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.
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.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Thursday marks the final women’s basketball home game of the regular season at Thompson-Boling Arena, as Tennessee (20-9, 12-2 SEC) welcomes No. 1/1 South Carolina (27-0, 14-0 SEC) for a 7:03 p.m. ET matchup.
The Lady Vols are assured of at least a third-place finish in the SEC standings, but they could earn a share of higher placement with victories in their last two contests along with assistance from others.
This will mark the 63rd meeting between these programs, with UT holding a 51-11 series advantage, including 23-3 vs. USC in contests played in Knoxville. The Lady Vols secured a victory over the Gamecocks in their last visit to The Summitt, recording a 75-67 triumph on Feb. 18, 2021.
UT has won four of its past five games and 16 of its past 20, 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) and at 19-8 Mississippi State (91-90 2OT).
On Sunday, the Lady Vols got 27 points from Rickea Jackson, 19 from Jordan Horston and 17 from Tess Darby to turn back Auburn, 83-76, and card season win number 20. Jackson (13) and Horston (9) combined for 22 of UT’s 23 points in the fourth quarter, as Tennessee outscored the Tigers in the paint, 16-2, over the final 10 minutes.
Ole Miss took South Carolina to overtime on Sunday in Oxford, but the Gamecocks stayed unbeaten with a hard-earned 64-57 victory. That seven-point differential was just one of five games all season where USC won by fewer than 10 points.
Game Info./Promotions
Tickets are available at AllVols.com
Gates C & E will open at 6 p.m. to ticketed fans.
Free parking and shuttle service are available from the Ag Campus (Lot CF near Brehm & Food Science Bldgs.).
For additional details and information, please call 865-974-1734 or visit the Fans tab on UTSports.com and click on the Fan Experience link.
Broadcast Information
Thursday night’s game will be televised by ESPN, with Ryan Ruocco (PxP), Rebecca Lobo (Analyst) and Holly Rowe (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.
The Lady Vol Network broadcasts occasionally are available on satellite radio via SiriusXM and the SXM App, but this game isn’t among them.
Tennessee All-Time vs. Number Ones
Tennessee is 14-36 all-time vs. No. 1 ranked teams through years.
The Lady Vols are 2-12 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.
This will mark the fourth time Harper has led Tennessee vs. a No. 1 squad as coach, standing 0-3 thus far.
UT fell at No. 1/1 South Carolina, 67-53, on Feb. 20, 2022, in the last such meeting.
In case you were wondering, the highest ranked opponent a Kellie Harper team has defeated was No. 2/3 South Carolina here in Knoxville, 75-67, on Feb. 18, 2021.
Winning 20 For The 46th Time
Tennessee has reached the 20-win plateau for the 46th time, dating back to 1974.
This marks Tennessee’s third 20-win season in Kellie Harper‘s four seasons as head coach (10th in her career), with the 2020-21 win total of 17 impacted by several COVID-related game cancelations that no doubt would have pushed the Lady Vols to the 20-victory mark.
UT Offense Shifting Into High Gear
Over its past four games, Tennessee is averaging 86.5 points per game, with 91 at Mississippi State, 86 vs. Vanderbilt, 87 at Arkansas and 83 vs. Auburn.
That has elevated the Lady Vols to No. 2 in scoring in league games at 77.2 this season behind South Carolina (81.0).
Rickea Jackson is averaging 25.3 ppg. and 7.8 rpg. while shooting 59.7 percent from the field and 80.0 percent from the free throw line over the last four.
Jordan Horston (15.0 ppg., 8.0 rpg.) and Tess Darby (13.0) are also in double figures for points during that span, with Jillian Hollingshead (9.0 ppg., 7.5 rpg.) right behind them.
Darby is hitting 50 percent (12-24) from beyond the arc and 100 percent (8-8) at the charity stripe.
UT is +18.2 in rebounding (47.5 to 29.3), including a 58-33 advantage on the offensive glass.
For the season, Tennessee is averaging 77.6 points per game to rank No. 23 nationally and No. 3 in the SEC after putting up 70.1 a year ago (72nd/8th).
The Lady Vols are producing 78.7 ppg. over the past 20 contests, despite losing Tamari Key.
Looking Back At The Auburn Game
The Lady Vols took an 83-76 victory over a scrappy Auburn squad on Sunday in front of a crowd of 9,039 in Thompson-Boling Arena.
