Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: Lady Vols can’t complete comeback, fall at undefeated #4/3 LSU, 76-68

Highlights/Postgame/Stats/Story: Lady Vols can’t complete comeback, fall at undefeated #4/3 LSU, 76-68

Posted on February 1, 2023

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

BATON ROUGE, La. – Tennessee pulled within one in the fourth quarter before ultimately falling to No. 4/3 LSU in a 76-68 nail-biter in front of a packed house in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Monday night.
 
Graduate Jordan Walker was the top scorer for UT (16-8, 8-1 SEC), hitting 60 percent from the floor en route to 19 points to set new SEC and season highs. Senior Rickea Jackson was close behind with 17 points and eight rebounds, and fellow senior Jordan Horston was also in double figures with 11.
 
The Tigers (21-0, 9-0 SEC) were led by Alexis Morris who turned in a career-high 31 points, while Angel Reese managed a double-double on the night with 18 points and 17 rebounds in front of a Maravich Center record basketball crowd of 15,157.
 
LSU jumped out to a four-point lead in the opening minute of the contest before Horston got the Lady Vols on the board with a jumper at the 8:36 mark. Back-to-back threes by Tess Darby and Walker had the game tied at 8-all less than three minutes later. The Tigers once again went up by four off a pair of layups, but Jillian Hollingshead and Jackson responded with layups of their own to level the score once more at 12-12 with 2:38 left in the first. Morris responded with a bucket on the fast break, and LSU added one more point from the free-throw line before the clock expired, leading 15-12 at the end of one.
 
The Tigers stretched their lead to five on their first possession of the second period, but Jackson countered with a layup and a jumper off the offensive rebound on the next play to inch the Big Orange within one and force an LSU timeout with 7:37 left in the half. Following the timeout, Jackson sank a 10-footer to give UT its first lead of the game at 19-18. There would be four more lead changes before Walker drained a wide-open three to tie the game at 23-all with 4:38 on the clock.
 
The Tigers responded with nine unanswered points capped by a Last-Tear Poa 3-pointer, but Jasmine Franklin and Darby combined for five quick points to pull UT back within four with just under two minutes left in the half.  Neither team managed a field goal before halftime but added points from the free-throw line to send the game into intermission with UT trailing 34-29. 
 
Jackson opened the second half with a jumper to pull UT within three before LSU launched into a 14-3 run fueled primarily by Reese and Morris to lead 48-34 by the 5:45 mark. The Lady Vols defense stepped up to force a shot-clock violation and then created some momentum with a Jackson fast-break layup that set off a 7-0 UT run to narrow the deficit to 48-41 with 2:31 left in the third. Reese ended the drought for the Tigers with a pair of free throws, but six straight points by Sara Puckett whittled it down to a 50-47 LSU lead by the buzzer.
 
Tennessee drew within two twice in the opening minutes of the fourth before Horston came up with a steal on the inbounds pass and found Jackson, who was fouled on the would-be layup. Jackson trimmed the deficit down to one from the free-throw line before an old-fashioned three-point play by Morris put the Tigers back on top by four with 7:37 left in the game. That play jump-started an 11-0 run spanning two minutes and 17 seconds that sent the Tigers ahead 64-52. Walker ended the skid for UT with a layup just under the five-minute mark, and Horston and Walker combined to score the Lady Vols’ last 16 points of the game, moving UT within six points on four occasions. LSU, however, was able to capitalize on free throws in the final minutes, taking a 76-68 victory to remain undefeated.
 
UP NEXT: Tennessee returns home to host Ole Miss on Thursday in a 6:30 p.m. ET matchup that will be streamed on SECN+.
 
DARBY DOUBLING UP: Tess Darby shot 40 percent from beyond the arc at LSU, hitting two treys to tally multiple 3-pointers for the 14th time this season and bring her 2022-23 total to 46, which is 23 from making the UT season top 10. With 102 made threes in her career, the junior pulls within 31 treys of catching Sidney Spencer to land among the top 10 career totals in program history. 
 
