Vols Hold at No. 5/5 in Polls Entering Primetime Battle

Vols Hold at No. 5/5 in Polls Entering Primetime Battle

Posted on November 13, 2022

AP Poll | Coaches Poll

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Volunteers held at No. 5 in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA TODAY AFCA Coaches poll following a dominating 66-24 win over Missouri on Senior Day on Saturday afternoon.

Tennessee (9-1, 5-1 SEC) currently ranks fifth in all three polls after the College Football Playoff committee tabbed the Vols in the No. 5 spot last Tuesday night. This week’s edition of the CFP rankings will be unveiled at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday on ESPN.

The Vols finished the 2022 home slate on a high note with a historic offensive showing, accumulating the most yards of total offense in program history with 724. Tennessee also finished unbeaten at home for the first time since 2007. The energy has been palpable on Rocky Top all season, as Vol Nation sold out the 101,915 seats in Neyland Stadium for the sixth-consecutive game.

The Big Orange will gear up for another road test in a hostile environment as Tennessee travels to South Carolina next Saturday to face the Gamecocks at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

Full rankings for both polls can be found below.

Vols in the Polls
Preseason: RV AP, RV Coaches
Sept. 6: 24 AP, RV Coaches
Sept. 11: 15 AP, 16 Coaches
Sept. 18: 11 AP, 12 Coaches
Sept. 25: 8 AP, 9 Coaches
Oct. 2: 8 AP, 8 Coaches
Oct. 9: 6 AP, 8 Coaches
Oct. 16: 3 AP, 4 Coaches
Oct. 23: 3 AP, 3 Coaches
Oct. 30: 1 CFP, t2 AP, 3 Coaches
Nov. 6: 5 CFP, 5 AP, 5 Coaches
Nov. 13: TBD CFP, 5 AP, 5 Coaches
 
Associated Press Top 25
1. Georgia (62)
2. Ohio State (1)
3. Michigan
4. TCU
5. Tennessee
6. LSU
7. Southern Cal
8. Alabama
9. Clemson
10. Utah
11. Penn State
12. Oregon
13. North Carolina
14. Ole Miss
15. Washington
16. UCLA
17. UCF
18. Notre Dame
19. Kansas State
20. Florida State
21. Tulane
22. Cincinnati
23. Coastal Carolina
24. Oklahoma State
25. Oregon State
 
Others receiving votes: NC State, Texas, UTSA, Troy, Duke, Liberty, Illinois, Minnesota, Florida, Boise State, South Alabama
 
USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll
1. Georgia (61)
2. Ohio State (1)
3. Michigan (1)
4. TCU
5. Tennessee
6. Southern Cal
7. LSU
8. Alabama
9. Clemson
10. Utah
11. North Carolina
12. Penn State
13. Oregon
14. Ole Miss
15. Washington
16. UCLA
17. Kansas State
18. UCF
19. Notre Dame
20. Florida State
21. Cincinnati
22. Tulane
23. Coastal Carolina
24. Oklahoma State
25. NC State
 
Others receiving votes: Texas, Oregon State, Illinois, UTSA, Troy, Minnesota, Duke, Liberty, Pitt, Kentucky, Florida, Boise State, Air Force, Wake Forest, South Alabama, Toledo

-UT Athletics

Vols WR Bru McCoy / Credit: UT Athletics
Quotes/Stats/Story: No. 5 Tennessee Waltzes Past Missouri, 66-24, On Senior Day; School Record 724 Yards of Offense

Quotes/Stats/Story: No. 5 Tennessee Waltzes Past Missouri, 66-24, On Senior Day; School Record 724 Yards of Offense

Posted on November 12, 2022

Final Book (PDF) | UT Postgame Notes (PDF) | UT Postgame Quotes (PDF) 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – With a sellout Senior Day crowd of 101,915 on hand, No. 5 Tennessee unleashed a school-record offensive performance and scored 38 unanswered points over the final two quarters to waltz past Missouri, 66-24, in its final appearance of 2022 at Neyland Stadium.
 
The Volunteers, who played in front of their sixth consecutive full house at home for the first time since 2006, improved to 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers, meanwhile, fell to 4-6 overall and 2-5 in league play.

UT generated 724 total yards of offense, including 460 through the air and 264 on the ground to break the old mark of 718 set versus Troy in 2012. The Vols managed Saturday’s explosion against a Missouri team that had entered the match-up ranking 13th nationally in total defense, allowing 304.1 yards per game.
 
