The investigation continues by Knoxville Police after two people reportedly drag racing two Dodge Chargers down Magnolia Avenue cause a multiple-vehicle accident that results in the death of one person.
It happened yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) near Milligan Street. The two chargers crashed into a Ford Explorer after reportedly running a red light, killing the driver and critically injuring a 5 and 11 year-old.
One of the Chargers ran into an occupied building on Magnolia Avenue but fortunately no one inside of the building was injured.
A 21 and 20 year-old are both charged with felony reckless endangerment and drag racing. One is in custody, while the other remains hospitalized and will be taken into custody upon his release. Additional charges are pending.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — RV/RV Tennessee (14-6, 6-0 SEC) hosts its annual “We Back Pat” game at 6:32 p.m. on Thursday, as Florida (12-6, 1-4 SEC) makes its way to Thompson-Boling Arena for the second meeting of the 2022-23 campaign between these squads.
The Lady Vols and Gators opened their SEC seasons back on Dec. 29, with UT taking a 77-66 victory at Exactech Arena in Gainesville. Tennessee and Florida will meet for the 61st time in a series that dates back to 1980, with UT holding a 55-5 advantage through their first matchup this season.
Through six games, UT remains tied atop the SEC standings along with South Carolina and LSU, while Florida stands alone in 10th place. Kellie Harper‘s squad enters on a seven-game winning streak and has been victorious in 12 of its past 14 contests, with its only two losses coming vs. (then) No. 9/9 Virginia Tech (59-56) on Dec. 4 and at No. 2/2 Stanford on Dec. 18 (77-70). A UT win vs. UF would equal last year’s 7-0 league start as the best by the Lady Vols since opening at 13-0 in 2014-15 en route to a 15-1 league record and regular-season title that year.
On Sunday in Knoxville, Tennessee remained perfect in SEC play by taking care of Georgia with a 68-55 victory behind 23 points from Rickea Jackson and 16 from Tess Darby in front of a season-best crowd of 9,772. UT improved to 10-2 at home this season, including 3-0 in league games. The Lady Vols traditionally have been hard to beat at Thompson-Boling Arena with a 90-percent winning percentage and 502-54 record there over 36 years
Following an 11-1 start this season and 11-2 non-conference record, Florida has lost three in a row and five of its last six games with leading scorer Leilani Correa absent for seven contests due to injury before returning the last game. On Sunday in Gainesville, Florida took an 18-10 lead after the opening stanza, but Kentucky outscored the Gators 71-57 the rest of the way by tallying 20 points or more in the final three quarters to win its first SEC game of the year.
We Back Pat Week
The 12th annual “We Back Pat” Week, a week-long initiative focused on bringing awareness and recognition to the Pat Summitt Foundation, a fund of East Tennessee Foundation, and its fight against Alzheimer’s disease is set for Jan. 19-26.
SEC member institutions will support The Pat Summitt Foundation during their home basketball games. During the women’s games slated for the week, various efforts will be made to increase awareness of The Pat Summitt Foundation.
The Lady Vols are slated to wear their “We Back Pat” edition uniforms for the Florida game at home and the Missouri contest on the road.
Game Promotions
For the “We Back Pat” game, the first 3,000 fans will receive a replica Pat Summitt statue.
Weekday Family 4 Pack Deal: Get four tickets & four $10 concession vouchers starting at $48 (plus tax/fees).
Ticket packages are available at AllVols.com.
Free parking for Lady Vol games is available on the UT Ag Campus, in lot CF (across from Brehm and Food Science) and S65/66 (behind Vet Hospital).
Free shuttle buses also run from the Ag Campus to Thompson-Boling Arena and back, starting two hours prior to the game and one hour afterward.
The shuttle location on the UT Ag Campus is on River Drive near Brehm and across from the CF lot.
All shuttles are fully accessible for those with disabilities (purple star).
Broadcast Information
Thursday’s game will be streamed on SECN+, with Michael Wottreng (PxP), Kamera Harris (Analyst) and Sarah Detwiler 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. but will not be available this game.
Looking Back At The UGA Game
Tennessee improved to 6-0 in SEC play on Sunday, defeating Georgia 68-55 in front of a season-best crowd of 9,772 in Thompson-Boling Arena.
Debuting their Summitt Legacy series Summitt Blue uniforms, the Lady Vols (14-6, 6-0 SEC) won their seventh straight game and claimed victory for the 12th time in their last 14 contests, remaining in a tie for first place in the league standings.