Tennessee (20-9, 12-2 SEC) was led by Jackson, who poured in 27 points, hitting an impressive 12 of 15 shots from the floor. Horston also put up big numbers with 19 points and eight rebounds, while junior Tess Darby knocked down a season-best five three-pointers to tie her career high of 17 points.
Honesty Scott-Grayson was the leading scorer for the Tigers (14-12, 4-10 SEC) with 23 points on the day. Aicha Coulibaly turned in 15 points, and Sania Wells and Romi Levy each finished with 10.
Rickea & Jordan Dazzle On Senior Day
Rickea Jackson and Jordan Horston were UT’s top scorers, finishing with 27 and 19, respectively, to produce 46 of UT’s 83 points.
Twenty-two of those points came in the fourth quarter and were crucial to securing the victory.
One of the two has now led Tennessee in scoring in 26 of 29 games this season.
Count On ‘Kea
With 27 points against Auburn, Rickea Jackson logged her fourth straight game with 20+ points, 12th of the season, the ninth in SEC play, and notched her 25th double-digit effort of 2022-23, the 13th time against an SEC opponent.
Darby From Distance
With a season-high five made threes against Auburn, Tess Darby tied her career-best effort from beyond the arc and logged her 10th game of the season with three or more treys.
That moved her career total of made threes to 114, pulling within 19 of catching Sidney Spencer to land among the top 10 career totals in program history.
Tess Heating Up
Tess Darby tied her career high of 17 points against Auburn to land in double figures for the fourth straight game.
It is her ninth double-digit performance of the season, with eight of those coming in SEC play. She is averaging 7.8 ppg. on the season but 9.9 ppg. in conference games and 13.0 ppg. over the last four contests.
JP With Clutch Assists
Jasmine Powell dished out a season-high-tying eight assists against the Tigers, recording her 13th game this season with four or more dimes.
The senior has now led the Lady Vols in assists in 12 contests this season and is averaging 3.2 apg.
UT/USC Notes
Tennessee is 23-3 in Knoxville, 21-4 in Columbia and 7-4 at neutral sites vs. South Carolina.
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. UT is 3-3 vs. USC in the SEC Tourney.
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 2-6 record vs. USC as a head coach. She is 1-3 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 six 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 and 2022.
A Look At The Gamecocks
Guard Zia Cooke leads the Gamecocks in scoring (15.5 ppg.) and three-pointers (49).
South Carolina’s inside presence is embodied by Aliyah Boston (13.0 ppg., 9.9 rpg., 52 blks.), Kamilla Cardoso (9.7 ppg., 8.6 rpg., 50 blks.) and Laeticia Amihere (6.7 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 30 blks.).
USC produces 82.0 ppg. and 50.3 rpg. while holding opponents to 49.5 and 28.9, respectively.
They outscore foes +28.6 and outboard them +21.8.
South Carolina’s Last Game
Zia Cooke scored five of her 24 points in overtime to help No. 1 South Carolina remain unbeaten with a 64-57 victory over Mississippi on Sunday.
The defending national champion Gamecocks got one of their biggest scares of the season before winning their 33rd straight game. The Rebels (20-7, 9-5) never trailed by more than six points in regulation and flirted with their first win over a No. 1 team in 46 years.
Last Meeting Between UT/USC
Junior Tamari Key turned in a double-double with 10 points and 10 blocks and two other Lady Vols scored in double figures against No. 1 South Carolina, but No. 12/8 Tennessee fell in Columbia on Feb. 20, 2022, 67-53.
Senior Rae Burrell was the high scorer for UT (21-6, 10-4 SEC) with 14, and graduate Jordan Walker was also in double figures with 11 points.
South Carolina was led by Aliyah Boston (16 pts./12 rebs.).
Last Time In Knoxville
Senior Rennia Davis scored all 24 of her points in the second half, as No. 21 Tennessee erased a 12-point halftime deficit to upset No. 2/3 South Carolina in Thompson-Boling Arena, 75-67, on Feb. 18, 2021.
The win snapped USC’s 31-game SEC win streak.
Rae Burrell added 19 points, while Jordan Horston chipped 12 along five assists and no turnovers for UT.
Aliyah Boston paced USC with 17 points and 16 boards.
