Congrats to Lady A as “Champagne Night” not only becomes their latest number-one hit, but it’s the first chart topper in country music for 2021!
Did you know Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood discovered this song on the show Songland?
Originally titled “I’ll Drink To That” and presented to the group by Madeline Merlo, Charles immediately declared “this might be a hit, seriously.” With contributions from Madeline, Tina Parol, David Thomson, Patricia Conroy, Songland‘s Shane McAnally, and Lady A, “I’ll Drink To That” became “Champagne Night” and then became a number-one hit!
Hillary gushes about the new version of the song, “What I love so much about ‘Champagne Night’ is just how the song makes me feel. It’s just so happy and fun and makes me just want to have a great time with people I love.” She also loves the fact that the group can help out a young songwriter, “I love the story of this song, I love that Madeline Merlo got this big, huge chance to come on Songland and work with Shane McAnally.”
Dave added, “When we first heard it on the show, we immediately thought, ‘Oh, we need this for our tour. This needs to be that kind of song that opens the show’.”
Hillary says that “Champagne Night” really took off once the fans heard it, “We’re all celebrating the fact that this song got such a great response by the fans.” In the end though, Hillary shares “I couldn’t be more excited for Madeline as an up and coming songwriter, and I just know that this is the first of many for her.”
Congrats to Charles, Hillary, Dave, Madeline, Shane and all that were involved in making “Champagne Night” a huge hit!
Check out the evolution of the number-one song right here…
Have you ever seen the movie Miracle, starring Kurt Russell as hockey coach Herb Brooks?
It’s about the journey the U.S. Olympic hockey team took to beating the dominant Russian team during the 1980 Olympics. After that win, the U.S. team went on to create one of the greatest moments in the history of sports by winning the Gold medal at Lake Placid.
Dierks Bentley is a huge hockey fan and loves Miracle. So, while in Telluride, Colorado, he recently took a moment to reenact one of the famous scenes from the movie with his son. In the film, it’s where the guys on the team learned that they were playing for something bigger than themselves.
In his caption, Dierks warned “If you haven’t watched the great hockey movie #Miracle, this won’t make much sense.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A total of 15 VFLs will represent eight franchises in the 2021 NFL Playoffs after the conclusion of the regular season on Sunday.
The New Orleans Saints roster features four VFLs, highlighted by four-time Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara. The fourth-year running back has gained a career-high 932 rushing yards and 756 yards receiving, including a record-breaking Christmas Day performance. Kamara leads the league in touchdowns with 21 on the year.
Wide receiver Marquez Callaway and defensive tackle Shy Tuttle are also on New Orleans’ active roster, while tight end Ethan Wolf is on the practice squad.
Four-time Pro Bowler and VFL Cordarrelle Patterson represents the Volunteers for the Chicago Bears. The return specialist has appeared in all 16 games this season, leading the league in kick returns (35) and kickoff return yards (1,017). He is tied for kickoff return touchdowns (1) and holds the record for the longest kickoff return this season (104).
Patterson is joined on the Bears’ active roster by fellow VFL defensive tackle Daniel McCullers, while quarterback Tyler Bray is on the practice squad.
The Saints and Bears square off at 4:40 p.m. ET Sunday in New Orleans live on CBS.
When the Cleveland Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 17, it set up a first-round rematch of the two squads on Sunday at 8:15 p.m. ET on NBC for three VFLs.
Cornerback Cameron Sutton and quarterback Joshua Dobbs represent the Steelers, while running back John Kelly is on the Browns’ practice squad. Sutton has 30 tackles and one interception on the year. Dobbs saw his first action in week 17 against the Browns.
Long snapper Morgan Cox serves as the UT representative in the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans matchup on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET in Nashville. The four-time Pro Bowl selection is joined by fellow VFL Nigel Warrior on the Ravens’ practice squad, while punter Trevor Daniel is on the Titans practice squad.
UT will also have a footprint in the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks matchup as VFL Jacques McClendon serves as the Director of Player Engagement for the Rams. Defensive end Darrell Taylor, a 2020 second round draft pick, is on injured reserve for Seattle.
