Tennessee guard Victor Bailey Jr. spoke with media after 70-55 loss to Kentucky.
WATCH: Victor Bailey Jr. Kentucky postgame “The sky is still the limit for us”
WATCH: Rick Barnes Kentucky postgame “If we’re not getting better we’re getting worse”
Tennessee basketball head coach Rick Barnes spoke with media after the 70-55 loss to Kentucky.
Beck Power Vols Past Georgia Southern in Season Opener
STATESBORO, Ga. – After 346 days of no baseball, No. 16 Tennessee opened its long-awaited 2021 season with a hard-fought 5-3 victory on the road over Georgia Southern.
Sophomore outfielder Jordan Beck sparked the offense with two big RBI hits, including his first home run of the year, while junior pitcher Chad Dallas was dominant on the mound, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning.
UT jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first five innings but had to withstand a late comeback attempt from the Eagles before securing victory No. 1 on the year.
The Vols wasted no time getting the bats going as Beck gave the Big Orange an early 2-0 lead with a two-run double in the top of the first inning, smoking a 0-1 pitch off the wall in left field to score Max Ferguson and Liam Spence.
An RBI double down the left-field line by Luc Lipcius extended the lead to 3-0 in the third inning. Eagles’ starting pitcher Jordan Jackson was pulled one batter later after throwing 65 pitches in just 2.1 innings. Lipcius came in to score later in the inning on a hard-hit ball by Connor Pavolony to make it 4-0.
The Vols’ first home run of the year came off the bat of Beck, who continued his big night with a no-doubter over the left-center field fence in the top of the fifth to give UT a comfortable 5-0 lead.
However, Tennessee’s bats cooled off against Georgia Southern reliever Tyler Owens and the Eagles scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to get back in the game, breaking up Dallas’ no-hit bid with a solo homer by Noah Ledford. GSU added two more runs in the frame after Dallas was pulled to cut the deficit to just two heading to the eighth inning.
Despite struggling in the seventh, Dallas finished with an impressive final line of 6.1 innings pitched, two runs, two hits and seven strikeouts while allowing just one walk to pick up the win and improve to 4-0 in his Tennessee career.
Senior relievers Sean Hunley and Redmond Walsh pitched the final 2.2 innings, combining for five strikeouts. Walsh retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn his first save of the year and the 12th of his career.
Game 2 of the weekend series is slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch tomorrow afternoon. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and fans can listen to John Wilkerson call the action on UTSports.com and the UT Gameday App, as well.
NOTABLE
Beck’s Big Bat: Sophomore slugger Jordan Beck started his season with a bang, leading the Vols with three RBI on a pair of extra-base hits. The Hazel Green, Alabama, native got the scoring started with a two-run double in the top of the first and added another run to the board with a monster home run in the fifth inning, the second of his career.
Say Cheese!: Junior right hander Chad Dallas got the opening-day start for the second year in a row and did not disappoint. The Texas native had a no-hitter broken up with one out in the seventh and earned his first win of the year, improving his career record to 4-0.
Walsh Moving Up Career Saves List: Redshirt senior reliever Redmond Walsh slammed the door with a perfect 1-2-3 inning on Friday night to earn his 12th career save, which moved him into sole possession of fourth on UT’s all-time list.
Success in Season Openers: Tennessee improved to 74-35-2 all-time in season openers with Friday’s victory and 3-1 under head coach Tony Vitello.
-UT Athletics
Lady Vols Announce the 2021 TV Schedule
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – As announced by the SEC Conference in conjunction with ESPN and the SEC Network on Friday, No. RV/23/24 Tennessee softball will have at least 10 games televised during the 2021 spring season across ESPN network affiliates and the SEC Network.
The Lady Vols are slated to have six home games and four away games broadcast. All three games of the UT-Kentucky (April 2-4) series will be televised on an ESPN platform. The remainder of UT’s home and away games in SEC play will be live streamed on SEC Network + and the ESPN app. Additionally, the remainder of the Lady Vols home non-conference outings will be live digital broadcasts on SECN+ and the ESPN app. Links to all streams will be added to the softball schedule page when they become available.
2021 Tennessee Softball Televised Games Schedule (All times ET)
3/13/2021 1:00 PM LSU at Tennessee SECN
3/19/2021 7:00 PM Tennessee at Alabama ESPNU
3/21/202 12:00 PM Tennessee at Alabama ESPNU
4/2/2021 5:00 PM Kentucky at Tennessee ESPNU
4/3/2021 6:00 PM Kentucky at Tennessee ESPN2
4/4/2021 2:00 PM Kentucky at Tennessee ESPNU
4/18/2021 6:00 PM Tennessee at South Carolina SECN
4/19/2021 7:00 PM Tennessee at South Carolina SECN
4/24/2021 2:00 PM Georgia at Tennessee ESPN2
4/25/2021 2:00 PM Georgia at Tennessee ESPN
Tennessee continues its 2021 slate on Saturday, Feb. 20 with a doubleheader against SEMO at 12:30 p.m. ET and Miami (OH) at 3 p.m., at Sherri Parker Lee. The Lady Vols will then flip the schedule Sunday to play Miami (OH) at 12:30 p.m., before seeing SEMO at 3 p.m. Weekend play will extend into a twin bill Monday as the Orange and White welcome Ohio for a 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. All six games will be live streamed on SECN+.