Upcoming Games
The Lady Vols will conclude the regular season schedule on Sunday, traveling to Lexington to take on Kentucky at Memorial Coliseum. Tip time for that matchup is slated for 2 p.m. on SEC Network.
Tennessee is assured of a double bye in next week’s SEC Tournament, so the Big Orange will begin play on Friday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. The bracket will be shared on Sunday evening.
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Tennessee drew to within one point in the final minute of play, but was unable to overcome a second-half deficit Tuesday at No. 25 Texas A&M, 68-63.
Tennessee (20-8, 9-6 SEC) and Texas A&M (21-7, 13-2) shot nearly identical field goal percentages and 3-point percentages, but the Aggies were 28-of-34 at the free-throw line compared to the Vols’ 10-for-14.
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. Vescovi played a team-high 36 minutes while battling illness.
Zakai Zeigler tied for the team lead with 14 points of his own, along with four assists. Olivier Nkamhoua had 13 points, while Tobe Awaka had 10 points and seven rebounds.
Of Texas A&M’s 68 points, 46 came from Wade Taylor IV and Julius Marble, who had 25 and 21 points, respectvely. Taylor IV was 16-for-17 at the free-throw line.
After the two teams went into halftime tied and a back-and-forth opening to the second half led to a 41-40 Tennessee lead four and a half minutes into the period, Texas A&M took control of the game with a 10-0 run that gave the Aggies their largest lead of the night at nine points with 12:00 remaining, 50-41.
Tennessee however fought back with a 16-7 run over the next five minutes of game time to pull within one point on a Zeigler fastbreak layup with 7:02 to play.
The Vols threatened to take the lead on a few occasions in the game’s final minutes, cutting the Aggies’ lead to one point four separate times. The final time came on a Zeigler driving layup with 25.0 seconds remaining to make it 64-63.
On the ensuing inbounds pass, Vescovi forced a steal, but Texas A&M took the ball right back. After gathering the steal, Taylor IV then forced a foul and drained two free throws on the other end. Trailing by three, Tennessee got one final 3-point attempt to tie the game, but Zeigler’s shot was off the mark.
In the early going of the first half, Tennessee led by as many as nine points, but the two teams entered the halftime break tied at 31 apiece.
By the 16:38 mark of the first half, Tennessee jumped out to a 9-0 lead—forcing Texas A&M to miss its first five field goal attempts. Marble got the Aggies on the board with a layup at the 16:22 mark, but Texas A&M scored just three points in the first six minutes of the game.
After facing the early deficit, Texas A&M steadily climbed back into the game—eventually capping off the first half on an 11-4 run to send the game to halftime with a tied score. The Aggies, who entered Tuesday ranking second in Division I in free throw attempts, were 10-for-12 at the charity stripe in the first half.
UP NEXT: Tennessee returns to Thompson-Boling Arena for one final Saturday home game this season—taking on South Carolina at 6 p.m. ET Saturday. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 3 Tennessee opened its home slate with an emphatic victory, slugging its way to a 10-0 run-rule win over Alabama A&M on Tuesday evening at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
While the bats broke out with 10 hits and three long balls, the pitching staff was equally impressive, posting its second straight shutout after also blanking UC San Diego in the finale of the MLB Desert Invitational on Sunday.
Four different UT (2-2) pitchers combined for the shutout, all pitching two innings apiece while limiting the Bulldogs to just three hits on the night. Junior right hander Hollis Fanning made his first-career start and struck out two batters while allowing just one hit before giving way to redshirt-sophomore lefty Jake Fitzgibbons, who had four punchouts and didn’t allow a hit in his two innings of work to pick up his second-career victory.
Freshman AJ Russell pitched the next two frames, striking out three batters in his collegiate debut. Junior college transfer Jacob Bimbi finished things off with two shutout innings and four strikeouts.
Jared Dickey led the Big Orange at the dish, finishing 3-for-3 with three runs scored, two RBIs and his first home run of the year. Blake Burke also recorded a multi-hit game, going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a three-run blast to open the scoring in the third inning.
With a runner on base and the Vols leading 8-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning, redshirt-sophomore Ryan Miller – in his first-career at-bat – hit a walk-off two-run homer that just cleared the wall in right field to send the run-rule into effect and end the game.
