Baseball Preview: #11/12 Vols Look to Bounce Back vs. Western Carolina

Baseball Preview: #11/12 Vols Look to Bounce Back vs. Western Carolina

Posted on March 23, 2023

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Back on Rocky Top and kicking off a five-game homestand, the No. 11/12 Tennessee Volunteers host Western Carolina in midweek action Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.

Tennessee (15-6, 0-3 SEC) looks to rebound after a tough start to SEC play. The Vols struggled to get the bats going during a cold weekend in Columbia, Missouri, but are back within the friendly confines of Lindsey Nelson Stadium where they are averaging 9.9 runs per game.

PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS

LHP Zander Sechrist (0-0, 0.77 ERA) vs. RHP Dante Visconti (2-1, 6.19 ERA)

BROADCAST INFO

Tuesday’s game will stream on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app with Zack Nelson (PxP) on the call. The online broadcast can be accessed on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch.

Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Baseball, John Wilkerson, call the action on the Vol Network (FM 99.1/AM 990) or via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App.  

SERIES HISTORY

Overall: Tennessee leads, 25-7
in Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 17-4
in Cullowhee: Tennessee leads, 6-3
at Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 1-0
Last 10 Meetings: 9-1
Last Meeting: W, 11-1 (March 30, 2022, in Knoxville)

NOTABLE

MIDWEEK MAGIC
The Vols have been impressive in midweek games under Vitello, posting a 57-9 overall record in such games since 2018. UT is 5-1 in midweek contests this season, outscoring their opponents 63-11 with a pair of shutouts.

SCORING EARLY
Getting on the board early in games has been important for the Vols so far this season. UT is 12-1 when scoring first this year but is just 3-5 when its opponent opens the scoring. Tennessee is 8-1 when scoring in the first inning, as well.

VFLs IN THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
Two VFLs represented the Vols in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Liam Spence and Team Australia made it through the Group Stage before being eliminated by Cuba in the quarterfinals, while Julio Borbon served as the first base coach for the Dominican Republic. The finals for the event take place Tuesday night with Team USA facing the winner of Japan and Mexico at 7 p.m. ET in Miami, Florida, at loanDepot Park

OPPONENT SCOUT

Western Carolina Catamounts

  • 2023 Record: 9-11 (0-0 SoCon)
  • 2022 Record: 26-31-1 (9-11-1 SoCon)
  • 2022 Postseason: –
  • 2023 SoCon Preseason Poll: 6th
  • 2023 SoCon Preseason Player of the Year: Pascanel Ferreras, SS
  • 2023 Preseason All-SoCon Team
    • First Team: Pascanel Ferreras (SS)
    • Second Team: Nate Stocum (OF)
  • Head Coach: Alan Beck (First season)
  • Stat Leaders:
    • Average: Pascanel Ferreras (.351)
    • OBP: Pascanel Ferreras (.456)
    • SLG: Pascanel Ferreras (.568)
    • Hits: Pascanel Ferreras (26)
    • Runs: Pascanel Ferreras, Zach Ketterman (17)
    • RBIs: Pascanel Ferreras, Zach Ketterman, Nate Stocum (18)
    • Doubles: Zach Ketterman, Brandon Butterworth (5)
    • Triples: Brandon Butterworth (3)
    • Home Runs: Zach Ketterman, Nate Stocum (5)
    • ERA: Dylan Wheeler (0.82)
    • WHIP: Dylan Wheeler (1.09)
    • BAA: Dylan Wheeler (.158)
    • Innings Pitched: Matt Schepel (24.0)
    • Strikeouts: Matt Schepel, Kyle Riesselmann (24)
    • Wins: Dante Visconti, Nick Torres, Dylan Wheeler (2)
    • Saves: Gavin Mortenson (2)

ON DECK

Tennessee opens its SEC home schedule, welcoming Texas A&M to Rocky Top for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 6:30 p.m. ET.

-UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Back on Rocky Top and kicking off a five-game homestand, the No. 11/12 Tennessee Volunteers host Western Carolina in midweek action Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. Tennessee (15-6, 0-3 SEC) looks to rebound after a tough start to SEC play. The Vols struggled to get the bats going during a cold weekend in Columbia, Missouri, but are back within the friendly confines of Lindsey Nelson Stadium where they are averaging 9.9 runs per game. PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS LHP Zander Sechrist (0-0, 0.77 ERA) vs. RHP Dante Visconti (2-1, 6.19 ERA) BROADCAST INFO Tuesday’s game will stream on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app with Zack Nelson (PxP) on the call. The online broadcast can be accessed on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Baseball, John Wilkerson, call the action on the Vol Network (FM 99.1/AM 990) or via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App. SERIES HISTORY Overall: Tennessee leads, 25-7 in Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 17-4 in Cullowhee: Tennessee leads, 6-3 at Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 1-0 Last 10 Meetings: 9-1 Last Meeting: W, 11-1 (March 30, 2022, in Knoxville) NOTABLE MIDWEEK MAGIC The Vols have been impressive in midweek games under Vitello, posting a 57-9 overall record in such games since 2018. UT is 5-1 in midweek contests this season, outscoring their opponents 63-11 with a pair of shutouts. SCORING EARLY Getting on the board early in games has been important for the Vols so far this season. UT is 12-1 when scoring first this year but is just 3-5 when its opponent opens the scoring. Tennessee is 8-1 when scoring in the first inning, as well. VFLs IN THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC Two VFLs represented the Vols in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Liam Spence and Team Australia made it through the Group Stage before being eliminated by Cuba in the quarterfinals, while Julio Borbon served as the first base coach for the Dominican Republic. The finals for the event take place Tuesday night with Team USA facing the winner of Japan and Mexico at 7 p.m. ET in Miami, Florida, at loanDepot Park OPPONENT SCOUT Western Carolina Catamounts 2023 Record: 9-11 (0-0 SoCon) 2022 Record: 26-31-1 (9-11-1 SoCon) 2022 Postseason: – 2023 SoCon Preseason Poll: 6th 2023 SoCon Preseason Player of the Year: Pascanel Ferreras, SS 2023 Preseason All-SoCon Team First Team: Pascanel Ferreras (SS) Second Team: Nate Stocum (OF) Head Coach: Alan Beck (First season) Stat Leaders: Average: Pascanel Ferreras (.351) OBP: Pascanel Ferreras (.456) SLG: Pascanel Ferreras (.568) Hits: Pascanel Ferreras (26) Runs: Pascanel Ferreras, Zach Ketterman (17) RBIs: Pascanel Ferreras, Zach Ketterman, Nate Stocum (18) Doubles: Zach Ketterman, Brandon Butterworth (5) Triples: Brandon Butterworth (3) Home Runs: Zach Ketterman, Nate Stocum (5) ERA: Dylan Wheeler (0.82) WHIP: Dylan Wheeler (1.09) BAA: Dylan Wheeler (.158) Innings Pitched: Matt Schepel (24.0) Strikeouts: Matt Schepel, Kyle Riesselmann (24) Wins: Dante Visconti, Nick Torres, Dylan Wheeler (2) Saves: Gavin Mortenson (2) ON DECK Tennessee opens its SEC home schedule, welcoming Texas A&M to Rocky Top for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Stats/Story: Vols swept in Sunday doubleaheder and in series at Missouri

Stats/Story: Vols swept in Sunday doubleaheder and in series at Missouri

Posted on March 22, 2023

Box Score (G1) | Box Score (G2) | Series Stats

COLUMBIA, Mo. – A disappointing weekend in Columbia ended with a pair of losses in Sunday’s doubleheader against Missouri at Taylor Stadium.

Tennessee (15-6, 0-3 SEC) was swept for the first time since 2019 at Arkansas and opens Southeastern Conference play 0-3 for the first time since 2019 when the Vols were swept at Auburn.

Recaps for both of Sunday’s games can be found below.

GAME 1: Missouri 7, Tennessee 4 (7 Inn.)

For the second game in a row, Tennessee fell in an early hole and was unable to dig itself out after Missouri struck for three runs in the first inning.

The Vols missed out on opportunities to get on the board in the first and second innings, leaving the bases loaded on both occasions.

The Tigers added two more runs in the third inning on an RBI single and a balk to take a 5-0 lead.

UT got a run back in the top of the fourth on a two-out RBI single from Maui Ahuna, who had two of the Vols’ six hits in the game. However, Mizzou answered right back with a solo home run by Dylan Leach to lead off the bottom of the fourth and make it 6-1.