JILL PRODUCTIVE AGAIN: Jillian Hollingshead continued a productive trend over the past three games. After tallying 11 points and nine rebounds vs. UConn last game, and eight and four vs. Missouri on Jan. 22, Hollingshead had seven points and five rebounds off the bench vs. LSU in 17 minutes to lead all reserves in the contest.

-UT Athletics

Jordan Walker – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Hoops Preview: #2 Tennessee at Florida

Hoops Preview: #2 Tennessee at Florida

Posted on February 1, 2023

Coming off an undefeated week in front of its home crowd, No. 2 Tennessee hits the road once again this week, traveling to take on Florida on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. 

Fans can catch Wednesday’s game on ESPN2 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 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.
 
Taking a brief hiatus from conference play this past Saturday for the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, Tennessee (18-3, 7-1 SEC) defeated No. 10 Texas in front of a sold-out crowd at Thompson-Boling Arena, 82-71. Senior Olivier Nkamhoua exploded for a career-high 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting, while All-America candidate Zakai Zeigler had his third-career double-double with 22 points and 10 assists. The Vols have now won six of their last seven games against AP top-10 opponents.
 
Since Rick Barnes took over the reins of the program prior to the 2015-16 season, Tennessee is 8-2 against Florida, including a current streak of three wins in a row. Wednesday marks Tennessee’s first trip to game at Florida since Jan. 19, 2021 and first time in front of a non-reduced capacity crowd at Exactech Arena since Jan. 12, 2019.
 
Tennessee returns to Thompson-Boling Arena for another home top-25 matchup this Saturday, taking on No. 25 Auburn. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.
 
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Florida, 80-58, dating to 1927.
• But when the series is contested in Gainesville, the Gators hold a 36-26 advantage.
• Tennessee is 1-4 in its last five trips to Exactech Arena, with the lone win in that span coming in 2019, when the Vols were ranked No. 3.
• The Volunteers won last season’s lone meeting, rallying from a 13-point deficit to post a 78-71 victory in Knoxville.
• Santiago Vescovi was 5-for-8 from 3-point range in last season’s win over Florida. His 23 points tied a then-career-high.
• The Vols have won six straight SEC true road games (nine straight SEC games away from home including the 2022 SEC Tournament).
• In SEC road games, the Vols are undefeated and allowing only 54.0 points per game.
• Tennessee’s four-game win streak is the longest active win streak among league teams.
 
SCOUTING REPORT
• The Vols have held the No. 2 spot in the NCAA’s NET ratings since Jan. 3.
• During SEC play, Tennessee leads the league in scoring defense (55.1 ppg), field-goal percentage (.478), 3-point percentage (.356), FT percentage (.777), assists (17.6) and assist/turnover ratio (1.42).
• In its last 24 games against SEC opponents, the Vols are 22-2 with wins over every league opponent except Alabama (no meetings).
• Reigning SEC Player of the Week Zakai Zeigler is averaging a league-best 7.3 assists during SEC play and has dished out 27 assists in UT’s last three games.
• In UT’s two wins last week, Santiago Vescovi led the team in rebounding with 7.5 per game. He is three 3-point makes shy of fourth place on the program’s all-time list.
• Tennessee has two wins over teams with a current top-10 NET rating—No. 8 Kansas and No. 9 Texas. UT is one of only six teams in the country that can claim that.
• During the Barnes era, Tennessee has appeared in the top three of the AP poll 11 times. The Vols made three total top-three appearances in program history before Barnes’ hiring.
 
THE NATION’S BEST DEFENSE
• For the 10th straight week, the Volunteers own the best adjusted defensive efficiency in the country per KenPom, allowing only 84.1 points per 100 possessions.
• Tennessee owns the nation’s best scoring defense (54.5 ppg), field-goal percentage defense (.345) and 3-point defense (.220).
• 10 times this season, the Vols have held their opponents to 50 points or less.
• Only three teams have reached the 70-point mark against these Vols.
• Only four opposing players have scored 20 or more points against the Vols this season.
• In 21 games, Tennessee opponents have managed to make only 103 3-pointers—just 4.9 per game.
• Tennessee has trailed at the break only three times this season and is outscoring its opponents 35.5 ppg to 25.0 ppg in first-half action (+10.5 ppg).
 
