LEXINGTON, Ky. – A poised, all-around effort in the closing minutes lifted 15th-ranked Tennessee to a 61-59 victory over 24th-ranked Kentucky Saturday night 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 Sixth Man of the Year candidate Lamonte 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.
Knoxville native 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.
A putback basket in transition by Kentucky’s Jarred Vanderbilt tied the game at 50 inside the four-minute mark, and a Tennessee turnover coming out of the final media timeout then enabled Kentucky’s top scorer, Kevin Knox, to complete a three-point play that gave the Wildcats a 53-50 lead with 3:17 to play.
Kentucky (17-7, 6-5 SEC) retained its lead until the 1:53 mark, when Williams knotted the score at 56 with two free throws. But Wildcats guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—who finished with 15 points, six rebounds and six assists—put the Wildcats back on top by two with a floater in the lane.
Moments later, 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.
A breakaway slam dunk by Schofield off Kentucky’s 15th and final turnover of the night made the final score 61-59 and ran the Volunteers’ win streak to six games.
Powered by a 3-for-4 performance from 3-point range, Turner led the Vols with 11 first-half points as Tennessee took a 27-26 lead into the break.
Both teams struggled to find any rhythm on the offensive end during the first 20 minutes, which featured nine lead changes. Tennessee entered the game ranked sixth in the nation in defensive efficiency, and for the first 10 minutes of action, the Vols looked the part, forcing five turnovers and holding Kentucky to 1-of-9 shooting.
Alexander totaled four points, two rebounds and two blocks in the first half despite playing just six minutes before heading to the bench with his second foul. Alexander’s absence in the paint late in the half enabled Kentucky to make six of its final seven field-goal attempts heading into the break.
Alexander’s final stat line included six points, four rebounds, two blocks and arguably the biggest steal of his career.
UP NEXT: The 15th-ranked Volunteers remain on the road this weekend, traveling to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to face the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday at 6 p.m. ET (SEC Network).
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE: During Tennessee’s current six-game win streak, the Vols have not allowed an opponent to score more than 63 points. The Vols’ scoring defense during the streak stands at 58.5 points allowed per game.
VOLS SWEEP RIVALS: Tennessee has now completed the regular-season sweep of “permanent opponents” Vanderbilt and Kentucky this season. Tennessee’s third permanent opponent is South Carolina. The Vols defeated the Gamecocks last month in Columbia and host the Gamecocks at Thompson-Boling Arena next Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 9 p.m. ET. Tickets remain available by visiting AllVols.com or calling the UT Ticket Office at 1-800-332-8657.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Despite not starting a game for the Vols this season, sophomore guard Lamonte Turner is Tennessee’s third leading scorer, averaging 11.0 ppg overall and 12.6 ppg in SEC play. Turner has come off the bench to score 15 or more points seven times and has scored 20 or more points four times this season.
Jaime Nared – Lady Vols Forward / Credit: UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Head Coach Holly Warlick and Tennessee senior Jaime Nared met with members of the media before practice on Wednesday. The No. 11 Lady Vols (19-4, 7-3 SEC) are preparing to face Arkansas (12-11, 3-7 SEC) in Fayetteville on Thursday night.
Answering questions from the media, Warlick talked about Nared and Anastasia Hayes receiving SEC Player and Freshman of the Week accolades, respectively, and what she expects to see out of Arkansas. Nared discussed her role as a leader on the team and her performances against Texas A&M and Vanderbilt that garnered her SEC Player of the Week and College Sports Madness SEC and National Player of the Week recognition.
Tennessee vs. Arkansas is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. CT (8 ET) on SECN+.
On having two SEC Players of the Week:
“I love it. They’re two kids that work hard. Jaime went through a little stretch that she struggled a little bit, but she didn’t let that affect the other parts of her game. This last week she was awesome, and Anastasia had the chance to show what she can do. I’m really proud of them; they’ve worked hard, and I think the games that they played in show it, and I’m so I’m excited for them.”
On the difference in Jaime Nared over the last couple of games:
“I think she’s understanding that she can get points. At Vanderbilt, she rebounded like crazy, and we needed her to, but a lot of times players will focus on just the offensive end, and I think Jaime understands the importance of the complete game. Once she got past worrying about missing a shot or two, she really focused in on her defensive rebounding. That’s just the type of player she is. She’s going to find a way to figure it out, and she did.”
