Lady Vols Hoops Report (1/16/19)

Lady Vols Hoops Report (1/16/19)

Posted on January 16, 2019
Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee head coach Holly Warlick met with members of the media on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s road match-up between the No. 20/17 Lady Vols (12-4, 1-3 SEC) and Alabama (9-8, 1-3 SEC). Tip-off is slated for 8:02 p.m. CT (9:02 ET) at Coleman Coliseum, with the game being carried by the SEC Network and the Lady Vol Radio Network.

The Lady Vols and Crimson Tide both come into the game hoping to get back on the winning track. UT has lost its last three contests to Missouri (66-64), Kentucky (73-71) and Georgia (66-62) by a combined total of eight points. The Crimson Tide enters Thursday night’s match-up having lost its last three contests and four of its past five.

This marks the 56th meeting between these programs, with Alabama holding a four-game winning streak over the Lady Vols and taking the past two games in Tuscaloosa. The Lady Vols, however, lead the series, 49-6.

Tennessee Head Coach Holly Warlick:

On getting back on track: 
“Our defense has to step up and be more consistent. We need to finish layups in traffic and really get focused a little bit more, things we will just continue to work on.”

On the confidence of the young team:
“I worry about them refocusing. We are going to make mistakes, but we have to learn to regroup and really concentrate on what is getting ready to happen. I think this group dwells on what just happened instead of putting it behind them and getting motivated on what we need to do moving forward.”

On talking to her team about confidence: 
“We have (talked to them), but I mainly have talked about our ability to defend and really committing on the defensive end. I think our defense spurs a lot of action for us; it helps us get easy layups. It gives us energy, and when we get down and commit to the defensive end it feels like we are a better basketball team.”

On if the team will continue to primarily play zone:
“We are going to mix it up more, but our kids are confident with the zone. We have to get back to playing one-on-one, and this gives us a chance to get back as a group. We are going to continue to work on our one-on-one defense. It has to get better.”

On if the team is player-led: 
“Our leaders are young. I still have to step up at times. Evina (Westbrook) and Rennia (Davis) step up at times, and Meme (Jackson) needs to be more consistent. That just comes with experience as they continue to play. They are going to develop more experience and gain more trust as they continue together.”

On who steps up during momentum swings:
“I would love the players to step up and say, ‘We are okay, let’s go,’ but I feel the need to do that as well. If a few could do that, it would be great. At times we do, but it is hard to refocus and get your whole group ready. We are capable of doing that; we just have to be more consistent.”

On how important tempo is to the team: 
“When we got ahead (last game) and we fought back, our defense spurred a lot of that. Then we went down, got a shot blocked, missed some layups and it plays with our mind a little bit. Make defense a priority, and that in turn for us makes easy shots, which gets our momentum going.”

On what makes Alabama tough to play: 
“They are big and athletic. I think this team is very respectful of Alabama since we have not beaten them in four times now. Alabama gets up to play us, as everyone does, and we have to match that intensity. We have to come out and treat Alabama like they are everyone else. Why wouldn’t we? They win games, they are a solid basketball team, and we have to come to play.”

On what impresses her about Alabama:
“They have a kid from junior college that can shoot the ball really well. They are an offensive threat, they penetrate, and they are really quick, athletic kids. So, our job is to keep them in front of us and that has been something that has been hard for us to do this year.”

On what caused the team’s shooting slump last game: 
“I think it was the things we were not doing on the defensive end. That triggered the whole thing. At the end of the third quarter they threw it out to a kid, and she hit a 3-pointer. I just think we let up on the defensive end and then, in turn, it affected our offense. Then we stopped going to the boards, so it was a combination of a bunch of things. One thing seemed to trigger a lot of other things, and that is where we have to learn to refocus. We have to stay in the moment and understand what we have been doing so well that got us where we were.”

On finishing shots:
“Half of the shots we took were shots we should have made, and half were contested. We have to go up strong, and when we aren’t comfortable, we need to dribble the ball back out. We let their defense affect our shooting, and we can’t do that.”