The triumph also was the 50th home win for Kellie Harper as head coach at her alma mater.
Senior Rickea Jackson was the game’s high scorer with 23 points. Junior Tess Darby was also in double digits for Tennessee, tying her season high of 16. Graduate Jordan Walker dished out eight assists for the second straight game, tying her season high set at Texas A&M.
UGA (13-7, 2-4 SEC) was led by Brittney Smith and Diamond Battles with 14 and 12, respectively. The Lady Bulldogs were limited to 30.2 percent shooting from the field and suffered an 0-for-14 afternoon beyond the arc, becoming the first team since LSU (0-for-4) on Feb. 2, 2017, to be held without a three-pointer by the Big Orange.
Darby On A Roll
Tess Darby drained four threes en route to a season-high-tying 16 points.
She has now finished in double figures five times this season, with four of those coming in conference play.
It’s also the 12th contest in which she’s hit multiple treys and the eighth time she has made three or more this season.
Counting On Kea
With 23 points against Georgia, Rickea Jackson logged her eighth 20+ point performance of the season and fifth during SEC play.
She is now averaging 22.7 ppg. against conference foes through six games.
JoJo Dropping Dimes
Jordan Walker matched her season high with eight assists vs. Georgia on Sunday.
It marked the second straight game with eight dimes for the graduate guard, as she also dropped that same number vs. Texas A&M last Thursday night in College Station.
Florida features the trio of Leilani Correa (15.1), KK Deans (14.8) and Nina Rickards (13.7) averaging double figures in points. Correa, however, returned to the lineup vs. Kentucky on Sunday after last playing Dec. 11 vs. Miami.
UF holds foes to 38.9 FG pct. and 67.7 ppg. for the season but to 44.9 pct. and 78.0 ppg. in league play.
The Gators grab 8.4 steals per contest (6.4 in SEC).
Florida’s Last Game
Florida fell at home in a heartbreaker Sunday to Kentucky, 81-75, after a second-half Wildcat surge.
The Gators (12-6, 1-4 SEC) were led by KK Deans with 21 points, which included five triples, while Nina Rickards added 18 and Ra Shaya Kyle tallied 13 points.
The Gators shot 27-of-64 (42.2%) for the game and 6-of-18 (33.3%) from three-point range. At the free throw line, UF finished with a 15-of-28 (53.6%) clip.
UT/UF Notes
UT is 24-2 vs. UF in games played in Knoxville, 23-3 in Gainesville and 8-0 at neutral sites.
UT is 3-1 in overtime contests vs the Gators, including 3-0 in Gainesville in those extra-frame affairs.
UT’s record for most free throws made in a game (40-46) came at Florida on 2/3/05.
Tamari Key’s 10 blocks vs. Florida in Knoxville on Jan. 31, 2021, as part of a triple-double rank as the second-most ever swatted in a game by a Lady Vol.
Last Meeting Between UT, UF
Senior forward Rickea Jackson fired in a season-high 28 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds to propel Tennessee to a 77-67 road win over Florida on Dec. 29 to open SEC play.
The Lady Vols also got 15 points from senior guard Jordan Horston, who made up for first-half foul trouble with 12 second-half points on 5-of-9 shooting.
Florida had four players in double figures, led by 21 points from Alberte Rimdal. KK Deans added 16, while Nina Rickards and Ra Shaya Kyle tossed in 11 each.
Upcoming Games
Tennessee will be at Missouri on Sunday, facing the Tigers at 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET) in a contest streamed on SECN+.
The Lady Vols return home to host No. 5 UConn on Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, followed by a Jan. 30 game at No. 3/4 LSU on ESPN2 (6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET).
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — RV/RV Tennessee (14-6, 6-0 SEC) hosts its annual “We Back Pat” game at 6:32 p.m. on Thursday, as Florida (12-6, 1-4 SEC) makes its way to Thompson-Boling Arena for the second meeting of the 2022-23 campaign between these squads.
The Lady Vols and Gators opened their SEC seasons back on Dec. 29, with UT taking a 77-66 victory at Exactech Arena in Gainesville. Tennessee and Florida will meet for the 61st time in a series that dates back to 1980, with UT holding a 55-5 advantage through their first matchup this season.
