MEMPHIS, Tenn. — For the first time since 2013, the Tennessee Volunteers and the Memphis Tigers will face off on the hardwood Saturday as part of a three-game series between the in-state foes.

The game will tip at 12 p.m. ET at the FedExForum in Memphis. ESPN2 will carry the broadcast, which can also be streamed online through WatchESPN. Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.

No. 3 Tennessee (7-1) enters the game on the heels of a 76-73 victory over then-top-ranked Gonzaga. Admiral Schofield was named the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for his career-high 30 points in the performance. The senior wing knocked down a pair of 3-pointers during the final 1:20 of play, including the game-winner with 24 seconds left, to seal the win.

The last time the Tigers (5-4) played a top-3 team at home was in the memorable No. 1 vs. No. 2 game between Memphis and the Vols in 2008, when UT reigned victorious and ended the Tigers’ hopes for a perfect season. The Big Orange leads the all-time series, 44-39, but has dropped the last three meetings.

The matchup is Tennessee’s first true road game of the season, and it’s one that has been highly anticipated by fans from West Tennessee. The game is sold out and will prove to be a great test for the squad before entering conference play in a couple of weeks. However, since the start of last season, the Vols boast 15 wins away from home.

THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Memphis 14-11, dating to 1969.
• The teams have met 12 times in Memphis, with each team winning six games.
• The Vols are 44-39 all-time against current members of the American Athletic Conference.

A WIN WOULD…
• Extend Tennessee’s win streak to four games.
• Give Tennessee four straight wins over in-state opponents, dating to last season.
• Snap UT’s current three-game losing streak to Memphis.
• Give the Vols eight wins in their last 11 games away from home, dating to last season.

STORYLINES
• This is Tennessee’s highest AP ranking since it earned the nation’s No. 1 spot on Feb. 25, 2008. That ranking came after the Vols beat Memphis, 66-62, in the FedEx Forum two days earlier.
• 381 miles of I-40 separate these in-state rivals.
• This is the first meeting since 2013, as Memphis chose to discontinue the series under former coach Josh Pastner. Rick Barnes and his longtime friend Tubby Smith (now at High Point) agreed to renew the rivalry with a three-game contract that includes a game next year in Knoxville and a clash in Nashville in 2020-21.
• Fall semester exams are taking place this week at Tennessee.
• As a team, Tennessee leads the SEC in field-goal percentage defense (.368), 3-point field-goal defense (.296), assists per game (21.1 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (1.8).

LAYUP LINES
• According to KenPom, Tennessee ranks in the top 15 in both offensive efficiency (15th) and defensive efficiency (13th).
• Tennessee has committed fewer turnovers than its opponent in all eight games this season.
• Tennessee’s 21.1 assists per game rank tied for second nationally.
• Grant Williams leads the SEC in scoring (19.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg) and ranks second in field-goal percentage (.574) and seventh in assists (4.6 apg). He also owns the team’s best plus-minus per 40 minutes rating at +23.16.
• Reigning SEC Co-Player of the Week Admiral Schofield leads the Vols with 19 made 3-pointers this season. He has made at least one 3-pointer in each of UT’s last 14 games, dating to last season.
• Guard Lamonté Turner remains sidelined with a left shoulder injury. He has only appeared in three games this season.

UT’s HISTORY VS. PENNY
• During his illustrious two-year collegiate career at Memphis (then Memphis State), Penny Hardaway averaged 20.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.
• He starred for the Tigers during the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons. Memphis State faced Tennessee in each of those years, with the coach Wade Houston’s Volunteers defeating Penny’s Tigers both times.
• On Dec. 14, 1991, Tennessee edged the Tigers, 65-64, at the Great American Pyramid. Allan Houston scored 16 of his game-high 24 points in the second half and sank two free throws with two seconds left to lift UT to victory. Hardaway finished with 21 point and 10 boards.
• On Dec. 6, 1992, Tennessee upset eighth-ranked Memphis State, 70-59, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville. Allan Houston led the Vols with 20 points and became UT’s second all-time leading scorer during the victory (he became No. 1 during the next game, vs. Syracuse). Hardaway led the way for the Tigers with 15 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.

