KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7/9 Tennessee capped an undefeated week with a complete performance in Sunday’s 12-0 run-rule victory over UAlbany to complete the series sweep at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
For the second time this week, UT’s pitching staff allowed just a single hit. The Vols (7-1) used five different pitchers on the day to post their second shutout of the season.
Zander Sechrist got Tennessee off to a great start with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings before handing the ball off to sophomore right hander Nate Snead, who also struck out three in 2.2 shutout hitless innings to earn his second win of the year.
Kirby Connell, Andrew Behnke and Derek Schaefer combined to pitch the final 2.1 innings to preserve the shutout. UT’s relief pitchers retired the first 13 batters they faced and 15 of 16 overall in the game.
The Vols jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first and cruised from there.
The duo of Robin Villeneuve and Dalton Bargo led the offense with two hits each and five combined RBIs. Villeneuve homered for the second straight game and also scored a pair of runs while finishing with three RBIs.
Christian Moore reached base three times, scored twice and drove in a run from the leadoff spot to continue his torrid start to the year. Kavares Tears also had another productive performance with an RBI single in the third inning and two runs scored.
Third baseman Will Binder was the only player to reach base on the day for the Great Danes (0-3), recording a single and drawing a walk. Starting pitch Thomas Quinn got the start and the loss after allowing four runs on two hits and four walks in 2.2 innings of work.
UP NEXT: The Vols will play four more home games next week, starting with a Tuesday midweek matchup against High Point before hosting Bowling Green for a weekend series from Friday-Sunday.
STAT OF THE DAY: Tennessee has swept 12 of its 14 non-conference weekend home series since 2020 and has not lost a non-conference weekend home series since dropping two of three to Wright State on March 6-8, 2020.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A determined Tennessee squad challenged No. 13/10 LSU and closed the gap to within one in the fourth quarter before the Tigers prevailed, 75-60, in front of a season-high crowd of 15,281 on Sunday afternoon at Food City Center.
UT (16-10, 9-5 SEC) trimmed LSU’s lead to 52-51 with 7:30 remaining in the game but could get no closer to the Tigers (24-4, 11-3 SEC) the rest of the way.
Fifth-year forward Rickea Jackson paced Tennessee with 16 points and nine rebounds, eclipsing the 1,000-point scoring mark with the program in only 53 contests. Redshirt senior Tamari Key also was in double figures, contributing 10 to the Big Orange offensive ledger.
LSU was led in scoring by Hailey Van Lith, who finished with 26 points. Mikaylah Williams chipped in 15, while Angel Reese produced a double-double with 11 points and 15 boards.
Tennessee got off to a quick start, taking a 5-2 lead on Jackson’s turnaround jumper and a three-pointer by Sara Puckett. LSU clawed back, taking a 9-5 advantage with 5:58 to go on a Van Lith jumper before Key pocketed a reverse layup to cut the gap to two, 9-7. The Tigers bounced back and outscored the Lady Vols 5-2 to take a 14-9 edge into the media timeout with 3:59 to go in the opening period. UT responded out of the break, netting a Tess Darby trey and Jillian Hollingshead jumper to knot it up at 14 with 3:21 left. Jackson then knocked down a jumper with 1:27 on the clock to tie it at 16 before Van Lith drained a three just seconds before the buzzer to provide LSU a 19-16 lead after one.
The Tigers tallied first in the second frame, but Key’s layup moved her team within four, 22-18. After LSU’s lead swelled to eight, 26-18, at the 7:36 mark, a Jasmine Powell layup and Jewel Spear jumper reeled the visitors back to within four, 26-22. LSU responded with an 8-0 run, ballooning its advantage to 11, 33-22, and forcing Tennessee to call a timeout with 2:33 to go. The teams would play nearly even the rest of the way, with the Tigers taking a 38-26 lead into the locker room at the intermission.
