Longtime fan-favorite Mark Wills will be the newest addition to the Grand Ole Opry.
Mark was invited by Vince Gill to join the venerable organization during his performance on Dec. 21.
Vince surprised Mark with the invitation, saying, “We at the Opry would like to ask you to become the next member of the Grand Ole Opry. This boy has been the greatest supporter and proponent of what the Opry stands for.”
After hearing the news, Mark dropped to his knees before rising to his feet and saying through tears, “I would love to be the next member of the Grand Ole Opry.”
Mark, whose formal Opry induction will take place on Jan. 11, has earned eight Top 10 hits since launching his career in 1996, including “19 Something,” “Wish You Were Here” and “Don’t Laugh at Me.”
Watch Vince surprise Mark with the invitation to join the Opry.
photo by Chris Hollo for the Grand Ole Opry; Video courtesy of the Grand Ole Opry
A post shared by Michael Ray (@michaelraymusic) on
The man of my dreams got down on one knee earlier this week and asked me to be his wife. @Michaelraymusic you are the most precious example of God’s timing & His love for me. WE ARE GETTIN MARRIED, BABY! 😭❤️ pic.twitter.com/2wLWHYLGjI
Landing in Fla with my Fiancée ❤️
And just wanted to thank everyone for all the kind words of encouragement and Love! It means the world to @carlypearce and I!
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In front of a season-high 19,846, Grant Williams recorded his fourth double-double of the season to guide No. 3 Tennessee to an 83-64 win over Wake Forest in Thompson-Boling Arena Saturday afternoon.
Williams finished the night with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, with 17 of his points coming in the first half. It was Williams third 20-point,10-rebound game of the season. The junior added three blocks and has now recorded multiple blocks in five of his last six games.
Admiral Schofield, Kyle Alexander and Jordan Bone all joined in the scoring act, as all four finished in double figures. The Vols (10-1) quartet finished the night with 71 points, outscoring the Demon Deacons (6-4) entire team by seven points.
Taking a 12-point advantage into the second half, Tennessee quickly stretched the lead to 17 points, scoring on five of the first six possessions. Schofield provided eight points on 4-of-6 shooting in the first six minutes of the half, while Alexander added six points on 3-of-3 shooting.
Alexander made his first seven baskets of the game and finished the night with a career-high 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting to go along with eight rebounds.
Just six minutes into the second half, Tennessee had extended its lead to 20 points and led by as much as 27 in the contest.
After Wake Forest hit a three on its first possession of the game, Tennessee went on an 8-0 run featuring two buckets from Williams. He continued to provide plenty of offense early on as the junior scored 10 points in his first 10 minutes of the floor.
With 8:20 on the clock in the first half, Williams knocked down a jumper from just inside the elbow and converted on the and-one opportunity to give Tennessee a 22-19 edge. From there, Tennessee led the rest of the way. Williams finished the half with 17 points, knocking down all five of his shots from the free-throw line.
The game remained tight in the first until the ball was kicked out to Jalen Johnson on the right wing. Johnson nailed the three to extend the Vols’ lead to 34-25, forcing a Wake Forest timeout at the 3:20 mark in the half.
The Vols extended their lead to 42-30 at the halftime buzzer, allowing just two made baskets from the Demon Deacons in the final seven minutes of the half.
FAST START: With win No. 10 today, this is the quickest Tennessee has reached that mark since the 2007-08 season, when the Vols started the year 16-1 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament.
STARTING IT OFF: Jordan Bone, Admiral Schofield, Grant Williams and Kyle Alexander all finished in double figures, combining for 71 of Tennessee’s 83 points in the game. Jalen Johnson and Jordan Bowden were the only other Vols to find the scoresheet, as they both finished with six points. With a 53.3 percent shooting performance tonight, Tennessee has now shot 50 percent or better in four of the last five games.
GRANT BLOCKS: Grant Williams ended the night with has three blocks, giving him multiple blocks in five of Tennessee’s last six games. He now ranks among UT’s all-time top 10 shot blockers with 124.
HOLDING THEM IN CHECK: Freshman Jaylen Hoard, the Demon Deacons’ second-leading scorer, was held to less than 10 points for the first time this season. Hoard, who was held him to just seven points on 3-of-9 shooting, was named to the Julius Erving Award watch list and is projected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The forward came into the game with five games of 15 points or more. Hoard averages 15.6 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game.