Full 2021 SEC TV Schedule (PDF)
-UT Athletics
Softball Preview: UT vs SEMO, Miami (OH) and Ohio
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. RV/23/24 Tennessee continues its 13-game homestand with a Saturday-Monday slate of doubleheaders at Sherri Parker Lee.
The Lady Vols welcome the Redhawks of SEMO Saturday at noon ET and 2:30 p.m., before hosting the RedHawks of Miami (OH) on Sunday in the same time slots.
Weekend play extends into Monday with a twin bill against Ohio at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
After inclement weather made play unlikely during opening weekend at a scheduled tournament in Conway, S.C., the Lady Vols returned to Knoxville and were able to sneak in a pair of outings against Eastern Kentucky to prevent the first weekend from being a complete wash.
UT is coming off of an undefeated Sunday after run-ruling the Colonels 10-0 to pick up their 11th consecutive season-opening victory, before posting a 3-2 comeback win in game 2 of the twin bill.
The return to SPL last week marked the first time in program history the Lady Vols began a season in Knoxville.
Ticketing Information
Fans will be permitted at games; however, ticketing and seating will be reduced to align with state and local social-distancing guidelines for public gatherings due to the pandemic. Stadium seating for the season is 20 percent of its typical capacity, allowing approximately 440 fans able to attend games.
While the season ticketing process is now complete, there is potential for a small number of single game tickets to be available for home games based on whether or not the visiting team uses its full allotment of tickets. A text message will be sent to season ticket holders who were not allocated tickets for this season on the day prior to the game with purchasing instructions. Fans with an AllVols account are encouraged to make sure their cell phone number is correct on their profile.
Broadcast
The games will be streamed on the ESPN App. Fans can also listen to the action on UTsports.com with Brian Rice on the call.
Quick Hits
SPL Bangers
The Lady Vols collectively jumped in the record book after jacking four out of Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on Feb. 14 to open the season. It marked the 16th time in program history that a team has accomplished that feat and is tied for the seventh most homers in a single game. Junior catcher Ally Shipman belted the first dinger of the game over left center, before senior Ashley Morgan raked a three-run homer through centerfield. Newcomer and senior Ivy Davis made her name known on Rocky top with a two RBI yard ball and the day was punctuated by sophomore Kiki Milloy bombing one through left to bring in a pair of runs.
The Shipman is Sailing
Junior catcher Ally Shipman has garnered significant recognition during the preseason, collecting a pair of preseason All-America honors (D1Softball and Softball America – both second team) and also ranking 13th among juniors in the nation by Softball America. The outlet also pegged Shipman the No. 37 overall player in the country. She is living up to the hype in early play after drilling two game-changing dingers to the scoreboard at Sherri Parker Lee, and combining for a .571 batting average in the first two outings against EKU. Shipman was also off to a momentous start in 2020, after coming off of a season-ending injury suffered midway through her 2019 campaign. The Valencia, Calif., native co-led the Lady Vols with a .403 batting average, seven doubles and a pair of triples alongside redshirt-senior Chelsea Seggern. Shipman also added 16 RBIs and a pair of home runs after starting all 23 games last season.
Rogers Impressive Return
After missing the shortened 2020 season due to a short-term injury, Ashley Rogers returned to the circle as the Lady Vols ace in UT’s lid-lifter. The junior found her form in the circle quickly after 630 days had passed since her last outing. Rogers tossed 13 strikeouts to match her career high and gave up just one hit against EKU. She also picked up her first save of the year after retiring five batters at the plate in the final two innings of game 2 vs the Colonels. Her 0.00 ERA is currently tied for first in the league.
Rogers was scheduled to make her first appearance during UT’s SEC opener at Texas A&M last season, but moments before the team got on the plane on March 12 the season was postponed and then ultimately cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, Rogers’ play in the circle during her freshman year (2019), which earned her first-team NFCA All-Region and All-SEC honors, made a lasting impression and the Athens, Tenn., native found herself among the members of this season’s Preseason All-SEC Team along with Chelsea Seggern. She recorded a 1.94 ERA in her first collegiate season, finishing with a 21-7 win-loss record that included seven shutouts.
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.