On ball movement:
“I thought we got stagnant in our offense. I thought it went well throughout the game, but in the third quarter I think we just stopped attacking the basket.”

On playing through emotions:
“We will continue to practice on the things that we need to work on. We have to stay in the moment and stay focused. We are going to continue to talk about that. It is a 40-minute game, and there are going to be runs. We need to answer those runs, and there is going to be a time when we go down and we need to comeback. I keep saying defense and rebounding can solve a lot of problems.”

On the past couple of days:
“We had to take off Monday because we have to take a day off (per NCAA rules), but I thought we had a solid practice yesterday. We will see how they do today, and we are going to continue to go hard and not let up. I hope they retain what we teach them from practice to the court. At times we are really good practice players, and we haven’t carried it onto the court.”

On similarities from last year:
“In comparison to last year, we probably are going through the same thing. We are losing by two, two and four, so as long as we keep learning from this then we will be fine. I understand our confidence might be down, but the only way to get it back up is to get back out here on the basketball court and work hard on defense, work hard on your free throws. And they have done that. I think you will see a different team. They had a good practice yesterday, they are focused today, and when they do that they are a solid basketball team.”

 

UT Athletics

Jimmy’s blog: Barnes not happy despite Tennessee rout of Arkansas

Jimmy’s blog: Barnes not happy despite Tennessee rout of Arkansas

Posted on January 16, 2019

By Jimmy Hyams

How far has Tennessee men’s basketball come?

The Vols score over 100 points in an SEC game for the first time in a decade, lead an SEC foe by 30 points, get 50 points from the bench, leave an opposing coach saying he’d vote you No. 1, and your coach and players aren’t happy.

That’s how far.

Tennessee toyed with Arkansas 106-87 Tuesday night before over 19,000 at Thompson-Boling arena. The outcome was never in doubt after UT ran off 14 straight points to take a 20-5 lead. It was 55-34 at halftime. It was 91-61 with eight minutes left.

But it was the second half – mostly those last eight minutes — that riled coach Rick Barnes and disappointed some of the players.

Arkansas outscored Tennessee 53-51 in the second half and shot 57.1 percent from the field against the No. 1 field-goal defense in the SEC.

“I told our guys at halftime, they (Hogs) won’t stop playing,’’ Barnes said. “They came out and won the second half.’’

Barnes wants his players to play like the game is tied. That’s hard to do when you’re up 30. With big leads can come sloppy play or questionable decisions. He was unhappy with a wild pass from Turner that led to a turnover.

“We tried to make home run plays when we don’t need to do that,’’ Barnes said.

As for the second half, Barnes said: “We didn’t have answer,’’ Barnes said, adding that UT did a “horrible job’’ of zone defense.

“I’d be disappointed if you guys aren’t disappointed in the way you played the whole game,’’ Barnes said he told his team post-game.

“We’re not going to be perfect, but I do expect us to try to make the right play every time. … We gave up so many rebounds we should have had.’’

But for all of Barnes’ complaining, there were plenty of bright spots. UT shot 50 percent in the first half to take the 21-point lead while holding Arkansas to 37.5 percent from the field.

Lamonte Turner (21 points) and Jordan Bowden (19) came off the bench to combine for 40 points. They were a perfect 8-of-8 from 3-point range until each missed in the final mop-up minutes. Grant Williams scored 18 points, thanks to hitting all 14 free-throw attempts. Admiral Schofield scored 17 second-half points – 14 in a row to start the second half – after a scoreless first half due to foul trouble.

Arkansas coach Mike Anderson summed the game up by saying it was “experience versus inexperience.’’

Anderson observed that UT shot 39 free throws (and made 35).

“I don’t think they need no help,’’ Anderson said, later adding that if he had a vote, he’d put Tennessee No. 1 in the nation.

Anderson described UT as a team that is hungry, humble and plays for each other. He also said UT’s bench is playing well, “that’s a big key.’’

Another note: Tennessee is only the third team from a Power conference to outscore its first four conference opponents by at least 100 points.

