Former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning hosted his annual Celebration of Caring Gala on March 10 in Indianapolis to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent.
As country star Thomas Rhett entertained the gala-goers, Peyton joined him onstage to duet “That Ain’t My Truck,” a tune TR’s dad, Rhett Akins, took to No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in 1995.
Peyton has performed with Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley and Cole Swindell at previous Celebration of Caring events.
CBS Sports and Turner Sports’ joint coverage of the 2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship will include the return of NCAA March Madness Confidential, providing exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to seven NCAA Tournament teams. This year’s Confidential series features Tennessee, along with Auburn, Clemson, Loyola-Chicago, Nevada, Ohio State and Rhode Island.
Production crews have been embedded with the teams beginning with Selection Sunday and will chronicle their NCAA Tournament journeys. Throughout the Tournament, features will air during studio coverage across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV, as well as on the official @MarchMadnessTwitter and Facebook pages, @MarchMadnessTV, NCAA.com and Turner Sports and CBS Sports social media accounts.
A special documentary titled “10 Years of March Madness Confidential,” highlighting the best moments from the series over the past decade, will air on CBS on Sunday, March 25, from noon-1 p.m. ET.
For the eighth consecutive year, CBS Sports and Turner Sports will provide live coverage of all 67 games from the 2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across four national television networks – TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV – and NCAA March Madness Live. This year’s tournament will tip off with the NCAA First Four™ on truTV presented by Northwestern Mutual, tomorrow, Tuesday, March 13, and Wednesday, March 14, at 6 p.m. on both days. This year’s NCAA Final Four National Semifinals on Saturday, March 31, along with the National Championship on Monday, April 2, will be televised by TBS.
Following back-to-back-to-back No. 1 singles “Sleep Without You,” “In Case You Didn’t Know” and “Like I Loved You” from his 2017 self-titled debut album, Brett Young will try to make it four in a row with his single, “Mercy,” which is currently No. 39 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
The breakup ballad, which was co-penned by Brett and Sean McConnell, features simple piano accompaniment with Brett’s stripped-down vocals that beckon his love interest to end their relationship with “mercy.”
Brett dropped a new video for “Mercy,” which was directed by Seth Kupersmith and filmed over the course of two days in Encino, Calif., and White Sands National Monument in New Mexico.
“‘Mercy’ is one of my favorite songs on the record, so it’s been really cool to see it come to life,” said Brett. “My buddy Seth has always had such a creative and artistic brain—I got chills when I read his idea for this video for the first time. I’m really excited to share this one with fans.”
Kacey Musgraves will embark on a European tour this fall in support of her new album, Golden Hour, which will drop on March 30.
Kacey’s Oh, What a World Tour will kick off on Oct. 21 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and make stops in London, Belfast, Dublin and more.
Pre-sale tickets for the European leg of the tour will go on sale on March 14. General public tickets will go on sale on March 16, with additional global dates to be announced soon.
Kacey is currently on the road with Little Big Town through May 5 as part of their The Breakers Tour. Kacey will join Harry Styles for a number of dates in June and July.
Oh, What a World Tour
Oct. 21
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Melkweg Max
Oct. 23
Bristol, England
Bristol Hippodrome
Oct. 24
York, England
York Barbican
Oct. 26
Nottingham, England
Nottingham Concert Hall
Oct. 27
London, England
Wembley Arena
Oct. 28
Birmingham, England
Birmingham Academy
Oct. 30
Manchester, England
Manchester Apollo
Nov. 1
Gateshead, England
The Sage Gateshead
Nov. 2
Glasgow, Scotland
Armadillo
Nov. 3
Liverpool, England
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Nov. 5
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Belfast Waterfront Hall
Born and raised in Hawaii, JoLivi was inspired by the laid-back sounds of the Aloha State and caught the music bug as a young child from her grandfather. After studying theater at Colorado State University, JoLivi moved to Los Angeles before settling in Nashville, where she has been recording new music, including her recent single, “Vinyl.”
How did you get started playing and performing?
My grandfather was a Hawaiian singer and musician so I’ve been surrounded by music since I was young. I began singing when I was 4 years old.
At what age did you realize you wanted to make music your career?