VFLs in the NFL Playoffs
Tyler Bray, QB – Bears (practice squad)
Marquez Callaway, WR – Saints (active)
Morgan Cox, LS – Ravens (active)
Trevor Daniel, P – Titans (practice squad)
Joshua Dobbs, QB – Steelers (active)
Alvin Kamara, RB – Saints (active)
John Kelly, RB – Browns (practice squad)
Jacques McClendon, Director of Player Engagement – Rams
Daniel McCullers, NT – Bears (active)
Cordarrelle Patterson, WR – Bears (active)
Cameron Sutton, CB – Steelers (active)
Darrell Taylor, DE – Seahawks (injured reserve)
Shy Tuttle, DT – Saints (active)
Nigel Warrior, S – Ravens (practice squad)
Ethan Wolf, TE – Saints (practice squad)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The ninth-ranked Tennessee basketball team returns to action on Wednesday night for home bout with Arkansas. Tipoff from Thompson-Boling Arena is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Fans can watch Wednesday’s game on ESPN2 or online through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Tom Hart and Jimmy Dykes 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 dropped its first contest of the season, falling to Alabama, 71-63, on Saturday night. The Vols were led by junior Victor Bailey Jr. who scored 16 points, and senior Yves Pons who registered five thunderous second half blocks to keep the Vols within striking distance in the second half.
A victory on Wednesday would be UT’s third straight over Arkansas and would leave head coach Rick Barnes just two wins shy of tying Phog Allen and Don Haskins for 20th on the all-time Division I wins list.
Up next, Tennessee hits the road for just the second time this season, when it travels south to take on Texas A&M. Tipoff from Bryan-College Station is set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Arkansas, 22-21, dating to 1936.
• The teams split last season’s two meetings, with each squad winning on its home court.
• Santiago Vescovi had 20 points and eight assists the last time UT played Arkansas in Knoxville.
• Tennessee holds a 13-4 advantage when the series is contested in Knoxville and has won the last two meetings at home.
• Rick Barnes is 1-1 in head-to-head coaching matchups with Eric Musselman.
A WIN WOULD…
• Prevent Tennessee’s first two-game losing streak of the season.
• Leave Rick Barnes two wins shy of tying Phog Allen and Don Haskins for 20th on the all-time Division I wins list.
LAYUP LINES
• Freshman guard Jaden Springer—the team’s third-leading scorer (10.6 ppg)—is day-to-day after injuring his ankle in the first half Saturday vs. Alabama.
• The Vols had shot 50 percent or better in four straight games before shooting just .318 (21-65) in their loss to Alabama.
• Overall this season, Tennessee leads the SEC in six team statistical categories, including scoring defense, scoring margin, field-goal percentage defense, turnovers per game, turnover margin and assist/turnover ratio.
• Tennessee has won 78 percent of its games as a ranked team during the Rick Barnes era (62-18).
• Tennessee (40.8 rpg) has grabbed at least 45 rebounds in five of its eight games this season.
• The Vols shot .797 from the foul line before league play began but are shooting .620 from the stripe through the first two SEC games.
DEFENSE WINS
• Tennessee leads the NCAA in scoring defense, allowing just 55.0 points per game.
• According to KenPom, the Vols also lead the NCAA in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 86.4 points per 100 possessions so far this season. College teams average close to 70 possessions per game.
• The Vols are forcing 17.4 turnovers per game while converting those turnovers into 19.4 points per game. Tennessee’s turnover margin stands at +6.9 (ninth nationally).
• Tennessee has yet to allow an opposing player to score 20 points this season.
• Reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year Yves Pons has 89 blocks in his last 39 games.
• Pons has an incredible nine blocks through UT’s first two SEC games. He blocked five shots in a 5:15 span during the second half of Saturday’s Alabama game.
ABOUT ARKANSAS
• Second-year head coach Eric Musselman has just two scholarship players from his first season at Arkansas who returned for this 2020-21 campaign. Despite the high amount of turnover, the Razorbacks are 9-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play to begin the season. Arkansas most recently fell at home to #12 Missouri on Saturday afternoon (81-68) for its lone loss of the year.