The squads traded baskets early in the third period, with the Lady Vols cutting the deficit to nine, 45-36, by the media timeout at the 4:58 mark with a Jackson jumper and a pair of Sara Puckett free throws going into the break. Over the rest of the quarter, Tennessee outscored LSU, 9-3, on the strength a Hollingshead put-back and two Powell free throws, followed by a Darby driving layup and three-pointer. That Darby three pulled UT within two, 47-45, with 1:35 to go, and a Reese free throw sent the Tigers into the final period with a 48-45 edge.
LSU upped its lead to 50-45 in the early going of the final stanza on a Williams layup, but Tennessee responded with a Jackson free throw and Key baby hook to cut the gap to 50-48 and force the Tigers to call a timeout with 9:02 to go. After LSU scored quickly out of the break, Key grabbed a rebound and scored off her own miss, and Jackson hit the second of two free throws to whittle the gap to one, 52-51, with 7:30 remaining. LSU, however, responded with a 10-4 burst to take a 62-55 lead by the media timeout with 4:54 to go. The Tigers then closed out the game by outscoring the Lady Vols 13-5 the rest of the way to secure the win.
UP NEXT: Tennessee is back at Food City Center on Thursday night, as Texas A&M comes to Knoxville for the second meeting between the teams this season. UT’s final regular season home game of the 2023-24 campaign also will be the Lady Vols’ Senior Night, with players being honored beforehand. The game will be televised by SEC Network at 7 p.m. ET and carried on Lady Vol Network stations statewide and via live stream on UTSports.com.
FANS SPARK THE SUMMITT: A season-high 15,281 fans sparked the Summitt in Sunday’s match-up vs. LSU, marking the largest home crowd since the 2014-15 season when 16,013 fans cheered on the Lady Vols vs. Kentucky (2/15/15). Today’s attendance marks the 124th all-time game UT has played in front of 15,000+ spectators, with 88 of those coming at home in Thompson Boling Arena at Food City Center.
RICKEA HITS 1,000 AS A LADY VOL: With 16 points against the Tigers, Rickea Jackson eclipsed the 1,000-point mark exclusively as a Lady Vol, tallying the milestone in under two seasons. Jackson, who became the eighth Lady Vol to surpass 2,000 career points on Feb. 4 vs. Missouri, leads the team at 18.7 points per game this season.
TK BRINGS IT:Tamari Key posted a stat-stuffing effort on Sunday vs. the Tigers, recording 10 points, tying her season high, and adding five rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 26 minutes. Her two blocks pushed her past Aliyah Boston to take sole possession of sixth place on the SEC’s all-time blocked shots list with 332.
JP SURPASSES 100 ASSISTS AGAIN:Jasmine Powell dished out a team-leading six assists vs. the Tigers to card her third consecutive season with 100+ dimes. She now has 105 in 2023-24, had a career-best 116 last year and dished 108 in 2021-22 while at Minnesota. The guard is averaging 4.4 assists per game in 2023-24 and 5.0 in SEC contests.
REBOUNDS GALORE: The Lady Vols brought down 53 rebounds vs. LSU to post their third-most boards in a game this season and seventh 50-carom game in 2023-24. Coming into Sunday’s contest, Tennessee ranked 11th nationally and fourth in the SEC in rebounds per game at 43.2.
DARBY CLIMBS THREES LIST: Tess Darby knocked down two three-pointers in five attempts on Sunday, running her career total to 163 at Tennessee. That mark ties her with Shekinna Stricklen (2008-12) for the sixth-most all-time by a Lady Vol.
PUCKETT ON THE GLASS:Sara Puckett registered a season-high nine rebounds vs. LSU while leading the team with three offensive boards. The junior is averaging five rebounds per game in 2023-24.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team dominated the final 25 minutes Saturday night at Food City Center to defeat Texas A&M, 86-51, and give head coach Rick Barnes the 800th victory of his illustrious career.
Fifth-ranked Tennessee (21-6, 11-3 SEC) got a game-best 24 points, including 15 in the second half, from fifth-year guard Dalton Knecht in front of a sold-out, over-capacity crowd of 22,322.