ABOUT FLORIDA
• Florida (12-9, 5-3 SEC) is coming off a 64-50 loss at No. 5 Kansas State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge Saturday but has won five of its last six games in SEC play.
• The Gators’ three SEC losses—at Auburn and twice against Texas A&M—have come by a combined eight points.
• Wednesday’s matchup against Tennessee marks Florida’s ninth Quadrant 1 game of the season. The Gators, who are currently ranked No. 50 in the NET rankings, are 1-7 in Quad 1 games so far this season, with the lone win coming at Mississippi State.
• Todd Golden is in his first season as Florida’s head coach, arriving in Gainesville after three seasons as the head coach at San Francisco, where he led the Dons to a 57-36 (.613) record and an appearance in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. As a player, Golden starred at Saint Mary’s from 2004-2008, leading the Gaels to two NCAA Tournament appearances.
• Once again leading the way for the Gators this season is 2022 second-team All-SEC selection and fifth-year player Colin Castleton, who has team-leading totals in points (14.9 ppg), rebounds (7.6 rpg), blocks (3.2 bpg) and steals (1.0 spg).
• Castleton’s 67 total blocks this season, as well as his 3.2 blocks per game, rank third in all of Division I. As a team, Florida blocks 6.0 shots per game, which is also third among all Division I teams.
• Castleton has failed to reach double-figure scoring in only three games this season and is averaging 15.5 ppg in SEC play.
• Florida’s defense ranks eighth in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. The Gators’ offense ranks 147th.
 
LAST CLASH WITH THE GATORS
• Solid play on both ends in the second half helped No. 18 Tennessee come from behind to defeat Florida, 78-71, on Jan. 26, 2022, at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• Santiago Vescovi scored a career-high-tying 23 points. His big night came primarily from beyond the arc, as he sank 5-of-8 from 3-point range.
• Freshmen Kennedy Chandler and Zakai Zeigler also scored in double figures with 17 and 11, respectively. Zeigler was accurate from beyond the 3-point arc, making 3-of-5. Chandler was automatic from the free-throw line, making all six of his attempts.
• The Big Orange out-rebounded Florida, 34-24 and tallied 22 assists to Florida’s 15.
• Tennessee finished the game 17-for-18 (.944) at the free-throw line
• Florida began the game shooting 5-of-6 on 3-pointers and 8-of-11 from the floor. Tennessee’s offense found an answer after the under-12 media timeout, sinking three treys in a row—two from Ziegler and one from Chandler—to bring the Big Orange back from a 13-point deficit to within four. Vescovi cashed in eight points in the last two minutes, as Tennessee trailed, 42-34, at the break.
• Tennessee played a complete second half to complete the comeback over the Gators. The Vols held Florida to only 29 points in the period and capitalized on an 11-2 run lasting five minutes in the middle of the frame. UT fired at a 50 percent clip from the floor in the second half and could not miss at the line, making all 13 attempts from the charity stripe.
 
GOLDEN FACED BARNES AS A PLAYER
• Florida head coach Todd Golden was a senior at Saint Mary’s when the Gaels faced Rick Barnes‘ Texas squad in Austin, Texas on Jan. 5, 2008. The 14th-ranked Longhorns logged an 81-62 win over the 24th-ranked Gaels.
• Golden started and totaled six points, five rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes of action.
• D.J. Augustin led Texas with 30 points and went on to win the Bob Cousy Award.
• The loss put Saint Mary’s record at 12-2, and the Gaels went on to finish second in the West Coast Conference (behind Gonzaga) before losing to Miami (Fla.) in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
 
VOLS PERFECT AT NO. 2
• Tennessee is undefeated when it’s ranked No. 2 in the AP poll at tipoff.
• The second-ranked Vols defeated Auburn and top-ranked Memphis consecutively in February of 2008. The road win at Memphis propelled Tennessee to its first-ever No. 1 ranking.
 
