An employee at a Dollar General in Sweetwater is charged after he tells authorities he set a fire inside the store.
Sweetwater Police Officers went to the Dollar General store in the 800 block of North Main Street on Saturday after a fire alarm was activated.
SPD says there was smoke coming from the building, and firefighters from several departments responded.
During the investigation, it was determined the fire was intentionally set, and Andrew Helton, an employee at the Dollar General, was identified as the suspect.
Helton was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated arson.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The seventh-ranked Vols are in full preparation mode ahead of their College Football Playoff first-round matchup with No. 6 Ohio State, set for this Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. ET in Columbus, Ohio.
As the Vols gear up for their postseason appearance, veteran offensive linemen Cooper Mays and Andrej Karic spoke with the media about the significance of playing meaningful football in December and the growth of the offensive line over the course of the season.
“For me, it means that we’ve done our job and brought this program back to where it needs to be,” Mays said. “We’re right here in the thick of things, going into December and the playoff, and that’s really all you can ask for at this point in the season.”
Karic echoed Mays’ sentiment and reflected on the progress made by the offensive line.
“I do feel like we all have grown confident,” Karic said. “We’ve had some first-year players, and guys like me coming back from injury a little bit earlier in the season. But once you get through the flow of things, I think we’ve all gotten a lot better.”
On being named a Rimington Trophy finalist… “I was super happy. Just kind of getting a little bit of respect for what I have done this year, and probably what I have put together for the last few years. I’m just happy people are taking notice of it, like anybody would be.”
On what it means to him to play meaningful football in December for Tennessee… “To me it means that we have done our job, and we have this place back to where it needs to be and where it’s supposed to be. We are right here in the thick of things going into December and going into the playoff, and that’s kind of all you can ask for at this point in the season.”
On his perspective of the journey this program has taken during the Josh Heupel era… “It’s hard to really encapsulate everything that’s gone on over these last few years. I wasn’t a guy that was recruited (by Coach Heupel). I got a different path into playing for these guys, but staying here and seeing how everything has unfolded, how this staff treats their players and handles their players. It plays into the on-field side of it too. Really remarkable what’s been going on over here in the last few years.”
On what makes Cooper Mays an elite center… “I would say that I have a different kind of view because I play next to him. We’re always out there working together. He’s making me right, and in some ways I can make him right. Just seeing how he navigates, carries himself and pushes the team. He leads our tempo. He does a great job making ID’s (identifications). Whenever we are in our combinations, I can always trust that he’s going to do his job and it will make us successful in the end.”
On how much better the offensive line as gotten as the year has gone… “I think as the year goes on, we get better. Just seeing defenses and how they want to play us, just seeing what we’re going to see, and kind of be able to react faster when you know what to expect. When you go out there and play a little timid at the beginning of the year and you’re trying to figure it out, once you feel it out and you get through it, it lets you play a lot faster, which in result will let you play a lot better. I do feel like we all have grown confident. We’ve had some first year players and guys like me coming back from injury a little bit earlier in the season. But, once you get through the flow of things, I think we’ve all gotten a lot better.”
On his decision to come play at Tennessee… “I think it was a great move. I don’t regret anything and I’m blessed to be here and in the position that I’m in today. When you hit the portal, you never know where you’re going to end up, but just to end up at a place like Tennessee is such a blessing. I don’t take that for granted and I’m very happy with my choice.”
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In its first-ever non-conference true road game as the top-ranked team in America, the University of Tennessee battled through foul trouble to knock off Illinois, 66-64, Saturday night.
Senior guard Jordan Gainey not only clinched the victory with a buzzer-beating layup, but also poured in a game-high 23 points, his most in two seasons as a Volunteer, for top-ranked Tennessee (10-0). He scored 18 of his points in the final 14 minutes in front of a sold-out crowd of 15,544 at State Farm Arena.
Illinois (7-3, 1-1 B1G) scored the initial eight points over the opening three-and-a-half minutes, marking the first time this season the Volunteers faced a deficit greater than three. Tennessee quickly responded with a 9-1 run to pull within one at the 11:58 mark, leveling the score at 14 with 9:50 on the timer and then took its first lead, 18-17, with 7:01 to go before the break and then made it 20-17 just 22 seconds later.
The Fighting Illini countered with a 7-0 surge in 67 seconds to go back up by four, 24-20, with 4:20 left in the first half. Tennessee regained a 26-25 advantage on a dunk by sophomore forward Cade Phillips with 2:31 remaining in the session and the two sides then traded five made free throws apiece down the stretch, giving the visitors a 31-30 edge entering the locker room.