On Anastasia Hayes being a boost off the bench:
“I love her coming off the bench. She’s something that the other teams don’t see. She’s a penetrator. She’s fast, she can shoot the three and can go to the basket. She gives us that extra boost, and she gets to sit on the bench with the coaches and watch what’s going on and see how the game is going. I think she is so powerful coming off the bench for us.”
On the last time Tennessee had a point guard with as much speed as Hayes:
“Gosh, Shannon Bobbitt? She reminds me a lot of Shannon Bobbitt; she can do those types of things. Her foot speed, her first steps probably are a little bit quicker than Shannon.”
On if Jaime Nared feels like she has a list of objectives to accomplish in each game:
“Here’s what’s great about Jaime: she doesn’t go in the game thinking she has to do all that. She just goes in and thinks about competing and making sure that the team is where they need to be. I don’t think she overloads herself with that stuff. When she steps back and looks at it, I’m sure she does, but she loves to play, she loves to compete, and in her mind that’s all she’s doing. She’s going out, and she’s going to compete, and that’s probably where she needs to keep it.”
On if Nared’s recent struggles affected her leadership:
“I don’t think so; not to the extent that it affected the team. She was worried about herself more than the team, but it didn’t show. In practice, she continued to work hard; in games, she continued to work hard. I think in the games you could see that if she missed a shot she would get down on herself, but she continued to rebound and play defense so I didn’t really notice it that much.”
On Anastasia Hayes being a quiet player and if she’s more vocal in practice:
“She’s not. If I were her, I’d be screaming and yelling and hollering, but she’s a quiet kid, and she does it through her actions. She does get excited, but that’s just how she plays. I want her to be more vocal because she’s our point, but when she steps up her defense and gets after it and causes turnovers, it just feeds our team full of energy. We press, and then we steal, and she’s just giving us a tremendous lift, and at times, it’s a very appropriate time when she takes her game to another level because we need it.”
On what else she would like to see out of Hayes:
“(I’d like to see her) just continue to play as hard as she can defensively. She’s a really good defender when she stays down in the stance. She had a couple of rebounds at Vanderbilt that were key, so I’m not expecting her to be a dominant rebounder, but grabbing the rebounds when she can and just continuing to run it and push the ball, attack, and make people have to play on their heels against us.”
On if she has to make concessions in practice for Russell and Nared since they’re playing so many minutes each game:
“Not a whole lot. We, as a team, probably don’t go up and down (the floor) as much now that we’re in the SEC season and we’re in a cycle. But I will pull them out (sometimes). If they had it their way, they would go every rep, so I sometimes pull them out, and they can go every other rep and get someone else in that needs a little bit more reps than they do. I’m mindful of it, but we don’t really make a big deal out of it because they want to be in, and they’re great examples, but we do kind of watch it.”
On what she expects out of Arkansas:
“They beat Alabama in Alabama. They’ve been in a lot of games that people didn’t think they should have been in, but the team is willing to learn, and I think they’re accepting his (Mike Neighbors’) philosophy, and they play hard. I’ve said all along that when a team plays hard, it’s a difficult team. When we play hard, we’re a hard team to play against too, so it’s about the effort and what you’re going to bring to the table for that game.”
On the number of three-point shots Arkansas takes each game making them dangerous:
“Absolutely. Especially when they shoot the three, they have penetrators, so it’s difficult. You take away the three, and then they penetrate on you. And for us, we don’t want to get a lot of rotations, so when we start rotating our defense, that’s where they’ll kick out for an open three, or we’ll miss a box out. Our job for the next two days is to try and keep people in front of us, and not let them shoot an open three, and not let them get to a basket that’s uncontested. It sounds simple, and it can be simple, but it’s difficult, and we’ve got to continue to work on it, and we’ve got to do it in games.”
On what’s been the toughest thing personally for her this season:
“I think just being that consistent leader; I think being somebody that brings it every day, as far as vocally and in practice, and just everything every single day. It hasn’t been as tough, it’s been just more of a challenge. I like being able to lead for our team.”
On what has been the biggest challenge of her leadership role:
“Just being ready every day despite everything that goes on; just being tough and never letting games affect the way you are and the way you lead. It’s something that I like about being a leader, and it’s something I have embraced this year.”
On if her leadership role was going as expected:
“It’s about what I thought. I knew it would be tough. Last year I did it a little bit, but I know my role has expanded a little bit more this year… I have liked it because our team has made it easier this year helping me a lot; our freshmen have helped and so has Mercedes (Russell).”