Before college at Colorado State, I knew music was going to be something I dedicated my life to.
While living in L.A., you had the opportunity to open for Andy Grammar, Gavin DeGraw and Lindsey Stirling. What did you learn from those artists that’s helping you today as you perform for country crowds?
I learned to be more comfortable singing for larger crowds. It was incredible watching the way they captivated the audience. I also got the chance to really learn how shows work behind the scenes on a large scale.
Who are some of your musical influences?
My biggest musical influence is my grandfather. He is the reason I have this voice, and watching him sing was so enchanting. In addition, James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt have been very influential. James Taylor really influences my songwriting. I love the way he tells stories.
What three words describe you as a musician?
Soulful, gritty, ambitious.
What would you say is unique about your sound?
I bring a soulful island flavor.
What does your new single, “Vinyl,” say about you?
This song shows the more playful and fun side of me.
What was the first concert you attended?
Michael Jackson. To this day, it’s the best concert I’ve ever been to.
What’s the last song you heard that blew you away?
Runaway June’s “Wild West.”
What’s the first thing you do after a show?
Take a shot of whiskey.
What’s been your most exciting or unusual fan encounter?
Kiefer Sutherland backstage at the Stagecoach Festival last year.
What’s your favorite song to cover?
“Smoke” by A Thousand Horses.
What family member or friend has been the most supportive of your musical career?
My family has been crazy supportive. My niece—who is now 10—has been singing my songs since she was little. She’s my biggest fan.
All signs have pointed to a return to “The Big Dance” for Tennessee, and Sunday night it became official, as the SEC Champion Volunteers were announced as one of the 68 teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament field.
This is Tennessee’s 21st all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and its first since 2014, when it advanced to its seventh Sweet Sixteen.
Boasting a 25-8 overall record, the Vols earned the No. 3 seed in the South Region and will face Wright State in the first round on Thursday in Dallas.
University of Tennessee students can request NCAA Tournament tickets via BigOrangeTix.com. For general fans, any tickets that are not claimed by Tennessee Fund members will be available for purchase at the start of business Tuesday by visiting AllVols.com, calling 1-800-332-8657 or visiting the UT Ticket Office at Thompson-Boling Arena.
No player on Tennessee’s roster has ever played in the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Rick Barnes, however, is making his 23rd appearance as a head coach. The National Coach of the Year candidate is now one of only 13 head coaches ever to lead four different Division I programs to the NCAA Tournament, as he previously took Providence, Clemson and Texas to The Big Dance.
Admiral Schofield – Vols Forward / Credit: UT Athletics
ST. LOUIS — Despite erasing a 17-point deficit, No. 2-seeded Tennessee fell to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament Championship Game, 77-72, at the Scottrade Center on Sunday afternoon.
All-SEC wing Admiral Schofield led the Vols (25-8) with 22 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. He was Tennessee’s lone representative on the All-Tournament Team.
SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams chipped in 15 points, nine boards, three assists and three steals.
After a corner three by Jordan Bone banked off the glass for a much-needed basket, Tennessee made it a 68-67 game in favor of UK with 1:13 remaining. The Wildcats (24-10) sealed the game, though, after a step-back jumper and a pair of free throws made it 72-67. Bone finished with 12 points and four assists.
The Big Orange were aggressive to start the second half, using a 10-2 run capped off by a three from Schofield to give UT a 41-38 lead at the 16:34 mark.
Kentucky responded with a 14-2 run of its own to gain a 52-43 advantage with 12:29 left, forcing the Vols to call a timeout. Just when it seemed the Wildcats were going to pull ahead, the Volunteers went on a 14-3 run of their own to regain a 57-55 lead, finished by SEC Co-Sixth Man of the Year Lamonte Turner‘s deep three to beat the shot clock. He finished with 10 points and four assists.
Everything was falling for Kentucky in the first half, as the Cats took a 33-16 lead with less than five minutes left in the period. With the game on the line, the Vols responded by going on a 15-3 run to go into halftime down just five at 36-31.
Schofield was the spark behind the run for the Big Orange, dropping 13 points behind three consecutive treys during the final 3:17 of play. He had 17 points and eight rebounds in the half to pace all players.