Both teams shot under 25.0 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, including under 21.0 percent from 3-point range, as 34 of the 61 points came from the line. The Volunteers went 17-of-24 (70.8 percent) on first-half free throws via 14 Illinois fouls, while the Fighting Illini shot 17-of-21 (81.0 percent) at the stripe off 12 Tennessee fouls. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier totaled 15 first-half points for Tennessee, including 12 of the team’s first 16.
Despite senior guard Zakai Zeigler departing with 18:13 left after picking up his fourth foul on a game-tying three-point play by Illinois junior guard Kylan Boswell, Tennessee took its biggest lead, 37-33, with 16:46 to go. The Fighting Illini, though, answered with a 10-0 surge—capped by a four-point play by freshman guard Kasparas Jakučionis on the team’s second made 3-pointer of the night after a 1-of-14 start—in just two minutes to make it 43-37 with 14:20 remaining.
The Volunteers, despite conceding another four-point play to Jakučionis, evened the score at 52 with 8:49 on the clock after back-to-back 3-pointers from fifth-year guard Darlinstone Dubar and Gainey.
Tennessee regained the lead, 55-54, on another 3-pointer by Gainey, this one with 7:32 remaining. After Illinois twice went back up by three, Gainey tied the score at 62 on a 3-pointer with 2:27 to play. Senior forward Igor Miličić Jr., then stole a sideline out-of-bounds pass and turned it into a fast-break dunk to put the Volunteers on top, 64-62, with 1:32 left.
Boswell split a pair of free throws with 1:08 remaining to slice the deficit in half. After neither team scored for the next minute-plus, Jakučionis made the second of two free throws with 5.7 ticks left to tie the game. Gainey then dribbled down the floor and hit a driving layup moments before the horn sounded to send the Volunteers streaming onto the court in jubilation.
After conceding the go-ahead basket with 4:55 on the countdown, Tennessee did not allow another field goal the rest of the game and gave up just four total points in that stretch, culminating with its first buzzer-beating win in over five years, since Nov. 30, 2019. It also committed zero second-half turnovers, its third time with zero in a frame in head coach Rick Barnes‘ 10-year tenure, including the first time in a true road outing.
Gainey shot 6-of-14 from the floor, including 3-of-6 beyond the arc, and 8-of-9 at the free-throw line, tying his career high in both makes and attempts from the stripe. He played point guard for nearly the entire second half, due to Zeigler’s early fouls, yet ended the contest with zero turnovers.
Lanier posted 17 points in the triumph, while Miličić had seven to go along with a game-best 14 rebounds, the top ledger by a Volunteer this year. He pulled down nine of his boards in the first 12 minutes alone.
Jakučionis paced Illinois with 22 points, finishing 10-of-14 from the line, but Tennessee held him to a 5-of-15 field-goal clip, including a 2-of-7 mark from deep. Junior guard Tre White notched 11 points, while Boswell contributed 10. Sophomore center Tomislav Ivisic led the Fighting Illini with 12 rebounds, but the Volunteers limited him to a 1-of-5 field-goal mark.
Tennessee, which 17 offensive rebounds and a 30-12 bench scoring margin, made 16 of its final 37 shots from the floor following a 4-of-25 start. It shot better from the field than Illinois, which it held to an overall 15-of-51 (29.4 percent) mark. The Volunteers also held the home team to a 4-of-23 (17.4 percent) tally beyond the arc, the lowest mark they have conceded this year, as well as posted as 12-6 cushion in points off turnovers, forcing 11 and committing only six.
In a game that featured 14 ties and 13 lead changes, both of which surpassed Tennessee’s total in first nine outings combined, the two sides combined for 50 points at the line, with the victors shooting 20-of-28 (71.4 percent) and Illinois going 30-of-36 (83.3 percent).