On breaking out of her shooting slump:
“I wouldn’t say I broke out of it. I made the game easier by getting offensive rebounds, making easy passes and not making the game harder than what it is. I think that’s what got me in the slump. I think when you get down, and you’re losing games, which is the biggest thing for us, you kind of have to evaluate what you’re doing and what you need to get better at. I think by taking a step back, looking at film, watching film with coaches and by myself, and staying in the gym – I always stay in the gym that’s not a question – so, just evaluating what you’re doing to keep getting better.”
On improvement over the last couple games:
“I mean basketball is a simple game. You can kind of overcomplicate it if you don’t just play the way you’re capable of playing. I think I just kind of overcomplicated it for a second. I think we got sidetracked from what we were doing at the beginning of the season, which is why we kind of struggled for that little stretch. I think we’re figuring it out and getting better and better every game again. And that’s what we want to see right now.”
On determining good shot selection based on film:
“I mean, there are good shots for different people. I think different people have a different opinion on what’s a good shot for them and what’s a good shot for another person. A good shot for Mercedes is in the paint, and a good shot for E (Evina Westbrook) may be an outside pull-up, so it’s different for each person. When you take a step back and kind of see the film and see what you’re capable of doing and what you have been doing, you kind of have to compare, and I mean you see your shots. Once you see them… I have a high basketball IQ, I would say, so when I watch film with the coaches, we talk through it. We kind of discuss what’s a good shot and what’s not a good shot. And kind of (talk about) what to do to make that shot a better shot, or how to make a pass for a better shot for somebody else.”
On what’s a good shot for her:
“I mean, I’m not one to force shots, really, and I think I did a little bit in that period (start) forcing shots. I think we all started to force things that we weren’t normally shooting. Our best games are when we’re working together, moving the ball, cutting hard, and playing great defense. So easy shots for us, we can get wide open shots if we work the ball around and penetrate and kick, because we have so many different players and people that are capable creators for each other.”
On why the team was forcing shots during that stretch:
“I think we all just… they were big games. We all want to win big games. That’s just us, we want to win big games, and any game in general. But I think when the games were tougher, we started pressing. We knew we had to score and put the ball in the basket. Especially when we had little slumps of like four minutes without scoring, stuff like that. We kind of just started pressing. And that’s something you have to take a step back and look at, and kind of just fix.”
On if the team has focused on things like defense to break out of slump:
“Yeah, I mean, that’s something we can control. Sometimes you’re going to miss shots, but you can control your defense. In the A&M game, we collectively played defensively. I think there were stretches where we didn’t box out, but for the most part, we played well collectively defensively. I mean, that’s just something we can control as a team. It’s not something I specifically focus on.”
On focusing on things like rest considering the heavy minutes she’s playing:
“Yeah, there are a few of us that are playing a lot of minutes. I think always you have to get rest, take care of your body, and get in the cold tub. That’s what players that play for a long time do. When I think of NBA players, I think my Dad told me that Dirk Nowitzki cold-tubbed for 20 minutes every day after practice. So, I think the players that last the longest in this game take care of their body, so that’s of course important.”
On any advice that she’s received from any coaches or assistants:
“I watched film with Dean [Lockwood] after the Mississippi State game, and we just dissected film. We were probably in film for two and a half hours, just watching my shots, and (finding) different things I could do better to help my team. And that’s great. That’s what I ask for as far as a player. If you’re not playing well, or your team isn’t winning games, you have to find different people and different things that you can get better at.”
On leading the team when struggling personally or in games:
“You can’t take a second to look at yourself, because everybody is looking at you to lead them. So, I mean that’s not something that I feel like I do, because I know that I want everybody to do well. I think the biggest things is always being somebody that everyone can come to and communicate with. Even when I’m struggling, nobody will ever see that.”
On the freshmen continuing to play a large role down the stretch:
“[Anastasia Hayes] just got freshman of the week. They have really taken the challenge of freshman year and have just done so well. I’m really really proud of them. I think they all have just… even when times were difficult, when we went through that little stretch, they’re still working hard, and they’re super coachable, and they just work well. They work hard, and that’s what you want out of players in general, especially as freshmen. Even when they haven’t played well, they didn’t let that affect the next game, and I mean that’s what you ask of them. They’re great people, and they just keep getting better.”
NFL.com has 333 participants listed for 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. The Southeastern Conference leads all conferences with 70 players invited.
NFL Network will have live coverage of the combine from March 2-5.
Kelly and Daniel will participate in on-field workouts on March 2 with the running backs, offensive linemen, placekickers and special teams participants. McKenzie joins his fellow defensive linemen and linebackers for on-field workouts on March 4 and Gaulden will work out with the defensive backs on March 5.