UP NEXT: The Vols are back in Thompson-Boling on Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. ET when they take on Tennessee Tech. That game will also air on SEC Network+.
Coverage of Big Orange Basketball heats up over the holidays as the “The Tennessee Basketball Preview Show” takes to the airwaves. The 60-minute special provides an extraordinary look into the pre-conference schedule of the No. 3-ranked Vols and No. 8-ranked Lady Vols with special emphasis on newcomers, player development, chemistry and a sneak-peak inside the new Thompson-Boling Arena locker rooms.
Tennessee coaches Rick Barnes and Holly Warlick join the Vol Network’s Bob Kesling on-set to recap their respective seasons and look ahead to the coming SEC slate. Much of the show’s content is never-before-seen footage with a behind-the-scenes flare, all made possible by longtime partner, UT Medical Center.
For fans in all quadrants of the state, this Vol Network program is the perfect tone-setter for one of the most anticipated conference schedules in recent memory.
Market Station Date Time
Chattanooga WTVC Ch.9 Sat. Dec 22nd 1:00 p
Knoxville WVLT Ch. 8 Sat. Dec 29th 7:00 p
Knoxville MyVLT Sun. Dec 30th 10:00 p
Memphis WATN Ch. 24 Sat. Jan 5th 11:00 a
Nashville WUXP Ch. 30 Sat. Dec 29th 3:00 p
Tri-Cities EJHL-ABC Sat. Dec 22nd 12:00 p
National/Regional UTsports.com Sun. Dec 30th All Times Local
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Senior wing Meme Jackson fired in 23 points to help No. 9/8 Tennessee head into the holiday break at 9-1 with an 80-61 win over ETSU Friday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Senior Cheridene Green (12 points), sophomore Rennia Davis (11 points and seven rebounds) and freshman Mimi Collins (11 points and six rebounds) joined Jackson as double-digit scorers for the Lady Vols, who bounced back from a loss to No. 8/9 Stanford on Tuesday night.
Jackson notched 21 of her 23 points from beyond the arc on 7-of-12 shooting from deep, tying for the fourth-most treys made by a Lady Vol in a single game. Collins, meanwhile, tallied 10 or more points for the first time in her career at Tennessee.
Freshman Jazmine Massengill led the Lady Vols defensively with nine rebounds, five blocks and a pair of steals. Tennessee held the Buccaneers to 31-percent shooting on the night and won the rebounding battle by a 50-33 margin.
The Lady Vols kicked off the first quarter on an 11-3 run, where they held ETSU to just 1-of-8 shooting from the field. Tennessee tallied five second-chance points in the run and six points in the paint. The Buccaneers cut the Lady Vol lead down to just four points after hitting a 3-pointer at the 3:08 mark. The Lady Vols were outscored 14-13 for the remainder of the quarter, giving the home team a 22-14 advantage going into the second quarter. Davis led Tennessee with nine points and four rebounds in the first quarter.
After allowing six quick points from ETSU to start the second stanza, the Lady Vols held the Buccaneers to 0-of-5 shooting and a three-minute scoring drought. Tennessee shot just 38 percent from the floor, however, leaving the door open for a comeback by ETSU. The Lady Vols went into the half with a 38-28 lead, with half of their points coming from the duo of Davis and Cheridene Green. Tennessee held the Buccaneers to just 30 percent shooting and a 2-of-10 clip from beyond the arc in the first half.
ETSU shot out to a 6-3 run in the third quarter, but a pair of 3-pointers from Jackson put the Lady Vols back on track. Jackson’s third 3-pointer of the quarter gave Tennessee a 53-40 lead with three minutes remaining in the quarter. The Lady Vols went on to hold the Buccaneers to 1-of-11 shooting and a three-minute scoring drought. Tennessee rounded out the third quarter on a 14-2 run, giving the Lady Vols a 62-44 lead going into the final frame. Jackson propelled Tennessee with a total of 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from deep range.
The Lady Vols took their largest lead of the game (23 points) with a layup from Massengill at the halfway point of the final quarter. ETSU had a three-minute interval without a field goal made in the fourth quarter, and the Lady Vols finished out the final five minutes of regulation without a field goal as well. Tennessee wrapped up the 80-61 victory behind a pair of 3-pointers and 45 percent shooting from the floor in the fourth quarter.
