Vince’s View: 9 VFLs and 3 ex-Vols on opening week XFL rosters

Vince’s View: 9 VFLs and 3 ex-Vols on opening week XFL rosters

By Vince Ferrara / @VinceSports

Below is a list of VFLs, former University of Tennessee football players, that are on opening day rosters for the rebirth of the XFL.

The XFL is now owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The season begins Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 3pm on ABC. See the full schedule of games and get more info on the XFL here.

The list also notes one-time Vols that transferred out and finished their careers at different schools.

There are 9 VFLs and 3 ex-Vols on XFL rosters to start the season. Look for them with jersey numbers provided.

Get to my full blog page here, “Vince’s View,” and check back often for new posts.

Orlando Guardians (head coach Terrell Buckley)
(15) WR JaVonta Payton
(48) DL Ja’Quain Blakely
(21) CB Shaq Wiggins
(20) CB Baylen Buchanan (La Tech)
(12) QB Quinten Dormady (Central Michigan)

DC Defenders (head coach Reggie Barlow)
(81) WR Josh Malone
(82) TE Ethan Wolf

Vegas Vipers (head coach Rod Woodson)
(69) OL Kahlil McKenzie

Seattle Sea Dragons (head coach Jim Haslett)
(27) CB Bryce Thompson

San Antonio Brahmas (head coach Hines Ward)
(38) LB Jordan Williams

Arlington Renegades (head coach Bob Stoops)
(15) TE Alex Ellis

Houston Roughnecks (head coach Wade Phillips)
(17) LB Deandre Johnson (Miami)

St. Louis Battlehawks (head coach Anthony Becht)
None

Find more of my broadcasting work at VinceSports.net

KNOXVILLE, TN – March 25, 2021 – Bryce Thompson during 2021 Pro Day on the Robert E. White indoor field in the Anderson Training Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Vince’s View: 9 VFLs and 3 ex-Vols on opening week XFL rosters

Vince’s View: 9 VFLs and 3 ex-Vols on opening week XFL rosters

By Vince Ferrara / @VinceSports

Below is a list of VFLs, former University of Tennessee football players, that are on opening day rosters for the rebirth of the XFL.

The XFL is now owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The season begins Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 3pm on ABC. See the full schedule of games and get more info on the XFL here.

The list also notes one-time Vols that transferred out and finished their careers at different schools.

There are 9 VFLs and 3 ex-Vols on XFL rosters to start the season. Look for them with jersey numbers provided.

Get to my full blog page here, “Vince’s View,” and check back often for new posts.

Orlando Guardians (head coach Terrell Buckley)
(15) WR JaVonta Payton
(48) DL Ja’Quain Blakely
(21) CB Shaq Wiggins
(20) CB Baylen Buchanan (La Tech)
(12) QB Quinten Dormady (Central Michigan)

DC Defenders (head coach Reggie Barlow)
(81) WR Josh Malone
(82) TE Ethan Wolf

Vegas Vipers (head coach Rod Woodson)
(69) OL Kahlil McKenzie

Seattle Sea Dragons (head coach Jim Haslett)
(27) CB Bryce Thompson

San Antonio Brahmas (head coach Hines Ward)
(38) LB Jordan Williams

Arlington Renegades (head coach Bob Stoops)
(15) TE Alex Ellis

Houston Roughnecks (head coach Wade Phillips)
(17) LB Deandre Johnson (Miami)

St. Louis Battlehawks (head coach Anthony Becht)
None

Find more of my broadcasting work at VinceSports.net

KNOXVILLE, TN – March 25, 2021 – Bryce Thompson during 2021 Pro Day on the Robert E. White indoor field in the Anderson Training Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Jimmy’s blog: Vols knock off top-ranked Alabama with stout defense

Jimmy’s blog: Vols knock off top-ranked Alabama with stout defense

By Jimmy Hyams

You have often heard this season that Tennessee was a Final Four caliber team.

You heard it from Tom Izzo of Michigan State and Mark Few of Gonzaga after a scrimmage and exhibition game.

You heard it after Tennessee clobbered Kansas 64-50 and mauled Mississippi State 87-53.

You heard it after the Vols tamed Top 10 Texas 82-71 as recently as Jan. 28.

But there was the home loss to a slightly above average Kentucky team on Chris Lofton Day.

There was the 13-point loss at Florida.

There was the 46-43 win over Auburn in which UT shot less than 30% from the field for the fourth time this season.

