3-star QB JT Shrout (6’3, 190) from William S. Hart HS in Newhall, CA has signed with Tennessee. He’s the 4th player to do so in the Early Signing Period.
JT Shrout
QB – 6’3, 190
William S. Hart HS (Newhall, CA)
Committed: 12-20-17
Stars (Rivals/247Sports/ESPN): 3/3/3
Scout.com/247Sports Scouting Report “Shrout was a late bloomer whose recruitment took off this winter. He didn’t start a game for Hart last year but had several impressive workouts and 7v7 performances and his talent was obvious. Shrout has a great frame with plenty of room to pack on an additional 20 pounds or so. His mechanics are about as good as you’ll see at the H.S level as he combines a tight, effortless release, always looks on balance and is comfortable rolling out and throwing to his right or left. It’s always a risk offering a quarterback with little game experience but we think Shrout is worth it. He’s hungry, shows a great work ethic off the field and has all the physical tools you want to see in a next level quarterback. He has that gym rat mentality that we know Coach Tui is big on, he’s a coachable kid and has plenty of upside to be a very successful quarterback at the next level.”
Profile Notes From UT ESPN: 3-star Position Rank: No. 33 pocket-passer
State Rank: 53 in CA
247 Sports: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 34 pro-style QB
State Rank: No. 111 in CA
Rivals: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 14 pro-style QB
State Rank: No. 53 in CA
Composite Ranking: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 26 pro-style QB
State Rank: No. 72 in CA
High School
Attended the QB Collective Camp in July and was identified as one of the top quarterbacks there by NFL coaches and scouts in a loaded field of QBs that included top 2018 and 2017 prospects
Longtime NFL quarterback Sage Rosenfels said of all the quarterbacks at the QB Collective, Shrout would be “the guy who could step in on day one and fundamentally work within an NFL system …. His drop was smooth. His fundamentals were very efficient and he throws a great ball.”
Led Hart High School to an 8-4 record and the Southern Section Division 3 Quarterfinals as a senior in 2017, his only season as the school’s starting quarterback
Ollie Lane, 3-star OL (6’5, 285) from Gibbs HS in Corryton, has officially signed with UT. He’s the 3rd player to sign so far in the Early Signing Period.
Ollie Lane
OL – 6’5, 270
Gibbs (Corryton, TN)
Committed: 4-12-17
Stars (Rivals/247Sports/ESPN): 3/3/3
ESPN Scouting Report “Good height and bulk with frame and build that can continue to be developed to add and maximize mass. Can deliver a good pop at contact and wall off defenders. Can quickly get up to second level and cover up targets in his track. Shows good effort.Plays on both sides of the ball but OL is a better fit in college. Prospect that can quickly get into defenders and cover some ground, but needs to continue to develop technically and round out his game and we feel will need at least a red-shirt year “
Profile Notes From UT ESPN: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 55 OG
State Rank: No. 28 in TN
247 Sports: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 33 OG
State Rank: No. 29 in TN
Rivals: 3-star
State Rank: No. 30 in TN
Composite Ranking: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 33 OG
State Rank: No. 29 in TN
High School
Invited to play in 2017 Toyota East West TN Football All-Star Classic
2017 TSWA Class 5A All-State team
Region 2-5A Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2016 and 2017
2016 Class 5A All-State Offensive Lineman
2016 All-PrepXtra Football First Team
Anchored a Gibbs offensive line that finished 8-4 in the second round of the 5A playoffs in 2016
WNML Interview on SportsTalk
WNML Interview on The First Quarter
Highlights
Camp
Ollie Lane / Credit: UT AthleticsOllie Lane at Gibbs HS / Credit: WNML StaffOllie Lane at Gibbs HS / Credit: WNML Staff
Paxton Brooks, 3-star P (6’5, 170) out of Airport HS in West Columbia, SC, has officially signed with UT in the Early Signing Period. He’s the 2nd to sign.