Rhodes Back in Rocky Top
Tennessee fans will see a familiar face around the dugout this season with the return of former Lady Vol pitcher Megan Rhodes Smith as an assistant. Rhodes-Smith will manage the bullpen. A standout pitcher for UT from 2005-08, she spent her previous year as the head coach at Belmont in her hometown of Nashville. Prior to her time with the Bruins, Smith spent six seasons focusing on the development of pitchers and catchers at Lipscomb University, and served as the program’s associate head coach from 2018-19. With the Lady Vols, Smith, now a mom of two young girls, leads a talented group with a diverse skillset including Ashley Rogers (1.94 ERA, 21-7 win-loss record in 2019), Callie Turner (2.67 ERA, 8-7 W/L in 2020), Samantha Bender (2.68 ERA, 5-1 W/L in 2020), Anna Hazlewood and newcomer Bailey McCachren.
Tightening the Tennessee Borders
UT’s roster has gotten a boost from in-state talent once again. The 2021 members include nine Lady Vols from the state of Tennessee: Kaylan Cole (Newport), Anna Fox (Columbia), Cailin Hannon (Franklin), Anna Hazlewood (Martin), KK McCrary (Murfreesboro), Treasuary Poindexter (Covington), Ashley Rogers (Athens), Madison Webber (Sevierville), Josie Willingham (Medon).
Scouting Report
SEMO
2021 record: 0-3, 0-0 OVC
Series record: Never played each other before
Key player/stat: Despite being swept by Auburn, the Redhawks showed some grit outhitting the Tigers in game 2 of the series 10-9. The Redhawks are young with 11 freshmen and just two seniors. However, SEMO returns its top hitter in senior Rachel Anderson who finished last season with a .480 batting average, 24 hits, 19 runs and 15 RBI. She also is a whiz in base running nabbing a team-high 9-of-10 bases last year. The Redhawks collected 41 stolen bases in 2020 and only allowed nine, which will be a test for the Lady Vols defense that was adept in turning double plays last season.
Miami (OH)
2021 record: 0-2, 0-0 MAC
Series record: Tennessee leads 5-1
Last outing: No. 5 Tennessee finished off the RedHawks in a six-inning shutout, 8-0 in Knoxville on May 19, 2012.
Key player/stat: The RedHawks were unable to collect on its offensive momentum against No. 20 Mississippi State and fell two games. However, Miami’s Karlee Juarez went 4-for7 in the doubleheader and the Redhawks also recorded seven runs in the fifth inning of game 1 against the Bulldogs. They were just edged in hitting by MSU 15-14.
Ohio
2020 record: 11-15, 0-0 MAC
Series record: Tennessee leads 5-0
Last outing: A 15th-ranked Tennessee downed Ohio 2-1 in Knoxville on March 2, 2017.
Key player/stat: Last season the Bobcats recorded 204 hits and 38 doubles and eight triples, but only hit .287 collectively, but allowed opponents a .317 hitting average. The Bobcats were supposed to open their season at the Kickin’ Chicken Classic in Conway, S.C. with the Lady Vols, but their plans were also marred by rain and they were unable to play the first weekend.
-UT Athletics
Walsh Earns Spot on NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Tennessee redshirt senior pitcher Redmond Walsh has been named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year preseason watch list for the second season in a row, the NCBWA announced on Friday.
The award, which is in its 16th year, is given annually to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. The SEC led all conferences with 10 players on the initial 45-person watch list.
Walsh was nearly unhittable during the shortened 2020 season, allowing just five hits and one unearned run in 11.2 innings of work while holding opposing batters to a .125 batting average and picking up two saves. The Louisville, Tennessee, native enters the year tied for fourth in program history with 11 saves, nine of which came during the 2019 season when he took over the role as UT’s primary closer.
Walsh’s career ERA of 1.32 is the best of any pitcher on the Vols’ roster. His nine saves in 2019 were tied for the fifth most in a single season in program history. His four saves in league play were tied for sixth in the SEC in 2019.
The Alcoa High School product set career bests wins (two), appearances (27), innings pitched (45.2), saves (nine) and strikeouts (48) en route to earning ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region second team honors in 2019.
To see the full NCBWA Stopper of the Year preseason watch list, click HERE.
Tennessee opens its 2021 campaign this afternoon at 7 p.m. on the road against Georgia Southern. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and fans can also listen to John Wilkerson call the action on UTSports.com.
-UT Athletics
Hoops Preview: #19 Tennessee vs. Kentucky
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 19th-ranked Tennessee basketball team returns to action for a Saturday afternoon home bout with conference rival, Kentucky. Tipoff from Thompson-Boling Arena is slated for 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
Fans can catch Saturday’s game on CBS and online or on any mobile device through a paid subscription to CBS All Access, which can be found here. Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertlekamp describing the action.
Last time out, Tennessee rolled past South Carolina, 93-73, on Wednesday night. The Vols were led by an electrifying 29-point performance from junior Victor Bailey Jr. Bailey converted on 9-of-16 attempts from the field and drained seven shots from 3-point range (tying the Barnes era record).