LAST MEETING VS. MEMPHIS
• The Vols made a furious comeback in the second half, but were unable to overcome a 21-point deficit and fell to Memphis 85-80 before 19,535 on Jan. 4, 2013, at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• Memphis was on fire from floor most of the night as the Tigers shot 56.4 while the Vols battled to cut the deficit to four with less than a minute left. But the Vols were unable to overcome the steep margin.
• Jordan McRae had his best game of the season and tallied a then-career-best 26. He was one of four scorers in double-figures. Josh Richardson also had a then-career-high with 20 points and tied his career high with nine boards.
• Kenny Hall had his third-career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Jarnell Stokes added 11 points and nine rebounds.
• Down by as many as 21 with 14:04 left in regulation, the Vols mounted a comeback. McRae canned back-to-back 3-pointers followed by a Richardson jumper to cut the deficit to 13 at 62-49 with 10:38 left. McRae’s fourth 3-pointer of the half—with 9:20 left—cut the margin to 10, 64-54, at the 9:20 mark.
• The loss was Tennessee’s first of the season at home after winning the first six. It was also the Vols’ first regular-season home loss in 13 contests dating to the 2011-12 season.
• Tennessee debuted new adidas orange-on-orange uniforms for its “Orange-Out.” It was just the fifth time the Vols wore orange at TBA.
• Joe Jackson led Memphis with 20 points while Adonis Thomas added 18.
• The Tigers’ 11 blocks were an arena record for a UT opponent (has since been broken).

RECENT VOLS-TIGERS CLASHES MEMORABLE
• Will Barton scored 17 first-half points to propel No. 8 Memphis to a 10-point halftime lead at the 2011 Maui Invitational, but Tennessee rode forward Jeronne Maymon in the second half to force overtime, and the Vols eventually fell in double overtime by a score 99-97 on Nov. 22, 2011. Maymon drew national attention with his gutsy 32-point, 20-rebound performance. He grabbed nine offensive rebounds, shot 8-of-15 from the floor and went 16-for-17 at the free-throw line.
• On Jan. 5, 2011, the Volunteers had their highest point total ever in the Memphis series when they defeated the 21st-ranked Tigers 104-84 (first time in the series either team exceeded 100 points). It was also the most points allowed by the Tigers in a regulation game since the 1987-88 season (112-104 loss to Virginia Tech on March 5, 1988).
• Tennessee’s win over Memphis at the FedEx Forum in 2010 snapped a 23-game home win streak for the Tigers.
• When the Tigers and Vols met in Memphis on Feb. 1, 2008, they were ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the national polls. In what was the most-watched college basketball game in ESPN history (5.28 million viewers), Tennessee toppled Memphis 66-62 to earn the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking.

VOLS SUCCESSFUL ON THE IN-STATE CIRCUIT
• Tennessee has won its last three games against in-state opponents and is 9-4 vs. in-state foes under coach Rick Barnes.
• Those nine wins include triumphs over ETSU (twice), Tennessee State, Vanderbilt (three times), Tennessee Tech and Lipscomb (twice).

VOLS LOGGED SIGNATURE WIN OVER TOP-RANKED GONZAGA
• Admiral Schofield exploded for a career-high 30 points—with 25 coming in the second half—to lift Tennessee past No. 1-ranked Gonzaga in Phoenix on Dec. 9. Schofield also drained a career-high six 3-pointers.
• Tennessee held the high-powered Bulldogs to 73 points. On the season, Gonzaga ranks third in the country with a scoring offense of 94.1 points per game.
• Schofield became just the second Vol ever to score 30 or more points against the nation’s top-ranked team.
• Grant Williams flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists before fouling out with 2:30 left to play.
• The win was Rick Barnes‘ first head coaching victory over the nation’s top-ranked team, and it marked Tennessee’s fifth all-time win over the nation’s No. 1 team. All-American Carl Widseth scored 32 in a triumph over No. 1 Kentucky on Jan. 23, 1954).
• Jordan Bone dished out nine assists (that led directly to 25 points) and also scored five points on his own.
• The Bulldogs were led by Rui Hachimura (21 points, eight rebounds) and Brandon Clarke (21 points, nine rebounds).
• This season marked the first time in program history that Tennessee played multiple opponents ranked in the top five of the Associate Press poll before the start of conference play. Tennessee fell in overtime to No. 2 Kansas in New York City on Nov. 23 before upsetting top-ranked and previously unbeaten Gonzaga.
• Following the win, Tennessee was named the NABC Division I National Team of the Week, and Schofield was named the Oscar Robertson National POW.

ROAD WARRIORS
• Dating to the start of last season, Tennessee has won 15 games away from home.
• That includes victories this year over Louisville and Gonzaga (both at neutral sites).

UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee punter Joe Doyle was named to the USA Today Sports’ Freshman All-America football team on Wednesday, making the 25-man list of college football’s brightest up-and-coming stars.

