#12 Vols Defeat Gardner-Webb, 80-64, in Season Opener
Courtesy / UT Athletics

#12 Vols Defeat Gardner-Webb, 80-64, in Season Opener

Posted on November 5, 2024

Game Recap: Men’s Basketball | November 04, 2024

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team officially started its 2024-25 campaign Monday night with an 80-64 victory over Gardner-Webb.

Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier, in his program debut, scored a team-high 18 points for No. 12 Tennessee (1-0), which never trailed and led for all but 62 seconds, as it improved to 35-3 all-time in home openers at Food City Center.

After a tightly contested opening 11 minutes, a personal 8-0 run from Lanier in just 71 seconds put the Volunteers ahead by a dozen, 30-18, with 7:32 remaining in the first half. Gardner-Webb (0-1) scored the next six points to slice the deficit in half with 5:16 on the timer, but Tennessee quickly regained control.

Senior guard Zakai Zeigler led a 12-4 surge over 3:17 in which he scored half the points and assisted on the other half, helping the home team go up by 14, 42-28, with 1:52 left in the session. The lead remained in double digits, 44-32, at the intermission behind a combined 21 points from Lanier (11) and Zeigler (10) during a session in which Tennessee shot 15-of-31 (48.4 percent) from the floor.

The Volunteers scored all seven points in the opening 1:56 of the second half to go ahead by 19, 51-32. Gardner-Webb scored the next five points to cut the deficit to 14, but the home team once again grabbed command right back.

Tennessee stretched its lead all the way to 27, 71-44, with 8:39 to play after making eight consecutive field goals, including three by Lanier and senior guard Jordan Gainey. The Runnin’ Bulldogs did eventually, via a 10-0 run in 2:20, get the margin down to 13, 75-62, with 3:10 remaining, but the outcome never fell into question. Tennessee ultimately went on to take a 16-point victory, its eighth straight year earning a season-opening win by at least 15.

Lanier tallied his 18 points on a 7-of-12 field-clip, including a 4-of-6 mark from beyond the arc. Gainey tallied 16 points, two shy of his top total as a Volunteer, on a dazzling 7-of-9 ledger from the floor, adding three steals.

Zeigler notched 13 points and nine assists, finishing just short of his ninth-career double-double and logging more assists than Gardner-Webb’s whole team. Fellow senior guard Jahmai Mashack scored 10 points, shooting 2-of-4 from deep and making all four of his free throws, while adding a career-high-tying four steals. Junior forward Felix Okpara paced all players with nine rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end, in his Tennessee debut.

Sophomore guard Darryl Simmons II led all scorers with 22 points for Gardner-Webb, finishing 8-of-16 from the floor, 4-of-10 on 3-pointers and 2-of-2 at the line. Graduate forward Jamaine Mann and junior guard Deshawn Goodwyn each posted 13 points on a 4-of-8 ledger in the setback. The Volunteers held the rest of the Gardner-Webb roster to an 8-of-23 (34.8 percent) mark on field goals.

Tennessee finished with a 13-0 margin in fast-break points and a 29-14 advantage in bench points, while shooting 28-of-55 (50.9 percent) from the field.

The Volunteers open their road slate Saturday in Louisville, Ky., when they take the court at the KFC Yum! Center to face Louisville, live on ACC Network.

