Hoops Preview: Lady Vols at Kentucky

Hoops Preview: Lady Vols at Kentucky

Posted on February 24, 2023

Tennessee (20-10, 12-3 SEC) travels to Memorial Coliseum in Lexington to close out the regular season on Sunday with a 2:02 p.m. ET contest vs. Kentucky (10-17, 2-13 SEC). The matchup will mark the final basketball game in the historic venue before it undergoes major renovations during the offseason.

The Lady Vols enter the afternoon assured of a third-place finish in league play for the fourth consecutive season. They have earned a No. 3 seed and double bye into the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., and are slated to play at approximately 8:15 p.m. ET on Friday against the winner of Thursday’s game between the No. 6 seed vs. the victor of the No. 11/14 match-up. UT has won its most league games in a campaign since going 15-1 and claiming the SEC regular season crown in 2014-15.

The Wildcats are tied with Texas A&M in 13th place entering Sunday’s action and would currently get the No. 14 seed and play the No. 11 seed on Wednesday.

This will mark the 74th meeting between these programs, with UT holding a 57-16 series advantage, including 21-10 vs. UK in contests played in Lexington.

UT has won four of its past six games and 16 of its past 21, 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 19-8 Mississippi State (91-90 2OT) and vs. No. 1/1 South Carolina (73-60).

On Thursday evening, the Lady Vols led top-ranked South Carolina 19-10 entering the second quarter, but the Gamecocks outscored UT 49-22 during the middle two frames and held on for a 73-60 victory in Knoxville.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, dropped a 74-67 decision on the road at Texas A&M Thursday night, with the Aggies winning the rebounding and points in the paint statistical categories by 46-29 and 38-24 counts, respectively. UK comes into Sunday’s tilt having dropped its last six games and eight of its last nine.

Broadcast Information

  • Sunday’s game will be televised by SEC Network, with Sam Gore (PxP) and LVFL Tamika Catchings (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 Lady Vol Network broadcasts will be available on satellite radio via SiriusXM Ch. 374 and the SXM App on Ch. 374.

Lots of UT/UK Connections

  • There will be lots of familiar faces on the sidelines for Sunday’s game, and this will mark the fifth time a Lady Vol head coach has squared off against a former UT teammate leading another program.
  • Kellie Harper and Kyra Elzy are 2-2 against one another after their teams split in meetings over the past two seasons.
  • Harper held serve in home games in 2021 and 2022, while Elzy’s squad triumphed in Rupp Arena on Feb. 11, 2021, during UT’s last visit to Lexington, and came out on top, 83-74, in their most recent meeting last season at the SEC Tournament semifinals in Nashville.
  • UT’s Kellie (Jolly) Harper (1995-99) was teammates from 1996-99 at Tennessee with Kentucky head coach Kyra Elzy (1996-2001) and assistant coach Niya Butts (1996-2000). The trio played together on the second and third of UT’s three consecutive NCAA titles in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
  • Elzy served a stint on UT’s staff that included roles as assistant coach and associate head coach from 2012-16.
  • Elzy, who is in her third season, took over at UK following the retirement of former head coach Matthew Mitchell, who was a graduate assistant at Tennessee in 1999-2000.
  • UK assistant Amber Smith was a G.A. at Tennessee in 2013-14.
  • Kentucky strength and conditioning coach Lee Taylor was a member of the UT women’s basketball staff in the same role from 2013-19. 
  • UT features the 2021 Miss Kentucky Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year in Brooklynn Miles of Franklin County High School in Frankfort, Ky.

Two Of UT’s Best Ever At Scoring 20+

  • Jordan Horston (15) and Rickea Jackson (13) rank No. 8 and No. 11 in career 20-point games at Tennessee.
  • The top seven are Chamique Holdsclaw (83), Bridgette Gordon (58), Candace Parker (48), Tamika Catchings (27), Rennia Davis (23), Diamond DeShields (21), Meighan Simmons (20). Shelia Collins and Tanya Haave are tied at ninth with 14 each.
  • Jackson’s 13 this season rank as the 11th best single-season total in school history.
  • Only Chamique Holdsclaw (28, 24, 20), Candace Parker (21, 17), Bridgette Gordon (20, 18), Shelia Collins (14) and Tanya Haave (14) have produced more in a year.
  • Jackson has the ninth-highest winning percentage all-time among Lady Vols in games in which she’s scored 20, with Tennessee 11-2 (.846) in those contests.

Jordan Is A Doubly Good Guard

  • Jordan Horston has produced 20 career double-doubles, recording the most of any pure guard in Lady Vol history. She has seven of those in 2022-23.  
  • Only four other UT guards have had five or more double-doubles in a career, including Shelia Collins (15), Diamond DeShields (7), Semeka Randall (7) and Tasha Butts (6).