The point total by the Big Orange was the most the program has scored against an SEC opponent. The previous high was 65 against Vanderbilt in Nashville in a shutout on Nov. 26, 1994. It also ranked as the third most points produced in the modern era (1933-present) behind a 70-3 home win over Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 23, 2000, and a 68-0 home triumph over Tennessee Tech on Oct. 27, 1951.
 
The Vols eclipsed 50 points for the fifth time this season, representing the most 50-point games in a single season in school history. The previous record of four occurred in 1914, 1993 and 2015.
 
The player responsible for igniting Tennessee’s offensive fireworks sizzled in his final game on Shields-Watkins Field. Quarterback Hendon Hooker carded the fourth 300-yard passing effort this season and seventh of his career, finishing 25 of 35 for 355 yards and three touchdowns. The redshirt senior also carried eight times for 50 yards and a score. It was his third game of 400 yards of total offense this season and fourth as a Vol with the 405-yard effort vs. Missouri. He now ranks sixth for total yards in a season at Tennessee with 3,293.
 
Junior wide receiver Jalin Hyatt finished the day with seven receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season with a 30-yard catch in the second quarter. He now has 58 catches for 1,116 yards in 2022, carding the 10th 1K receiving season in Vol history and becoming the ninth player to accomplish that feat, with Joey Kent the only UT receiver to do so twice.
 
Hyatt’s 1,116 yards rank third best in a season at Tennessee behind Robert Meachem (1,298, 2006) and Marcus Nash (1,170, 1997) with two games to play in the regular season. With his touchdown reception Saturday, Hyatt also built onto his school record with score No. 15 on the campaign, a number that is tied for the sixth best in SEC history.
 
Other offensive stars included redshirt junior receiver Bru McCoy, who had his third 100-yard receiving day with 111 on nine catches, and freshman running back Dylan Sampson, who led the ground attack with a career-best 98 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
 
Redshirt senior tight end Princeton Fant caught two touchdown passes, now giving him scores this season via receiving (2), rushing (4) and passing (1). Junior Jabari Small and sophomore Jaylen Wright also hit paydirt on the ground, contributing 54 and 51 yards to the ground attack, respectively.
 
The afternoon began with Tennessee forcing Missouri into a three-and-out on its opening possession, and the Vols took over at their own nine due to an illegal block penalty on the punt return. Following key pass plays of 22 and 38 yards from Hooker to redshirt senior tight end Jacob Warren and McCoy, respectively, and a 17-yard scramble from the Vol signal caller, Small capped the 91-yard drive on the seventh play with a 10-yard sprint around the right end. Redshirt senior Chase McGrath added the extra point to make it 7-0 Big Orange with 11:05 left in the first quarter.
 
On the ensuing drive, Missouri halted Tennessee on a fourth-and-four attempt at the Tiger 32. Mizzou’s offense, energized by that stop, marched 68 yards in nine plays to even the score with 1:56 remaining in the opening stanza. Quarterback Brady Cook pitched left to Luther Burden III, and the speedy wide receiver raced into the end zone from four yards out. Harrison Mevis added the PAT to make it 7-7.
 
The score didn’t stay knotted for long, as UT needed just over two minutes to retake the lead. After Hyatt snared a 30-yard pass from Hooker down to the three-yard line and eclipsed the 1K receiving mark for his career, Wright burst through the middle of the line and into the checkerboard for his seventh touchdown of the season. McGrath tacked on the extra point to make it 14-7 Vols with 14:41 left in the second frame.
 
The home team struck again on its fourth possession. With receptions of 14 yards by senior wide receiver Ramel Keyton and 17 by McCoy, sandwiched around a seven-yard Hooker scramble with a 15-yard horse-collar tackle penalty added on, Tennessee quickly moved into scoring position at the MU 19. On the next play, Hooker found Fant in the back corner of the end zone for his first receiving TD of the year to go along with four rushing and one passing. McGrath’s PAT pushed the Big Orange’s lead to 21-7 with 10:24 to go before the half.
 
Missouri answered and closed the gap to seven with 5:48 remaining in the second stanza. Wide receiver Tauskie Dove hauled in a pass from Cook and eluded two would-be tacklers on his way to a 43-yard score. Mevis booted the extra point to cut UT’s lead to 21-14.
 
Hooker and company made quick work in restoring the lead to 14, needing only 1:42 to check that box. With 59 of the drive’s 75 yards coming on the ground, including rushes of 26 from Small and 19 by Wright, Hooker put the finishing touches on it with a 14-yard option keeper. McGrath’s kick made it 28-14 Tennessee with 4:06 left before the intermission.
 