Redshirt-freshman Kavares Tears also made his collegiate debut as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning, roping a double into left-center field on the first pitch he saw before coming around to score on Dickey’s two run homer later in the inning.
Chevalier Dorris led Alabama A&M (3-1) with a hit, a walk and two stolen bases.
The Vols and Bulldogs will square off again tomorrow with first pitch slated for 4:30 p.m. on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Ready for its home opener, the No. 3 Tennessee baseball team gears up to host Alabama A&M for a two-game midweek series on Tuesday and Wednesday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
After amassing 13 midweek victories a season ago, the Volunteers kickoff a shortened series against Alabama A&M, looking to recapture the success the 2022 squad had in midweek contests. The games mark the beginning of a 15-game homestand for the Big Orange.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the games are available in very limited quantities at AllVols.com.
BROADCAST INFO
Tuesday and Wednesday’s games will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app with Andy Brock (PxP) calling the action. The online broadcasts 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 Vince Ferrara call the action for both games via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App.
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Tennessee leads, 2-0 in Knoxville: 2-0 in Huntsville: 0-0 at Neutral Sites: 0-0 Last Meeting: W, 14-1 (May 3, 2022 in Knoxville)
NOTABLE
Vols in Home Openers Tuesday’s game will mark the 112th home opener for UT Baseball. The Vols are 89-20-2 all-time in the first home game of the season.
Non-Con Domination Tennessee has been extremely successful against non-conference opponents since the start of the 2019 season, posting a 95-19 record in that span. In 2022 and 2021, the Vols posted a 53-10 record against out-of-conference opponents, going 28-4 a season ago after posting a 25-6 non-conference record in 2021.
The Vols earned 13 midweek wins a season ago, reaching the baker’s dozen mark for the second time since 2019. Under head coach Tony Vitello, Tennessee has posted an impressive 52-8 midweek record.
OPPONENT SCOUT
Alabama A&M
2022 Record: 14-35 (10-20 SWAC)
2022 Postseason: N/A
2023 SWAC Preseason Poll: 5th Eastern Division
Head Coach: Elliott Jones (3rd season)
Preseason All-Conference Selections (0):
None
ON DECK
The Vols continue their 15-game homestand prior to the start of SEC play in mid-March, welcoming Dayton to Rocky Top for a three-game set beginning on Friday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Tickets for non-conference home games can be purchased at AllVols.com.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Ready for its home opener, the No. 3 Tennessee baseball team gears up to host Alabama A&M for a two-game midweek series on Tuesday and Wednesday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
After amassing 13 midweek victories a season ago, the Volunteers kickoff a shortened series against Alabama A&M, looking to recapture the success the 2022 squad had in midweek contests. The games mark the beginning of a 15-game homestand for the Big Orange.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the games are available in very limited quantities at AllVols.com.
BROADCAST INFO
Tuesday and Wednesday’s games will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app with Andy Brock (PxP) calling the action. The online broadcasts 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 Vince Ferrara call the action for both games via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App.
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Tennessee leads, 2-0 in Knoxville: 2-0 in Huntsville: 0-0 at Neutral Sites: 0-0 Last Meeting: W, 14-1 (May 3, 2022 in Knoxville)
NOTABLE
Vols in Home Openers Tuesday’s game will mark the 112th home opener for UT Baseball. The Vols are 89-20-2 all-time in the first home game of the season.
Non-Con Domination Tennessee has been extremely successful against non-conference opponents since the start of the 2019 season, posting a 95-19 record in that span. In 2022 and 2021, the Vols posted a 53-10 record against out-of-conference opponents, going 28-4 a season ago after posting a 25-6 non-conference record in 2021.
The Vols earned 13 midweek wins a season ago, reaching the baker’s dozen mark for the second time since 2019. Under head coach Tony Vitello, Tennessee has posted an impressive 52-8 midweek record.
OPPONENT SCOUT
Alabama A&M
2022 Record: 14-35 (10-20 SWAC)
2022 Postseason: N/A
2023 SWAC Preseason Poll: 5th Eastern Division
Head Coach: Elliott Jones (3rd season)
Preseason All-Conference Selections (0):
None
ON DECK
The Vols continue their 15-game homestand prior to the start of SEC play in mid-March, welcoming Dayton to Rocky Top for a three-game set beginning on Friday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Tickets for non-conference home games can be purchased at AllVols.com.