But, Barnes will tell you, there is still room for improvement.

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

Kelsea Ballerini Says She Is Stoked to Learn From “Real, Authentic, Successful” Kelly Clarkson on “Meaning of Life Tour”

Kelsea Ballerini Says She Is Stoked to Learn From “Real, Authentic, Successful” Kelly Clarkson on “Meaning of Life Tour”

Posted on January 16, 2019

Kelly Clarkson will hit the road for her 28-date Meaning of Life Tour on Jan. 24—and the original American Idol will be bringing along Kelsea Ballerini for 19 dates.

Kelsea will serve as Kelly’s support during stops in Oakland, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Chicago, Nashville and more.

For Kelsea, who headlined The Unapologetically Tour in 2018 and will headline The Miss Me More Tour in April, opening for Kelly gives her the chance to learn from an artist she truly admires.

“I literally love her so much, and I think the thing that I admire most about her is she’s so real,” says Kelsea. “She just does not care to say something wrong. She doesn’t care—like, she’s just so authentic, and to be that successful and that authentic, I think is something that I really want to learn how to navigate and stand up for and be confident with, so I’m stoked.”

Meaning of Life Tour

Jan. 24 – Oakland, CA – Oracle Arena**
Jan. 25 – Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center**
Jan. 26 – Los Angeles, CA – STAPLES Center*
Jan. 30 – Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Smart Home Arena**
Feb. 1 – Glendale, AZ – Gila River Arena*
Feb. 7 – Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center**
Feb. 8 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center**
Feb. 9 – Southaven, MS – Landers Center**
Feb. 14 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena*
Feb. 15 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center**
Feb. 16 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center*
Feb. 21 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena**
Feb. 22 – Chicago, IL – Allstate Arena**
Feb. 23 – St. Louis, MO – Chaifetz Arena**
Feb. 28 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center*
March 2 – Wichita, KS – INTRUST Bank Arena**
March 7 – Uniondale, NY – NYCB Live Nassau Coliseum*
March 8 – Boston, MA – TD Garden**
March 9 – Allentown, PA – PPL Center*
March 14 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena*
March 15 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena*
March 16 – Baltimore, MD – Royal Farms Arena**
March 21 – Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena**
March 22 – Indianapolis, IN – Bankers Life Fieldhouse**
March 23 – Cincinnati, OH – U.S. Bank Arena**
March 28 – Duluth, GA – Infinite Energy Arena **
March 29 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena**
March 30 – Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena**

**with Kelsea Ballerini and Brynn Cartelli
*with Brynn Cartelli

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

Kane Brown Named “2019 Breakthrough Artist” by Music Biz

Kane Brown Named “2019 Breakthrough Artist” by Music Biz

Posted on January 16, 2019

Kane Brown will follow in the successful footsteps of past winners Carrie Underwood, Sam Hunt and Maren Morris as the recipient of the Music Biz 2019 Breakthrough Artist Award.

Kane will be honored with the award alongside fellow 2019 Breakthrough Artist Bebe Rexha during the Music Biz 2019 Conference’s Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner on May 7.

Kane’s sophomore album, Experiment, debuted at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart and Billboard Top Country Albums chart in November 2018. Kane has also scored three consecutive No. 1 singles with “What Ifs,” “Heaven” and “Lose It.” Kane kicked of his 22-date headlining Live Forever Tour on Jan. 10.

Music Biz is a nonprofit that seeks to “advance, promote and invest in the future of the music business.”

photo by Jason Simanek

Alan Jackson Is Giving Fans the Chance to Vote for His Tour Openers

Alan Jackson Is Giving Fans the Chance to Vote for His Tour Openers

Posted on January 16, 2019

Alan Jackson will hit the road for a number of weekend shows in 2019 . . . and he’s bringing special guests Randy Houser and William Michael Morgan along for the ride.