Doing The Dirty Work

Looking Back At The South Carolina Game

  • 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 Thursday night 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.

First Quarter Lockdown

  • Tennessee held South Carolina to just 10 first-quarter points, the fewest points USC has posted in any quarter this season.
  • Prior to the game vs. Tennessee, the Gamecocks had been held under 15 points in just 16 of 108 quarters played this season, with the fewest being 11 against Ole Miss on Feb. 19.  

Striplin Sniping

  • Karoline Striplin drained a career-best three treys against South Carolina en route to 11 points.
  • Previously, she had never hit more than one three in a game.
  • The performance marks her third double-digit outing of the season and second during SEC play.

Big Game Jordy

  • Jordan Horston carded her seventh double-double of the season, tallying 14 points and 11 rebounds against USC.
  • Four of those seven double-doubles have come against ranked opponents, and she is averaging 19.5 ppg. and 9.2 rpg. against top-25 teams.

Count On ‘Kea

  • With 21 points against South Carolina, Rickea Jackson logged her fifth straight game with 20+ points, 13th of the season and the 10th in SEC play.
  • She also notched her 26th double-digit effort of 2022-23, the 14th time against an SEC opponent.

UT/UK Notes 

  • Tennessee is 21-10 vs. Kentucky in Lexington and 10-2 at neutral sites. The Lady Vols are 9-2 in postseason tournament games.
  • The Lady Vols are 20-8 all-time at Memorial Coliseum and 1-2 in Rupp Arena (RA).
  • UT is seeking its first win in Lexington since 2017 and first victory at Memorial since 2015.
  • The Lady Vols own a 26-4 mark against UK in games played in Knoxville.
  • UT is 3-1 in overtime games vs. Kentucky, including 3-0 in Lexington and 0-1 in Knoxville, with the last OT contest coming in 1994.
  • Tennessee has faced only one other team as many times as the Wildcats – Vanderbilt in 88 meetings.
  • Kellie Harper is 2-4 all-time vs. Kentucky, but she is 2-2 head-to-head vs. Kyra Elzy.

A Look At The Wildcats

  • UK is led in scoring by Robyn Benton (16.6), Jada Walker (12.6) and Maddie Scherr (10.7).
  • The Wildcats have three players with 22 three-pointers or more.
  • Kentucky forces 20.4 turnovers per contest.

Kentucky’s Last Game

  • Robyn Benton scored 21 points, but Kentucky lost to Texas A&M, 74-67, on Thursday night at Reed Arena.
  • Kentucky (10-17, 2-13 SEC) got 18 points, six rebounds and two assists from Maddie Scherr, and 10 points and seven rebounds from Ajae Petty.
  • Benton (4-8) and Scherr (3-7) were 7 of 15 on 3FGs.

Last Meeting Between UT/UK

  • Graduate Alexus Dye put up a game-high 26 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a Kentucky team that hit six first-quarter treys as No. 18/15 Tennessee fell on March 5 in the semifinals of the 2022 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament in Nashville, 83-74.
  • Dye managed her second straight double-double with a season-high 26 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Rae Burrell also was in double figures for third-seeded Tennessee (23-8) with 16 points on the day.
  • Rhyne Howard led seventh-seeded Kentucky (18-11) in scoring with 24 points, while Robyn Benton and Jada Walker each turned in 16.

Last Time In Lexington

  • Scoring 73 points in the final three quarters, the No. 5/6 Tennessee women’s basketball team used a balanced offensive effort to down No. 19/20 Kentucky, 84-58, on Jan. 16, 2022, in Knoxville.
  • Rae Burrell and Keyen Green tied for the UT team lead in scoring with 14 points apiece, while Jordan Walker and Jordan Horston contributed 10 each.
  • Rhyne Howard tossed in 24 for the Wildcats.

-UT Athletics

Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
UT Statement Regarding Suspension of Tennessee Baseball Head Coach Tony Vitello

UT Statement Regarding Suspension of Tennessee Baseball Head Coach Tony Vitello

Posted on February 24, 2023

The University and Coach Vitello are working collaboratively with the NCAA to address a violation in the program. Coach Vitello will be suspended for this weekend’s series, with Josh Elander serving as acting head coach, and we will provide an update on Monday. Coach Vitello has acknowledged his mistake and accepted full responsibility. We appreciate his cooperation in the process and his dedication to do right by the student-athletes in the Tennessee baseball program. NCAA bylaws prohibit additional comment or details. The University will continue to emphasize—to all staff—the imperative of leading with honesty and integrity.