“It’s really the motto with our program: It’s Not About Me. God has truly blessed me with players, coaches and administrations, and certainly a family, that has been with me every step of the way,” Barnes said after becoming the 15th Division I coach with 800 wins. “I’ve been doing it a long time, obviously, but I’m just thankful and blessed. And I do know this: every time that I thought I could do it on my own, it didn’t work. I just thank God for looking out for me through the years because there are times that I really messed it up and I appreciate Him not quitting on me and keeping me where I needed to be.
“I’m really thankful to the players,” Barnes continued. “I know what grind they put into it every day, [as do] our coaches and people in our program. I’ve just been blessed with having a chance to be around so many wonderful people.”
The Volunteers scored the first six points of the night and grabbed an 11-3 edge after just 4:09 of action. Texas A&M (15-12, 6-8 SEC) countered with a 12-2 burst in 3:02 to take its only lead, 15-13, with 12:23 on the timer.
Tennessee scored seven straight points in 2:06 to go back up by four, but the Aggies responded with a 9-4 run to even the tally at 24 with 4:36 left in the frame. The home team scored 13 of the final 16 points of the frame, ending it with a buzzer-beating corner 3-pointer by fifth-year guard Santiago Vescovi, to take a then-game-best 10-point margin, 37-27, into the locker room.
Barnes’ team shot 46.4 percent (13-of-28) from the field in the opening half, while holding Texas A&M to a 27.8 percent (10-of-36) clip at the other end.
The Volunteers scored 12 of the opening 17 points of the second frame—making it a 25-8 extended burst—to grab a commanding 17-point advantage, 49-32, with 16:17 remaining. The Aggies never cut their deficit below 13 from that point on.
Tennessee scored nine straight points in 2:37 to spark an impressive 34-12 run over the final 12:35, pushing the margin all the way to 35, with freshman guard Cameron Carr caping the scoring on a fast-break dunk seconds before the final horn.
To eclipse 20 points for the eighth time in the last 13 games, Knecht shot 7-of-14 from the field, 4-of-9 beyond the arc and 6-of-7 at the stripe. He added seven rebounds in the triumph.
Junior forward Jonas Aidoo logged his eighth double-double of the season with 18 points and a game-best 14 rebounds, becoming the first Volunteer with that line since March 21, 2014. He finished 9-of-14 from the floor and led all players with three blocks. Sophomore forward Tobe Awaka notched 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting to go along with six rebounds.
Junior guard Zakai Zeigler turned in a dazzling line of nine points, a career-high nine rebounds, a career-high 14 assists and zero turnovers. No other Division I player in at least the last 19 seasons (2005-24) has recorded such a line. The Long Island, N.Y., native also became just the sixth Power Six player—two are Volunteers—with 14-plus assists and no giveaways during that time, as well as tied for the sixth-most assists in a single game in Tennessee history.
Graduate student guard Tyrece Radford and junior guard Wade Taylor IV co-led Texas A&M with 11 points apiece, totaling a lower combined total than each had in the teams’ Feb. 14 meeting in College Station, Texas, when they had 27 and 25, respectively. Tennessee held Radford to 4-of-16 shooting, including a 2-of-9 clip from deep, and limited Taylor to a 3-of-12 ledger, including a 3-of-10 mark beyond the arc. Junior guard Jace Carter added 10 points for the Aggies, all before halftime.
Tennessee, which led for over 37 minutes and trailed for just 52 seconds, concluded the night with a decisive 46-22 edge in paint points and a 21-6 edge in fast-break points. It shot 52.4 percent (33-of-63) and held the Aggies to a 27.3 percent (18-of-66) figure.
In addition, the Volunteers amassed a thorough 50-33 advantage on the glass against one of the top rebounding teams in the nation. It marked the first time they grabbed 50 boards in a game since Dec. 7, 2022, and first time in SEC play since Feb. 26, 2022, as well as just the third time in the last nine seasons (2015-24) the Aggies were minus-17 on the glass.