Alan also needs your help selecting his openers from a list of artists who regularly play at his Nashville honky-tonk, AJ’s Good Time Bar. In addition to utilizing up-and-comers James Carothers, Amanda Daughtry and Jay Bragg during his tour, Alan is allowing fans to vote for two more “Wild Card” artists to join him on tour. There are 21 artist to pick from, and voting closes Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. ET.

Alan will visit more than 15 cities, including stops in Louisville, Omaha, Wichita, Orlando and more.

Tickets are on sale now.

Alan Jackson Tour

Jan. 25 | Louisville, KY | KFC Yum! Center*
Jan. 26 | Greenville, SC | Bon Secours Wellness Arena*
Feb. 22 | Madison, WI | Alliant Energy Center*
Feb. 23 | Grand Rapids, MI | Van Andel Arena*
March 10 | Bossier City, LA | CenturyLink Center*
April 12 | Oklahoma City, OK | Chesapeake Energy Arena*
April 13 | Omaha, NE | CHI Health Center**
April 26 | Fort Wayne, IN | War Memorial Coliseum*
May 10 | Columbus, OH | Schottenstein Center*
May 17 | Winston-Salem, NC | Veterans Mem. Coliseum*
May 18 | Hershey, PA | Giant Center*
Aug. 9 | Rogers, AR | Walmart AMP*
Aug. 10 | Wichita, KS | Intrust Bank Arena*
Aug. 23 | N. Charleston, SC | N. Charleston Coliseum**
Aug. 24 | Charlotte, NC | Spectrum Center**
Sept. 20 | Orlando, FL | Amway Arena*
Sept. 21 | Jacksonville, FL | Veterans Memorial Coliseum*

*William Michael Morgan
**Randy Houser

photo by Jason Simanek

No. 3 Tennessee Downs Arkansas, 106-87

No. 3 Tennessee Downs Arkansas, 106-87

Posted on January 16, 2019
Jordan Bowden – Vols G / Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Behind a 31-point contribution from the bench in the first half, No. 3 Tennessee jumped on the Arkansas Razorbacks early, guiding the Vols to a 106-87 win in Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Vols (15-1, 4-0 SEC) 106 points scored against the Razorbacks (10-6, 1-3 SEC) marked the most against a conference opponent since Feb. 9, 2000, when they defeated Georgia, 110-83. It was also the first time since Feb. 5, 2008 (104-82 over Florida), that Tennessee scored than 100 points against an SEC foe.

UT had a double-digit lead for 34 minutes in the game as it took advantage of its opportunities at the free-throw line to help extend the lead to as much as 30 points. Tennessee knocked down 35-of-39 shots at the charity stripe on the night.

Jordan Bowden and Lamonte Turner teamed up for 40 points off the bench, leading the team to a season-high 50 points from non-starters. Bowden was perfect from the field until his final shot of the game, finishing the night 6-of-7 from the field and 5-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc.

Turner had a season and team-high 21 in the game, finishing the night 6-of-8 from the field, including a trio of 3-pointers.

After being held without a point in the first half, Admiral Schofield exploded to open the second half. The senior netted the Vols’ first 14 points in the half to help extend the lead to 27 points with 14:06 to play in the game. That stretch tied Schofield for fifth all-time in consecutive points scored by a Vol.

Schofield’s 14 points were part of a 15-of-16 shooting stretch for the Vols between the end of the first half and the start of the second half. Tennessee opened the second half shooting 9-of-10 , pushing the lead to 88-61 at the 8:19 mark in the second half.

Grant Williams led the way on the boards for the Vols with a team-high seven to go along with 18 points in the game. 14 of those points came from the free-throw line as the junior finished 14-of-14 from the charity stripe, tying the all-time program mark. Nine of his free throws came in the first 20 minutes of play.

After it was a close game through the first five minutes, Jordan Bowden entered the game and provided an immediate spark for the Tennessee offense. Bowden scored on two of his first three possessions on the floor.

The junior guard helped ignite a 14-0 run for the Vols at the 15:16 mark of the first half. The run ended when Arkansas’ Gabe Osabuohien knocked down a free throw with 12:52 left in the half. By that point, Tennessee had built a 20-5 lead as the Vols played the final 14 minutes of the half with a double-digit lead.