Chase Burns finished with 12 strikeouts but suffered his first loss of the year after giving up seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and a walk in five innings of work. After giving up three consecutive hits to start the game, Burns struck out the next six batters before running into more trouble in the third inning.

Griffin Merritt cut the deficit to five with a solo home run to straightaway center field in the top of the sixth, his seventh round tripper of the season.

Tennessee didn’t go quietly in the seventh, scoring a pair of runs on a two-run homer from Zane Denton to pull within three, but Jared Dickey grounded out to end the game one batter later.

Tigers’ reliever Zach Franklin earned the win after five innings out of the pen. The senior right hander gave up four runs, just one of which was earned, on four hits while striking out six.

Ross Lovich, Dalton Bargo and Trevor Austin led Missouri at the plate, combining for six hits and five RBIs on the day.

GAME 2: Missouri 7, Tennessee 1 (7 Inn.)

Tennessee was unable to salvage a win on the weekend, falling to Missouri 7-1 in the series finale.

Three errors proved costly for the Vols in the loss, as five of the Tigers’ seven runs were unearned, including all four in the bottom of the third inning.

Drew Beam pitched just three innings, allowing four unearned runs on three hits and three walks. He also finished with three strikeouts but was stuck with the loss, falling to 3-1 on the year.

Starting pitcher Austin Troesser was lights out for the Tigers, tossing 4.2 no-hit innings with seven strikeouts to pick up the win. The junior right hander carried a perfect game into the fifth before issuing a one-out walk to Jared Dickey.

After a pitching change, Dickey came around to score later in the inning on a pinch-hit single by Hunter Ensley to break up the no-hit bid.

Making his first start of the series, senior outfielder Cam Chick led Mizzou (16-3, 3-0 SEC) at the plate with a pair of hits, a walk and three RBIs.

UP NEXT: The Vols will look to get back to their winning ways when they return home for a Tuesday midweek game against Western Carolina before hosting Texas A&M for their SEC home opening series next Friday-Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

-UT Athletics

Vols 3B Zane Denton / Credit: UT Athletics
Story: Late Inning Surge Sends #2/5 Lady Vols Past #10/12 LSU, Earning Series Sweep

Story: Late Inning Surge Sends #2/5 Lady Vols Past #10/12 LSU, Earning Series Sweep

Posted on March 22, 2023

BATON ROUGE, La. – Holding a one-run lead in the sixth inning against No. 10 LSU, second-ranked Tennessee softball erupted for six runs over the game’s final two frames to earn its second straight SEC series sweep as it defeated LSU 9-2 Sunday at Tiger Park.

Tennessee (24-1, 6-0 SEC) opened up an early lead on the Tigers, pushing across two runs in the first inning. Making her third start of the weekend and fifth start this season, sophomore Lair Beautae continued her hot streak as she laced a single to left field, scoring leadoff hitter Mackenzie Donihoo for the game’s opening run.

ADVERTISING

Later in the frame, Beautae came around for UT’s second run as she scored on a wild pitch.

LSU (23-5, 2-4 SEC) – who had been held scoreless by the Lady Vols through the series’ first two games – finally broke through on Sunday in the fourth inning. The Tigers plated a pair of runs on a bloop single to left – cutting Tennessee’s lead to one.

After a quiet fifth inning for both teams, the Lady Vol bats responded in the sixth with three runs. Sophomore McKenna Gibson led off the frame with a towering home run that curved around the left-field foul pole – giving UT an insurance run.

The Big Orange padded the lead thanks to smart baserunning by freshman Amanda Ahlin and junior Giulia Koutsoyanopulos. With the duo standing on first and third with two outs, Ahlin stole second while Koutsoyanopulos broke for home. LSU cut the throw to second off and attempted to get Koutsoyanopulos out at the plate but the Santa Clarita, California, native slid in safely under the tag.

Just three pitches later, Ahlin took advantage of an error by the Tigers’ second baseman to come home for Tennessee’s third run of the inning.

In the seventh, a pair of one-out singles set the table for Koutsoyanopulos to put the game out of reach. After battling through seven pitches, the catcher crushed a three-run home run to left center, putting Tennessee up 9-2 and all but clinching the series sweep for the Lady Vols.

Graduate pitcher Ashley Rogers walked the first LSU batter in the bottom of the seventh but the Tigers were unable to take advantage as the Athens, Tennessee, native shut the door. She used a pair of strikeouts and a fielder’s choice to end the inning and the series.

UT used all three of its big arms to get the win as senior Payton Gottshall took the ball to start the game, tossing 3.1 innings. Gottshall allowed both of LSU’s runs but was effective as she tallied four strikeouts. Freshman Karlyn Pickens came on in relief and threw 1.2 innings – registering three punchouts and giving up just one hit. The Weaverville, North Carolina, native picked up the win and is now 6-1 on the year.

Rogers pitched the final two innings for the Lady Vols, fanning three Tiger batters.

MAKING HISTORY
Tennessee is off to its best start in SEC play in program history – going 6-0 over the first two weekends of conference action.

TOP-10 SWEEP
With its sweep of No. 10 LSU, UT recorded its first three-game sweep of a top-10 opponent since taking three games off No. 7 Georgia March 28-30, 2015.

UP NEXT
Tennessee returns home to Sherri Parker Lee Stadium Friday through Sunday, March 24-26 as it plays host to Alabama.

-UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, TN – March 10, 2023 – Outfielder/Infielder Giulia Koutsoyanopulos #27 of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers during the game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics
Hoops Preview: NCAA Second Round: #24/RV Lady Vols vs. Toledo

Hoops Preview: NCAA Second Round: #24/RV Lady Vols vs. Toledo

Posted on March 22, 2023

No. 24/RV Tennessee (24-11), the No. 4 seed in the Seattle 3 Region, continues its 41st-straight NCAA Tournament journey, playing host to No. 12 seed Toledo (29-4) on Monday in the second round at 6:06 p.m. ET at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The winner of that game will advance to the Seattle 3 Regional Sweet 16 at Climate Pledge Arena, where it will meet the victor of Sunday’s contest between No. 1 seed Virginia Tech (28-4) and No. 9 seed South Dakota State (29-5) on Saturday, March 25.

The Lady Vols are serving as a host for the NCAA First and Second Rounds for the second year in a row, and this marks the 19th occasion UT has welcomed the NCAA First and Second Rounds to Rocky Top since that format was instituted in 1994.

The Big Orange women have won 20 of their past 26 games in 2022-23, with the only losses during that span coming at No. 3 Stanford (77-70), vs. No. 4 UConn (84-67), at No. 5 LSU (76-68), at Mississippi State (91-90 2OT), vs. No. 1/1 South Carolina (73-60) at home and vs. No. 1/1 South Carolina in the SEC Tournament championship game (74-58). Head coach Kellie Harper led her squad threw a gauntlet of a schedule. She patiently put the pieces of the 2022-23 Lady Vol puzzle together, helping talented returnees and newcomers find their roles for this team and guiding them through absences of key players (Horston, Jackson, Hollingshead, Franklin) and the loss of two more (Key, Suárez) for the season.

Tennessee placed third in the SEC for the fourth-straight season, finished 13-3 for its highest league victory total since 2014-15 and advanced to its first SEC Tournament title game since 2015, with a 69-67 triumph over No. 4/3 LSU serving as a signature win.

The Lady Vols advanced to the NCAA Second Round by rolling past the Saint Louis Billikens, 95-50, on Saturday afternoon, putting four players in double figures and getting points from all 13 players who saw action.

Toledo, the Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament champion, advanced and won its 17th straight game by pulling off the second NCAA #12/5 upset in the first round in as many seasons on The Summitt, taking down No. 5 seed Iowa State, 80-73, on Saturday. In 2022, it was Belmont shocking Oregon.

Tennessee and Toledo meet for the second time ever, but the first occasion during NCAA play, with the Lady Vols defeating the Rockets, 81-63, on Dec. 18, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii, during their initial matchup.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

  • Monday’s game will be televised by ESPN2, with Pam Ward (PxP) and Stephanie White (Analyst) on the call.
  • All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
  • The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network stations and by audio stream, with Brian Rice on the call and Andy Brock serving as studio host. 
  • A link to the live audio stream can be found on the Hoops Central page or the schedule on UTSports.com.
  • For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on the Vol Network Affiliates tab.
  • Air-time generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
  • The broadcast also is available via SiriusXM Channels 138 or 206, and the SiriusXM App. Channel 969.