Tennessee plays its second straight home game Wednesday at 7 p.m. when it takes on No. 14 Auburn in a top-15 showdown, live on ESPN2 from Food City Center.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• Barnes now owns 800 victories in his career, five behind Rick Byrd for No. 14 on the all-time wins list (min. 10 years at a Division I school). • Barnes is the 15th head coach in Division I history (min. 10 years at DI level) with 800 victories, including the second among active coaches, alongside Kentucky’s John Calipari. • Additionally, Barnes is the 26th NCAA coach, regardless of level, with 800 wins, including third among active coaches, joining Calipari and Dave Holmquist of Biola, a Division II school in La Miranda, Calif. • Barnes is the fifth individual with SEC coaching experience to log 800 victories, joining Calipari, Cliff Ellis, Adolph Rupp and Eddie Sutton. • The only other individuals to reach 800 wins while serving as an active SEC head coach are Calipari and Rupp, both of whom did so with Kentucky. • Barnes now owns a 32-11 record against Texas A&M, one shy of his most wins versus any team, as he is 33-5 versus Texas Tech. • Tennessee has been ranked in eight of its last nine meetings with the Aggies and is 6-2 in those contests, including 6-1 with Texas A&M unranked. • The Volunteers are now 73-22 (.768) as an AP top-10 team and 32-9 (.780) as an AP top-five team in Barnes’ nine-year tenure, all in the past seven seasons. • As the sixth of a venue record eight confirmed sellouts this season, the crowd of 22,322—good for 644 over capacity—marked the largest of the season and the first time over 22,000 were in the stands since Feb. 9, 2019, when 22,261 were in attendance for a matchup with Florida. • The announced crowd of 22,322 marked the largest attendance at Food City Center in at least the past decade (2014-24) and was just four shy of the top mark in the venue at its current capacity, as the record is 22,326 against Gonzaga on Jan. 7, 2009, • Tennessee last pulled down 50-plus rebounds on Dec. 7, 2022, when it had 56 versus Eastern Kentucky and last hit that mark in league play on Feb. 26, 2022, when it grabbed 54 against Auburn. • The only other times Texas A&M allowed 50-plus rebounds in a game over the last nine seasons (2015-24) were to Alabama (50) on March 12, 2023, in the SEC Tournament final in Nashville, Tenn., at Auburn (52) on Feb. 12, 2022, and versus Auburn (50) on Jan. 16, 2019. • Only twice prior in the last nine seasons (2015-24) has Texas A&M been outrebounded by 17: at home against Gonzaga (46-31) on Nov. 15, 2019, and at home versus Auburn (50-33) on Jan. 16, 2019. • After starting 3-of-7 from 3-point range, the Aggies missed each of their next eight attempts from long range and went 4-of-27 the rest of the night to finish 7-of-34 (20.6 percent). • Radford and Taylor combined for 22 points on a 7-of-28 field-goal clip, including a 5-of-19 mark on 3-pointers, after totaling 52 on 17-of-35 shooting, including a 7-of-18 ledger from deep, in the teams’ first matchup Feb. 14 at Texas A&M. • Taylor made three of his first four shots, all on 3-pointers, in the opening five minutes and then Tennessee held him to an 0-of-8 mark—with just two points, both at the line—the rest of the game, including a 0-of-6 clip from deep. • Awaka has now recorded the two highest-scoring games of his career in succession, as his 12-point performance following his career-best 18 point mark Tuesday at Missouri. • Vescovi notched the 199th steal of his career, moving him past C.J. Watson (2002-06) for sole possession of second place on the program’s all-time leaderboard. • Aidoo now has nine double-doubles as a Volunteer, including eight this season, six of which have come in the team’s 14 SEC contests. • The last Volunteer with at least 18 points and 14 rebounds in a game was Jarnell Stokes, who did so on March 21, 2014, against UMass in an NCAA Tournament Round of 64 matchup in Raleigh, N.C. • Over the last 15 seasons (2009-24), the only other Tennessee players with at least 18 points and 14 rebounds in a game are Stokes (four times in 2013-14 and once in 2012-13) and Jeronne Maymon (2011-12), with one of Stokes’ showings in overtime and Maymon’s also in overtime. • The lone time in the last 16 seasons (2008-24) a Volunteer logged at least 18 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks was on Feb. 23, 2013, when Stokes did so in an overtime contest at Texas A&M. • The only other SEC player this season to record a game with at least 18 