Up Next: The Lady Vols will return to action on Friday, Dec. 28, hosting Murray State at 7 p.m. The contest features a Big Orange Friday special where fans can download a “BOGO” Buy One Get One free ticket voucher available exclusively at BigOrangeFriday.com.
M3M3 Jackson: Meme Jackson knocked down a career-high seven 3-pointers against ETSU, tying for fourth-most in a single game by a Lady Vol. She has hit three or more treys in six of ten games this season and 4+ on three occasions. As a junior she was UT’s leading 3-point shooter, hitting 50 during the 2017-18 season. She has already hit 28 this year through 10 games.
Evina Dishing: Westbrook followed up her 10 assists performance against Stanford with nine versus ETSU. If the season ended today, her average of 5.7 apg would be the highest all-time by a Lady Vol sophomore, besting the likes of Dawn Marsh (5.6 apg), Lea Henry (5.4 apg) and Holly Warlick (5.0 apg).
Dropping 20 Again:Meme Jackson posted her second game of 20-plus points this season and the fourth of her career. UT now has had 20-point scorers in its last four games and eight 20-point scorers for the season.
Freshmen Notables:Mimi Collins posted the first double-digit game of her career with a career-high 11 points against ETSU, while Jazmine Massengill led the team in rebounds and blocked shots, recording career highs in both with nine boards and five blocks.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee football program wrapped up the Early Signing Period in style on Friday night when the top prospect in the state of North Carolina, Quavaris Crouch, signed with the Vols.
Crouch racked up 51 tackles and 14 sacks in 2017, while also rushing for 3,246 yards and 33 touchdowns at Harding University High School in Charlotte, N.C. His senior season was cut short due to injury in 2018.
The 6-3, 230-pounder helped lead Harding to the state championship in 2017 and was selected to play in the 2019 All-American Bowl.
“Quavaris is a winner,” Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt said. “He is a leader. He is a guy that can play all four linebacker positions. He is a guy that can help change the program. We are very excited to have him.”
The signing of Crouch gives the Vols 19 signees for the 2019 class.
He is the second member of the 2019 class from North Carolina, joining defensive back Tyus Fields (Cornelius, N.C. / Hough High School).
Crouch is also the third All-American Bowl participant among the Big Orange, joining running back Eric Gray (Memphis / Lausanne Collegiate School) and wide receiver Ramel Keyton (Marietta, Ga. / Marietta High School).
The All-American Bowl will be played on Jan. 5 in San Antonio.
Friday wrapped up the three-day Early Signing Period. The Vols will sign several more prospects on National Signing Day on Feb 6.
ATH Charlotte, NC (Harding University HS) 6’3, 230
Committed 12/21/18
Stars: 4 by 247Sports / 4 by ESPN / 4 by Rivals
Josh Ward’s Analysis: Crouch is a big-time athlete and major get for Tennessee. He could play running back or linebacker in college; he projects as a linebacker at Tennessee. The Vols will welcome his speed and athleticism on defense, something they very much lacked last season.
Highlights from hudl…
ESPN:
Natl Rank: No. 41
Position Rank: No. 3 ATH
State Rank: No. 2 in NC
247 Sports:
Natl Rank: No. 83
Position Rank: No. 2 ATH
State Rank: No. 1 in NC
Rivals:
Natl Rank: No. 30
Position Rank: No. 3 ATH
State Rank: No. 1 in NC
High School
Starred at running back and linebacker in high school at Harding University in Charlotte, N.C.
Selected to play in the 2019 All-American Bowl.
No. 14 on USA Today’s Chosen 25 high school player rankings for the class of 2019.
2017 North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year.
Three-time Class AAA All-State selection by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
2017 MaxPreps Junior All-American.
2017 Charlotte Observer Player of the Year.
Rushed for 3,246 yards and 33 touchdowns while also racking up 48 tackles and 14 sacks as a junior in 2017.
Helped lead Harding University to a state championship in 2017, the school’s first state title since the 1950s.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt announced the addition of transfer defensive lineman Aubrey Solomon on Friday.
Solomon played at Michigan from 2017 to 2018 following a standout prep career at Lee County High School in Leesburg, Ga., where he was rated a five-star recruit and a consensus Top 5 defensive tackle product in the 2017 class.
“Aubrey is a guy that a lot of coaches on our staff knew when he was a young man in high school, and we all recruited him,” Pruitt said. “He can play all three downs. He’s a powerful man. He’s smart. He’s a good student. He has experience, having already played at the collegiate level. He is a great addition to our university and our football program.”
