UT’S Davis in Cheryl Miller Award Top-10

UT’S Davis in Cheryl Miller Award Top-10

Posted on February 13, 2019
Credit: UT Athletics

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association have announced the 10 candidates for the 2019 Cheryl Miller Award, and Tennessee sophomore Rennia Davis is on that list.

Named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year and Class of 1995 Hall of Famer, the annual award in its second year recognizes the top small forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.

Davis, a graduate of Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Florida, is averaging 14.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.3 assists per contest for the Lady Vols while starting 21 of 22 games. The 6-foot-2 wing is shooting 45.7 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from the three-point arc and 86.9 percent from the free throw line. The scoring average by Davis is the seventh-best all-time by a UT sophomore.

Davis, a hotel, restaurant and tourism management major, has scored in double figures in 17 games, including six where she posted points/rebounds double-doubles. She has 10 games with 15 points or more and five with 20+, while tallying double digits in rebounds on seven occasions. In the final four minutes of games, Davis has hit 21 of 25 free throws for 86.7 percent.

Down the stretch, Davis has turned her game up a notch, averaging 22.3 points and 8.8 rebounds over her last four contests. She is hitting 54.7 percent from the field and 93.8 percent from the charity stripe during that span. She has scored 24, 19, 17 and 29 points during that stretch and posted double-doubles in two of those outings.

“The Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to celebrate the best in the game – both men and women,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Cheryl Miller is undoubtedly one of the best to ever play the game and we’re happy to have her expertise as we continue to trim our list and determine the Naismith Starting 5.”

A national committee comprising top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in October, and it now has been narrowed to just 10. In March, the names of five finalists will be presented to Ms. Miller and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. Fans also will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite finalist at www.hoophallawards.com.

The winner of the 2019 Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award will be revealed in partnership with the WBCA at the Women’s Final Four in Tampa, Florida. Additional awards being presented and recognized at the WBCA Convention include the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award and the Lisa Leslie Center Award. Also being awarded is the Wade Trophy, the sport’s oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award. It is presented annually by the WBCA’s community of coaches to the best player in women’s college basketball.

Last season, Gabby Williams of Connecticut was named the inaugural winner of the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award.

For more information and the latest updates on the 2019 Cheryl Miller Award, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #MillerAward on Twitter and Instagram.

2019 Cheryl Miller Award Candidates

Bridget Carleton, Iowa St.

Rhyne Howard, Kentucky

Erika Davenport, Marquette

Kaila Charles, Maryland

Sophie Cunningham, Missouri

Lexi Klabo, North Dakota

Jackie Young, Notre Dame

Satou Sabally, Oregon

Rennia Davis, Tennessee

Borislava Hristova, Washington St.

*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2018-19 season*

About Cheryl Miller:
Cheryl Miller took women’s basketball to a new level, literally and figuratively. With her tremendous leaping ability, athletic dexterity and grace, Miller established a legacy throughout her high school and college career that is unparalleled. Playing for Riverside Polytechnic High School (CA), in 1982, Miller set the single game scoring record of 105 points. As a collegiate forward at the University of Southern California from 1982 to 1986, Miller helped bring women’s basketball to the forefront of American sports. In 1984, she led the Olympic team to gold averaging more than 16 points per game. Her superior athletic ability and engaging persona placed her among the elite in the world of college and professional athletics. In 1986, Sports Illustrated named Miller as the best male or female player in college basketball. In a spectacular career, Miller scored 3,018 total career points and was a four-time All-America. Miller was named Naismith Player of the Year three times and earned the Wade Trophy once. Miller was indicted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2010. Since retiring from professional play, Miller has had a very successful career as a WNBA GM, professional and collegiate coach, and sportscaster for TNT, ESPN and NBC for the 1996 Olympics.

 

UT Athletics

Jason Aldean Moves Forward With New Single, “Rearview Town” [Listen]

Jason Aldean Moves Forward With New Single, “Rearview Town” [Listen]

Posted on February 13, 2019

Jason Aldean will try to extend his streak of consecutive No. 1 singles to four with the release of “Rearview Town,” the title track of his 2018 album. The album has already spawned three No. 1 hits, including “You Make It Easy,” “Drowns the Whiskey” and “Girl Like You.”

“Rearview Town,” which was penned by Kelley Lovelace, Bobby Pinson and Neil Thrasher, will impact country radio on Feb. 25.