Paxton Brooks
K – 6’5, 170
Airport (West Columbia, SC)
Committed: 8-17-17
Stars (Rivals/247Sports/ESPN): 3/3/3
ESPN Scouting Report “Brooks is a prototypical college punter with a 6’5” frame. His hang-times and his “A” ball are very impressive. There are very few players in the last couple years who have more punting potential than Brooks. Brooks is the one of the most talented punters in the 2018 class. His consistent improvement has gotten him this far and his work ethic will dictate how dominant he is at the college level.”
Profile Notes From UT ESPN: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 5 P/K
State Rank: No. 15 in SC
247 Sports: 2-star
Position Rank: No. 17 P/K
State Rank: No. 59 in SC
Rivals: 3-star
Kohl’s Professional Camps: 5-star
Position Rank: No. 2 Punter
Composite Ranking: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 9 P/K
State Rank: No. 33 in SC
High School
Ranked as the No. 2 punter in the 2018 Class according to Kohl’s Professional Camps
Won a punt off to earn the second spot in the 2018 Under Armour All-American Game
2016 Class 4A All-Region Kicker/Punter
2016 Midlands Punt Leader
2016 The State’s All-Midlands Second Team Kicker
2015 Class 3A All-Region Kicker/Punter
2014 Class 3A All-Region Player
Attended 2017 National Scholarship Camp, repeatedly hitting 50-60 yard punts
Attended the Southern Showcase Camp
Averaged 41.8 yards per punt and connected on 8-of-10 field goals, including a 51-yarder against North Augusta and was 45-of-48 on extra points in 2016
Served as Airport High School’s starting kicker and punter
Tanner Antonutti, 3-star OL (6’5, 260) from The Ensworth School in Nashville, is the first player to sign with the Vols in the 2018 Class Early Signing Period.
ESPN Scouting Report “Good frame for further physical development. Displays good balance and range as a blocker. When gets hands inside displays good strength and can control defenders and works to stay with them.”
Profile Notes From UT ESPN: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 87 OT
State Rank: No. 30 in TN
247Sports: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 48 OT
State Rank: No. 22 in TN
Rivals: 3-star
State Rank: No. 28 in TN
Composite Ranking: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 58 OT
State Rank: No. 23 in TN
High School
2017 Division II-AAA East/Middle All-Region Team
2016 Division II-AA Mr. Football semifinalist
2016 Division II-AA East/Middle All-Region Team
2016 TSWA Division II-AA All-State Team (DL)
The Tennessean All-Midstate Second Team selection in 2016
Primarily played tight end during his high school career, but made the switch to offensive tackle during his senior season at Ensworth
Allowed less than five sacks in 10 games at offensive tackle
Reeled in a seven-yard reception to cap Ensworth’s 21-20 Week 11 win over rival Montgomery Bell Academy during 2016
In 2016, he made eight catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns while also anchoring an offensive front that produced 345.1 yards and 27.3 points per game
2014-16: 13 receptions for 188 yards and three touchdowns. He’s also registered 36 tackles — 14 for loss — with eight sacks, eight pass deflections, a pair of forced fumbles and a recovery.
STANFORD, Calif. — No. 7/7 Tennessee (11-0) is in the midst of an eight-day West Coast trip, concluding it on Thursday evening vs. No. 18/24 Stanford (6-5) at Maples Pavilion. Tip time is 6 p.m. PT (9 ET).
UT will be looking to snap a five-game venue losing streak at Maples, last winning on Stanford’s home court on Dec. 4, 2005. The Lady Vols will be aiming to go 12-0 for only the fifth occasion in school history and for the first time during the Holly Warlick era.
The last time Tennessee began a season 12-0, the Lady Vols extended the streak to 18 games before finally falling during the 2005-06 season en route to a 31-5 overall record. Incidentally, that was the last time UT beat the Cardinal in Maples.
Tennessee enters on the heels of a 90-61 victory at Long Beach State on Sundayafternoon. The game was UT’s first true road contest of the season, with the only other games away from Knoxville coming at the Cancun Challenge on November 23-25.
Stanford stands 6-5 after beating UNLV, 74-33, on Dec. 16 and then unexpectedly dropping a 71-64 home decision to Western Illinois on Monday night. The Cardinal, which has played a tough non-conference schedule, previously lost at Ohio State, vs. UConn (in Columbus, Ohio), vs. Ohio State (in Las Vegas) and at Baylor.