Then came the 3-point buzzer beater losses to unranked Vanderbilt and Missouri.

Will the real Tennessee team stand up?

Maybe it did against top-ranked Alabama before a sold-out crowd at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee took charge in the second half and outlasted Alabama for an impressive 68-59 victory that pinned the first SEC loss of the season on the Crimson Tide and fortified UT’s NCAA Tournament resume – not to mention a double bye in the upcoming SEC Tournament.

It was a terrific bounce back after two gut–wrenching defeats.

Tennessee’s top-ranked defense returned to form as the Vols scored 26 points off 19 Alabama turnovers. The Vols held Bama to 35.4% shooting from the field and 9 of 24 on 3-point tries.

And Tennessee won despite shooting 36.5% from the field and only 6 of 23 from beyond the arc.

Was this performance worthy of Final Four speculation? Did it make you think the Vols are capable of making a run in the NCAA Tournament?

Yes. But this is a team that still hasn’t shown much consistency – except on defense.

Offense is the main culprit, but UT has won twice against ranked opponents when shooting less than 30%. It has is 10-4 when shooting less than 44%. It beat the No. 1 in the nation shooting less than 40%.

But as we all know, one bad shooting night can ruin an NCAA run.

Tennessee assistant Rod Clark said he was glad UT played Alabama last night because, after two touch losses, it’s not hard to get up play the No. 1 team in the country.

He also said point guard Zakai Ziegler would be ready, saying he would take Ziegler “over anybody in the country.’’

Clark: “He’s electric. He’s a competitor. He’s tough. He’s gritty.’’ He said the Vols must pulls the reigns on him sometimes because he’s like a caged dog a lot of times. He just wans to go out and bite everybody.’’

Ziegler took a bit out of Alabama, and so did his teammates.

UT is now 5-15 against teams ranked No. 1 in the nation.

 The Vols hit all four of my keys entering the game.

  1. Defend the 3-point line. UT allowed Vanderbilt to hit 10 treys and Missouri was 14 of 26 from beyond the arc. Alabama hit 37.5% (9×24).
  2. A big defensive effort from center Jonas Aidoo. Aidoo blocked three shots, effected others and added 12 points and 11 rebounds.
  3. Contain the SEC’s leading scorer, Brandon Miller (18.8 points per game). Miller scored 15 on 4 of 11 shooting with Jahmai Mashack as the primary defender.
  4. A strong performance from Ziegler. The sophomore had 15 points and eight assists.

Will Tennessee play like a Final Four caliber team this Saturday at Kentucky?

Nobody knows for sure. But we do know they are capable of an outstanding performance.

Alabama can attest to that.

Sponsored by Big Kahuna Wings: The wings that changed it all

Two Knox County School Students are Arrested for Making Threats at Two Schools

Two Knox County School Students are Arrested for Making Threats at Two Schools

Two Knox County School students are arrested for making threats at two schools.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Crimes Unit took a student at Gibbs Middle School and Powell High School into custody yesterday (Wednesday) for “threats of mass destruction.

Both students were taken to the Juvenile Detention Center and officials reiterated that parents should talk to their kids about the seriousness of making threats in an effort to prevent them from happening.

Bill Proposing Tougher Penalties on Tennessee’s Hands-free Law Introduced

Bill Proposing Tougher Penalties on Tennessee’s Hands-free Law Introduced

Tennessee’s Hands-free law may come with harsher penalties if a new bill proposed by some Lawmakers becomes law.

It will establish a number of points that may be charged to a person’s driving record after two or more violations of the Hands Free Law.

Lawmakers say adding more consequences to distracted driving will help save lives.

Currently, for the first violation of the Hands Free Law, you can receive a fine of up to $50. With this proposed bill, drivers that accumulate 12 or more points on their driving record within any 12-month period could lose their driving privileges for a period of six to 12 months if they don’t request a hearing.

Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: No. 10 Vols Topple Top-Ranked Tide, 68-59

Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: No. 10 Vols Topple Top-Ranked Tide, 68-59

BOX SCORE  |  HIGHLIGHTS  |  BARNES ON ESPN2  |  ZEIGLER ON ESPN2  |  BARNES POSTGAME  |  AIDOO POSTGAME  |  ZEIGLER POSTGAME  |  VESCOVI POSTGAME

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Behind a dominant defensive effort and a second-half scoring run, the 10th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers bested No. 1 Alabama, 68-59, Wednesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Vols (20-6, 9-4 SEC) earned their sixth win over the Associated Press No. 1 team in program history and its second win over the top-ranked team at Thompson-Boling Arena. The victory also marked UT’s second top-five win of the year after defeating No. 3 Kansas at the Battle 4 Atlantis in November. For head coach Rick Barnes, he has now toppled 10 top-five opponents at the helm of the Vols, including the last five tries in a row.