The Volunteers now begin a four-game homestand Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Western Carolina, live on SEC Network+ from Food City Center.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES • Tuesday marked the 12th game in program history with Tennessee ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, as it improved to 10-2, including 9-1 in Barnes’ tenure. • The Volunteers also upped its record to 23-4 all-time while ranked top-three in the AP Poll, including 20-2 under Barnes. • Tennessee remained one of the only seven undefeated teams in the country and the lone school unbeaten in both men’s and women’s basketball. • After the home team won the first four games of the series, Saturday marked the first time the visitor has won a Tennessee/Illinois matchup, with the Volunteers increasing their ledger to 4-1. • Barnes increased his career win total to 816, tying Rollie Massimino for No. 12 on the all-time wins list (min. 10 years at Division I level). • Tennessee is the only team in the SEC with a true road win over a Big Ten school this year, as each of the other two to play such a game—Alabama at Purdue and South Carolina and Indiana—fell short and no other such contests are scheduled. • The Volunteers moved to 10-0 to begin a season for the fifth time in program history, alongside 1999-2000 (11-0), 1997-98 (10-0), 1922-23 (14-0) and 1915-16 (finished 12-0). • Tennessee now has its 12th winning streak of double-digit games in program history, including its 10th in a single season and first since 2018-19 when it claimed a program-best 19 consecutive victories. • The Volunteers’ last victory by one possession came on March 16, 2023, in Orlando, Fla., in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, a 58-55 triumph over Louisiana. • Tennessee’s last buzzer-beating win was on Nov. 30, 2019, against VCU in the Emerald City Classic in Niceville, Fla., when Lamonté Turner hit a corner 3-pointer for a 72-69 triumph. • Just twice prior in Barnes’ tenure has Tennessee committed zero turnovers in a half, both after the break in neutral-site defeats: Nov. 27, 2015, versus George Washington in the Barclays Center Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Nov. 22, 2023, versus Kansas in the Maui Invitational in Honolulu. • Before Illinois, the last team to made 30 free throws and/or attempt 35 in a game against Tennessee was North Carolina, when it shot 33-of-38 on Nov. 29, 2023, on its home court. • Only twice prior in the last 20 seasons (2005-25) has Tennessee played a game in which it made 20-plus free throws and its opponent made 30-plus: a 77-74 win over Virginia (22-of-32 for, 31-of-36 against) on March 18, 2007, in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in Columbus, Ohio, and an 80-72 defeat versus Arkansas (25-of-34 for, 32-of-39 against) on March 13, 2015, in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals in Nashville, Tenn. • Saturday marked the 10th time in the last 20 seasons (2005-25) the Volunteers have attempted 28-plus free throws and conceded 36-plus, improving to 6-4 in such affairs, including 3-1 under Barnes. • Eleven players—six on Illinois and five on Tennessee—entered the second half with two fouls, while both sides each had two players with one apiece. • Illinois is the fourth team Tennessee has held below 30.0 percent shooting this year, including the third from a Power Six league, alongside Louisville (26.7 percent on Nov. 9 in Louisville, Ky.), Virginia (28.6 percent on Nov. 21 in Nassau, Bahamas) and UT Martin (22.6 percent on Nov. 27 in Knoxville). • The Fighting Illini are the fifth team the Volunteers have conceded 18 or fewer made field goals against, including the third from a Power Six conference, joining Louisville (16-of-60), Montana (18-of-52 on Nov. 13 in Knoxville), Virginia (14-of-49) and UT Martin (12-of-53). • The four made 3-pointers for Illinois marked the fewest by a Tennessee opponent this season and the lowest total since Purdue shot 3-of-15 on March 31, 2024, in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in Detroit. • This is the 50th time in the last eight seasons (2017-25) the Volunteers have conceded fewer than five made 3-pointers, including the 22nd on the road. • The last team Tennessee held below 18.0 percent from 3-point range was Saint Peter’s on March 21, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C., in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 when it allowed a 16.7 percent (4-of-24) clip. • The first half featured just 12 made field goals—six for each team—and a total of three assists on those makes. • Tennessee held Illinois to just one made 3-pointer in the first half, as the Fighting Illini posted an 8.3 percent (1-of-12) clip. • Zeigler, who played just 6:05 in the second half, registered his third foul with 18:14 left in the game, added his fourth just one second later and then fouled out with 5.7 seconds to go. • Meanwhile, Lanier picked up his fourth foul with 7:47 to go in the contest and then fouled out with 3:42 left. • The Volunteers forced seven turnovers by Jakučionis, the most by an individual opponent since Alabama’s Mark Sears hit the same figure on Jan. 20, 2024, in Knoxville. • Tennessee played from behind for 23:49 in the victory after trailing for a total of just 6:38 in its first nine games of the year. • The Volunteers have held a halftime advantage in all 10 of their outings this season, including a margin of nine-plus points eight times, double digits seven times, 12-plus five times, 14-plus four times and 23-plus twice. • Saturday marked Tennessee’s sixth victory over a Power Five opponent—it has none left in non-conference action—in its first 10 games of the season, including its fifth away from home and second on the road. • Tennessee has conceded 35 or fewer points in every first half this season, including 29 or fewer in six and 22 or fewer in three. • The Volunteers’ first nine contests this season featured 12 ties and 12 lead changes, with highs of five and six, respectively. • Gainey’s prior top point total at Tennessee, which he matched in the final 14 minutes alone, was 18, recorded on Feb. 7, 2024, against LSU. • Gainey has three previous outings with eight made free throws, most recently on Feb. 4, 2023, against UNC Asheville, during his USC Upstate tenure. • Additionally, Gainey has two prior performances with nine free-throw attempts, the last of which came on Feb. 2, 2022, at Hampton, also while at USC Upstate. • Saturday marked the 14th time Gainey has scored 20-plus points as a collegian, as he did so on 13 occasions in his two years at USC Upstate. • Lanier has now scored 17-plus points in eight of his 10 appearances as a Volunteer, including each of the last six, a stretch during which he is averaging 22.3 points per game. • Miličić tied for the second-most rebounds of his career and tallied the top mark by a Volunteer this year, eclipsing the 13 he grabbed Nov. 27 versus UT Martin. • Miličić now owns 18 collegiate performances with double-digit rebounds, including four in the past eight outings. • With his lone steal of the evening, at the 13:56 mark of the first half, Zeigler became the third person to record 200 steals as a Volunteer, joining Santiago Vescovi (212 from 2019-24) and Vincent Yarbrough (211 from 1998-2002). • Dubar (five) and freshman guard Bishop Boswell (three) both set season highs in rebounds in the victory.