-UT Athletics

Vols HC – Tony Vitello / Credit: UT Athletics
Hoops Preview: #11 Tennessee vs. South Carolina

Hoops Preview: #11 Tennessee vs. South Carolina

Posted on February 24, 2023

Eleventh-ranked Tennessee returns to Thompson-Boling Arena for one final weekend home game this season, taking on South Carolina at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday.
 
Fans can catch Saturday’s game on SEC Network and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play) and Dane Bradshaw (analyst) will have the call.
 
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.
 
Tennessee (20-8, 9-6 SEC) is coming off a narrow defeat in a road top-25 matchup at No. 25 Texas A&M on Tuesday, 68-63. Senior guard Santiago Vescovi had an all-around standout performance for the shorthanded Vols, coming up just short of a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, as well as grabbing three steals.
 
Saturday marks Tennessee’s second matchup of the season against South Carolina after the Vols claimed an 85-42 win in Columbia on Jan. 7. Dating to the 2017-18 season, Tennessee has won nine of the last 10 games in the series.
 
Up next, Tennessee is back inside Thompson-Boling Arena for the final time this season, taking on Arkansas on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
 
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with South Carolina, 51-28, dating to 1927.
• The Vols own a 30-9 advantage when the series is contested in Knoxville, with Tennessee winning each of the last five meetings at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• UT has won nine of the last 10 meetings overall.
• A pair of Vols hail from the state of South Carolina, as freshman Julian Phillips grew up in Blythewood and senior Josiah-Jordan James is from Charleston. Both players are currently battling injuries.
• Rick Barnes spent four years in The Palmetto State as the head coach at Clemson from 1994-98. He was a perfect 4-0 against the Gamecocks during that tenure.
• First-year Gamecocks head coach Lamont Paris spent the previous five seasons employed by the UT System, leading the program at UT Chattanooga.
 
SCOUTING REPORT
• The Vols remain at No. 3 in the NCAA’s NET ratings after holding steady at No. 2 from Jan. 3 through Feb. 8. Tennessee has five Q1 wins.
• Tennessee and Baylor are the only teams in the country that own at least three wins over teams currently ranked in the top 10 of the NET ratings.
• Tennessee’s 13.54 offensive rebounds per game lead the SEC and rank sixth among all Division I teams.
• During SEC play, Tennessee leads the league in scoring defense (59.7 ppg), assists per game (15.9) and assist/turnover ratio (1.4).
• Zakai Zeigler’s 149 total assists lead the SEC and rank third nationally among underclassmen. He is on pace to log 164 assists by the end of the regular season.
• The Vols have been shorthanded for the last two weeks, as starters Josiah-Jordan James (ankle) and Julian Phillips (hip) battle injuries.
• A senior and preseason All-SEC selection, James has been inactive for 12 games this season, including four UT losses.
 
THE NATION’S BEST DEFENSE
• For the 13th straight week, the Volunteers own the best adjusted defensive efficiency in the country per KenPom, allowing only 86.2 points per 100 possessions.
• Tennessee owns Division I’s best field-goal percentage defense (.359) and 3-point defense (.250) along with the nation’s third-best scoring defense (57.1 ppg).
• 11 times this season, the Vols have held their opponents to 50 points or less. No other Division I team has more than 10 such performances.
• Only four teams have reached the 70-point mark against these Vols.
• Only eight opposing players have scored 20 or more points against the Vols this season.
• In SEC home games, Tennessee forces 14.8 turnovers per game and owns a +4.5 turnover margin. SEC teams are shooting .361 from the field and .293 from 3-point range this season at Thompson-Boling Arena.
 
ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA
• South Carolina (10-18, 3-12 SEC) is coming off a 78-76 home overtime loss to No. 2 Alabama on Wednesday, which other than the loss at Tennessee on Feb. 15, marked the closest that the Tide have come to defeat in SEC play.
• Prior to the loss to Alabama, the Gamecocks had won two of their last three games—both on the road, at Ole Miss and LSU. South Carolina is 4-6 overall in road games this season.
• Currently ranked No. 230 in the NET, South Carolina is 1-7 in Quadrant 1 games, with the lone win coming at Kentucky on Jan. 10.
• Lamont Paris is in his first season at the helm of the South Carolina program after serving as Chattanooga’s head coach for five years (2017- 22) and an assistant at Wisconsin for seven seasons (2010-17).
• Highly-touted freshman forward Gregory “GG” Jackson II leads the Gamecocks in scoring (15.7 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg). Jackson was the consensus No. 1 player in the nation in the Class of 2023 before reclassifying in late July to become a part of the Class of 2022.
• Jackson II is currently one of three freshmen in the country averaging at least 15.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg. Jackson’s 15.7 points per game average is sixth nationally amongst freshmen.
• Sophomore guard Meechie Johnson, an Ohio State transfer, is the Gamecocks’ second-leading scorer at 12.2 ppg and is averaging 17.5 ppg over the last four games. Johnson ranks 10th in the SEC with 14.4 ppg during conference play.
• Johnson also ranks third in the SEC in 3-point percentage (.351) during conference play and second in makes per game (2.7).
 