Sophomore Jonas Aidoo was fantastic for Tennessee, recording his first career double-double and providing a spark in his second rotation of the second half. After coming back on the court, Aidoo drained both of his shots, secured three rebounds and stuffed Noah Clowney at the rim with 8:18 on the clock, leading to two points on the other end which helped the Vols finish off an 11-3 run in the middle of the period that provided the distance UT needed to win. For the game, the sophomore had 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

Offensively, Zakai Zeigler and Santiago Vescovi led the way in scoring, each tallying 15 points. Both did so in near identical ways, as they both made three 3-pointers, four free throws and a field goal. Zeigler was spotless in spreading the rock, dishing out eight assists without committing a turnover. Vescovi, on the other hand, made noise on the glass, tying his season-high in rebounds with eight.

Tennessee and Alabama traded blows for nearly the entirety of the game. After going into the half tied at 29, the Big Orange began the second half with a bang, drawing up an alley-oop from Zeigler to Olivier Nkamhoua just eight seconds into the period. The jam brought the sold-out crowd to its feet early, energizing the 21,678 fans in attendance to feed the floor for the coming run.

Alabama knotted the game at 40 with 14:09 left in the game, but once Tennessee kicked off its aforementioned 11-3 run, it never looked back. After the Vols built a lead as large as nine, the Tide were unable to threaten again, as Vescovi, Zeigler and Aidoo were quick to stop any Bama momentum, hitting a layup or knocking down a clutch free throw.

The suffocating defense was on display from the jump, as Tennessee pressured Alabama for the entire 40 minutes. In the first half alone, UT had seven steals while conceding only four turnovers. The Big Orange outscored Alabama 17-0 in points off turnovers in the first half and finished the night with a 26-2 margin. In total, the Vols forced Alabama to turn the ball over 19 times, stealing 11 of those, while giving away just eight turnovers themselves.

For the game, Alabama made just 17 field goals, its fewest of the season. The team shot 35.4 percent, its second-lowest percentage of the season, and National Player of the Year candidate Brandon Miller was held to just four made baskets on 11 attempts–lsrgely thanks to the relentless defense of Vols sophomore Jahmai Mashack, who pestered and frustrated the projected NBA Lottery Pick throughout the game. 

UP NEXT: Tennessee hits the road, taking on Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky, Saturday at Rupp Arena. The game tips off at 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBS.

DOWN GOES NO. 1: Wednesday’s victory over No. 1 Alabama marked Tennessee’s sixth all-time win over an AP No. 1 ranked team. 

Along with a 76-73 win over No. 1 Gonzaga on Dec. 9, 2018, Tennessee has now won two straight games against top-ranked teams. The Vols are also now 2-1 against top-ranked teams in Thompson-Boling Arena, with the other win coming over No. 1 Kansas on Jan. 10, 2010.

TOP-FIVE WIN STREAK GROWS: With Wednesday’s win over top-ranked Alabama, Tennessee has now won five straight games over AP top-five opponents.

The Vols defeated No. 4 Kentucky, No. 3 Auburn and No. 5 Kentucky (SEC Tournament) last season before taking down No. 3 Kansas and No. 1 Alabama this season. Not included in that streak is a 99-80 exhibition win over No. 2 Gonzaga on Oct. 28 in Frisco, Texas.

Wednesday’s victory marked Tennessee’s 10th win over a top-five opponent during the Rick Barnes era.

ANOTHER TOP-10 TBA TAKEDOWN: Wednesday’s victory also marked Tennessee’s sixth straight home win over an AP top-10 opponent.

March 2, 2019 — No. 7 Tennessee 71, No. 4 Kentucky 52
Dec. 22, 2021 — No. 19 Tennessee 77, No. 6 Arizona 73
Feb. 15, 2022 — No. 16 Tennessee 76, No. 4 Kentucky 63
Feb. 26, 2022 — No. 17 Tennessee 67, No. 3 Auburn 62
Jan. 28, 2023 — No. 4 Tennessee 82, No. 10 Texas 71
Feb. 15, 2023 — No. 10 Tennessee 68, No. 1 Alabama 59

Wednesday’s game between No. 10 Tennessee and No. 1 Alabama marked just the third men’s top-10 matchup in the 36-year history of Thompson-Boling Arena, but was the second this season.