The Wildcats held a huge advantage on the offensive end, converting on 47 percent (14-of-30) of their field-goal attempts compared to Tennessee’s 28-percent (9-of-32) from the floor. Yet, UT had all the momentum heading into the break after erasing a 17-point deficit.
Shooting would end up being the deciding factor in the game, as Kentucky knocked down 50 percent of its shots while the Vols only shot 37 percent from the field.
THE ADMIRAL TAKES OVER: In the final minutes of the first half, with Tennessee facing a 17-point deficit, All-SEC wing Admiral Schofield got hot offensively to get the Vols back into the game. The junior had 13 points during the last 3:17 of playing in the frame, including three straight threes. He posted 17 points and eight rebounds in the first half and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
UP NEXT: The Vols head to the NCAA Tournament next week and will learn their destination and first-round opponent later today when the selection committee announces the official bracket.
ST. LOUIS — The No. 2 seeded Tennessee men’s basketball will look to win its first SEC Tournament Championship since 1979 on Sunday against fourth-seeded Kentucky at the Scottrade Center. The game tips around 1 p.m. ET and will be televised live on ESPN and streamed online via WatchESPN.
The Volunteers (25-7) claimed a share of the SEC Regular-Season Championship after being picked to finish 13th by select media during the preseason. On Tuesday, UT swept the SEC’s postseason honors, as Rick Barnes won Coach of the Year, Grant Williams won Player of the Year and Lamonte Turner was Co-Sixth Man of the Year. Williams, who was also named First Team All-SEC, joined Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Bernard King as the only Vols to earn SEC POY distinction as underclassmen.
SEC Co-Player of the Week and Second-Team All-SEC honoree Admiral Schofield averaged 23.5 points and 5.0 rebounds last week while delivering from the field (17-34, .500) and the free-throw line (11-13, .846) in victories over Mississippi State and Georgia to clinch a share of the title. In Saturday’s game against UGA, Schofield led the Vols in scoring for the third game in a row with 23 points to help UT comeback from a double-digit deficit to defeat the Bulldogs.
Tennessee won its first matchup of the tournament, defeating seventh-seeded Mississippi State in a hard-fought 62-59 victory in the quarterfinals. Turner led the way with 15 points, eight rebounds and a career-high four steals. Williams posted his first double-double of the season with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. On the night, UT held a 50-33 edge on the glass, including 22 offensive rebounds.
In the semifinals, the Volunteers shot 57.1 percent (28-of-49) from the field in a 84-66 rout over Arkansas. Jordan Bone fueled the Big Orange offense Saturday with 19 points and four assists on the day, while four other players finished with double-digit scoring as well.
UT swept the regular season matchups against Kentucky, including a 61-59 win in Rupp Arena on February 6. The last time UT won the championship (1979) came against the Wildcats and also marked the last time Tennessee went 3-0 against UK in a single season.
THE SERIES
• Overall: Kentucky leads, 153-71
• In Knoxville: UK leads, 52-50
• In Lexington: UK leads, 90-17
• Neutral Sites: UK leads, 11-4
• Current Streak: UT has won two straight
• Last Meeting: Tennessee won, 61-59, in Lexington, 2/6/18
• Rick Barnes vs. Kentucky: 5-4
• Rick Barnes vs. John Calipari: Barnes leads, 6-4
RIGHT NOW
• In its two wins over Kentucky this season, Tennessee has held the Wildcats to 62.0 ppg and owns a +4.5 rebounding margin and a +3.0 turnover margin.
• SEC Co-Player of the Week Admiral Schofield is averaging 19.5 points and 6.7 during UT’s six-game win streak.
• KenPom.com rates Tennessee third nationally in defensive efficiency, behind only Virginia and Cincinnati.
A WIN WOULD…
• Extend Tennessee’s win streak to a season-best seven games.
• Keep the Vols undefeated in rematch games this season. Tennessee is 7-0 in such games.
• Give Tennessee its fifth SEC Tournament title and its first since 1979.
• Mark just the third time a team has posted a 3-0 sweep over Kentucky in a single season. Tennessee did it in 1979, and Florida did it in 2014.