LAST CLASH WITH SOUTH CAROLINA
• No. 8 Tennessee dominated on both ends of the floor and led from start to finish, dismantling South Carolina on the road on Jan. 7, 85-42.
• The Vols’ 43-point margin of victory marked the third-largest margin of victory in a road game in program history and largest since Feb. 8, 1965. It’s also tied for the fourth-largest win over an SEC team in program history.
• Olivier Nkamhoua led the Vols in scoring and rebounding and tallied his third career double-double, posting a 21-point, 10-rebound effort. Nkamhoua’s 21 points came by way of a 10-for-10 shooting performance from the field, which tied a Tennessee program record for field goal makes without a miss in a single game.
• Fellow big man Jonas Aidoo also showed out on the offensive end for the Vols, scoring a career-high 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting.
•  Josiah-Jordan James and Santiago Vescovi were the third and fourth Vols in double figures, each tallying 12 points and connecting on a pair of 3-pointers. As a team, Tennessee shot 51 percent—even while missing 14 of its final 18 shots when the game was decided.
• Defensively, Tennessee forced 18 South Carolina turnovers, while the Gamecocks only made 12 total field goals (tying a UT Barnes-era record for fewest field goals allowed).
• South Carolina leading scorer GG Jackson II was held scoreless—shooting 0-for-8 from the field.
•  The Vols led by as many as 45 points in the final minutes of the game.
 
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
• Over the last two weeks (four games), outside of starters Olivier Nkamhoua and Jonas Aidoo, true freshman Tobe Awaka is logging the most minutes among the team’s bench bigs. Awaka has averaged 17.5 minutes over that span.
• As injuries have limited Tennessee’s depth, true freshman guard B.J. Edwards has seen meaningful minutes in recent games vs. Missouri, at Kentucky and at Texas A&M.
• During that same four-game span, the Vols are shooting an uncharacteristic .640 from the free-throw line (55 of 86). While UT has shot 86 free throws, its opponents have shot 106 and made 79.
 
WHAT THE VOLS ARE MISSING
• With starters Josiah-Jordan James (ankle) and Julian Phillips (hip) sidelined due to injury, the Tennessee rotation has been without important, difference-making production.
• When active, James and Phillips combine to account for 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
• James is the team’s leading overall rebounder (5.3 rpg), while Phillips is the squad’s second-leading offensive rebounder (1.9 orpg). James and Phillips also are the team’s fourth- and fifth-leading scorers, respectively.
 
SANTI HEATING UP
• Over the last five games Santiago Vescovi, is averaging 15.2 ppg and 5.2 rpg on 18-for-41 (.439) shooting from 3-point range.
• During league play, Vescovi ranks second in the SEC in 3-point percentage (.394) and third in 3-point makes per game (2.6).
• While battling illness at No. 25 Texas A&M Tuesday, he recorded his first career double-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, while also grabbing three steals.
• With that effort, he became the first Vol to record 10+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ assists in a game since current Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams did so in UT’s upset win over top-ranked Gonzaga on Dec. 9, 2018.

-UT Athletics

Vols G Tyreke Key / Credit: UT Athletics
Baseball Preview: #3 Vols Host Dayton for Three-Game Weekend Series

Baseball Preview: #3 Vols Host Dayton for Three-Game Weekend Series

Posted on February 23, 2023

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Ready for its first weekend series of the year at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, the No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers look to to keep the momentum going as they head into a three-game battle with Dayton, having won their last three games.

The Vols (3-2) put on a show for the nearly 9,000 fans through the turnstiles in the two midweek matchups with Alabama A&M, outscoring the Bulldogs 33-1 between the games. Tennessee run-ruled AAMU both nights as Ryan Miller crushed a walk-off homer in Game 1 to reach the run-rule in the eighth inning of a 10-0 blanking.

Charlie Taylor was incredible in the second game, going 4-of-5 at the plate with two home runs, a triple, five RBIs and three runs scored. The offense was firing on all cylinders throughout the 23-1, seven-inning rout in Game 2, scoring a program-record 15 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. In that frame, 20 batsmen came to the plate, and the surge was powered by four extra-base hits.