Game Recap: Women’s Basketball | December 14, 2024
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 19/18 Tennessee broke the NCAA single-game record for three-pointers made in game, draining 30 from beyond the arc, and also snapped school and SEC marks for most points in a 139-59 victory over North Carolina Central on Saturday at Food City Center.
The Lady Vols improved to 8-0, running their home winning streak to eight games dating back to last season. With the eighth win to begin her tenure, UT head coach Kim Caldwell carded the best start by a Big Orange women’s skipper in her first season on Rocky Top.
UT rewrote program, SEC and NCAA bests with the 30-trey total. They also topped program and conference bests with 63 attempts from long range. The scoring total surpassed UT’s previous peak tally of 133 that was accumulated vs. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez on Nov. 29, 2002, at the San Juan Shootout.
Senior guard Samara Spencer set the tone from three-point range, notching a program record with nine treys on 13 attempts to card a career-high 33 points. She added 10 assists to notch her first double-double as a Lady Vol and the fourth of her career. Redshirt sophomore guard Talaysia Cooper swished five three-pointers in nine attempts to score 21 points and eclipse 20 or more for the fifth straight game. Fifth-year guard/forward Tess Darby also netted five threes to finish with a season-high 17 points, while junior forward Zee Spearman, junior guard Ruby Whitehorn and senior forward Sara Puckett contributed 15, 13 and 11, respectively.
N.C. Central, which fell to 0-12, was led by Shakiria Foster with 17 points, while Terriana Gray added 10. The Eagles were plagued by 44 turnovers, which ranks as the third-most ever by a Tennessee opponent and the highest total since Memphis committed 46 on Feb. 16, 1999. The record is 50, set by Hawaii Pacific on Dec. 20, 1985.
The Lady Vols exploded to a quick 10-0 lead, with Spencer and Darby sandwiching threes around a pair of Cooper buckets to force an Eagles timeout with 6:34 remaining. Another 10-0 burst by UT pushed the lead to 20-0 by the 4:21 mark, forcing another timeout after a volley of scores that included an Avery Strickland three, Puckett two, Spencer trey and a layup from Jillian Hollingshead. N.C. Central finally got on the board with 4:05 left in the period, but the Lady Vols outscored the visitors 13-8 the rest of the way to take a commanding 33-10 advantage after one.
Tennessee continued its offensive onslaught in the second stanza, outscoring NCCU, 36-8. It included a 13-0 run at the end of the half, punctuated by back-to-back threes from Spencer to increase her scoring total to 22 for the first half. Her treys also boosted her personal shooting to 6-for-8 from deep, giving her team a 16-for-36 shooting performance beyond the arc for the opening 20 minutes. That effort tied the school record at that point for threes made in a game and stood momentarily as the fifth-highest number of attempts in a game by a UT squad, with all five marks coming this season.
Spencer added her seventh three and a school-recording-setting 17th for her team to open the third period and extended UT’s scoring run to 16-0 to make it 72-18 with 9:28 to go. N.C. Central, though, would outscore the Lady Vols, 10-6, to narrow the gap to 78-28 by the 4:55 media timeout. UT responded out of the break with an 8-0 blitz, pushing the lead to 86-28 by the 3:56 mark, as an official review forced a second media timeout. The Big Orange sank six more threes before the end of the period, with Edie Darby, Spearman and Cooper accounting for the final trio of bombs to send their team to the fourth period with a 111-39 cushion via a stanza they won, 42-21.