“Sometimes you have to let go of the things behind you, that have held you down and look forward,” says Jason. “That’s this song to me, and I think a lot of my people have been there in their lives too.”

Watch the lyric video for “Rearview Town” below.

 

photo by Nash Country Daily

UT Football Announces 2019 Coaches Clinic and Camp Dates

UT Football Announces 2019 Coaches Clinic and Camp Dates

Posted on February 13, 2019
Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee football’s 2019 Coaches Clinic will run from March 7 to March 9 and will be headlined by Volunteers head coach Jeremy Pruitt and keynote speakers Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens, Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich and longtime NFL assistant coach Tom Moore.

The 2019 Coaches Clinic is open to high school coaches and will feature sessions, Q & As and Chalk Talks with Pruitt and the entire UT coaching staff. The keynote speakers will take part in a special Chalk Talk session on Friday night, March 8.

Attendees will have the opportunity to attend Tennessee’s practices on Thursday, March 7, and Saturday, March 9.

For more information and to sign up, visit: http://www.tennesseefootballcamp.com/index.cfm

Tennessee also announced the dates for several youth and high school camps:

Individual Camps (May 31, June 1, June 21, June 22)
Specialist Camp (May 31)
High School Prospect Camps (May 31, June 1)
7-on-7 Tournaments (June 6, June 7, June 8, June 13, June 14, June 15)
Youth Day Camps (June 10, June 11)
Middle School Camps (June 10, June 11)
Big Skills Camps (June 6, June 7, June 8, June 13, June 14, June 15)

For more information and to sign up, visit: http://www.tennesseefootballcamp.com/index.cfm

 

UT Athletics

Schofield, Williams Named to Naismith Trophy Midseason Team

Schofield, Williams Named to Naismith Trophy Midseason Team

Posted on February 13, 2019
Credit: UT Athletics

ATLANTA – Tennessee’s All-SEC duo of Admiral Schofield and Grant Williams continued garnering recognition for their play this season Wednesday, as the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced the 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy Men’s Player of the Year Midseason Team.

Schofield and Williams, who both made the preseason watch list, were two of 30 players across the country selected as potential recipients of the player of the year honor.

So far this year, the duo was tabbed to the John R. Wooden Award Men’s Late Season Top 20 Watch List. Schofield was named to the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year finalist, while Williams earned a spot on the 2018-19 Oscar Robertson Trophy Final Midseason Watch List and was selected as a Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year finalist.

Williams, the reigning SEC Player of the Year, has been one of the nation’s most all-around players this year, averaging 19.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. The Charlotte, N.C., native is also shooting 58 percent from the field and an impressive 83 percent from the charity stripe.

Schofield has been a major contributor to the Vols’ success this season. He is averaging 16.5 points per game, which ranks second on the team and sixth in the SEC, while also averaging 6.3 rebounds. The Zion, Ill., native leads the team in shooting from beyond the arc with 43 3-pointers one the year. While being a high-volume shooter, he has shot 50 percent or better from the field in 14 games this season, including eight times during SEC play.

Tennessee was one of seven schools to have multiple players on the list, including Duke, Gonzaga, Nevada, North Carolina, Villanova and Virginia. Schofield and Williams are joined by Kentucky’s P.J. Washington as the only SEC players to make the team.

A list of the 10 national semifinalists will be released on March 4, 2019, followed by the four finalists March 19, 2019. The 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy will be awarded on at the Naismith Awards Brunch on April 7, 2019, during the Final Four in Minneapolis.

The Naismith Trophy is awarded annually to the women’s and men’s college basketball players of the year. First awarded in 1969 to UCLA’s Lew Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Naismith Trophy has become one of the most prestigious national honors awarded each year to the top players in the nation.

Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, the founder of the sport, Tennessee has never had a player win the award.

 

UT Athletics

Watch Midland Perform Upcoming Single, “Mr. Lonely,” From New Album at Hall of Fame Event

Watch Midland Perform Upcoming Single, “Mr. Lonely,” From New Album at Hall of Fame Event

Posted on February 13, 2019

Reigning ACM New Vocal Group of the Year Midland—the trio comprised of Mark Wystrach, Cameron Duddy and Jess Carson—treated industry insiders and some lucky fans to a free pop-up show at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Feb. 12.

