CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. — The No. 17 Tennessee softball team is set to wrap up the month of February on the West Coast this week, playing six games in three days at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. The tournament runs Thursday through Sunday at the Big League Dreams complex in Cathedral City, California, with 27 teams playing 67 games over the course of the weekend.
The Lady Vols will play six games total with two apiece on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Tennessee opens the event with a doubleheader Thursday, taking on BYU at 4 p.m. ET before facing UC Davis at approximately 6:30 p.m. Friday’s action pits UT against UC San Diego (1 p.m.) and Oregon State (6:30 p.m.), and a lofty twin bill awaits the Big Orange on Saturday. The Lady Vols wrap up the weekend facing back-to-back top-10 teams, going up against No. 1 Oklahoma at 3:30 p.m. before battling No. 6 UCLA at 6 p.m.
Lady Vols Softball / Credit: UT Athletics
FOLLOW LIVE: The 2022 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic will be carried entirely online by FloSoftball. Subscribers can visit this link to access streams for each contest. A free audio broadcast for each Tennessee game will be available at UTSports.com, with voice of the Lady Vol softball team Brian Rice on the call to describe the action. Links to each broadcast are available on the Tennessee softball schedule page.
LAST TIME OUT: Tennessee closed out the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational with a ranked win over No. 24 UCF last Saturday. With the game tied 2-2 through five, the Lady Vols scored four runs over the final two frames to ice the victory.
MASHING IT: With six home runs last week in Clearwater, the Lady Vols have combined for 12 homers in the first nine games of the season. UT’s 1.33 home runs per game rank fifth in the SEC and are tied for 25th in the country through the first two weeks of the 2022 season.
STEADY EDDY: Graduate pitcher Erin Edmoundson stood out in the circle for the Big Orange last week, making three appearances with 17.0 innings pitched and 17 strikeouts. The lefty notably tossed 8.2 frames as Tennessee went to extra innings against No. 12 Clemson, tallying a season-high 11 Ks.
LADY VOLS IN THE POLLS: Tennessee checks in at No. 17 in both the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.com/USA Softball collegiate top 25 national rankings. Additionally, Softball America tabbed the Lady Vols No. 19 while D1Softball slotted UT 20th in its national top 25.
NOTING THE OPPOSITION: The Lady Vols will face four teams from the West Coast in addition to the top-ranked Sooners and the BYU Cougars. Four of the six opponents set to face Tennessee this weekend last played the Lady Vols at the Mary Nutter Classic in a previous season.
BYU (8-1)
Head Coach: Gordon Eakin (Record at BYU: 731-346)
Ranking: No. 24 (D1Softball)
Series Record: UT leads, 9-1
Last Meeting: The Lady Vols defeated the Cougars 5-1 in Knoxville on March 16, 2019. Ashley Rogers threw a complete game with 11 strikeouts.
UC Davis (5-2)
Head Coach: Erin Thrope (Record at UCD: 174-150-1)
Series Record: UT leads, 5-0
Last Meeting: A 7-0 victory for the Lady Vols at the 2018 Mary Nutter Classic. Ashley Morgan and Amanda Ayala both notched RBI hits in the victory as freshmen.
UC San Diego (5-5)
Head Coach: Patti Gerckens (Record at UCSD: 800-635)
Series Record: First meeting
Oregon State (7-3)
Head Coach: Laura Berg (Record at ORST: 236-213-1)
Series Record: UT leads, 7-4
Last Meeting: The Lady Vols defeated the Beavers 9-3 at the 2018 Mary Nutter Classic. Ashley Morgan had an RBI single up the middle for the Big Orange.
Oklahoma (10-0)
Head Coach: Patty Gasso (Record at OU: 1346-341-2)
Ranking (USASB/NFCA): No. 1/1
Series Record: Tied at 5-5
Last Meeting: A 2-1 win for the Big Orange at the 2017 Mary Nutter Classic. Chelsea Seggern provided the scoring with a two-RBI single in the second inning.
UCLA (7-3)
Head Coach: Kelly Inouye-Perez (Record at UCLA: 679-183-1)
Ranking (USASB/NFCA): No. 6/6
Series Record: UCLA leads, 7-4
Last Meeting: The 16th-ranked Bruins took down No. 4 Tennessee 2-0 at the 2017 Mary Nutter Classic. UCLA took a 2-0 lead in the first and did not surrender a run for the rest of the game.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will return to Knoxville for their home opener on Wednesday, March 2, against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. from Sherri Parker Lee Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
Tennessee Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kellie Harper and Voice of the Lady Vols Mickey Dearstone met with the local media on Wednesday in the media room at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Harper previewed Thursday’s 6:30 p.m. ET home contest between No. 16/14 UT (12-6/10-4 SEC) and Mississippi State (15-11/6-8 SEC). The game will be streamed on SECN+, and tickets are available at AllVols.com.
Dearstone, who will be honored before Sunday’s LSU game, talked about his 23 seasons as the radio play-by-play voice of Lady Vol Basketball, where he worked alongside Harper, Holly Warlick and Pat Summitt. The Greeneville, Tenn., native also served as host of weekly TV coaches shows during his run from 1999-2022. Prior to 1999, Dearstone had worked with the Lady Vol Radio Network filling in behind the microphone for Bob Kesling when there were broadcasting conflicts.
On the challenges Mississippi State presents… “I think the biggest challenge is they’re low with their personnel, which causes them to play four or five guards at a time. To me, the biggest challenge is the matchup and how we’re going to guard them. They play hard. They’re quick, they can get to the basket and shoot the three, which is not always easy to guard.”
On preparing for the SEC Tournament… “Well, I’m always happy to be in Thompson-Boling Arena. It’s great to be back home, and we’re looking forward to finishing the season out here. Hopefully, we can play with great energy and find some confidence as we head over to the tournament.”
On what Mickey Dearstone means to her… “Mickey was a familiar face and a familiar voice for me when I came back. He’s been terrific. He’s been a consistent fan and a consistent part of our program. He’s the voice. When I think of Lady Vols games and plays, I hear his voice. He’s such a wonderful person. We’ve loved being around him. (I) hate to see this time come for him, but also, I’m happy for him. He’s been able to do what he wants to do.”
On the response she has seen from her team after multiple injuries… “I think we have players that have wanted to step up, and they are really fighting and trying. They’ve kept a pretty good attitude through some trying times. They come out every day in practice and give us everything they’ve got. I’m proud of them. I told them that we’re going to keep pushing them to be better.”
On if Jordan Horston’s absence has inspired the team… “Yes, for sure. With Jordan (Horston) going out, you have to find some rallying, motivation, and inspiration. I think they’ve found that in each other. They talk about it, and they want to play for each other. When you know the person sitting to your right and to your left is giving everything they’ve got, it gives you confidence to go out and do the same.”