N.C. Central kept scrapping in the final stanza, limiting the Lady Vols to a 28-20 margin for the tightest period of the game. The Eagles, however, could not cool off a Tennessee squad that shot 60 percent for the quarter and 52.2 percent for the game. The Big Orange was able to take down the previous school and conference point total of 136 when Destinee Wells’ trey creased the twine with 1:40 remaining to make it 137-53. Single free throws by Spencer and Alyssa Latham countered three Eagles charity tosses to account for the final sum.
UP NEXT: Tennessee will next play three games away from home, heading west for a contest in the Bluff City and then making its way east to West Palm Beach, Florida. The Lady Vols meet in-state rival Memphis on Wednesday at FedExForum. Tipoff is slated for 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 CT), with the contest televised by ESPNews. UT will then play a pair of games at the West Palm Beach Classic, meeting Richmond on Friday at 2:15 p.m. ET and following with an 11 a.m. ET tilt on Saturday vs. Tulsa before heading home.
RECORD-BREAKING DUB: A list of the records that Tennessee broke in today’s contest can be found below.
Tennessee reached 100 points for the fourth time in 2024-25, which ties as the fourth-most in a season by a Lady Vols squad. • That gives the program 91 all-time regular-season scoring efforts of 100 or more points through Dec. 14. The other three games where they scored 100 points included 101 in the season opener against Samford on Nov. 5, 109 versus Liberty on Nov. 16 and 102 against Western Carolina on Nov. 26. The program record for most 100-point games in a season is seven in 1987-88.
The Lady Vols surpassed the all-time SEC and Tennessee scoring record with 139 points.
SEC Scoring Record 139 Tennessee vs. NC Central, 2024 136 Tennessee vs. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, 2002 133 LSU vs. McNeese, 2023 133 Kentucky vs. Baylor, 2013 133 Tennessee vs. UT-Martin, 1999 131 Tennessee vs. Troy, 2017
Tennessee Scoring Record 139 vs. NC Central (H) 12/14/24 136 vs. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (A) 11/29/02 133 vs. Tennessee-Martin (H) 11/19/99 131 vs. Troy (H) 12/6/17 130 vs. Hawaii Pacific (A) 12/20/85 125 vs. DePaul (A) 1/20/98
The Lady Vols produced the highest number of three-pointers made in NCAA history with 30, topping the previous record of 28 by Western Illinois vs. MacMurray on November 12, 2018.
NCAA Three-Point Field Goals Made – Game 30 Tennessee vs. NC Central, 12/14/24 28 Western Ill. vs. MacMurray, 11/12/18 25 Sacramento St. vs. Portland, St., 1/23/16 25 Sacramento St. vs. Montana St., 2/6/16 23 FGCU vs. Ave Maria, 12/11/21
SEC Three-Point Field Goals Made – Game 30 Tennessee vs. NC Central, 2024 19 Arkansas vs. Alabama, 2021 18 Mississippi State vs. Troy, 2020 18 Missouri vs. Florida, 2021 18 Missouri vs. Bradley, 2013 18 Missouri vs. Auburn, 2013
Tennessee Three Point Field Goals Made – Game 30 vs. NC Central 12/14/24 16 vs. Kentucky 3/6/11 15 vs. Lamar 12/1/10 15 vs. Chattanooga 11/15/10 14 vs. Furman 12/10/20 13 vs. Auburn 1/28/10 13 vs. Arkansas 1/24/08 13 vs. Mississippi 2/6/05 13 vs. Army 11/30/02
Tennessee tallied the most three-point attempts in SEC women’s history, carding 63 and surpassing the previous record of 47. A list of the leading SEC three-point field goal attempts all-time is listed below.
SEC Three Point Attempts – Game 63 Tennessee vs. NC Central, 2024 47 Arkansas vs. LSU, 2024 46 South Carolina vs. Florida, 1994 43 Arkansas vs. Ark.-Pine Bluff, 2021 43 South Carolina vs. Alabama, 1994 42 Arkansas vs. Auburn, 2020
Tennessee Three Point Attempts – Game 63 vs. NC Central 12/14/24 42 vs. Middle Tennessee 11/12/24 41 vs. Western Carolina 11/26/24 39 vs. UT Martin 11/7/24 38 vs. Liberty 11/16/24 36 vs. Lamar 12/1/10
EIGHT STRAIGHT WITH A NEW STARTING FIVE: Tennessee has started the season 8-0 with eight different starting lineups and eight different players appearing in the first five. Ruby Whitehorn, Samara Spencer, Tess Darby, Alyssa Latham and Talaysia Cooper opened the contest on Saturday afternoon against the Eagles. The trio of Cooper, Spencer and Whitehorn lead the squad with seven starts apiece. Latham tallied her second start of the season, while Darby earned her fourth.