Another top-25 matchup awaits the 11th-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball team, as the Vols are set to take on No. 25 Texas A&M on Tuesday in Bryan-College Station, Texas, at 7 p.m. ET.
Fans can catch Tuesday’s game on ESPN and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (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 (20-7, 9-5 SEC) is coming off a week in which it split a pair of conference games—defeating No. 1 Alabama on Wednesday and falling at Kentucky on Saturday. Santiago Vescovi and Jahmai Mashack led the Vols’ comeback bid Saturday in Lexington, scoring 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Tuesday marks a rematch of last season’s SEC Tournament championship game in Tampa, Florida, which Tennessee won, 65-50. Dating to the 2020-21 season, the Vols have won three straight over the Aggies.
Up next, Tennessee returns to Thompson-Boling Arena for one final Saturday home game this season—taking on South Carolina at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
THE SERIES • Tennessee leads its all-time series with Texas A&M, 11-6, dating to 1951. • The Vols have won each of the last three meetings. • The Vols have a 4-2 edge when the series is contested in Bryan-College Station, with wins in each of their last three visits to Reed Arena. • Tennessee defeated the Aggies in the championship game of last season’s SEC Tournament in Tampa, Florida. See note below. • With Tuesday’s game, Texas A&M will tie Oklahoma as the programs Rick Barnes has faced the most times as a head coach (41 times). See note below. • Tennessee ranks sixth in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage (37.2), and Texas A&M ranks seventh (37.1). • Santiago Vescovi is shooting .435 from 3-point range over UT’s last three games while averaging a team-best 16.0 points.
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 six Q1 wins. • Tennessee is the only team in the country that owns at least three wins over teams currently ranked in the top 10 of the NET ratings. • In the NCAA’s initial top-16 seed projection Saturday, Tennessee was rated as the first No. 3 seed—ninth overall. • During SEC play, Tennessee leads the league in scoring defense (59.1 ppg) and assist/turnover ratio (1.4). • The Vols are 19-3 this season when they out-rebound the opponent. • The Vols are entering the final two weeks of the regular season shorthanded, as starters Josiah-Jordan James (ankle) and Julian Phillips (hip) battle injuries. • A senior and preseason All-SEC selection, James has been inactive for 11 games this season, including three UT losses. • Zakai Zeigler’s 145 total assists lead the SEC and rank fourth nationally among underclassmen. He is on pace to log 166 assists by the end of the regular season. • Zeigler has four points/assists double-doubles this season, which rank second in program history for a career—Rodney Woods had five from 1972-75. • With its win over No. 1 Alabama last week, Tennessee is now one of only 17 Division I programs with at least six all-time wins over AP No. 1 teams.
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 86.0 points per 100 possessions. • Tennessee owns Division I’s best field-goal percentage defense (.358) and 3-point defense (.249) along with the nation’s third-best scoring defense (56.7 ppg). • 11 times this season, the Vols have held their opponents to 50 points or less. • Only four teams have reached the 70-point mark against these Vols. • Only six opposing players have scored 20 or more points against the Vols this season. • In SEC road games, this season, Tennessee has not allowed the home team to reach the 70-point mark. • Over the last three games, the Vols own a +9.3 scoring margin in the second half and average 42.3 points after halftime.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M • Texas A&M (20-7, 12-2 SEC) has won five straight games and is coming off a 69-60 win at Missouri on Saturday. • After starting the season 6-5 featuring losses to Murray State, Colorado and Wofford, Texas A&M has won 14 of its past 16 games. • Currently ranked No. 28 in the NET rankings, the Aggies are 5-4 in Quadrant I games and 2-1 in Quadrant 2 games, but have two Quadrant 4 losses. • Texas A&M returned to the AP top 25 this week for the first time since briefly making one appearance earlier this season on Nov. 14. Prior to this season, the Aggies had not been ranked since 2017-18. • The Aggies are 13-1 at Reed Arena this season and have won nine straight home games. Texas A&M’s lone home loss came against Wofford on Dec. 20. • Currently in his fourth season as Texas A&M’s head coach, Buzz Williams is on pace for his best season yet in College Station after the Aggies notched the program’s highest win total since 2016 last season. During the 2021-22 season, Texas A&M rebounded from a 15-10 start to finish 27-13 and record runner-up finishes at the SEC Tournament and NIT. • Texas A&M’s top two scorers, Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford, both rank in the top eight in the SEC in scoring during conference play. Taylor IV ranks fourth with 15.6 ppg, while Radford is eighth with 14.5 ppg in SEC games. • Taylor IV averaged 13.0 ppg in two meetings with Tennessee last season, while Radford and Henry Coleman III averaged 12.0 ppg apiece. • The Aggies are more effective at scoring points at the free-throw line than any team in the country, leading all of Division I with 18.9 made free throws per game and ranking second with 25.1 free throw attempts per game.