• Arkansas has been prolific on the offensive end, averaging just less than 90 points per game, with six players averaging at least 9.0 points per game.
• On the floor, the do-it-all guy for the Razorbacks has been freshman Moses Moody. He leads the team and ranks sixth in SEC in scoring with 16.9 points per game. He also ranks second on the squad in rebounding (6.1 rpg), blocks (0.7 bpg) and steals (1.4 spg) through 10 games. Moody’s 6.1 rebounds per game also ranks in the top 20 in SEC (18th).
• Leading the frontcourt has been sophomore Connor Vanover. Vanover has averaged a productive 9.0 points per game and has been a beast on the glass, averaging a team-best 7.3 boards per contest. His rebounding average ranks ninth in the SEC. On the defensive end, Vanover leads Arkansas and is second in the SEC in blocks, rejecting 2.3 shots per game.
• Off the bench, the Razorbacks have seen consistent production from junior guard, JD Notae. Notae ranks second on the team in both scoring (15.4 ppg, seventh in the SEC) and assists (2.5 apg), while ranking fifth in minutes with 23.3 per contest, despite not recording a single start.
• The University of Arkansas is known for its Senior Walk, an area of more than four miles of sidewalk etched with the name of every UA graduate since 1871.
LAST MEETING WITH ARKANSAS
• 37 points from Arkansas guard Mason Jones led Arkansas past Tennessee, 86-69, on Feb. 26, 2020, at Bud Walton Arena.
• For the third consecutive game, senior Jordan Bowden led UT in scoring, pouring in 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting, while knocking down four 3-point baskets.
• Vols junior Yves Pons finished just short of a double-double, posting 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds. He also added a block to extend his streak of consecutive games with at least one block to 28.
• The Razorbacks controlled the game’s opening six minutes, running out of the gates to the tune of a 16-3 run, led by 11 points from Jones.
• Just past the midpoint of the opening half, the Vols cut into the Arkansas advantage, using an 8-0 run over a period of 4:25 to bring the deficit to 24-17.
• In the half’s final seven minutes, the Razorbacks regained control, increasing their lead to as many as 16 points, taking a 40-27 lead into the halftime break.
• Out of the locker room, Arkansas opened the half with a layup from Adrio Bailey, before UT broke off an 11-0 run and managed to cut its deficit to two points, 45-43.
• The Razorbacks responded to the Vols’ run, stretching their lead back to double digits and never leading by fewer than nine points over the contest’s final 12 minutes.
MEMORABLE VOL PERFORMANCES AGAINST ARKANSAS
• Bristol, Tennessee, native Bobby Hogsett scored eight points and added 10 rebounds as Tennessee won its first-ever game against Arkansas, 77-57, on Dec. 27, 1963, in Shreveport, Louisiana.
• In front of 21,237 orange-clad fans, UT knocked off Nolan Richardson’s fifth-ranked Razorbacks, 83-81, in Knoxville on Feb. 5, 1992. Lang Wiseman and Allan Houston both scored 26 points.
• The Vols upset No. 13 Arkansas in Fayetteville, 101-91, on Feb. 16, 1993, thanks to a double-double by LaMarcus Golden (22 points, 11 rebounds).
• Cleveland, Tennessee, native JaJuan Smith dropped 32 points on the Hogs during a 93-71 win over Arkansas in Knoxville on Feb. 5, 2008.
• Jordan McRae powered Tennessee to an 81-74 win over Arkansas on Jan. 22, 2014, exploding for 34 points—including UT’s final 13—at Thompson-Boling Arena.
MUSSELMAN’S SEASON AT LSU SAW TIGERS SPLIT WITH THE VOLS
• Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman was an assistant coach on Johnny Jones’ staff at LSU during the 2014-15 season.
• The Vols and Tigers met twice that year. LSU defeated UT, 73-55, in Knoxville. Less than three weeks later, Tennessee went to Baton Rouge and managed a 78-63 road win.
• Top performers on that LSU squad were forwards Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey.
• Donnie Tyndall was Tennessee’s head coach in 2014-15, and Rick Barnes was hired shortly after the conclusion of that season.
