Stats/Story: 2/3 Vols Strike for 17 Runs to Complete Series Sweep of Gonzaga

Stats/Story: 2/3 Vols Strike for 17 Runs to Complete Series Sweep of Gonzaga

Posted on March 6, 2023

PDF Box Score | PDF Series Stats

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Attempting to complete their seventh consecutive non-conference series sweep, the No. 2/3 Tennessee Volunteers took the diamond against the Gonzaga Bulldogs Sunday for the series finale and dispatched the preseason West Coast Conference favorite, 17-9, on a sunny afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Following a similar script to the previous night’s outing, the Zags (1-10) manufactured an early 2-0 lead on an RBI single from Brian Kalmer and a sacrifice fly from Tommy Eisenstat – the first blemishes in sophomore starting pitcher Drew Beam’s 13.2 innings of work to that point.

Tennessee (11-2) answered immediately with a big inning, highlighted by a Jared Dickey grand slam off the scoreboard in right center. A single by sophomore Christian Moore and back-to-back walks from Blake Burke and Zane Denton chased Gonzaga starting pitcher Nate Deschreyver and brought in senior right hander Ty Buckner. Dickey welcomed Buckner by hitting UT’s first grand slam this season. The slam brought Dickey’s RBI total to 13 on the young season.

Moore (2-for-3, 2 H, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 3 SB, 3 R) left no aspect of the game un-impacted. His homer over the batter’s eye in center field in his second at-bat of the third inning plated two of Tennessee’s eight total runs in the frame and gave the Vols a commanding 8-2 lead they would not relinquish. Moore’s two hits in the inning extended his hitting streak to four games, matching a career long and the second such streak of the season. Moore has also now reached base in every game this season and extended his streak to 18 consecutive games dating back to last season. His three runs scored matched a career high set against Iona on Feb. 26, 2022, while his three stolen bases also marked a new career high.

Pitching with the lead, Beam finished with a no-decision and a final line of four innings pitched, three earned runs allowed on seven hits, a walk and three strikeouts.

Junior right-hander Bryce Jenkins picked up his first win for the Vols after transferring from Cleveland State Community College, tossing 1.2 innings of relief.

Meanwhile, the Orange and White continued to hang crooked numbers on the scoreboard. Senior outfielder Griffin Merritt put his third homer of the season over the right field fence in the fourth inning to give the team it’s fourth game of the season scoring 10 or more runs, a feat accomplished 29 times last season.   

Junior shortstop Maui Ahuna had his first high impact game for the Volunteers, finishing his day 1-for-4 with a double, four RBIs, a walk and a run scored.

A home run from Gonzaga catcher Donovan Ratfield cut the Bulldogs’ deficit to four in the eighth inning, but they would get no closer. RBIs from Ahuna, Denton and senior Christian Scott in the bottom half of the frame, combined with a balk that scored junior outfielder Kyle Booker, pushed the margin to nine runs. Gonzaga would get a run back in the ninth, but mustered no other offense against sophomore reliever Jacob Bimbi.

Booker, starting his ninth game of the season, finished the day 3-for-4 with a double and run scored. The outing is his fourth game in a row with a hit, matching a career long set in 2021. His four base knocks also tied a career high.

UP NEXT: The Vols will take their 11-game winning streak back to Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30 p.m. for a mid-week showdown with Boston College. The game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.

-UT Athletics

Vols OF Jared Dickey / Credit: UT Athletics
Hoops Preview: SEC Championship: Lady Vols vs. #1/1 South Carolina

Hoops Preview: SEC Championship: Lady Vols vs. #1/1 South Carolina

Posted on March 6, 2023

No. 3 seed Tennessee (23-10, 13-3 SEC) has advanced to the championship game of the Southeastern Conference Tournament for the first time since 2015 and will meet No. 1/1 South Carolina (31-0, 16-0 SEC) at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.

UT is making its 24th appearance in the SEC title contest and will be vying for its 18th conference tournament trophy. It has a 17-6 record all-time in those marquee matchups. The Lady Vols are back in this game for the first time since 2015, when they fell in Little Rock, Ark., to a No. 1 seeded South Carolina squad as a two-seed, 62-46. UT had won the crown the year before in Duluth Ga.

The Big Orange women have won six of their past seven games and 19 of their past 24, 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) and vs. No. 1/1 South Carolina (73-60). UT collected a signature win on Saturday night, taking down No. 4/3 LSU in the SEC Semifinals, 69-67.

UT advanced to Sunday’s title game by overcoming a 17-point second-quarter deficit, outscoring No. 4/3 LSU 43-26 over the final 20 minutes to upend the Tigers, 69-67. Tennessee evened the season series vs LSU with the victory, avenging a 76-68 setback in Baton Rouge on Jan. 30.

The Lady Vols will try to do the same against the top-ranked Gamecocks on Sunday, but they’ll have to do it in an arena that will have a heavy Garnet and Black presence. UT fell to South Carolina earlier this season on Feb. 23, 73-60, in Knoxville.

USC breezed into the championship game with an 80-51 victory over No. 4 seed Ole Miss in the semifinals on Saturday and a 93-66 triumph over Arkansas on Friday in the quarterfinals.

This marks the 64th meeting between these programs, with Tennessee maintaining a 51-12 advantage.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

  • Sunday’s game will be televised by ESPN, with Courtney Lyle (PxP), Carolyn Peck (Analyst) and Brooke Weisbrod (Reporter) 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.