The trio performed a number of tunes from their 2017 debut album, On the Rocks, including Grammy-nominated “Drinkin’ Problem,” “Make a Little” and their current Top 10 single, “Burn Out.” In addition, the guys covered Jerry Reed’s “East Bound and Down” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Tougher Than the Rest,” a tune that The Boss wrote and featured on his 1987 album, Tunnel of Love.

Midland also shared the lead single, “Mr. Lonely,” from their upcoming sophomore album, which is expected to drop in the coming months.

Check out the video of “Mr. Lonely” below.

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Hoops Central: Lady Vols vs. Auburn

Hoops Central: Lady Vols vs. Auburn

Posted on February 12, 2019
Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee (15-8, 4-6, SEC) returns home after a two-game road swing, hosting Auburn (18-6, 6-5 SEC) on Thursday night at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tip-off is slated for 7:02 p.m. ET on Valentine’s Day in a contest that will be streamed by SECN+.

Tennessee is 12-2 all-time in games played on Valentine’s Day, including 8-1 at home, 3-1 away and 1-0 at neutral sites. UT is 2-0 vs. AU on this date.

Including this match-up, the Lady Vols have six contests remaining during the regular season. Three are at home (Auburn, South Carolina, Vanderbilt) and three are away (Missouri, Texas A&M, Ole Miss).

The Lady Vols are coming off a 91-63 loss at No. 6/6 Mississippi State on Sunday. It was a three-point game with 6:09 to go in the third and a six-point contest with 2:06 remaining in that period before MSU used a 21-2 run spanning the third and fourth stanzas to pull away. UT played without starting point guard and leading scorer Evina Westbrook, who sat out the game due to a violation of team rules. First-year point guard Jazmine Massengill started in place of Westbrook, giving UT two freshmen, two sophomores and a senior in the starting lineup vs. MSU’s four seniors and a sophomore. Westbrook is expected back for the Auburn game.

Despite the loss, Tennessee comes into the game having won three of its past four contests, defeating LSU, Florida and Vanderbilt in succession. Auburn comes to town on the heels of a 75-72 victory at Arkansas on Sunday. The Tigers also have won three of their past four, handling Ole Miss, Georgia (in OT) and Arkansas, while falling to Kentucky the game before last.

Tennessee won the first match-up this season between these teams, defeating the Tigers, 78-69, at Auburn Arena on Jan. 3 to open league play for both teams. Meme Jackson had 27 points in that game.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

  • Bob Kesling (play-by-play), Madison Blevins (analyst) and Antonia Buffalino (sideline) will have the call for the SECN+ broadcast.
  • 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.
  • For UT home games, the Lady Vol Network has a low-power transmitter that makes the game available on the radio at 99.3 FM.

PROMOTIONS

  • It’s “Volentine’s” Day! No reservations required for a Valentines date on the Summitt. Two tickets for the price of one. Enter to win a rose and chocolates delivery from Smokey during the game. Tickets at AllVols.com and promo code: VolentinesDay.
  • It’s also UTK Faculty Appreciation Night.
  • Kids 12 & younger can pick up a wristband at the Fan HQ table on the concourse to participate in the pregame high-five tunnel. Wristbands are limited. To purchase discounted group tickets and reserve wristbands for your team, call 865-946-7000.
  • The halftime performance will be by Rolla Bolla.
  • Help us Spark the Summitt during introductions at the game! Download our new free light-up app, courtesy of Coca-Cola. Once downloaded, simply open your Hoops Hype app when the lights go out, and let your phone do the rest.
  • Tickets are available for as low as $10 at AllVols.com.
  • Free parking & shuttle service are available from UT’s Ag Campus. Shuttles begin two hours prior to tip.