Lady Vol reserve Kasiyahna Kushkituah and Cardinal back-up Maya Dodson were teammates at St. Francis High School in Alpharetta, Ga., helping that suburban Atlanta program to two state titles.
Broadcast Information
Krista Blunk (play-by-play) and Mary Murphy (analyst) will describe the action for the Tennessee-Stanford television broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.
Mickey Dearstone is handling the call for IMG College/Lady Vol Network radio/online broadcasts for the 19th 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.
Coming Up On The Schedule
The Lady Vols will head off for a brief winter break following this contest, catching their breath before embarking on their Southeastern Conference slate.
Tennessee will conclude a three-game string of road games at Kentucky on Dec. 31 (Noon, Rupp Arena, SEC Network), opening league play against the Wildcats.
The Lady Vols will be back in action at home on Jan. 4, as Auburn comes to town for UT’s first game of 2018 and the second contest of the SEC schedule. Tip time is 7 p.m., and the game can be seen on SEC+ (WatchESPN).
Tennessee Reset
At 11-0, the Lady Vols are in the midst of their longest winning streak since reeling off 25 in a row from Dec. 18, 2010 to March 28, 2011.
On Dec. 10, UT got its biggest home win since beating (then) No. 3/2 Stanford on Dec. 19, 2010, as the Lady Vols outlasted No. 2/4 Texas, 82-75.
For that signature win, Tennessee was chosen NCAA Team of the Week. while senior forward Jaime Nared was named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week, the SEC Player of the Week and the College Sports Madness National and SEC Player of the Week.
The Big Orange women have won nine of 11 games by double-digit margins, including by 43 vs. Central Arkansas and 53 vs. Alabama State, 62 vs. Troy and 29 vs. Long Beach State in four of their last five games.
They’ve scored 100 or more points three times in a season for the first time since doing so in 2010-11. UT hasn’t had more than three 100+ games in a campaign since hitting that mark four times in 2000-01. The Big Orange record for 100-point efforts in a year is seven in 1987-88.
Russell has led Tennessee in scoring five times, while Nared has done so four times, Hayes twice, and Davis and Meme Jackson once each.
Russell has scored in double figures in every game, while Hayes and Nared have done so nine times and Davis has hit 10 or more in seven games.
Holly Warlick‘s squad has led at the half of all 11 games, including a double-digit margin in eight of those.
Tennessee has outscored its opponents in the points-in-the-paint category in 10 of 11 games, averaging a 45.3 to 28.7 difference.
The Lady Vols bested their foes in second chance points nine times and tied another time. UT averages 17.3 second chance points, while its opponents tally 10.4.
UT had an 18-0 fast break points edge vs. Long Beach State, improving the team’s season advantage to 15.7 to 7.7 per game.
Tennessee has allowed only one opponent this season to shoot better than 38 percent (Marquette, .437, fourth game).
You Can Call UT A Basketball School
Tennessee is one of only seven schools to currently have its men’s and women’s basketball programs ranked in the AP 25, with the Lady Vols at No. 7 and the Vols at No. 21.
Other schools and their women’s/men’s rankings include: Villanova (20/1) Duke (14/4), Texas A&M (19/8), West Virginia (9/10), Baylor (6/18) and Florida State (13/24).
Streak Busters
Tennessee has put an end to some negative streaks this season and last season, as the Lady Vols continue to elevate themselves back into the national conversation.
The Lady Vols ended a three-game skid vs. Texas this season with a home victory over the No. 2/4 ranked Longhorns.
Last season, UT ended a six-game losing streak in the Notre Dame series, defeating the #6/6 Fighting Irish in Knoxville.
The Lady Vols ended two more bad jags a year ago, ending three-game dry spells vs. #3/2 Mississippi and #4/4 South Carolina, both on the road.
While Tennessee has been able to solve Stanford in Knoxville during the Cardinal’s last two trips, the Lady Vols would like to put an end to a five-game string of misery at Maples Pavilion. UT hasn’t won at Stanford since Dec. 4, 2005, a 74-67 triumph for (then) No. 2/1 UT over #12/11 Stanford.