The Vols extended their lead to as much as 25 points in the opening half before taking a 55-34 edge into the locker room. It was the most points Tennessee had scored in any half this season.

UT got contributions from the entire lineup in the first half, as 30 of its points came from the bench, including 14 from Turner and 11 from Bowden.

Tennessee also took advantage of its chances at the charity stripe. The team finished the half 20-of-23 from the free-throw line as Williams hit all nine of his tries to help him to 13 first-half points.

Eclipsing 100 Against an SEC Foe: For the first time since Feb. 5, 2008, the Tennessee Volunteers posted 100 points against an SEC opponent, topping Arkansas in a 106-87 victory at Thompson-Boling Arena on Tuesday night. In that 2008 game, UT defeated Florida, 104-82, on Rocky Top. Tuesday marked the most points scored on an SEC opponent since UT defeated Georgia, 110-83, on Feb. 9, 2000.

Offensive Explosion: Tennessee dropped an impressive 55 points on the Razorbacks in the first half–the most in a half this season for the Vols. In both SEC games in Thompson-Boling Arena this year, UT has eclipsed the 50-point margin to take a big lead into halftime. The Big Orange shot 50 percent (15-of-30) from the floor in the period and was led by three double-digit scorers in Lamonte Turner (14), Grant Williams (13) and Jordan Bowden (11).

Limiting Assists, Forcing Turnovers: Arkansas entered Tuesday’s game as the SEC’s No. 2 team in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.32) behind only Tennessee. The Vols were able to hold Arkansas to only 16 assists while forcing 19 turnovers for a 0.84 assist-to-turnover ratio. That was the most turnovers by the Razorbacks this season, surpassing their previous high of 18 in their season-opener against Texas.

No Points? No Problem, for Schofield: Admiral Schofield had zero points going into halftime. By the 14:06 mark in the second half, Schofield knocked down a jumper to cap off his 14th-consecutive point, which tied for fifth all-time for  consecutive points scored by a Vol, joining Cameron Tatum (2009), Isiah Victor (2000), Ernie Grunfeld (1976) and A.W. Davis (1963). Schofield finished with 17 points in the half on 7-of-10 shooting.

14-0 Run in the First Half
After it was a tight game through the first five minutes, Tennessee jumped on the Razorbacks, scoring the next 14 points over a 2:24 stretch to take a 20-5 lead at the 12:52 mark of the first half. With Turner and Bowden entering the game for the first time, the duo combined for nine of those 14 points.

Freebies
Tennessee took advantage of its 39 attempts at the free-throw line Tuesday night in Thompson-Boling Arena. The Vols knocked down 35 free throws in the game, which ranks top-10 all-time in single-game history and is two free throw makes shy of entering the top five in school history.

Williams tied the all-time Tennessee record for free-throw percentage in a single game, sinking all 14 of his attempts including going 9-for-9 in the first half.

Up Next: Tennessee is back in Thompson-Boling Arena for a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday afternoon. The game will tip at 2 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN2.

 

UT Athletics

Hoops Preview: No. 20/17 Lady Vols vs. Alabama

Hoops Preview: No. 20/17 Lady Vols vs. Alabama

Posted on January 15, 2019
Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 20/17 Tennessee (12-4, 1-3 SEC) plays its second straight road contest, as the Lady Vols head to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama (9-8, 1-3 SEC) on Thursday night. Tip-off is slated for 8:02 p.m. CT (9:02 ET) at Coleman Coliseum, with the game being carried by the SEC Network and the Lady Vol Radio Network.

This marks the 46th meeting between these programs, with Alabama holding a four-game winning streak over the Lady Vols and taking the past two games in Tuscaloosa. In addition to attempting to halt that series streak, the Lady Vols will be seeking to end a three-game losing skid that began on Jan. 6. UT has lost its last three contests to Missouri (66-64), Kentucky (73-71) and Georgia (66-62) by a combined total of eight points.