After stopping a Vols drive on fourth-and-five late in the second quarter, Missouri took over at its own 41. On the second play, Cook scrambled 40 yards down to the UT 19 to put the Tigers in position for points. Mevis came on three plays later to boot a 32-yard field goal to send his team into the locker room trailing Tennessee, 28-17.
 
At the half, the Vols had 368 yards of total offense, including 229 passing on a 17-of-24 effort by Hooker. He also led Tennessee’s 136-yard rushing effort with 57 on six carries. McCoy nearly had 100 yards receiving in the opening 30 minutes, hauling in a career-high-tying seven balls for 91 yards.
 
Tennessee was limited to one first down on its opening drive of the second half before punting the ball back to Missouri. The Tigers took over at their own 15 and marched 85 yard in eight plays. A 38-yard pass from Cook to receiver Dominic Lovett and a Mevis PAT cut UT’s advantage to 28-24 with 8:55 to go in the third quarter.
 
With MU starting to have visions of a possible upset, the Vols responded promptly in big-play fashion and methodically put the Tigers away. A 68-yard catch and run by Hyatt from Hooker and a McGrath extra point pushed the lead back to 11 just 25 seconds later at 35-24 with 8:30 left in the third.
 
After UT’s defense forced another Mizzou punt, the Vol offense wasted little time padding the lead. With bursts of 42 and 15 yards on the ground from Sampson speeding up the process, Tennessee needed only three plays and 41 seconds to go 69 yards. A two-yard Hooker to Fant TD toss put the finishing touches on it. McGrath’s PAT made it 42-24 with 4:34 left on the clock in the third frame.
 
Another Mizzou three-and-out was followed by another UT score. Wright pounded it in from the one for his second score of the day to cap an eight-play, 67-yard trip down the field that featured 23 yards of it on the ground by Wright and 17 from Sampson. McGrath’s kick pushed the score to 49-24 Vols with 1:19 remaining in the third period.
 
After Doneiko Slaughter recovered a Missouri fumble at the Tigers 30, Tennessee was able to produce three more points via a field goal. McGrath was good from 48 yards to push the score to 51-24 with 7:54 left in the game.
 
Redshirt senior quarterback Joe Milton III came on in relief of Hooker with 6:10 to go in the game and looked sharp in directing the Vols to a pair of touchdowns. He finished 3-of-3 passing for 105 yards and a touchdown.
 
On his second snap under center, Milton connected with Keyton for a 46-yard TD pass. Toby Wilson drilled the extra point to make the scoreboard read 59-24 Big Orange with 5:43 left in the game.
 
Milton was just as sharp on his second possession at the helm, leading Tennessee to the end zone in just five plays. His 58-yard pass to Squirrel White set the Vols up at the Missouri one-yard line. Two plays later, Sampson squirted up the middle for a touchdown. Wilson’s PAT made it 66-24 with 2:30 to go, and that’s the way it would end.
 
The Vols hit the road next weekend to take on South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. The contest will be played on Saturday night, with the game kicking at either 7 p.m. ET on ESPN or 7:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.

-UT Athletics

Vols QB Hendon Hooker / Credit: UT Athletics
Jimmy’s blog: Hooker fights back tears, then tears up Missouri’s defense

Jimmy’s blog: Hooker fights back tears, then tears up Missouri’s defense

Posted on November 12, 2022

By Jimmy Hyams

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker fought back tears as he experienced the Vol Walk for the last time, knowing he was about to play his last game at Neyland Stadium.

This is a guy that was tossed aside by Virginia Tech, a guy that didn’t get a plethora of offers when he entered the transfer a portal, a guy who didn’t win the starting job at Tennessee last August.

But here he was, the toast of Tennessee, about to embark on the last game at his new home.

He ran through the `T’ for the final time to a thunderous ovation, then had fans on their feet with a brilliant performance in leading the Vols to an are-you-kidding-me 66-24 victory over Missouri on a chilly Senior Day at Neyland Stadium.

A week after losing 27-13 at Georgia, Tennessee exploded behind Hooker, who put up Heisman Trophy like numbers. Hooker was 25 of 35 for 355 yards and three scores. He ran for 50 yards and another score.

He absolutely torched a team that led Georgia by 10 points in the fourth quarter and a defense that allowed just 26 points to the Dawgs.

“He’ll (go down) as one of the great ones here, no matter how it ends up,’’ Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said of Hooker. “His perseverance hasn’t gone unnoticed.’’

Tennessee had a precarious 28-24 led with 8:55 left in the third quarter, but then Hooker hit Jalin Hyatt on a well-designed 68-yard touchdown pass to open the flood gates. The Vols outscored Missouri 38-0 over the final 24 minutes to put the game away.

