encouraging his teammates, focused on watching every practice rep and trying to learn any way he can
*OT Wanya Morris, not surprisingly, is a massive guy who went through his drills with physicality
*Some of the injured players that ended their football careers this off-season were out supporting their former teammates at practice including former OL Chance Hall
*There were some recruits at practice as well
*Pruitt says, due to lack of numbers, true freshman Quavaris Crouch is starting out practicing at inside linebacker after it was previously said he would play at outside linebacker, which I think will still eventually happen
*Pruitt said Banks and Fant will be re-evaluated by Jim Chaney and David Johnson after 6-to-8 practices to see if they will stay there at RB
Roster Updates
New Positions
Jeremy Banks- LB to RB
Maleik Gray – WR to DB
Deangelo Gibbs – DB to WR
LaTrell Bumphus – TE to DL
Ja’Quain Blakely – TE to DL
Kivon Bennett – DL to LB
*A number of these players are moving back to positions they were once at
2019 Class & Transfer Jersey Numbers
WR – Deangelo Gibbs – 6
DL – Aubrey Solomon – 98
QB – Brian Maurer – 18
RB – Eric Gray – 3
WR – Ramel Keyton – 80
TE – Jackson Lowe – 82
OL – Wanya Morris – 64
OL – Chris Akporoghene – 77
LB – Quavaris Crouch – 27
S – Jaylen McCullough – 22
CB – Tyus Fields – 17
CB – Warren Burrell – 14
New Numbers
RB – Ty Chandler – 3 to 8
RB – Tim Jordan – 22 to 9
RB – Jeremy Banks – 31 to 33
RB – Princeton Fant – 18 to 44
OL – Jahmir Johnson – 72 to 58
OL – Brandon Kennedy – 59 to 55
DL – Matthew Butler – 56 to 94
DL – John Mincey – 59 to 99
DL – Kingston Harris – 51 to 54
DL – Greg Emerson – 64 to 90
LB – JJ Peterson – 40 to 6
CB – Bryce Thompson – 10 to 20
CB – Alontae Taylor – 6 to 2
DB – Shawn Shamburger – 15 to 12
DB – Cheyenne Labruzza – 9 to 44
PK – Brent Cimaglia – 30 to 42
Not On The Roster Via Transfer Portal
WR – Latrell Wiliams
OT – Drew Richmond
LB – Austin Smith
Noteworthy Weight Gains From 2018 (lbs)
OL – Nathan Niehaus (+40 in past year per Pruitt…+17 per rosters)
OL – Marcus Tatum (+25 or 30 in past year per Pruitt…+15 per rosters)
OL – Riley Locklear (+25 or 30 in past year per Pruitt…-2 per rosters)
DL – Kurott Garland (+28)
DL – Ja’Quain Blakely (+23)
OL – Trey Smith (+17)
LB – Deandre Johnson (+17)
DL – John Mincey (+16)
P/K – Paxton Brooks (16)
OT – Marcus Tatum (+15)
P – Joe Doyle (+13) *walk-on
TE – Jacob Warren (+12)
DL – Shanon Reid (+12)
LB – Quavaris Crouch (+12)
OL – Ryan Johnson (+11)
DL – Matthew Butler (+9)
DL – Aubrey Solomon (+9)
LB – Solon Page II (+9)
QB – Brian Maurer (+8)
RB – Princeton Fant (+8)
DL – Darrell Taylor (+8)
DB – Warren Burrell (+8)
Noteworthy Weight Dropped From 2018 (lbs)
OL – Jahmir Johnson (-15)
DL – Kivon Bennett (-15)
DB – Brandon Davis (-13)
LB – Will Ignont (-10)
LB – Darrin Kirkland Jr. (-9)
OL – Eric Crosby (-8)
Height Changes Of Newcomers From When Introduced At UT
WR – Ramel Keyton (was listed at 6’3, now shown at 6’2)
TE – Jackson Lowe (was listed at 6’5, now at 6’4)
OL – Wanya Morris (was listed at 6’6, now 6’4)
OL – Chris Akporoghene (was listed at 6’5, now 6’3)
LB – Quavaris Crouch (was listed at 6’2, now 6’1)
DL – Aubrey Solomon (was listed at 6’3, now 6’5)
Outlaws & Renegades Tour
![Brooks & Dunn Team With Lanco on “Mama Don’t Get Dressed Up for Nothing” [Listen]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/1446/2019/03/08074344/Lanco-AFF.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