PROMOTIONS AND FAN INFORMATION

  • Tickets are available at AllVols.com.
  • There are single-session options as low as $10 for adults and $5 for youth.
  • The first 500 UT students with a current student I.D. will be admitted free.
  • Gates C & E will be open to ticketed fans.
  • Free parking and shuttle service are available from the Ag Campus (Lot CF near Brehm & Food Science Bldgs. and S65/66 behind Vet Hospital).
  • For additional details and information, please call 865-974-1734 or visit the Fans tab on UTSports.com.

UT IN THE FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS

  • Tennessee is making its 41st appearance in the NCAA First/Second Rounds, and it owns a 62-5 record during games played in those rounds through March 18.
  • The Lady Vols are 33-2 all-time in the NCAA First Round and 29-3 in the NCAA Second Round.
  • The only blemishes are a first-round loss to Ball State, 71-55, in Bowling Green, Ky., on March 22, 2009, a second-round setback to Louisville, 75-64, in Louisville, Ky. on March 20, 2017, a second-round loss to Oregon State, 66-59, in Knoxville, on March 18, 2018, a first-round ouster by UCLA, 89-77, on March 23, 2019, in College Park, Md., and a second-round loss to Michigan, 70-55, in San Antonio, Texas, on March 23, 2021.
  • In NCAA First/Second Round play, Tennessee is 48-1 at home, 4-2 away and 10-2 at neutral sites.
  • The breakdown for that is 25-0 home/0-1 away/8-1 neutral for the first round and 23-1 home/4-1 away/2-1 neutral for the second round.

LADY VOL NCAA EXPERIENCE

LOOKING BACK AT THE SAINT LOUIS GAME

  • Fourth-seeded Tennessee cruised to a decisive 45-point victory over 13th-seeded Saint Louis on Saturday afternoon, winning 95-50 in front of 6,871 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
  • With the win, Tennessee improved to 33-2 all-time in NCAA First Round games and is a perfect 25-0 in opening round contests at home.
  • Senior Jordan Horston led UT (24-11, 13-3 SEC) in scoring with 21 points and eight rebounds. Senior Rickea Jackson turned in 18 on the day, graduate Jordan Walker finished with 11 points, three assists and three steals, and Tess Darby chipped in 10.
  • Brooke Flowers was the high scorer for the Billikens (17-18, 10-6 Atlantic 10) with 17 points. Camreé Clegg and Kyla McMakin were also in double figures with 12 and 11, respectively.

BIG-TIME RUN

  • Tennessee held SLU scoreless for an elapsed time of eight minutes, 10 seconds, via a 29-0 run spanning from the 6:35 mark of the second quarter to the 7:56 mark of the third quarter.
  • It was Tennessee’s longest scoring run of the season and its third 20+ scoring run of 2022-23, having posted 22-0 streaks against both Rutgers and Wofford.

T3SS CLIMBING CAREER LISTS

  • Tess Darby pitched in three treys against SLU, marking the 22nd time this season she has hit multiple treys in a game and the 12th time she has knocked down three or more.
  • Darby moved into a tie for ninth in single-season threes made all-time at UT, tying Meighan Simmons and Shannon Bobbitt with 69 each.
  • She upped her career total to 125, moving within eight treys of catching Sidney Spencer to land among the top-10 career totals in program history.

POINTS ALL AROUND

  • Every active Lady Vol made it onto the court against SLU, and all 13 players contributed at least two points to the victory.

LADY VOL ODDS & ENDS

  • ON THE CUSP OF 25: At 24-11, Tennessee has reached the 20-win plateau for an incredible 46th time and is one win away from 25 for the 38th occasion.
  • HORSTON CHASING HER COACH: With 449 career assists, Jordan Horston has tied Michelle Marciniak for No. 8 on the UT career list and is three away from equaling Kellie (Jolly) Harper’s No. 7 total of 452 during her time at UT from 1995-99.
  • A-LIST SENIOR SCORER: Rickea Jackson’s 19.5 ppg. ranks No. 5 all-time for a UT senior behind Trish Roberts (29.9), Chamique Holdsclaw (21.3), Bridgette Gordon (20.4) and Cindy Brogdon (20.1).
  • JORDY IN RARE AIR: With 10 boards vs. LSU on 3/4, Jordan Horston (1,418/719/449) joined Alexis Hornbuckle (1,333/740/503) as the only Lady Vols to surpass 1,000 pts., 700 rebs. and 400 asts. in a career.
  • BEST FOR JOJO: Jordan Walker tied her year-old season career best of 115 assists.
  • MOST NCAA POINTS SINCE 2018: The Lady Vols’ 95 points vs. SLU were UT’s most since hitting 100 vs. Liberty on 3/16/18.
  • FEWEST ALLOWED SINCE 2014: The 50 points Tennessee allowed to Saint Louis in the first round were the fewest by a UT foe in NCAA play since Northwestern State managed only 46 on 3/22/14.
  • SECOND-MOST STEALS: UT’s 13 steals vs. Saint Louis were the second most of the campaign behind the 15 vs. Colorado.
  • GET IT & GO: UT’s 30 pts. off TOs and 27 fast break pts. vs. SLU were season highs.
  • DROPPING 20 IN A FRAME: After scoring 20+ points in three different quarters vs. SLU, UT has tallied 20 or more in 61 of 140 quarters, including 16 in the past 32 periods.
  • IMPROVEMENT AT THE LINE: Tennessee is shooting 86.4 percent (70-81) on free throws during its four postseason contests (SEC/NCAA) and has hit 77.0 percent (177-230) over its last 10 games.
  • TAKING AND MAKING THREES: The Lady Vols have shot 591 three-pointers and made 184 of them this season, with those numbers ranking No. 4 and No. 9 all-time in program history.
  • POTENT POSTSEASON PAIR: Rickea Jackson (23.8, 6.5) and Jordan Horston (19.5, 8.5) are combining for 43.3 of the Lady Vols’ 75.5 ppg. and 15.0 of their 38.0 rpg. in postseason play (NCAA/SEC).
  • JORDY & ‘KEA DROPPIN’ 20: Jordan Horston and Rickea Jackson have recorded 17 and 16 20-point scoring performances during their time at Tennessee, ranking No. 8 and 9 on school career lists. Jackson’s 16 such games in 2022-23 also rate as the ninth-best mark in a single season.
  • DARBY DROPPIN’ DAGGERS: Tess Darby has scored in double figures in seven of her past 10 games and is averaging 9.2 ppg. while shooting 48.9 percent on three-pointers over that time.
  • NCAA VET CHIPS IN: Jasmine Franklin’s previous NCAA experience was evident vs. SLU, as she contributed eight points, four boards and four steals off the bench.
  • PRODUCTIVE JOJO: Over her last 10 games, gritty point guard Jordan Walker is averaging 6.3 ppg., 4.4 rpg. and 3.9 apg. while hitting 81.0 percent of her free throws. She also leads UT with 20 charges taken this year.

UT/TOLEDO NOTES

  • Tennessee is 0-0 at home, 0-0 on the road and 1-0 at neutral sites vs. Toledo.
  • The Lady Vols and Toledo have met only once previously, with No. 13/14 UT defeating the Rockets, 81-63, on Dec. 18, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
  • UT is 9-1 all-time vs. schools currently in the Mid-American Conference.
  • The Big Orange last faced a MAC team in the 2022 NCAA Tournament First Round in Knoxville, defeating Buffalo, 80-67, on March 19.
  • This will mark Kellie Harper‘s second meeting with the Rockets in her four coaching stops, falling at Toledo, 67-61, on Nov. 18, 2006, during her time at Western Carolina.
  • UT graduate guard Jordan Walker was an All-MAC Third Team selection in 2019-20 during her three-season stint at Western Michigan.
  • Walker and Toledo senior guard Sophia Wiard both hail from Muskegon, Mich., with Walker graduating from Mona Shores High School and Wiard a product of Oakridge High School.