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks is Auburn’s Johni Broome, who did so on Jan. 24 at Alabama. • Zeigler passed Michael Brooks (1980-83; 1984-85) and Jordan Bone (2016-19) to move into eighth place on the program’s all-time assist leaderboard, now with 410, and became the ninth Volunteer ever to reach 400. • The 14 assists for Zeigler marked just the ninth time in program history a player reached that figure and tied him for the sixth-highest single-game total by a Volunteer. • Zeigler is the first SEC player with 14 assists in a contest since Kentucky’s TyTy Washington logged 17 on Jan. 8, 2022, against Georgia, and he is the first Volunteer to hit that mark since Lamonté Turner on Nov. 12, 2019, versus Murray State. • The only SEC players in the last 14 seasons (2010-24) with 14 assists and no turnovers in a game are Volunteers, as Zeigler joins Turner in achieving the feat. • The lone other Division I player with 14 assists and no turnovers in a game this season is Marquette’s Tyler Kolek, who notched 15 and zero on Jan. 7, 2023, against Georgetown. • Besides Zeigler, Turner and Kolek, the only other three Power Six players with 14-plus assists and no turnovers in game over the last 19 seasons (2005-24) are Michigan’s Mike Smith (March 12, 2021, against Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals in Indianapolis), Iowa’s Jordan Bohannon (Jan. 10, 2021, versus Minnesota) and Northwestern Bryant McIntosh (Jan. 10, 2018, against Minnesota). • Over the last 14 seasons (2010-24), just 11 SEC players—12 occurrences, as Kentucky’s John Wall did it twice—logged a game with 14-plus assists. • Just four other SEC player in at least the last 19 seasons (2005-24) have registered 14-plus assists in a league game: Kentucky’s TyTy Washington (Jan. 8, 2022, against Georgia), Auburn’s Sharife Cooper (Feb. 6, 2021, in an overtime affair at Mississippi State), Auburn’s Jared Harper (Feb. 3, 2018, against Vanderbilt) and Kentucky’s Tyler Ulis (March 5, 2016, against LSU). • Zeigler now has at least 13 assists in a game twice this season, while no other player in the SEC has reached 12 even once. • The nine rebounds for Zeigler set a new career best, eclipsing the prior top tally of six he recorded on six occasions. • The only three other Power Six players in at least the last 19 seasons (2005-24) to post a line of nine points, nine rebounds and 14 assists in a game are Shamorie Ponds of St. John’s (Dec. 16, 2018, against Wagner), Dennis Smith Jr., of NC State (Feb. 1, 2017, in an overtime affair at Syracuse) and Kris Dunn of Providence (Feb. 1, 2017, against Hartford), with Zeigler the first to do so in a regulation conference • Zeigler is the fourth Division I player, including the only one in a Power Six league, in at least the last 18 seasons (2006-24) to notch nine points, nine rebounds, 14 assists and four steals in a contest, joining BYU’s Kyle Collinsworth (Jan. 1, 2016, at Loyola Marymount), Niagara’s Anthony Nelson (Feb. 6, 2011, at Marist) and UMass’ Chris Lowe (March 5, 2008, against La Salle). • Just two Division I players in at least the last 19 seasons (2005-24) have recorded nine points, nine rebounds and 14 assists in a game without committing a turnover: Youngstown State’s Bryce McBride on Dec. 8, 2022, against non-DI Westminster (PA) and Gonzaga’s Joel Ayayi on Jan. 9, 2021, at Portland. • Zeigler is the Division I player in at least the last 19 seasons (2005-24) has registered nine points, nine rebounds, 14 assists and four steals without committing a turnover. • Knecht is the sixth SEC player in the last 12 years (2012-24) to record 14-plus points in at least 13 straight league games, joining Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves (2023-24), LSU’s Cameron Thomas (2020-21), Mississippi State’s Quinndary Weatherspoon (2018-19), South Carolina’s Sindarius Thornwell (2016-17) and Alabama’s Retin Obasohan (2015-16). • Knecht has now scored 20-plus points 32 times in his three Division I seasons, including 13 times in his lone year as a Volunteer and in 10 of the last 13 contests.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7/9 Tennessee secured its first weekend series win of the season in emphatic fashion with a 21-6 victory over UAlbany on Saturday afternoon in front of a program record crowd of 5,127 fans at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first and managing just two hits through the first three innings, the Volunteers got the bats going in a big way with a nine-run fourth inning to take control.