On Alexus Dye coming back aggressively following a slump… “I think we have to stay on her and give her exactly what we want her to do. Jordan Horston was not in there to steal any of her boards, so Alexus is going to have plenty of opportunities to get in the mix. She has to stay aggressive for us. She is going to have opportunities. She has to continue to be a huge presence both in transition and on the boards. Also, although they play different positions, I still think defensively she can help us fill in some of the areas we are losing with Jordan.”
Alexus Dye adjusting to SEC play and finding success… “For her, just playing this size and speed every single night sometimes is very challenging, but I think she continues to fight. She is out on the court working right now. It is good to see her still trying to grow and make plays. She wants to be good; she really does. She wants to find success and help this team in any way she can. I think right now, she feels really confident that she can do that.”
On how the environment will be on campus this weekend with men’s and women’s home games… “This is going to be a huge weekend. For fans, what a great opportunity to come in and watch some really talented basketball and pull for the orange teams and just enjoy what is going on our campus. There is so much excitement right now, and it’s a great time to be a Vol.
On how Tamari Key has grown since she came to Rocky Top… “She has improved tremendously each and every year, and even during each season. I think a lot of that is from her confidence, her maturity, and what she has been able to do. She was thrown out there as a freshman and had to learn on the fly. And since then, she has polished her game, gotten better, expanded her game, and she has become a force. She has confidence defensively when she is blocking shots. She has had that for a while, but now we see her even more confidently rebounding and looking for her shots and opportunities on the offensive end. A lot of that is the mental aspect of the game. The other thing, this is a long season. These seasons are extremely long, players get tired, and it is tough for them mentally, and I think she has handled this season really well, and I think she has grown into that.
On what she has seen from Rae Burrell after overcoming her injury earlier in the year… “This has been a really difficult time for Rae. You’re this talented player and have an idea of how this year is going to go, and with that injury, it just didn’t go that way. Unfortunately, that’s life. Honestly, it’s kind of life lessons she’s had to learn and had to endure. I hope when she walks away from this experience that it’s made her better -a better basketball player, more equipped to handle adversity. She’s one of these players that hasn’t been hurt a lot. It’s not easy to deal with, especially with a late time in your career. So, I’ve been proud of her. She’s hung in there when it hasn’t been easy.”
On Rae Burrell’s increased productivity and how important she is during the last stretch of the season… “We’re going to need her. She and I watched film together yesterday, just trying to figure out where we can help, where she can do things, and where she can do more things. She’s really excited going down the stretch and to what she can do. I don’t know if she’s quite back where she was, because she had such an explosiveness about her in early November. In terms of what she can bring to the team, there is still so much she can bring. I think she knows that and the team knows it.”
Mickey Dearstone, Voice of Lady Vol Basketball
On his decision to retire… “I actually started thinking about it, maybe when there was a coaching transition between Holly (Warlick) and Kellie (Harper). Then I thought about it, knowing Kellie from her playing days. I thought I’d do it for a few more years to give her a chance to get her feet on the floor solid. So I decided to do it. So then, this July, I started thinking about it, and I told the Vol Network that I’d been thinking about it. They said don’t tell us now and wait until we get closer to the season. In October, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and that kind of sealed the deal cause I knew I was going to have surgery in January and miss some games. I missed two games last year because of COVID and three games this year. I’ve always been the kind of person that if I couldn’t do them all, I don’t want to do any. I never really liked somebody to do my job for me.”
On the relationships he made along the way… “It’s coaches, particularly Pat (Summitt), Holly (Warlick), and Kellie (Harper), and assistant coaches, the administration here back when the athletic departments were split. (It’s) Joan Cronan, her staff, and then all the players and then all the fans too, because one thing I always tried to do is to be cordial with the fans. Like at the SEC Tournament when they just dominated the attendance at SEC Tournaments, if I was leaving and somebody hollered, I’d stop and talk to them, and we talked about Lady Vol Basketball. Those are the thing that I’ll always cherish because there are hundreds and hundreds of them that I’ve been able to form in my 20-30 years.”
On how he tries to connect with his listeners… “I always tried to do one thing. I was trained by one of the best, my father. He was the best play-by-play guy people that people don’t know about. He always told me, ‘The only thing you have to do to be successful is help people with three things. Those three things are time, score, and where the ball is.’ I can remember when I started and I would say ‘right side’ or ‘left side.’ I remember he called me in the office, and he goes, ‘Do you have any idea of how big a college court is?’ I told him that I had no idea. He said, ‘It’s 94 feet long, 50 feet wide. The right side in the front-court is 47 by 25. That’s a lot of area that a basketball could be in. It means a lot more if it’s in the corner than if it’s in the half-court line.’ I tried to do those three things. At the same time, I tried to be a Lady Vol fan like they were sitting in the arena. People talk a lot about how I criticize officiating, but fans criticize them too. If you’re in Thompson-Boling Arena and the fans think the officials made a bad call, they moan, groan, boo and everything else. I always try to be a Lady Vol fan with a microphone. I try to bring the game to the people that are listening to it so they can see it like they are there. It means a lot to me. I had a guy when I was in sports radio that called one morning and thanked me for doing the games. He appreciated it and he said, ‘When you do the games, I can see the game. By the way, I’m blind.’ That said it all right there.”
On if there was a particular memory that sticks out to him… “Of course, all the Final Fours, all the national championship games, but there’s one in particular. In ’96-97 when the team was struggling and after an early exit in the semifinals against Auburn in the SEC Tournament… it was our 10th loss. I remember that they were just spiraling downhill. And I remember that after they got back to Knoxville – I heard this story from multiple people – that Pat (Summitt) told them that if you get us to the Final Four, I promise you we’ll win it. Now, earlier that year, we lost in Norfolk, Va., to Old Dominion. And it just so happened that we made it to the Final Four, and in the championship game we played Old Dominion. I don’t think Pat slept for two nights. That game, I saw Tennessee as the most prepared basketball team that I have ever seen in my entire career. They knew exactly what they wanted to do. They knew who was going to throw it, who was going to catch it, and who was going to handle it. They knew everything before Old Dominion did it, and we ended up winning the National Championship. It showed how Pat outworked everybody. She made that promise, and she kept her promise by winning a championship.”
