Carly Pearce was back in her home state today (March, 4th) for the unveiling of her display in the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum.
Carly was on hand to accept the honor, saying “This is so special to me. I love Kentucky so much, I have state tattooed on my wrist because I love it so much!”
Speaking in front of a costume that her mom made for Carly when she was going to perform “Blue Moon of Kentucky” in her 4th grade school talent show — which she went on to win — Carly added, “You dream of one day impacting…all I ever wanted to do was sing country music and just to know that I am making my home state proud in a way that I always hoped to, and following in the footsteps of so many people in this Museum makes me very very happy, and just very honored to be here.”
Carly also treated the people at the event and those watching online to 3 of her songs which she sang acoustically, “Every Little Thing,” “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” and “Next Girl.”
You can watch the event of the unveiling of Carly Pearce’s exhibit at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum as it happened right here…
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 25/19 Tennessee makes its second attempt at a road tournament this weekend as the team heads to College Station, Texas for the Reveille Classic (March 5-7). The Lady Vols, who are coming off of a 7-0 week, played their first 13 games at home for the first time in program history.
UT will open Friday with a doubleheader against Campbell (11 am ET) and Lamar (1:30 p.m.) at Davis Diamond, before a late afternoon start on Saturday against host-team and conference-mate Texas A&M at 4 p.m. Saturday concludes for the Lady Vols with a rematch against Lamar at 6:30 p.m. The weekend concludes with a follow-up contest against the Camels at 11 a.m.
Broadcast Info
Radio broadcast will be available for all of Tennessee’s contest during the weekend on UTsports.com with Brian Rice on the call.
Tennessee’s nonconference matchup against in-conference opponent Texas A&M will be live streamed on SECN+.
Quick Hits
Pitchin’ Weekend
UT is coming off of an undefeated weekend in the circle, headlined by current SEC Pitcher of the Week and junior Ashley Rogers. Rogers recorded a career-best 18 Ks vs Central Michigan and joined elite company as she became just the fourth pitcher in UT history to achieve that mark. Monica Abbott, Ellen Renfroe and Megan Rhodes-Smith, who is in her first year as UT’s pitching coach, are the others. Rogers’ highmark ties for eighth all-time. After Rogers’ noteworthy performance redshirt junior Samantha Bender got the starting nod. In her first start of 2021, Bender threw the program’s first solo no-hitter since 2016 when Erin Gabriel pitched a perfect game against Jacksonville in a 10-0 run rule. Bender, a Chambersburg, Pa., native made 13 appearances in 2020 and finished with a 5-1 record and 2.77 ERA. She also added two saves to the ledger in 43.0 innings of work.
Hit Makers
The Lady Vols are outhitting opponents 100-40 and 44 percent of their hits have been for extra bases including 24 home runs. Tennessee ranks fourth in the SEC and 11th nationally in home runs per game (1.85). UT’s home run total is ahead of where the 2015 team, which registered 100 yard balls in a season, was 13 games in.The Orange and White’s 18 doubles so far rank sixth in the SEC and 24th nationally. Senior outfielder and lead-off hitter Amanda Ayala currently leads the team with 17 hits, nine of which have been extra-base hits (4 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR), while sophomore outfielder Kiki Milloy, who is leading the team with 16 runs, holds the current team-high six home runs. Yard balls account for 50 percent of Milloy’s hits at the moment.
A Score of Success
The 2021 season marks the 20th season that co-head coaches Ralph Weekly and Karen Weekly have managed the Lady Vol ball club. The NFCA Hall of Famers (Ralph was inducted in 2011, Karen was inducted in 2018) boast an overall record of 1,408-466-2 at Tennessee. In their time on Rocky Top, the program transformed into a national powerhouse, with 18 consecutive seasons in the top 25 polls. Since 2001, the Weekly’s have guided players to 36 All-America selections, 64 NFCA All-Region nods, five SEC Player of the Year honors, three SEC Pitcher of the Year titles, 60 All-SEC selections and a deluge of distinguished recognitions. Some of the sports’ most respected names once sported the Orange and White, including Olympian Monica Abbott, considered one of the greatest pitchers of all time, India Chiles, Ivy Renfroe, Rainey Gaffin, Madison Shipman, Sarah Fekete, Raven Chavanne and Aubrey Leach, to name a few. The Weekly’s, who also were co-heads at Chattanooga, have led the Lady Vols to seven WCWS appearances and were SEC Co-Coaches of the Year in 2004 and 2007.