UT totaled 18 of their 21 runs in the middle three innings of the game, adding four in the fifth and five in the sixth before tacking on another three in the eighth to wrap up the scoring.
The Big Orange (6-1) finished the afternoon with 15 hits, 10 of which went for extra bases, including four home runs.
Kavares Tears hit his third long ball of the year in the fifth inning and finished with a team-high four RBIs while Dalton Bargo had his best game as a Vol with a team-leading three hits and three runs scored to go along with a two-run homer.
Billy Amick also had another strong day at the plate, recording a pair of hits, including a bases-clearing double in Tennessee’s nine-run fourth inning. Robin Villeneuve continued his hot start to the year, as well, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and a monster 448-foot two-run homer over the batter’s eye.
Drew Beam got the start on the mound and earned his first win of the year after 5.2 solid innings. The junior right-hander allowed two runs on six hits and struck out four with no walks. Aaron Combs and Dylan Loy both pitched a scoreless inning of relief while freshman left-hander Luke Payne made his UT debut, posting a pair of strikeouts in the eighth inning.
UAlbany’s top two hitters in the order combined for seven of the team’s 12 hits as Ryan Ferremi went 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs and Jared Toby went 3-for-5 with a run, an RBI and two doubles. Thomas McElwee and John Vitucci also had multi-hit efforts for the Great Danes (0-2).
UP NEXT: The Vols will look to complete the series sweep in Sunday’s series finale, which is slated for a 1 p.m. start.
STAT OF THE GAME: Tennessee had 10 different players record at least one hit and had seven players finish with multiple RBIs on the day. Bargo tied a career high with three hits and finished a triple short of the cycle.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7/9 Tennessee started its first home weekend series with a win after holding off the UAlbany Great Danes, 8-5, on Friday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
For the second consecutive game, the Vols used a big third inning to take ahold of the game, scoring five runs to break open a scoreless contest. Dylan Dreiling and Billy Amick both drove in runs with RBI singles before a wild play where the Great Danes committed two errors allowed three more runs to score.
After UAlbany’s Mike Prisco homered in the sixth to cut the UT lead to 5-2, the Big Orange added three runs in the bottom of the seventh to give themselves some more breathing room. Christian Moore scored on a wild pitch before Blake Burke hit his first home run of the year moments later to plate two runs and increase the lead to six.
The Great Danes (0-1) kept scratching away with two runs in the eighth and another in the ninth, but AJ Causey was able to close the door for his first save as a Vol, recording a strikeout to end the game.
Causey pitched the final three innings, allowing three hits and three runs (one earned) with a walk and two strikeouts. Fellow transfer Chris Stamos picked up his first win at Tennessee after tossing three solid innings in relief of starter AJ Russell, who had to leave the game after three shutout innings due to some soreness.