The list features freshmen standouts such as Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Purdue wide receiver Rondale Moore and Alabama defensive back Patrick Surtain II. Doyle was one of four players chosen from the Southeastern Conference, joining Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, Georgia offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson and the aforementioned Surtain. The complete list of USA Today Freshman All-Americans can be found HERE.

Tennessee has had a player earn Freshman All-America honors in five of the past six years. In that span, Vols that have been named freshman All-Americans include Marquez North and Cameron Sutton (2013), Derek Barnett, Evan Berry and Jashon Robertson (2014), Chance Hall (2015) and Trey Smith (2017). With Doyle’s selection, UT has had a player garner USA Today Freshman All-America accolades in back-to-back seasons after Smith did so last year.

Doyle, a redshirt freshman, led the SEC in total punting yards with 2,673 and tied for second in the conference with 23 punts inside the 20, a figure that was also tied for second nationally among freshman. Despite punting a league-leading 65 times, Doyle allowed just eight returns for a total 15 yards, the fewest by any full-time punter in the SEC.

The Knoxville native boomed 12 punts of 50 yards or longer as well, with a long of 71 yards in Tennessee’s game at Georgia on Sept. 29. His 41.1-yard average ranked second among all Power 5 freshmen punters and earned him a spot on the Final Candidate List for the 2018 Ray Guy Award.

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The clock read 6:15. A sea of fans clad in red and navy blue roared in reaction to an alley-oop from Rui Hachimura to Brandon Clarke that gave No. 1 Gonzaga its largest lead of the game at 64-55.

The Bulldogs were the top-ranked team for a reason, boasting one of the most efficient (.530 FG%/No. 1) and high-scoring (96.4 ppg/No. 2) offenses in the country. On the flipside, the Volunteers owned the No. 4 field-goal percentage defense in the nation, holding opponents to just under 36 percent shooting on the year.

This was a clash between two of college basketball’s best teams. It felt like a game contested in the second or third weekend of March Madness, not on a Sunday in December.

After the seventh-ranked Vols cut Gonzaga’s lead to three, Clarke’s basket capped off a 6-0 run as the Bulldogs extended what may have seemed like an insurmountable lead. Although UT only needed three shots to even the score, the Zags’ offense was shooting 50 percent from the floor at the time and showed no signs of letting up. Tennessee’s defense was bending; was it on the verge of breaking?

Throughout the entire period, the Big Orange had struggled to consistently knock down shots, connecting on only two of its 13 attempts during one stretch. The feeling of “now or never” was beginning to set in as the time ticked off the clock.

Insert Admiral Schofield. The senior from Zion, Ill., started the game shooting 3-of-13 for seven points. When the Vols needed someone to step up, he answered the call and put the team on his back in final minutes.

The All-SEC wing erupted for 25 points in the second half behind five 3-pointers. At one point in the middle of the frame, he rattled off 12 consecutive points for UT, but that was just the beginning. With the game on the line, Schofield outscored Gonzaga’s high-caliber offense, 11-5, over the course of the final 3:17.

The performance certainly didn’t come without drama. With 1:20 left in the game, Schofield went mobile and dribbled once between his legs to size up the shot. He launched from behind the NBA 3-point line. After what felt like an eternity in the air, the ball banked off the glass for a clutch three. The fans clad in orange and white in Talking Stick Resort Arena erupted. It was the first time the Vols had led since the opening bucket to begin the second half.

A pair of free throws tied the game at 73-73 with 45 seconds left. There was no question who was getting the ball for the final shot. Schofield set a screen and moved to the top of the key. Point guard Jordan Bone drew two defenders and kicked it back to Schofield, who caught the pass and immediately took aim from behind the NBA 3-point line once again as Hachimura tried desperately to recover.

Bottom! Or “Money,” if you prefer.

With ice in his veins, Schofield delivered the final blow. 76-73, Tennessee.

He finished with a career-high 30 points. Tennessee’s hardwood titan knocked down three of his career-high six 3-pointers in the final 3:17 to power the Vols past the top-ranked Bulldogs. The performance earned him the prestigious recognition of Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week by the United State Basketball Writers Association. He was also named the national player of the week by NBC Sports and College Sports Madness along with SEC Co-Player of the Week and TSWA Player of the Week honors.

Rightfully so, Schofield garnered nationwide headlines, but all nine Vols who played were crucial to the outcome.