-UT Athletics

Tennessee Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
KCHD Releases 2022 Youth Risk Behavior Survey 

KCHD Releases 2022 Youth Risk Behavior Survey 

The Knox County Health Department released the 2022 Knox County High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), which is designed to track behaviors that negatively affect the physical and mental health of high schoolers. The survey, which is also conducted on a state and nationwide level, focuses on issues such as self-harm and violence, tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, and weight control and diet. The full report can be found here. 

“As one of only a few counties who conduct their own YRBS, we know how important it is to get a glimpse into the major health concerns that affect students in our community,” said KCHD Senior Director Kevin Parton. â€œWith the information from this report, we, along with our partners, can assess current efforts and better determine the resources that students and their families need.” 

Several of the findings included in the analysis reflect improving outcomes, such as declines in cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and riding in a vehicle without a seatbelt. However, several of the findings are concerning, especially regarding physical activity, feelings of sadness of hopelessness, and illegal drug use. Several of these key findings can be found in the YRBS “At A Glance”, attached to this media release. 

“Supporting the social and emotional well-being of students is an essential part of our work, and this report provides important insight into some of the challenges they face,” said Jason Myers, Assistant Superintendent of Student Success for Knox County Schools. 

The 2022 Knox County YRBS was administered in March 2022 and included a sample of ninth through 12th grade students in Knox County Schools. This report is a joint effort between KCHD and Knox County Schools, with support from the Metro Drug Coalition. The YRBS is designed to assist local agencies in planning and policy formation to improve overall health in the county, especially the health of adolescents. 

The 2023 Knox County YRBS will be based on input from middle school students; these two age groups are assessed in alternate years. 

Knoxville Police Searching for Suspects in a Fatal West Knoxville Shooting

Knoxville Police Searching for Suspects in a Fatal West Knoxville Shooting

Knoxville Police are investigating a fatal shooting in West Knoxville.

Officers responding to Badgett Drive near Goins Drive last night (Tuesday) and found 21 year-old Rahleik Garcia, of Johnson City suffering from at least one gunshot wound, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police believe there are multiple possible suspects who ran from the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165.

Authorities Arrest a Suspect in a Deadly Shooting in Sweetwater

Authorities Arrest a Suspect in a Deadly Shooting in Sweetwater

Updated Story:

A suspect wanted in a deadly shooting on Hawkins Road in Sweetwater is taken into custody.

The 26 year-old suspect was arrested last night by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and US Marshal’s Smokey Mountain Fugitive Task Force.

He is facing three counts of attempted first degree murder, attempted aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, the use of firearm during a dangerous felony.

MCSO says there were five victims in Tuesday’s shooting, including a child.

Original Story: One person is dead, a suspect at large being sought by police who are investigating following a multiple shooting in Sweetwater.

Multiple agencies are assisting Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies in the deadly shooting that happened yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) on Hawkins Road. Authorities are looking for 26 year-old Liu Huerta who is still at large. He has multiple facial tattoos including a heart between the eyebrows.

He may be driving a white 2014 Nissan Altima with a Tennessee tag with tinted windows and a broken drivers side tail lamp.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Photo courtesy of WVLT
Hoops Preview: Lady Vols at Arkansas

Hoops Preview: Lady Vols at Arkansas

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee (18-9, 10-2 SEC) will be in Fayetteville Thursday to battle with Arkansas (19-8, 6-6 SEC) at 6:02 p.m. CT (7:02 p.m. ET) at Bud Walton Arena.

This will mark the 39th meeting between these programs, with UT holding a 33-5 series advantage after sweeping a pair of games a year ago, including an 86-83 overtime triumph in Knoxville on Jan. 31, 2022.

The Lady Vols enter the contest holding down third place in the SEC standings, while the Razorbacks are tied for seventh with Georgia.

Tennessee is coming off a dominant second-half showing at home vs. Vanderbilt on Sunday, winning 86-59 on the strength of a 28-8 third-quarter explosion and 20-13 finishing frame to outscore the Commodores, 48-21, over the final 20 minutes after the teams were deadlocked at 38 at the half. UT has won two of its past three games, but it will try to snap a two-game string of close away-contest losses suffered at then No. 3/3 LSU (76-68) on Jan. 30 and at Mississippi State (91-90 in 2OT) on Feb. 6.