Tennessee’s pitching has also been stellar in the last three games, allowing just one run over the last 24 innings and reaching double-digit strikeouts in each contest.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE/PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS

Game 1 – Friday, Feb. 24 (4:30 p.m.)
RHP Chase Dollander (0-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. LHP Ryan Steinhauer (0-1, 7.20 ERA)

Game 2 – Saturday, Feb. 25 (2 p.m.)
RHP Chase Burns (0-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. LHP Mark Manfredi (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game 3 – Sunday, Feb. 26 (1 p.m.)
RHP Drew Beam (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. LHP Nate Espelin (0-0, 1.93 ERA)

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for the games are available in very limited quantities at AllVols.com.

BROADCAST INFO

All three of this weekend’s games will be stream on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app with Andy Brock (PxP) and Cody Hawn (color) calling the action. 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 via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App. 

SERIES HISTORY

Overall: Tennessee leads, 4-0
in Knoxville: 4-0
in Dayton: 0-0
at Neutral Sites: 0-0
Last Meeting: W, 10-2 (April 25, 2001, in Knoxville)

NOTABLE

The Bats Are Heating Up
After a slow start to the season, Tennessee’s offense has found its footing over the past three games, totaling 40 runs after plating just four runs over the first two games of the season. The Vols scored double-digit runs in each of their last two games, posting a pair of run-rule wins over Alabama A&M in the midweek. UT had 15 different players record at least one hit in the two wins over the Bulldogs.

In Wednesday’s 23-1 victory, Tennessee set a new program record by scoring 15 runs in the fifth inning. On the young season the Vols have totaled eight home runs, seven of those have come in the last three games.
 
Power Arms to Start
Tennessee’s highly touted weekend rotation of Chase Dollander, Chase Burns and Drew Beam will all make their 2023 home debuts over the weekend after an emphatic introduction on Rocky Top a season ago. Last weekend in Arizona, the three combined for 15.1 innings, allowing just nine total hits and striking out a combined 19 batters.

Home Field Advantage
Lindsey Nelson Stadium has become one of the toughest places to play in all of college baseball. UT sold out 29 of its 45 home games last season and set new program records for total (181,517) and average attendance (4,221). 

OPPONENT SCOUT

Dayton

  • 2022 Record: 23-27 (10-14 A-10)
  • 2022 Postseason: N/A
  • 2023 A-10 Preseason Poll: 5th (1 first-place vote)
  • Head Coach: Jayson King (6th season)

ON DECK

The Vols prepare for another double-midweek battle against Charleston Southern on Feb. 28 and March 1 at 4:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. The games mark the midpoint of Tennessee’s 15-game homestand that runs until the start of Southeastern Conference play on March 17.

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

-UT Athletics

UT Baseball / Credit: UT Athletics
Baseball Preview: #3 Vols Host Dayton for Three-Game Weekend Series

Baseball Preview: #3 Vols Host Dayton for Three-Game Weekend Series

Posted on February 23, 2023

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Ready for its first weekend series of the year at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, the No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers look to to keep the momentum going as they head into a three-game battle with Dayton, having won their last three games.

The Vols (3-2) put on a show for the nearly 9,000 fans through the turnstiles in the two midweek matchups with Alabama A&M, outscoring the Bulldogs 33-1 between the games. Tennessee run-ruled AAMU both nights as Ryan Miller crushed a walk-off homer in Game 1 to reach the run-rule in the eighth inning of a 10-0 blanking.

Charlie Taylor was incredible in the second game, going 4-of-5 at the plate with two home runs, a triple, five RBIs and three runs scored. The offense was firing on all cylinders throughout the 23-1, seven-inning rout in Game 2, scoring a program-record 15 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. In that frame, 20 batsmen came to the plate, and the surge was powered by four extra-base hits.

Tennessee’s pitching has also been stellar in the last three games, allowing just one run over the last 24 innings and reaching double-digit strikeouts in each contest.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE/PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS

Game 1 – Friday, Feb. 24 (4:30 p.m.)
RHP Chase Dollander (0-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. LHP Ryan Steinhauer (0-1, 7.20 ERA)

Game 2 – Saturday, Feb. 25 (2 p.m.)
RHP Chase Burns (0-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. LHP Mark Manfredi (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game 3 – Sunday, Feb. 26 (1 p.m.)
RHP Drew Beam (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. LHP Nate Espelin (0-0, 1.93 ERA)

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for the games are available in very limited quantities at AllVols.com.