A LOOK AT THE ROCKETS

  • Toledo is led by 5-10 senior guard Quinesha Lockett, who averages 17.8 ppg., 4.9 rpg., 3.6 apg.
  • Also scoring in double figures are Sammi Mikonowicz and Sophia Wiard, who produce 10.2 ppg, with Mikonowicz setting the team’s tone on the glass with 8.2 rpg and Wiard dishing 4.0 apg.
  • lockett was named MAC Player of the Year and All-MAC First Team, while Sophia Wiard was All-MAC Third Team and Khera Goss was named to the All-Defensive Team.
  • Skipper Tricia Cullop was named MAC Coach of the Year for the fifth time in her career.
  • Among Toledo’s 29 wins are victories over Power 5 and NCAA Tournament and currently-ranked teams #18/18 Michigan (71-68) and now #17/20 Iowa State (80-73).

TOLEDO’S LAST GAME

  • Toledo captured one of its biggest wins in program history on Saturday, defeating No. 5 seed Iowa State 80-73 in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
  • The victory was the Rockets’ 17th straight win, a new school record, and propeled them into the second round of the Big Dance for the first time since the 1995-96 season.
  • Toledo’s win was also its largest upset triumph in terms of seeding in school history, and the performance matches the Mid-American Conference record for highest seed to win an NCAA Tournament game, last accomplished by No. 12 seed Ball State in 2009 vs. Tennessee.
  • UT also improved to 29-4 on the season, tying the school record for most wins in a campaign. Its 58 combined wins between this year and last are tied for the most wins in back-to-back seasons by a MAC school in league history.

LAST MEETING BETWEEN UT, TOLEDO

  • Bridgette Gordon fired in a game high 19 points, Sheila Frost carded a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double in reserve, and Shelley Sexton chipped in 13 points, as No. 13/14 Tennessee defeated Toledo, 81-63, on Dec. 18, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
  • The Lady Vols shot 50.7 percent from the field and held the Rockets to 40.0 shooting.

-UT Athletics

Lady Vols vs. Toledo / Credit: UT Athletics
Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: No. 24 Lady Vols Take 95-50 NCAA First Round Victory Over Saint Louis

Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: No. 24 Lady Vols Take 95-50 NCAA First Round Victory Over Saint Louis

Posted on March 22, 2023

Box Score (PDF) | Harper/Walker/Horston Presser | Presser Transcript | Highlights

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Fourth-seeded Tennessee cruised to a decisive 45-point victory over 13th-seeded Saint Louis on Saturday afternoon, winning 95-50 in front of 6,871 at Thompson-Boling Arena. 

With the win, Tennessee improved to 33-2 all-time in NCAA First Round games and is a perfect 25-0 in opening round contests at home.

Senior Jordan Horston led UT (24-11, 13-3 SEC) in scoring with 21 points and eight rebounds. Senior Rickea Jackson turned in 18 on the day, graduate Jordan Walker finished with 11 points, three assists and three steals, and Tess Darby chipped in 10.

Brooke Flowers was the high scorer for the Billikens (17-18, 10-6 Atlantic 10) with 17 points. Camreé Clegg and Kyla McMakin were also in double figures with 12 and 11, respectively. 
 
Saint Louis got on the board first with a layup by Flowers a minute into play, but Jackson responded with a trey on UT’s next possession. The score was briefly knotted at four-all before an 8-0 run put the Lady Vols on top 11-4 with 5:35 to play in the first. Flowers ended the drought for the Billikens, and they pulled within five before Horston found Jackson on the fast break for a layup. Walker followed it up with a three to give the Lady Vols an 18-8 lead by the 1:40 mark. Saint Louis, however, outscored the Big Orange 7-2 to close out the period with the home team on top, 20-15, at the end of one.   
 
A pair of free throws by Flowers to start the second quarter whittled Tennessee’s lead down to three, but Walker responded with a driving layup and a steal on the inbounds play that resulted in another bucket by Horston to put UT back on top by seven. The Billikens bounced back with five quick points by Clegg to creep within two at 24-22, but a free throw by Tess Darby and a steal and score by Horston stretched the Lady Vols’ lead to five by the 6:51 mark. Flowers knocked down a layup on the other end, but four Lady Vols combined to string together 21 straight points while holding SLU without a bucket for the remainder of the half to lead 48-24 at the break.
 
Walker and Jackson combined for six straight points in the first 90 seconds of the second half, forcing a SLU timeout and giving the Lady Vols a 30-point lead. Jackson added another basket following the timeout before Flowers hit a jumper for the Billikens at the 7:56 mark. UT led by as many as 33 off back-to-back buckets from Jillian Hollingshead and Justine Pissott midway through the quarter, but SLU closed out the quarter with a 7-0 run to pull within 26 at 67-41.
 
Darby opened the scoring in the fourth by draining her second trey of the game on UT’s first possession. She hit another two minutes later, driving a 12-1 run that put Tennessee on top 79-42 with just over seven minutes left in the game. The Lady Vols cleared the bench in the closing minutes but kept the pressure on, outscoring the Billikens 16-8 to take a 95-50 victory.
 
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols advanced to the NCAA Round of 32 on Monday and will face 12th-seeded Toledo, which upset No. 5 seed Iowa State, 80-73, on Saturday evening. Game time and broadcast information will be announced later.
 
BIG-TIME RUN: Tennessee held SLU scoreless for an elapsed time of eight minutes, 10 seconds, via a 29-0 run spanning from the 6:35 mark of the second quarter to the 7:56 mark of the third quarter. It was Tennessee’s longest scoring run of the season and its third 20+ scoring run of 2022-23, having posted 22-0 streaks against both Rutgers and Wofford.
 
T3SS CLIMBING CAREER LISTS: Tess Darby pitched in three treys against SLU, marking the 22nd time this season she has hit multiple treys in a game and the 12th time she has knocked down three or more. Darby moved into a tie for ninth in single-season threes made all-time at UT, tying Meighan Simmons and Shannon Bobbitt. She upped her career total to 125, moving within eight treys of catching Sidney Spencer to land among the top 10 career totals in program history.
 
JORDY RISING ON DIMES LIST: Jordan Horston led Tennessee with four assists vs. Saint Louis, running her career total to 449. She is now tied with Michelle Marciniak (1993-96) at No. 8 on UT’s career list and is three behind her head coach, Kellie (Jolly) Harper, who had 452 from 1995-99.
 
DIALING UP 20: The Lady Vols tallied 20+ points in three of four quarters vs. SLU. They now have scored 20 or more in 16 of their last 32 periods (8 games) and have done so in 61 of 140 frames this season.
 
POINTS ALL AROUND: Every active Lady Vol made it onto the court against SLU, and all 14 players contributed at least two points to the victory.

-UT Athletics

Rickea Jackson – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Stats/Story: #2 Vols Drop SEC Opener at Missouri

Stats/Story: #2 Vols Drop SEC Opener at Missouri

Posted on March 22, 2023

Box Score (PDF)

COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 2/2 Tennessee dropped its Southeastern Conference opener to Missouri by a score of 9-1 on a windy and frigid Friday afternoon at Taylor Stadium in Columbia.

The Tigers jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead with four runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back, improving to 14-3 on the year.

UT starter Chase Dollander had an afternoon to forget, giving up six runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings of work to fall to 3-2 this season.

Missouri’s Chandler Murphy worked out of a couple early-inning jams and settled in to toss six impressive innings, allowing just one run on three hits and two walks while striking out five to pick up the win and improve to 3-1.

Rorik Maltrud came on in relief of Murphy in the seventh inning and retired all nine batters he faced to pick up the three-inning save.

Christian Moore provided the Vols’ lone run of the day with a solo home run in the top of the sixth. The sophomore from Brooklyn, New York had a solid afternoon at the dish, finishing 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.

Maui Ahuna was the only other Vol to record a hit in the game as the Big Orange struggled mightily at the plate.

It was a balanced effort offensively for the Tigers, who had six different players drive in a run and four separate players finish with multiple hits. Six of Mizzou’s 11 total hits went for extra bases, including three consecutive doubles and a triple in their four-run first inning.

UP NEXT: Saturday’s originally scheduled game has been postponed due to expected high winds and low temperatures. The Vols (15-4, 0-1 SEC) and Tigers will now play a doubleheader on Sunday consisting of two seven-inning games which will be streamed on SEC Network+ through the ESPN app.

Game one of the doubleheader will begin at 2 p.m. ET with game two starting approximately 30-45 minutes following the conclusion of the first game.