TENNESSEE IN THE SEC TOURNAMENT

  • Tennessee is seeking to capture its league-leading 18th SEC Tournament championship trophy and is 17-6 in title games.
  • UT won in 1980, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.
  • The Lady Vols have been runners-up on six occasions, including 1982, 1990, 1991, 1995, 2003 and 2015.
  • UT last advanced to the title game in 2014 and 2015, winning in 2014 as a #2 seed, 71-70, over #4 Kentucky and falling as a #2 seed to #1 South Carolina, 62-46, in 2015.
  • Tennessee enters Sunday’s game with an 84-26 (.764) all-time mark in the 44th year of the tourney. 
  • In SEC Tournament play, the Big Orange women are 3-3 vs. South Carolina, with the teams last meeting in 2021 in the semifinals in Greenville and the No. 2 seed Gamecocks prevailing, 67-52, over the No. 3 Lady Vols.
  • Tennessee picked up its last win vs. USC in tourney play during 2012 semifinals in Nashville, as the No. 2 seeded Lady Vols collected a 72-58 win over the No. 6 Gamecocks en route to the title that season.
  • The Lady Vols are now 39-5 all-time in their opening game of the SEC Tournament and are 27-12 in their second contest of the tourney.
  • They have made 36 berths all-time in the semifinals and are 24-12 in those contests after toppling No. 2 seed LSU in 2023, 69-67.
  • The Big Orange women are 29-10 in SEC Tournament play since 2007-08.
  • Tennessee has had 15 SEC Tournament MVPs through the years.
  • Isabelle Harrison (2014), Glory Johnson (2012), Shekinna Stricklen (2011) and Alyssia Brewer (2010) were the past four MVPs from Tennessee.
  • The Lady Vols won the very first SEC Tournament title in 1980, defeating Ole Miss, 85-71, at Stokely Athletics Center in Knoxville.

2023 SEC TOURNEY UT SUPERLATIVES

  • Rickea Jackson is averaging 30.0 ppg. and 7.0 rpg. while shooting 61.3 percent from the field and 95.7 percent (22-23) from the free-throw line during the 2023 SEC Tournament.
  • 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.
  • Jordan Horston (19.0) and Tess Darby (11.0) are also scoring in double figures for the weekend, while Horston leads the team in rebounding at 8.5.
  • Darby is six of 10 beyond the arc in two games here.
  • Jordan Horston’s career-best seven blocks vs. Kentucky on Friday night tied centers Tamari Key (2020) and Kelley Cain (2009) for most swats ever in an SEC Tournament contest by a Lady Vol.
  • Rickea Jackson’s 22-of-23 effort (95.7 pct.) at the charity stripe is fueling her team to 88.2 pct. (45-51).

TENNESSEE ALL-TIME VS. NUMBER ONES

  • Tennessee is 14-37 all-time vs. No. 1 ranked teams (AP and USA TODAY Coaches Polls).
  • The Lady Vols are 2-13 at home, 6-9 away and 6-15 at neutral sites.
  • UT’s last victory over a No. 1-ranked foe came on March 6, 2005, when a Pat Summitt-led squad claimed a No. 5/4 vs. No. 1/1 match-up vs. LSU in the SEC Championship game in Greenville, S.C., 67-65.
  • The last time the Big Orange took down a No. 1-ranked team at home was on Jan. 1, 1996, when the No. 4/5 Lady Vols toppled No. 1/1 Louisiana Tech, 77-72. UT head coach Kellie Harper was then known as freshman point guard Kellie Jolly, contributing two assists and two steals in 14 minutes to the victorious cause.
  • Harper has led Tennessee vs. a No. 1 squad as coach on four occasions, standing 0-4 thus far.
  • UT fell vs. No. 1/1 South Carolina, 73-60, on Feb. 23, 2023, in the last such meeting. 
  • The highest-ranked opponent a Kellie Harper team has defeated was No. 2/3 South Carolina in Knoxville, 75-67, on Feb. 18, 2021.

LOOKING BACK AT THE LSU GAME

  • The Lady Vols erased a 17-point second-quarter deficit to take a 69-67 victory over 4/3 LSU in Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Saturday night and advance to the program’s first SEC Championship appearance since 2015.
  • No. 3 seed Tennessee trailed by 14 at the half and fell behind by 16 in the early going of the third quarter, but the Big Orange stormed back by outscoring the No. 2 Tigers 43-27 over the final 20 minutes to pick up their signature win thus far of the 2022-23 campaign.
  • Senior Rickea Jackson was UT’s (23-10, 13-3 SEC) leading scorer, posting a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
  • Fellow senior Jordan Horston also had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
  • Sophomore Jillian Hollingshead and junior Tess Darby each had productive performances as well, finishing with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
  • LSU (28-2, 15-1 SEC) was led by Angel Reese, who recorded a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Alexis Morris added 20 points.

THOSE COMEBACK KIDS

  • Tennessee’s comeback from a 17-point deficit was the largest of the Kellie Harper era.
  • Previously, the largest deficit successfully erased during Harper’s tenure was 16 points against #2/3 South Carolina on Feb. 18, 2020, in a 75-67 UT triumph in Knoxville.

CASHING IN AT THE LINE

  • Tennessee shot 84 percent from the free-throw line against LSU, hitting 21 of 25 on the night.
  • In the previous outing, UT managed a season-best 24 of 26 from the line.
  • Through two games of the SEC Tournament, the Lady Vols have scored 45 points from the charity stripe and are hitting 88.2 percent of their free throws.

‘KEA KEEPS THE STREAK GOING

  • Jackson’s 26 points against LSU marked her eighth straight contest with 20 or more points.
  • Her eight-game streak surpasses lofty seven-game efforts by Candace Parker (2006-07) and Bridgette Gordon (1987-88) and pulls her within one of Chamique Holdsclaw’s program-best spree, when the four-time All-American recorded nine in a row during the 1997-98 season. 