BROADCAST INFO

All three of this weekend’s games will be stream on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app with Andy Brock (PxP) and Cody Hawn (color) calling the action. 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 via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App. 

SERIES HISTORY

Overall: Tennessee leads, 4-0
in Knoxville: 4-0
in Dayton: 0-0
at Neutral Sites: 0-0
Last Meeting: W, 10-2 (April 25, 2001, in Knoxville)

NOTABLE

The Bats Are Heating Up
After a slow start to the season, Tennessee’s offense has found its footing over the past three games, totaling 40 runs after plating just four runs over the first two games of the season. The Vols scored double-digit runs in each of their last two games, posting a pair of run-rule wins over Alabama A&M in the midweek. UT had 15 different players record at least one hit in the two wins over the Bulldogs.

In Wednesday’s 23-1 victory, Tennessee set a new program record by scoring 15 runs in the fifth inning. On the young season the Vols have totaled eight home runs, seven of those have come in the last three games.
 
Power Arms to Start
Tennessee’s highly touted weekend rotation of Chase Dollander, Chase Burns and Drew Beam will all make their 2023 home debuts over the weekend after an emphatic introduction on Rocky Top a season ago. Last weekend in Arizona, the three combined for 15.1 innings, allowing just nine total hits and striking out a combined 19 batters.

Home Field Advantage
Lindsey Nelson Stadium has become one of the toughest places to play in all of college baseball. UT sold out 29 of its 45 home games last season and set new program records for total (181,517) and average attendance (4,221). 

OPPONENT SCOUT

Dayton

  • 2022 Record: 23-27 (10-14 A-10)
  • 2022 Postseason: N/A
  • 2023 A-10 Preseason Poll: 5th (1 first-place vote)
  • Head Coach: Jayson King (6th season)

ON DECK

The Vols prepare for another double-midweek battle against Charleston Southern on Feb. 28 and March 1 at 4:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. The games mark the midpoint of Tennessee’s 15-game homestand that runs until the start of Southeastern Conference play on March 17.

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

-UT Athletics

UT Baseball / Credit: UT Athletics
Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: Lady Vols Fall To No. 1 South Carolina, 73-60

Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: Lady Vols Fall To No. 1 South Carolina, 73-60

Posted on February 23, 2023

Box Score (PDF) | Highlights | Harper/Striplin/Jackson Presser | Postgame Quotes

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – 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 Thursday night 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. 
 
Jackson scored the first bucket of the game on a driving layup, and Tennessee held South Carolina without a point for nearly two minutes before Boston scored on back-to-back plays to give USC a 4-2 lead with 7:47 on the clock. Horston knotted it up on the next possession for the first of four ties before UT reclaimed the lead at 10-8 a minute and a half later off a pair of free throws by Jackson.  The Gamecocks responded with a layup on the other end, but Jillian Hollingshead hit a jumper that set off a 9-0 run, putting the Lady Vols on top 19-10 at the end of one.
 
Raven Johnson converted on a three-point play on South Carolina’s first possession of the second quarter, and Kamilla Cardoso followed it up with a layup to pull the Gamecocks within four by the 9:15 mark. Striplin and Jackson combined for four quick points to kick off a 7-1 Lady Vol run capped off by a trey from Jordan Walker that put UT ahead 26-16 with 6:37 left in the half. Cooke responded with eight straight points to jumpstart a 17-0 run that sent the Gamecocks ahead 33-26 with 33 seconds left in the half. Striplin ended the drought for Tennessee with a three before the buzzer to send the game into halftime with South Carolina leading 33-29.
 
The Gamecocks stretched their lead to eight before Horston scored UT’s first points of the second half with a jumper at the 8:17 mark. Jackson followed that with a pair of free throws on the next play to trim USC’s margin down to four, but South Carolina answered with a 9-0 run to go up 46-33 with 5:37 to go in the third. Horston ended the Tennessee skid with a layup as she and Jackson combined for eight straight points to move the Lady Vols within 10 with just over three minutes left in the third.  USC closed out the period with an 8-0 run to take a 59-41 advantage into the final stanza. 
 
Striplin knocked down her second trey of the game to kick off the fourth, and Jackson added a layup on the next play to pull UT within 13. Victaria Saxton hit a pair of free throws on the other end, but Jackson and Striplin scored five quick points to cut South Carolina’s advantage to 10 with 7:55 left in the game. USC maintained its 10-point lead until consecutive buckets by Tess Darby and Hollingshead pulled UT within eight at 65-57 by the 4:14 media timeout. Tennessee stayed within single digits through the 4:14 mark, but a 6-0 USC run put the game out of reach.
 