What Have You Done Lately?
Meme Jackson has scored in double figures in four of her past five games and is averaging 13.0 ppg. and 6.2 rpg. during that span. She had a career-best five three-pointers vs. Long Beach State. Jackson had only three other double-figure efforts in her career prior to the recent spree.
Evina Westbrook has averaged 12.0 ppg. and 6.0 apg. over the past four games. She only scored in double figures in one game prior to that stretch.
Mercedes Russell has three double-doubles in her last three games.
Jaime Nared has scored 23 or more points in two of her last three contests.
After nailing a pair of treys vs. Long Beach State, Kortney Dunbar has made 12 three-pointers on the season, already surpassing last year’s total of 11 and approaching her freshman year total of 14.
Cheridene Green has come off the bench to grab five or more rebounds in the last six games.
Reserve guard Anastasia Hayes has made six fields in two of her last three games and has scored in double figures in nine of 11 contests this year.
The Last Time Out (UT 90, LBSU 61)
Junior Meme Jackson hit a career-high five three-pointers, and seniors Mercedes Russell and Jaime Nared each posted their fifth double-doubles of the season, propelling No. 7/7 Tennessee to a 90-61 win over Long Beach State (2-8) at Walter Pavilion on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, the Lady Vols improved to 11-0 for the first time since 2005-06. That season, UT won its first 18 contests before suffering a loss.
Russell finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds to log her 35th career double-double, tying her with Mary Ostrowski for fourth on UT’s all-time list. Nared, meanwhile, contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds.
On the strength of a 5-for-9 day beyond the arc, Jackson tossed in 15 points, tying freshman Anastasia Hayes as UT’s high scorer. Freshman Evina Westbrook chipped in 14 to give Tennessee five players in double digits. She also added seven assists.
Jackson started the game with a hot hand, going 4-of-5 from behind the arc to help propel Tennessee to a 27-16 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Lady Vols connected on six of 11 three-point attempts in the period, with Westbrook and freshman Rennia Davis adding to the long-range bonanza. Davis also had six rebounds in the opening 10 minutes and finished with 10 for the game.
The Series vs. Stanford
This is the 35th all-time meeting between these programs, and the Lady Vols own a 24-10 record vs. the Cardinal in a series that dates back to Dec. 18, 1988.
This will mark the 33rd time these teams have played when both schools were ranked in the top 25, and there have been 14 occasions when both programs were ranked in the top five of either the AP or coaches polls.
Tennessee is 13-2 in Knoxville vs. Stanford, 6-0 at neutral sites and 5-8 at Maples Pavilion.
One of those neutral site wins for Tennessee, came in the Lady Vols’ run to NCAA Championship trophy number eight, when the Lady Vols defeated Stanford, 64-48, on April 8, 2008, in Tampa, Fla.
The programs have combined for 10 National Championships (UT 8, SU 2), 31 NCAA Final Fours (UT 18, SU 13) and 2,372 victories (UT 1,330, SU 1,042)
Tennessee won 11 games in a row over their West Coast foes from 1997-2006.
Tennessee has won two of the last three games in the series (both in Knoxville), but Stanford has won the last five tilts at Maples Pavilion and owns a 6-5 record against the Lady Vols since SU ended the 11-game streak.
The Lady Vols have not scored above 60 points in four of their last five games vs. the Cardinal.
UT and SU have needed overtime to settle scores in six contests, with the club from Rocky Top holding a 4-2 record. Tennessee is 2-0 in OT games played in Knoxville.
UT is 67-19 vs. the Pac-12 Conference, with a win at home over Stanford last season.
Last Meeting Between UT & Stanford
The Lady Vols picked up their first top-10 win of the season, as they defeated No. 10 Stanford, 59-51, at Thompson-Boling Arena on Dec. 18, 2016.
With 9,137 people in attendance, head coach Holly Warlick earned the 1,000th win of her coaching career. The Lady Vols improved to 24-10 all -time against Stanford and 13-2 when playing at home.
