No. 5 Vols’ Tough Defense Holds Off Georgia Tech 66-53

No. 5 Vols’ Tough Defense Holds Off Georgia Tech 66-53

Vols F Grant Williams / Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 5 Tennessee capped off its season-opening, three-game homestand with a hard-fought 66-53 win over Georgia Tech at Thompson-Boling Arena Tuesday in front of a crowd of 16,219.

Grant Williams led the way for the Vols offensively, scoring 22 points on 6-for-10 shooting. The junior also grabbed eight rebounds.

Tennessee’s defense was stout the entire night, as Georgia Tech (1-1) finished just 28 percent from the field on 16-for-58 shooting. The Yellow Jackets were limited to 3-of-19 (16 percent) from beyond the 3-point line.

Tennessee (3-0) had three players score in double-digits on the night. In addition to Williams’ 22, Jordan Bone finished with 15 points, while Kyle Alexander posted 12 points and nine rebounds. Jordan Bowden finished with a career-high 11 rebounds to go along with five points.

Tennessee held the Yellow Jackets without a field goal for nearly eight minutes to begin the second half, allowing the first basket at the 12:12 mark. During that stretch, Georgia Tech was 0-for-11 from the field while the Vols built their lead to 12.

For the rest of the contest, Tennessee’s lead never slipped to fewer than seven points.

The Yellow Jackets struck first in the game with a layup on their opening possession, but Tennessee answered and would never trail again the rest of the game.

After converting on five consecutive shots, the Vols jumped out to a 27-15 advantage with 6:59 left until halftime. Williams paced all players in the half with 13 points.

The Big Orange defense started with a strong first-half once again, holding Georgia Tech to 29-percent shooting from the floor and 2-of-13 from three. UT entered halftime with a 33-25 lead.

VOLS VS. ACC: With the victory over Georgia Tech, Tennessee has now won four of its last five games against ACC teams. Tuesday’s win over Georgia Tech also marked the third straight season that the Vols have defeated the Yellow Jackets. The Big Orange are currently set to play two more ACC teams this season, facing Louisville in New York City on Nov. 21 and hosting Wake Forest on Dec. 22.

ON THE CUSP OF 1,000: Exiting Tuesday night, Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield are each within single digits of 1,000 career points. Williams is just a single point away, as entering the matchup with Georgia Tech he needed 23 to reach 1,000. Schofield needs only four points to reach 1,000.

UP NEXT: Tennessee heads to New York City for the NIT Season Tip-Off next week. The Vols open their stay in the Big Apple with a showdown against Louisville on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. ET. UT will play again on Nov. 23, facing either No. 1 Kansas or Marquette.

-UT Athletics

 

Pruitt Recognized as Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week

Pruitt Recognized as Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week

ATLANTA – Tennessee head football coach Jeremy Pruitt was named the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week as announced by officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Tuesday.

The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week award honors the football coach whose program embodies the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also having success on the playing field during the previous week.

Pruitt led the Vols to their second upset victory over a ranked opponent this season with a 24-7 win against No. 11 Kentucky last Saturday at Neyland Stadium. The victory also extended Tennessee’s home unbeaten streak against the Wildcats to 17 games. Pruitt also led UT to a 30-24 win at then No. 21 Auburn back on Oct. 13.

The Vols’ victory over UK was the program’s first over a top 15 team since a win over No. 11 South Carolina back in 2013. The Big Orange held the Wildcats to a season-low seven points as well as their second lowest outputs in rushing yards (77) and total yards (242).

The full release from the Dodd Trophy can be seen HERE.

The Vols will look to earn their third straight win and become bowl eligible this Saturday when they host Missouri for the final game at Neyland Stadium this season.

 

UT Athletics

Hoops Preview: No. 12/12 Lady Vols vs. UNC Asheville

Hoops Preview: No. 12/12 Lady Vols vs. UNC Asheville

Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 12/12 Tennessee hosts the second of three games in eight days, as UNC Asheville visits Thompson-Boling Arena for a 7 p.m. ET contest on Wednesday.

The Lady Vols enter with a 1-0 record after rolling past Presbyterian on Sunday in Knoxville, 97-49. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, come to Rocky Top 0-1 on the heels of a 70-53 loss at Charlotte last Thursday.

This marks the first meeting between these programs, but UT has played closed scrimmages (vs. NC State in 2017 and Duke in 2018) on UNCA’s court in Kimmel Arena the past two years.

After Wednesday’s match-up, the Lady Vols will turn their attention to a 2 p.m. Sunday home tilt vs. the Florida A&M Rattlers.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

  • Mick Gillispie (play-by-play), Madison Blevins (analyst) and Maddy Glab (sideline) will describe the action for the UT-UNC Asheville online broadcast on SECN+.
  • 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.