A 6-3, 297-pounder, Solomon appeared in 18 games with the Wolverines, totaling 24 tackles and two TFLs. He had 18 tackles and two TFLs while appearing in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2017 before being limited by injury this past fall.
Solomon tallied 77 tackles, 16 TFLs, 12 sacks and 18 quarterback hurries as a senior at Lee County High School in 2016, leading his prep team to the Georgia Class AAAAAA playoffs. He collected All-USA Georgia First Team honors as a senior and was recognized as the Class 6A Defensive Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2016 in addition to first-team All-America honors from MaxPreps.
Solomon played in the 2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was ranked as the nation’s No. 23 overall recruit, No. 2 defensive tackle prospect and No. 2 player in Georgia in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Lady Vols began the season 8-0 for the second consecutive season and enter Friday night’s contest vs. ETSU ranked No. 9/8 in the country with an 8-1 record. Sophomore guard Evina Westbrook has played a key role in the team’s early-season success, averaging 18.0 points per game and doubling her scoring output from a year ago (8.4 ppg.).
The Salem, Ore., native paced the Lady Vols’ attack with 23 points in a victory over No. 12/12 Texas on Dec. 9 in Austin, Texas, and followed that with a 29-point, 10-assist double-double vs. No. 8/9 Stanford on Dec. 18. She became the first Lady Vol since Candace Parker in 2007-08 to record four consecutive 20-point scoring performances.
In a recent road win at Texas and a home match-up against Stetson, Westbrook averaged 21.5 points, 5.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steal per contest as the Lady Vols stayed unbeaten. The success comes despite UT fielding a team featuring seven freshmen or sophomores among 10 active players.
In the come-from-behind victory over Stetson, in which UT trailed 38-22 at half, Westbrook fueled an offensive attack that outscored the Hatters 43-17 in the final two quarters. Westbrook notched 20 points, while shooting a perfect nine of nine from the free throw line.
Her performances helped her collect SEC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career. She also claimed College Sports Madness SEC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week accolades and Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Women’s Basketball Player of the Week.
The 6-foot guard is shooting 50 percent from the field in nine games this season, easily eclipsing her field goal percentage from a year ago (39 percent). She also has knocked down three-pointers at a 56-percent mark, which nearly doubles her accuracy from her freshman campaign (31 percent).
In 42 career games at UT, Westbrook has been in the starting lineup for every contest. The sophomore guard has improved every aspect of her game from a season ago. She offers some credit to a pair of UT men’s standouts, All-SEC players Admiral Schofield and Grant Williams, whose work ethic she made sure to note and utilize in improving her skill set.
“I play one-on-one with the guys all the time,” Westbrook said. “I played with a men’s AAU team growing up, so I’m used to it. I like learning from them. The success they’ve had these past two years shows the overall work they put in. It helps me do the same thing. We learn from each other.”
A coveted recruit out of high school, Westbrook was the No. 2 overall player and No. 1 guard in the 2017 HoopGurlz espnW Top100. She was part of the nation’s No. 1 signing class for the Lady Vols.
She currently ranks third in the SEC in scoring at 18.0 per game and is fourth in assists at 5.3 per contest. She also stands ninth in field goal percentage (.504) and steals (1.8 spg.) while averaging 29.8 minutes per game.
During the 2017-18 campaign, the 33 games Westbrook started helped set the table for a successful sophomore season. Her 4.3 assists per game a year ago stood as the No. 2 all-time mark by a Lady Vol freshman, and her 12 dimes vs. Troy placed her seventh in the UT record book by any player. Still, there were the typical growing pains, frustrations and nagging injuries that can occur as high school players transition to the college game.
“You don’t realize how much of it takes a toll on you physically and mentally,” Westbrook said. “It’s such an advantage now, knowing the grind of the season.”
Lady Vols’ coach Holly Warlick and assistant coach Dean Lockwood‘s mentorship to Westbrook has helped the Oregon native mold her game, but she also has relied on her parents to critique parts of her game.
“My parents are a very big help,” Westbrook said. “They have been watching me since the first day I picked up a ball. Getting their input, when they see little things in my game, they tell me. These past few games especially have been very important for me.”