To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes now owns 807 victories in his career, passing Eddie Sutton for sole possession of No. 13 on the all-time wins list (min. five years at a Division I school).
• Barnes also moved to 203-101 in his Tennessee tenure, putting him one win behind Don Devoe (204-137 from 1978-89) for second place on the program’s all-time leaderboard.
• The Volunteers improved to 35-3 (.921) all-time in home openers at Food City Center, dating back to its opening in 1987-88, including 32-1 (.970) in their last 33 such games and 9-1 (.900) under Barnes).
• Excluding the capacity-reduced COVID-19 campaign in 2020-21, Tennessee is now averaging 16,813 fans across 37 home openers at Food City Center, after 17,8313 attended Monday’s contest.
• Tennessee has now won its last four season openers, all at home, by a combined 114 points, good for an average of 28.5 per game.
• The Volunteers moved to 29-0 all-time against current Big South members, while Barnes improved to 24-0 against such foes, including 11-0 at Tennessee.
• As announced prior to tip-off, two Volunteers missed the season opener: freshman guard Bishop Boswell (concussion protocol) and fifth-year guard Darlinstone Dubar (personal matter).
• In addition to Lanier and Okpara, senior forward Igor Miličić Jr., also earned his first official action as a Volunteer.
• Tennessee’s first points of the 2024-25 season came from Miličić Jr. on a layup just 25 seconds into the contest.
• The Volunteers started 15-of-27 (55.6 percent) from the field before missing their last four field-goal attempts of the first half.
• The two sides combined to shoot 17-of-20 (85.0 percent) at the line in the opening 20 minutes, as Tennessee went 9-of-10 (90.0 percent) and Gardner-Webb posted an 8-of-10 (80.0 percent) clip.
• Mashack, who made multiple 3-pointers for the fifth time as a Volunteer, has previously recorded four steals on three occasions, most recently doing so on Feb. 28, 2023, versus Arkansas.
• Gainey’s seven made field goals set a new high in his Tennessee career, eclipsing his previous mark of six, which he recorded thrice last year, most recently on Feb. 14, 2014, at Arkansas.
• Additionally, Gainey matched his top steals mark as a Volunteer, as he recorded three twice last season, most recently on Feb. 7, 2024, versus LSU.
• Sophomore forward Cade Phillips, who made multiple field goals for the first time as a Volunteer, set career highs in minutes (20), points (seven) and rebounds (four), eclipsing his prior bests of 12 (Nov. 29, 2023, at North Carolina), four (Dec. 5, 2023, versus George Mason) and three (twice, most recently Feb. 17, 2024, against Vanderbilt), respectively.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Needs Your Help to Identify a Woman Found on I-40 in Roane County and Later Died from Her Injuries
TN Dept Homeland Security

Tennessee Highway Patrol Needs Your Help to Identify a Woman Found on I-40 in Roane County and Later Died from Her Injuries

Posted on November 5, 2024

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is asking for help to identify a woman who was found along I-40 in Roane County and died from her injuries.

THP says troopers were dispatched to a person lying in the emergency lane of I-40 East in Roane County at mile marker 341 on October 13th.

THP says the victim is African-American and is believed to be 38 years old, about 5’4″ and 175 pounds with a mole on her nose and no tattoos.

Anyone with information is asked to call the THP Knoxville District Dispatch Center at 865-544-3380, Extension 0.

The incident remains under investigation.

An Investigation is Underway after Fire Destroys Century Old Building on Knoxville College Campus
KFD

An Investigation is Underway after Fire Destroys Century Old Building on Knoxville College Campus

Posted on November 4, 2024

UPDATE from Knoxville Fire Department:

  • We continue to wet down hot spots.
  • Investigators are actively following up on leads. If anyone has any information, they can anonymously call 865-637-1386 or 1-800-762-3017.
  • The building was torn down due to safety issues. It was too dangerous to leave standing. This has not hampered the investigation.
  • The property will likely be turned back over to Knoxville College later today.
  • The L. Nathan building is over 100 years old and has not been occupied by Knoxville College in a number of years. There was no power to the building.

UPDATE: At approximately 8:30 PM this (Monday) evening Knox County 911 communications received a call about Knoxville College possibly being on fire.

The caller stated they could see very high flames and a lot of smoke.

When crews arrived, they saw heavy fire coming from the top of the administration building, also known as L Nathan Hall.  Due to the extremely large amount of fire, crews were unable to enter the building. All firefighting efforts were done from the exterior of the structure. Limited water supply made firefighting efforts difficult.

There were no known injuries to report. 

Firefighting is ongoing and will continue through most of the night and into the morning.

Parts of the structure collapsed rendering it very unstable. The building is a total loss.

Knoxville Fire Department Investigators are on scene working to determine a cause.

Original story: The Knoxville Fire Department is investigating a fire on the Knoxville College campus which destroys a building.

Heavy fire and smoke was coming from the building which could be seen for miles when crews arrived on the scene last night (Monday).

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon told WVLT News the fire broke out at L. Nathan Hall, which an alumni said hadn’t been occupied in at least 40-50 years. She says the fire was contained to that building and that the cause is unknown at this time.

Kincannon says it’s not city property but they have had to go in to address fire situations many times in recent years.

Monroe County Murder Suspect is Captured in South Carolina, Awaiting Extradition Back to Tennessee

Monroe County Murder Suspect is Captured in South Carolina, Awaiting Extradition Back to Tennessee

Posted on November 4, 2024

11/11/24 UPDATE: The suspect in a Monroe County murder has been taken into custody in South Carolina.

According to the Columbia Police Department, Nicholas Hamlett was found at a hospital there and taken into custody.

He is accused of killing 34-year-old Steven Lloyd in Tellico Plains on October 18th and is facing first-degree murder charges.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says Hamlett met Lloyd, befriended him and lured him into a wooded area to take his life and identity.