Scouting Report Campbell 2021 record: 4-4, 0-0 Big South Series record: UT leads 4-0 Last outing: First-ever meeting Key player/stat: The Camels are coming off of a 1-3 weekend against EKU. Their lone win was an 8-0 shutout of the Colonels in five innings, while two of the losses were determined by one run. Campbell is led by the Claudia Ware and Alexa Pagano, who have combined for 14 starts this season and are both batting .375. Ware, who was a member of the All-Big South Freshman Team in 2019, leads her team with nine hits that includes a pair of doubles and a pair of triples. The redshirt sophomore is on a four-game hitting streak.
Lamar 2021 record: 2-13, 0-0 Southland Last outing: First-ever meeting Key player/stat: The Cardinals have faced a tough slate so far with four contests against top 25 opponents, including No. 7 Texas, No. 11 Oklahoma State (twice) and No. 23 Baylor. Lamar has show signs of fight in a couple of contest after taking down Houston 6 -4 in game 2 of a doubleheader after losing 14-5 (5) in game 1, which was the season opener.
Texas A&M 2021 record: 6-2, 0-0 SEC Series record: UT leads the series 15-5 Last outing: No. 11 UT lost 6-4 in a 10-inning thriller in Knoxville Key player/stat: The Aggies are coming off a three-game sweep of a respected Tulsa program behind the offense of Haley Lee who leads the league in homeruns per game (0.62), seventh nationally. Junior Lee also paces the conference in slugging percentage with 1.167 average – that number ranks 14th in the country. Collectively, the Aggies 0.38 triples per game rank fourth in the SEC and 25th nationally.
Earlier this week, Miranda Lambert posted to her social media “We don’t know what we’re doing, but we know we’re supposed to be doing it.” and tagged Jack Ingram and Jon Randall.
Now we know what the trio was doing…working on a new music project!
Today Miranda announced a new album, The Marfa Tapes.
Talking about the new music collection Miranda says, “They’re raw. You can hear the wind blowing, the cows mooing… We wanted you to feel like you were right there with us, sitting around the campfire, escaping the world, disappearing into the music.”
Fans can check out the first song from The Marfa Tapes, — The album arrives May 7th — watch the music video for “In His Arms,” right here
For those unfamiliar with Marfa – it’s a city in the high desert of the Trans-Pecos in far West Texas, between the Davis Mountains and Big Bend National Park.
Miranda shares, “Every time I need an escape, I go to Marfa, TX. Jack Ingram, and Jon Randall come. We recharge. We get inspired by its beauty. We write songs.”
Turns out that Miranda has included songs that she’s written in Marfa on her last two albums, The Weight of These Wings and Wildcard. She says, “‘Tin Man’ was the 1st one we shared with you. ‘Tequila Does’ was the 2nd. In between, we’ve written 13 more. And it’s about time to start sharing them with y’all…”
For fans that want to have The Marfa Tapes on vinyl, you can preorder it here: ml.lnk.to/TheMarfaTapespre
The Frontmen of Country features 3 lead singers who ruled the 90s with hit after hit — Richie McDonald, Tim Rushlow, and Larry Stewart.
Richie recently stepped down from his lead singing duties in Lonestar to join onto The Frontmen full-time. Richie says, “I’ve been with Lonestar for almost 30 years and have enjoyed my time with the guys…with everything that has happened in the past year, it has made me think about other things I want to do in life. This opportunity with The Frontmen came up and I’ve decided to go a new direction. I’ve always enjoyed performing with Tim and Larry and I can’t wait to see how this new chapter unfolds.”