Heupel liked the sideline demeanor after Missouri closed the gap to four points.

“We didn’t panic,’’ he said. “We just settled into our game plan.’’

It’s remarkable what Tennessee has done to three of the top four defenses in the SEC.

Missouri had the No. 4 ranked defense in the SEC and UT scored 62 points and generated a school-record 724 yards.

Alabama had the No. 1 defense in the SEC and Tennessee got 52 points and 567 yards.

Kentucky had the No. 2 defense in the SEC and UT got 44 points and 422 yards.

That’s an average of 54 points and 575 yards against three of the top four defenses in the SEC, and 90% of the damage was done without star receiver Cedric Tillman, who has just one touchdown catch this season.

No one could have predicted that Tennessee would actually score more points this season against Missouri than it did last year in winning 62-24.

“On the field, we want to be explosive playmakers and win ballgames,’’ Hooker said.

Hyatt was among those playmakers. Despite dropping two passes, he caught seven passes for 146 yards and a touchdown. His 68-yard score was a thing of beauty.

“That’s been in my back pocket for a while,’’ Heupel said.

Hyatt described the play.

“I was hiding behind the left guard,’’ said Hyatt. “We were just trying to get them confused with the zone they went in. I saw the corner follow Bru (McCoy) so it was just an easy pitch and catch for us.’’

Hooker was confident the play would work.

“It’s successful every time we run it in practice,’’ Hooker said.  “I heard somebody on the sideline say, `Too easy.’’’

It was so easy and it gave the Vols some breathing room at 35-24.

Tennessee led by only four points midway through the third quarter in part because it couldn’t tackle Missouri quarterback Brady Cook, who had 86 rushing yards in the first half, including a 40-yard sprint that set up a field before halftime to cut UT’s lead to 28-17.

Tennessee did a much better job containing Cook in the second half as he rushed for only 20 yards.

“We didn’t make any adjustments,’’ Heupel said. “Just better execution.’’

Tillman’s absence was a mystery. Heupel said it had nothing to do with Tillman’s ankle, which he hurt against Akron. He said Tillman could’ve played but after warmups, they felt it was best if he didn’t.

The Vols certainly showed no ill affects from suffering their first loss of the season at Georgia last Saturday.  

They also impressed the College Football Playoff selection committee, which placed the Vols No. 5 in this week’s poll.

Tennessee (9-1) has now gone undefeated at home for the first time since 2007.

It has won five SEC games for just the second time in the past 14 years.

It hasn’t won six conference games in 15 years.

And it is relevant in the CFP conversation for the first time ever.

Not bad for a team that went 3-7 in 2020, lost over 40 players for a variety of reasons over a 12-month period and still hasn’t resolved an NCAA investigation which found 18 serious recruiting violations.

Hyatt was pleased with the way UT responded to the loss at Georgia.

“Our focus is on our goal,’’ he said, “and that’s to win the national championship.’’

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

Hoops Preview: #5/4 Lady Vols vs. #11/11 Indiana

Hoops Preview: #5/4 Lady Vols vs. #11/11 Indiana

Posted on November 12, 2022

No. 5/4 Tennessee (1-1) will look to build its first winning streak of the 2022-23 season, as it welcomes No. 11/11 Indiana (2-0) to Thompson-Boling Arena for a 6 p.m. ET contest on Monday.

This will mark the third meeting between the Lady Volunteers and Hoosiers and features the first visit by IU to Knoxville. This also is the second part of a home-and-home series between the schools after an unranked Big Orange squad paid a visit to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Dec. 17, 2020, and secured a 66-58 victory.

Tennessee is in the midst of a six-game campaign-opening gauntlet over two weeks, featuring its third contest in the initial seven days of the schedule. The Big Orange began that run of games with an 87-75 late-night loss at No. 14/15 Ohio State, another Big Ten foe, on Tuesday night. UT followed it Thursday with a 74-65 home triumph over a highly-regarded UMass club.

IU enters after posting wins over Vermont, 86-49, on Nov. 8 and vs. the sister school of UT’s previous foe UMass, UMass Lowell, 93-37, on Nov. 11.

Hoops For Hunger/Weekday Family 4 Pack

  • The UT-Indiana showdown is Tennessee’s “Hoops For Hunger” game. 
  • Donate two non-perishable food items and receive one complimentary ticket to the game. Donations benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank.
  • A “Weekday Family 4 Pack” ticket package also is available on Monday night, featuring four tickets and four $10 concessions vouchers starting at $48 (plus tax/fees).