Hamlett is in the temporary custody of the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Arrangements are being made to extradite Hamlett back to Monroe County.

Hamlett is also wanted out of Alabama for a parole violation in connection to several charges, including two counts of attempted murder.

Update: The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim of a murder, the suspect is at the center of a nationwide manhunt.

Police say 34-year-old Steven Lloyd was lured him into a wooded area to take his life and identity on October 18th in Tellico Plains reportedly by Nicholas Hamlett who was last seen in South Carolina on Friday.

Hamlett is also wanted out of Alabama for a parole violation in connection to several charges, including two counts of attempted murder. There is a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

Hamlett has ties all over the country, if you see him do not approach him, call 911.

Photo of Hamlett:

Knoxville Police Identify Victim in Magnolia Avenue Hit and Run, Suspects Still At-Large

Knoxville Police Identify Victim in Magnolia Avenue Hit and Run, Suspects Still At-Large

Posted on November 4, 2024

UPDATE: The victim from the fatal hit-and-run crash that happened on Magnolia Avenue Friday night has been identified as Andrew Quayle, age 63.

KPD crash reconstruction investigators are still working to identify the involved vehicle and driver. The car was described as a black SUV or crossover vehicle, which reportedly fled east on Magnolia Avenue following the collision.

It was reported that two occupants, a man and a woman, briefly exited the suspect vehicle following the crash before getting back into the car and leaving the scene.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers anonymously at 865-215-7165.

Original Story: (Knoxville, TN) A pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run crash that happened on Magnolia Avenue on Friday night.

At around 7:45 p.m. on Friday, November 1, 2024, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to Magnolia Avenue at Mary Street, where a pedestrian was critically injured after being struck by a car. Despite life-saving efforts, the victim, an adult male, was pronounced dead after being transported from the scene.

The involved vehicle left the area prior to officer arrival, traveling east on Magnolia. It is believed that the vehicle was a black SUV or crossover being driven by a white male.

The suspect vehicle has not been located or identified at the time. Anyone with information that could assist the ongoing investigation is urged to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

TBI Identifies Inmate Found Dead at Campbell County Jail, Marks Fourth Death Agency Investigating
WVLT

TBI Identifies Inmate Found Dead at Campbell County Jail, Marks Fourth Death Agency Investigating

Posted on November 4, 2024

Campbell County, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: An investigation is underway, and officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have released the name of the inmate who died over the weekend at the Campbell County Jail.

TBI says agents responded to the jail for a reported death Sunday morning; officials confirming Monday the identity of the deceased as 52-year-old Mark Garner.

Officials report that Garner’s body was sent for an autopsy; there is no word as to the cause or circumstances surrounding his death.

It marks the fourth Campbell County Jail death the TBI has been asked to investigate since April.

ORIGINAL STORY: An investigation is underway at the Campbell County Jail by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation after agents respond to the jail for a reported death.

Information is extremely limited at this time into yesterday morning’s (Sunday) discovery, including the person’s identification and the circumstances surrounding the death.

According to TBI, additional information will be released after the next of kin is contacted.

Knoxville Area Transit to Offer Free Rides on Election Day

Knoxville Area Transit to Offer Free Rides on Election Day

Posted on November 4, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Area Transit, better known as KAT, will be offering free rides for Election Day.

KAT offers the service each election cycle. This year, all transit rides, from buses to KAT’s Lift service (for those with disabilities), will be fare-free.

Officials with KAT say the move is aimed at making sure anyone and everyone can get to the polls.

“Election Day is a critical moment for our community to come together and make their voices heard,” Director of Transit Isaac Thorne said. “By offering free rides across our system, we’re helping to make that process as accessible as possible for everyone. I encourage all Knoxville residents to take advantage of this opportunity to get to the polls and participate in our shared future.”

KAT will be running its regular routes and schedules; you can access those here.

It‘s a service that KAT offers each election. This year, all transit rides, from buses to KAT’s Lift service, will be fare-free. (Courtesy: WVLT)

Second Man Convicted in 2020 Roane County Murder, DA Says

Second Man Convicted in 2020 Roane County Murder, DA Says

Posted on November 4, 2024

Oakdale, TN (WOKI) A second man is sentenced in the death of a Roane County man.

District Attorney Russell Johnson says 44 year-old Shane Douglas Parks was convicted and sentenced in the death of Robert Quenton McCullough in 2020.

He is facing two concurrent 45-year sentences in the Tennessee Department of Corrections.