VOLS ENJOYED IMPRESSIVE JANUARY
• Tennessee went 7-1 in the month of January and enter February just two wins shy of the 20-win mark.
• The Vols owned a +18.9 scoring margin, a +7.5 rebound margin and a +2.5 turnover margin in January while shooting .493 from the field and .365 from deep.
 
NO DROPOFF POST-KC
• Kennedy Chandler starred for the Vols as a stellar one-and-done point guard last season before being selected 38th overall in the NBA Draft. Check out how Zakai Zeigler’s sophomore stats this season stack up against Chandler’s stats from last year.
 
PLAYER            GP         PPG       RPG      APG  | TOTAL    A/T
Chandler            21          13.2       2.9         5.05 | 106          1.89
Zeigler               21           11.2       3.0         5.14 | 108          2.30
 
OLIVIER DELIVERING ON OFFENSE
• Senior forward Olivier Nkamhoua is shooting 37-of-54 (.685) from the field since the calendar flipped to 2023.
• Overall this season, he has shot 50 percent or better from the field in all but five games.
• He is one of only five players in Division I to have three or more games this season in which he scored 20 or more points while shooting 80 percent or better.
• On Jan. 7 at South Carolina, he tied a Tennessee program record by shooting 10-for-10 from the field during a 21 and 10 double-double performance.
• Nkamhoua also starred in the Vols’ big win over Texas on Jan. 28, dropping a career-high 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting.
• A starter in every game, Nkamhoua is UT’s second-leading rebounder (5.09 rpg) and third-leading scorer (11.0 ppg). His 44 assists also are third-most on the team.

-UT Athletics

Santiago Vescovi – Vols G / Credit: UT Athletics
Five Vols Recognized as Preseason All-Americans by D1Baseball & Baseball America

Five Vols Recognized as Preseason All-Americans by D1Baseball & Baseball America

Posted on February 1, 2023

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The preseason honors continued to roll in for the Big Orange as D1Baseball.com and Baseball America both released their preseason All-America teams on Monday.

Tennessee’s entire projected weekend rotation of Chase Dollander (first team), Chase Burns (first team) and Drew Beam (third team) was recognized by D1Baseball, along with junior shortstop Maui Ahuna (third team).

Dollander and Burns were both honored as first-team All-Americans by Baseball America, as well. Joining them was redshirt-sophomore Jared Dickey, who was named a third-team selection by Baseball America, who’s All-America teams are voted on by scouting departments of major league organizations.

Both Dollander and Burns have now been tabbed as first-team All-Americans by D1Baseball, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball News and Perfect Game this preseason, while Beam has been garnered All-America status from D1Baseball, Collegiate Baseball News and Perfect Game. Ahuna also notched his third preseason All-America nod after earning third-team acclaim from Collegiate Baseball News and Perfect Game while Dickey earned preseason All-America recognition for the first time.

The trio of Dollander, Burns and Beam combined to make 43 starts last season, posting a 26-3 record and totaling 273 strikeouts while issuing just 59 walks. 

Dollander, who was one of just three unanimous preseason first-team All-Americans by Baseball America, will enter the 2023 season as one of the top draft prospects in the country after a stellar sophomore year in 2022 which saw him earn consensus first-team All-America honors and become just the second player in program history to be named SEC Pitcher of Year.

The Evans, Georgia, native posted a perfect 10-0 record and led the country with a 0.80 WHIP. He also was second in the SEC with 108 strikeouts and led the conference with a 2.39 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .175 batting average.

Burns was one of the top freshmen in the country in 2022, earning freshman of the year or freshman pitcher of the year recognition from D1Baseball, Collegiate Baseball News and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) while garnering unanimous Freshman All-America honors. The hard-throwing right hander was the first pitcher in program history to earn three national award honors in the same season.