The Crimson Tide enters Thursday night’s match-up with a losing streak of its own, dropping its last three contests and four of its past five. One of those losses, though, was a three-point setback on the road at (then) No. 23 South Carolina, 62-59, illustrating the ability of the Tide to play well against ranked opponents.

Alabama is struggling to score in SEC play, averaging 58.0 ppg., including 43 in its loss at Texas A&M on Sunday.

After scoring 80+ in its last five non-conference games, Tennessee tallied 78 on the road vs. Auburn before failing to score more than 71 the past three outings, including 64 vs. Missouri and a season-low 62 at Georgia. UT’s scoring difficulties coincide with field goal percentages of 34.9, 37.9 and 35.9 as well as free throw percentages of 66.7, 58.6 and 59.1 the past three contests. UT also went from averaging 8.5 threes per game over the previous six outings to 3.7 during the past three contests.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

  • Pam Ward (play-by-play) and Carolyn Peck (analyst) will describe the action for the SEC Network.
  • Mickey Dearstone is handling the call 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.

UT-ALABAMA SERIES NOTES

  • The Lady Vols hold a 49-6 all-time record vs. Alabama, dating back to Jan. 22, 1977, but the Crimson Tide is riding a four-game win streak in the series with Tennessee.
  • UT failed to reach 65 points in any of those losses and didn’t hit 58 in either of the two recent games in Tuscaloosa.
  • Against the Tide, the Lady Vols are 18-2 in Tuscaloosa, 22-1 in games played in Knoxville and 9-3 at neutral sites, with UA taking the last two match-ups on its courts.
  • There has never been an overtime game in the series.
  • UT is 16-1 vs. Alabama in Coleman Coliseum, losing for the first time there on Feb. 16, 2017, 65-57.
  • From 2011-16, Crimson Tide women’s basketball played in Foster Auditorium, where UT was 2-1, including a 54-46 loss on Feb. 25, 2016.
  • That loss in 2016 ended a 42-game UT win streak.
  • Prior to that victory, the last Alabama win was on March 3, 1984, at the SEC Tournament in Athens, Ga., by a score of 85-66.
  • The other came at the 1981 SEC Tournament, as the Tide knocked off #10-ranked Tennessee, 77-71, on Jan. 30.
  • Third-year Tennessee assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Sharrona Reaves played at Alabama (1995 graduate) for head coach Rick Moody.
  • Alabama director of operations Brian Johnson is a 2016 Tennessee graduate who served as a manager on Holly Warlick‘s staff for four seasons.

NOTING THE LADY VOLS

  • GREEN MACHINE: A switch has been flipped, and Cheridene Green has turned into a rebounding machine over the past three games. She has posted totals of 14 (7 off./7 def.) vs. Missouri, 15 (8/7) vs. Kentucky and 10 (5/5) vs. Georgia to average 13.0 during that stretch and bump her season number to 7.1 through 16 games.
  • MAKE THE FLASH LAST: UT has shown flashes of how good it can be, with the first quarter vs. Georgia serving as a perfect example. The Lady Vols hit 10 of 16 shots for 62.5 accuracy in jumping to a 22-10 lead. After a 14-14 second quarter, the third quarter was the opposite of the first, with UT hitting only 2 of 16 shots (12.5%) and losing the period’s scoring battle, 25-11.
  • THREES ARE KEY: UT went six  straight games where it hit at least seven three-point shots. The past three games, all losses, the Lady Vols have hit no more than four treys in a contest.
  • AMONG BEST ON BOARDS: UT has won the rebounding battle in 14 of 16 games this season. The Lady Vols rank No. 7 nationally in rebounds per game (45.81), No. 7 in offensive rebounds per game (18.0), No. 9 in rebound margin (12.0) and No. 10 in total rebounds (733).
  • LET’S GRAB 50: Tennessee has pulled down 50 or more rebounds in six contests this season, including the past two: 50 vs. Kentucky and 54 vs. Georgia.
  • EVINA GOES FOR 20 AGAIN: Evina Westbrook has scored 20 or more points in half (8) of Tennessee’s games thus far, including 20 and 23 in her past two contests.
  • GOTTA KNOCK ‘EM DOWN: UT is doing a great job getting to the free throw line (364 times/No. 11 NCAA/No. 2 SEC) and making them (242/No. 21 NCAA/No. 5 SEC). It just needs to make a higher percentage of shots at the charity stripe (66.5/No. 225 NCAA/No. 12 SEC).
  • NEW GO-TO PLAYERS: UT’s go-to players are all in new roles and learning to adjust to defenses geared to inhibit them. Two sophomores lead the team in scoring (Westbrook, Davis) and freshmen (Green, Collins) are the fourth and sixth-highest scorers on the team thus far. Bodes well for the future.