Through six games, UT remains tied atop the SEC standings along with South Carolina and LSU, while Florida stands alone in 10th place. Kellie Harper‘s squad enters on a seven-game winning streak and has been victorious in 12 of its past 14 contests, with its only two losses coming vs. (then) No. 9/9 Virginia Tech (59-56) on Dec. 4 and at No. 2/2 Stanford on Dec. 18 (77-70). A UT win vs. UF would equal last year’s 7-0 league start as the best by the Lady Vols since opening at 13-0 in 2014-15 en route to a 15-1 league record and regular-season title that year.
On Sunday in Knoxville, Tennessee remained perfect in SEC play by taking care of Georgia with a 68-55 victory behind 23 points from Rickea Jackson and 16 from Tess Darby in front of a season-best crowd of 9,772. UT improved to 10-2 at home this season, including 3-0 in league games. The Lady Vols traditionally have been hard to beat at Thompson-Boling Arena with a 90-percent winning percentage and 502-54 record there over 36 years
Following an 11-1 start this season and 11-2 non-conference record, Florida has lost three in a row and five of its last six games with leading scorer Leilani Correa absent for seven contests due to injury before returning the last game. On Sunday in Gainesville, Florida took an 18-10 lead after the opening stanza, but Kentucky outscored the Gators 71-57 the rest of the way by tallying 20 points or more in the final three quarters to win its first SEC game of the year.
We Back Pat Week
The 12th annual “We Back Pat” Week, a week-long initiative focused on bringing awareness and recognition to the Pat Summitt Foundation, a fund of East Tennessee Foundation, and its fight against Alzheimer’s disease is set for Jan. 19-26.
SEC member institutions will support The Pat Summitt Foundation during their home basketball games. During the women’s games slated for the week, various efforts will be made to increase awareness of The Pat Summitt Foundation.
The Lady Vols are slated to wear their “We Back Pat” edition uniforms for the Florida game at home and the Missouri contest on the road.
Game Promotions
For the “We Back Pat” game, the first 3,000 fans will receive a replica Pat Summitt statue.
Weekday Family 4 Pack Deal: Get four tickets & four $10 concession vouchers starting at $48 (plus tax/fees).
Ticket packages are available at AllVols.com.
Free parking for Lady Vol games is available on the UT Ag Campus, in lot CF (across from Brehm and Food Science) and S65/66 (behind Vet Hospital).
Free shuttle buses also run from the Ag Campus to Thompson-Boling Arena and back, starting two hours prior to the game and one hour afterward.
The shuttle location on the UT Ag Campus is on River Drive near Brehm and across from the CF lot.
All shuttles are fully accessible for those with disabilities (purple star).
Broadcast Information
Thursday’s game will be streamed on SECN+, with Michael Wottreng (PxP), Kamera Harris (Analyst) and Sarah Detwiler 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. but will not be available this game.
Looking Back At The UGA Game
Tennessee improved to 6-0 in SEC play on Sunday, defeating Georgia 68-55 in front of a season-best crowd of 9,772 in Thompson-Boling Arena.
Debuting their Summitt Legacy series Summitt Blue uniforms, the Lady Vols (14-6, 6-0 SEC) won their seventh straight game and claimed victory for the 12th time in their last 14 contests, remaining in a tie for first place in the league standings.
The triumph also was the 50th home win for Kellie Harper as head coach at her alma mater.
Senior Rickea Jackson was the game’s high scorer with 23 points. Junior Tess Darby was also in double digits for Tennessee, tying her season high of 16. Graduate Jordan Walker dished out eight assists for the second straight game, tying her season high set at Texas A&M.
UGA (13-7, 2-4 SEC) was led by Brittney Smith and Diamond Battles with 14 and 12, respectively. The Lady Bulldogs were limited to 30.2 percent shooting from the field and suffered an 0-for-14 afternoon beyond the arc, becoming the first team since LSU (0-for-4) on Feb. 2, 2017, to be held without a three-pointer by the Big Orange.
Darby On A Roll
Tess Darby drained four threes en route to a season-high-tying 16 points.
She has now finished in double figures five times this season, with four of those coming in conference play.
It’s also the 12th contest in which she’s hit multiple treys and the eighth time she has made three or more this season.
Counting On Kea
With 23 points against Georgia, Rickea Jackson logged her eighth 20+ point performance of the season and fifth during SEC play.
She is now averaging 22.7 ppg. against conference foes through six games.
JoJo Dropping Dimes
Jordan Walker matched her season high with eight assists vs. Georgia on Sunday.