Burns was also named to four All-America teams following his debut season, joining former AL Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey (1994) as the only players in program history to be selected to four All-America teams as true freshmen. The Gallatin, Tennessee, native had a phenomenal freshman campaign for the Big Orange, finishing with an 8-2 record and 2.91 ERA to go along with 103 strikeouts while serving as the Vols’ Friday night starter for the majority of the season.

Beam was also a unanimous Freshman All-American after a standout rookie season in 2022. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native was a staple in UT’s weekend rotation, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors after posting an 8-1 record to go along with a 2.72 ERA over a team-high 15 starts. Beam held opposing hitters to a .186 batting average and had an impressive 0.93 WHIP. His 2.72 ERA was the fourth best all-time among Tennessee freshmen.

Ahuna joins the Vols after two impressive seasons at the University of Kansas, where he garnered first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2022 and was an All-Big 12 honorable mention selection as a true freshman in 2021.

Another top 2023 MLB Draft prospect, Ahuna is considered one of the best defensive shortstops in the country on top of being very productive at the plate during his college career, posting a .357 batting average with 75 runs scored, 27 doubles, seven triples, nine home runs, 73 RBIs and 21 stolen bases during his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Jayhawks. Ahuna was also a member of the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this past summer.

Despite missing time with an injury, Dickey had a breakout season in 2022, slashing .380/.484/.690 with eight doubles, seven home runs and 19 RBIs in 40 games played (25 starts). Regarded as one of the best pure hitters on the team, Dickey also brings versatility in the field with the ability to play outfield and catcher. The Mount Juliet, Tennessee, native was a two-time SEC Freshman of the Week last season and was also tabbed a Collegiate Baseball News National Player of the Week on March 14 of last year.

The Volunteers open their 2023 campaign on Feb. 17 when they take on Arizona at the MLB Desert Invitational in Scottsdale, Arizona. UT will also square off against Grand Canyon and UC San Diego out in Arizona before hosting Alabama A&M in its home opener on Feb. 21 at 4:30 p.m.

Tennessee’s complete list of preseason honors/rankings can be found below. 
 

2023 Tennessee Baseball Preseason Honors

INF Maui Ahuna
Preseason All-America Third Team – D1Baseball, Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game

RHP Drew Beam
Preseason All-America Second Team – Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game
Preseason All-America Third Team – D1Baseball

RHP Chase Burns
Preseason All-America First Team – D1Baseball, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game

OF/C Jared Dickey
Preseason All-America Third Team – Baseball America

RHP Chase Dollander
Perfect Game Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Preseason All-America First Team – D1Baseball, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game

RHP Camden Sewell
Preseason All-America Second Team – Collegiate Baseball
 

2023 Tennessee Baseball Preseason Rankings

D1Baseball – No. 2
Baseball America – No. 2
Perfect Game – No. 2
Collegiate Baseball – No. 5

-UT Athletics

UT Baseball / Credit: UT Athletics
Zeigler Named SEC Player of the Week

Zeigler Named SEC Player of the Week

Posted on February 1, 2023

Fresh off two standout performances during Tennessee’s undefeated week, sophomore guard Zakai Zeigler has been named SEC Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday.
 
In Tennessee’s pair of home wins over Georgia and No. 10 Texas, Zeigler averaged 16.5 points, 8.5 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.5 rebounds per game.
 
During the Vols’ top-10 win over the Longhorns on Saturday, Zeigler recorded his third-career double-double with 22 points and a career-high-tying 10 assists. Via scoring and assists, he accounted for 45 of Tennessee’s 82 points during the win.
 
His performance was just the seventh game in program history in which a player had 20 or more points and 10 or more assists in a game.
 
On Wednesday against Georgia, Zeigler led the Vols in scoring and assists with 11 points and seven assists, while also recording four steals on the defensive end.
 
In four games since moving into a starting role, Zeigler is averaging 17.3 points, 7.8 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
 
Zeigler is the third Vol to receive an SEC weekly honor this season. He joins Santiago Vescovi, who won SEC Player of the Week on Nov. 28, and Julian Phillips, who won SEC Freshman of the Week last week.
 