SEEING DOUBLE

  • Seniors Rickea Jackson (26/10) and Jordan Horston (17/10) both posted double-doubles against South Carolina, marking the third time this season two Lady Vols have managed a double-double in a single game.
  • Previously, Jackson (25/12) and Horston (15/12) carded double-doubles at Arkansas, while Jillian Hollingshead (18/12) and Rickea Jackson (28/11) recorded double-doubles at Mississippi State.  

TESS FOR THREE

  • Tess Darby pitched in two threes against LSU, marking the 21st time this season she has hit multiple treys in a game and the 13th time against an SEC opponent.
  • She now has 122 three-pointers in her career, moving within 11 treys of catching Sidney Spencer to land among the top 10 career totals in program history.
  • With 64 of those long balls coming during the current campaign, she is three away from entering the single-season top 10 at Tennessee.

UT/USC NOTES

  • Tennessee is 23-4 in Knoxville, 21-4 in Columbia and 7-4 at neutral sites vs. South Carolina.
  • The Lady Vols are 3-3 vs. USC in the SEC Tourney.
  • UT is 5-4 vs. USC in the postseason and is 1-0 in OT, taking a 79-73 extra-frame decision over the Gamecocks in the Palmetto State on Feb. 15, 1996.
  • Tennessee captured the regular-season meeting two years ago, coming from 16-down and erasing a 15-point third-quarter deficit en route to toppling the No. 2/3 Gamecocks in Knoxville, 75-67, on Feb. 18.
  • Kellie Harper has a 2-7 record vs. USC as a head coach. She is 1-4 while at UT and was 0-1 at Western Carolina and 1-2 at NC State.
  • Harper was 5-0 vs. USC as a player, participating in the only OT game between these schools in 1996.
  • Since 2010, USC has won seven and UT four SEC regular-season titles, with UT winning or sharing in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015 and USC doing so in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022 and 2023.

A LOOK AT THE GAMECOCKS

  • Guard Zia Cooke leads the Gamecocks in scoring (15.0 ppg.) and three-pointers (55).
  • South Carolina’s inside presence is embodied by Aliyah Boston (13.2 ppg., 9.8 rpg., 64 blks.), Kamilla Cardoso (9.9 ppg., 8.9 rpg., 61 blks.) and Laeticia Amihere (7.2 ppg., 3.4 rpg., 33 blks.).
  • USC produces 81.7 ppg. and 49.9 rpg. while holding opponents to 50.9 and 28.9, respectively.
  • South Carolina outscores foes +30.8 and outboard them +21.0.

SOUTH CAROLINA’S LAST GAME

  • Laeticia Amihere scored 17 points and Aliyah Boston posted her 80th career double-double to lead No. 1 South Carolina into the SEC Tournament final for the eighth time in nine seasons with an 80-51 victory over Mississippi on Saturday.
  • Boston had 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Gamecocks (31-0) won their 37th straight game. They will take on Tennessee for the conference championship on Sunday.

LAST MEETING BETWEEN UT, USC

  • The Lady Vols led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter, but No. 1 South Carolina bounced back and staved off a second-half rally to earn a 73-60 victory on Feb. 23 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
  • Senior Rickea Jackson was the top scorer for Tennessee (20-10, 12-3 SEC) with 21 points and five rebounds. Fellow senior Jordan Horston turned in a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and sophomore Karoline Striplin also had a double-digit outing with 11 points on the night.
  • Unbeaten South Carolina (28-0, 15-0 SEC), which won its 34th straight contest, was led by Zia Cooke with 19 points. Brea Beal posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Kierra Fletcher and Aliyah Boston had 15 and 11 points, respectively.

-UT Athletics

Lady Vols vs. South Carolina / Credit: UT Athletics
Stats/Story: Late Power Surge Lifts #2/3 Vols to Series-Clinching Win Over Zags

Stats/Story: Late Power Surge Lifts #2/3 Vols to Series-Clinching Win Over Zags

Posted on March 6, 2023

PDF Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 2/3 Tennessee used a late power surge to battle back from an early deficit and claim the weekend series with a 7-2 victory over Gonzaga in front of a capacity crowd of 5,037 on Saturday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Volunteers (10-2) dug themselves into a 2-0 hole in the second inning, but battled back to tie the game on a Kyle Booker solo home run in the sixth before taking the lead for good with a five-run seventh inning.

Booker was one of the major catalysts at the plate for the Big Orange, finishing with a pair of hits and a run scored to go along with his first long ball of the year.

Blake Burke was once again a force offensively, finishing 3-for-5 with a double and a three-run blast that put UT ahead 5-2 in the seventh inning. In four games this week, the sophomore slugger is batting .611 with 11 hits, two doubles, three homers and 14 RBIs while slugging 1.222.

Griffin Merritt also homered, a shot off the batter’s eye in dead center for his second of the year, and finished with three RBIs on the night.

Chase Burns was solid in his third start of the year, striking out eight while allowing two runs on five hits in 6.1 innings, but did not factor into the decision. Lefty reliever Kirby Connell was credited with his first win of the year after recording two big outs in the seventh inning, one via strikeout.

Seth Halvorsen made sure there would be no comeback for the Zags, tossing two shutout innings to finish the game.

Sam Canton drove in both runs for the Bulldogs (1-9) with a two-run double to right center field in the second inning. Payton Graham was stuck with the loss after giving up five runs on three hits and three walks in two innings of relief.

UP NEXT: Tennessee will look to finish the sweep in tomorrow’s series finale. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.

-UT Athletics

UT Vols Baseball / Credit: UT Athletics
Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: Points off turnovers, fast break points contribute to No. 12 Vols loss at Auburn, 79-70

Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: Points off turnovers, fast break points contribute to No. 12 Vols loss at Auburn, 79-70

Posted on March 6, 2023

BOX SCORE  |  HIGHLIGHTS  |  BARNES POSTGAME  |  KEY POSTGAME

AUBURN, Ala. – Despite a strong showing on the offensive end and 21 points from Santiago Vescovi, No. 12 Tennessee came up short in its regular-season finale at Auburn Saturday, 79-70.
 