UT-AUBURN SERIES NOTES

  • Tennessee holds a 44-11 all-time record vs. Auburn, dating back to Feb. 9, 1980, and has won 28 of the past 31 games in the series.
  • The Lady Vols are 21-2 vs. the Tigers in games held in Knoxville, 14-5 in games played at Auburn and 9-4 at neutral sites.
  • UT has won in 14 of its last 16 trips to The Plains after opening 2019 SEC play with a “W.”
  • UT is 2-0 vs. AU in overtime games, winning extra-frame contests in Knoxville vs. the Tigers in 1996 and 2004.
  • Tennessee has limited Auburn to 66 points or fewer 11 of the last 13 times they’ve met and to 61 or less on nine of those occasions.
  • Tennessee and Auburn played for the 1989 NCAA Championship in Tacoma, Wash., with the Lady Vols prevailing, 76-60.
  • Tennessee also beat the Tigers in regional finals in 1987 and 1991 en route to NCAA Final Fours they would end up winning.
  • UT and AU four times played for SEC Tournament titles from 1985 to 1990, with the Lady Vols winning three of those (1985, 1988, 1989).
  • Chamique Holdsclaw scored a career-high 39 points vs. the Tigers on Feb. 14, 1998, marking the sixth-highest point total in Lady Vol history.
  • Auburn has managed to claim only two victories in Knoxville, with those coming on Jan. 9, 1988 (#2/3 AU def. #4/4 UT, 71-68) and Feb. 8, 1986 (#11/13 AU def. #10/12 UT, 66-60).
  • AU coach Terri Williams-Flournoy beat UT and Pat Summitt while coaching Georgetown on Nov. 27, 2010, 69-58, at the Paradise Jam tourney in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

LADY VOL NOTES

  • RE GETS HER GROOVE BACK: After hitting a four-game rough patch from Jan. 13 to 24, Rennia Davis has re-emerged in all-star form in the past four games. She posted double-doubles vs. Florida (19 pts., 10 rebs.) and Vandy (17 pts., 12 rebs.) two weeks ago. She previously had 24 points and seven boards vs. LSU. She went off for 29 points vs. Mississippi State on Sunday.
  • DISHIN’ & SWISHIN’: Evina Westbrook has 14 games of five or more assists and is averaging 5.1 dimes for the season. With a 16.0 ppg. average, she has the highest all-time single-season scoring average for someone with five assists or more.
  • ZAAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE: Zaay Green has been a productive freshman, starting 19 games and averaging 10.3 ppg. and 4.4 rpg. She has hit for double figures 12 times.
  • CHERIDENE STEPPING UP: First-year starter Cheridene Green has upped her averages to 8.9 points and 9.0 rebounds in SEC play.
  • STRONG ON THE BOARDS: UT has won the rebounding battle in 19 of 23 games, including nine of 10 SEC contests (MSU won, 39-30). UT’s SEC-games 45.4 per contest average is No. 1 in the league ahead of MSU (43.6). Tennessee has had at least one player pull down double digits in rebounds in every SEC game this season except the Mississippi State contest.
  • “D” IS CRUCIAL: In its four SEC wins, UT is allowing 62.2 ppg., while in its six losses, the Lady Vols are surrendering 77.0 per contest.
  • MUCH BETTER AT THE LINE: The Lady Vols have shot .777 (87-112) from the free throw line in their past six games. In its first 16 contests, Tennessee went 242 of 364 for a rate of .665.
  • NEED THOSE THREE-BALLS: Tennessee went 5 of 13 from the arc vs. Miss. State (.385), marking its best 3FG percentage since hitting .467 (7-of-15) vs. Auburn in the first meeting back on Jan. 3.

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE LADY VOLS

  • 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 on the day en route to a 91-63 victory.
  • Tennessee (15-8, 4-6 SEC) was led by sophomore Rennia Davis, who fired in a season-high 29 points. Freshman Zaay Green also was in double figures with 13.
  • 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.
  • Tennessee went a perfect four of four from the free throw line and converted on back-to-back layups to pull within three at 47-44 at the 6:09 mark of the third. MSU answered with an 8-3 run to stretch the lead to eight with 2:57 to play in the period. The Bulldogs went on to build that lead to 12, taking a 61-49 lead into the final stanza en route to the win.

ABOUT AUBURN

  • Auburn returned six letterwinners, including four starters from 2017-18, including stars Janiah McKay, Unique Thompson and Daisa Alexander. Those are their three leading scorers this year.
  • Auburn is led by Terri Williams-Flournoy, who is 120-97 in her seventh season at Auburn and 263-201 in 15 years as a head coach.
  • The Tigers like to press and average 12.6 steals and force 21.2 turnovers per contest.

LAST YEAR

  • A year ago, Auburn turned in a 14-15 overall record and 5-11 mark in the SEC to finish 10th.
  • UT ended the Tigers’ season in the SEC Tournament second round, 64-61, on an off-the-glass, three-point buzzer-beater by Rennia Davis.
  • Daisa Thompson made the 2018 SEC All-Defensive Team, while Unique Thompson was All-Freshman.