20 ELUSIVE FOR OPPOSING SCORERS
• Through 1,600 minutes of basketball this season, no Tennessee opponent has managed to score 20 points.
• Only two opposing scorers have scored more than 15 points—Tommy Bruner (USC Upstate) scored 18, and John Petty Jr. (Alabama) scored 17.
• Tennessee’s opponents’ top scorer this season averages 13.8 ppg.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee women’s basketball program, which had games vs. Texas A&M and Kentucky postponed last week due to COVID-19 contact tracing, has been cleared to resume full team activities this week.
The Lady Vols are doing so after meeting all SEC Return To Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force requirements. The SEC’s COVID-19 management guidelines are available on SECsports.com (PDF).
The UT women (6-1/0-0 SEC) are slated to return to practice on Tuesday after pausing group activities on Dec. 29. Kellie Harper‘s squad will prepare for Thursday’s 6:30 p.m. SEC opener vs. No. 13/10 Arkansas (10-2/1-1 SEC) at Thompson-Boling Arena.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Three Vols scoring at least a dozen points and five thunderous blocks from senior Yves Pons weren’t enough for the seventh-ranked Tennessee basketball team, which fell at home to Alabama, 71-63, on Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Alabama (7-3, 2-0 SEC) used an efficient .500 (10-20) shooting mark from 3-point range to break things open in the second half to end Tennessee’s (7-1, 1-1 SEC) undefeated start to the season.
Victor Bailey Jr. led the Vols in scoring for the fourth time this season, dropping in 16 points while pulling in a career-high seven rebounds.
Santiago Vescovi added 13 points and four rebounds on the defensive end for UT. Freshman Keon Johnson added 12 points, a season-high eight rebounds and a pair of steals.
Pons scored six points to go along with his five blocks—all of which came in the second half.
Josiah-Jordan James was all over the stat sheet for the second consecutive game, grabbing eight rebounds, blocking two shots and nabbing a pair of steals.
The teams traded blows on both ends of the floor through the opening 12 minutes, combining to shoot 11-of-40 from the field amidst intense defense on both ends, with the Vols holding a slim, 16-14 advantage.
The remainder of the half provided much of the same energy, but the Tide ended up taking the slight 31-29 edge into the locker room.
Alabama took it to the Vols following the break, knocking down five consecutive attempts from 3-point range to extend its lead to 48-36 at the under-16 media timeout.
Bama withstood a number of late Tennessee runs to cement the 71-63 result, as the Vols were unable to trim their deficit below six points in the closing minutes.
Up Next: Tennessee returns to action on Wednesday with a home matchup with Arkansas. Tipoff from Thompson-Boling Arena is slated for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
WACO, Texas – One day after receiving All-America accolades from the Football Writers Association of America, Tennessee senior offensive guard Trey Smith was tabbed a second-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the ones who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
Smith, a native of Jackson, Tennessee, is UT’s first AFCA All-American since Eric Berry captured first-team accolades in 2009.
In 2020, Smith started all 10 games at left guard and saw action on 664 offensive snaps. For his career, Smith started 41 of the 42 games he played in, including 22 consecutive starts. He tallied over 2,500 offensive snaps in his four years and allowed only one sack in his final two seasons.
Smith, who received his UT undergraduate degree earlier this month, has been selected to play in the 2021 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, on Jan. 30.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A dominant defensive effort and an efficient shooting mark of .500 (27-54) from the field pushed the seventh-ranked Tennessee basketball team past 12th-ranked Missouri, 73-53, to open SEC play Wednesday.
The Vols (7-0, 1-0 SEC) held Missouri (6-1, 0-1 SEC) to just .364 shooting from the field and forced 21 turnovers on the defensive end.
UT is also off to its best start since 2010-11, when that season’s squad also began the year 7-0.
Sophomore Santiago Vescovi led UT in scoring, pouring in a game-high 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting and a 3-of-4 mark from 3-point range.
National Defensive Player of the Year candidate Yves Pons put on an impressive, versatile performance, totaling 13 points, six rebounds, a season-high four blocks and two steals.
Freshman Jaden Springer also scored 13 points while grabbing four rebounds and nabbing a season-high three steals off the bench for the Vols.