A victory on Saturday would mark the Vols seventh win over Kentucky in their last 10 tries and would give Tennessee its first home-and-home series sweep of the Wildcats since 2018.
Up next, the Orange & White will hit the road for a Wednesday night matchup with in-state foe, Vanderbilt. Tipoff from Memorial Gym is slated for 9 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee trails the all-time series with Kentucky, 156-75, dating to 1910.
• The Wildcats have a 53-51 edge when the series is played in Knoxville, but Tennessee has won four of five meetings at home under head coach Rick Barnes.
• Overall, the Vols have won six of their last nine games vs. Kentucky.
• Tennessee overcame a 10-point second-half deficit to defeat the Wildcats by a score of 82-71 at Rupp Arena on Feb. 6. Freshman Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer combined for 50 points in the win.
A WIN WOULD…
• Be Tennessee’s seventh victory in its last 10 games against Kentucky.
• Give the Vols their first home-and-home sweep over Kentucky since 2018.
LAYUP LINES
• Kentucky big man Olivier Sarr is one of Yves Pons’ closest friends. Both grew up in France, and they often played against one another before becoming teammates at INSEP Academy and on the French National Team.
• Tennessee’s leading rebounder, Josiah-Jordan James, missed UT’s last game with a left wrist injury.
• The Volunteers have spent the duration of the season ranked in the top 20 of the Associated Press Top-25 poll and are ranked No. 19 this week.
• Tennessee is No. 12 in the latest NCAA NET ratings, with four wins over teams in the top 45.
• The true freshman duo of Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer have accounted for 44.7 percent of Tennessee’s scoring over the last four games.
• Yves Pons is a top-10 finalist for the Julius Erving Award and one of 15 candidates for the Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year.
DEFENSE WINS
• According to KenPom, the Vols rank third in the NCAA in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 87.7 points per 100 possessions. College teams typically average close to 70 possessions per game.
• Tennessee ranks 18th in the NCAA in scoring defense, allowing just 62.3 points per game.
• The Vols are forcing 15.9 turnovers per game while converting those turnovers into 17.6 points per game. Tennessee’s turnover margin stands at +3.9 (17th nationally).
• Tennessee has forced 15 of 20 opponents to turn the ball over on 20 percent or more of their possessions. The Vols are forcing opponents to turn it over 23.1 percent of the time this season.
• Only one time this season has a Tennessee opponent scored 80 or more points. That was Georgia, in a game the Vols won, 89-81, on Feb. 10.
ABOUT KENTUCKY
• After falling to Tennessee earlier this month, Kentucky has played in three consecutive games decided by five points or less. On Feb. 9, they lost a one-point nailbiter to Arkansas, 81-80, before taking down Auburn, 82-80, on Saturday. Most recently, the Wildcats beat Vanderbilt, 82-78, Wednesday. The Wildcats hold a record of 7-13 overall, and 6-7 in SEC play, heading into Saturday’s rematch with the Vols.
• Even through a bit of a down year, Kentucky continues to see balanced production across its entire lineup, as five players average 10 or more points per game and four players average five or more rebounds.
• Freshman Brandon Boston Jr. continues to lead UK in scoring through 20 games, averaging 12.2 points per contest. He also has been efficient on the glass, averaging 5.0 rebounds per game, which ranks fourth on the team.
• Isaiah Jackson also has been a force on the glass, leading Kentucky and ranking seventh in the SEC with 6.9 rebounds per game. Despite his average dropping slightly since the last matchup between the Vols and Cats, Jackson is still blocking shots at an SEC-leading clip of 2.7 per game, with a total of 54 rejections on the year.
• Across the board, Kentucky’s most consistent performer has been senior Olivier Sarr. Sarr ranks second on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg), rebounding (5.5 rpg) and blocked shots (1.3 bpg).
• Lexington—known as the horse capital of the world—is home to a public library that features the world’s largest ceiling clock. That clock houses a series of photos that depict the movement of a horse taken in 1872 by Eadweard Muybridge. His photos are said to be the origin of motion pictures.
LAST MEETING WITH KENTUCKY
• A combined 50 points from five-star freshmen Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson and a momentum-shifting 26-6 second-half run propelled the No. 11 Tennessee basketball team past Kentucky, 82-71, on Feb. 6, 2021, at Rupp Arena.
• The Tennessee triumph made Rick Barnes the only active head coach to lead his team to at least three wins at Rupp Arena as the visitor.
• The win was also the first time UT has beaten Kentucky in back-to-back games at Rupp.
• Tennessee seniors Yves Pons and John Fulkerson also became the first Vols ever to play in three victories at Rupp Arena.
• Johnson finished the night with a team-leading and season-high 27 points—17 of which came in the second half—on 9-of-16 shooting while also drilling 9-of-11 from the foul line. He also logged four rebounds, one block and a steal.