On the call-in show… “It all started with Pat (Summitt) when, I think it was Kevin O’Neal that started the call-in show for postgame after home games, and Pat decided she wanted to do that. It was more lighthearted. I enjoyed doing it, because it showed a lighter side of her. She had a great sense of humor, and she loved to gig me. I remember there was one time there was a lady that called up from the northeast somewhere. She said I really enjoy listening to you, and blah-blah this and blah-blah that, and when I said thanks and she hung up and Pat said, ‘I didn’t think we were supposed to have family members call in.’ Just stuff like that. So it kind of was a banter back and forth. A lot of times she’d say, ‘You stick with the radio, I’ll do the coaching,’ and things like that. Well, Holly (Warlick) was the same way. Holly and I were friends. Holly was going through a little tougher time; she wasn’t in as good of a mood as a lot of times what Pat was. And then, Kellie (Harper), it basically started from the day she arrived and held her press conference. I was across the street, and she comes in and sees me, and she comes over and gives me a hug and says, ‘I knew you’d still be here.’ When you form friendships and not just working relationships with incredible women like that, it can’t help but come across whenever we’re doing shows and stuff.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 16/14 Tennessee (21-6/10-4 SEC) and Mississippi State (15-11/6-8 SEC) will meet on Thursday at 6:32 p.m. ET at Thompson-Boling Arena, marking the first contest between the programs since Feb. 6, 2020.
The teams were slated to play on Feb. 16, 2021, in Starkville, but a winter storm that stranded the Lady Vols in Houston following a contest at Texas A&M also hit the Magnolia State and prevented the Bulldogs from hosting and UT from even traveling to the MSU campus. The game was never made up.
Thursday night’s affair is the front end of a two-game Big Orange run at home to end the regular season. UT is 13-1 on The Summitt in 2021-22, including 6-0 in league games. The Lady Vols enter the MSU game on an eight-game home win streak, with their only loss coming on Dec. 18 to No. 3/3 Stanford, 74-63.
Rae Burrell – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Tennessee enters the week tied for third in the SEC standings with Florida at 10-4, with LSU a game better in second place at 11-3. At stake for the Big Orange is a top-four seed and double-bye to Friday at the SEC Tournament in Nashville on March 2-6.
Kellie Harper‘s squad, which has been impacted severely by injury this season, has lost three players who were returning starters from a year ago (Jordan Horston, Keyen Green, Marta Suárez) and played through a 12-game stretch without preseason All-SEC First Team pick Rae Burrell. Horston’s return is to be determined.
The short-handed Lady Vols are coming off a valiant effort at No. 1/1 South Carolina on Sunday, battling the Gamecocks and cutting the deficit to eight in the fourth quarter before falling, 67-53. Despite the reduced roster, UT held USC to 4.4 points below its season scoring average and tallied two points more than Gamecocks opponents were producing.
Mississippi State is dealing with a limited roster of its own, utilizing only seven players in a 76-66 loss at Missouri on Sunday. The Bulldogs knocked off a talented Ole Miss squad at home on Feb. 13, 70-59, but they have lost the last three contests by 10 or more points in a brutal four-game stretch over seven calendar days.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Bob Kesling (play-by-play), Madison Blevins Hock (analyst) and Kasey Funderburg (reporter) will have the call for the SECN+ live stream.
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 Mickey Dearstone behind the microphone. He will be joined by studio host Bobby Rader.
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 Vol Network Affiliates.
Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
GAME PROMOTIONS
Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX.
Free parking and shuttle service from the Ag Campus (Lot CF near Brehm & Food Science Bldgs.).
For additional details and information, please call 865-974-1734 or visit the Fans tab on UTSports.com and click on the Fan Experience link.
WHERE TENNESSEE STANDS
After opening the year ranked No. 15/12, the Lady Vols climbed to No. 4 in the Jan. 24 AP Poll and hit a best of No. 5 in the Jan. 25 USA TODAY/WBCA Coaches Poll. This week, they stand at No. 16 in the AP Poll and No. 14 in the Coaches Poll.
In his Bracketology update on Feb. 22, ESPN’s Charlie Creme has Tennessee as a No. 4 seed in the Bridgeport Region. The Lady Vols are shown hosting No. 13 Belmont in the first round with No. 5 Iowa or either No. 12 DePaul or Boston College serving as a potential Second Round foe.
The NCAA NET Rankings show UT ranked No. 17 through Feb. 21, while the NCAA Toughest Schedule report had the Lady Vols at No. 10 (cumulative opposition).
RealTimeRPI.com has UT at No. 4 in RPI as of Feb. 22 with a calculation of .6678 and No. 5 in strength of schedule.
HOME SWEET HOME
This is the 35th season that the Tennessee women’s and men’s basketball teams have called Thompson-Boling Arena their home, and the Lady Vols own a remarkable 489-51 record (.906) in the venue. The Lady Vols have built a combined 642-75 (.895) home mark in contests played at Thompson-Boling Arena, Stokely Athletics Center and Alumni Gym. Kellie Harper is 37-6 overall, 19-3 vs. non-conference foes and 18-3 in SEC play in games played on The Summitt through the match-up with Vanderbilt. Tennessee ranks No. 7 nationally in average home attendance through 14 contests at 7,502.
ABOUT THE LADY VOLS
Tennessee has dealt with way more than its fair share of injuries in 2021-22. While the Lady Vols were able to overcome some of their misfortunes, they are in the process of trying to move past yet another setback.
The most recent misfortune occurred with 1:45 remaining in UT’s contest at Alabama on Feb. 17, when national awards candidate and statistical load-bearer Jordan Horston suffered a fractured dislocation of her left arm while diving for a loose ball.
Horston became the third front-line Tennessee player to suffer a serious injury and the fourth to miss an extended period of action in a season that stood at 18-1 after the road victory over Georgia on Jan. 23.
In the fourth quarter of that contest against UGA, reserve forward/center and team leader Keyen Green (7.0 ppg., 3.2 rpg.) was lost for the year due to a knee injury.
While UT was able to hold on and defeat the Bulldogs in that game, it subsequently dropped three out of their next four games by substantial margins, revealing just how vital Green was to the team. UT was able to finally get back on the winning track vs. Missouri and Vanderbilt before suffering back-to-back defeats at Alabama and No. 1 South Carolina.
Marta Suárez, a 6-2 guard/forward (4.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg.), another glue-type player for this program, already was sitting out the year due to an injury, so Green’s loss even more severely affected Tennessee’s depth.
UT’s top returnee, preseason All-SEC pick Rae Burrell, suffered a knee injury in game one and missed 12 games before gradually working her way back into the lineup. Her 11.0 ppg., 3.1 rpg. stat line is well shy of last season’s 16.8 ppg., 4.6 rpg. productivity, but she is seemingly recapturing her groove.
All of that said, the Lady Vols still stand at 21-6 overall and 10-4 in SEC play as they prepare to close out the regular season with their final two contests.