Senior John Fulkerson was the fourth Vol to reach double-figures, scoring 11 points and pulling down six rebounds.
Sophomore Josiah-Jordan James—despite scoring just two points—was all over the stat sheet, grabbing three offensive rebounds, dishing off a game-high four assists, tallying a career-high-tying three steals and recording a blocked shot. James posted a game-high-tying plus/minus rating of +25.
The Vols came roaring out of the gates, knocking down their first seven shot attempts en route to a commanding 21-4 lead at the under-12 media timeout.
Tennessee withstood each counter punch from the Tigers, extending its first-half lead to as many as 19, heading into the halftime break with a 38-25 advantage.
UT came out of the break with much of the same energy, continuing its stifling defensive effort and efficient night from the field on offense throughout the second half to walk away with the 20-point victory.
Le Century Mark: Yves Pons rejected a season-high four shot attempts, increasing his career blocks total to 101. The reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year is just six blocks away from breaking into the top 15 on Tennessee’s career blocks list.
Wins in CoMo Bookend Vol’s 2020: Wednesday night’s win, along with the Vols’ victory over Missouri on Jan. 7 of this year, mark the Orange & White’s first and final wins of 2020.
Up Next: The undefeated Volunteers return to Thompson-Boling Arena for a Saturday contest with Alabama. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Senior Rennia Davis turned in a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead Tennessee to a 77-52 win over Lipscomb in Thompson-Boling Arena on Monday night.
Junior Rae Burrell finished with 10 points to join Davis in double figures for Tennessee (6-1), and senior Kasiyahna Kushkituah and sophomore Tamari Key each added nine. Every active player for the Lady Vols finished with at least two points.
Lipscomb (3-3) was led by senior Taylor Clark who had 14 points and four rebounds.
The game got off to a rocky start, as both teams struggled with turnovers in the opening minute and a half before Key hit a short jumper to get Tennessee on the board at the 8:18 mark. Dorie Harrison answered with a bucket of her own on the other end, but Davis countered with six quick points for UT, fueling an 8-0 UT run that put the Lady Vols up 10-2 with 6:14 left in the quarter. The Lady Bisons rallied back, cutting the deficit to four a minute and a half later, but Tennessee closed out the period with a 12-1 run, capped off by a Jordan Horston trey at the buzzer, to lead 26-11 heading into the second quarter.
Both teams fell into a bit of a scoring slump in the second frame with each squad managing just four points apiece over seven minutes of play, maintaining the 15-point spread until Tess Darby hit a 10-foot jumper with 2:22 left in the half and Emily Saunders followed it up with a bucket under the basket to stretch the lead to 34-15 with just over a minute remaining. Lipscomb scrapped back within four off a Casey Collier free throw and 3-pointer, but Davis hit two free throws in the final seconds to push the halftime score to 36-19.
The Lady Bisons opened up the second half with a 3-pointer by Taylor Clark, but Marta Suárez responded with a trey of her own on the next possession, spurring an 11-0 Tennessee run that put the Lady Vols up 47-22 by the 6:07 mark. Lipscomb responded with an 11-4 spurt of its own, pulling within 18 with 2:36 left in the quarter, but the Lady Vols closed out the period with six straight points to take a 60-36 lead into the final stanza.
Tennessee extended its run in the fourth, scoring nine unanswered points to stretch the run to 15-0 and build a 69-36 lead with 7:30 left to play. The Lady Bisons heated up from behind the arc in the closing minutes, pouring in 18 points to Tennessee’s eight and pulling within 25 points for a final score of 77-52.
Up Next: The Lady Vols begin SEC play on the road, traveling to Texas A&M for a 6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET contest on Thursday. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Fast Start: The Lady Vols scored 26 first-quarter points, the highest they’ve totaled in a first quarter this season. Meanwhile, they held Lipscomb to just 19 first-half points, tying for the fewest first-half total by an opponent this season.
Davis Making Moves:Rennia Davis recorded her 32nd career double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds against Lipscomb, tying Tamika Catchings for sixth all-time in career double doubles at UT.