SAMARA SPARKS THE OFFENSE: Guard Samara Spencer carded a career-high 33 points versus the Eagles, setting a Lady Vol record of nine three-pointers made in a contest. Spencer surpassed Ariel Massengale’s and Meighan Simmons’ previous records of eight three-pointers. Massengale connected for eight three-pointers against Vanderbilt on March 1, 2015, while Simmons tallied eight against Virginia on Nov. 28, 2013. Spencer added a season-high ten assists, three steals and a pair of rebounds. The senior produced a season-best 10 field goals and tallied a career-high nine three-point field goals. It marks the sixth time Spencer has carded a double-figure performance in points this season. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native broke her previous career high of 32 points against Oral Roberts on Dec. 4, 2022, while playing at Arkansas.
HIGH-SCORING QUARTERS: Tennessee has scored 20 or more points in 27 of 32 quarters thus far. Tennessee notched a season-high 42 points in the third quarter against the Eagles, the second-highest quarter in Lady Vol history. It was two points shy of the school record of 44 points which UT hit against Troy on Dec. 6, 2017. Tennessee has scored 20+ points in all four quarters vs. NC Central, Samford, Liberty and Western Carolina. UT had three such quarters vs. UT Martin, Middle Tennessee and Florida State. Tennessee has reached 30 points in a quarter five times, dropping 33 in the first quarter, 36 in the second quarter and 42 in the third frame against NC Central, 34 in the first quarter and 30 in the second stanza vs. Liberty and then 31 in the second period vs. Western Carolina.
FORCING MISCUES: The Lady Vols forced NC Central to turn the ball over a season-high total of 44 times during Saturday’s win, posting a 73-7 advantage on points off turnovers. Six of Tennessee’s foes thus far have committed at least 20 miscues: NC Central (44), Samford (37), Western Carolina (37), UT Martin (31), Liberty (25) and Iowa (30). The Lady Vols also notched 49 points from the bench, 34 points from fast breaks and produced 34 points in the paint. Prior to 2024-25, the last time Tennessee forced 30+ turnovers on four occasions during a season was when it did so four times in 2007-08. Tennessee also collected a 10-second violation versus NC Central, this season UT’s press has resulted in 11 10-second violations by opponents through eight games.
Newport, TN (WOKI) The victim in an ongoing homicide investigation out of Cocke County has been identified.
Officials with the Cocke County Sheriff’s Office say 52-year-old Lisa Goode was found stabbed to death around 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 7 in a bedroom inside a home located in the 1400 block of Arlis Road in Newport.
They report there is a person of interest, but no arrests have been made, and the office’s Criminal Investigation Division is actively investigating the homicide.
Additional information has not been released.
A woman was found stabbed to death in her home on Saturday, Dec. 7, Sheriff CJ Ball said. (FranklyMedia)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A pair of Tennessee football offensive standouts earned All-America status from multiple outlets this week as organizations began rolling out their postseason honors for the 2024 season. Senior center Cooper Mays and junior running back Dylan Sampson were both tabbed Second Team All-America by The Athletic, while Mays earned second team recognition from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Sampson collected second team honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Mays becomes the fourth center in Tennessee history to be named an All-American and the first since Bob Johnson was a unanimous selection in 1967. Sampson is the 11th Tennessee running back to garner first or second team All-America honors and the first since Travis Stephens was recognized in 2001.
During the Josh Heupel era (2021-present), Tennessee has produced six All-Americans – its most in a four-year span since 2006-09.
Cooper Mays (C) – All-America Second Team (AFCA, The Athletic) In his fourth-straight season as the starting center, Mays anchored UT’s offensive line that helped the Vols finish with a top 10 rushing offense and total offense in the country. The Kingston, Tennessee, native, played a team-high 816 offensive snaps according to PFF and did not allow a sack or quarterback hit throughout the entire 2024 campaign. He carries a streak of 26 consecutive games without allowing a sack into next week’s CFP first-round contest against the Ohio State Buckeyes, which dates back to the 2022 season.
Mays led an offensive line unit that paved the way for the top rushing attack in the SEC for the second year in row. Tennessee’s 232.0 rushing yards per game ranked first in the conference and ninth in the FBS, while its 462.9 yards of total offense per game were second in the league and eighth nationally. For their efforts, UT’s offensive line was recognized as Joe Moore Award semifinalists for the third-straight season, joining Oregon as the only schools in the country to accomplish that feat.