Reigning SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams posted his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Neither his points nor his rebounds were what stood out after it was all said and done. You could argue it was his career-high seven assists—or possibly his self-sacrificing, basket-saving defensive effort that earned him his fifth foul.

As Gonzaga was speeding toward a fast break opportunity, Hachimura brought the ball up the court all the way to the free-throw line. Tennessee’s defense collapsed on him to take away a shot, leaving Clarke wide open under the basket. Bodies went airborne followed by a whistle. Williams had just fouled out with 2:30 remaining. The play signified the importance of each possession. With the game in crunch time, every possession mattered more and more.

The Vols rose to the occasion. After the Bulldogs’ Corey Kispert sent a layup high off the glass to make it a five-point game with 4:16 remaining, the Tennessee defense didn’t surrender another field goal for the rest of the game. With two looks to try and force overtime in the final 24 seconds, Gonzaga collided with a UT defense that made its final stand and shut the Bulldogs down.

Knoxville native Jordan Bowden, who injured his foot in practice just two days earlier, was pivotal in the final seconds. He was the Vol tasked with guarding Zach Norvell Jr., the 2018 West Coast Conference Newcomer of the Year and Zags’ second-leading scorer. The first-team All-WCC guard had already scored 13 points in the second half, including a pair of threes.

After Schofield’s final shot, Gonzaga turned to its most potent 3-point threat. Norvell got the ball on the left wing, but Bowden was in position and ready to deny any chance of a clean look. Norvell pulled, but Bowden’s tight defense was enough to affect the shot. On the next possession, Hachimura came down the court and instantly looked for Norvell, but once again, Bowden was in position to deny the pass. That denial—drilled during every practice for Tennessee—forced Hachimura to take an off-balance, last-chance attempt that was far off the mark.

Bowden’s offense also was crucial in the win. He hit three momentum-shifting 3-pointers in the second half when UT’s offense was in danger of going stagnant. Bone, meanwhile, facilitated the offense to perfection as the Vols connected on eight of their final 10 shots and had 22 assists on 29 baskets. Bone, who finished with nine assists, found five teammates for open shots in the final six minutes.

Tennessee was +16 when senior big man Kyle Alexander was on the floor. Yves Pons, who played a career-high 25 minutes, was tasked with guarding some the country’s top offensive playmakers in only his third career start. With the Zags’ offense rolling in the first half, John Fulkerson, Jalen Johnson and Derrick Walker all came off the bench and provided productive minutes Not only did they keep UT in the game, they gave the Big Orange a lead going into halftime.

The resilient effort by Tennessee earned the program its fifth all-time win against the nation’s top-ranked team. The Vols reigned victorious in a championship-caliber game against a perennial power—something that had eluded them the past two years.

And head coach and future Hall of Famer Rick Barnes checked yet another box on the to-do list for his Tennessee Basketball Master Plan.

UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee softball co-head coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly announced the addition of eight newcomers as part of the Lady Vols 2019 signing class.

“I am very happy to introduce these exceptional student-athletes to our fan base,” said co-head coach Ralph Weekly. “We knew when we started recruiting this class we wanted a lefty pitcher, utility players who can hit and pitch, more power, and at least two very good middle infielders.  These eight players provide all of that and more. Seven of the eight play multiple positions and play them well. They are also very good students who are dedicated to academic success.”

The Lady Vols have the top recruiting class in 2019 according to Extra Inning Softball and FloSoftball. Tennessee has seven players ranked in the FloSoftball Hot 100 and six players in the Extra Inning Softball Extra Elite 100 – including five players in the Top 50 of FloSoftball.

Amanda Curran, Anna Fox, Anna Hazlewood, Caitlyn McCrary, Kiki Milloy, Callie Turner, Madison Webber, and Josie Willingham comprise the Lady Vols’ signing class.  All eight newcomers will be eligible for competition starting with the 2019-20 academic year.

Amanda Curran | 6-0 | UT/P | Woodlands HS | Woodlands, Texas
Travel Ball Teams: Texas Threat and Tennessee Fury Platinum

• No. 46 FloSoftball Hot 100
• No. 122 Extra Inning Softball
• 2019 Texas TGCA All-State
• 2018 TCS Nationals Champion
• 2018 Texas District 16-6A MVP
• 2017 USA Elite Select S30 All-American
• 2016, 2017 & 2018 Academic All-District Softball Player
• 2016, 2017 & 2018 Honor Roll
• Member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Member of National Honor Society

Anna Fox | 5-6 | SS/OF | Zion Christian Academy | Columbia, Tenn.
Travel Ball Team: Alabama Sparks Elite