Daniel added to Tennessee’s long tradition of elite punters. He completed a stellar college career with an outstanding 2017 senior campaign in which he ranked second in the nation with a 47.5-yard punting average (a UT single-season record) with 28 pinned inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and 33 going for 50 or more yards. On Sept. 5, 2017, he was named the Ray Guy Punter of the Week following his performance against Georgia Tech on Sept. 4 when he punted six times for a 47.0-yard average with five landing inside the 20, three fair catches and two going for 50 or more yards. He booted a career-long 72-yard punt against South Carolina on Oct. 14, 2017. Daniel, a former walk-on, finished his career as UT’s all-time leader in career punt average at 45.9 yards per punt. His 200 career punts went for 9,185 yards and he pinned 81 inside the 20 and sailed 76 punts for 50 or more yards.
Gaulden played in 36 career games and recorded 140 tackles (96 solo), 9.5 tackles for loss, 10 passes defended, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. In 2016, he established himself as UT’s starting nickelback and enjoyed a breakout year as a redshirt sophomore, finishing with career highs of 68 tackles, 52 solo stops and 6.0 tackles for loss to go with four passes defended and one forced fumble. As a senior in 2017, Gaulden tallied 65 tackles (38 solo) with 3.5 tackles for loss and posted career highs with six passes defended, three forced fumbles and three fumbles recovered. He recorded the first interception of his career against Florida on Sept. 16, snaring a pass from UF’s Felipe Franks in the fourth quarter.
Kelly established himself as one of the most dynamic running backs in the SEC in 2017. As a junior, he rushed for career highs of 778 yards and nine touchdowns on 189 carries. He also tied for the team lead in receptions with 37 for 299 yards. Kelly’s best game was against SEC rival Florida on Sept. 16, 2017, when he rushed for 141 yards and one touchdown and caught six passes for 96 yards. By October, he was regarded as one of the top offensive players in the nation and was named to the watch list for the 81st Maxwell Award. After showing flashes of his potential as a freshman in 2015, Kelly thrived in his expanded role as a sophomore in 2016, rushing for 630 yards and five touchdowns with a 6.4-yard average. He played in 33 career games and totaled 327 carries, 1,573 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, 43 receptions and 350 receiving yards.
McKenzie heads to the combine after posting the best numbers of his career as a junior defensive tackle in 2017. Over 11 games, McKenzie recorded career highs of 36 tackles (17 solo), 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He played a major role in Tennessee’s season-opening win over Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, posting a career-high eight tackles. McKenzie, who is the son of VFL and current Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, finished his career with 31 games played, 72 tackles (31 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two passes defended and one forced fumble.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame announced its class of 2018: Alan Jackson, Bill Anderson, Steve Dorff, Kool & The Gang (Robert “Kool” Bell, Ronald Bell, George Brown and James “JT” Taylor), Jermaine Dupri, John Mellencamp and Allee Willis.
Three of this year’s inductees—Alan Jackson, Bill Anderson and Steve Dorff—have had a significant impact on country music.
Alan Jackson’s inclusion in the Songwriters Hall of Fame will follow his recent induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2017. Alan is in the elite company of Paul McCartney and John Lennon among songwriters who have written more than 20 songs that they’ve recorded and taken to the top of the charts. Alan’s works include “Chattahoochee,” “Midnight in Montgomery,” “Remember When,” “Livin’ On Love,” “Drive,” “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” and more.
Whisperin’ Bill Anderson, a 2001 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, penned a number of hits over his 60-year career, including “City Lights,” “Tips of My Fingers,” “Once a Day,” “Saginaw, Michigan,” “That’s What It’s Like To Be Lonesome,” “I Missed Me,” “Cold Hard Facts of Life,” “Mama Sang a Song,” “Whiskey Lullaby,” “Give It Away” and more.
Steve Dorff’s songs have been recorded by Kenny Rogers, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and more. A few of Dorff’s songwriting credits included Kenny Rogers’ “Through the Years,” George Strait’s “I Cross My Heart” and Eddie Rabbitt’s “Every Which Way But Loose.”
The group will be inducted on June 14 at the Induction & Awards Gala in New York City, joining previously honored songwriters such as Smokey Robinson, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi, Elton John, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty, Toby Keith and many more.
To qualify for induction, a songwriter must be a published writer for a minimum of 20 years with a notable catalog of hit songs.
Anastasia Hayes — Lady Vols Guard / Credit: UT Athletics
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — University of Tennessee women’s basketball standout Anastasia Hayes has been chosen as the SEC Freshman of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday.