PROMOTIONS FOR THE GAME

  • It’s WINSDAY! We’re giving away prizes all game long! Enter to win at the Fan HQ table on the concourse at Section 129.
  • Kids 12 & younger can pick up a wristband at the Fan HQ table on the concourse to participate in the pregame High-5 Tunnel. Wristbands are limited. To purchase discounted group tickets and reserve wristbands for your team, call 865-946-7000.
  • Free parking & shuttle service will be available from UT’s Ag Campus. Shuttles begin two hours prior to tip.
  • The UT men’s basketball team used the successful campaign, #FeedTheFloor, a year ago, and this year the Lady Vols will try to reinforce the importance of active, vocal fans with a #SparkTheSummitt initiative. Fans can ignite the home team’s players on their appropriately-named court (The Summitt) with relentless enthusiasm. Fans can give their all for Tennessee, just like the Lady Vols.

LADY VOL ODDS & ENDS

  • This week’s AP Poll has Tennessee ranked for the 100th time during the seventh season of the Holly Warlick era. UT’s Pat Summitt is the all-time leader at 618.
  • Evina Westbrook’s 20 points and seven steals vs. Presbyterian were personal bests, replacing her previous bests of 18 and two from last year.
  • In the opener vs. Presbyterian, Zaay Green became the 22nd freshman in Lady Vol history to start her first game. She finished with 13 points, five steals, four assists and a block in 22 minutes.
  • The Lady Vols improved to 41-4 all-time in openers, including 26-3 at home. They are 6-1 in openers under Holly Warlick, including 4-0 at home.
  • UT went on two lengthy runs vs. Presbyterian, including a 16-0 first-quarter spree and a 13-0 blitz in the third frame.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The Lady Vols have the most wins in NCAA history, standing at 1,345-320 through the Presbyterian game.
  • In her seventh season, Holly Warlick tops SEC coaches in winning percentage in league games (71-25, .740).
  • Only three schools have reached the Elite Eight more than UT (three times) the past six seasons (UConn 6, Notre Dame 5, Baylor 4).
  • Every Lady Vol who has completed her eligibility at UT (136) has gotten a degree and earned the right to sign her name on the “Graduation Pole” in the locker room.
  • Lady Vol legend Chamique Holdsclaw and former assistant coach Mickie DeMoss ran UT’s total in the Women’s BB Hall of Fame to 12 with their induction this summer.

ABOUT UNC ASHEVILLE

  • UNC Asheville is directed by Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, who is in her seventh season at the school and owns an 84-109 record.
  • Mock Kirkpatrick is a 2001 Wake Forest graduate.
  • Associate Head Coach Honey Brown is a 1994 Maryville College graduate who started her career as an assistant at Lenoir City (Tenn.) High School.
  • The Bulldogs return three starters and 12 total letterwinners and welcome three newcomers.
  • UNCA has made the NCAA Tournament field three times (2007, 2016, 2017).
  • The Bulldogs won the Big South regular season title in 2016 and tourney titles in 2007, 2016 and 2017.

LAST YEAR’S BULLDOGS

  • UNCA finished 17-16 overall and 12-6 in league play a year ago, good for third place.
  • Jessica Wall, a 5-6 senior guard, is a preseason All-Big South First Team selection, averaging 10.6 points per game and knocking down 90 three-pointers last year for the Bulldogs.
  • UNC Asheville, which made the WBI field during the 2017-18 postseason, is projected to finish third in the Big South this season.

UNCA’S LAST GAME

  • UNC Asheville opened its 2018-19 campaign with a 70-53 road loss at Charlotte last Thursday.
  • The Bulldogs fell behind 17-6 after one and 40-21 at the half and never got back in it.
  • UNCA turned the ball over 19 times, was out-rebounded 41-32 and was plagued by 0-for-10 shooting from the three-point line.
  • Sonora Dengokl, a 5-9 senior guard who sat out last season, was UNCA’s only player in double figures with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting over 26 minutes.

UT Athletics

CMT Announces 2019 “Next Women of Country” Class & Tour Lineup

CMT Announces 2019 “Next Women of Country” Class & Tour Lineup

CMT revealed its 2019 Next Women of Country class during its sixth annual showcase at Nashville’s City Winery on Nov. 13.

Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild introduced the 2019 class, which included Anna Vaus, Emily Hackett, Ingrid Andress, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Duski, Leah Turner, Rachel Wammack (pictured), Stephanie Quayle and Tenille Townes.

CMT also announced that Cassadee Pope will headline the 2019 CMT Next Women of Country Tour with Clare Dunn and Hannah Ellis. Dates, venues and ticket information will be announced in the coming weeks.

In addition, Maren Morris received CMT’s 2018 Impact Award for her “contributions to songwriting, recording, radio airplay, record sales, streams, media impressions, awards and touring in country music over the past year.

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

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