Tennessee (6-4) played stellar defense in the game, forcing 18 turnovers, getting nine steals, blocking five shots and grabbing 27 defensive boards to avoid second chances by the Cardinal (8-2).
Senior Jordan Reynolds was huge for the Lady Vols, scoring a season-high 14 points with three assists, two rebounds, two steals and a block. Redshirt junior Diamond DeShields had a game-high 15 points to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals.
Redshirt junior Mercedes Russell posted her sixth double-double of the season and 17th of her career with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Defense was the story in the first quarter, as the Lady Vols struggled to get shots to fall to begin the period. After falling behind 15-4 with 4:40 remaining, UT came alive and went on a 7-2 run to end the frame while holding Stanford to 1-of-8 shooting. Reynolds had six points in quarter to fuel the offense.
Tennessee’s defensive momentum continued into the second stanza, with UT holding the Cardinal to 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting and also holding Stanford scoreless for more than four minutes. DeShields netted eight points in the quarter to go along with an assist, a block, a rebound and a steal. The two teams went to halftime tied, 29-29.
During the third period, the Lady Vols held Stanford to only nine points and pulled out to a 45-38 lead going into the final stanza. UT ended the quarter on an 8-0 run.
Tennessee’s defense held off a comeback by the Cardinal in the fourth quarter, limiting Stanford to 2-of-9 shooting to end the game. In the win, UT’s defense held Stanford to a season-low 51 points.
Stanford Reset
Stanford comes into the game having lost two of its last three games and three of its last five.
The Cardinal only had leading scorer Brittany McPhee (16.2 ppg.) two games before an injury sidelined her. The guard has not played since then.
Guard DiJonai Carrington (11.7 ppg., started 7 of 9 games) missed the past two games, adding to Stanford’s woes.
Alanna Smith is the Cardinal’s active leading scorer and rebounder at 15.0 ppg. and 8.5 rpg., and she has blocked 20 shots.
Smith had a double-double of 18 points and 15 rebounds in Stanford’s 71-64 home loss to Western Illiinois on Monday night.
Stanford returned 10 letterwinners and two starters from last season’s 32-6 squad that finished second in the Pac-12 and reached the Final Four.
Head coach Tara VanDerveer reached 1,000 career victories last season in the game vs. USC on Feb. 3.
VanDerveer already is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2011) and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (2002).
With the exception of Western Illinois, all of Stanford’s losses came to teams ranked among the top 12 teams in the AP poll (UConn, No. 1; Baylor, No. 6; Ohio State x 2; No. 12)
SU Last Time Out (WIU 71, SU 64)
Emily Clemens scored 15 of her season-high 26 points in the second half and Taylor Higginbotham had 17 points and 10 rebounds to help the Western Illinois upset No. 18 Stanford 71-64 on Monday night for its first win over a ranked team.
Olivia Braun and Morgan Blumer scored 12 points apiece for Western Illinois (10-2), which has won five in a row.
Braun hit a 3-pointer and Clemens made a layup to give the Leathernecks the lead, 55-52, for good midway through the fourth quarter. Kiana Williams hit a three to pull Stanford (6-5) within three points with 1:31 to play, but Higginbotham made two free throws before Braun converted a 3-point play to make it 66-58 with 49 seconds left. Western Illinois made 5-of-6 free throws from there to seal it.
Alanna Smith had 18 points and 15 rebounds and Williams scored 17 points for Stanford. Kaylee Johnson grabbed 18 rebounds for the Cardinal, which outrebounded WIU 57-46, including 24-14 on the offensive glass. But despite being undersized, Western Illinois dominated offensively on the block, outscoring Stanford 34-26 in the paint. The Leathernecks also had a 23-8 edge in points off turnovers.
Guys like Garth Brooks and Eric Church may have sold out arena shows in 2017, but bigger isn’t always better when it comes to watching your favorite artists perform live. Sometimes it’s the setting of an iconic venue that makes a concert memorable . . . so memorable, in fact, that you commemorate the experience by framing your tickets or shelling out the extra cash for a playbill on your way out the door.
Forget about packing the binoculars and tissues for a nosebleed arena seat, here’s a cross-country sampling of 5 playbill-worthy venues to put on your to-do list (or bucket list)—and 18 upcoming concerts in 2018 that will put you in a serene state of mind.