Dominating The Paint: The Lady Vols scored 46 points in the paint while holding the Lady Bisons to eight. Tennessee has now outscored all seven of its opponents in the paint by a margin of 326-112.
UT Defense Affecting Foes: Tennessee entered the game ranking 14th in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 31.7 percent. After limiting the Lady Bisons to 30.4 percent, the Lady Vols have held all seven opponents this year below 40 percent and six of seven to 32 percent or lower. During the Harper era, only eight of 38 opponents have reached 40 percent field goal shooting in a game.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The seventh-ranked Tennessee basketball team opens up conference play and leaves Knoxville for the first time this season when it travels to No. 12 Missouri for a Wednesday night bout. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena is slated for 9 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Fans can catch Wednesday’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 and Jon Sundvoid 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, UT dominated USC Upstate, 80-60. Tennessee was led by junior Victor Bailey Jr. who poured in a season-high-tying 18 points on a career-high-tying eight made field goals. Bailey currently leads the Vols in scoring and his .500 (30-60) field goal percentage ranks ninth in the SEC heading into conference play.
A victory on Wednesday would give the Vols their third consecutive victory at Mizzou Arena and make UT 3-3 in SEC openers during the Rick Barnes era.
A victory would also leave coach Barnes just three wins shy of tying Phog Allen and Don Haskins for 20th on the all-time Division I wins list.
Up next, the Vols will return home for a Saturday showdown with Alabama. The opening tap from Thompson-Boling Arena is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Missouri 9-7, dating to 1961. The Tigers own a 5-3 advantage when the series is contested in Columbia.
• The Volunteers have won three straight games against Mizzou—their longest win streak of the series.
• Vols head coach Rick Barnes is 4-1 in head-to-head meetings against teams coached by Cuonzo Martin.
• Tennessee has never opened SEC play against Missouri.
A WIN WOULD…
• Give the Vols three straight victories at Mizzou Arena.
• Make the Vols 3-3 in SEC openers during the Barnes era.
• Leave Rick Barnes three wins shy of tying Phog Allen and Don Haskins for 20th on the all-time Division I wins list.
LAYUP LINES
• Tennessee has won 78 percent of its games as a ranked team during the Rick Barnes era (61-17).
• Tennessee leading scorer Victor Bailey Jr. is the son of a Mizzou gridiron great.
• Tennessee assistant coach Kim English was a 1,500-point scorer and an All-Big 12 performer during his collegiate playing career at Mizzou from 2008-12. The Tigers won 107 games during the NBA Draft pick’s career.
• Cuonzo Martin coached the Vols for three seasons from 2011-14.
• Tennessee’s starting lineup this season has featured five left-handers. A survey of all Division I SIDs yielded no other team that has started five southpaws this year.
• The Vols celebrated Christmas together on campus, as the athletics department assisted in bringing families to Knoxville.
DEFENSE WINS
• Tennessee is tied with Ole Miss for the NCAA lead in scoring defense, allowing just 52.7 points per game.
• According to KenPom, the Vols rank third nationally and first in the SEC in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 87.0 points per 100 possessions so far this season. College teams average close to 70 possessions per game.
• The Vols are forcing 17.7 turnovers per game while converting those turnovers into 19.7 points per game. Tennessee’s turnover margin stands at +7.5 (ninth nationally).
• Reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year Yves Pons has 80 blocks in his last 37 games.
• Only once this season has a team made at least five consecutive field goal attempts against the Vols (Cincinnati made five).
ABOUT MISSOURI
• Missouri is off to a perfect 6-0 start this season and ranked No. 12 in both major polls. The Tigers have claimed early-season victories over then-21st-ranked Oregon, 83-75, and then-sixth-ranked Illinois, 81-78. Mizzou’s most recent win was a tight, one-point home affair, as the Tigers took down Bradley, 54-53.
• Fourth-year head coach Cuonzo Martin has Missouri off to its best six-game start since his arrival in Columbia in 2017. Martin’s squad returns four of its five regular starters and its top seven scorers from last season, as Mizzou hopes to capitalize on its experience to push forward following back-to-back 15-win seasons.