Zeigler and the Vols are back in action Wednesday night at Florida. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

-UT Athletics

Vols G Zakai Zeigler / Credit: UT Athletics
TDOT Announcing I-40 Rest Area is Re-Opened after Crews Removed an Overturned Tractor-Trailer

TDOT Announcing I-40 Rest Area is Re-Opened after Crews Removed an Overturned Tractor-Trailer

Posted on February 1, 2023

Update: The Tennessee Department of Transportation says the rest area on I-40 East at MM 419, just before the I-81 split, in Jefferson County has re-opened.

It was closed while crews removed an overturned tractor-trailer.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation says the rest area on I-40 East at MM 419, just before the I-81 split, in Jefferson County is closed due to a truck rollover.

TDOT says crews are working to recover the truck from the rest area and should not affect interstate traffic.

U.S. Drug Enforcement and TBI Arrest Woman Allegedly Using Greyhound for Drug Trafficking

U.S. Drug Enforcement and TBI Arrest Woman Allegedly Using Greyhound for Drug Trafficking

Posted on February 1, 2023
Photo courtesy of WVLT

Agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation arrest 26 year-old Jasmine Johnson, 26, after police said she carried nearly three pounds of fentanyl and more than one pound of methamphetamine off a Greyhound bus in Knoxville.

Police have recognized Greyhound as a hub for drug trafficking, according to a criminal complaint against Johnson.

“Based on my experience with other investigations and the experience of other officers at the KCSO (Knox County Sheriff’s Office), I know that individuals have used the Greyhound bus system as a means of transporting illegal narcotics from Detroit, Michigan for distribution in Knoxville and have done so for many years,” the arresting officer wrote in the criminal complaint.

Johnson traveled on a Greyhound bus from Detroit. Police noticed she was clutching a black duffel bag. According to the complaint, she got in a Lyft. Police pulled the car over for speeding in a construction zone.

Johnson initially told police she was in Knoxville visiting her mother for a few days. A K-9 Unit arrived at the scene and sniffed narcotics in Johnson’s duffel bag.

In a police interview, police said Johnson admitted she transported drugs to Knoxville and had done so three other times. She had also moved drugs to Atlanta and Cincinnati, police said.

WVLT News attempted to contact Greyhound for comment, but they did not respond.

Story courtesy of WVLT

The Knoxville Fire Department Investigating a Fire at a Former Mexican Restaurant in West Knoxville

The Knoxville Fire Department Investigating a Fire at a Former Mexican Restaurant in West Knoxville

Posted on February 1, 2023

Lonas Drive in West Knoxville was closed this morning as Knoxville Firefighters work a fire at a former business.

Crews called to 4329 Lonas Drive around 3 this morning and found heavy flames and smoke coming from the building, formerly El Tipico, which was vacant and up for sale.

The building has sustained heavy fire, smoke and water damage and is likely a total loss.

Knoxville Fire Department Investigators are on the scene working to determine a cause. If anyone has any information about the fire, they are encouraged to contact the Knoxville Fire Department Arson Hot Line at 865-637-1386.

The Loudon County Sheriff’s Office Holding a Memorial Service This Week to Honor Fallen Sgt. Chris Jenkins

The Loudon County Sheriff’s Office Holding a Memorial Service This Week to Honor Fallen Sgt. Chris Jenkins

Posted on January 31, 2023

The Loudon County Sheriff’s Office will hold a memorial service on the one year anniversary of Sergeant Chris Jenkins death.

Jenkins was killed in the line of duty when he was hit by a tractor-trailer on I-75 while trying to remove debris from the interstate. The driver of the tractor-trailer, Christopher Savannah, reportedly did not slow down with traffic while Jenkins was working and hit several cars and Jenkins.

The memorial service is set for this Friday at 8:30 a.m. at the sheriff’s office and is open to the public.