Tennessee picked up its fifth victory over a ranked team this season on Jan. 23, as the Lady Vols came from nine down to defeat No. 13/13 Georgia in Athens, 63-55. UT recorded four wins over ranked foes the entire 2020-21 campaign and had only one ranked win in 2019-20.
The Big Orange women also have victories over No. 23/22 South Florida (52-49), No. 12/21 Texas (74-70 OT), No. 25/23 Texas A&M (73-45) and No. 19/20 Kentucky (84-58) to their credit and beat RV/RV Virginia Tech (64-58) and RV/RV Ole Miss (70-58) on the road this season.
Prior to her injury, Tennessee was led statistically by Jordan Horston, a dynamic 6-2 junior guard, who paced the team in scoring (16.2 ppg.), rebounding (9.4), assists (4.0 apg.) and steals (1.4) in a breakout season for the five-star player who came out of high school ranked No. 2 overall and the No. 1 guard in the 2019 espnW HoopGurlz 100.
Horston, who made the top 10 list for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award and watch lists for the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award, leads the Lady Vols with 12 double-doubles and has topped UT in scoring 15 times. She has seven games of 20 or more points.
Senior All-SEC First Team preseason pick Rae Burrell (11.0 ppg., 3.1 rpg.) has seen action the past 14 games after missing the previous 12 contests due to a leg injury suffered in the opener vs. Southern Illinois. She has hit double figures in nine of the past 11 games, hitting 10+ for the first time since Nov. 10 with 11 at Vanderbilt on Jan. 13 and carding a season-high 21 vs. Arkansas on Jan. 31. Over her last three games, Burrell is producing 14.0 ppg. and 3.7 rpg.
Tamari Key, a 6-6 junior center, is putting up 10.0 ppg. and 8.1 rpg. to go along with 3.7 bpg. She had a triple-double of 10 points, 18 rebounds and 10 blocks in UT’s 74-70 OT victory over No. 12/21 Texas.
Key, rated No. 47 as a prep by espnW, is second on the team with nine double-doubles thus far and has scored in double figures in 14 games for the Lady Vols. She leads the nation in blocked shots (99) and is second in bpg. (3.67), sitting in UT’s single-season top 10 for the third time at No. 2 (tied with Candace Parker) with 99 swats in 27 contests. The member of the Lisa Leslie Award Top 10 also ranks sixth (86, 2019-20, 31 games) and ninth (72, 2020-21, 25 games) on that list.
Alexus Dye, a 6-0 forward, is fourth among UT players in scoring at 8.7 ppg. She is third in rebounding at 7.1 rpg and has three double-doubles, including a 13/10 effort vs. Arkansas. The graduate transfer from Troy, who is among the Katrina McClain Award Top 10, has scored in double figures 11 times, including an 11-point effort vs. Missouri.
Graduate guard Jordan Walker, who had 11 points vs. South Carolina, is Tennessee’s fifth-highest scorer, putting up 7.9 ppg., while tallying 3.9 rpg. and 2.8 apg. to rank fourth and second for UT in those categories.
Freshman guard/forward Sara Puckett is UT’s sixth-leading active scorer. The No. 43 espnW prospect coming out of high school is putting up 6.8 ppg. and is shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 31.8 percent on threes and 76.2 percent on free throws and has scored in double figures six times, including a critical 10-point, 10-rebound double-double in the win over Arkansas on Jan. 31.
Sophomore Tess Darby has emerged this season as Tennessee’s leading long-distance threat, connecting on 37 of 100 attempts (37 pct.). Sara Puckett (31.8) and Jordan Walker (29.0) have hit 21 and 20 treys, respectively.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
UT is outscoring opponents 75.6 to 56.6 (+18.9) at home this season and outshooting them from the field 42.6 to 32.0.
Tennessee is out-rebounding foes 51.6 to 34.4 (+17.2).
The Lady Vols block 6.7 shots per game at home, and Tamari Key swats 4.3 per contest on The Summitt.
UT has a 1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio in Knoxville, dishing out 243 dimes vs. 217 miscues over 14 contests thus far.
Jordan Walker leads the way with 52 assists while committing only 26 turnovers in home contests and tops UT in steals with 16.
Rae Burrell is 12 of 13 (92.3) on free throws at home.
Alexus Dye is averaging 9.9 ppg. and 7.2 rpg. while shooting 46.3 from the field at T-BA.
IT’S NOT EASY BEING (WITHOUT) GREEN
Tennessee’s loss of Keyen Green has had a ripple effect for the Lady Vols. Her absence is reflected in details even more valuable than the 7.0 ppg., 3.2 rpg. and 55.3-percent field goal shooting she provided off the bench. Her presence made her team stronger and everyone around her better.
UT was 18-1 in games played before it was announced she was lost for the season and is 3-5 since then.
The Lady Vols were +17.1 (71.5-54.5) in scoring margin with Green and are -14.8 (74.2-59.3) without her available.
The Big Orange had given up 70 only twice (70-Texas, 74-Stanford) before she was lost and has surrendered 70 five times in the last eight games (including +80 twice). UT is 20-1 when it holds teams to 70 points or fewer this season, holding No. 1/1 South Carolina to 67 but scoring only 53 of its own.
UT was +16.1 (50.4 to 34.3) in rebound margin before her injury and is -1.7 (41.7 to 40.0) after.
Tennessee was shooting 42.4 percent with her and is hitting 34.9 percent with her sidelined.
TENNESSEE NOTES DURING SEC PLAY
Kellie Harper‘s squad is tied for third place in the SEC standings with Florida at 10-4.
With Jordan Horston’s 16.3 ppg., 9.5 rpg. and 4.0 apg. averages in SEC play now sidelined by injury, Tennessee is led by Rae Burrell (10.9 ppg., 3.2 rpg.), Tamari Key (10.1 ppg., 7.6 rpg.) and Jordan Walker (9.2 ppg., 4.1 rpg. and 2.8 apg.).
Tennessee is scoring 68.0 ppg. (5th) and allowing 61.9 ppg. (3rd), while shooting 40.8 percent (7th) from the field and holding opponents to only 34.9 percent (2nd) on field goals in SEC contests.
Tennessee is out-rebounding SEC teams 47.1 (2nd) to 36.7 (6th) for a +10.4 margin (2nd).
The Lady Vols have limited SEC foes to shooting only 25.1 percent (2nd) from the three-point arc.
Key is shooting 58.8 percent from the floor vs. SEC foes (not enough attempts to qualify for rankings) and has blocked 55 shots for a 3.93 blocks per game average to lead the SEC.
Key is second behind Aliyah Boston in offensive rebounds per game at 3.6.
Also worth noting, Tess Darby (5.6 ppg.) is 21 of 46 on threes (45.7) during league play and is 12th at 1.62 makes per game.