• Springer, meanwhile, erupted for 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting, scoring 14 in the second half. He also recorded five rebounds and two blocks.
• Sophomore stat-sheet-stuffer Josiah-Jordan James came off the bench to log his first career double-double, finishing the night with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.
• Victor Bailey Jr. had a productive night off the bench, totaling nine points and four rebounds in 24 minutes.
• The Vols battled through foul trouble in the opening half as Kentucky drew 15 fouls and went 13-of-15 from the line to take a 42-34 lead into the break.
• The opening 10 minutes of the second half saw both teams trade blows before Tennessee exploded for a 12-0 run to take a 60-58 lead with just more than eight minutes to play.
• The Vols extended the run to 26-6 over a nine-minute span to build a 74-64 lead at the under-four-minute media timeout.
MEMORABLE VOL PERFORMANCES AGAINST KENTUCKY
• Kevin Punter Jr.’s 27 points were the most scored by a Vol against the Kentucky in 10 years as Tennessee defeated the Wildcats, 84-77, Feb. 2, 2016, in Knoxville. The senior point guard made three 3-pointers and was 11-of-12 at the free-throw line.
• Chris Lofton reeled off 31 points, Major Wingate scored 12 and longtime NBA point guard C.J. Watson added 10 as No. 11 Tennessee beat Kentucky 75-67 at Rupp Arena on Feb. 7, 2006.
• Beating the Wildcats was three times as nice during the 1978-79 season. UT notched program win No. 900 in Lexington on Jan. 20, 66-55, before topping UK 101-84 in Knoxville on Feb. 17. Then the Vols won the 1979 SEC Tournament with a 75-69 win over UK in Birmingham, Alabama, on March 3. Current Vol Network radio analyst Bert Bertelkamp was a junior on that Tennessee team.
• As Bernard King walked off the court at Memorial Gym after a deflating 88-82 loss on Jan. 13, 1975, a Kentucky fan flipped a lit cigarette into the Tennessee legend’s hair. Outraged, King vowed he would never lose to Kentucky again. He vigorously carried out that promise, finishing his career 5-1 against the Wildcats.
BARNES + CALIPARI = 1,450+ WINS
• Saturday’s game features the two winningest coaches (total career Division I wins) in the SEC.
• John Calipari is the league’s active leader in career wins, with 740. Rick Barnes is a close second with 724 victories to his credit.
• Among all active Division I head coaches, Calipari and Barnes rank sixth and tied for seventh, respectively, in total head coaching wins.
• Barnes and Calipari became friends while working a Pitt basketball camp in the late 1970s. The star player at that camp? Current Arizona head coach Sean Miller.
SERIES HISTORY & NOTES
• The Kentucky series is UT’s oldest and most-played among SEC opponents. The Vols and Wildcats first met on Feb. 5, 1910, and have clashed 231 times over the years.
• No program in college basketball has logged more wins over Kentucky than Tennessee (75).
• The Vols have beaten the Wildcats just six times at Rupp Arena, posting victories in 1977, 1979, 1999, 2006, 2018, 2020 and 2021.
• Tennessee has 15 all-time wins over the Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena, including four straight between 2016-19.
• Kentucky is one of only two SEC schools (Alabama) to lead its all-time series against the Volunteers.
• Four Tennessee All-Americans were Kentucky natives: Allan Houston, Chris Lofton, Danny Schultz and Paul “Lefty” Walther.
• Saturday is only the 13th meeting in the series for which Tennessee is ranked in the AP top 25 and Kentucky is not. Kentucky holds a 7-5 edge in such matchups.
RIVALRY RECHARGED
• Since Rick Barnes‘ arrival on Rocky Top, the border rivalry with the Kentucky Wildcats has been recharged in a major way.
• Barnes has led the Volunteers to an 8-5 overall record against the Wildcats, including at least one win in each of the last six seasons.
• Since current UK coach John Calipari has been in Lexington, Tennessee is the only program to have logged wins over Kentucky for six straight seasons.
• Tennessee also is the first program to defeat Kentucky at least once for six straight seasons since 1985; Tennessee beat the Wildcats in seven straight seasons from 1979-85 while Alabama managed an eight-year win streak over UK from 1978-85.
• Spanning the first six years of the Barnes era at UT, the Vols are 4-1 against Kentucky in Knoxville, 3-3 vs. the Cats in Lexington and 1-1 against UK in neutral-site clashes at the SEC Tournament.
CALIPARI AMONG TENNESSEE’S MOST-FACED ACTIVE COACHES
• On Saturday, John Calipari will coach his 31st career game against the Vols. Among active college coaches, he has the most career meetings against Tennessee.
Coach Meetings UT Record vs.
John Calipari 30 13-17
Tubby Smith 26 7-19
Frank Martin 15 11-4
Mark Gottfried 13 4-9
VOLS HAVE 13 WINS AGAINST CALIPARI 2.0
• Since UK coach John Calipari returned to the college game in 2000-01, Tennessee has dealt him 13 losses. No team has more wins over Calipari-coached teams during that span.