Westbrook has shown tremendous improvement in just a season and a half on Rocky Top, and she has helped guide a very youthful squad that has two sophomores and a freshman in the starting lineup. She has helped steer the way for a Lady Vols unit that ranks No. 23 in the nation in scoring at 81.2 points per game.
“None of it could be done without my teammates,” Westbrook said. “It’s a team sport, and none of this could happen without everyone contributing and working together. We don’t like to lose, and we never doubt ourselves. That’s really special about this team.”
Westbrook and the Lady Vols will play their final contest before the winter break at 7 p.m. on Friday, as ETSU comes to Thompson-Boling Arena. The game will be streamed by SECN+. UT returns to action after the break with home games on Dec. 28 (Murray State/7 p.m.) and Dec. 30 (Belmont/2 p.m.) to close out the pre-conference schedule.
UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — For the third time this season, No. 3 Tennessee will take on an ACC opponent Saturday, as the Vols host Wake Forest in Thompson-Boling Arena for the second game of the home-and-home series.
The game will tip at noon and will be televised on ESPN2. It can also be streamed online through WatchESPN. Fans can listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action. Tickets for most remaining Tennessee home games are available at AllVols.com.
Tennessee (9-1) won the first game in the contract, 79-60, at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum last year. Jordan Bowden dropped a team-high 17 points behind a perfect 5-of-5 performance from deep. Admiral Schofield finished with 14 points and six boards in the contest. UT is 2-0 against its other ACC foes this season, defeating Georgia Tech at home and beating Louisville in the first round of the NIT Season Tip-Off.
Wake Forest had a slow start to the year but has started to pick up momentum during the last few weeks. The Demon Deacons (6-3) enter Saturday’s game off a win against a good Davidson team that will compete for a conference title. WF’s leading scorer on the season is junior guard Brandon Childress, averaging 16.8 ppg along with 4.3 apg.
The Vols are currently riding a five-game winning streak. On Wednesday night, the Big Orange came out on top against Samford, who is enjoying one of its best starts in program history. Jordan Bone finished with 24 points and 11 assists–both of which were career highs–and accounted for 47 total points. He’s one of only three Vols all time to post 20 points and 11 assists in a game, joining Allan Houston and Tony Harris.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads the all-time series with Wake Forest 10-2, dating to 1947.
• Dating to 1967, the Volunteers have won four straight in this series. Tennessee was ranked in the AP top 25 for three of those four games.
• The Vols are 110-99 all-time against current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
A WIN WOULD…
• Extend Tennessee’s win streak to six games.
• Extend UT’s home win streak to 15 games. It’s the longest such streak of the Barnes era.
• Preserve Tennessee’s perfect record this season at Thompson-Boling Arena.
STORYLINES
• This is the second game of a two-year, home-and-home contract.
• Wake Forest sophomore center Olivier Sarr is one of Yves Pons’ best friends, and they talk almost every day.
• 2018 SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams (Charlotte) and sophomore wing Jalen Johnson (Durham) are both North Carolina natives, as is Rick Barnes(Hickory).
• This is the 10th ACC game the Vols have played during the tenure of fourth-year head coach Rick Barnes. Tennessee is 6-3 in the previous nine.
• During his 32 seasons as a head coach, Rick Barnes has guided his teams to 105 total weeks in the top 10.
• Many UT students are gone during this holiday break. Tickets for most remaining Tennessee home games are available at AllVols.com.
LAYUPS
• Grant Williams leads the SEC in scoring (19.4 ppg), ranks second in field-goal percentage (.571), fourth in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and seventh in assists (4.4 apg). He also owns the team’s best plus-minus (per 40) rating at +21.27.
• Reigning SEC Player of the Week Admiral Schofield is the SEC’s second-leading scorer (19.0 ppg). He has made multiple 3-pointers in each of UT’s last seven games, with 22 makes during that span.
• Jordan Bone scored a career-high 24 points Wednesday vs. Samford, and his 11 assists led directly to another 23 points.
• Guard Lamonté Turner remains sidelined with a left shoulder injury and has appeared in only three games this season.
• Forward John Fulkerson missed Wednesday’s game vs. Samford with a left shoulder injury but is likely to be available Saturday.
ABOUT WAKE FOREST
• The Vols complete a two-game, home-and-home series with coach Danny Manning and Wake Forest on Saturday.
• Last season, Tennessee traveled to Winston-Salem and captured a 79-60 win, its fourth straight victory in the series and ninth overall.