From hallowed grounds to national landmarks, the force is strong with these 5 iconic venues.
From the main floor to the wraparound balcony, there’s not a bad sightline in the 575-capacity venue that was built in the 1920s, and that includes the view of Delancey Street from the balcony’s stained-glass window. Part speakeasy, part opera house, the Bowery features high ceilings, stellar acoustics and a friendly basement lounge where you can grab a drink at the U-shaped bar or strike up a conversation before the show. But it’s the main floor full of revelers that puts the roar in this Lower East Side locale.
In a city that boasts pilgrimage-worthy stops like the Grand Ole Opry House and Bluebird Café, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium is still the holy grail of venues. Constructed in 1891, the red-bricked tabernacle is a beacon in Nashville’s bustling downtown for performers and fans alike. With its stained-glass windows, wooden pews and memorabilia displays, the 2,362-seat Mother Church of Country Music is a revival of sight and sound when artists take to its hallowed stage.
Gruene Hall was built in 1878 and is billed as the oldest continually run dancehall in Texas—and you’d better be wearing a six-shooter if you say otherwise, ’cause them there are fightin’ words. With a pitched tin roof and side flaps for open-air dancing, the 6,000-square-foot hall is a Texas throwback to the days of yore, where you can pitch horseshoes out back, drain a cold Shiner at the bar or two-step on the wooden dance floor to a lineup of performers that reads like a historical marker.
Arrive early if you want one of the few seats in “The Carnegie Hall of Western Swing,” but seriously, who goes to a ballroom to sit? The legacy of Bob Wills lives on in this 1,200-capacity venue that was constructed in 1924 and was named to the National Register of Historical Places in 2003. The maple floor is mounted on sets of Dodge truck springs that rumble to the beat of your favorite band. Plus, rumor has it that Cain’s is haunted—with the iconic list of performers who have taken the stage, we don’t doubt it.
With museum-quality playbills adorning its walls in the main room and strobe lights a-swirling, the Fillmore still wafts of the psychedelia that made San Francisco a counterculture hot spot in the 1960s. While that era may be over, the music lives on in this classic venue that features rows of grandiose chandeliers and a wooden dance floor that surges and buckles to the music. And in the tradition of Fillmore founder Bill Graham, you always get a free apple . . . and a poster of the evening’s show if it’s sold out.
Before the upcoming 2018 Grammy Awards air on CBS on Jan. 28, you can get a rundown of who’s in the mix for hardware by listening to the new 2018 Grammy Nominees album.
The 21-track album, which will be released on Jan. 12, features more than two dozen of the Grammy’s top contenders, including a strong country music contingency: Little Big Town (“Better Man”), Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris (“Craving You”), Kenny Chesney (“All the Pretty Girls”), Chris Stapleton (“Broken Halo”) and Lady Antebellum (“You Look Good”).
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Coming off their first home loss of the season, the 21st-ranked Volunteers will look to bounce back against a hot Furman team Wednesdaynight at Thompson-Boling Arena. The game will tip at 9 p.m. and will be televised live on SEC Network and streamed online via WatchESPN.
Courtney Lyle (play-by-play) and Dane Bradshaw (analyst) are on the call for the matchup. Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to catch Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online through AllVols.com.
Tennessee (7-2) fell to No. 5 North Carolina on Sunday after holding a lead for the majority of the contest. The Vols will be tested in their next two matchups, facing teams in Furman and Wake Forest who are playing their best basketball of the season. UT will look for forward Grant Williams, who is averaging 16.0 ppg and 6.9 rpg, to continue contributing down low and creating opportunities for the Volunteers’ SEC-leading sharpshooters from the perimeter. Jordan Bowden has connected on 60 percent (18-of-30) of his shots from behind the arc to pace the conference.
Another headline going into the game revolves around guard James Daniel III, the NCAA’s active career leading scorer. The senior is coming off a strong performance against the Tar Heels, accounting for a season-high 14 points after knocking down four treys. Wednesday’s contest will be Daniel’s 100th career game, and he only needs two points to break the 2,000-point mark for his career.