It marked the second straight game with eight dimes for the graduate guard, as she also dropped that same number vs. Texas A&M last Thursday night in College Station.
Florida features the trio of Leilani Correa (15.1), KK Deans (14.8) and Nina Rickards (13.7) averaging double figures in points. Correa, however, returned to the lineup vs. Kentucky on Sunday after last playing Dec. 11 vs. Miami.
UF holds foes to 38.9 FG pct. and 67.7 ppg. for the season but to 44.9 pct. and 78.0 ppg. in league play.
The Gators grab 8.4 steals per contest (6.4 in SEC).
Florida’s Last Game
Florida fell at home in a heartbreaker Sunday to Kentucky, 81-75, after a second-half Wildcat surge.
The Gators (12-6, 1-4 SEC) were led by KK Deans with 21 points, which included five triples, while Nina Rickards added 18 and Ra Shaya Kyle tallied 13 points.
The Gators shot 27-of-64 (42.2%) for the game and 6-of-18 (33.3%) from three-point range. At the free throw line, UF finished with a 15-of-28 (53.6%) clip.
UT/UF Notes
UT is 24-2 vs. UF in games played in Knoxville, 23-3 in Gainesville and 8-0 at neutral sites.
UT is 3-1 in overtime contests vs the Gators, including 3-0 in Gainesville in those extra-frame affairs.
UT’s record for most free throws made in a game (40-46) came at Florida on 2/3/05.
Tamari Key’s 10 blocks vs. Florida in Knoxville on Jan. 31, 2021, as part of a triple-double rank as the second-most ever swatted in a game by a Lady Vol.
Last Meeting Between UT, UF
Senior forward Rickea Jackson fired in a season-high 28 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds to propel Tennessee to a 77-67 road win over Florida on Dec. 29 to open SEC play.
The Lady Vols also got 15 points from senior guard Jordan Horston, who made up for first-half foul trouble with 12 second-half points on 5-of-9 shooting.
Florida had four players in double figures, led by 21 points from Alberte Rimdal. KK Deans added 16, while Nina Rickards and Ra Shaya Kyle tossed in 11 each.
Upcoming Games
Tennessee will be at Missouri on Sunday, facing the Tigers at 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET) in a contest streamed on SECN+.
The Lady Vols return home to host No. 5 UConn on Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, followed by a Jan. 30 game at No. 3/4 LSU on ESPN2 (6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET).
Tennessee announced Tuesday that its home men’s basketball games on Jan. 28 vs. Texas, Feb. 4 vs. Auburn and Feb. 15 vs. Alabama are now sellouts.
Ranked No. 9 nationally and boasting the nation’s top-rated defense, the Vols (14-3, 4-1 SEC) have additional remaining home games against Georgia (Jan. 25), Missouri (Feb. 11), South Carolina (Feb. 25) and Arkansas (Feb. 28). The Arkansas game also marks Senior Day for multiple fan-favorite Vols.
Tennessee currently ranks fifth nationally in average home attendance, drawing 17,265 fans to Thompson-Boling Arena.
Fans are encouraged to visit AllVols.com to purchase tickets now and immerse themselves in the action by feeding the floor in support of the Vols.
Tennessee announced Tuesday that its home men’s basketball games on Jan. 28 vs. Texas, Feb. 4 vs. Auburn and Feb. 15 vs. Alabama are now sellouts.
Ranked No. 9 nationally and boasting the nation’s top-rated defense, the Vols (14-3, 4-1 SEC) have additional remaining home games against Georgia (Jan. 25), Missouri (Feb. 11), South Carolina (Feb. 25) and Arkansas (Feb. 28). The Arkansas game also marks Senior Day for multiple fan-favorite Vols.
Tennessee currently ranks fifth nationally in average home attendance, drawing 17,265 fans to Thompson-Boling Arena.
Fans are encouraged to visit AllVols.com to purchase tickets now and immerse themselves in the action by feeding the floor in support of the Vols.
The ninth-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball team competes in a pair road clashes this week, first traveling to Starkville to take on Mississippi State on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.
Fans can catch Tuesday’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. Tom Hart (play-b y-play) and Dane Bradshaw (analyst) will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.
Tennessee (14-3, 4-1 SEC) is coming off its first SEC defeat of the season Saturday, falling to Kentucky, 63-56. Despite the loss, senior forward Uros Plavsic had a career-best day, scoring a career-high 19 points on 9-for-11 shooting in a season-high 26 minutes.