The middle of UT’s lineup, consisting of Moore, Kavares Tears and Amick, combined to go 6-for-13 at the dish with five runs scored, posting two hits apiece.
Prisco had two hits and drove in three of UAlbany’s five runs while leadoff man Ryan Ferremi added a hit and an RBI.
UP NEXT: The Vols (5-1) will look to secure a series win tomorrow when the two teams square off at noon ET on the SEC Network+ and ESPN app. Note that Saturday’s first pitch time was moved up two hours from its originally scheduled 2 p.m. start due to the potential for cold temperatures later in the day.
STAT OF THE GAME: After scoring 11 runs in the third inning of Wednesday’s win over ETSU and five in the third inning of today’s victory, UT has combined for 16 runs in the third inning over its last two games. The Vols have scored at least one run in the third inning in each of their last four games with 20 total third-inning runs in that span.
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The fifth-ranked Lady Vols split two games on their first day at the 2024 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic – beating Loyola Marymount 4-0 before falling to Cal State Fullerton 11-2 in six innings.
Graduate Kiki Milloy and sophomore Karlyn Pickens were the stars Friday for Tennessee as Milloy became the program’s all-time home runs leader, while Pickens tossed her second-career perfect game.
Milloy’s homer in the fifth inning against LMU was her 58th career home run, passing LVFL Meghan Gregg for most in school history. The Woodinville, Washington, native now holds the career mark for home runs and the single-season home run record, which she broke in 2023.
While Milloy made history at the plate, Pickens was making history of her own in the circle. The right-hander struck out 12 and retired all 21 batters she faced en route to a perfect game. The Weaverville, North Carolina, native joins Monica Abbott and Erin Gabriel as the only Lady Vols to throw multiple perfect games in program history.
GAME ONE – #5 Tennessee 4, Loyola Marymount 0 Tennessee broke through for two runs against LMU in the home half of the fourth inning, courtesy of a Destiny Rodriguez double to center field that scored Katie Taylor. With the next at-bat, Taylor Pannell knocked a sacrifice fly into shallow right field that allowed Alannah Leach to tag and score on from third.
In the fifth, Milloy led off the inning with her record-breaking home run to put Tennessee up three. Junior McKenna Gibson then added to the score with her first home run of the season – a solo shot over the wall in center.
Pickens’ 12-strikeout perfect game moves her to 3-1 on the year.
GAME TWO – #5 Tennessee 2, Cal State Fullerton 11 UT’s game against Cal State Fullerton started well as the Lady Vols took an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, Pannell lined a home run over the center field wall that bounced off the top of the center fielder’s glove.
The homer was Pannell’s first of the season and the second of her career.
Graduate pitcher Payton Gottshall cruised through the game’s first two frames, striking out the first five batters she faced.
The Titans’ first hit of the game came in the third – a single to center that scored Alexia Lopez who reached base on a hit-by-pitch and then stole second.
CSF added two more runs later in the frame as it took a 3-1 lead.
In the fourth, Cal State Fullerton tacked on three more runs before scoring twice in the fifth.
Milloy worked her way around the bases in the bottom of the fifth – getting hit by a pitch and stealing second before being moved to third on a grounder to second. Rylie West drove her home on a ground out to third for UT’s second run of the game.
The Titans then added three runs in the sixth to end the game an inning early.
Gottshall suffered the loss and is now 2-2 on the year.
UP NEXT Tennessee plays twice on Saturday, starting with Oregon State at 5:30 p.m. ET. It ends the night versus UCF at 8 p.m. Both games can be streamed on FloSports or fans can listen live to Hunter King call the action via a free audio broadcast on UTSports.com or through the Tennessee Athletics app.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) A federal judge Friday grants a preliminary injunction in favor of Tennessee and Virginia in their fight against the NCAA.