Arkansas has won two of its past three matchups but dropped five of its past seven after falling at Vanderbilt (78-70) last Thursday before crushing Missouri on Sunday, 61-33, in Columbia.

Broadcast Information

  • Thursday night’s game will be televised on SEC Network, with Courtney Lyle (PxP) and Christy Thomaskutty (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 broadcast also can be heard frequently on satellite radio via SiriusXM and the SXM App. This game, however, will not be available.

Lady Vols Solid In The Net Rankings

  • Tennessee is at No. 18 in the NCAA Women’s Basketball NET ratings as of Feb. 14. The system is used to determine projections for the NCAA Tournament, and UT is eyeing a record 41st bid.
  • UT is playing its 15th game vs. a NET top-50 team, including No. 2 UConn, No. 3 LSU, No. 4 Stanford, No. 5 Indiana, No. 12 Virginia Tech, No. 16 Ohio State, No. 20 Colorado, No. 22 Alabama, No. 25 UCLA, No. 28 Ole Miss, No. 35 Mississippi State (twice), No. 38 Arkansas, No. 39 Gonzaga and No. 44 Georgia.
  • Tennessee is ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Toughest Schedule Report through Feb. 13 in cumulative opposition (510-235, .685) and also in past opposition (443-202, .687) entering the Arkansas game.

Lady Vol News & Notes

  • In UT’s last five games, Jillian Hollingshead has averaged 10.4 ppg. and 8.0 rpg. while shooting 55.9 pct., including career highs of 18 points and 12 boards vs. Mississippi State on Feb. 6 for her first collegiate double-double.
  • Rickea Jackson carded her 10th 20+ scoring effort of the campaign vs. Vandy, dropping 21 points. That’s seven in 12 SEC games.
  • Jordan Walker carded UT’s highest +/- rating of the year, logging an eye-popping +40 vs. Vanderbilt. In two seasons of box scores listing that stat, it ranks behind only Sara Puckett’s +43 vs. Chattanooga on Dec. 27, 2021.
  • After posting no double-digit scoring efforts before the winter break, Tess Darby now has seven since then, including six in SEC play. She is averaging 9.3 ppg. in league games.
  • With 18 points and nine rebounds vs. Vandy, Jordan Horston boosted her scoring average to 16.8 ppg. while shooting 45 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line over the past five contests.
  • Jasmine Powell is three shy of 1,000 career points. Powell has 997 between her time at Minnesota and UT. She will become the fifth member of the current squad to reach 1K.
  • With 420 dimes, Jordan Horston is nine from matching Kristen Clement (429) at No. 10 on UT’s career assists list.
  • Tennessee has risen to No. 10 nationally and No. 3 in the SEC in rebound margin, out-working foes 43.3 to 32.9 on the glass in 2022-23.

Looking Back At The Vandy Game

  • A 28-point third quarter effort propelled the Lady Vols to an 86-59 victory over Vanderbilt in UT’s Play4Kay game at Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday afternoon.
  • Senior Rickea Jackson led Tennessee (18-9, 10-2 SEC) in scoring with 21 points on the day, while senior Jordan Horston narrowly missed a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds. Junior Tess Darby also had a productive outing with 14 points, and graduate Jordan Walker dished out a game-high eight assists and logged an eye-popping +40 plus/minus effort.
  • Vanderbilt (11-15, 2-10 SEC) was led by Marnelle Garraud who tallied 16 points. Sacha Washington and Ciaja Harbison were also in double figures with 12 and 11, respectively.

Dominating the Paint

  • The Lady Vols were sensational around the basket, out-rebounding the Commodores 51-25 on the day and outscoring them in the paint 48-14.
  • On the offensive glass, UT out-rebounded Vandy 15-4, turning that into 19 second-chance points while holding VU to a Lady Vol opponent season-low zero second-chance points in the contest.

Second-Half Horston

  • Jordan Horston was key in Tennessee’s explosive third quarter, scoring 10 of her 18 points during that period, and leading UT in scoring for the half with 12 points while adding five second-half rebounds.