Broadcast Information

  • UT graduate Courtney Lyle (play-by-play) and former Lady Vol basketball assistant (1993-95) Carolyn Peck (analyst) will be on the broadcast for ESPN2.
  • 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 radio stations and by audio stream, with Voice of the Lady Vols Brian Rice in his first season behind the mic. He will be joined by studio host Andy Brock. 
  • A link to the live audio stream can be found on each game’s Hoops Central page or the Lady Vol 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.
  • Satellite radio listeners can find the UT broadcast on Sirius XM Ch. 136 or 190 or on the SXM App at 961.

Harper Scheduling Very Summitt-Like

  • Tennessee’s schedule features games vs. seven teams ranked in the preseason polls and potential match-ups in two more games at the Bad Boy Mowers Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis.
  • Perhaps taking a page out of the Pat Summitt playbook on scheduling, Kellie Harper has her squad opening against two ranked teams in the first three games, followed by the potential for more in the B4A.
  • The Big Orange women are set to face three teams from the 2022 NCAA Final Four (South Carolina, Stanford, UConn) and could face a fourth (Louisville) in the Atlantis tourney.
  • The Lady Vols host No. 1/1 South Carolina, No. 6/6 UConn, No. 11/11 Indiana and No. 13/13 Virginia Tech.
  • UT has road contests at No. 2/2 Stanford, No. 14/15 Ohio State and No. 16/14 LSU. 
  • Potential ranked Battle 4 Atlantis foes in two contests include No. 3/3 Texas, No. 7/5 Louisville and No. 23/24 South Dakota State.

Next On The Schedule

  • Following Monday’s tilt, the Lady Vols will gear up for a trip to Paradise Island, Bahamas, where they’ll take part in the Bad Boy Mowers Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis (PDF).
  • Tennessee opens tourney play on Saturday at noon ET vs. Rutgers in a contest streamed by FloHoops.
  • The winner will meet the victor of UCLA and No. 23/24 South Dakota State at noon on Sunday. The losers of the first-round game will meet at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
  • The lower half of the bracket features first-round match-ups between No. 3/3 Texas and Marquette at 5 p.m. on Saturday and No. 7/5 Louisville vs. Gonzaga at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
  • Sunday contests also are on FloHoops. Winners bracket games on Monday are on linear TV, including the championship game at noon on ESPN and the third-place contest at 2:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

Everywhere You Look, Greenfield

  • Monday night’s match-up will feature a reunion of three players from Greenfield (Tenn.) High School’s 2018 Class A State Championship Team.
  • The rural community of 2,000 residents in Northwest Tennessee will be holding a watch party to proudly celebrate their hometown heroes. 
  • Tennessee’s Tess and Edie Darby and Indiana’s Chloe Moore-McNeil played on that historic Yellowjackets squad and also were on the 2020 juggernaut that had a 34-0 record and No. 1 ranking before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the season prematurely.
  • Tess Darby and Moore-McNeil were on opposing benches on Dec. 17, 2020, when UT and IU met in Bloomington for a game the Lady Vols claimed by a 66-58 count over the No. 15/15 Hoosiers.
  • Greenfield, by the way, is where the late Lady Vol coaching legend and UT Martin graduate Pat Summitt did her student teaching.

Former Minnesota Teammates Face Off

  • Tennessee’s Jasmine Powell and Indiana’s Sara Scalia were teammates at Minnesota for the past three seasons before leaving the Gophers for other schools.
  • Scalia (17.9) and Powell (12.4) were the squad’s top two scorers a year ago and tied for honors in 2020-21 at 14.5 ppg.
  • Powell has stepped right into a starting position at Tennessee and is on the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List for point guards.
  • Scalia, meanwhile, appears to have locked down a starting role for the Hoosiers and is on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List for shooting guards.

Familiar Face On Hoosier Bench

  • Indiana director of player development Briana Schomaeker should look familar to Lady Vol fans.
  • Playing under her maiden name of Briana Bass, the 5-2 dynamo from Indianapolis appeared in 118 games for Tennessee from 2008-12.
  • Bass started as a senior at point guard on Pat Summitt’s final team as head coach, helping direct the Lady Vols to a 27-9 record and SEC Tournament title before falling to eventual NCAA champ Baylor in the Elite 8 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Jas Heading For 1,000 Rebounds

  • Tennessee graduate power forward Jasmine Franklin is working her way toward 1,000 career rebounds.
  • The native of Fayetteville, Ark., now has 917 boards combined during her time at Missouri State and Tennessee.
  • She has averaged 8.8 rpg. during her career.