Alexus Dye (78.9) and Jordan Walker (73.7) have been much improved at the charity stripe during league play.
UT is 9-1 in SEC games this season in which it holds opponents to 70 points or fewer.
RECAPPING THE LAST GAME
Junior Tamari Key turned in a double-double with 10 points and 10 blocks and two other Lady Vols scored in double figures against No. 1/1 South Carolina, but despite a gutsy effort No. 12/8 Tennessee fell in Colonial Life Arena on Sunday, 67-53.
Senior Rae Burrell was the high scorer for UT (21-6, 10-4 SEC) with 14, and graduate Jordan Walker was also in double figures with 11 points while leading the team in steals with four.
South Carolina (25-1, 13-1 SEC) was led by Aliyah Boston with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Destanni Henderson and Brea Beal also added double-digit efforts with 12 and 11, respectively.
NOTABLES FROM OUR LAST CONTEST
KEY MAKING MOVES: Tamari Key blocked 10 shots against the Gamecocks, moving her career total to 257 and season total to 99. She passes Sheila Frost to rank second all-time in career blocks at Tennessee, trailing Candace Parker by 18. She also moves into a tie for second place in the single-season records with Candace Parker (99) and creeps within 14 of No. 1 Kellie Cain. Key’s block total marked the seventh time during her career she has had seven or more.
DYE PICKING UP THE SLACK: In the absence of UT’s leading rebounder, Jordan Horston, Alexus Dye pulled down a team-high 11 boards against USC, leading UT in rebounding for the fifth time this season and setting a new personal SEC high.
UT-MSU SERIES NOTES
This marks the 45th meeting between the Lady Vols and Mississippi State, with UT possessing a 37-7 record in the series.
Tennessee won the first 36 games in the series, dropped three straight to the Bulldogs and then won one in Starkville before dropping the last four contests.
UT is 16-3 vs. MSU in Knoxville, 17-2 vs. the Bulldogs in Starkville and 4-2 at neutral sites.
State has a 1-0 record in overtime games between these programs, winning a 65-63 affair in Starkville on Jan. 29, 2016.
UT and MSU have met six times in the SEC Tournament, with the Lady Vols owning a 4-2 record.
Until this season, MSU has been the higher ranked team in the past eight games, with a 7-1 edge over UT in those contests.
This will mark Kellie Harper‘s second meeting with Mississippi State as a head coach, and she stands 0-1.
Harper was 5-0 as a Lady Vol player vs. MSU from 1995-96 to 1998-99
Tennessee’s last victory over the Bulldogs came when unranked UT triumphed on #3/2 MSU’s 2017 senior day, 82-64, with Jaime Nared registering a career-high 30 points to lead the Big Orange siege.
Tennessee suffered its first-ever loss to the Bulldogs on Jan. 28, 2016, when #13/13 MSU came from 12-down in the fourth quarter to force OT and defeat the #19/23 Lady Vols in Starkville, 65-63.
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
Mississippi State is led in scoring by former UT and Middle Tennessee standout Anastasia Hayes (18.8 ppg.) and JerKaila Jordan (13.6 ppg.).
Hayes scored 26 points for Middle Tennessee in the 2021 NCAA First Round vs. Tennessee in Austin, Texas, but the Lady Vols defeated MT, 87-62.
Only seven MSU players competed vs. Missouri.
ABOUT THE HEAD COACH
MSU is led by interim head coach Doug Novak, who was elevated to the top role after former head coach Nikki McCray-Penson stepped down.
He spent eight seasons as head coach of the men’s hoops program at Bethel University (Minn.).
A 1990 graduate of UT and a four-year member of the tennis team, Novak helped the Vols to a No. 1 ranking and runner-up NCAA finish in 1990.
LAST TIME THE BULLDOGS PLAYED
Mississippi State, playing its fourth game of the week, fell on the road to Missouri, 76-66, on Sunday afternoon at Mizzou Arena.
The Bulldogs made it close late, tying the game at 55 with 6:10 to play before Missouri went on an 8-0 run to take control of the contest.
The Bulldogs were led offensively by Caterrion Thompson, who scored a team-high 21 on 9-of-14 shooting. She was 3-of-6 from behind-the-arc. Anastasia Hayes was the only other Bulldog in double figures, adding 14.
All seven Bulldogs who played scored on Sunday after Ashley Jones found the bottom of the net in the final frame.
WHEN UT AND MSU LAST MET
The No. 23/25 Lady Vols took a lead into the second quarter but couldn’t hang on, falling to No. 8/8 Mississippi State on Feb. 6, 2020, in Thompson-Boling Arena, 72-55.
Sophomore Rae Burrell led Tennessee (17-6, 7-3 SEC), scoring 20 points and pulling down 10 boards to record a double-double in her first career start. Freshman Jordan Horston and sophomore Jazmine Massengill were also in double digits with 12 and 11, respectively, as the Lady Vols played without leading scorer Rennia Davis (18.1 ppg.), who was recovering from a bout with the flu.
Rickea Jackson was Mississippi State’s (21-3, 9-1 SEC) high scorer, tallying 14 points and nine rebounds. Chloe Bibby added 13.
UP NEXT: SENIOR DAY VS. LSU / SALUTE TO MICKEY
UT will play its final contest of the regular season at Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday.
Tennessee welcomes LSU to town for a Senior Day matinee at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2
Big Orange Nation also will have a chance to salute Voice of the Lady Vols Mickey Dearstone, who announced on Feb. 22 he will retire at the end of the season after 23 seasons as the program’s featured radio announcer.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A hot-shooting night led 17th-ranked Tennessee to a definitive road win Tuesday night at Missouri, 80-61.
All-SEC candidate Kennedy Chandler led the way for the Vols with 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting with a career-high eight rebounds and six assists.
Joining Chandler in double figures was fellow All-SEC hopeful Santiago Vescovi, who scored 14 points on 4-for-6 shooting from 3-point range, and Victor Bailey Jr., who had 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting.
Javon Pickett had 16 points to lead Missouri.
Vols team / Credit: UT Athletics
Carrying a nine-point lead into the start of the second half, Tennessee (20-7, 11-4 SEC) opened the final period by hitting just one of its first six shots, but quickly regained its shooting stroke.
The Vols and Tigers played back-and-forth for the first four minutes of the final period before a Jonas Aidoo and-one fast-break dunk on a feed from Chandler kicked off a 16-3 Tennessee run that gave the Vols a 21-point lead at 57-36 with 10:44 remaining.
Missouri responded with a 14-5 run to cut the Tennessee lead to 12 at 62-50 with 6:37 left, but never was able to draw any closer, as Vescovi’s three 3-pointers in the final six minutes helped the Vols maintain distance.