Sophomore right hander Chase Burns is slated to get the ball for the Big Orange in game one of Sunday’s twin billing while fellow sophomore righty Drew Beam will start game two.

-UT Athletics

UT Baseball / Credit: UT Athletics
Hoops Preview: #4 Tennessee vs. #5 Duke

Hoops Preview: #4 Tennessee vs. #5 Duke

Posted on March 22, 2023

The fourth-seeded Tennessee basketball team competes in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32 Saturday in Orlando, taking on No. 5 seed Duke as part of the East Region at 2:40 p.m. ET inside the Amway Center. 
 
Fans can catch Saturday’s game on CBS and online or on any mobile device through the CBS Sports app. Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Stan Van Gundy (analyst) and Lauren Shehadi (reporter) will have the call.
 
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp calling the action.
 
Tennessee (24-10) is coming off a first round victory over No. 13 seed Louisiana on Thursday, 58-55. The Vols led by as many as 18 points in the second half before fending off a late rally by the Ragin’ Cajuns.
 
Graduate Tyreke Key, playing in his first career NCAA Tournament game, led the Vols with 12 points, while Jahmai Mashack scored 11 on 4-of-6 shooting, dished three assists and grabbed two steals.
 
The winner of Saturday’s game advances to the Sweet Sixteen of the East Region, set to be contested in New York City at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.
 
SATURDAY’S MATCHUP
• Tennessee is 7-8 all-time vs. Duke, with no meetings in the NCAA Tournament. The most recent meeting came at the 2011 Maui Invitational, a 77-67 Duke victory.
• Rick Barnes owns a 4-9 career head coaching record vs. Duke.
•  In a 2009 second-round NCAA clash in Greensboro, N.C., Barnes’ seventh-seeded Texas squad fell to second-seeded Duke, 74-69.
• Duke assistant coach Jai Lucas played for Barnes at Texas from 2009-11.
• The Vols are 113-100 all-time against current members of the ACC, but that includes a 1-7 mark in NCAA Tournament games.
• The Vols own a 4-5 all-time record on March 18, including a 3-3 record in NCAA Tournament games.
• Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi and Duke’s Tyrese Proctor are both products of the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia.
 
NOTEWORTHY
• Tennessee and Indiana are the only teams in the field of 68 that have multiple wins over No. 1 seeds, with the Vols having beaten both Kansas and Alabama. The Vols also beat No. 2 seed Texas.
• The Vols are 4-1 this season against teams ranked in the top 15 of the Associated Press Top 25. The Blue Devils are currently ranked No. 12.
• The Vols haven’t played with the rotation fully healthy since Feb. 8.
• Tennessee leads the nation in 3-point defense (.264) while ranking second in field-goal defense (.370) and third in scoring defense (57.9 ppg).
• Only five teams have reached the 70-point mark against these Vols.
• Tennessee is a perfect 21-0 this season when it holds its opponent to fewer than 60 points.
• With a Tennessee win Saturday, Barnes would tie College Basketball Hall of Famer Lou Henson for 15th place on the all-time Division I coaching wins list.
• For the third time under head coach Rick Barnes, Tennessee has spent the entire season ranked in the AP Top 25.
 
PLAYER NOTES
• In four career NCAA Tournament games, Josiah-Jordan James is averaging 10.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
• In the four games since he returned from a two-game injury absence (ankle), Tyreke Key is averaging 11.0 points per game (compared to 3.0 ppg in the previous three games).
• Thursday’s win was Key’s 145th career collegiate game, but it was his first-ever NCAA Tournament game. He was Tennessee’s top scorer with 12 points.
• Vols senior Uroš Plavšić started Thursday for the first time since Jan. 17. He is shooting 19-for-23 (.826) from the field over the last 10 games.
• Over the last eight games, sophomore Jahmai Mashack is averaging 8.9 points, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals on 25-for-48 (.521) shooting.
• Santiago Vescovi made only one 3-pointer Thursday after making 16 over UT’s previous four contests.
 
ABOUT DUKE
• Duke (27-8) is currently on a 10-game win streak and coming off a 74-51 win over No. 12 seed Oral Roberts during Thursday’s Round of 64.
• The Blue Devils entered the NCAA Tournament coming off an ACC Tournament title and have not lost a game since Feb. 11.
• Duke finished the season ranked No. 16 in the NET and posted a 5-6 record in Quadrant 1 games.
• Freshman center Kyle Filipowski, the ACC’s Rookie of the Year and a second-team All-ACC selection, is Duke’s leading scorer (15.1 ppg) and rebounder (9.0 rpg) this season.
• Fellow freshmen Tyrese Proctor and Dereck Lively II were each ACC All-Freshman honorees, while junior guard Jeremy Roach was All-ACC honorable mention.
• As a team, Duke ranks fifth in Division I with a +8.1 rebounding margin.
 
BARNES’ VOLS HAVE PINNED MANY BLUE-BLOOD PELTS TO THE WALL
• Tennessee under head coach Rick Barnes has logged several wins over college basketball “blue bloods.”
• The list of highly successful programs that have suffered losses to the Vols dating to 2015-16 includes Kentucky (nine times), Kansas (twice), Gonzaga, Purdue, North Carolina, Maryland and Arizona.
 
VOLS SEEKING NINTH SWEET SIXTEEN APPEARANCE
• A win over Duke Saturday would give Tennessee its ninth Sweet Sixteen appearance.
• Tennessee has previously competed in the Round of 16 in 1967, 1981, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2019.
• The Vols made their deepest tournament run in 2010, when they beat San Diego State (Kawhi Leonard), Ohio and Ohio State (Evan Turner) to advance to the Elite Eight, where they fell to Michigan State (Draymond Green).
• Rick Barnes has led his teams to seven Sweet Sixteens—including one at Tennessee—three Elite Eights and one Final Four, in 2003.

-UT Athletics

Vols F Julian Phillips / Credit: UT Athletics
Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: Vols Show Grit to Defeat Louisiana, Advance to Round of 32

Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: Vols Show Grit to Defeat Louisiana, Advance to Round of 32

Posted on March 22, 2023

BOX SCORE  |  HIGHLIGHTS  |  TENNESSEE POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE

ORLANDO – Fourth-seeded Tennessee fended off a late rally by No. 13 seed Louisiana and is on to the NCAA Tournament round of 32 after securing a 58-55 win Thursday at the Amway Center.
 
The Vols are set to face off with fifth-seeded Duke Saturday at 2:40 p.m. ET on CBS with a trip to the Sweet Sixteen on the line.
 
Graduate Tyreke Key, playing in his first career NCAA Tournament game, led the Vols with 12 points in 31 minutes—tied for his most minutes played since December. Jahmai Mashack was the only other Vol in double figures, scoring 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, dishing three assists and grabbing two steals.
 
Uros Plavsic, making his first start since Jan. 17, scored nine points on 4-of-5 shooting.
 
After closing the first half on an 11-0 run and then outscoring Louisiana 13-6 in the opening 6:06 of the second half, Tennessee extended its lead to as many as 18 points.
 
The Vols held an 18-point lead on three separate occasions in a two-minute span eight before a 13-0 Louisiana run cut the Tennessee lead down to just five points on a 3-pointer from Kobe Julien with 7:29 remaining, 48-43.
 
Coming out of a timeout, Tennessee answered with a 6-2 spurt—with four points coming by Mashack—to pull back in front by nine points by the under-four minute media timeout.
 
With just over a minute to go and Tennessee leading by eight, Louisiana staged one final comeback attempt—scoring five straight points and cutting Tennessee’s lead to 56-53 with 23 seconds to play. Josiah-Jordan James and Julian Phillips each went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line in the final 20 seconds to secure the win for the Vols.
 
In the first half, Tennessee turned the ball over 12 times, but closed the period on an 11-0 run and took a 30-19 lead into the halftime break.
 
Despite 12 turnovers of its own, Tennessee forced eight Louisiana turnovers and limited the Ragin’ Cajuns to just 30 percent shooting from the field during the first half.
 
The Vols led by as many as eight points in the opening 10 minutes of the game at 19-11 before Louisiana scored eight straight to tie the game up at 19 with 4:43 to go in the first half.
 
With the score knotted up at 19, Tennessee then rattled off an 11-0 run over the final 4:06 of the half—capped off by a Plavsic bucket just before the buzzer. Plavsic had a team-high seven points in the first half on 3-of-3 shooting.
 