Hayes is the third UT freshman to be so honored this season, following Rennia Davis (Nov. 12) and Evina Westbrook (Dec. 26).
The reserve guard came off the bench and provided the #11/13 Lady Vols with a second-half boost toward victories over #14/12 Texas A&M and Vanderbilt last week. She averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals as Tennessee improved to 19-4 on the season and 7-3 in SEC play.
The native of Murfreesboro, Tenn., now has scored in double figures in three of her past four games after enduring a stretch of only one game in double figures in her previous seven.
Against the Aggies, Hayes helped UT avenge a loss earlier this season at College Station by entering the game and providing 16 points on six-of-nine shooting from the field. Having hit only five three-pointers on the season, she connected on two of three vs. A&M and added a pair of free throws to key the crucial victory. Nine of Hayes’ points came in the decisive second half, when she also grabbed four of her career-high five steals as Tennessee used a 25-8 blitz in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
At Vandy on Sunday, Hayes filled the stat sheet and did the dirty work necessary for the Lady Vols to escape with their fifth road win of the season in eight tries. She was again clutch down the stretch, scoring seven of her 10 points in the final frame and finishing with an SEC-high six rebounds and four steals to help UT pull away in the final five minutes.
Jon Pardi dropped a new video for his single, “She Ain’t In It,” which is currently No. 33 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after 16 weeks.
Directed by Jim Wright, the video was filmed entirely in black and white on a ranch outside Thousand Oaks, Calif.
“‘She Ain’t In It’ is a great country song,” says Jon. “The first time I heard it, I had to listen to it over and over again. I was like, ‘This has to be on the record. It is just pure country.’ It’s got that heartbreak to it. It’s got that moving on. Great lyrics and a great melody and it’s one of my favorites to ever call mine.”
Penned by Clint Daniels and Wynn Varble, “She Ain’t In It” is the fourth single from Jon’s 2016 album, California Sunrise, which has spawned three No. 1 hits: “Head Over Boots,” “Dirt On My Boots” and “Heartache On The Dance Floor.”
Jaime Nared — Lady Vols Forward / Credit: UT Athletics
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — University of Tennessee women’s basketball senior Jaime Nared has been named the SEC Player of the Week, the league office announced on Tuesday.
Nared, who picked up her second nod this season from the conference, also was named the College Sports Madness National and SEC Player of the Week on Monday.
Posting the best back-to-back games of her career, Nared helped #11/13 Tennessee defeat #14/12 Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-2 standout from Portland, Ore., averaged 26.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists as the Lady Vols improved to 19-4 overall and 7-3 in SEC play.
Against A&M, she helped UT avenge a loss earlier this season in College Station, connecting on eight of 15 shots from the field for 23 points on 53 percent shooting. She added six free throws on eight attempts and contributed six rebounds and four assists to the victorious cause.
Against Vanderbilt on Sunday, Nared matched her career high with 30 points against the Commodores, all of them vital as the Lady Vols held off the home team. Nared hit seven of 14 field goal attempts and 15 of 17 tries from the charity stripe vs. VU, including 10-of-10 accuracy in the final five minutes. That total of 15 tied for fourth most all-time in school history. Nared now is 132 of 158 from the free throw line this season, leading the SEC in that category.
In addition to notching her ninth 20+ point effort of the season and 18th of her career, Nared pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the year and 18th of her career.
Willie Nelson, 84, has cancelled eight February tour dates to recover from the flu, according to a press release from his rep that was published by Variety.
“He is up and about and looks as healthy as ever but his doctor has determined that his voice needs more time to recuperate to give the performances you all love seeing. Willie will resume the tour in early March. Willie Nelson says, ‘I will see you all down the road.’”
Over the last couple of years, the perpetually-touring Willie has been forced to cancel a handful of shows due to illness, including dates in November 2016, January 2017, February 2017 and August 2017.
Dierks Bentley dropped a juicy nugget of information during a Q&A session at Nashville’s Country Radio Seminar on Feb. 5: he and Luke Bryan will not be back to co-host the 2018 ACM Awards in April.
According to Billboard, Dierks made the impromptu revelation after a photo of the ACM co-hosts appeared on a screen, saying, “That’s over . . . we got fired. Is that not common knowledge?”
Luke and Dierks co-hosted the ACM Awards in 2016 and 2017. Luke also co-hosted the show with Blake Shelton from 2013–2015. The new ACM emcee(s) will be announced in the coming weeks.