The Paladins (9-3) enter the contest riding a five-game winning streak and have won seven of their last eight after starting the season 2-2. Over the last four games, Furman has averaged 94.3 ppg. Furman is led by reigning SoCon Player of the Year Devin Sibley, a Knoxville native and Karns High School graduate, who is averaging 15.7 ppg on 49 percent (69-141) shooting to go along with 4.3 rpg and 2.7 apg.
After the matchup, the Vols will head to Winston-Salem, N.C. to face Wake Forest on Saturday before beginning conference play with a road trip to Arkansas the following weekend.
THE SERIES
• Overall: UT leads, 10-0
• In Knoxville: UT leads, 8-0
• In Greenville: UT leads, 1-0
• Neutral Sites: UT leads, 1-0
• Current Streak: UT has won 10 straight
• Last Meeting: UT won, 68-51, in Knoxville, 12/30/94
• Rick Barnes vs. Furman: 4-0
• Rick Barnes vs. Bob Richey: No meetings
RIGHT NOW
• Furman starter Devin Sibley is a Knoxville native who graduated from Karns High School.
• The Vols are rated No. 11 in the ESPN InsideRPI, with the nation’s seventh-rated SOS.
• Tennessee’s two losses this season are to the last two national champions.
• Per Ken Pomeroy, the Vols rank fourth in Division I with an assist rate of 68 percent.
ABOUT FURMAN
• Head coach Bob Richey is in his first season leading the Paladins, who are members of the Southern Conference, after spending the previous six years as an assistant on the staff.
• Furman claimed a share of the Southern Conference regular season title in 2016-17, posting a school-record tying 23 victories and a 14-4 conference mark. After falling in the quarterfinals of the SoCon Tournament, the Paladins advanced all the way to the semifinals of the CIT.
• Furman’s trip to Rocky Top represents a homecoming for reigning SoCon Player of the Year Devin Sibley. A Knoxville native and Karns High School graduate, Sibley averaged 17.7 ppg while boasting impressive shooting percentages of .522 from the field and .449 from three.
• This season, Sibley has paced the Paladins’ offensive attack, averaging 15.7 ppg on 49 percent (69-141) shooting to go along with 4.3 rpg and 2.7 apg.
• Junior forward Matt Rafferty has stepped up his play for Furman this year, nearly averaging a double-double with 11.9 ppg and 8.3 rpg. He’s shooting 66 percent (58-88) from the field. He’s also posting 2.7 apg and 1.7 spg.
• John Davis and Daniel Fowler also average scoring in double digits each contest, posting 13.1 and 12.0 ppg, respectively.
• The Paladins enter the contest riding a five-game winning streak and have won seven of their last eight after starting the season 2-2. Over the last four games, Furman has averaged 94.3 ppg.
LAST MEETING WITH FURMAN
• Kevin Whitted came off the Tennessee bench to score 17 points and lead the Vols to a 68-51 win over Furman at Thompson-Boling Arena on Dec. 31, 1994.
• Kevin O’Neill was in his first season as UT’s head coach after replacing Wade Houston.
• Whitted scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half as the Vols pulled away from the Paladins late in the game.
• Damon Johnson scored a then-career-high 14, and Shane Williams hit 4-of-6 from 3-point range to add 12. Steve Hamer led the Vols with eight rebounds and had nine points.
• Steve Harris led Furman with 20 points.
• With the Vols leading by seven (55-48) with 5:51 remaining, Tennessee ended the game on a 13-3 run to give UT a 5-3 mark on the young season (the Vols finished with just five total wins the year before).
VOLS REMAIN IN TOP 25
• Tennessee on Dec. 4 made its first appearance in the AP top-25 poll since 2010—nearly seven full years. The Vols landed at No. 24 in that week’s AP poll.
• Prior to that week, the last time Tennessee appeared in the top 25 was Dec. 20, 2010 (19th AP, 18th coaches).
• This week, UT stands at No. 21 in the AP poll and No. 20 in the coaches poll.
UT IN RARE RANKED COMPANY
• Tennessee is one of seven schools whose men’s and women’s basketball teams are both ranked in the latest Associated Press top-25 poll.