Larry Stewart, of Restless Heart, says that performing with Tim and Richie is not a new thing — but that was as separate groups. Now that the guys are together as one, he shares, “Touring the United States for country music fans coast-to-coast, backed by a world class band, performing hit after hit, will be exciting and something we have never done together. I’m looking forward to hitting the stage with these two great singers!”
Tim Rushlow of Little Texas thinks this new Super-Group will be a hit with fans, “I don’t know that I have ever seen three lead vocalists on a tour like this. There’s a common thread that runs through our collective catalog of hits and it will be awesome to sing them all in one concert event!” Tim added, “We are ecstatic to have this amazing opportunity to bring this show on the road and celebrate the music of three of the biggest bands from the ’90s in one night.”
With a pair of shows next month, The Frontmen’s schedule really picks up in the Fall…
April 16 – Grant, OK – Choctaw Casino Resort
April 17 – Sonora, TX – JL Bar Ranch and Resort
Sept 18 – Orange Park, FL – Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts
Sept 25 – Farmington, NM – Farmington Civic Center Theatre
Sept 27 – Yakima, WA – Central Washington State Fair
Oct 1 – Flint, MI – The Capitol Theatre
Oct 2 – Bristol, VA – The Cameo Theater
Oct 8 – Eau Claire, WI – Pablo Center at the Confluence
Oct 9 – Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theatre
Oct 23 – Tracy, CA – Grand Theatre Center for the Arts
Oct 29 – Buda, TX – Buck’s Backyard
Oct 30 – Hinton, OK – Sugar Creek Casino
Nov 4 – Whitecap, SK – Dakota Dunes Casino
Nov 5 – Calgary, AB – The Grey Eagle Event Centre
Nov 6 – Rama, ON – Casino Rama Entertainment Centre
Nov 11 – Green Bay, WI – Meyer Theatre
Nov 12 – Milwaukee, WI – The Northern Lights Theater
Nov 13 – Tonawanda, NY – Riviera Theatre and Performing Arts Center
Nov 14 – Warsaw, IN – Wagon Wheel Theatre
It’s not just music of the past bringing Richie, Tim and Larry together — fans who head out to see The Frontmen, will also get to hear their new song too, “If It Wasn’t For The Radio.”
For more info on Richie, Larry and Tim’s new group, check out them out at The Frontmen Of Country and you can listen to their song “If It Wasn’t For the Radio” right here…
Austin City Limits has become a fan and country music artist favorite.
The program, which launched in 1974, as attracted every country music act you can think of to its stage, and along the way has developed a strong and loyal fanbase.
Over the years the Austin City Limits stage has be graced by country music legends like Loretta Lynn, Marty Robbins, Charley Pride, Waylon Jennings, Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, and Garth Brooks, to name a few.
It’s proud tradition continues with stars like Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, and Chris Stapleton…all making ACL a must-do on their career check-list.
During Woman’s History Month, Austin City Limits honors the female country artists that have appeared on the program over the years…
Now for fans looking to relive those amazing moments from Austin City Limits – they partnered with Time Life to create a massive collection of 164 live uncut performances dating from 1974 to 2018 — and the collection includes the original 1974 pilot episode of the series featuring the one and only Willie Nelson.
Check out this preview of the collection…
Time Life cordially invites country music fans everywhere to experience these wonderful performances, collaborations, bonus interviews, and more on 10 DVDs and an exclusive collectible memory book. For more info, head to TimeLife.com/ACL,
Photo Courtesy of Austin City Limits and Time Life.
While many artists have had to adapt their ways of doing their jobs, and finding music…for Blake Shelton, it turns out that he’s been getting socially distanced music for a decade now.
Blake says “Finding music is no different during this pandemic, and the shutdown and quarantine phase…it’s no different than it’s been the last ten years, because I don’t live in Nashville, I live in Oklahoma, and then when I’m not there, I’m traveling, or I’m in LA filming The Voice. So, most of the music is either emailed to me, or sent to me on a disc, that I just listen to on my own time. So, that part of it hasn’t been much different.”