UP NEXT: Tennessee will close out the regular season on the road on Sunday, traveling to Kentucky for a 2 p.m. ET matchup that will be broadcast on SEC Network.
 
FIRST QUARTER LOCKDOWN: Tennessee held South Carolina to just 10 first-quarter points, the fewest points USC has posted in any quarter this season. Prior to this game, the Gamecocks had been held under 15 points in just 16 of 108 quarters played this season, with the fewest being 11 against Ole Miss on Feb. 19.   
 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE NO. 20: Jordan Horston recorded her seventh double-double of the season, tallying 14 points and 11 rebounds vs. South Carolina. She now has 20 for her career and is tied at No. 17 among women’s players in UT history. She has more than any true guard to ever play for the Lady Vols.
 
STRIPLIN SNIPING: Karoline Striplin drained a career-best three treys against South Carolina en route to 11 points. Previously, she had never hit more than one three in a game. The performance marks her third double-digit outing of the season and second during SEC play.
 
BIG GAME JORDY: Jordan Horston carded her seventh double-double of the season, tallying 14 points and 11 rebounds against USC. Four of those seven double-doubles have come against ranked opponents, and she is averaging 19.5 ppg. and 9.2 rpg. against top-25 teams.

COUNT ON ‘KEA: With 21 points against South Carolina, Rickea Jackson logged her fifth straight game with 20+ points, 13th of the season and the 10th in SEC play. She also notched her 26th double-digit effort of 2022-23, the 14th time against an SEC opponent. 

-UT Athletics

Rickea Jackson – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
AMBER Alert Issued for a 16 Year-Old Girl Missing Out of Knoxville

AMBER Alert Issued for a 16 Year-Old Girl Missing Out of Knoxville

Posted on February 23, 2023

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issuing an AMBER Alert for a 16 year-old girl last seen in Knoxville.

Holly Piper was last seen at Cook Out on Cumberland Avenue on February 19th.

She is believed to be with her boyfriend William “Dylan” Usry who may have coerced her into leaving against her will.

They are believed to be in a 1999 white Dodge Caravan with rust spots on the roof with the Tennessee tag BMM5038.

They could be in Maryville or Lenoir City, or headed to Newton, Mississippi where his Dad lives. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-TBI-FIND.

Stats/Story: Taylor’s Career Day Powers #3 Vols to 23-1 Run-Rule Win Over Alabama A&M

Stats/Story: Taylor’s Career Day Powers #3 Vols to 23-1 Run-Rule Win Over Alabama A&M

Posted on February 23, 2023

Box Score (PDF)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Third-ranked Tennessee brought the bats Wednesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium as it run-ruled Alabama A&M, 23-1, for the second consecutive night. Catcher Charlie Taylor had a career day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored, a triple, two home runs and five RBIs.

Already leading 6-1 entering the home half of the fifth, Tennessee (3-2) hung 15 runs on the board to increase its lead to 21-1. It was the most runs scored in a single inning by the Vols in program history – topping the 14 runs UT put up on NC State and Chattanooga in 1998 and 1977, respectively. That total came thanks to eight hits, four of the extra-base variety, and three Alabama A&M (3-2) errors. Taylor accounted for two of those knocks, blasting a three-run shot in his first at-bat before shooting an RBI single through the right side in his second trip to the plate.

He wasn’t done just yet, as the Dunwoody, Georgia, native led off the sixth inning with a long homer to the newly-installed third deck in left field. In total, Taylor finished the afternoon just a double away from the cycle after belting a triple off the wall in the third inning. He set career-bests in runs scored (3), hits (4), triples (1), total bases (12) and RBIs (5).

Twelve Vols collected a hit on the night as UT finished the game with 17 hits as a team and 17 combined RBIs.

Logan Chambers also stood out at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, two runs scored and a triple, while Griffin Merritt also went 2-for-3 with two runs and a double.

Tennessee’s pitching staff continued to impress, running its consecutive scoreless-innings streak to 22 before the Bulldogs pushed across a run in the fifth. AAMU could only get three runners on base all game as Aaron Combs, Bryce Jenkins and Zach Joyce each retired all three batters they faced. Joyce was especially impressive, coming out of the bullpen in the seventh inning and striking out three Bulldogs and finishing out the win. In his young career at Tennessee, the right-hander has punched out all five individuals to step in the box against him.

Combs earned the victory in relief, replacing Zander Sechrist who fired two strong frames in his first start of the season. The JUCO transfer, Combs, picked up his first Division I win in the contest. Tennessee’s pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts, marking the third-consecutive game with double-digit punchouts by the Big Orange.