• From last year’s squad, Wake Forest lost its top three scorers, including Bryant Crawford and Doral Moore to the NBA Draft. Overall, the Demon Deacons had to replace 77.8 percent of their scoring from last season.
• With the departure of several upperclassmen, junior guard Brandon Childress (16.8 ppg, 4.3 apg, 3.4 rpg) is the Demon Deacons’ most productive returnee, leading the team in scoring and assists. Sophomore Chaundee Brown (10.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg), who produced four 20-point games in his first year on campus, will also take on an expanded role this season.
• Wake Forest added six newcomers to its roster, highlighted by a pair of highly-rated freshmen forwards in Jaylen Hoard (15.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Isaiah Mucius (8.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg).
• The Demon Deacons (6-3) enter the game coming off a win over Davidson on Monday night, 67-63. Away from home, Wake Forest is 2-2 on the season and 0-1 when playing on the road.
LAST MEETING VS. WAKE FOREST
• After a slow start on Dec. 23, 2017, the 21st-ranked Tennessee Volunteers rode a hot second half to defeat Wake Forest, 79-60, at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
• The Vols shot 59 percent (17-of-29) from the field in the second stanza as part of a 43-25 lopsided score over the Demon Deacons in the period. Tennessee got its best production from its starters, as a group, this season, as all five reached double-digit scoring to get another road win heading into Southeastern Conference play.
• Guard Jordan Bowden continued his streak of strong performances, dropping a team-high 17 points behind a perfect 5-of-5 performance from deep. Admiral Schofield finished with 14 points and six boards in the contest.
• Jordan Bone took over the game in the second half, using his elite speed and elusiveness to get to the basket or create open shots for his teammates. He tallied 12 points and five assists. Forwards Kyle Alexander and Grant Williams both posted 11 points each.
• After making it a two-possession game with 6:40 left in the contest, UT used an 8-4 run over the next three minutes of play to take a 69-60 lead into the final media timeout.
• Out of the break, the Vols got a huge stop on defense and responded with a Schofield trey from the top of the key to make it a 12-point advantage. The Vols ended the game on a 16-2 run to give the Big Orange their second road win of the season over an ACC opponent (also won at Georgia Tech on Dec. 3).
• Despite a sloppy first half, Tennessee entered intermission with a 36-35 lead over the Demon Deacons behind 46-percent shooting from the floor.
PONS CLOSE WITH WAKE’S SARR
• One of Tennessee sophomore Yves Pons’ closest friends is Wake Forest sophomore center Olivier Sarr.
• Both grew up in France, and they often played against one another before becoming teammates at INSEP Academy and on the French National Team.
• Pons said the two talk with one another nearly every day, as they are both going through the same experiences as international student-athletes.
LITTLE RICKY FROM HICKORY
• A native of Hickory, North Carolina, Rick Barnes has lined Tennessee’s schedule with several opponents located in his home state over the last three-plus seasons.
• Saturday’s Wake Forest clash is UT’s ninth game against a North Carolina-based school during the Barnes era. The Vols are 6-2 vs. teams from his native state.
TENNESSEE RANKS AMONG NATION’S BEST, STATISTICALLY
• Tennessee ranks second in the country with 21.2 assists per game.
• The Big Orange also rank among the top 10 nationally in assist/turnover ratio (3rd, 1.74) and blocks (11th, 5.8 bpg). The Vols rank 11th nationally in field-goal defense (.375).
• According to KenPom, Tennessee ranks ninth nationally in offensive efficiency.
• According to the NCAA’s new NET formula, Tennessee owns the nation’s No. 3 strength of schedule.
THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE CLUB
• Four different players on Tennessee’s roster have combined to record six double-doubles this season.
• Grant Williams leads the way with three. Admiral Schofield, Kyle Alexander and Jordan Bone each have one. Bone’s double-double was the of the points/assists variety.
• Interestingly, Tennessee’s Lady Vols also have four players who have logged double-doubles this season.
• Tennessee is one of only three “Power Five” schools with at least four players who have posted a double-double this season along with Iowa State and Michigan State.
ALEXANDER ELEVATES HIS OFFENSE
• Senior forward Kyle Alexander scored in double figures eight times during his first three seasons as a Vol. This season, he has recorded seven games of 10 or more points.
• The Canadian big man is shooting .623 from the field and averaging a career-best 9.6 points per game.