Team Wins
TENNESSEE 13
Florida 8
Louisville 8
Auburn, Cincinnati, Kansas 5
-UT Athletics
No. 21/21 UT Topples No. 2/3 South Carolina, 75-67
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Senior Rennia Davis turned in 24 second-half points, as No. 21/21 Tennessee erased a 12-point halftime deficit to upset No. 2/3 South Carolina in Thompson-Boling Arena, 75-67.
The win snapped a 31-game SEC win streak for the Gamecocks and marked UT’s first victory over a top-five team since taking an 82-75 win over No. 2/4 Texas, 82-75, in Knoxville on Dec. 10, 2017.
Davis added 12 rebounds to record the 36th double-double of her career. Junior Rae Burrell was
also in double figures for Tennessee (13-5, 7-3 SEC) with 19 points, and sophomore Jordan Horston pitched in 12 points and five assists with no turnovers on the night.
South Carolina (17-3, 12-1 SEC) was led by Aliyah Boston, who posted a double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds. Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson were the other top scorers, turning in 15 each.
Burrell gave the Lady Vols a spark early, coming up with the steal and the score less than 30 seconds into play and following it up with jumpers on the next two possessions to give UT a 6-2 lead two minutes in. Brea Beal and Cooke combined to tie it up at six apiece by the 5:47 mark, but Burrell responded with a layup on the next trip down the floor to score her eighth-straight point and reclaim the lead for Tennessee. South Carolina again tied it up off a Victaria Saxton layup just before the media break, but Tamari Key scored her first points of the game off a pass inside by Horston to make the score 10-8 with 3:38 left in the first. Henderson scored on back-to-back possessions to give USC its first lead of the game at 12-10 at the 1:51 mark. The teams traded buckets through the end of the quarter with the Gamecocks maintaining their two-point advantage into the final seconds until Horston hit a jumper at the buzzer to tie the score at 16-all.
South Carolina had its lead built back up to four a minute into the second quarter. Buckets by Kasiyahna Kushkituah and Key pulled UT back within two twice before Boston and Henderson combined for five points to put USC up 27-20 with 5:48 remaining in the half. Following the media break, South Carolina stretched its run to 15-1 to lead by 16, 37-21, by the 1:43 mark. Burrell and Kushkituah each added baskets to close out the half with four-straight points, cutting the halftime score to 37-25.
The second half started in much the same way as the first with Burrell scoring on a driving layup on UT’s first possession. Rennia Davis followed it up with a set of free throws on the next possession, cutting USC’s lead to single digits at 37-29. The Gamecocks rallied with a 7-0 run capped off by a Henderson trey before Kushkituah turned it around for Tennessee, hitting a layup to set off a 6-0 Lady Vol run and make the score 44-35 by the media break. South Carolina stretched its lead to double digits off a Cooke jumper following the timeout, but Davis and Horston scored seven-straight for UT to narrow the gap to four with 2:48 left in the stanza. Boston converted on two free throws to move the score to 48-42, but a fast-break layup by Destiny Salary and an old-fashioned three-point play by Jordan Walker on the next possession had the Lady Vols within one with just over two minutes left in the third. A minute later UT claimed its first lead of the second half, going up 51-50 off a driving layup by Horston. Tennessee held on to a one-point lead until the final seconds when a jumper by Boston sent the game into the final period with USC up, 54-53.
South Carolina pulled away by four in the opening minutes of the fourth, but Burrell hit a clutch trey with 7:25 left in the game to pull UT back within one, and two minutes later Davis added a three of her own to tie it up at 62-all. Walker gave UT the lead on a layup on the next possession, and Horston and Key each added a free throw to extend the lead to four with just over four minutes to play. Davis increased UT’s lead to six before USC whittled it back down to three from the free-throw line. Horston hit a layup at the 1:38 mark, and Davis came up with a rebound on the other end and drew the foul, hitting both free throws to put the game out of reach at 72-65 with under a minute to play. With the Gamecocks forced to foul, UT was able to capitalize on free throws, taking a 75-67 victory.
Up Next: The Lady Vols will hit the road again, traveling to No. 22/23 Georgia for a noon matchup Sunday on SEC Network.
“Re” Rewriting Record Books: With her 24 points against South Carolina, senior Rennia Davis passed Glory Johnson on the all-time scoring list, ranking 14th with 1,666 points. Her 12 rebounds also moved her past Dana Johnson to rank 15th on the all-time rebounding list with 885. Additionally, she recorded the 36th double-double of her career, tying with Glory Johnson for fourth all-time on UT’s career double-doubles list.
TK Moving On Up: Tamari Key blocked five shots against South Carolina, moving her career total to 135 and landing her on UT’s career blocks list as only a sophomore. She surpassed Isabelle Harrison (131) to tie Teresa Geter at ninth all-time among Lady Vols.