Dylan Sampson (RB) – All-America Second Team (The Athletic, Walter Camp) Sampson, who was also tabbed the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year by both the league’s coaches and the AP on Wednesday, has had a record-setting season for the Big Orange while helping lead Tennessee to its first ever College Football Playoff appearance.
Sampson finished the regular season as the SEC’s leader in carries (256), rushing yards (1,485), rushing yards per game (123.8) and rushing touchdowns (22), setting UT single-season records for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns along the way. In total, Sampson leads the SEC in 11 different categories and is tied for first among Power Four players (third nationally) in rushing scores, with his 22 touchdowns on the ground ranking tied for the fifth most in SEC single-season history.
The junior workhorse became the second player in Tennessee history with 10 100-yard rushing games in a single season, joining Jay Graham, who had 11 in 1995. He also leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally in all-purpose yards with 1,620 entering the Vols’ CFP first round contest at No. 6 Ohio State on Dec. 21.
Sampson has been a point scoring machine in 2024, leading the conference and ranking fifth in the FBS with a program-record 132 points scored. His 11 straight games with a touchdown earlier this season was also a single-season school record.
2024 Tennessee Postseason Award Honors as of Dec. 13
QB Nico Iamaleava Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Semifinalist Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award Finalist
OL Cooper Mays Rimington Trophy Finalist All-America Second Team (AFCA, The Athletic) All-SEC First Team (Coaches) All-SEC Second Team (AP)
WR Bru McCoy Witten Award Semifinalist Comeback Player of the Year Semifinalist SEC Community Service Team
DB Jermod McCoy Thorpe Award Semifinalist All-SEC First Team (AP) All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
DE James Pearce Jr. Bednarik Award Semifinalist Lombardi Award Semifinalist Walter Camp Player of the Year Semifinalist All-SEC First Team (Coaches) All-SEC Second Team (AP)
RB Dylan Sampson SEC Offensive Player of the Year (AP, Coaches) USA Today SEC Player of the Year All-America Second Team (The Athletic, Walter Camp) Maxwell Award Semifinalist Doak Walker Award Semifinalist All-SEC First Team (AP, Coaches)
Maryville, TN (WOKI) Kenneth DeHart Jr., the man accused of shooting two Blount County Sheriff’s Office deputies in February, injuring one and killing the other, could face the death penalty.
He appeared in a Blount County courtroom Friday for a formal arraignment.
The state has filed two notices, one seeking the death penalty. DeHart entered a not guilty plea on all charges.
The judge set April 13, 2026, as the trial’s start date.
BCSO Deputies Shelby Eggers and Greg McCowan stopped DeHart after he was found to be driving erratically. During the stop, the situation escalated, and DeHart reportedly shot both deputies, injuring Eggers and killing McCowan.
Kenneth DeHart, accused in Blount County deputy’s death, could face death penalty. (Courtesy: WVLT / WBXX)
A Knox County School is placed on lockdown this morning (Friday).
Officials say that L&N Stem Academy was placed on lockdown due to a law-enforcement investigation near the campus.
The school was locked down just after 9:30 a.m. and Scott Erland with the Knoxville Police Department says officers are investigating a possible threat that was near the school.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The defending national champion Tennessee Volunteers officially announced their 2025 schedule on Thursday.
This year’s regular-season slate consists of 38 home games, 15 road contests and three neutral site games.
Tennessee opens its 2025 campaign with eight straight home games, beginning with a series against Hofstra from Feb. 14-16 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Following their eight-game homestand, the Vols will travel to Houston for the 2025 Astros Foundation College Classic, which will be played at Minute Maid Park from Feb. 28 through March 2. UT will square off against a pair of NCAA regional teams in Oklahoma State (Feb. 28) and Arizona (March 2) with a game against Rice (March 1) sandwiched between.
The other two home weekend series in non-conference play include matchups against Samford (Feb. 21-23) and St. Bonaventure (March 7-9) before SEC play kicks off with a marquee home series against 2024 Men’s College World Series semifinalist Florida (March 14-16).
After back-to-back road series against 2024 regional teams in Alabama (March 20-22) and South Carolina (March 28-30), the Vols welcome Texas A&M to Knoxville from April 4-6 for a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s MCWS finals.
Tennessee’s other home conference series are against 2024 MCWS participant Kentucky (April 18-20), Auburn (May 2-4) and in-state rival Vanderbilt (May 9-11). The Vols’ remaining road series feature trips to three of the league’s most intimidating venues as they travel to take on Ole Miss (Aprill 11-13), LSU (April 25-27) and Arkansas (May 16-17).