Of Louisiana’s 19 first-half points, 12 came from Jordan Brown—who was 5-for-8 from the field in the opening period. No other Ragin’ Cajun made more than one field goal in the first half.
 
UP NEXT: Tennessee advances to Saturday’s NCAA Tournament round of 32 against No. 5 seed Duke. Tip off is set for 2:40 p.m. ET on CBS.
 
TENNESSEE CLASSIC UNIFORMS MAKE ANOTHER APPEARANCE: For the fifth time this season, the Vols sported their “Tennessee Classic” uniforms and improved to 5-0 while doing so.
 
The Big Orange also wore the Tennessee Classic uniforms in wins over No. 10 Texas, No. 1 Alabama, Arkansas and in the SEC Tournament against Ole Miss.

-UT Athletics

Vols G Jahmai Mashack / Credit: UT Athletics
Hoops Preview: NCAA First Round: #24/RV Lady Vols vs. Saint Louis

Hoops Preview: NCAA First Round: #24/RV Lady Vols vs. Saint Louis

Posted on March 22, 2023

No. 24/RV Tennessee (23-11), the No. 4 seed in the Seattle 3 Region, begins its 41st-straight NCAA Tournament journey at home, playing host to No. 13 seed Saint Louis (17-17) on Saturday in the first round at 1:06 p.m. ET at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The winner of that game will advance to Monday’s NCAA Second Round and face the victor of the other Knoxville Saturday first-round matchup between No. 5 seed #17/20 Iowa State (22-9) and Toledo (28-4).

The Lady Vols are serving as a host for the NCAA First and Second Rounds for the second year in a row, and this marks the 19th occasion UT has welcomed the NCAA First and Second Rounds to Rocky Top since that format was instituted in 1994.

The Big Orange women have won 19 of their past 25 games in 2022-23, with the only losses during that span coming at No. 3 Stanford (77-70), vs. No. 4 UConn (84-67), at No. 5 LSU (76-68), at Mississippi State (91-90 2OT), vs. No. 1/1 South Carolina (73-60) at home and vs. No. 1/1 South Carolina in the SEC Tournament championship game (74-58).

Head coach Kellie Harper led her squad through a gauntlet of a schedule. She patiently put the pieces of the 2022-23 Lady Vol puzzle together, helping talented returnees and newcomers find their roles for this team and guiding them through absences of key players (Horston, Jackson, Hollingshead, Franklin) and the loss of two more (Key, Suárez) for the season. Tennessee placed third in the SEC for the fourth-straight season, finished 13-3 for its highest league victory total since 2014-15 and advanced to its first SEC Tournament title game since 2015, with a 69-67 triumph over No. 4/3 LSU serving as a signature win.

Saint Louis, meanwhile, tied for third in the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2022-23 at 10-6 before winning the league tourney over UMass, 91-85 in overtime to punch its ticket for a first-ever NCAA bid.

UT and SLU will be meeting for the second time, with the Lady Vols standing 1-0 after defeating the Billikens at the 2002 San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

  • Saturday’s UT-SLU game will be televised by ABC, with Pam Ward (PxP) and Stephanie White (Analyst) on the call.
  • All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
  • The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network stations and by audio stream, with Brian Rice on the call and Andy Brock serving as studio host. 
  • A link to the live audio stream can be found on the Hoops Central page or the schedule on UTSports.com.
  • For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on the Vol Network Affiliates tab.
  • Air-time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
  • The Tennessee broadcast also will be available via SiriusXM Ch. 138 & 206 as well as SiriusXM App Ch. 969.

TICKETS AT ALLVOLS.COM

  • Tickets are available at AllVols.com.
  • There are single-session options as low as $10 for adults and $5 for youth, as well as all-session prices of $35 for adults and $25 for youth. 

TENNESSEE – THE ONLY SCHOOL IN ALL 41

  • The Lady Vols are enjoying their 41st appearance in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, and UT is the only program to appear in all 41 tournaments.
  • Tennessee is an at-large qualifier for the 2023 NCAA Tournament, finishing third in the SEC regular season for the fourth-straight season and falling to No. 1/1 South Carolina in the SEC Tournament title game.
  • UT earned a No. 4 seed for only the third time and has a 5-2 record in that role after defeating Iowa, Georgia and LSU before falling to USC in the NCAA Final Four semifinals in 1986 in Lexington, Ky., and adding first- and second-round wins over Buffalo and Belmont and a Sweet 16 setback vs. Louisville in 2022.
  • The Lady Vols are 128-32 in NCAA Tournament play, and they rank first in games played (160) and second in victories (128) in NCAA tourney history.
  • Tennessee is second behind UConn in winning percentage at .800 in tourney play.
  • UT is 3-2 in NCAA action under Kellie Harper, making the second round in 2021 and the Sweet 16 in 2022.
  • UT has advanced to the NCAA regional round on 35 occasions, owning a 28-7 mark in the Sweet 16.
  • The only seasons UT did not make the regional level were in 2009 and from 2017 to 2021. UT lost its opening round contest as a No. 5 seed to No. 12 Ball State in Bowling Green, Ky., in 2009. No. 5 seed UT lost its second-round game at No. 4 seed Louisville in 2017. No. 3 seed UT lost its second-round game to No. 6 seed Oregon State in Knoxville in 2018. No. 11 seed Tennessee fell to No. 6 seed UCLA in the first round at College Park, Md., in 2019. No. 3 seed UT dropped a 70-55 second-round decision to No. 6 seed Michigan in 2021 in San Antonio, Texas.
  • UT has made the Elite Eight 28 times and in five of the past 11 tournaments, posting an 18-10 record in that round.
  • The Lady Vols have seen their season ended in the regional championship game in five of the past 11 years (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016).
  • UT has advanced to 18 NCAA Final Fours and won eight of them (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008), ranking second to UConn.
  • Tennessee has finished second in the nation five times and third on five more occasions.
  • In facing Saint Louis, UT is playing its 91st different opponent during all rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
  • The Atlantic 10 becomes the 29th different conference played during the postseason.

UT IN THE FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS

  • Tennessee is making its 41st appearance in the NCAA First/Second Rounds, and it owns a 61-5 record during games played in those rounds.
  • The Lady Vols are 32-2 all-time in the NCAA First Round and 29-3 in the NCAA Second Round.
  • The only blemishes are a first-round loss to Ball State, 71-55, in Bowling Green, Ky., on March 22, 2009, a second-round setback to Louisville, 75-64, in Louisville, Ky. on March 20, 2017, a second-round loss to Oregon State, 66-59, in Knoxville, on March 18, 2018, a first-round ouster by UCLA, 89-77, on March 23, 2019, in College Park, Md., and a second-round loss to Michigan, 70-55, in San Antonio, Texas, on March 23, 2021.
  • In NCAA First/Second Round play, Tennessee is 47-1 at home, 4-2 away and 10-2 at neutral sites.
  • The breakdown for that is 24-0 home/0-1 away/8-1 neutral for the first round and 23-1 home/4-1 away/2-1 neutral for the second round.

UT VS. THE NCAA FIELD

  • Tennessee has played 18 games vs. 15 different teams in the 2023 NCAA Tournament field and has a 7-11 record against those foes.
  • UT captured victories over LSU, Colorado, Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia, Mississippi State and Chattanooga, and it fell to South Carolina (twice), Indiana, Virginia Tech, Stanford, UConn, LSU, Ohio State, Gonzaga, UCLA and Mississippi State.
  • Tennessee is 2-7 vs. non-conference NCAA Tournament-qualifying foes this season and 5-4 vs. SEC opponents who made the field.
  • The SEC placed seven teams in the tournament, which tied for the second most of any league (with the Big Ten and Pac-12). The ACC had eight.
  • The SEC’s teams going dancing in 2023 include Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee.