Horston Dishing: Sophomore Jordan Horston doled out five assists against USC without turning the ball over even once. Over the last four games she has dished out 19 assists while committing just three turnovers, all of which came against Texas A&M. Her current career average of 4.5 apg. would rank fourth all-time among Lady Vols.
Big-Time Wins: With the win over No. 2/3 South Carolina, the Lady Vols have beaten four ranked teams, its highest number of wins over ranked opponents since the 2017-18 season. The victory over the No. 2 Gamecocks also represented the highest ranked foe a Kellie Harper-coached squad has defeated. While at NC State her Wolfpack took down No. 5 Duke on March 2, 2012, 75-73.
What A Comeback: Tennessee came from 16 down in the second quarter to defeat South Carolina, marking the largest comeback of the Harper era. UT came from 13 down in the second quarter to defeat Ole Miss on Jan. 28 and did the same against Missouri last season at the SEC Tournament in Greenville, S.C., on March 5, 2020. Tonight also featured UT’s largest comeback as a program since the Lady Vols erased a 20-point third-quarter deficit with Stetson on Dec. 5, 2018.
-UT Athletics
Carly Pearce’s New Collection of Music, 29, is Available Now
It’s here — the day Carly Pearce compared to Christmas.
It’s the release day for her new collection of music – 29.
Carly says these 7 new songs are not just her story, but they are for anyone who is trying to get through difficult situations.
“They didn’t live this story but they’ve lived a form of it. Because I think we all are struggling in some way to figure things out. And for me, I think that this has just pushed me to be maybe less Instagram perfect, if you will, and a little bit more ‘it’s okay to not be okay sometimes and it doesn’t mean that you’re going to never get back up or that you’re gonna die. It just means that you’re figuring it out and it’s okay.’”
This is a deeply personal project for Carly that tells a story of surviving, facing fears, and come out on the other side.
Not only did she have to go through the loss of her producer busbee, and her divorce, but she had to do it in a year that saw a global pandemic remove from her life the one constant she’s had – performing on stage.
“I will tell you this, I feel like I was tested in so many ways, musically and personally, throughout this time, all while stripping back the only thing I really knew which was the stage. So, it was kind of like a lot of things coming at once at me and I feel like because I overcame those things and am now standing stronger and happy and excited…that I can tackle anything fear-based that comes at me. I really do believe that. Cause I know I’ll be scared again.”
Carly was able to create the music she needed to get through the last year and half because she had no limitations on her creative spirit…
“I thankfully work with a label head that…in Scott Borchetta that…he completely understood that I needed to do this, and completely understood the creative process for me and understands what people and fans want from me and he just very much allowed me to go in find myself with Shane (McAnally) and Josh (Osborne) and create the music that I wanted to.”
Carly adds, “I think you’re getting the most authentic version of me because I no fences around me with this.”
Now fans can experience all 7 tracks.
Carly says fan reaction from the music that has already been available off of 29 has been incredible, “You would not believe my inbox! (laugh) I’m like ‘Oh, my goodness’, I mean, some of these stories, my mouth is like on the floor. I like ‘Oh my goodness.” It’s cool though to feel like you’re making a difference, and that it’s impactful, and I look forward to the messages…they’re intense though, y’all”
The project’s title holds a lot of meaning for Carly…
“29 is a pivotal year for everybody, I think. I think it’s kind of that point in your life where you have a lot of life experience and have been through things, but also, you’re still young and have wonder about the world. I think that everybody can put themselves in this song in some form or fashion of just life maybe not turning out the way you thought it was going to, and owning that and sitting in that a little and processing it and being honest with yourself. This song for me, was me just owning a year that was difficult and embarrassing for me in some ways, just like we all have embarrassing moments in life, and trying to take it for what it is, just a moment that strength will come from and wisdom will come from and good will come from, and being happy with that.”
Carly shares, “I think when the album was finished, in so many ways, I was proud of myself for coming through just a really devastating loss with busbee and finding a new-found, deeper rooted country music that really was what I moved to Nashville to make. And I think that just in all forms with life and how it’s panned out, I think in the moments where I thought, ‘no you can’t,’ I left going, ‘yes you can’.”
Wednesday February 24th you can watch Carly Pearce 29 Live – a conversation about her new collection 29, followed by the Premiere of an intimate performance of the entire collection at 6:01 pm CT.
Headline Photo Credit: Allister Ann
Additional Images Courtesy of BMLG
PREVIEW: #16 Vols Open Highly Anticipated 2021 Season at Georgia Southern
STATESBORO, Ga. – The highly-anticipated 2021 season for the 16th ranked Tennessee Volunteers baseball team has finally arrived. The Big Orange travel south to take on the Georgia Southern Eagles this weekend to open the 2021 campaign.