“It is hereby ORDERED that, effective immediately, Defendant NCAA; its servants, agents, and employees; and all persons in active conce11 or participation with the NCAA, are restrained and enjoined from enforcing the NCAA Interim NIL Policy, the NCAA Bylaws, or any other authority to the extent such authority prohibits student-athletes from negotiating compensation for NIL with any third-party entity, including but not limited to boosters or a collective of boosters, until a full and final decision on the merits in the instant action.” — Court Order Obtained by WVLT News
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Clifton Corker in the Eastern District of Tennessee bars the NCAA from enforcing its rules prohibiting name, image and likeness compensation from being used to recruit athletes, effectively dealing another blow to the association’s ability to govern college sports.
This means that until the final decision on the case is ordered, the NCAA cannot enforce its NIL regulations onto any school.
“The court’s grant of a preliminary injunction against the NCAA’s illegal NIL-recruitment ban ensures the rights of student-athletes will be protected for the duration of this case, but the bigger fight continues,” Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement. “We will litigate this case to the fullest extent necessary to ensure the NCAA’s monopoly cannot continue to harm Tennessee student-athletes. The NCAA is not above the law, and the law is on our side.”
Morristown, TN (WOKI) E. Morris Blvd. in Morristown is reopened to traffic, but firefighters remain on the scene of a fire at a decades-old sign shop in the city.
Morristown firefighters were dispatched Friday afternoon to the scene of a structure fire reported at Morristown Signs in the 1700 block of E. Morris Blvd; the street, from Hale to Liberty Hill, was closed but has since reopened to traffic.
Details as to what caused the fire have not yet been released by Morristown Fire Department officials.
Lenoir City, TN (WOKI) The “No Wake Zone” at Fort Loudon Marina has been expanded to allow for cleanup efforts following last month’s dock collapse due to heavy snowfall.
Officials with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency making the announcement Friday say the “No Wake Zone” expansion will be in effect for 180 days to allow crews to remove storm-related debris safely.
TWRA says the emergency rule for the expansion was filed after the State Attorney General signed it last week.
“Due to storm clean up, all vessels being operated within 1,500 feet of Fort Loudoun Marina, near Tennessee River Mile 602, shall be subject to a temporary no wake speed,” the rule states.
TWRA adds there will be buoys marking the expanded “No Wake Zone,” and boating officers will have an additional presence in the area for education and enforcement.
Nashville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) The Knoxville lawmaker looking to unseat U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn has introduced a bill to raise our state’s minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $20.
The bill, HB 2602/SB 2646, was introduced by Representative Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville and Senator Sara Kyle, D-Memphis on January 31. It aims to increase the hourly minimum wage in the state.
“As introduced, increases the hourly minimum wage to $20.00, or the federal minimum wage established pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, whichever rate is greater,” the bill reads.
If the new bill passes, Tennessee would be home to the highest minimum wage in the country. Currently, Washington has the highest minimum wage of any state at $16.28.
“We are behind,” Johnson said during a Thursday press conference. “People are struggling to keep the lights on and keep food on the table. Other states that have raised the wage are doing well with it.”
Since its introduction, the bill has been assigned to committees and subcommittees for discussion in the House and Senate. Now, Johnson is calling on Tennesseans to join the cause and sign onto the bill as a citizen endorser.
Johnson said the bill will not likely pass due to opposition by the Republican supermajority, but significant minimum wage change is needed because she does not consider the current level a livable wage in the state. Rep. Johnson said if this bill doesn’t pass in Tennessee, she would push for similar legislation if elected to the Senate.
A campaign manager for Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Johnson’s likely opposition in the general election, released this statement about the bill:
“Gloria Johnson is as woke as they come, so it’s no surprise this radical socialist is trying to out-liberal Joe Biden’s minimum wage executive order,” the statement said. “It’s a clear sign she puts the liberal woke agenda and PR stunts before Tennesseans. Meanwhile, Senator Blackburn will continue to protect Tennessee and America and secure a strong economy.”
Independent non-profit group, Good Jobs Institute, said many businesses have already set their minimum wage at more than double the federal minimum. Stores like Target in Nashville are advertising starting rates at $16 per hour.