Blake and Gwen Stefani are nominated for ACM Music Event of the Year for one of those socially distanced discovered songs – “Nobody But You.” Find out if they take home the trophy for it when the ACM Awards air on April 18th
Until then you can check out the music video for their track right here…
ACM Female Vocalist of the Year nominee Ashley McBryde thinks that it’s OK to be a little uncomfortable when you listen to her ACM nominated Song of the Year “One Night Standards” from her ACM nominated Album of the Year, Never Will.
Ashley says, “’One Night Standards’ was an exercise in honesty…and it can be a little uncomfortable at times, but I think almost any of us, could stand to be a little uncomfortable for at least 3 and half minutes – especially when it comes to honesty.”
Ashley McBryde has 4 nominations going into this year’s ACM Awards, Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year for “One Night Standards” – which she’s nominated for as performer and songwriter. Check out the ACM Awards on April 18th to see which award Ashley brings home.
Check out the video for “One Night Standards” right here…which when you string the videos for “One Night Standards,” “Martha Divine” and “Hang In There Girl,” Ashley might think about an Oscar nom.
Shy Carter‘s single “Good Love” is at country radio right now, and next Friday you can catch it on Today!
When Shy got to break the news about performing on the 3rd hour of the Today on March 12th, he shared “Woooooooooo!!!!! Hallelujah!!! The TODAY show!!!! I’m so so grateful!! It’s gonna be fun!! Thanks to everyone who has helped make this happen!!!”
Shy also added, “I’m beyond excited to be on the TODAY Show. I’m extremely grateful that this legendary show is welcoming me to come and sing. It means the world to me, and we are going to be performing a very special acoustic version of ‘Good Love.’ I can’t wait! Wooo!”
Talking about the track Shy says, “This song, ‘Good Love,’ is all about somebody really being there for you when you feel like you can’t make it. When you feel you’re dying…you’re on your last breath, they come around and they show you that kind of love, and that kind of compassion and let you know that they won’t let you fall. That they’ll bring you through, and it brings you back to life. It gives you new energy, new hope, new passion, and this song is a testament to those kind of people coming through for you.”
Make sure to check out Shy on Today on the 12th, but until then you can check out the music video for his “Good Love” right here…
If you’ve been to lower Broadway in Nashville over the last several years, you know country music artist owned honkytonks having been sprouting up all along Music City’s famous strip.
Jason Aldean, John Rich, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan,Florida Georgia Line and Alan Jackson all already have venues…but now there’s another name being thrown in the mix, and it’s a first!
Miranda Lambert will be the first female country artist to have a downtown venue. Miranda’s place will be located at 308 Broadway, and looks to be named “Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa.”
Miranda was perhaps encouraged to move into this new venture by a 2018 Nashville Business Journal poll. When music industry pros were asked, “Which female country star should open a downtown bar?” — Miranda garnered the most votes.
Miranda is partnering with TC Restaurant Group on the new place, and it looks like even more details will be revealed in the coming weeks.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 14/16 Tennessee (15-6, 9-4 SEC), which earned the No. 3 seed by virtue of its third-place regular-season finish, will open play on Friday night at the SEC Tournament in Greenville, S.C.
The Lady Vols will face the winner of Thursday’s game between sixth-seeded #13/13 Arkansas (19-7, 9-6 SEC) and No. 11 seed Ole Miss (10-10, 4-10 SEC) at approximately 8:15 p.m. ET on Friday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
In head-to-head match-ups this season, UT defeated (then) No. 13/13 Arkansas, 88-73, on Jan. 7 in Knoxville and erased a 13-point deficit to beat Ole Miss in Knoxville, 68-67, on Jan. 28.
The Lady Vols’ No. 3 seed is their highest since taking a No. 2 position into the 2015 SEC Tourney in North Little Rock, Ark., and advancing to the championship game.
While it may have been forgotten, UT also tied for third in the regular season conference standings a year ago in Kellie Harper‘s first season, but it drew the No. 6 seed for the tourney by virtue of the league’s tiebreaker system.