Friday’s season opener will mark the first game for UT since March 10, 2020 – a span of 346 days – after the 2020 season was halted and eventually canceled entirely due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
BROADCAST INFO
This weekend’s entire series will be streamed on ESPN+, which requires a subscription (purchase HERE). Danny Waugh (PxP) and Chase Martaus (color) will have the call for all three contests.
Fans can also listen to the games on UTSports.com and the UT Gameday app, as John Wilkerson calls the action.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Game 1: RHP Chad Dallas vs. RHP Jordan Jackson
Game 2: RHP Blade Tidwell vs. RHP Chase Dollander
Game 3: TBD vs. LHP Braden Hays
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: UT leads, 4-3
In Knoxville: GSU leads, 1-0
In Statesboro: Series tied, 2-2
Neutral Sites: UT leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: W, 6-1 (May 25, 1996) – NCAA Clemson Regional
The Vols and Eagles have met seven times on the diamond but haven’t faced off since a 6-1 Tennessee victory in the 1996 NCAA Clemson Regional. This weekend will be the Vols’ third trip to Statesboro in program history. UT split a pair of two-game series in Statesboro back in 1966 and 1971.
NOTABLE
Tennessee in Season Openers
The Vols will look to earn their third straight season-opening win when they square off against the Eagles on Friday. UT is 73-35-2 all-time in season openers and 2-1 under Tony Vitello. UT has also had great success historically when opening the season with a series against a single opponent. The Vols have won 21 of the 30 season-opening series in program history (does not include tournaments or two-game series).
All-American Vols
Tennessee enters the year with five preseason All-Americans, marking the second straight season that the Vols have had multiple players earn preseason All-America honors. Junior INF Max Ferguson leads the way with three preseason All-America nods, including first-team honors from Baseball America and D1Baseball.com. Ferguson was also named to the preseason All-SEC second team.
Fellow juniors Jake Rucker (INF) and Connor Pavolony (C), as well as senior Jackson Leath (RHP) and sophomore Drew Gilbert (OF/LHP), also garnered preseason All-America accolades.
Vols in the Polls
Tennessee enters the 2021 season ranked in the Top 25 nationally in four of the six major polls. This year marks the first time that the Vols have been ranked in the preseason Top 25 since 2007, when UT was ranked as high as No. 11 to begin the season.
The Big Orange climbed as high as No. 11 in the USA Today Top 25 last season after starting the year 13-0. That marked the program’s highest ranking in any poll since coming in at No. 11 in the Baseball America 2007 preseason rankings.
2021 Preseason Top 25 Rankings
USA Today #16
Baseball America #19
D1Baseball.com #19
NCBWA #20
Undefeated in February
UT has been quite literally unbeatable in the month of February over the last two years, posting a 20-0 record since the start of the 2019 season. In those 20 victories, the Vols have outscored their opponents by a 174-24 margin.
Tennessee went 11-0 in February in 2020 and outscored its opponents 115-20 in those games. The Vols’ last loss in the month of February came on Feb. 25, 2018 versus UNC Greensboro.
Vols Ranked Among National Leaders in 2020
When the 2020 season came to an abrupt end, UT ranked among the nation’s leaders in a handful of statistical categories. The Vols rank among the top 25 in the country in each of the following categories last season:
Offense
- Batting Average: .320 (5th)
- Doubles: 43 (6th)
- Hits: 193 (3rd)
- Home Runs: 31 (2nd)
- On-Base Percentage: .442 (2nd)
- Runs: 180 (1st)
- Runs/Game: 10.6 (1st)
- Slugging Percentage: .556 (2nd)
- Walks: 124 (2nd)
Pitching/Defense
- ERA: 2.00 (4th)
- Fielding Percentage: .981 (18th)
- Hits Allowed/Nine Innings: 6.41 (17th)
- Shutouts: 3 (11th)
- Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio: 4.89 (3rd)
- WHIP: 0.94 (2nd)
- Walks Allowed/Nine Innings: 2.06 (3rd)
OPPONENT SCOUT
Georgia Southern Eagles
- 2020 Record: 11-5 (0-0 Sun Belt)
- 2020 Postseason: N/A
- Head Coach: Rodney Hennon (22nd season) // Guided the Eagles to six NCAA Regionals and has led the program to 11 regular season or tournament conference titles including the 2019 Sun Belt Championship.
- The Eagles enter the 2021 season on a seven-game win streak that featured three wins over Georgia.
- Georgia Southern was picked to finish third in the eastern division of the 2021 Sun Belt Preseason Poll.
- Senior RHP Jordan Jackson was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team.
- GSU returns every pitcher that recorded a win for them last season.
ON DECK
The Vols will open their 2021 home slate with a pair of midweek games against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Feb. 23 and Feb. 24. First pitch for both games against the Lions is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET. Both contests will be streamed on WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app.
-UT Athletics
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