Mock Draft Includes Two Lady Vols

  • ESPN’s M.A. Voepel revealed a mock WNBA Draft on Nov. 10, and that projection included two Lady Vols being taken with back-to-back picks in the first round.
  • Voepel has Jordan Horston going with the No. 5 pick to the Chicago Sky and possibly playing with Candace Parker.
  • With the next selection, Rickea Jackson is expected to be chosen by the New York Liberty at No. 6.
  • UT head coach Kellie Harper has produced top-10 picks in each of the past two drafts, including Rennia Davis at No. 9 in 2021 (Minnesota) and Rae Burrell at No. 9 in 2022 (Los Angeles).
  • Tennessee has not produced top-10 WNBA Draft picks in three consecutive seasons since Tamika Catchings (2001), Michelle Snow (2002) and the duo of Kara Lawson and Gwen Jackson (2003). That was the only occasion it occurred back to back to back for UT.

Rockin’ Rickea

  • Senior Rickea Jackson recorded the seventh double-double of her career as she fueled Tennessee in her Lady Vol debut at Thompson-Boling Arena with 24 points and 11 rebounds. 
  • It was the 20th time in her career that she eclipsed the 20-point margin. 
  • The Cheryl Miller Award candidate and preseason All-SEC First-Teamer averaged 20.3 points per game last year before transferring from Mississippi State.

Lady Vols Dropping 20

  • Dating back to last year, a Lady Vol has scored at least 20 points in four straight games. During that stretch, each occasion was achieved by a different Lady Vol. 
  • Alexus Dye had 20 points against Belmont in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, and Rae Burrell finished with 22 points against Louisville in the Sweet 16. 
  • Jordan Horston scored 20 in the season opener at Ohio State, and then Rickea Jackson went for 24 against UMass. 
  • In three of those performances, the player also finished with a double-double (Dye, Horston, Jackson).
  • With back-to-back 20-point efforts to start the season, this was the first time since the 2017-18 campaign Tennessee accomplished that feat. Mercedes Russell opened the season with 20 points against ETSU before Jaime Nared dropped 25 against James Madison.

A Look At Indiana

  • Indiana is coming off its second-straight NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2021-22, when it went 24-9 overall and advanced to the Big Ten Tournament title game for the first time in 20 years. 
  • In the Big Ten Preseason Polls, the Hoosiers are picked to finish second by the media and third by the coaches, with 6-0 senior guard Grace Berger and 6-3 junior forward Mackenzie Holmes projected once again as all-league performers.
  • Berger and Holmes were All-American honorees last season and among four Hoosiers on All-Big Ten teams.
  • Berger (Cheryl Miller Award/Naismith Trophy), Holmes (Lisa Leslie Award/Naismith Trophy) and transfer Sara Scalia (Ann Meyers Drysdale Award) are on preseason watch lists. 

About The Head Coach

  • Teri Moren is in her ninth season with Indiana Women’s Basketball. She entered 2022-23 ranked second in overall wins at Indiana, holding a record of 172-89 and 371-219 overall in her 19 seasons as a head coach. 
  • The Seymour, Indiana, native has taken the program to new levels in her eight seasons at the helm, including four NCAA Tournament appearances. That includes back-to-back Sweet Sixteens and an Elite Eight appearance along with seven-consecutive 20-win seasons.  

UT/IU Notes

  • This marks the third meeting between these programs but the first time a game has been played between them in Knoxville.
  • Tennessee leads the series with Indiana, 2-0, holding a 1-0 mark both on the road and at neutral sites.
  • The schools last met on Dec. 17, 2020, when an unranked Lady Vols squad went into Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and pulled off a 66-58 victory over the No. 15/15 Hoosiers.
  • The Lady Vols also faced IU in the 1987 Communiplex Classic in Cincinnati, rolling to a 91-52 victory on Nov. 27 of that year.
  • Lady Vol Head Coach Kellie Harper is 1-1 vs. Indiana with Teri Moren as a head coach, including Tennessee defeating IU on Dec. 17, 2020, in Bloomington and her final Missouri State team dropping a 98-74 decision to the Hoosiers in Bloomington on Dec. 9, 2018.
  • UT is 80-16 all-time vs. schools currently in the Big Ten. 
  • The Big Orange women are facing their second Big Ten foe of the 2022-23 campaign after falling in the opener at No. 14/15 Ohio State, 87-75.