The Vols (22-9, 11-7 SEC) shot 47.2 percent from the floor for the game Saturday and outrebounded Auburn 35-29, but were unable to withstand a late run by the Tigers in a hostile road environment.
 
After an 11-2 Tennessee run gave the Vols a 63-60 lead with 6:13 remaining, Auburn seized control of the game—closing regulation on a 19-7 run and forcing Tennessee to miss its final seven field goal attempts.
 
Vescovi paced the Vols offensively with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range—as well as five rebounds and four assists. Tyreke Key added 13 points for Tennessee, while Josiah-Jordan James and Julian Phillips had 10 apiece.
 
For Auburn, four players—Wendell Green Jr., Johni Broome, Allen Flanigan and Jaylin Williams—combined for 70 of the Tigers’ 79 total points.
 
Auburn threatened to run away with the game early in the second half—starting the final period on a 10-2 run capped off by back-to-back threes from Flanigan and Broome, but a 7-3 Vols’ run—with four points scored by Key—stopped the bleeding and tied the game back up at 43.
 
After Tennessee stopped the Tigers’ initial second-half run, Auburn then pushed its lead to six points on three separate occasions from the 10:36 mark to the 8:56 mark of the second half, but Tennessee answered each time.
 
When the Tigers pulled in front by six for the third time at the 8:56 mark on a Wendell Green Jr. baseline jumper, Tennessee immediately answered with an 11-2 run—with seven of those points coming from Vescovi—to pull in front with 6:13 to go, 63-60.
 
In a first half that featured four ties and six lead changes, neither team led by more than four points for the first 17:35 of action until a 3-pointer from James broke a 27 all tie and boosted Tennessee to a 7-0 run and 34-27 lead.
 
Auburn however answered right at the first half buzzer with a fadeaway corner three from Green Jr. to cut the Tigers’ halftime deficit to four points at 34-30.
 
Vescovi paced Tennessee offensively in the first half with 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. The Vols shot 50 percent from the field in the first half (14-of-28) and 63 percent from long range (5-of-8).
 
UP NEXT: Tennessee heads to Nashville next week for the SEC Tournament. Depending on the results of Saturday’s action around the SEC, Tennessee will open the SEC Tournament on either Thursday or Friday.

-UT Athletics

Santiago Vescovi – Vols G / Credit: UT Athletics
Highlights/Photos/Postgame/Stats/Story: Lady Vols Take Dramatic Win Over 4/3 LSU, Advance To SEC Championship

Highlights/Photos/Postgame/Stats/Story: Lady Vols Take Dramatic Win Over 4/3 LSU, Advance To SEC Championship

Posted on March 6, 2023

Box Score (PDF) | Highlights | Horston/Jackson/Harper Presser | Postgame Presser Transcript | Photo Gallery 

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Lady Vols erased a 17-point second-quarter deficit to take a 69-67 victory over 4/3 LSU in Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Saturday night and advance to the program’s first SEC Championship appearance since 2015.

No. 3 seed Tennessee trailed by 14 at the half and fell behind by 16 in the early going of the third quarter, but the Big Orange stormed back by outscoring the No. 2 Tigers 43-27 over the final 20 minutes to pick up their signature win thus far of the 2022-23 campaign.

Senior Rickea Jackson was UT’s (23-10, 13-3 SEC) leading scorer, posting a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Fellow senior Jordan Horston also had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Jillian Hollingshead and junior Tess Darby each had productive performances as well, finishing with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
LSU (28-2, 15-1 SEC) was led by Angel Reese, who recorded a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Alexis Morris also was a top producer with 20 points. 
 
The Tigers came out hot with an 8-1 run before Jackson converted on a three-point play at the 6:20 mark to pull UT within four. LSU went up eight again off back-to-back buckets by Reese, and UT didn’t allow the deficit to grow until the 3:37 mark when Reese hit a layup to set off an 8-0 run that had the Tigers on top 22-8 with just over a minute to go in the first. Jackson ended the drought for the Lady Vols with a 10-foot jumper, sending the game into the second period with the Tigers leading 22-10.
 
LSU started the second by sinking threes on consecutive plays to go up by 17 with 8:29 to go in the first half. Following a timeout, Karoline Striplin and Jackson produced an 8-2 run that had the Lady Vols within 11 two minutes later. Morris responded with four quick points to stretch the Tigers’ lead back to 15 with 4:33 to go. Tess Darby drained a three to cut it back to 12 at 35-23, but LSU bounced back to lead by 16 in the final seconds until Jackson hit a contested jumper just before buzzer to set the halftime score at 40-26.
 
Both teams scored on their first possessions of the second half, but Tennessee forced a stop on LSU’s second possession, and Darby knocked down a three in transition to whittle LSU’s advantage down to 11 and give the Lady Vols some momentum. By the media timeout, UT had pulled within nine at 44-35 off back-to-back jumpers by Horston. Darby was fouled on a 3-pointer following the timeout and hit all three free throws, narrowing the gap to six with 4:23 to go in the third. The Tigers managed one point from the free-throw line, but Tennessee held them without a field goal for more than six minutes while pulling within three points at 45-42 with 2:26 remaining in the third. Reese responded for LSU, rattling off six straight points, but a three-point play by Hollingshead with just under a minute on the clock sent the game into the fourth quarter with UT trailing by four at 51-47. 
 