Tennessee was picked to finish sixth this season by the league’s coaches and media, and was selected seventh by the coaches and sixth by the media last season, overachieving in Harper’s first two years.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
SEC Network will televise Friday’s game, with Courtney Lyle (PxP) and Carolyn Peck (Analyst) on the call.
All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) and the SEC Network 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.
Institutions can produce for SEC Network+ (SECN+) any conference and non-conference games that are not otherwise televised. Those are available on the ESPN app and SECSports.com.
The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network radio stations and by audio stream, with Mickey Dearstone behind the microphone. Now calling the action for his 22nd season, Dearstone is 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 in the black bar at the top of the page.
Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
TENNESSEE IN THE SEC TOURNAMENT
Tennessee is seeking to capture its league-leading 18th SEC Tournament championship trophy. UT was victorious in 1980, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.
The Lady Vols were runners-up on six occasions, including 1982, 1990, 1991, 1995, 2003 and 2015.
UT last advanced to the title game in 2014 and 2015, winning in 2014 as a #2 seed, 71-70, over #4 Kentucky and falling as a #2 seed to #1 South Carolina, 62-46, in 2015.
Tennessee enters Friday night’s game with an 80-24 (.796) all-time record in the 42nd year of the SEC Tournament.
The Lady Vols are 36-5 all-time in their opening game of the SEC Tournament and are 26-10 in their second contest of the tourney.
The Big Orange women are 25-8 in SEC Tournament play since 2007-08.
Tennessee has had 15 SEC Tournament MVPs through the years, with a Lady Vol winning four of the last nine awards.
Isabelle Harrison (2014), Glory Johnson (2012), Shekinna Stricklen (2011) and Alyssia Brewer (2010) were the past four MVPs from Tennessee.
The Lady Vols won the very first SEC Tournament title in 1980, defeating Ole Miss, 85-71, at Stokely Athletics Center in Knoxville.
This is the second SEC Tournament for Kellie Harper and her coaching staff while at Tennessee. UT was 1-1 in 2019-20.
Kellie Harper had an 11-1 record at the SEC Tournament during her time as a student-athlete at UT with postseason tournament titles in 1996, 1998 and 1999. The only loss was in the 1997 semifinals.
Assistant Lacey Goldwire worked on Mike Neighbors’ staff at Arkansas two seasons ago during the Razorbacks’ drive to a runner-up finish.
Rennia Davis has averaged 14.2 ppg. in six career SEC Tournament games, tallying 16 and five vs. Auburn and South Carolina in 2018, 19 and 16 vs. LSU and Mississippi State in 2019 and 15 and 14 vs. Missouri and Kentucky in 2020.
Jordan Horston is averaging 15.0 ppg. in SEC Tourney play after scoring six and 24 vs. Missouri and Kentucky last season.
BACK IN GREENVILLE
This marks the fifth time Greenville has played host to the SEC Tournament.
UT stands at 5-3 in games played in the city after beating Mizzou and falling to Kentucky a year ago.
Kellie Harper is 1-1 as a head coach in SEC Tourney games played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
No. 2 seed Tennessee defeated #1 seed LSU in the tourney title game, 67-56, on March 6, 2005, the first time the event was held IN Greenville.
Shyra Ely was named the SEC Tournament MVP that year, while Shanna Zolman and Brittany Jackson joined her on the all-tournament team.
UT beat Auburn in the second round (64-54) and Vanderbilt in the semifinals (76-73) that year.
TENNESSEE IN SEC PLAY
UT is 414-88 (.825) in SEC regular-season games through the Auburn match-up, winning 18 regular-season championships and capturing 17 SEC tourney titles.
Tennessee Head Coach Kellie Harper is 19-10 in SEC games in her second year leading the team and has a 1-1 record in SEC Tourney play.
The Lady Vols (projected sixth in preseason polls) have beaten three teams ranked above them in the 2020-21 SEC Coaches and Media Polls, including No. 1/1 selection South Carolina, No. 2/3 pick Kentucky and No. 4/5 selection Arkansas.
UT tied for third a year ago and finished third outright this season, marking its best back-to-back outcomes in league play since taking second in 2013-14 and first in 2014-15.