Parks joins 39-year-old Joshua Aikens, who was convicted in March. According to court records, Parks, Aikens and a third man — Nicholas Holloway — tied McCullough up using rope and zip ties while McCullough was at Holloway’s home then took him to a trailer and left him.

Johnson said Shane Douglas Parks, 44, was convicted and sentenced in the death of Robert Quenton McCullough in 2020. (Courtesy: WVLT)

Quincy Jones, legendary producer and composer, dies at 91: ‘Truly one of a kind’
photo courtesy of s_bukley/DepositPhotos

Quincy Jones, legendary producer and composer, dies at 91: ‘Truly one of a kind’

Posted on November 4, 2024

Quincy Jones, a music mogul whose career in the industry spanned over seven decades, died Sunday night at 91 years old, his publicist Arnold Robinson confirmed to Fox News Digital.

Jones was surrounded by his children, siblings and close family at his home in Bel Air, California. No further details about his death will be released at this moment, as the family requests privacy “in this time of great mourning,” Robinson said.

The following statement was provided from the Jones family:

“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him. He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created. Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity.”

Jones, who was the first popular conductor-arranger to record with a Fender bass in the mid 1950s, worked with many iconic artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to Ray Charles to Michael Jackson.

He produced and conducted the best-selling single of all time in “We Are The World,” and three of Jackson’s albums, including the all-time best-selling album, Thriller. He also worked with Sinatra for three years as a conductor and arranger, and created the famous arrangement of “Fly Me To The Moon.”

Jones began as vice president of Mercury Records in 1961, making him the first Black executive of a major record company, and held that position for a few years before entering the film industry, where he also became very successful. He co-produced “The Color Purple” in 1985 with Steven Spielberg, earning 11 Oscar nominations, and he helped launch the hit series “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” in 1991 as an executive producer.

Jones also formed Quincy Jones Entertainment, a co-venture with Time Warner, Inc., and the Quincy Jones Media Group during his decades in the entertainment industry.

Jones’ work earned him hundreds of awards, including an Emmy, seven Oscar nominations, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, 28 Grammy Awards and 80 nominations, and N.A.R.A.S.’ prestigious Trustees’ Award and The Grammy Living Legend Award. He has also been awarded a variety of international awards and honorary doctorates.

He was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2001, recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master in 2008 and was bestowed the National Medal of Arts – America’s highest artistic honor – in 2010.

Old photo of Quincy Jones
Jones was not only a titan in the music and film industries, but a best-selling author and known for his decades of humanitarian work. (A&M Records/Getty Images)

In 2016, Jones won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical for the Broadway production of “The Color Purple” and joined a very exclusive club of artists who have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.

Jones was also a best-selling author and longtime humanitarian, with notable charity work beginning in the 1960s.

He is survived by seven children and three siblings. (Story courtesy of Fox News)

FEMA Approves Temporary Housing for Homeowners, Renters Affected by Flooding from Helene

FEMA Approves Temporary Housing for Homeowners, Renters Affected by Flooding from Helene

Posted on November 4, 2024

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Direct Temporary Housing Assistance for East Tennesseans affected by flooding from Helene.

The assistance was approved for homeowners and renters who had major or significant structural damage as a result of floodwaters, according to FEMA.

It will provide temporary housing for 18 months, ending on April 2, 2026. Additionally, it covers direct lease, multifamily lease and repair, and transportable temporary housing units.

For direct lease, FEMA said it leases existing, ready-to-occupy residential properties for use as temporary housing.

Under multifamily lease and repair, FEMA funds the repair or improvement of existing, vacant multi-family rental properties that eligible applicants can use for temporary housing.

Additionally, FEMA will also contact homeowners to determine if they would like a transportable temporary housing unit, which are furnished one-, two- or three-bedroom units provided at no cost to eligible survivors.

If needed, these units can also be modified or improved to be compliant with the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, providing accessibility for individuals with disabilities or access and functional needs.

Preliminary data from TEMA estimates that between 346 and 414 applicants may be eligible for FEMA direct housing.

Those looking to apply must live in one of the following counties:

  • Carter
  • Cocke
  • Greene
  • Johnson
  • Unicoi
  • Washington

Additionally, assessments are still ongoing for Hamblen and Hawkins counties.

Applicants must first apply for FEMA Individual Assistance before Monday, Dec. 2 to be eligible for Direct Temporary Housing Assistance.

To apply,https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ , call 800-621-3362 or visit a Disaster Recovery Center.

Story courtesy of WVLT

Following intense flooding brought by Hurricane Helene, FEMA inspectors are checking in with those affected to determine if they qualify for federal assistance. (Courtesy: DHS.gov)

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