The teams traded buckets to start the final period until Jackson found Horston on the fast break to pull UT within two, then Jackson tied it up at 56-all with a jumper with 6:41 to play. Sa’Myah Smith put the Tigers back up by two 20 seconds later, but Horston scored back-to-back baskets to give Tennessee its first lead of the game at 60-58 at the 5:11 mark. Reese tied it up once more, but Jackson and Horston combined for four quick points to move the Big Orange ahead 64-40 with 3:46 to play. Morris inched LSU back within one on three occasions, but the Tigers never recovered the lead as Tennessee went on to win 69-67.  

UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will face No. 1 South Carolina in the SEC Championship game at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN.  
 
‘KEA KEEPS THE STREAK GOING: Jackson’s 26 points against LSU marked her eighth straight contest with 20 or more points. Her eight-game streak surpasses lofty seven-game efforts by Candace Parker (2006-07) and Bridgette Gordon (1987-88) and pulls her within one of Chamique Holdsclaw’s program-best spree, when the four-time All-American recorded nine in a row during the 1997-98 season.  
  
SEEING DOUBLE: Seniors Rickea Jackson (26/10) and Jordan Horston (17/10) both posted double-doubles against South Carolina, marking the third time this season two Lady Vols have managed a double-double in a single game. Previously, Jackson (25/12) and Horston (15/12) managed double-doubles at Arkansas, and Jillian Hollingshead (18/12) and Rickea Jackson (28/11) recorded double-doubles at Mississippi State.  
 
COMEBACK KIDS: Tennessee’s comeback from a 17-point deficit was the largest of the Kellie Harper era. Previously, the largest deficit successfully erased during Harper’s tenure was 16 points against #2/3 South Carolina on Feb. 18, 2020, in a 75-67 UT triumph in Knoxville.
 
TESS FOR THREE: Tess Darby pitched in two threes against LSU, marking the 21st time this season she has hit multiple treys in a game and the 13th time against an SEC opponent. She now has 122 3-pointers in her career, moving within 11 treys of catching Sidney Spencer to land among the top 10 career totals in program history. With 64 of those coming during the current campaign, she is three away from entering the single-season top 10 at Tennessee. 

-UT Athletics

Jillian Hollingshead – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Highlights/Photos/Postgame/Stats/Story: Lady Vols Take Dramatic Win Over 4/3 LSU, Advance To SEC Championship

Highlights/Photos/Postgame/Stats/Story: Lady Vols Take Dramatic Win Over 4/3 LSU, Advance To SEC Championship

Posted on March 6, 2023

Box Score (PDF) | Highlights | Horston/Jackson/Harper Presser | Postgame Presser Transcript | Photo Gallery 

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Lady Vols erased a 17-point second-quarter deficit to take a 69-67 victory over 4/3 LSU in Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Saturday night and advance to the program’s first SEC Championship appearance since 2015.

No. 3 seed Tennessee trailed by 14 at the half and fell behind by 16 in the early going of the third quarter, but the Big Orange stormed back by outscoring the No. 2 Tigers 43-27 over the final 20 minutes to pick up their signature win thus far of the 2022-23 campaign.

Senior Rickea Jackson was UT’s (23-10, 13-3 SEC) leading scorer, posting a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Fellow senior Jordan Horston also had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Jillian Hollingshead and junior Tess Darby each had productive performances as well, finishing with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
LSU (28-2, 15-1 SEC) was led by Angel Reese, who recorded a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Alexis Morris also was a top producer with 20 points. 
 
The Tigers came out hot with an 8-1 run before Jackson converted on a three-point play at the 6:20 mark to pull UT within four. LSU went up eight again off back-to-back buckets by Reese, and UT didn’t allow the deficit to grow until the 3:37 mark when Reese hit a layup to set off an 8-0 run that had the Tigers on top 22-8 with just over a minute to go in the first. Jackson ended the drought for the Lady Vols with a 10-foot jumper, sending the game into the second period with the Tigers leading 22-10.
 
LSU started the second by sinking threes on consecutive plays to go up by 17 with 8:29 to go in the first half. Following a timeout, Karoline Striplin and Jackson produced an 8-2 run that had the Lady Vols within 11 two minutes later. Morris responded with four quick points to stretch the Tigers’ lead back to 15 with 4:33 to go. Tess Darby drained a three to cut it back to 12 at 35-23, but LSU bounced back to lead by 16 in the final seconds until Jackson hit a contested jumper just before buzzer to set the halftime score at 40-26.
 
Both teams scored on their first possessions of the second half, but Tennessee forced a stop on LSU’s second possession, and Darby knocked down a three in transition to whittle LSU’s advantage down to 11 and give the Lady Vols some momentum. By the media timeout, UT had pulled within nine at 44-35 off back-to-back jumpers by Horston. Darby was fouled on a 3-pointer following the timeout and hit all three free throws, narrowing the gap to six with 4:23 to go in the third. The Tigers managed one point from the free-throw line, but Tennessee held them without a field goal for more than six minutes while pulling within three points at 45-42 with 2:26 remaining in the third. Reese responded for LSU, rattling off six straight points, but a three-point play by Hollingshead with just under a minute on the clock sent the game into the fourth quarter with UT trailing by four at 51-47. 
 
The teams traded buckets to start the final period until Jackson found Horston on the fast break to pull UT within two, then Jackson tied it up at 56-all with a jumper with 6:41 to play. Sa’Myah Smith put the Tigers back up by two 20 seconds later, but Horston scored back-to-back baskets to give Tennessee its first lead of the game at 60-58 at the 5:11 mark. Reese tied it up once more, but Jackson and Horston combined for four quick points to move the Big Orange ahead 64-40 with 3:46 to play. Morris inched LSU back within one on three occasions, but the Tigers never recovered the lead as Tennessee went on to win 69-67.  

UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will face No. 1 South Carolina in the SEC Championship game at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN.  
 