LAST CLASH WITH TEXAS A&M • Tennessee captured its first SEC Tournament championship in 43 years on March 13, 2022, defeating Texas A&M, 65-50. • The Vols led wire-to-wire in the win, building a 14-0 lead in the opening minutes and never leading by less than five points after that. • Santiago Vescovi led Tennessee with 17 points on four made 3-pointers. Josiah-Jordan James contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Tournament MVP Kennedy Chandler had 14 points, seven assists and four rebounds. • Super senior John Fulkerson scored eight points and had a career-high-tying 12 rebounds. • Between Vescovi, James, Chandler and Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee made six of its first seven 3-point attempts of the second half. • Out of the gates, Tennessee was red-hot, building a 14-0 lead by the 15:16 mark. The fast start was aided by three made 3-pointers—one each from Chandler, James and Vescovi. • Following its slow start in which it missed its first eight shots, Texas A&M steadily climbed back into the game, responding to Tennessee’s early 14-0 lead with a 10-2 run to cut their deficit to six points • The Aggies were unable to draw closer than six points in the first half, entering halftime facing a 29-20 deficit.
BARNES VERY FAMILIAR WITH A&M • As a head coach, Rick Barnes has faced Texas A&M 40 times, compiling a 31-9 (.775) record. • His Texas teams went 23-7 vs. the Aggies from 1999-2015, and he also led Clemson to a 2-0 record against A&M in the mid-90s. • The only program Barnes has faced more than the Aggies is Oklahoma (41 meetings). That mark will be tied Tuesday.
REBOUNDING PROVING KEY TO TENNESSEE’S SUCCESS THIS SEASON • Tennessee owns a +10.5 rebound margin in its wins this season, but it has a -2.4 rebound margin in its three losses. • UT’s rebounding margin of +7.1 rpg ranks second in the SEC and 10th nationally. In SEC play, UT’s rebounding margin is a healthy +5.4. • Tennessee ranks sixth in the nation in offensive rebounding, pulling down 13.5 per game. The Vols are converting those offensive boards into 13.7 second-chance points per game. • Rebounding for these Vols has been a balanced, team effort. No Vol averages more than 5.3 rpg, but there are five averaging 4.0 rpg or more.
VOLS SUCCESSFUL vs. TOP TEAMS • Tennessee is 3-1 against this week’s AP top 10, with wins over Alabama, Kansas (neutral-site) and Texas, and a five-point true road loss at Arizona. • The Vols’ average margin of victory in its wins over Alabama, Kansas and Texas is 11.3 ppg.
MASHACK MAKING BIG IMPACT • Last week, Vols sophomore Jahmai Mashack was arguably the team’s top performer, impacting the Alabama game with his defense before posting an impressive offensive outing at Kentucky. • Alabama star Brandon Miller was held to 15 points on 4-for-11 shooting during UT’s 68-59 win over the top-ranked Crimson Tide Wednesday. • When guarded by Mashack, Miller was 0-for-6 from the field with four points. Against other defenders, Miller scored 11 on 4-of-5 shooting. • While Tennessee as a team struggled offensively at Kentucky Saturday, Mashack finished with career-high totals in both points (16) and rebounds (8), scoring nine of his 16 points in the second half.
Another top-25 matchup awaits the 11th-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball team, as the Vols are set to take on No. 25 Texas A&M on Tuesday in Bryan-College Station, Texas, at 7 p.m. ET.