Tennessee led Missouri at halftime, 36-27, after shooting 50 percent (15-for-30) from the field during the first half.
Despite its high shooting percentage for the first half as a whole, the Vols hit just two of their first seven shots from the field to start the game. Trailing 17-15 just under nine minutes into the opening period, Tennessee took control by rattling off a 13-0 run spanning nearly five minutes—bookended by contested midrange jumpers from Bailey Jr.
After it made seven of 12 shots to start the game, Missouri made just four of its last 16 to end the half.
Chandler led all scorers with 14 first-half points on 6-for-8 shooting.
UP NEXT: Tennessee is back at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday for a ranked showdown with No. 3 Auburn. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. ET on ESPN. Although Saturday’s game is sold out, fans can still purchase tickets through VividSeats.com.
VOLS REACH 20 WINS: Tuesday’s win marked Tennessee’s 20th of the season, with the 2021-22 season standing as the third season of the Rick Barnes era in which the Vols have reached 20 wins, and the first since 2018-19.
Tennessee junior guard Santiago Vescovi has been selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team, the organization announced.
The Academic All‐District Men’s Basketball Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), recognizes the nation’s top student‐athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. As a first-team Academic All-District honoree, Vescovi advances to the CoSIDA Academic All‐America ballot.
Through four full semesters in the classroom at UT, Vescovi has posted a 3.37 GPA in the Business Management major.
Vols G Santiago Vescovi / Credit: UT Athletics
On the court, Vescovi has compiled his best season yet as a Volunteer—posting career-high averages in scoring (13.5 ppg), rebounds (4.7 rpg), steals (1.7 spg) and 3-point percentage (.385).
The All-SEC candidate is averaging 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assist per game while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range in conference play.
Mickey Dearstone, the longtime radio play-by-play voice of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team has announced his retirement following the conclusion of the current 2021-22 season. Dearstone has been the exclusive voice of Lady Vols basketball for the past 23 seasons and his association with the program spans 30 years and over 800 games. His crisp, vivid descriptions, matter-of-fact delivery and humorous dry wit have made him a popular favorite with Tennessee fans for three decades.
“When anyone asked me how long I was going to do Lady Vols basketball, I had the same response,” said Dearstone. “I wanted to do it as long as I can without one person thinking that maybe I stuck around too long. After missing two games last year and three this year, I decided to turn the mic over to someone else.”
Mickey Dearstone / Credit: UT Athletics
“I’m a lucky man. I have worked with three incredible coaches in Pat Summitt, Holly Warlick and Kellie Harper. I want to thank Joan Cronan and her staff, Edwin Huster, Steve Early and Glenn Thackston for allowing me to do it my way. It’s the only way I know how. I will always cherish the hundreds of friendships I have made with administrators, coaches, players and especially Lady Vols fans everywhere.”
Dearstone called his first Lady Vols basketball game back in 1991, filling in when then Lady Vols play-by-play announcer Bob Kesling had regional TV broadcasting conflicts. He substituted part time in the role for eight years, doing more games in later years. When Kesling was named UT’s director of athletic broadcasting and assumed radio play-by-play duties for UT football and men’s basketball in 1999, Dearstone took over the Lady Vols position full-time.
During his time as the “Voice of the Lady Vols”, Dearstone was a part of five Lady Vols NCAA national championships (1996, 1997, 1998, 2007 and 2008), 10 Final Fours, 17 Elite Eights, 25 NCAA Tournaments, 12 SEC regular season championships and 11 SEC Tournament championships. During his career, the Lady Vol Radio Network grew from just a few local area radio stations to over 20 across the state, becoming the largest women’s collegiate basketball network in the country.
“When you hear the voice of Mickey Dearstone you immediately think of Lady Vols basketball,” said Steve Early, General Manager of Learfield / Vol Network. “His voice is synonymous with championships and great moments in our history.”
“Mickey’s retirement signals the end of an era for Lady Vols listeners everywhere and his contributions to the University of Tennessee will forever be appreciated. Mickey is an original and a true radio personality who brought both passion and professionalism to every game he broadcast…And combining both of those great qualities into one play-by-play voice is not the easiest thing to do,” said Early.
Dearstone was also the original radio voice of Tennessee softball and served in that role from 2005 to 2012 calling five College World Series appearances including a runner-up national finish in 2007. In addition to his radio duties, he has also served as the television host of the Pat Summitt, Holly Warlick and Kellie Harper TV Shows.
A native of Greeneville, Dearstone was a long-time popular on-air personality at WIVK and then WNML radio stations in Knoxville. He worked for the Cumulus Media group in Knoxville for 36 years including a long stint as the program director and drive-time, morning show host on WNML.
Dearstone is a 2021 inductee into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame. He is also an honorary member of the UT Athletics Letterman’s T Club for his years of service to University of Tennessee athletics. A standout baseball player as a youth, he was a member of the Atlanta Braves farm system, playing for the Kingsport Braves, before launching his radio career.
Fans will have the opportunity to show their appreciation for Dearstone at the LSU vs. Tennessee basketball game on Sunday, February 27, as the University of Tennessee will honor him in pregame festivities.
Chris Stapleton‘s All AmericanRoad Show tour just added more shows to keep Chris on the road!
Chris just announced an additional 24 stops to All American Road Show – which will now keep him out on tour through the end of October.
Stapleton’s All American Road Show kicks off in Houston in just under a month on March 17th, and as of now, will finish up back in Texas with a show in Fort Worth on October 27th.
Before he hits the road – Chris will be in Las Vegas on March 7th as a ACM Awards 5-time nominee…and he’s also been announced as a performer during the show.
Plenty of people will be heading to the All American Road Show to hear this one from Chris Stapleton – it’s his hit number-one song “You Should Probably Leave.”
We doubt Jimmy Fallon will be joining him on the road, but the late night talk show host did fill in on the song when Stapleton appeared on The Tonight Show last Fall.
Jason Aldean is heading back out on the road with the his Rock N’ Roll Cowboy tour!
Starting July 15th in Scranton, Jason – along with openers Gabby Barrett and John Morgan along with Dee Jay Silver, the Rock N’ Roll Cowboy tour will cover 35 shows in 27 States over 4 months.