‘KEA KEEPS THE STREAK GOING: Jackson’s 26 points against LSU marked her eighth straight contest with 20 or more points. Her eight-game streak surpasses lofty seven-game efforts by Candace Parker (2006-07) and Bridgette Gordon (1987-88) and pulls her within one of Chamique Holdsclaw’s program-best spree, when the four-time All-American recorded nine in a row during the 1997-98 season.  
  
SEEING DOUBLE: Seniors Rickea Jackson (26/10) and Jordan Horston (17/10) both posted double-doubles against South Carolina, marking the third time this season two Lady Vols have managed a double-double in a single game. Previously, Jackson (25/12) and Horston (15/12) managed double-doubles at Arkansas, and Jillian Hollingshead (18/12) and Rickea Jackson (28/11) recorded double-doubles at Mississippi State.  
 
COMEBACK KIDS: Tennessee’s comeback from a 17-point deficit was the largest of the Kellie Harper era. Previously, the largest deficit successfully erased during Harper’s tenure was 16 points against #2/3 South Carolina on Feb. 18, 2020, in a 75-67 UT triumph in Knoxville.
 
TESS FOR THREE: Tess Darby pitched in two threes against LSU, marking the 21st time this season she has hit multiple treys in a game and the 13th time against an SEC opponent. She now has 122 3-pointers in her career, moving within 11 treys of catching Sidney Spencer to land among the top 10 career totals in program history. With 64 of those coming during the current campaign, she is three away from entering the single-season top 10 at Tennessee. 

-UT Athletics

Jillian Hollingshead – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Highlights/Photos/Postgame/Stats/Story: Lady Vols Take Down Kentucky In SEC Quarterfinals, 80-71

Highlights/Photos/Postgame/Stats/Story: Lady Vols Take Down Kentucky In SEC Quarterfinals, 80-71

Posted on March 6, 2023

Box Score (PDF) | Highlights | Harper Presser | Photo Gallery | Media Photos |  Media Video | Postgame Quotes

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Senior Rickea Jackson poured in 16 fourth-quarter points en route to a season-high 34 points, leading third-seeded Tennessee to an 80-71 victory over 14th-seeded Kentucky in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena late Friday night.
 
Senior Jordan Horston was also in double figures for UT (22-10, 13-3 SEC) with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while junior Tess Darby turned in 12 points on 80 percent shooting from behind the arc. It marked the second time this season that Jackson and Horston scored 20+ points in the same contest, with the Colorado game being the other occasion.

Kentucky (12-19, 2-14 SEC) was led by Robyn Benton with 20 points. Maddie Scherr, Jada Walker and Ajae Petty were also in double digits with 13, 12 and 11, respectively.
 
Tennessee won the tip and quickly went to work, scoring six straight points before the Wildcats got on the board with a jumper at the 7:19 mark. Fifty seconds later, Darby hit the first of three first-quarter treys to put Tennessee up 9-2, and Jordan Walker drew a charge that Jackson turned into two points on the other end to stretch that lead to nine points four minutes into the contest. Both teams settled in offensively, scoring on alternate possessions until a Scherr three set off an 8-0 run that had UK within two at 17-15 with 2:45 to go in the first. The Lady Vols responded with 10 unanswered points before Petty hit a layup at the buzzer to set the score at 27-17 at the end of one.
 
Kentucky crept back within single digits off a jumper by Amiya Jenkins to start the second period, but Jackson hit a layup on the next play in the first of nine straight Big Orange points that put the Lady Vols on top 36-19 with 4:01 to go in the first half. Scherr ended the drought for UK with a trey at the 2:46 mark, and Blair Green followed it up with another on the Wildcats’ next possession as UK closed out the half with a 10-2 run for a halftime score of 38-30.
 
Benton scored the first basket of the second half to pull UK within six, and Horston answered with a jumper in the paint on the other end. Adebola Adeyeye once again cut it to six at the 7:42 mark, but back-to-back buckets put UT on top by 10 a minute later. The Lady Vols maintained that advantage until Benton and Petty combined for a 4-1 run that moved the Wildcats within seven with 2:28 left in the third. Horston hit a layup on UT’s next possession, but a 6-0 streak had UK within three two minutes later. Jackson knocked down a contested jumper at the buzzer to send the game into the final stanza with Tennessee leading 53-48.
 
Jackson opened the fourth with a turnaround-jumper to stretch the Lady Vols’ lead to seven, but Benton countered with a three on the other end that had the Wildcats back within four with 7:59 to play. Jackson sank two pairs of free throws to grow UT’s lead to eight and went on to single-handily fuel a 10-4 UT run that put the Lady Vols ahead 65-55 by the 4:46 mark. The Wildcats continued to fight, clawing back within four off a Benton trey with under a minute to play, but Tennessee converted on free throws in the closing seconds to take an 80-71 win and advance to the semifinal round of the SEC Tournament. 
 
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will take on second-seeded LSU in the semifinal round of the SEC Championship game at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Saturday following the conclusion of the South Carolina vs. Ole Miss contest. Tip time will be approximately 7 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast on ESPNU.
 
TRIPLES BY TESS: Tess Darby swished four 3-pointers against Kentucky, marking the 11th time this season she’s tallied three or more treys and the seventh time against an SEC opponent.
 
DARBY CHASING SPENCER: With 120 made threes in her career, Tess Darby is within 13 treys of catching Sidney Spencer to land among the top 10 career totals in program history. She has 64 of those during the current campaign and is five away from entering the single-season top 10 at Tennessee.
 
DIME-DROPPIN’ TRIO: With seven assists against Kentucky, Jordan Horston (104) joins Jasmine Powell (106) and Jordan Walker (105) as Tennessee’s first 100-assist trio since Shanna Zolman (114), Alexis Hornbuckle (113) and Candace Parker (103) accomplished the feat in the 2005-06 season.
 