Fans can catch Tuesday’s game on ESPN and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (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 (20-7, 9-5 SEC) is coming off a week in which it split a pair of conference games—defeating No. 1 Alabama on Wednesday and falling at Kentucky on Saturday. Santiago Vescovi and Jahmai Mashack led the Vols’ comeback bid Saturday in Lexington, scoring 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Tuesday marks a rematch of last season’s SEC Tournament championship game in Tampa, Florida, which Tennessee won, 65-50. Dating to the 2020-21 season, the Vols have won three straight over the Aggies.
Up next, Tennessee returns to Thompson-Boling Arena for one final Saturday home game this season—taking on South Carolina at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
THE SERIES • Tennessee leads its all-time series with Texas A&M, 11-6, dating to 1951. • The Vols have won each of the last three meetings. • The Vols have a 4-2 edge when the series is contested in Bryan-College Station, with wins in each of their last three visits to Reed Arena. • Tennessee defeated the Aggies in the championship game of last season’s SEC Tournament in Tampa, Florida. See note below. • With Tuesday’s game, Texas A&M will tie Oklahoma as the programs Rick Barnes has faced the most times as a head coach (41 times). See note below. • Tennessee ranks sixth in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage (37.2), and Texas A&M ranks seventh (37.1). • Santiago Vescovi is shooting .435 from 3-point range over UT’s last three games while averaging a team-best 16.0 points.
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 six Q1 wins. • Tennessee is the only team in the country that owns at least three wins over teams currently ranked in the top 10 of the NET ratings. • In the NCAA’s initial top-16 seed projection Saturday, Tennessee was rated as the first No. 3 seed—ninth overall. • During SEC play, Tennessee leads the league in scoring defense (59.1 ppg) and assist/turnover ratio (1.4). • The Vols are 19-3 this season when they out-rebound the opponent. • The Vols are entering the final two weeks of the regular season shorthanded, as starters Josiah-Jordan James (ankle) and Julian Phillips (hip) battle injuries. • A senior and preseason All-SEC selection, James has been inactive for 11 games this season, including three UT losses. • Zakai Zeigler’s 145 total assists lead the SEC and rank fourth nationally among underclassmen. He is on pace to log 166 assists by the end of the regular season. • Zeigler has four points/assists double-doubles this season, which rank second in program history for a career—Rodney Woods had five from 1972-75. • With its win over No. 1 Alabama last week, Tennessee is now one of only 17 Division I programs with at least six all-time wins over AP No. 1 teams.
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 86.0 points per 100 possessions. • Tennessee owns Division I’s best field-goal percentage defense (.358) and 3-point defense (.249) along with the nation’s third-best scoring defense (56.7 ppg). • 11 times this season, the Vols have held their opponents to 50 points or less. • Only four teams have reached the 70-point mark against these Vols. • Only six opposing players have scored 20 or more points against the Vols this season. • In SEC road games, this season, Tennessee has not allowed the home team to reach the 70-point mark. • Over the last three games, the Vols own a +9.3 scoring margin in the second half and average 42.3 points after halftime.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M • Texas A&M (20-7, 12-2 SEC) has won five straight games and is coming off a 69-60 win at Missouri on Saturday. • After starting the season 6-5 featuring losses to Murray State, Colorado and Wofford, Texas A&M has won 14 of its past 16 games. • Currently ranked No. 28 in the NET rankings, the Aggies are 5-4 in Quadrant I games and 2-1 in Quadrant 2 games, but have two Quadrant 4 losses. • Texas A&M returned to the AP top 25 this week for the first time since briefly making one appearance earlier this season on Nov. 14. Prior to this season, the Aggies had not been ranked since 2017-18. • The Aggies are 13-1 at Reed Arena this season and have won nine straight home games. Texas A&M’s lone home loss came against Wofford on Dec. 20. • Currently in his fourth season as Texas A&M’s head coach, Buzz Williams is on pace for his best season yet in College Station after the Aggies notched the program’s highest win total since 2016 last season. During the 2021-22 season, Texas A&M rebounded from a 15-10 start to finish 27-13 and record runner-up finishes at the SEC Tournament and NIT. • Texas A&M’s top two scorers, Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford, both rank in the top eight in the SEC in scoring during conference play. Taylor IV ranks fourth with 15.6 ppg, while Radford is eighth with 14.5 ppg in SEC games. • Taylor IV averaged 13.0 ppg in two meetings with Tennessee last season, while Radford and Henry Coleman III averaged 12.0 ppg apiece. • The Aggies are more effective at scoring points at the free-throw line than any team in the country, leading all of Division I with 18.9 made free throws per game and ranking second with 25.1 free throw attempts per game.