Tuesday marks the second meeting between Tennessee and Mississippi State this season. The Vols defeated the Bulldogs in Knoxville on Jan. 3, 87-53, behind the fourth-highest field-goal percentage in program history (.692). The 34-point margin of victory was the largest margin of victory in the history of the 133-game series.
Following Tuesday’s road contest in Starkville, Tennessee is back on the road just four days later at LSU on Saturday. Tip off is set for 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.
THE SERIES • Tennessee leads its all-time series with Mississippi State, 89-44, dating to 1924. • When the series is contested in Starkville, the Vols own a 31-29 advantage. • The Vols have been victorious in seven of their last 10 trips to The Hump. That dates to 2008. • Tennessee has won eight of the last nine meetings overall. • Tennessee defeated MSU, 87-53, in Knoxville on Jan. 3. The Vols also beat the Bulldogs twice last season, logging wins in Starkville and Tampa. • Tennessee is 2-1 in games for which Chris Jans is a member of the opposing coaching staff. That includes a home-and-home series split with Wichita State in 2012 and 2013. • The Vols have won four straight SEC road games, dating to last season (not including three neutral-site wins in Tampa).
SCOUTING REPORT • The Vols have been No. 2 in the NCAA’s NET ratings since Jan. 3. • Tennessee ranks among the top 10 nationally in six different statistical categories. • These Vols have won eight games by 30 or more points. • During conference play, Tennessee leads the SEC in scoring defense (57.0 ppg), field-goal percentage (.504), assists (19.4 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (1.49). • Zakai Zeigler is averaging a league-best 7.4 assists during SEC play. • Santiago Vescovi is averaging 15.2 points in SEC games, shooting .509 from the field and .419 from 3-point range. • Starting forwards Olivier Nkamhoua and Uroš Plavšić have combined to shoot .694 in SEC play. • Over Tennessee’s last three games, Uroš Plavšić is UT’s top rebounder (5.7 rpg) while ranking second on the squad in scoring (12.0 ppg). • In Tennessee’s 14 wins, true freshman Julian Phillips averages a team-best 6.1 rebounds per game. • UT’s bench is giving the Vols 23.8 points per game.
THE NATION’S BEST DEFENSE • For the eighth straight week, the Volunteers own the best adjusted defensive efficiency in the country per KenPom, allowing only 82.9 points per 100 possessions. • Tennessee owns the best overall field-goal percentage defense (.335) and 3-point defense in Division I (.209). • In 17 games, Tennessee opponents have managed to make only 81 3-pointers—just 4.8 per game. • Nine times this season, the Vols have held their opponents to 50 points or less. • Only two opposing players have scored 20 or more points against the Vols this season. • In SEC play, the Vols are forcing 14.4 turnovers per game. • Tennessee trailed at the break only three times this season and is outscoring its opponents 35.8 ppg to 25.3 ppg in first-half action (+10.5 ppg).
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE • Mississippi State (12-5, 1-4 SEC) has dropped two out of three games since its first meeting with Tennessee two weeks ago on Jan. 3—defeating Ole Miss at home before falling at Georgia and Auburn. • Overall, the Bulldogs have lost five of their past six games after starting the season 11-0 and ascending to No. 15 in the AP Poll. • Mississippi State is 7-1 at home in Humphrey Coliseum this season, with the lone loss coming to the current No. 4 team in the nation, Alabama. • The Bulldogs’ defense ranks near the top of the SEC and nation in several statistical categories: • Scoring Defense: 57.5 ppg (5th in D-I/2nd in SEC) • Field-Goal Percentage: 38.5% (15th/3rd) • Steals: 10.1 spg (8th/2nd) • Mississippi State also ranks eighth in the nation in offensive rebounding with 13.8 orpg. • Redshirt junior forward Tolu Smith, a preseason first-team All-SEC selection, has been a force this season for the Bulldogs—averaging team-high totals of 14.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. • Smith was limited to just nine points and two rebounds by Tennessee on Jan. 3—his season-low in rebounding and one of just five times this season he has been limited to single-digit scoring. • Smith’s 58.8 field-goal percentage leads the SEC, while he is also elite at getting to the free-throw line—ranking 13th in the nation and first in the SEC in free-throw attempts this season (120). • Just behind Smith statistically for the Bulldogs is senior forward D.J. Jeffries, who averages 9.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. • Tennessee Director of Video and Analytics Luke Schapker served as a manager at Bowling Green during Jans’ lone season as BGSU’s head coach in 2014-15.