• The Vols are ranked 21st, and the unbeaten Lady Vols are ranked seventh under coach Holly Warlick.
• Other schools with two ranked hoops squads (AP poll) are Baylor, Duke, Florida State, Texas A&M, Villanova and West Virginia.
UT FOURTH IN NCAA IN ASSIST RATE
• According to noted college basketball statistical analyst Ken Pomeroy of KenPom.com, Tennessee ranks fourth nationally with an assist rate of 68 percent (meaning that 68 percent of the Vols’ made field goals have been assisted on).
• The teams who rank above UT in assist rate: Sam Houston State (72.3), Davidson (69.1) and SMU (68.5).
• The Volunteers average 18.2 assists per game, which ranks second in the SEC and 20th in the country.
BARNES APPROACHING 1,000th GAME
• Head coach Rick Barnes—who is in his third season at Tennessee but his 31st season as a Division I head coach—is approaching a milestone.
• The Vols’ home game against Texas A&M on Jan. 13 will be Barnes’ 1000th career game as a collegiate head coach.
• His 642 wins rank eighth among active Division I head coaches.
UNC WAS SHOWCASE GAME FOR UT
• Last Sunday’s showdown vs. defending national champion North Carolina was Tennessee’s first home sellout since Feb. 17, 2015. The crowd of 21,678 was the seventh-largest crowd in the NCAA to date this season (fourth-largest non-neutral-site crowd).
• The UNC game marked the first time two ranked men’s teams collided at Thompson-Boling Arena since Feb. 27, 2010, when the 19th-ranked Vols upset second-ranked Kentucky, 74-65.
• VFLs and current NBA standouts Tobias Harris (Pistons) and Josh Richardson (Heat) teamed up to purchase 100 tickets for Knoxville-area children’s charities.
• A stunning visual was created in Thompson-Boling Arena via a human checkerboard of 21k fans coordinated through CheckerTBA.com.
J-BIRD A BUCKET AWAY FROM 2K
• Graduate transfer James Daniel III is Division I’s active career scoring leader, sitting just two points shy of 2,000 career points.
• Wednesday’s game against Furman will be Daniel’s 100th career game played.
• 90 of those games, and 1,933 of those points, were scored during Daniel’s standout career at Howard University.
Luke Bryan released his new album, What Makes You Country, on Dec. 8, and it quickly shot to the top of the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, selling more than 107,000 equivalent albums in its first week.
In the lead-up to the album’s release, Luke asked fans from all walks of life to represent what “country” means to them, using the hashtag, #WhatMakesMeCountry.
Last week, Luke’s pal, Blake Shelton, got in on the action with an Instagram video of his own, saying: “Hey guys, it’s me, and I just wanted to take a minute and tell you that my buddy, Luke Bryan, has a new album that just came out. It’s called What Makes You Country, and it got me thinking . . . ‘What makes Luke country?’ And really the only thing I can come up with is he looks inbred.”
The nerve of Blake Shelton. The gall. The audacity. To say Georgia native Luke Bryan looks “inbred”? The comment should be taken an insult to Georgians everywhere, who view the 1972 film, Deliverance, as adequate representation of what Georgia inbreeding looks like.
Not everyone can be named People’s Sexiest Man Alive, Blake.
Watch Blake dish out the cheeky insult below. And by the way, try not to take everything so seriously, y’all. It’s all in jest.
Kenny Chesney stopped by Late Night With Seth Meyers on Dec. 18 for a sit-down interview and performance.
In addition to chatting about his recent Grammy nomination for Best Country Album for Cosmic Hallelujah and spearheading the relief effort for the Virgin Islands through his Love for Love City Foundation, Kenny performed a stripped-down version of his new song, “Jesus and Elvis.” The tune, which appears on Cosmic Hallelujah, was penned by Hayes Carll, Allison Moorer and Matraca Berg.
Watch Kenny’s performance below.
Kenny kicks off his 2018 Trip Around the Sun Tour on April 21 at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. Below, watch Kenny talk about his Grammy nomination, writing his first song and more.
2018 Grammy Nominees Track List