AU’S LAST GAME

  • Four Tigers scored in double figures, as Auburn held off a late Arkansas rally to earn a thrilling 75-72 win Sunday afternoon in Fayetteville.
  • The Tigers (18-6, 6-5 SEC) saw a 17-point third-quarter lead evaporate as Arkansas’ Chelsea Dungee scored 41 points – 32 of them in the second half – but got two late defensive stops and made clutch free throws to hold on.
  • Daisa Alexander led AU with 18 points, while Unique Thompson had 13 and grabbed 12 rebounds.

THE LAST TIME WE MET

  • The No. 10/10 Lady Vols (12-1, 1-0 SEC) shot 54.0 percent from the floor to claim their first SEC win of the season at Auburn (12-2, 0-1 SEC) on Jan. 3, 2019, 78-69.
  • Senior Meme Jackson went five of eight from behind the arc and a perfect 6-of-6 from the line to lead Tennessee in scoring with 27 points. Sophomore Rennia Davis managed her fourth double-double of the season with 21 points and a career-high tying 14 rebounds. Zaay Green also found her way into double digits with 10 points.
  • AU’s Unique Thompson posted a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

LAST TIME IN KNOXVILLE

  • Senior Jaime Nared recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead No. 7/7 Tennessee to a 70-59 victory over Auburn on Jan. 4, 2018, in Knoxville. The win snapped a seven-game win streak for the Tigers and moved Tennessee to 14-0 for only the fifth time in school history.
  • Freshman Evina Westbrook scored a career-high 18 points, and senior Mercedes Russell added 10.
  • Daisa Alexander paced Auburn in scoring with 16 points, while Tiffany Lewis and Janiah McKay each contributed 10.
  • After a largely back-and-forth affair that included 16 lead changes, the Lady Vols ended the game on a 19-4 run, and overcome a season-high 28 turnovers to earn the win.

COMING UP FOR UT AND AU

  • Tennessee hits the road again this weekend, playing at Missouri on Sunday. Tip is slated for 4 p.m. CT (5 ET) in a game that will be carried by ESPN2.
  • Auburn, meanwhile, returns home to host in-state rival Alabama at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday (SEC Network).

 

UT Athletics

Kacey Musgraves Sings “Neon Moon” on Brooks & Dunn’s New “Reboot” Album, Cody Johnson Tackles “Red Dirt Road”

Kacey Musgraves Sings “Neon Moon” on Brooks & Dunn’s New “Reboot” Album, Cody Johnson Tackles “Red Dirt Road”

Posted on February 12, 2019

Last week, Brooks & Dunn revealed they will release their new album, Reboot, on April 5.

The album features an all-star cast of artists performing with country’s greatest duo, including Kacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, Lanco, Ashley McBryde, Midland, Luke Combs, Brothers Osborne, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi and Tyler Booth.

While the full track listing hasn’t been revealed yet, two songs have been released: Luke Combs’ “Brand New Man” and Kane Brown’s “Believe.”

In a recent interview on Nash Nights Live, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks revealed a few more tidbits about the new album, including: Kacey Musgraves sings “Neon Moon,” while Cody Johnson performs “Red Dirt Road.”

“Cody Johnson sang on ‘Red Dirt Road,’” says Kix. “Of all the cuts, it’s probably the most different, maybe except for ‘Neon Moon’ that Kacey Musgraves did, which she had already done her own arrangement. But, man, Cody’s voice is so cowboy and honest. Cody really stepped up. He’s a cool addition to our format. Texas has found him already. I like what he’s doing.”

“He killed it,” added Ronnie.

Kacey has been performing “Neon Moon” during her live show for a number of years.

The new album will be Brooks & Dunn’s first studio album since 2007’s Cowboy Town. Brooks & Dunn have more than a dozen upcoming tour dates scheduled, including six shows in Vegas this summer with Reba McEntire.

photos by AFF-USA.com

Tim McGraw Shares Heartfelt Words About Faith Hill’s Father, Ted Perry, Who Died on Feb. 9

Tim McGraw Shares Heartfelt Words About Faith Hill’s Father, Ted Perry, Who Died on Feb. 9

Posted on February 12, 2019

Faith Hill’s father, Wesley Leon “Ted” Perry, 88, passed away on Feb. 5 at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin, TN.