LADY VOL NOTES
NEXT WIN IS NO. 1,400: The Lady Vols have the most all-time wins by a women’s basketball program in NCAA Division I history, standing at 1,399-349 entering the SEC Tournament.
STACKING UP 20s: Rennia Davis enters the SEC Tourney with a five-game streak of scoring 20 points or more.
HOT-SHOOTING RAE: Rae Burrell leads UT in all games at 17.1 ppg. Her hard work and shooting form have led her to hit 46.6 from the field, 41.9 on threes and 80.3 on free throws this season.
HORSTON’S STAR RISING: Jordan Horston has 27 assists vs. 11 turnovers in her last five games and is third in the SEC in all games at 4.3 apg. and second in league contests at 4.7 apg. this season.
“TK” BOLSTERS UT’S DEFENSE: Tamari Key anchors the back of UT’s defense, ranking second in blocks per game at 3.4 in the SEC and tying for second among peers in all games at 2.9.
KASI FLIPPED A SWITCH: Since becoming a starter, Kasi Kushkituah is averaging 8.4 ppg. and 6.6 rpg.
SEC HONORS: UT had four players honored by the league’s coaches. Senior Rennia Davis and junior Rae Burrell were named to the All-SEC First and Second Teams, respectively. Sophomore Tamari Key was chosen for the All-Defensive Team and Marta Suárez was picked for the All-Freshman Team.
CHERYL MILLER FINALIST: Rennia Davis was announced Wednesday as one of five finalists for the Cheryl Miller Award. She also is a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award and is on several other late season watch lists.
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE: UT was picked sixth and placed third in the SEC this season. Kellie Harper‘s team is a No. 3 seed – UT’s best since 2015. UT did so despite graduating one starter from 2019-20 and losing two projected starters before the season began. It then lost a starting center to injury and has had a starting forward limited due to injury during the year. Still, the Lady Vols beat four ranked teams, including No. 2/3 South Carolina, and are a projected NCAA Tourney four seed.
SERIES NOTES VS. ARKANSAS
Tennessee holds a 31-5 all-time record vs. Arkansas, dating back to Feb. 29, 1992, when UT prevailed, 105-59, in the initial meeting.
The Lady Vols are 15-2 in Knoxville, 14-3 in Fayetteville and 2-0 at neutral sites.
Tennessee is 1-1 in overtime and 2-0 in the postseason vs. UA, meeting for the first time in SEC Tournament play in 2016. UT prevailed, 68-51, in the second round in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 3 of that year.
UT’s only setbacks to the Razorbacks in Knoxville were both one-point losses. UA prevailed 72-71 in overtime on Feb. 23, 2012, and 80-79 on Jan. 21, 2019.
Rennia Davis first established her career high of 33 points and hit one of her 14 all-time shots with the clock winding down, draining a three at the close of the third period in Fayetteville on Feb. 8, 2018.
No. 1/1 Tennessee and unranked Arkansas met in an NCAA Final Four semifinal game in Kansas City, Mo., on March 27, 1998, and the Lady Vols cruised past the Razorbacks, 86-58, en route to their perfect 39-0 season.
Then the starting point guard for UT, Kellie (Jolly) Harper tallied 11 points, five assists and three rebounds during 30 minutes of duty in that contest.
Harper finished her career with a 4-1 record vs. the Razorbacks as a player.
As a head coach, Harper is 3-3 all-time vs. Arkansas. She won her last two meetings vs. the Razorbacks while at Missouri State, including 69-54 in Fayetteville on Dec. 2, 2015, and 64-62 in Springfield on Dec. 11, 2016.
This is the would be the third meeting between Harper and Mike Neighbors as head coaches, with Neighbors getting the “W” in 2019-20 and Harper earning one in 2020-21.
Second-year Lady Vol assistant coach Lacey Goldwire was on Mike Neighbors’ staff at Arkansas for two seasons prior to joining Kellie Harper at Tennessee in 2019-20.