Rock N’ Roll Cowboy tour schedule;
7/15/2022 Scranton, PA – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain 7/16/2022 Hartford, CT – Xfinity Theatre 7/17/2022 Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live 7/23/2022 Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre 7/29/2022 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion 7/30/2022 Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach 7/31/2022 York, PA – York Fair 8/05/2022 Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center 8/06/2022 Tulsa, OK – BOK Center 8/12/2022 Chicago, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre 8/13/2022 Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Music Center 8/14/2022 Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre 8/18/2022 Corpus Christi, TX – American Bank Center 8/19/2022 Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion 8/25/2022 Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center 8/26/2022 Pittsburgh, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake 8/27/2022 Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater 9/08/2022 Gilford, NH – Bank of NH Pavilion 9/09/2022 Gilford, NH – Bank of NH Pavilion 9/10/2022 Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater 9/15/2022 Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview 9/16/2022 Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center 9/17/2022 Boston, MA – Xfinity Center 9/22/2022 Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena 9/23/2022 Lafayette, LA – Cajundome 9/24/2022 New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center 9/29/2022 Evansville, IN – The Ford Center 10/01/2022 Savannah, GA – Enmarket Arena 10/07/2022 Ft. Wayne, IN – Allen County War Memorial Coliseum 10/08/2022 Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena 10/14/2022 Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena 10/15/2022 Birmingham, AL – Legacy Arena at The BJCC 10/27/2022 Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena 10/28/2022 Columbia, MO – Mizzou Arena 10/29/2022 Wichita, KS – INTRUST Bank Arena
Tickets go on sale today, February 18th, 2022.
Talking about the tour Jason says “I’m ready to get back out and feel the nights come alive. We are already thinking about the the setlist…there will be some songs off the new record like ‘Rock And Roll Cowboy,’ which felt like a great tour name because it’s all about knowing you belong on the road.”
One of the songs that will be on the setlist will be his new single at country radio, “Trouble With A Heartbreak.”
The track is one of the songs from Jason’s upcoming album, Georgia.
Watch the music video for Jason Aldean’s “Trouble With A Heartbreak” here…
Miranda Lambert turned to social media this weekend to share the said news of the passing of Scotty Wray.
Anyone who’s seen Miranda perform knows that Scotty was one of the fixtures on stage next to her as her long-time guitarist.
But he was so much more – both on stage, and off stage.
Miranda shared, “I lost one of my most treasured friends, band mates and road family members, Scotty Wray. We met in 2001 in Greenville Texas. I was 17 . That was the beginning of our journey together. We went through so much life together on and off the stage. We wrote songs, played gig after gig, fought, cried, laughed and even got matching arrow tattoos after we made it out of some rough patches together.”
Miranda continues, “Scotty was one of the most talented guitar players I’ve ever known and I’m so thankful I got to witness his genius seasoned laid back blues man style on stages all over the world for over 20 years. He was the one I could count on. Always. No matter what. If he was there on my right side I felt like I could take on the world. Scotty Wray was family to me and I’ll never sing a note without him because I know he is there with me. He always has been. I love you my sweet Bud Wray. Heaven is lucky cause that honky tonk band up there just gained another guitar pickin’ angel. Rest easy my love.”
Our thoughts are with Miranda, her band and the Wray family, which includes fellow country singer Collin Raye.
Collin posted this about his older brother Scotty.
Collin shared, “Sad news this weekend for my family as my big brother, Scotty passed away Friday night in Arkansas. Though he had been suffering from an illness for some time, and was in a care facility, it was still sudden and shocking for me as I had spent hours with him, just the day before, and left him Thursday evening feeling like I’d see him again soon. We spent the day telling stories, reminiscing and laughing. I never would have guessed, he’d pass on, the next day. Me and my band, The Riff Raff, performed in Texarkana, Friday night. It was a special Classic Rock Tribute Show that Scotty really wanted to see. Realizing he was too sick to attend, I planned to make the entire night a tribute to him, and we videoed the show for him to watch later. Sadly, I later learned that he had passed away shortly before we took the stage. It has been a very emotional couple of days. Scotty and I began our long musical journey together, so many years ago. It is a bond that not everyone can understand. The Bruce Springsteen song, ‘No Surrender’ always reminds me of Scotty and I. Like the opening line, ‘Well we busted outta class, had to get away from those fools….. We learned more from a 3 minute record baby, than we ever learned in School’. I believe he still saw Friday’s show from a Heavenly vantage point. I want to thank all the many Friends and our Family members, as well as our Music Industry Family, who have reached out in love, with their Prayers and Condolences. I know Scotty’s sweet Daughter, Sara appreciates the love being shown to her Dad, as I know we all do. Scotty was a very loving, big hearted person, who was loyal to Family and Friends, even from many years back. His passing will leave a noticeable void in my life, and in the lives of many. I’m so thankful that Scotty and I worked so closely together on my most recent album, Scars, from 2020. We sang together and wrote together for the album that I am proudest of. As far as my feelings are on what he’s doing now, at this moment, I’ve attached a song we wrote and sang together from that Album. Please give it a listen. Im very very proud of it. May Almighty God bless each of you. Thank you for reading this. Scotty, I love you…. We love you. I’ll see you on the other side of the Veil. Ps…. Save me a spot in the Band. Love, Bubba (Collin)”
The 17th-ranked Tennessee basketball team plays its second straight road game Tuesday, taking on the Missouri Tigers. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET.
Fans can catch Tuesday’s game on SEC Network 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-by-play) and Dane Bradshaw (analysis) will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp calling the action. The broadcast is also available on channel 138 on Sirius, channel 190 on SiriusXM and channel 961 on the SiriusXM app.
Tennessee (19-7, 10-4 SEC) saw its eight-game SEC win streak snapped Saturday in front of a sold-out crowd at Arkansas, 58-48. The Vols held Arkansas to 31 percent shooting for the game, but shot just 27 percent themselves.
The Vols are looking to reach the 20-win mark on Tuesday for the third time in the Rick Barnes era and first time since 2018-19. Tennessee has not suffered back-to-back defeats this season.
Up next, Tennessee is back at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday for a ranked showdown with No. 3 Auburn. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET on either ESPN or ESPN2.
Vols F Uros Plavsic / Credit: UT Athletics
THE SERIES • Tennessee leads its all-time series with Missouri 10-8, dating to 1961. • When the series is contested in Columbia, the Tigers own a 5-4 advantage. • These programs split last season’s two meetings, with each squad winning on the opponent’s home court. • Vols head coach Rick Barnes is 5-2 in head-to-head meetings against teams coached by Cuonzo Martin. • Martin was the head coach at Tennessee from 2011-14 and guided the Big Orange from the NCAA First Four to the Sweet Sixteen in his final season. • Mizzou assistant coach Marco Harris was a member of Martin’s support staff at UT. • A victory Tuesday would give the Vols 20 wins this season and a 5-5 record in true road games. • Tennessee senior Victor Bailey Jr. is the son of a Mizzou gridiron great. See full note below.