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE LADY VOLS

  • Sophomore point guard Evina Westbrook poured in 10 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a third-quarter UT shooting slump and Georgia’s second-half rally in a 66-62 Lady Vols setback at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens.
  • There were five ties and 10 lead changes in a contest of huge momentum swings.
  • Westbrook led Tennessee (12-4, 1-3 SEC) in scoring with a game-high 23 points, logging her eighth 20+ point performance of the season. Rennia Davis had six points and 12 rebounds, while Cheridene also added six points and 10 rebounds.
  • Caliya Robinson was Georgia’s (12-5, 3-1 SEC) high scorer with 16. Gabby Connally had 13, while Taja Cole and Jenna Staiti each had 12.

ALABAMA NOTES

  • The Crimson Tide returned two starters and seven letterwinners from a year ago, including point guard Jordan Lewis and guard Shaquera Wade.
  • Lewis, however, suffered a broken wrist vs. Virginia on Dec. 20 and is out for the year. She was averaging 13.5 ppg. 4.0 rpg. and 3.1 apg. in eight games.
  • Jasmine Walker, a 6-3 junior forward and 5-10 junior guard have picked up the scoring slack, averaging 13.9 and 13.5 points, respectively, for Bama.
  • UA is shooting .389 from the field, .312 on threes and .696 on free throws, and averages 67.5 ppg. while surrendering 65.4 (58.0-66.2 in SEC games).
  • Alabama finished 20-14 overall and 7-9 in league play in 2017-18, good for eighth in the SEC.
  • The Tide won two games in the WNIT before falling at Virginia Tech, 74-67.
  • UA picked up its first ever win in Knoxville, 72-63.

UA’S LAST GAME

  • Alabama lost to Texas A&M, 70-43, on Sunday afternoon at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas.
  • Junior point guard Cierra Johnson led the Tide with eight points and six rebounds, as eight different players scored in the game for UA.
  • Texas A&M jumped out to a 15-6 first quarter lead and never looked back. The Aggies held a 31-17 advantage at the halftime break and continued to lead in double figures the rest of the way.

THE LAST TIME WE MET

  • Jaime Nared had a game-high 22 points, but it wasn’t enough as No. 11 UT lost to Alabama, 72-63, on Feb. 15, 2018, at Thompson-Boling Arena.
  • The Lady Vols (21-5, 9-4 SEC) came out on the losing end of a streaky game that saw leads exchanged on three different double-digit runs. Tennessee had the advantage in the paint, out-rebounding the Crimson Tide 45-39, but Alabama (16-10, 6-7 SEC) won the game behind a 42.6% field goal percentage to UT’s 35.3% effort.
  • Tennessee had three players in double figures. Nared led the Lady Vols with 22 points, Rennia Davis scored 18, and Mercedes Russell added another 11. Both Davis and Russell notched double-doubles, with 10 and 11 rebounds, respectively.
  • The Crimson Tide’s offense was paced by Jordan Lewis with 19 points and Ashley Williams with 16.