Another Third-Frame Surge

  • Tennessee broke open a 38-38 tie at the half with a 28-8 explosion in the third quarter to forge a 66-46 lead after three frames.
  • UT shot 73.3 from the field (11-15), 100 percent on threes (2-2) and 100 percent on free throws (4-4) in the period while holding Vandy to 20-percent shooting from the field (3-15), zero percent on threes (0-3) and 50 percent (2-4) on free throws. 
  • Tennessee is averaging 21.7 points in the third period in SEC play and 22.4 over the last 18 games.

UT/UA Notes

  • Tennessee holds a 33-5 all-time record vs. Arkansas, including 16-2 in Knoxville, 15-3 in Fayetteville and 2-0 at neutral sites.
  • UT is 2-1 in overtime and 2-0 in the postseason vs. UA, meeting for the first time in SEC Tourney play in 2016. UT prevailed, 68-51, in the second round in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 3 that year.
  • No. 1/1 Tennessee and unranked Arkansas met in an NCAA Final Four semifinal game in Kansas City, Mo., on March 27, 1998, and the Lady Vols cruised past the Razorbacks, 86-58, en route to their perfect 39-0 season.
  • Then the starting point guard for UT, Kellie (Jolly) Harper tallied 11 points, five assists and three rebounds during 30 minutes in that contest.
  • Harper was 4-1 vs. the Razorbacks as a player.
  • As a head coach, Harper is 5-3 all-time vs. Arkansas. She won her last two meetings vs. the Razorbacks while at Missouri State, including 69-54 in Fayetteville on Dec. 2, 2015, and 64-62 in Springfield on Dec. 11, 2016.
  • This is the fourth meeting between Harper and Mike Neighbors as head coaches, with Harper standing 3-1 vs. UA as UT’s skipper.
  • Arkansas assistant Lacey Goldwire had the same role at Tennessee from 2019-21 before returning in 2021-22 to Mike Neighbors’ staff at Arkansas, where she worked from 2017-19 in his first two seasons as head coach in Fayetteville.

A Look At The Razorbacks

  • Arkansas has four scoring in double figures, including Erynn Barnum (16.4), Samara Spencer (14.0), Makayla Daniels (13.5) and Chrissy Carr (11.1).
  • The Razorbacks average eight made threes per game, led by 61 from Carr, 48 from Daniels and 44 from Spencer.
  • UA gets out-rebounded, 40.8 to 39.0 per game.

Arkansas’s Last Game

  • Arkansas dominated Missouri on Sunday, rolling to a 61-33 victory that set a UA record for fewest points allowed to an SEC opponent.
  • Chrissy Carr led the Razorbacks with 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc, while Erynn Barnum added 14 and Makayla Daniels 11.
  • UA scored 24 points off 22 Mizzou turnovers and held MU to a 1-for-15 day beyond the arc.

Last Meeting Between UT, UA

  • Battling back from a 13-point deficit, the No. 7/5 Lady Vols defeated Arkansas 86-83 in overtime on Jan. 31, 2022, at Thompson-Boling Arena.
  • Tennessee (19-2, 8-1 SEC) found key offense from a number of contributors. Jordan Horston scored 24 points to lead the Big Orange, while Rae Burrell was clutch down the stretch, sinking 17 of her 21 points in the second half and overtime.
  • Tamari Key made a career-best eight free throws in a 14-point night, while Sara Puckett contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.
  • Horston’s energy showed on both ends of the floor, as she also pulled down 11 rebounds and tallied 40 minutes on the floor, a career high. It was Horston’s 10th double-double of the year.
  • Amber Ramirez led UA with 29 points.

Last Time We Played In Fayetteville

  • No. 7/9 Tennessee picked up a hard-fought win on the road on Jan. 2, 2022, taking down the Razorbacks, 70-63, at Bud Walton Arena.
  • Tennessee (13-1, 2-0 SEC) had five players in double figures, with Tamari Key leading the team with 17 and Alexus Dye recording a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Walker finished with 13, while Jordan Horston had 12 and Keyen Green chipped in 11.
  • Amber Ramirez was the leading scorer for Arkansas (10-4, 0-1 SEC) with 26, while Makayla Daniels added 11.

Upcoming Games

  • There are only two more regular season Lady Vol home games.
  • Tennessee’s next home contest will be the Senior Day matchup vs. Auburn at noon on Sunday.
  • UT seniors will be saluted during pregame festivities.
  • The Weekend Family 4 Pack Deal will be available, with four tickets & four $10 concession vouchers starting at $72 (plus tax/fees).

-UT Athletics

Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics

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