‘KEA IN GOOD COMPANY: Rickea Jackson’s 34 points against Kentucky gave her a seventh straight contest with 20 or more points. Her seven-game streak ties efforts by Candace Parker (2006-07) and Bridgette Gordon (1987-88) and is topped by only Chamique Holdsclaw, who logged nine in a row during the 1997-98 season.
 
RICKEA OWNING THE LINE: Senior Rickea Jackson was a perfect 14 of 14 from the free-throw line against Kentucky, surpassing her previous best effort of 13 of 13 at Mississippi State that tied Gail Dobson at the top of UT’s record book for the highest free throw percentage (100.0 pct.) with the most made attempts.
 
LADY VOLS GETTING 20 WITH HIGH FREQUENCY: Tennessee had two quarters of 20+ points vs. Kentucky, including 27 in the first quarter and 27 in the fourth frame.  Over their last five games, the Lady Vols have registered 11 periods of 20 points or more out of 20 possible quarters.
 
PUTTING 80 ON THE BOARD AGAIN: Tennessee scored 80 points for the sixth time in the past seven games. The Lady Vols began their run with 90 in a double overtime loss at Mississippi State and followed suit vs. Vanderbilt (86), Arkansas (87), Auburn (83), Kentucky regular season (83) and Kentucky SEC Tournament (80).  The only game in that span when UT did not reach 80 was in a 73-60 loss to South Carolina.

-UT Athletics

Rickea Jackson – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Stats/Story: Two-Out Offense Pushes #2/3 Vols Past Gonzaga, 8-2

Stats/Story: Two-Out Offense Pushes #2/3 Vols Past Gonzaga, 8-2

Posted on March 6, 2023

PDF Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Clutch two-out hitting and a six-run sixth inning, the No. 2/3 Tennessee Volunteers defeated Gonzaga in the series opener, 8-2, Friday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Six of the eight runs scored by the Vols (9-2) came with two-outs, highlighted by a bases-clearing double from Blake Burke in a monster sixth inning for the Big Orange. The game was scoreless for the first four-and-a-half innings of play until Christian Moore ripped one through the breezy night sky, clearing the porches in left field for his second homer of the season.

The victory marked win No. 200 for Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello, who’s in his sixth season as the Vols’ skipper. He becomes just the third coach in program history to reach 200 wins and is the fastest to do so (279 games), surpassing the legendary Rod Delmonico (302 games).

Gonzaga (1-8) got a good start from Owen Wild, but once Tennessee got his pitch count up, it was able to capitalize on mistake pitches. In that sixth inning, UT worked five 3-2 counts and got seven three-ball counts. Patience resulted in bases-loaded RBIs for both Jared Dickey and Moore, who was hit by a pitch and a drew a walk, respectively, to bring in runs.

Zane Denton also connected on his first homer in a UT uniform, getting the sixth inning started with an opposite-field long ball to leadoff the frame. 

Chase Dollander, once again, was fantastic on the mound. The powerful right-hander fanned 11 in six innings of work and did not allow a run to cross the plate. He picked up his second victory of the year, improving to 2-1, and upped his season strikeout total to 41. Through three starts, Dollander has a strikeouts per nine innings mark of 16.5.

Burke had his three-game home run streak broken, but was still the focal point of the offense, accumulating three hits and a pair of RBIs in the win. Every starter in the Volunteer batting order, except for one, reached base and the patient approach at the plate forced Gonzaga to throw 180 total pitches in the game.

Out of the bullpen, both Kirby Connell and Zach Joyce tossed a scoreless inning, each retiring the side in order. Both relievers have been fantastic in the young 2023 season, allowing just one baserunner between the two of them in 4.1 and 5.2 innings, respectively.

UP NEXT: Tennessee returns to Lindsey Nelson Stadium for the second game of the series against Gonzaga on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.

-UT Athletics

As “My All Campaign” Flourishes, Neyland Stadium Enhancements Continue

As “My All Campaign” Flourishes, Neyland Stadium Enhancements Continue

Posted on March 6, 2023

Wi-Fi improvements, Founders Suites prep in motion

Fueled by gifts to the My All Campaign, progress continues on various fan experience enhancements taking place at historic Neyland Stadium.

Campaign momentum has resulted in the Tennessee Fund closing more than 135 gifts of $25,000 or larger already this fiscal year while also realizing an all-time high for donors in a fiscal year, with more than 19,000 individuals contributing to Tennessee Athletics’ mission of leading the way in college sports.

In June of 2022, the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees approved Tennessee Athletics’ request to adjust and increase the scope and budget of the ongoing Neyland Stadium renovations project.

Last fall, guests at Neyland Stadium observed a totally new state-of-the-art videoboard in the stadium’s north upper deck, enhanced video components in the existing south videoboard and the introduction of two new premium amenities in the lower-west club and upper-north social deck.

“This past fall, we introduced multiple fan amenities that elevated the gameday experience for guests throughout Neyland Stadium,” Tennessee Deputy Athletics Director/Chief Operating Officer Ryan Alpert said. “We’re excited to steadily take our next strategic steps in the modernization of the venue while also ensuring that we honor and preserve the historic pageantry of Tennessee football gamedays.

“Vol Nation’s incredible support of the My All Campaign—coupled with the excitement surrounding our football program’s rapid ascension under Josh Heupel—have accelerated our ability to make major progress in our renovation plan.”

Fans attending April’s Orange & White Game will notice active demolition in preparation for construction in the stadium’s south end. The final product will be highlighted by a significant expansion to main concourse 1, inclusive of additional restrooms and an improved concessions experience. Additionally, the south end of the facility will be home to the stadium’s first-ever kitchen, commissary and loading dock.