Last Game Recap For The Hoosiers

  • Senior forward Mackenzie Holmes led all scorers with 17 points as No. 11 Indiana cruised to 93-37 victory over UMass Lowell on Friday night in Bloomington.
  • Holmes got things started for the Hoosiers (2-0) early, as she had all seven points for her team with 6:12 to play in the first quarter. She ended up with nine in the opening period, as IU led 22-12.
  • Defense was key in the second quarter, as the River Hawks hit just one shot as Holmes and senior guard Sara Scalia (finished with 15) each had six points to give Indiana a 49-17 advantage at the break.  
  • Holding UMass Lowell (0-2) to single digits again in the third quarter, the Hoosiers were able to utilize their bench down the stretch as freshman forward Lilly Meister came in and offered up 10 points, eight in the second half as IU led by as many as 59 in the fourth quarter.

-UT Athletics

Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Football Preview: #5 Vols Host Mizzou for Senior Day, Look to Cap Home Slate Unbeaten

Football Preview: #5 Vols Host Mizzou for Senior Day, Look to Cap Home Slate Unbeaten

Posted on November 12, 2022

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The fifth-ranked Tennessee Vols will look to rebound from their first loss of the season as they play host to fellow SEC east foe Missouri on Saturday afternoon in their home finale at Neyland Stadium.

The contest will serve as UT’s Senior Day and annual “Salute to Service” game as the Big Orange will honor its seniors prior to kickoff as well as current and former members of the military throughout the afternoon.

For the third consecutive week, the Vols will face one of the SEC’s top defenses, as the Tigers enter the game ranked third in the league in yards per play allowed (4.83) and fourth in scoring defense (21.4 ppg).

BROADCAST INFO

Saturday’s contest will be televised nationally on CBS as Tom McCarthy (PxP), Rick Neuheisel (analyst) and Sherree Burress (sideline) will have the call. Kickoff is slated for 12:08 p.m. ET.

Fans can listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) over 64 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 138 or 191) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 962), as well as the Varsity App. A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com​ and the Tennessee Athletics App.

Bob Kesling (PxP), Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with VFL Jayson Swain handling sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins at 10 a.m. ET.

GAMEDAY INFO

For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee’s 2022 gameday policies, please visit the Tennessee Football Gameday Information page on UTSports.com. The gameday timeline as well as other important information is listed below.

Vol Village Opens – 8:30 a.m.
Truly’s Tailgate Opens – 9 a.m.
Will Call Opens at Gate 21 – 9 a.m.
Vol Walk – 9:45 a.m.
Gates Open – 10 a.m.
Pride of the Southland Band March – 10:20 a.m. (Pedestrian Bridge)
Senior Day Ceremonies – 11:42 a.m.
Pride of the Southland Band Pregame Performance Begins – 11:54 a.m.
National Anthem/Flyover – 11:57 a.m.
CBS Broadcast Begins –  12:00 p.m.
Vols Run Through the T – 12:05 p.m.
Kickoff – 12:08 p.m.

TICKETS AND PARKING

Tickets and parking passes to all Tennessee Athletics events, including football, are now digital and can be accessed through a mobile device to improve security and reduce the risk of ticket fraud as well as make the process more convenient for fans.

Fans will gain admission into Neyland Stadium via a unique QR code which will be scanned directly from a mobile device. For quick and easy entry into Tennessee Athletics venues, fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app from the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android).

Your mobile device is the ticket on gameday. All valid digital tickets will display a moving barcode or a hold near reader (tap-and-go) icon. PLEASE NOTE: SCREENSHOTS OF TICKETS WILL NOT SCAN AT THE GATE AND WILL NOT ALLOW ENTRY!

Printed PDF tickets will no longer be issued or accepted for entry at any Tennessee Athletics venue.

The only authorized sources for tickets to Tennessee Athletics events are the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office, AllVols.com, the venue box office where the athletic event is taking place and Ticketmaster.

A complete step-by-step guide on how to best access and use your digital tickets and parking passes, including diagrams and FAQ is available here.

TENNESSEE ATHLETICS APP

Fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app, which now houses the Coca-Cola GBO Zone, allowing fans to play trivia, take part in a light show and much more. Search “Tennessee Athletics” in the Apple or Google Play Store or use this link to download: http://utsports.com/app

GAMEDAY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Neyland Stadium Fan Experience Enhancements
Fans can enjoy several enhancements to the gameday experience at Neyland Stadium, Shields-Watkins Field this fall, including new state-of-the-art videoboards above both end zones and the North End Zone Social Deck, among others.

For more information on all of the new stadium and gameday fan experience enhancements, click HERE.

Toyota Volunteer Village: Toyota Volunteer Village, located across from Circle Park, serves as the ideal spot to view the Vol Walk and the Pride of Southland Band march. Admission is free to all fans with or without a game ticket. Vol Village opens at 8:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.