LAST MEETING WITH THE BULLDOGS • No. 8 Tennessee dominated Mississippi State, 87-53, on Jan. 3 in Thompson-Boling Arena. • Tennessee recorded the fourth-highest field-goal percentage in program history, shooting 69.2 percent in the 34-point triumph—the largest margin of victory in the history of the 133-game series. The Vols connected on 76 percent of their field-goal attempts in the second half. • SEC Sixth Man of the Year candidate Zakai Zeigler’s first career double-double also featured a career-best single-game assist total, as the sophomore registered 11 points and 10 rebounds on the night. • Santiago Vescovi sparked Tennessee’s offense early, logging 14 first-half points with four 3-pointers. • Julian Phillips was efficient, tallying 11 points of 5-of-6 shooting to go along with seven rebounds. Tobe Awaka pulled down six boards while adding nine points on a 4-of-5 shooting effort. • Uros Plavsic and Olivier Nkamhoua mirrored shooting performances, each going 5-of-5 from the field. Josiah-Jordan James recorded an eight-point night with four assists in his return to action following an extended injury absence. • MSU was led by Tyler Stevenson’s 15-point effort. Collectively, the Bulldogs were limited to a .396 clip from the field, making just over 22 percent of their 3-point attempts. Five Vols reached double-figure scoring in the win, with Tennessee turning defense to offense by accumulating 20 points off 12 Mississippi State turnovers. • Four Vols scored prior to the first media timeout, as the Vols raced to a 16-0 advantage within the game’s opening five minutes.
SECOND TIME’S A CHARM • Since 2018, Rick Barnes and his staff have guided the Volunteers to a 19-5 (.792) record in regular-season rematch games (SEC Tournament games not included).
BACK-TO-BACK LOSSES RARE • Tennessee has not lost consecutive games since the 2021 postseason. • UT’s last back-to-back losses to SEC opponents came in January 2021 at Florida (Jan. 19) and vs. Missouri (Jan. 23). • The Vols haven’t suffered consecutive non-conference losses since dropping games vs. Wisconsin (Dec. 28, 2019) and at No. 3 Kansas (Jan. 25, 2020).
UNDER-THE-RADAR AWAKA EMERGING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE • Despite not being a highly-ranked prospect, true freshman forward Tobe Awaka quickly earned a role in the Tennessee rotation with his relentless physicality and willingness to rebound and defend. • The New York native’s first big opportunity came against Maryland in Brooklyn on Dec. 11. With Jonas Aidoo sidelined with an illness, Awaka gave the Vols seven points and eight rebounds in a season-high 17 minutes. He was +17 in the neutral-site win. • Incredibly, Awaka leads all Division I players with a total rebounding percentage of 26.9 percent. • In games in which he plays 10 or more minutes, Awaka is averaging 7.8 rpg.
SIGHTS SET ON STEALS RECORD • This year’s team is flirting with the Tennessee single-season record for steals per game:
On Thursday, January 19, Knox County Public Library and Imagination Library will host five story time celebrations in honor of Dolly Parton’s 77th birthday. Each party begins at 10:30 and includes stories, activities, crafts, and cupcakes. Participants are invited to create a personal birthday message to Dolly, which will be delivered to her following the events. All parties are free and open to the public.
Participating library locations include:
Bearden Branch Library, 100 Golf Club Road
Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway
Cedar Bluff Branch Library, 9045 Cross Park Drive
Farragut Branch Library, 417 N. Campbell Station Road
Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road
Dolly Parton started the Imagination Library in Sevier County in 1996 to send books to every child in the county under the age of five. The program has grown worldwide, serving several countries and 2,240,296 children. The Knox County program serves more than 19,000 children every month and has sent out more than 3.7 million books since 2005.
An inmate on death row in Tennessee has died but not by execution.
The Tennessee Department of Correction says 71 year-old James Dellinger died at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville yesterday (Monday) from apparent natural causes.
He was previously sentenced to death in 1996 for first degree murder out of Blount County after being found guilty in the 1992 shotgun slaying of 24 year-old Tommy Griffin.
He was also convicted in 1993 of murdering Griffin’s sister, Connie Branam, whose body was discovered in her burned vehicle.
His exact cause of death is pending official determination by a medical examiner.