TENNESSEE RIGHT NOW
• Tennessee enters Sunday’s SEC Tournament Championship Game riding a league-best, six-game win streak during which the Vols are allowing only 60.3 points per game while boasting a +10.2 scoring margin.
• The Vols played a home-and-home series against five SEC teams this season: Kentucky, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Georgia. Prior to the season, Rick Barnes stressed the importance of those games to his coaching staff and said the Vols needed to go 8-2 in those contests. Tennessee was better than that—it went 9-1.
• Picked to finish 13th in the SEC during the preseason, Tennessee entered this week’s SEC Tournament as the SEC Champion and ranked 13th in the AP top 25 poll.
SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• Tennessee is 67-53 (.558) in 58 all-time SEC Tournament appearances.
• The Vols own the third-best SEC Tournament winning percentage among league schools, trailing only Kentucky (.841) and Alabama (.559).
• Since the tournament was renewed in 1979, the Vols are 32-38 (.457).
• Tennessee has won the SEC Tournament four times, tying Florida for third-most among league schools. The Vols won the event in 1936, 1941, 1943 and 1979. In three of those tournaments—1941 (in Louisville), 1943 (in Louisville) and 1979 (in Birmingham)—Tennessee defeated Kentucky in the Championship Game.
• UT has reached the championship game 10 times (tied for third-most among league schools), most recently in 2009 in Tampa.
• Tennessee has been the No. 2 seed three times previously at the SEC Tournament. The Vols defeated Auburn and Kentucky to win the tournament as the No. 2 seed Birmingham in 1979. UT beat Vanderbilt before losing to Alabama as the No. 2 seed in 1982 in Lexington. And the Vols fell to Ole Miss in overtime as the No. 2 seed in New Orleans in 2012.
• Tennessee’s all-time record in the state of Missouri is now 4-6. The only cities in which the Vols have appeared are St. Louis (3-1) and Columbia (1-5).
SERIES NOTES
• The Kentucky series is UT’s oldest and most-played among SEC opponents. The Vols and Wildcats first met on Feb. 5, 1910, and have clashed 224 times over the years.
• No program in college basketball has logged more wins over Kentucky than Tennessee (71).
• Kentucky is one of only three SEC schools (along with Alabama and Missouri) to lead its all-time series against the Volunteers.
• Four Tennessee All-Americans were Kentucky natives: Allan Houston, Chris Lofton, Danny Schultz and Paul “Lefty” Walther.
• Tennessee has 14 all-time wins over the Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena, including three straight.
• The Vols have beaten the Wildcats five times at Rupp Arena, posting victories in 1977, 1979, 1999, 2006 and 2018 (a 61-59 win on Feb. 6).
• Kentucky has an 11-4 series edge at neutral sites.
VOLS BEAT CATS THREE TIMES IN 1979
• Beating the Wildcats was three times as nice during the 1978-79 season. UT notched program win No. 900 in Lexington on Jan. 20, 66-55, before topping UK 101-84 in Knoxville on Feb. 17. Then the Vols won the 1979 SEC Tournament with a 75-69 win over UK in Birmingham, Alabama, on March 3.
• Current Vol Network radio analyst Bert Bertelkamp was a junior on that Tennessee team.
• Tennessee’s 2018 SEC Legend, Howard Wood, who is here in St. Louis and was honored during halftime of Tennessee’s win over Mississippi State on Friday, also was a sophomore on that 1979 squad.
LAST MEETING WITH KENTUCKY
• A poised, all-around effort in the closing minutes lifted 15th-ranked Tennessee to a 61-59 victory over 24th-ranked Kentucky on Feb. 6, 2018, at Rupp Arena. The Volunteers have now won six straight games and stand alone in second place in the Southeastern Conference standings.
• The triumph was Tennessee’s fifth all-time win over the Wildcats at Rupp Arena (1977, 1979, 1999, 2006). It also gave the Vols (18-5, 8-3 SEC) their first regular-season sweep over Kentucky since the 1998-99 season.
• SEC Co-Sixth Man of the Year Lamonté Turner drained the go-ahead 3-pointer with 26 seconds left to play and finished as Tennessee’s top scorer on the night with a game-high 16 points.