Vol Village will highlight a new artist or band each home game with a pregame concert series, providing Vol fans with the ultimate pregame atmosphere. Morgans Mill will be the featured band for this Saturday’s game.

New this season will be a video wall for fans to check out other games around college football. A new food court, along with appearances by Smokey and the Spirit Squad are also new to Vol Village this season. Face painting and axe throwing will be available on Saturday, as well.

Truly’s Tailgate: Located outside Gate 9, fans can stop by for food and drinks at Truly’s Tailgate. Fans may enter Truly’s prior to gates opening without having a ticket scanned. When gates open, fans will need to scan their ticket to enter Truly’s. New food options this season include Texas Roadhouse and Big Orange Bites.

Truly’s will open at 9 a.m. on Saturday and remain open for the majority of the game, giving fans in the south concourse a variety of food, drinks, television entertainment and additional restroom options. Truly’s will close at the end of the third quarter.

Neyland Lights, Fireworks: The spectacular fireworks show that debuted last season during pregame and following UT touchdowns and victories returns in 2022. The dramatic LED light show is also back to accentuate pregame and in-game festivities. Fans with light sensitivity should note that strobe lights will be in effect for all light shows performed in Neyland Stadium.

For complete gameday information, visit UTsports.com/gameday.

NEED TO KNOW

Holding Serve at Home
With a win on Saturday, Tennessee would complete its first undefeated season at home since it went 7-0 at Neyland Stadium back in 2007. The Vols are 6-0 on Rocky Top this season, having outscored their opponents 321-128 in those games. The Big Orange have won eight in a row inside Neyland dating back to last season, representing their longest home winning streak since posting nine straight victories from 2006-08.
 
Defense Continuing to Improve
Despite last weekend’s road loss to top-ranked Georgia, UT’s defense put forth another solid effort by holding the Bulldogs’ offense well under their season averages for points, total yards, rushing yards and passing yards while also forcing two turnovers. UT has been aggressive and opportunistic under defensive coordinator Tim Banks this season, leading the SEC in turnovers forced (18), turnover margin (0.89) and fumbles recovered (nine). For comparison, UT had just 13 takeaways in 13 games last season.
 
Owning the Middle Quarters
A big emphasis of Tennessee’s offseason was second-quarter improvement. The Vols were outscored 143-109 in the second stanza in 2021. However, this season, UT is dominating opponents in the second quarter, outscoring them by a 144-51 margin. The Vols are second in the nation in second-quarter scoring average (16.0 ppg) and rank No. 1 in the country in second-quarter scoring differential (+10.33). UT has also been productive in the third quarter, outscoring opponents, 78-42.

Scoring at a Historic Rate
Tennessee’s 408 points entering Saturday’s contest are its most through nine games in program history and the most by an SEC team in that span since 2019 LSU scored 433 in their first nine. The Vols are on pace to set the school record for scoring in a single season as they are currently averaging 45.3 points per game, which ranks second in the FBS just behind Ohio State’s 45.8 points per game.

SERIES HISTORY

Series tied, 5-5
Aside from Texas A&M, the Vols have played Missouri fewer times than any other current SEC member, as Saturday’s contest will mark just the 11th meeting all time between the two programs. After going 2-5 over the first seven games against the Tigers, Tennessee has won three straight to even the series, including a 62-24 blowout victory last season in Columbia.

ABOUT MISSOURI

Missouri is led by third-year head coach Eliah Drinkwitz, who is 15-17 since taking over the program prior to the 2020 season.

Offensively, sophomore quarterback Brady Cook has shown playmaking ability with his arm and his legs but has also been prone to turnovers at times with seven interceptions this season. The St. Louis native has passed for 1,795 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for five scores as well. Cook’s top target is fellow sophomore Dominic Lovett, who leads the team with 45 receptions for 659 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, senior running back Cody Schrader leads the way with 111 carries for 508 yards and five touchdowns.

Defense has been the calling card for the Tigers this season, as they rank fourth in the SEC in points per game allowed (21.4) and total defense (304.1 ypg). Missouri has been effective at pressuring opposing quarterbacks and creating negative plays, leading the conference with 68.0 tackles for loss while ranking fourth in the SEC with 22.0 sacks this season.

Junior linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper leads the team with 52 total tackles and 12.0 tackles for loss, a mark that ranks second in the SEC. Junior defensive back Jaylon Carlies paces the secondary with 49 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

-UT Athletics

Vols OG Jerome Carvin / Credit: UT Athletics

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