Authorities are Investigating an Early Morning Fire of Multiple Cabins in Sevier County

Authorities are Investigating an Early Morning Fire of Multiple Cabins in Sevier County

Posted on January 31, 2023
Photo courtesy of WVLT

Authorities are investigating the cause of early morning (Tuesday) fires at multiple cabins in Sevierville.

Fire crews called to the 2100 block of Windy Lane in the Upper Middle Creek area of Sevier County.

They found one cabin burning, with another cabin caught in the flames and as the crews worked to fight the fire, it spread to a third cabin.

No injuries were reported.

Jimmy’s blog: Analysts believe UT is a Final Four caliber team

Jimmy’s blog: Analysts believe UT is a Final Four caliber team

Posted on January 30, 2023

By Jimmy Hyams

Is Tennessee a Final Four caliber team?

That topic reared its head once again after Tennessee toppled No. 10 Texas 82-71 Saturday in only the second matchup of top 10 teams in men’s basketball in Thompson-Boling Arena history.

It marked UT’s fifth straight home win over a top 10 opponent and it jumped the Vols from No. 4 to No. 2 in the AP poll.

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said Tennessee has no “impediment’’ to winning the national championship, other than an occasional scoring drought and “that’s not horribly unusual for teams.’’

Tennessee’s defense ahs been outstanding all season. The Vols lead the nation in field goal defense (34.4%) and 3-point field goal defense (21.9%). The 34.4% is believed to be the best in Division I since the 1970s. And UT’s defensive efficiency is ranked the best since KenPom began churning out that stat in 2001.

Can defense alone win a title?

“I can’t remember a bad defensive team that’s won a championship,’’ Bilas said, “but I also can’t remember an average offensive team winning it, either. If you go down through the stats and analytics of champions, usually they’re in the top 20 in offensive and defensive efficiency.’’

Entering Saturday’s game against Texas, UT was 203rd in the nation in field-goal percentage. They were 215 last year.

That’s not the formula Bilas described, but UT has had moments where it shot exceedingly well, like the 69% marksmanship in a blowout win earlier this season against Mississippi State.  

Bilas also noted Kansas lost by 30 points on Jan. 28 a year ago before marching to the national championship and North Carolina had the same record a year ago as it does now (15-6) before advancing to the Final Four.

In other words, there’s still a lot of basketball to be played.

ESPN’s Seth Greenberg also thinks the Vols have championship criteria.

“When you look at this Tennessee team,’’ Greenberg said, “they can beat you in transition, they can beat you in the half court, they beat you with their defense, they beat you with their depth.

“Most importantly, you look at the DNA of teams that win championships, they have maturity and this team is a mature, experienced team.’’

Tennessee starts three seniors, a sophomore and a freshman and has two seniors that come off the bench.

Barnes met with his team on Friday and talked about Kentucky – not Texas.

Why Kentucky? Because that was the last “big’’ home game for the Vols and they failed the test. Despite jumping out to an 8-0 lead, the Vols fell 63-56 to the Wildcats and were outrebounded 43-23.

“We were terrible,’’ said Barnes, noting he felt his team was too “amped up’’ and “undisciplined.’’

Barnes said his team must ignore the hype that surrounds a big game, i.e., with ESPN’s Game Day crew in Knoxville for the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

“If we’re going to be the team we need to be,’’ Barnes said, “it’s strictly business.’’`

It was strictly business for senior forward Olivier Nkamhoua, who had a career-high 27 points and eight rebounds in arguably his best game in a Tennessee uniform.

But Nkamhoua also had two points and two rebounds in recent games against Kentucky and LSU.

“I hope this gives him the confidence he can build on,’’ Barnes said.

Nkamhoua recognizes he needs to be more consistent and he knows he’s capable or more. He’s had four 20-point games this season and two 10-rebound games.

“it’s been three years working to get where we are now,’’ he said. “We’ve been getting better all year and we’ll keep getting better.

“We have to come in with the mature attitude that we haven’t arrived. We haven’t won a national championship. We haven’t won an SEC Championship (this season). We haven’t won a regular-season championship. We haven’t won anything. … We have proven nothing with this team, so we have to stay hungry.’’

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