HARPER NCAA HISTORY AS A COACH

  • Kellie Harper is making her eighth overall NCAA Tournament appearance as a head coach and third with UT. She also went to the tourney four other times as an assistant coach.
  • The Lady Vols have been a top-four seed the past three seasons, including No. 3 in 2021 and No. 4 in 2022 and 2023, hosting this year and last and playing in the “NCAA bubble” in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Kellie Harper is 5-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament as a head coach, including 3-2 while at Tennessee.
  • She is 2-0 at home (2-0 while at UT), 1-2 away and 2-5 at neutral sites (1-2 while at UT).
  • She is 3-4 in NCAA First-Round games (1-0 at home/0-2 away/2-2 neutral), 2-1 in NCAA Second-Round games (1-0 at home/1-0 away/0-1 neutral) and 0-2 in the Sweet 16 (0-0 home/0-0 away/0-2 neutral).
  • Harper has made two Sweet 16 appearances, including 2022 with UT and 2019 with Missouri State.
  • In 2022, Tennessee defeated Buffalo (80-67) and Belmont (70-67) in Knoxville and fell to Louisville in Wichita, Kansas, in the Sweet 16, 76-64.
  • After the 2020 tourney was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in her first season on Rocky Top, Harper led Tennessee to the 2021 tournament in her second year, finishing 1-1. The Lady Vols beat Middle Tennessee, 87-62, in the opening round in Austin, Texas, before falling to Michigan, 70-55, in the second round in San Antonio.
  • During the 2018-19 NCAA Tournament, Harper piloted #11 seed Missouri State to the Sweet 16, beating #6 seed DePaul and #3 seed Iowa State before falling to #2 seed Stanford by nine en route to 2019 Kay Yow National Coach of the Year acclaim.
  • Harper’s previous entries fell in first-round matchups: #16 Western Carolina at #1 Tennessee in 2005, #13 Western Carolina vs. #4 Vanderbilt in Albuquerque in 2009, #9 NC State vs. #8 UCLA at Minneapolis in 2010 and #13 Missouri State at #4 Texas A&M in 2016.

HARPER’S STAFF EXPERIENCE

  • In addition to this being Kellie Harper‘s eighth NCAA berth as a head coach and 12th occasion overall including time as an assistant (Chattanooga-3, Auburn-1), UT’s coaching staff has plenty of postseason experience.
  • UT assistant coach Jon Harper has been on his spouse’s staff for all of eight of her NCAA appearances, including Western Carolina (2), NC State (1), Missouri State (2) and Tennessee (3). He also went as an assistant at Chattanooga (3) for 11 total.
  • First-year Lady Vol assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Samantha Williams has gone to 18 NCAA Division I Tournaments as part of staffs at Auburn (1), DePaul (3), Duke (4), Louisville (8) and Tennessee (2).
  • First-year Lady Vol assistant Joy McCorvey has gone to seven NCAA Tournaments as part of staffs at St. John’s (1), Michigan (2), Florida State (2) and Tennessee (2).

LADY VOL NCAA EXPERIENCE

RECAPPING THE 2022 NCAA TOURNEY

  • Tennessee advanced to its first Sweet 16 since 2016 a year ago, defeating Buffalo and Belmont before falling to #4/4 Louisville, the No. 1 seed in the Wichita Regional.
  • No. 18/17 Tennessee advanced to the NCAA Second Round on March 19, 2022, defeating Buffalo in Thompson-Boling Arena, 80-67.
  • Graduate forward Alexus Dye turned in a double-double for fourth-seeded UT (24-8), tallying 18 points and 11 rebounds, as did junior center Tamari Key, who finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Senior guard/forward Rae Burrell was the high scorer for UT with 19 points, and graduate guard Jordan Walker added 13.
  • The Lady Vols advanced to the Sweet 16 on March 21, defeating in-state foe Belmont in Thompson-Boling Arena, 70-67.
  • The Big Orange (25-8) were led by graduate Alexus Dye who posted a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Tamari Key and freshman Sara Puckett were also in double figures with 18 and 12, respectively. Puckett hit a corner-three with just under 18 seconds remaining to put the Lady Vols ahead for good.
  • Wichita Regional All-Tournament Team member senior Rae Burrell poured in a season-high 22 points for #18/17 Tennessee, but it wasn’t enough to overcome #4/4 Louisville in a hard-fought NCAA Sweet 16 setback on March 26 at INTRUST Bank Arena, 76-64.
  • Graduate Jordan Walker joined Burrell in double figures for No. 4 seed UT (25-9), finishing with 10 on the day. Junior Tamari Key led UT in rebounds with 10.

LOOKING BACK AT THE SO. CAROLINA GAME

  • Tennessee fell to No. 1/1 South Carolina, 74-58, in a hard-fought battle in the SEC Championship game on March 5 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
  • Senior Jordan Horston was the high scorer for Tennessee (23-11, 13-3 SEC) with 19 points and nine rebounds. Fellow senior Rickea Jackson was close behind with 17 points, and sophomore Jillian Hollingshead also had another solid showing with nine points. 
  • South Carolina (32-0, 16-0 SEC) was led by Zia Cooke who turned in 24 points, while two-time SEC Player of the Year Aliyah Boston posted 18 and Kamilla Cardoso added 13.

2023 SEC TOURNEY UT SUPERLATIVES

  • Jordan Horston and Rickea Jackson were both recognized as members of the SEC All-Tournament Team.
  • It marked the first time UT has had two All-Tournament Team members since Cierra Burdick and Jordan Reynolds earned that recognition in 2015.
  • Rickea Jackson averaged 25.7 ppg. and 7.7 rpg. while shooting 52.0 percent from the field and 95.7 percent (22-23) from the free-throw line during the 2023 event.
  • Jackson’s season-high 34 points against Kentucky in the quarterfinals were the most scored in any game by a Lady Vol since Diamond DeShields had 34 vs. Georgia on Feb. 5, 2017.
  • A 14-of-14 (100-percent) effort at the charity stripe for Jackson vs. Kentucky in the quarterfinals was a school record for percentage with the most attempts.
  • Jordan Horston (19.0 ppg.) also scored in double figures for the weekend, with Horston leading the team in rebounding (8.7 rpg.), assists (3.0 apg.) and blocks (2.3 bpg.) en route to SEC All-Tournament honors.
  • Tess Darby went six of 12 beyond the arc (50 percent) in three games.
  • Jordan Horston’s career-best seven blocks vs. Kentucky on March 3 tied centers Tamari Key (2020) and Kelley Cain (2009) for most swats ever in an SEC Tournament contest by a Lady Vol.

LADY VOL ODDS & ENDS

  • JORDY & ‘KEA DROPPIN’ 20: Jordan Horston and Rickea Jackson have recorded 16 20-point scoring performances each during their time at Tennessee, tying for No. 8 in school history for a career. Jackson’s 16 such games in 2022-23 also rate as the ninth-best mark in a single season.
  • RICKEA ON A ROLL: Rickea Jackson has hit her stride, averaging 23.6 ppg. and shooting 54.8 on FGs and 83.1 on FTs during UT’s last 10 contests with eight scoring efforts of 20+ points.
  • TOP-10 LISTS IN SIGHT FOR DARBY: Tess Darby has 66 three-pointers this season, and 122 for her career, leaving her three from entering the Lady Vol single-season top 10 and 11 from cracking the career list.
  • MAKING HER PRESENCE KNOWN: Over her last 10 games, Jillian Hollingshead has averaged 8.6 ppg. and 5.6 rpg. while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 81.3 percent from the charity stripe.
  • PRODUCTIVE JOJO: Over her last 10 games, Jordan Walker is averaging 5.8 ppg., 4.9 rpg. and 4.0 apg. while hitting 84.2 percent of her free throws. She also leads UT with 20 charges taken this year.
  • A-LIST SENIOR SCORER: Rickea Jackson’s 19.6 ppg. ranks No. 5 all-time for a UT senior behind Trish Roberts (29.9), Chamique Holdsclaw (21.3), Bridgette Gordon (20.4) and Cindy Brogdon (20.1).
  • HORSTON NO. 9 IN CAREER DIMES: With 445 assists, Jordan Horston stands at No. 9 on UT’s career list. She is four dimes behind No. 8 Michelle Marciniak (449) and seven shy of equaling her head coach’s 452 during her playing days at Tennessee.
  • DROPPING 20 IN A FRAME: Tennessee has tallied 20 or more points in 58 of 136 quarters, including 13 in the past 28 periods.
  • SCORING 20 IN A GAME: UT had a 20-point scorer in nine of the past 10 games.
  • PROJECT FREE THROW: Tennessee shot 88.7 percent (55-62) on free throws during its three SEC Tourney games and has hit 76.0 percent (174-229) over its last 10 contests. Credit “Project Free Throw.”
  • HOME-COURT EDGE: UT has a 506-56 record at Thompson-Boling Arena, including 14-4 at home in 2022-23 and 24-0 all-time in NCAA First Round games.