• Thus far, junior Xavier Pinson has led the way for Missouri in the scoring category, averaging 14.3 points per game, with his two largest scoring outputs coming in those victories over Oregon (22 points) and Illinois (17 points). Pinson has also dished out a team-high 3.7 assists through six games.
• In the frontcourt, Jeremiah Tilmon has shined. The senior from East St. Louis, Illinois, ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 8.2 points per game, and his 7.8 rebounds per game not only leads Mizzou, but ranks eighth in the SEC.
• On the defensive end, Dru Smith has been extremely active, ranking second on the team in blocks (0.7 bpg) and first in steals (1.8 spg). His 1.8 steals per game also ranks sixth in the SEC heading into conference play.
• The University of Missouri offers more than 300 degree programs in 13 academic major divisions, but may be best known for its Missouri School of Journalism. The program was founded in 1908 by Walter Williams as the world’s first journalism school.
LAST MEETING WITH MISSOURI
• Six double-digit scorers, a career-high 11 points from junior Jalen Johnson and a gritty defensive effort led Tennessee past Missouri, 69-59, on Jan. 7, 2020, at Mizzou Arena.
• Johnson enjoyed his best performance of the season, scoring 11 points and knocking down a career-high three attempts from 3-point range.
• Jordan Bowden had a game-high 13 points and had four rebounds to cap several critical defensive stops.
• Junior John Fulkerson and Josiah-Jordan James each turned in quality nights, with both players scoring 11 points. James added a game-high-tying seven rebounds, while Fulkerson hauled in six.
• Freshman Santiago Vescovi, in his second appearance for the Vols, scored double-digit points for the second straight game, totaling 12 points, all in the second half, to help UT close out its first road victory of the season.
• Out of the break, 3-pointers from freshman James and junior Yves Pons increased the Tennessee lead to 38-28 less than two minutes into the second half.
• The Tigers responded with a 12-2 scoring run to knot the score at 40 apiece. During that five-minute stretch, Missouri forced two shot-clock violations to help hold UT scoreless for more than three minutes.
• Following the Tigers’ run, James knocked down two buckets in three possessions to match Missouri and keep the score even at 45-45 with 11:32 remaining.
• The back-and-forth action continued, with the teams trading baskets over the next five minutes. With the score tied at 53-53, Vescovi knocked down two clutch 3-pointers and made a layup on three straight possessions to give the Vols a 61-53 lead with just over four minutes remaining.
• In the game’s final moments, Tennessee used solid shooting from the foul line and some timely baskets to secure the victory.
VJ BAILEY HAS TIGER BLOODLINES
• Tennessee’s leading scorer, 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 he played three seasons for the Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
ENGLISH PART OF WINNINGEST CLASS IN MIZZOU PROGRAM HISTORY
• Vols assistant coach Kim English and two of his Missouri teammates were part of a program-record 107 collegiate wins during their careers as Tigers (2008-12).
• English was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2012 Big 12 Tournament after averaging 23.0 ppg.
MARTIN LED VOLS FOR THREE YEARS
• Fourth-year Missouri head coach Cuonzo Martin was the head coach at Tennessee for three seasons from 2011-14.
• Martin led the Vols to a 63-41 (32-20 SEC) record and a memorable 2014 NCAA Tournament run that began in the First Four and ended in the Sweet Sixteen (one possession away from the program’s second all-time Elite Eight appearance).
• On April 15, 2014, it was announced that Martin had accepted the head coaching job at Cal, where he spent three seasons before transitioning to Mizzou.
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 Volunteer Classic title game in Knoxville on Dec. 16, 1972.
ASTOUNDING OFFENSIVE BALANCE
• Only once this season has a Vol scored 20 or more points in a single game, as freshman Jaden Springer had 21 in the win over Tennessee Tech on Dec. 18.
• Tennessee has had six players score in double figures twice this season. And four different Vols have led the team in scoring.
• Four Vols are averaging 10+ points per game, with leading scorer Victor Bailey Jr. averaging 13.2 ppg.
• No Vol ranks among the top 20 scorers in the SEC.
• Tennessee ranks 39th nationally in assist percentage, assisting on 61.0 percent of their field goals.