In a series of tweets on Feb. 12, Tim McGraw shared some heartfelt sentiments regarding his father-in-law, as well as a video tribute.

“G Pa, Faith’s father passed away last week at 88 yrs old,” said Tim in the first tweet. “He was the sweetest, kindest most gentle man I’ve ever known……. No man in my life has ever made such an impact on me as to how to be a human, a father and a friend.”

“I’ll never, in 10 lifetimes, be able to live up to his example, but man, he has set a mark that all of us should strive for,” added Tim in a second post.

“His legacy will live on through the 3 beautiful souls he raised, Faith and her brothers, Steve and Wesley… I’m sure a day will not pass for the rest of my life, that he will not show up in my thoughts. We all love you G Pa,” closed Tim.

Our thoughts go out to Faith, Tim and their family.

photo by Jason Simanek

Blake Shelton’s Ole Red Gatlinburg to Celebrate Week-Long Grand Opening

Blake Shelton’s Ole Red Gatlinburg to Celebrate Week-Long Grand Opening

Posted on February 12, 2019

Blake Shelton’s Ole Red Gatlinburg will celebrate its week-long grand opening in Gatlinburg, Tenn., March 11–17.

Ole Red Gatlinburg will be a multi-level, 13,500-square-foot entertainment venue with a two-story bar and restaurant, retail area, performance space, dance floor and exterior terrace. The venue will host multiple events throughout its grand-opening week, including a private concert with Blake on March 13. You can enter an online sweepstakes through Feb. 15 to win tickets to the concert. A limited number of tickets will be available through an online auction beginning Feb. 15, which will support the Gatlinbug-Pittman High School Music Program.

“Gatlinburg has always been a place where I’ve had a good time, and it’s just awesome for me to get to be a part of this community through Ole Red,” said Blake. “I can’t wait to get my band down there to play. It’s going to be an amazing night.”

Gatlinburg is the third Ole Red location, following the first in Blake’s adopted Oklahoma hometown of Tishomingo (September 2017) and a second in Nashville (May 2018). Blake recently announced plans for a fourth location coming to Orlando, Fla., in 2020.

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Jimmy’s Blog: Can Vols catch Duke as No. 1 seed?

Posted on February 12, 2019

By Jimmy Hyams

Tennessee is still ranked No. 1 in both the AP and coaches’ polls, but Duke has made up ground thanks to a impressive Saturday night win over Virginia.

Duke also took the top spot as the No. 1 overall seed by the NCAA selection committee, released last week.

It’s unlikely both the Blue Devils and Vols will win out, but if both do, can Tennessee overtake Duke in the minds of the committee and garner that No. 1 overall seed?

It’s possible.

Each team has eight games left, most against quality opponents. And each plays an NCAA NET resume’ killer.

Tennessee takes on No. 124 Vanderbilt and Duke faces No. 196 Wake Forest. I don’t know how much you’re penalized for playing teams outside the top 100 or if the committee sees a big difference in 124 and 196.

But taking those two duds out of the equation, the NET average for Tennessee and Duke is similar.

Tennessee will face No. 5 NET Kentucky twice along with LSU (17), Auburn (20), Mississippi State (29), Ole Miss (50) and South Carolina (79) for an average of 29.29.

Duke plays North Carolina (9) twice, along with Virginia Tech (14), Louisville (15), North Carolina State (35), Syracuse (48) and Miami (88) for an average of 31.14.

If Duke was indeed the No. 1 overall seed and Tennessee was 1A – as the committee suggested — then a small edge in strength of schedule down the stretch could push the Vols ahead of Duke.

But Duke has a clear edge in games against NET top 25 and top 50. The Blue Devils are 6-1 v. NET Top 25 while Tennessee is 2-1. Duke is 9-2 against NET top 50 while UT is 5-1.

It might help the Vols that they beat both common opponents (Gonzaga and Louisville) while Duke lost to Gonzaga while beating Louisville.

Tennessee needs to shore up its rebounding — the last two opponents have garnered 29 offensive rebounds — and also avoid in-game lapses on offense and defense.

But it Duke shoots well from 3-point range — it made 13 against Virginia — the Blue Devils might be unbeatable.

Either way, it should be a fun February.

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

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