UT/SLU NOTES

  • Tennessee is 0-0 at home, 0-0 on the road and 1-0 at neutral sites vs. Saint Louis.
  • The Lady Vols and SLU have met only once previously, with No. 4/5 UT defeating the Billikens, 75-40, on Dec. 2, 2002, in the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico.
  • UT is 25-0 all-time vs. schools currently in the Atlantic 10 Conference, defeating 2023 league co-champ UMass, 74-66, on Nov. 10, in game two this season.
  • This will mark Kellie Harper‘s first meeting with Saint Louis in her four coaching stops.

A LOOK AT THE BILLIKENS

  • Saint Louis is led by double-figure scorers in 5-11 senior guard Kyla McMakin (17.4 ppg.) and 6-5 senior forward/center Brooke Flowers (12.0 ppg.).
  • Flowers is SLU’s top rebounder, pulling down 9.4 per contest, and has blocked a nation-leading 128 shots (3.76 bpg.).
  • Julia Martinez (9.9 ppg.), a 5-10 senior guard, and 5-11 junior forward Peyton Kennedy (9.8 ppg.) are just shy of scoring in double figures.
  • Martinez leads her team with 159 assists and 116 steals (2nd in the NCAA), while McMakin is tops in three-pointers with 62.
  • The Billikens have won six straight and 11 of their last 12 entering the tournament.
  • Saint Louis has four players on its roster who followed head coach Rebecca Tillett from her previous position at Longwood University, including her daughter, 5-9 freshman guard Isabel.
  • Tillett was 51-68 in four seasons as head coach at the school in Farmville, Va.

SAINT LOUIS’S LAST GAME

  • Kyla McMakin led five Saint Louis double-figure scorers with a game-high 27 points, tournament Most Outstanding Player Julia Martinez recorded the second triple-double in SLU women’s basketball history, and the third-seeded Billikens secured the first NCAA Tournament bid in program history with a 91-85 overtime victory over top-seeded Massachusetts on March 5 in the Atlantic 10 Championship final at CHASE Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Del.
  • The Billikens, playing in the A-10 Championship title game for the first time, improved to 17-17 with their 11th win in 12 games and sixth consecutive triumph.
  • Martinez, who flirted with a triple-double earlier this season, finished with 17 points and game highs of 13 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals. She was joined on the All-Tournament team by McMakin and Brooke Flowers.

LAST MEETING BETWEEN UT, SLU

  • Gwen Jackson fired in 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting to pace the #5/4 Lady Vols to a 75-40 victory over Saint Louis in the Big Orange’s third and final game at the San Juan Shootout on Dec. 1, 2002.
  • Shyra Ely had 12 points on six-of-nine shooting to help fuel UT.
  • Tennessee shot 56.9 percent from the field and limited the Billikens to 30.2 percent shooting and only 20 points in each half.
  • Eleven Lady Vols saw action in the contest, and all 11 contributed points and rebounds to the victorious cause.

-UT Athletics

Lady Vols vs. St. Louis / Credit: UT Athletics
Baseball Preview: #2 Vols Face Missouri on SEC Opening Weekend

Baseball Preview: #2 Vols Face Missouri on SEC Opening Weekend

Posted on March 22, 2023

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The 2023 SEC Opening Weekend is here and with it the second-ranked Tennessee Volunteers take to the road to open conference play, traveling to Missouri to face the Tigers in a three-game set beginning Friday afternoon at Taylor Stadium.

The Vols (15-3, 0-0 SEC) begin their conference campaign and defense of the 2022 SEC regular-season championship after posting a 25-5 record and rolling their way through the league a season ago.

With temperatures forecasted in the 30s and 40s throughout the weekend, the Vols will look to keep the bats hot, having homered multiple times in nine of their last 11 games. Tennessee also will look to maintain its strong defense as the Big Orange has only committed eight errors in 2023 on 608 chances.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE/PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS

Game 1 – Friday, March 17 (4 p.m. ET | 3 p.m. CT)
RHP Chase Dollander (3-1, 2.45 ERA) vs. RHP Chandler Murphy (2-1, 3.48 ERA)

Game 2 – Saturday, March 18 (3 p.m. | 2 p.m. CT)
RHP Chase Burns (2-0, 1.88 ERA) vs. RHP Rorik Maltrud (1-0, 3.07 ERA)

Game 3 – Sunday, March 19 (2 p.m. | 1 p.m. CT)
RHP Drew Beam (3-0, 2.57 ERA) vs. TBD

BROADCAST INFO

All three games of the weekend series will stream on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app with Noah Reed (PxP) and Spencer Jurgens (Analyst) on the call. The online broadcast can be accessed on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch.

Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Baseball, John Wilkerson, call the action on the Vol Network (FM 99.1/AM 990) or via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App.  
 

SERIES HISTORY

Overall: Missouri leads, 14-13
in Knoxville: 7-8
in Columbia: 6-6
at Neutral Sites: 0-0
Last 10 Meetings: 7-3
Last Meeting: W, 4-3 (April 10, 2022, in Knoxville)

NOTABLE

SEC OPENING WEEKEND
After another successful start to the year, the Vols enter SEC play with a 15-3 record. In each of the past five seasons, Tennessee has entered league play with at least 15 wins: (17-1 in 2019, 15-2 in 2020, 15-3 in 2021, 16-1 in 2022, 15-3 in 2023).
 
The Big Orange will be looking to notch their third straight series win on SEC Opening Weekend after taking two of three at Georgia in 2021 and sweeping South Carolina at home last season.
 
Tennessee is 12-16 in SEC openers on the road since 1980 and 33-45 overall in SEC openers.
 
LOVING THE LONG BALL
The Vols have been on a major power surge entering SEC play with multiple homers in nine of their last 11 games, including six games of three or more long balls in that span
 
BIG ORANGE SEC DOMINANCE
Tennessee put together one of the most dominant seasons in SEC history in 2022, winning both the SEC Regular Season and SEC Tournament championships for the first time since 1995. The Vols posted their best record in league play in program history, going 25-5 en route to winning the SEC regular season title by six games, and the eastern division crown by 10 games, both of which are the largest margins in conference history. The Vols have won the last two SEC Eastern Division crowns and will look to make it three in a row this season for just the second time in program history (1993-95).
 
Tennessee was the first team to start SEC play 12-0 in the history of the conference, surpassing the previous record of 11-0 held by LSU (1991), Ole Miss (1964) and Alabama (1940). UT is 45-15 in SEC play over the past two seasons, by far the best record in the league. The only other program with 40 wins in that span is Arkansas (40-20). The next closest Eastern Division team is Vanderbilt at 33-26.
 
VFLs IN THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
Two VFLs represented the Vols in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Liam Spence and Team Australia made it through the Group Stage before being eliminated by Cuba in the quarterfinals, while Julio Borbon served as the first base coach for the Dominican Republic.
 
OPPONENT SCOUT
Missouri Tigers

  • 2023 Record: 13-3 (0-0 SEC)
  • 2022 Record: 28-23 (10-20 SEC)
  • 2022 Postseason: –
  • 2023 SEC Preseason Poll: 7th Eastern Division
  • 2023 Preseason All-SEC
    • First Team: Luke Mann (3B)
  • Head Coach: Steve Bieser (Fourth season)
  • Stat Leaders:
    • Average: Dalton Bargo (.382)
    • OBP: Hank Zeisler (.500)
    • SLG: Hank Zeisler (.500)
    • Hits: Luke Mann (23)
    • Runs: Luke Mann, Hank Zeisler (18)
    • RBIs: Hank Zeisler (23)
    • Doubles: Ty Wilmsmeyer (5)
    • Triples: Dalton Bargo (2)
    • Home Runs: Hank Zeisler (8)
    • ERA: Logan Lunceford (2.38)
    • WHIP: Zach Franklin (0.73)
    • BAA: Zach Franklin (.140)
    • Innings Pitched: Chandler Murphy (20.2)
    • Strikeouts: Zach Franklin (29)
    • Wins: Zach Franklin (3)
    • Saves: Four tied (1)

ON DECK
Tennessee returns to Rocky Top and welcomes Western Carolina to Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Tuesday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Tickets for non-conference home games can be purchased at AllVols.com.

-UT Athletics

Vols RHP Seth Halvorsen / Credit: UT Athletics

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