RECAPPING ARKANSAS’ LAST GAME
No. 16 Arkansas (19-7, 9-6) finished the regular season with a game to remember, beating Alabama (15-8, 8-8) on Feb. 28, 94-76.
Mike Neighbors’ Hogs hit 19 threes as a team, setting SEC and UA single-game records.
Amber Ramirez poured in 35 points, a new career high, while making eight of her 14 threes. Fellow redshirt seniors Chelsea Dungee and Destiny Slocum got in on the act as well, going for 20 points and 17 points, respectively.
THE LAST TIME UT & UA MET
Tennessee opened SEC play with a victory over No. 13/13 Arkansas at home on Jan. 7, winning 88-73 via an impressive 53.6 shooting percentage.
Senior Rennia Davis and junior Rae Burrell paced UT (7-1, 1-0 SEC), each turning in 26 points. Davis recorded her 33rd career double-double with an all-around effort, adding 11 rebounds. Senior Kasiyahna Kushkituah and sophomore Jordan Horston were also in double digits, chipping in 11 each.
UA (10-3, 1-2 SEC) was led by Chelsea Dungee, who finished with 30 points and seven rebounds. Destiny Slocum and Amber Ramirez had 17 and 15.
SERIES NOTES VS. OLE MISS
UT would enter a 58th meeting in the series with a 49-8 edge, including a 23-2 record in games played in Knoxville, a 21-4 mark in Oxford and a 5-2 slate at neutral sites.
Tennessee has won 33 of the last 34 meetings with Ole Miss, with the only setback in that sequence coming in Oxford, 67-62, on Jan. 12, 2017.
The Lady Vols have won 20 straight over the Rebels in Knoxville, with the last Ole Miss victory (69-65) coming on Jan. 31, 1987, in Stokely Athletics Center.
The Big Orange, which have allowed Ole Miss to surpass 70 points only once since 1997, would face a Rebels squad that comes in averaging 70.9 ppg.
On Jan. 9, 2020, Tennessee held Ole Miss to 28 points, which tied for the third fewest UT has allowed in a game and the fewest by an SEC foe.
The Rebels scored only 14 points in the second half of that game, which was the sixth fewest ever tallied in the final 20 minutes by a UT opponent. Ole Miss’ two fourth-quarter points tied for second fewest ever in a quarter by a Big Orange foe.
Tennessee junior Rennia Davis has played very well against Ole Miss in four contests, averaging 17.6 points and 7.8 rebounds vs. the Rebels.
UT Head Coach Kellie Harper is 4-0 vs. Ole Miss as a head coach. Harper took Missouri State to Oxford on Nov. 19, 2015, and came away with a 91-78 victory over the (then) Matt Insell-coached Rebels. Her first UT unit claimed an 84-28 triumph in Oxford on Jan. 9, 2020, and a 77-66 win in Knoxville on Feb. 27, 2020. UT earned a 68-67 victory this season on Jan. 28.
Harper was 6-1 vs. Ole Miss during her playing days at Tennessee from 1995-99.
RECAPPING OLE MISS’ LAST GAME
With a chance to escape day one of the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament, the Rebels delivered yet again with an explosive second half and timely defensive stops to upset No. 17 Kentucky, 73-69, at Memorial Coliseum on Feb. 28.
Shakira Austin came up big with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Donnetta Johnson tossed in 14 points, while Madison Scott and Snudda Collins each finished with 12 points. Scott made it a double-double by grabbing 10 boards.
THE LAST TIME UT & UM MET
The No. 20/22 Lady Vols came from 13 down to hold off an upset-minded Ole Miss team on Jan. 28, earning a 68-67 win in Thompson-Boling Arena.
Senior Rennia Davis led Tennessee (11-3, 5-1 SEC) with 21 points and seven rebounds, and junior Rae Burrell logged 17 points and three rebounds. Sophomore Jordan Horston was also in double figures, managing 13 points and three assists.
Donnetta Johnson was the high scorer for Ole Miss (7-6, 1-6 SEC) with 19 points, and Shakira Austin and Snudda Collins were close behind with 16 and 13, respectively.