In the more immediate weeks to come, season-ticket holders with seats in sections and rows that will be impacted by the impending addition of the new westside Founders Suites will receive phone or email communication with instructions and resources related to the 2023 relocation process.

“These new premium amenities—from the lower-west club to the north social deck to the soon-to-come Founders Suites—are what ultimately allow us to deliver gameday experience enhancements to guests throughout all of Neyland Stadium,” Deputy Athletics Director of Championship Resources Dr. Mónica Lebrón said. “The revenue that philanthropy and these areas generate provides the funding for greater stadium-wide Wi-Fi capabilities, concourse improvements, restroom upgrades and so much more.”

While timelines are subject to change due to a variety of factors (uncertainties related to supply chain issues, product shortages, lead time variability, etc), the following list is a completed and projected schedule of the many deliverables fans can expect around Neyland Stadium.

Fall 2022

  • Two new videoboards on the stadium’s north and south ends
  • Return of the popular and nostalgic V-O-L-S letters atop the stadium bowl
  • Lower-west club
  • Upper-north social deck

Fall 2023

  • Removal of South Stadium Hall with structural strengthening of the stadium’s south end
  • Partially completed Wi-Fi capabilities
  • Brick cladding around in-bowl vomitories
  • New restrooms under the Gate 10 ramp
  • Extended footprint for Truly’s Tailgate, giving fans in the south endzone an expanded concourse

Fall 2024

  • Stadium-wide Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Stadium kitchen, commissary and loading dock
  • New southeast elevators vertically connecting all concourses
  • New Gate 4 entry plaza
  • Renovations and upgrades complete for all stadium skyboxes
  • Initial construction for the Westside Founders Suites

Fall 2025

  • Expanded south concourse 1 (increased restrooms, enhanced concessions, wider concourse)
  • Completed Founders Suites
  • Tee Martin Drive to shift south of the Gate 10 ramp

-UT Athletics

Knox County Election Commission to Begin Issuing Petitions for Upcoming City of Knoxville Elections

Knox County Election Commission to Begin Issuing Petitions for Upcoming City of Knoxville Elections

Posted on March 6, 2023

Knox County Election Commission to begin issuing petitions for City of Knoxville Elections on Monday, March 20

Individuals who wish to run for office in the 2023 City of Knoxville Elections can pick up a petition from the Knox County Election Commission beginning Monday, March 20th, 2023. The offices on the ballot will be:

  • Mayor
  • City Council At-Large, Seat A
  • City Council At-Large, Seat B
  • City Council At-Large, Seat C
  • City Council, District 5
  • Municipal Judge

All terms of office are four years.

The qualifications for each of the offices listed above are:

KNOXVILLE CITY MAYOR

•           Must meet basic qualifications of TCA 8-18-101; and

•           Shall have attained the age of twenty-five (25) years at the beginning of the term

•           Be a resident of the City of Knoxville for one (1) year next preceding the deadline for qualifying for election and continue to reside therein during the term of office

KNOXVILLE CITY COUNCILPERSONS

•           Must meet basic qualifications of TCA 8-18-101; and

•           Shall have attained the age of twenty-one (21) years at the beginning of the term

•           Be a resident of the City of Knoxville for one (1) year prior to taking office

•           If representing a District, must reside in the district for one (1) year prior to taking office and shall continue to live therein during the period of service

•           No person shall be eligible to serve in the office of councilmember who holds any other elective public office or who is a City of Knoxville employee

KNOXVILLE MUNICIPAL JUDGE

•           Must meet basic qualifications of TCA 8-18-101; and

•           Be at least thirty (30) years old

•           Be a resident of the City of Knoxville for three (3) years immediately prior to election

•           Licensed to practice law in the State of Tennessee

The requirements as set forth in TCA (Tennessee Code Annotated) 8-18-101 are:

All persons eighteen (18) years or older who are citizens of the United States and of this state, and have been inhabitants of the state, county, district, or circuit for the period required by the constitution and laws of the state, are qualified to hold office under the authority of this state except:

(1)        Those who have been convicted of offering or giving a bribe, or of larceny, or any other offense declared infamous by law, unless restored to citizenship in the mode pointed out by law;

(2)        Those against whom there is a judgment unpaid for any moneys received by them, in any official capacity, due to the United States, to this state, or any county thereof;

(3)        Those who are defaulters to the treasury at the time of the election, and the election of any such person shall be void;

(4)        Soldiers, seamen, marines, or airmen in the regular army or navy or air force of the United States; and

(5)        Members of congress, and persons holding any office of profit or trust under any foreign power, other state of the union, or under the United States.

The Election schedule for the 2023 City of Knoxville Primary Election is as follows:

  • Monday, March 20, 2023 – First day to pick up a nominating petition from either KCEC office
  • Thursday, May 18, 2023 at NOON – Candidate Qualifying Deadline
  • Thursday, May 25, 2023 at NOON – Candidate Withdrawal Deadline
  • Wednesday, May 31, 2023 – First day to request an absentee ballot
  • Monday, July 31, 2023 – Final day to register to vote before election
  • Wednesday, August 9, 2023 – First day of Early Voting period
  • Tuesday, August 22, 2023 – Final day to request an absentee ballot
  • Thursday, August 24, 2023 – Final day of Early Voting period
  • Tuesday, August 29, 2023 – Election Day

In the City Council elections, the top two vote getters in the primary move on to the General Election.

In both the Mayor and Municipal Judge elections, the top two vote getters move on to the General Election UNLESS one candidate receives 50% plus one, in which case only the top vote getter moves on to the General Election.

The 2023 City of Knoxville General Election will be on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

For more information, visit https://knoxcounty.org/election/ or call the Knox County Election Commission at 865-215-2480.

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