• Jordan Bowden scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half, while Admiral Schofield and Grant Williams also scored in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
• Neither team led by more than three points until a pair of free throws by Williams gave UT a 50-46 advantage just inside the five-minute mark.
• With Kentucky holding a 58-56 lead, a diving defensive effort on the perimeter by Vols junior Kyle Alexander forced a Kentucky turnover, and rather than call a timeout, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes opted to let the Vols run offense. The decision paid off, as Turner found space to launch the 3-pointer that gave the Big Orange a 59-58 lead.
• Alexander’s final stat line included six points, four rebounds, two blocks and arguably the biggest steal of his career.
• Turner led the Vols with 11 first-half points as Tennessee took a 27-26 lead into the break.
TENNESSEE vs. KENTUCKY IN THE SEC TOURNAMENT
• Tennessee is 4-11 all-time against Kentucky at the SEC Tournament.
• The most recent meeting was an 74-45 Kentucky victory at the 2010 tournament in Nashville. UT was the East No. 3seed, and the Wildcats were the East No. 1 seed.
• Since the tournament was renewed in 1979, the teams have met at the event four times, with Kentucky holding a 3-1 edge.
VOLS HAVE SEVEN WINS vs. CALIPARI
• Since UK coach John Calipari returned to the college game in 2000-01, Tennessee has dealt him eight losses. No team has more wins over Calipari-coached teams during that span.
TEAM WINS
TENNESSEE 8
Florida 8
Louisville 7
Cincinnati 5
Ole Miss 4
Southern Miss 4
ST. LOUIS — Hot shooting propelled No. 2 seed Tennessee to an impressive 84-66 wire-to-wire victory over the sixth-seeded Arkansas in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Scottrade Center.
The Vols (25-7) are advancing to their first SEC Tournament Championship Game since 2009 and will face the fourth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats.
Jordan Bone fueled the Big Orange offense Saturday with 19 points and four assists on the day. He was one of five different Volunteers to score in double figures. Admiral Schofield posted another strong performance with 16 points, seven boards and two assists.
Kyle Alexander, James Daniel III and Grant Williams all added 12 points apiece. Alexander also finished with seven rebounds and two blocks, while Williams had five boards, four assists and a block.
The Vols put on a show offensively, shooting 57.1 percent (28-of-49) from the field. That percentage just narrowly missed Tennessee’s season-high of 57.5 percent at South Carolina on Jan. 20. UT did surpass its season-high for 3-point shooting, making 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from deep.
Despite Arkansas facing a 19-point deficit at the break, the Hogs (23-11) didn’t go away quietly. An 8-0 run pulled the Razorbacks within 11 points with 15:24 remaining in the game. To begin the second half, UT was 1-of-8 from the floor.
Tennessee would not relinquish its lead, though, converting on 14 of its 16 trips to the free-throw line during the frame to halt any possible comeback by the Razorbacks.
The Vols had a hot hand to begin the game, converting on five of their first six shots to take an 11-7 lead into the first media timeout. Bone got things going with a quick jumper to open the game followed by a deep three a few possessions later.
That was just the beginning of UT’s hottest shooting half this season, going 19-of-25 (76 percent) from the field to take a commanding 48-29 lead into halftime. Bone was 7-of-7 from the floor for 17 points in the period.
A 17-2 run opened things up for Tennessee, but the Vols also were stout on the defensive end of the court with six blocks. Daniel and Schofield both chipped in 11 points in the half as well.
ON TO THE ‘SHIP: For the first time since 2009 in Tampa, Florida, the Tennessee Volunteers are advancing to the SEC Tournament Championship Game. After claiming a share of the regular-season title for the first time since 2008, UT will be looking to win its first conference tournament championship since 1979.
HOT HALF: During the first half, UT shot a blazing 76 percent from the floor on 19-of-25 shooting to take a 48-29 lead into half. That marked a season-high for field-goal percentage in a half this season by the Vols, surpassing 71.4 percent against Ole Miss at home on February 2. Tennessee won that game, 94-61.
BONE DOMINATES FIRST HALF: Jordan Bone could not miss from anywhere on the floor during the first half, dropping 17 points on 7-of-7 shooting and 3-of-3 from deep. He also dished out three assists to help UT jump out to a 19-point advantage at halftime.