LAYUP LINES – TEAM • Tennessee is coming off a loss at Arkansas but has not suffered back-to-back defeats this season. • Tennessee stands at No. 11 in the NCAA’s latest NET ratings. Each of UT’s seven losses are Quad 1. • The Vols have faced nine AP Top 25 opponents so far this season. • Tennessee joins Kentucky and Auburn as the only three SEC teams that have no losses outside Quadrant 1 this season. • According to KenPom, the Vols rank fourth in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 87.4 points per 100 possessions. • Tennessee’s scoring defense of 66.5 ppg in SEC play is the second-best in the league. The Vols have held six SEC teams to 60 points or less. • The Vols rank eighth among all Division I teams in both steals per game (9.7 spg) and turnover margin (+4.4). • Tennessee owns a perfect 9-0 record on the SEC Network this season.
LAYUP LINES – PLAYERS • All-SEC candidate Santiago Vescovi is the league’s top 3-point shooter during SEC play, hitting at a .429 clip from long range. • Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and Bob Cousy Award candidate Kennedy Chandler’s 2.28 steals per game rank 16th in Division I and second nationally among true freshmen. • During SEC play, Vols freshmen Zakai Zeigler (2.57 spg) and Chandler (2.38 spg) rank first and second, respectively, in steals per game. • A leading candidate for the SEC Sixth Man of the Year award, Zeigler is Tennessee’s leading scorer over the last three games (14.0 ppg) while shooting .583 from 3-point range and totaling nine steals. • Zeigler has scored in double figures in each of UT’s last eight games.
ABOUT MISSOURI • Missouri (10-17, 4-10 SEC) enters Tuesday’s game having lost three games in a row. • Tuesday marks the Tigers’ third game in just five days after they played Mississippi State on both Friday and Sunday. The first meeting between Missouri and Mississippi State was originally scheduled for Jan. 5 but was postponed due to health and safety protocols. • Missouri is 7-7 at home inside Mizzou Arena this year, including a 2-5 mark in SEC play. • The Tigers are 4-15 in Quadrant 1 and 2 games this season—having won at home against Alabama, at a neutral site over SMU and at Texas A&M in Quad 1. • Junior forward Kobe Brown has been Missouri’s do-it-all player this season—posting team-high averages in points (12.4 ppg), rebounds (7.9 rpg) and steals (1.3 spg). • Brown’s 7.9 rebounds per game rank sixth in the SEC. • Senior guard Javon Pickett has been a consistent force on offense, having scored in double figures in 11 straight SEC games. In conference play, Pickett is averaging 12.4 points per game and ranks fifth in the league in field-goal percentage (.484) and minutes played per game (34.1). • Through the games of Feb. 20, Missouri ranks No. 140 in KenPom.com’s rankings. The Tigers rank No. 133 in adjusted defensive efficiency and No. 165 in adjusted offensive efficiency.
LAST MEETING WITH MISSOURI • A 27-point scoring output from Xavier Pinson and a turnover-plagued offensive effort hampered sixth-ranked Tennessee on Jan. 23, 2021, as the Volunteers fell to 19th-ranked Missouri, 73-64, at Thompson-Boling Arena. • Missouri recorded 10 steals and forced 18 Tennessee turnovers. • The Vols were led in scoring by senior Yves Pons, who scored 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting. The reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year also pulled in five rebounds and blocked two shots. • Junior guard Victor Bailey Jr. scored 12 points—eight of which came in the second half—dished out three assists and recorded two steals. • Josiah-Jordan James also scored 12 points, while also recording five rebounds, a block and a steal. • Missouri held control for much of the opening half, taking a lead as large as 12 with just over eight minutes to play. Out of the under-eight media timeout, the Vols ripped off a 12-3 run to cut the Mizzou lead to 28-25 in a span of two minutes. • The programs traded buckets over the final minutes of the half before the Tigers took a 40-34 lead into the break. • Out of halftime, Missouri stretched its lead to double-digits and held the Vols to 30 percent shooting through the half’s first 12 minutes. • To close the night, the Tigers withstood UT’s multiple comeback bids, never letting the Orange & White pull within fewer than six points. • Pinson led all scorers with 27 on 10-of-14 shooting and was a perfect 3-for-3 from 3-point range. Guard Dru Smith added 18 points for the Tigers.
MEMORABLE VOL PERFORMANCES AGAINST MISSOURI • Knoxville native Rob Jones totaled 14 points, 11 rebounds, one assist and a team-high three blocks against the Tigers Dec. 10, 1984, in Columbia, but it wasn’t enough, as Missouri posted a 70-61 victory. Five Tigers scored in double figures in the win. • Mizzou had no answer for the great Bernard King, as the legendary Vols forward recorded a double-double with 32 points and 18 rebounds in a 99-77 Tennessee triumph at the Big Sun Invitational on Dec. 21, 1974, in St. Petersburg, Florida. • Two-time first-team All-SEC honoree Mike Edwards tallied a team-high 19 points against Missouri during a 67-57 loss to the 12th-ranked Tigers in the 1972 Vol Classic title game in Knoxville on Dec. 16, 1972.
VJ BAILEY HAS TIGER BLOODLINES • Tennessee senior Victor Bailey Jr., is the son of one of the greatest football wide receivers ever to play at Mizzou. • Victor Bailey (Sr.) was a star receiver for the Tigers from 1990-92 and finished his career as the school’s all-time receptions leader (128). His three-year Mizzou totals also included 2,116 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. • Bailey Sr. was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played three seasons for the Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
ZEIGLER MAKING CASE FOR SEC SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR HONORS • True freshman guard and SEC Sixth Man of the Year candidate Zakai Zeigler has proven to a rock-solid addition to this Tennessee roster. • Zeigler is Tennessee’s third-leading scorer in SEC play (10.5 ppg) and leads the team with 2.6 steals per game vs. conference foes. • Zeigler also leads the league with a .900 free-throw percentage in SEC games. • He twice exploded for 18 points in wins over North Carolina and South Carolina—two of his 11 double-digit scoring performances off the bench this season.
FULKY AT THE FOUR • Tennessee is +15 in 22:35 over its last two games with John Fulkerson playing the four. For much of the past two seasons, Fulkerson’s minutes have come primarily at the five spot. • While playing the four in last week’s win over Kentucky, Fulkerson used his quickness to effectively guard Keion Brooks Jr. and Jacob Toppin. • Fulkerson over the last two games is averaging 8.0 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field.
PURSUING DOUBLE-BYE IN TAMPA • Tennessee is on track to earn a double-bye in the upcoming SEC Tournament in Tampa. The top-four seeds earn automatic placement in Friday’s quarterfinal round. • If the tournament started today, the Vols would enter as the No. 4 seed. But UT still has two games remaining against teams in the top four of the standings (Auburn and Arkansas, both in Knoxville).