LAST TIME THEY PLAYED IN TUSCALOOSA

  • Schaquilla Nunn recorded her first double-double of the season, but it wasn’t enough as Tennessee fell short against Alabama, 65-57, at Coleman Coliseum on Feb. 16, 2017.
  • Nunn finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Lady Vols (16-10, 7-6 SEC). Mercedes Russell (17) and Alexa Middleton (14) also cracked double digits.
  • UT struggled with leading scorer Diamond DeShields knocked out by a first-quarter injury and Jaime Nared in early foul trouble.

COMING UP FOR UT AND UA

  • UT returns home for a Monday night “We Back Pat” contest at Thompson-Boling Arena vs. Arkansas. Tip is set for 7:02 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
  • Alabama, meanwhile, welcomes LSU to town for a 1 p.m. CT Sunday matinee on the SEC Network.

UT Athletics

Former Vol Willie Richards Passes Away

Former Vol Willie Richards Passes Away

Posted on January 15, 2019
Credit: UT Athletics

Former Tennessee football player Willie Richards passed away on Monday in Barnesville, Ga.

Richards, a linebacker, played for the Volunteers in 1990 and 1992, appearing in 14 games while making four starts. The Griffin, Ga., native totaled 46 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery during his time at UT.

Richards transferred to Tennessee in 1990 after spending two years at Hinds Junior College in Raymond, Miss., where he was a Junior College All-State selection and helped lead Hinds to a Mississippi Junior College State Championship in 1988.

Funeral arrangements are pending at this time.

UT Athletics
Thomas Rhett Says the Message Behind Top 5 Hit, “Sixteen,” Is to “Be Content and Enjoy Your Life”

Thomas Rhett Says the Message Behind Top 5 Hit, “Sixteen,” Is to “Be Content and Enjoy Your Life”

Posted on January 15, 2019

Thomas Rhett’s 2017 album, Life Changes, has spawned four No. 1 singles: “Craving You,” “Unforgettable,” “Marry Me” and “Life Changes.”

TR is trying to make it five in a row with his current single, “Sixteen,” which is No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart this week.

As TR told Kix Brooks of American Country Countdown, the message behind his nostalgic track, which he co-penned with Sean Douglas and Joe Spargur three years ago, is to “really enjoy your life.”

“I wrote ‘Sixteen’ when I was 25 years old,” says Thomas Rhett. “It was one of the first songs I wrote for Life Changes, and for a long time, I thought that ‘Sixteen’ would be the name of the record. I thought it would be the first single, and as you start to write, you start to figure out what’s first, what’s last, what’s second—and ‘Sixteen,’ to me, is one of my favorite songs I’ve gotten to write because I think that that story is so relatable to so many people. All of us that are young want to be old, and all of us that are old want to be young, and I think that song, really, the message is just be content where you are and really enjoy your life.”

If TR’s Instagram page is any indication, it seems like he’s really enjoying his life with wife Lauren and daughters Ada, 1, and Willa Gray, 3.

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Keith Urban “Agrees” to Jump Out of a Cake to Fulfill Loretta Lynn’s Birthday Wish

Keith Urban “Agrees” to Jump Out of a Cake to Fulfill Loretta Lynn’s Birthday Wish

Posted on January 15, 2019

In honor of Loretta Lynn’s 87th birthday on April 14, a number of artists will take part in her All-Star Birthday Celebration Concert at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on April 1.

The concert will feature performances by Alan Jackson, Brandy Clark, Darius Rucker, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Jack White, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Margo Price, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Pistol Annies, Trisha Yearwood and more.

In a new development, Keith Urban may be performing twice.

“I am so excited to celebrate my 87th birthday with all my friends,” says Loretta. “This is the first time I’ve ever had a birthday party! My birthday wish has come true. The only other wish I have is that Keith Urban jumps out of my birthday cake!”

It sounds like Loretta may get her second wish.

After Nash Country Daily posted Loretta’s wish via Twitter, Keith Urban responded by saying, “… your wish is always my command Miss Loretta!!!! – KU.”

We’ll keep you updated with further “cake jumping” developments, but this concert is already a once-in-a-lifetime show. Tickets for the general public go on sale on Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. CT.

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

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