LAST CLASH WITH TEXAS A&M • Tennessee captured its first SEC Tournament championship in 43 years on March 13, 2022, defeating Texas A&M, 65-50. • The Vols led wire-to-wire in the win, building a 14-0 lead in the opening minutes and never leading by less than five points after that. • Santiago Vescovi led Tennessee with 17 points on four made 3-pointers. Josiah-Jordan James contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Tournament MVP Kennedy Chandler had 14 points, seven assists and four rebounds. • Super senior John Fulkerson scored eight points and had a career-high-tying 12 rebounds. • Between Vescovi, James, Chandler and Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee made six of its first seven 3-point attempts of the second half. • Out of the gates, Tennessee was red-hot, building a 14-0 lead by the 15:16 mark. The fast start was aided by three made 3-pointers—one each from Chandler, James and Vescovi. • Following its slow start in which it missed its first eight shots, Texas A&M steadily climbed back into the game, responding to Tennessee’s early 14-0 lead with a 10-2 run to cut their deficit to six points • The Aggies were unable to draw closer than six points in the first half, entering halftime facing a 29-20 deficit.
BARNES VERY FAMILIAR WITH A&M • As a head coach, Rick Barnes has faced Texas A&M 40 times, compiling a 31-9 (.775) record. • His Texas teams went 23-7 vs. the Aggies from 1999-2015, and he also led Clemson to a 2-0 record against A&M in the mid-90s. • The only program Barnes has faced more than the Aggies is Oklahoma (41 meetings). That mark will be tied Tuesday.
REBOUNDING PROVING KEY TO TENNESSEE’S SUCCESS THIS SEASON • Tennessee owns a +10.5 rebound margin in its wins this season, but it has a -2.4 rebound margin in its three losses. • UT’s rebounding margin of +7.1 rpg ranks second in the SEC and 10th nationally. In SEC play, UT’s rebounding margin is a healthy +5.4. • Tennessee ranks sixth in the nation in offensive rebounding, pulling down 13.5 per game. The Vols are converting those offensive boards into 13.7 second-chance points per game. • Rebounding for these Vols has been a balanced, team effort. No Vol averages more than 5.3 rpg, but there are five averaging 4.0 rpg or more.
VOLS SUCCESSFUL vs. TOP TEAMS • Tennessee is 3-1 against this week’s AP top 10, with wins over Alabama, Kansas (neutral-site) and Texas, and a five-point true road loss at Arizona. • The Vols’ average margin of victory in its wins over Alabama, Kansas and Texas is 11.3 ppg.
MASHACK MAKING BIG IMPACT • Last week, Vols sophomore Jahmai Mashack was arguably the team’s top performer, impacting the Alabama game with his defense before posting an impressive offensive outing at Kentucky. • Alabama star Brandon Miller was held to 15 points on 4-for-11 shooting during UT’s 68-59 win over the top-ranked Crimson Tide Wednesday. • When guarded by Mashack, Miller was 0-for-6 from the field with four points. Against other defenders, Miller scored 11 on 4-of-5 shooting. • While Tennessee as a team struggled offensively at Kentucky Saturday, Mashack finished with career-high totals in both points (16) and rebounds (8), scoring nine of his 16 points in the second half.
Updated story: Emergency crews responding to a fire at Y-12 National Security Complex.
That according to Kathryn King with Y-12 who tells our news partner WVLT that the fire broke out this (Wednesday) morning in building 9212 which is listed on the complex’s website as an uranium processing building, built in 1945.
The building serves “as one of the primary chemical processing and enriched uranium production facilities at Y-12. It is set to be replaced by the end of 2025.
Y-12 emergency personnel responded to the scene, which is being directed by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC and the National Nuclear Security Administration.
King says that employees were evacuated from the building but the fire poses no risk to the outside public.
Original story: An incident at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.
Y-12 emergency response personnel are at the scene of that unspecified incident. Officials say appropriate precautionary protective actions have been initiated for Y-12 employees who are in the vicinity of the incident and who are not involved in the emergency response.
At this time, there is no off-site impact to the public as a result of the incident.