The Bulldogs run in the top half of the fifth came after Miles Jackson tripled to center and scored on a bunt single by Jalen Ford. Starter Anthony Mateo took the loss.

UP NEXT: Tennessee is back home on Friday afternoon as it opens a three-game set against Dayton. First pitch on Friday against the Flyers is slated for 4:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.

-UT Athletics

Vols C Charlie Taylor / Credit: UT Athletics
Darby Named To SEC Women’s Basketball Community Service Team

Darby Named To SEC Women’s Basketball Community Service Team

Posted on February 23, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ‐- In a continuing effort to recognize the accomplishments of student‐athletes beyond the field of competition, the SEC once again has highlighted a Community Service Team for women’s basketball for the 2022‐23 season. Tennessee junior Tess Darby has been named as a member of that squad.
 
This marks the 25th year for the SEC Community Service Team for women’s basketball as well as for men’s basketball. All league‐sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004, with at‐large teams for men’s and women’s sports being chosen from 1999‐2003. The SEC began the concept with a football Community Service Team in 1994.

Darby, a native of Greenfield, Tenn., is a graduate of Tennessee Athletics’ VOLeaders Academy. She embarked on a leadership and service trip to Rwanda in the summer of 2022. While there, she participated in “Together in Sport,” helping promote healthy habits and sport to local children as well as helping run a women’s empowerment program teaching teenage girls how to sew as a means for steady employment.
 
She also was involved with “Shooting Touch,” an organization using basketball to provide health and wellness services to young children and women; “Musanze Tennis Club,” where she helped facilitate games and drills with the kids in this program, many of whom never played tennis or had access to the sport; and “Sunzu Village Sport Festival,” featuring a day of play with children in the village, where a brand-new playground was unveiled and she helped teach the children how to use it.

Darby participated in several other outreach opportunities. She was involved with Hoops for Hope, a fun day of basketball with the Tennessee women’s and men’s teams for individuals with Down Syndrome; Reach for the Summitt 5K, serving as a cheerleader for participants in the Pat Summitt Foundation fundraising event; Voloween, a Tennessee Athletics Halloween event for campus staff families; Young Williams Animal Shelter, volunteering to feed animals, clean cages and give walks; and Adopt a Family, a Christmas event partnering Tennessee Women’s Basketball and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.
 
A 6-foot-1 guard/forward, Darby is averaging 7.8 points and 3.1 rebounds this season, leading the team with 58 three-pointers made while shooting 41.7 percent from beyond the arc, 43 percent overall from the field and 83.3 percent on free throws. One of three Lady Vols to appear in every game this season with a team-high 27 starts, she has scored in double figures nine times, including each of the past four games.
 
In SEC action, the finance major is putting up 9.9 ppg. and 3.7 rpg. and ranks No. 2 among league players in three-point field goal percentage (40.5) and No. 3 in three-point field goals made per contest (2.43).  Over the last four contests, she has elevated her production to 13.0 ppg. and 4.5 rpg., shooting 48.5 percent overall, 50 percent on threes and 100 percent on free throws.

-UT Athletics

Tess Darby – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Mashack Earns Academic All-District Acclaim

Mashack Earns Academic All-District Acclaim

Posted on February 22, 2023

For the second consecutive season, the Tennessee basketball program has produced an Academic All-District honoree, as sophomore guard Jahmai Mashack was recognized for his achievement in the classroom.

College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced its 2022-23 Academic All-District Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams Tuesday. The teams recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. Santiago Vescovi earned all-district recognition a year ago.

Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America selections will be announced in March.

Mashack was one of five players from the SEC to earn Academic All-District inclusion.

On the court, Mashack is coming off arguably his most productive week as a Vol. The 6-4 guard from Fontana, California, showed off his offensive and defensive versatility in recent games against top-ranked Alabama and Kentucky.

In Tennessee’s triumph over the No. 1 Crimson Tide, Mashack made his first career SEC start and played lockdown defense on projected NBA Lottery Pick Brandon Miller. When guarded by Mashack, Miller was 0-for-6 from the field with four points—all of which came via free throws. In Mashack’s 27 impactful minutes, he logged three steals and posted a team-high plus/minus rating of +9.

Three days later at Kentucky, Mashack made his second straight start and posted career-high totals in points (16), rebounds (8) and minutes (34).

Mashack’s role in Tennessee’s rotation has increased as the SEC regular season has progressed. He has logged five starts this season, including three in league play. His 39 steals are a career-best and rank as third-most on the team. He has seven games this season with three or more steals.

-UT Athletics

Vols G Jahmai Mashack / Credit: UT Athletics

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