• 2018 Maury County Player of the Year
• 2018 Maury County Female Athlete of the Year
• 2018 DII-A Middle Region District 1 Tournament MVP
• 2017 Maury County Co-Player of the Year
• 2016 Tennessee All-Midstate high school softball team
• 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018 Tennessee All-District 7-AAA team
• 2015, 2017 & 2018 Tennessee All-District 7-AAA Tournament Team
• Placed fifth at the 2017 PGF Premier Nationals
• 2016 All-Star Team Award at the Colorado Sparkler Tournament
• Tennessee Sportswriters All-State Selection
• Member of the National Honors Society, National English Honors Society and the National Science Honors Society
• Member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes

Anna Hazlewood | 5-11 | P/1B | Westview HS | Martin, Tenn.
Travel Ball Team: Alabama Sparks Elite

• No. 114 Extra Inning Softball
• 2016, 2017 & 2018 PGF Nationals
• 2016, 2017 & 2018 Team MVP
• 2016, 2017 & 2018 All-District and All-Tournament Team
• 2016, 2016 & 2018 All-Academic Team
• 2016 District Rookie of the Year
• Member of the National Beta Club

Caitlyn McCrary | 5-8 | 3B | Siegel HS | Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Travel Ball Team: Alabama Sparks Elite, Birmingham Thunderbolts and Franklin Flames

• No. 54 FloSoftball Hot 100
• No. 60 Extra Elite 100
• 2018 Second-Team All-State
• 2017 & 2018 All-District Team
• 2016, 2017 & 2018 All-District Tournament Team
• 2017 District Defensive Player of the Year
• Member of 2016 Class 3A state runner-up team
• 12u World Series and State Champions (Good Hope Elite – Alabama)
• 10u Tennessee State Champions (Worth 01)
• 10u Third-Place World Series (Worth 01)
• 12u Tennessee State Champions (Franklin Flames)
• 12u ASA National Runner-up (Franklin Flames)
• 14u Fifth-Place PGF Premiere National Championship (Birmingham Thunderbolts)
• 16u PGF Platinum Runner-Up National Champions (Birmingham Thunderbolts)

Kiki Milloy | 5’10 | OF/P | Redmond HS | Woodinville, Wash.
Travel Ball Teams: Beverly Bandits

• No. 2 FloSoftball Hot 100
• No. 12 Extra Elite 100
• 2018 MaxPreps HS All American
• 2018 Seattle Times All-Area Team MVP
• 2018 Kingco 3A League MVP
• 2018 All-State First Team Selection
• 2018 All-State selection (pitcher)
• 2017 Kingco 3A League & Team MVP
• 2017 Seattle Times All-Area Team
• Member of the 2017 Kingco 3A State Championship team
• 2017 3A Academic State Champions
• 2017 SeaKing District Champions
• 2017 WIAA State Athlete of the Week (5/14/17)
• 2016 Kingco 4A Honorable Mention

Callie Turner | 5’10 | P | Land O’Lakes HS | Land O’Lakes, Fla.
Travel Ball Teams: East Cobb Bullets

• No. 14 FloSoftball Hot 100
• No. T-11 Extra Elite 100
• 2018 Triple Crown National Championship – high school
• 2018 First-Team Extra Inning Softball All-American
• 2018 Florida 6A Pitcher and Player of the Year
• Member of the 2018 TC/USA Nationals championship team
• Member of the 2017 state championship team and 2018 state runner-up team

Madison Webber | 5’7 | 1B/OF | King’s Academy | Sevierville, Tenn.
Travel Ball Teams: Tennessee Fury

• No. 27 FloSoftball Hot 100
• No. 34 Extra Elite 100
• 2018 First-Team Extra Inning Softball All-American
• 2018 All-District
• 2018 Co-Player of the Year
• 2018 All-Region
• 2018 All-County
• 2016, 2017 & 2018 All-State selection
• Member of 2017 & 2018 state championship teams
• Member of National Honor Society

Josie Willingham | 5’6 | SS/C | South Side HS | Jackson, Tenn. 
Travel Ball Teams: Tennessee Fury Platinum

• No. 79 FloSoftball Hot 100
• No. 81 Extra Elite 100
• 2018 All-State team (shortstop)
• 2017 All-State team (catcher)
• Two-time All-Region & All-District selection in volleyball
• Member of two-time Atlanta Legacy championship team
• Member of Triple Crown Fireworks runner-up team
• Member of the National Beta Club

UT Athletics