The 2025 SEC Tournament will once again be held in Hoover, Alabama, but will feature a new format with all 16 of the league’s teams competing in a single elimination format.
In all, the Vols are slated to play 28 games against teams that reached the NCAA tournament last season (12 different opponents), including nine games against opponents that advanced to Omaha in 2024 (Florida, Kentucky, Texas A&M).
Game times will be added as they become available and are subject to change. The television schedule will be released in late January or early February.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Tennessee football garnered four honorees on the 2024 Freshman All-SEC Team as the league office concluded its awards rollout Thursday.
Tennessee’s four recipients are the program’s most since having four players recognized in 2011. Tight end Ethan Davis, defensive lineman Jordan Ross, linebacker Jalen Smith and defensive back Boo Carter are UT’s representatives on the team, with Carter being recognized at both defensive back and return specialist.
Playing in all 12 games with five starts, Carter total 35 tackles – three tackles for loss – with one sack, one interception and three quarterback hurries at the STAR position. He notched a career-high seven tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a hurry in the Vols’ victory over Florida, which earned him SEC Freshman of the Week honors. He emerged as a dangerous punt returner during the season, returning 12 punts for 198 yards, averaging 16.5 yards per return.
Carter is the first UT freshman to receive SEC All-Freshman laurels as a return specialist since Shawn Summers in 1992.
A redshirt freshman, Davis played in 11 games for the Vols in 2024. The physical tight end finished the regular season with 13 receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 7.7 yards per catch.
Hailing from Vestavia Hills, Alabama, Ross appeared in 10 games for Tennessee during his first year on Rocky Top. The talented true freshman defensive lineman made an immediate impact in game one as he blocked a punt and returned it for a 49-yard touchdown. Ross closed out the regular season with three total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
2024 Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC Team Offense QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
QB Nico Iamaleava Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Semifinalist Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award Finalist
OL Cooper Mays Rimington Trophy Finalist All-SEC First Team (Coaches) All-SEC Second Team (AP)
WR Bru McCoy Witten Award Semifinalist Comeback Player of the Year Semifinalist SEC Community Service Team
DB Jermod McCoy Thorpe Award Semifinalist All-SEC First Team (AP) All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
DE James Pearce Jr. Bednarik Award Semifinalist Lombardi Award Semifinalist Walter Camp Player of the Year Semifinalist All-SEC First Team (Coaches) All-SEC Second Team (AP)
RB Dylan Sampson SEC Offensive Player of the Year (AP, Coaches) USA Today SEC Player of the Year Maxwell Award Semifinalist Doak Walker Award Semifinalist All-SEC First Team (AP, Coaches)
Posted on December 15, 2024 by rcadle • 0 Comments
An employee at a Dollar General in Sweetwater is charged after he tells authorities he set a fire inside the store. Sweetwater Police Officers went to the Dollar General store in the 800 block of North Main Street on Saturday after a fire alarm was activated. SPD says there was smoke coming from the building,…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 15, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The seventh-ranked Vols are in full preparation mode ahead of their College Football Playoff first-round matchup with No. 6 Ohio State, set for this Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. ET in Columbus, Ohio. As the Vols gear up for their postseason appearance, veteran offensive linemen Cooper Mays and Andrej Karic spoke with the media about the…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 15, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
Game Recap: Men’s Basketball | December 14, 2024 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In its first-ever non-conference true road game as the top-ranked team in America, the University of Tennessee battled through foul trouble to knock off Illinois, 66-64, Saturday night. Senior guard Jordan Gainey not only clinched the victory with a buzzer-beating layup, but also poured in a game-high 23…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 15, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
Game Recap: Women’s Basketball | December 14, 2024 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 19/18 Tennessee broke the NCAA single-game record for three-pointers made in game, draining 30 from beyond the arc, and also snapped school and SEC marks for most points in a 139-59 victory over North Carolina Central on Saturday at Food City Center. The Lady Vols…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 13, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Newport, TN (WOKI) The victim in an ongoing homicide investigation out of Cocke County has been identified. Officials with the Cocke County Sheriff’s Office say 52-year-old Lisa Goode was found stabbed to death around 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 7 in a bedroom inside a home located in the 1400 block of Arlis Road in…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 13, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A pair of Tennessee football offensive standouts earned All-America status from multiple outlets this week as organizations began rolling out their postseason honors for the 2024 season. Senior center Cooper Mays and junior running back Dylan Sampson were both tabbed Second Team All-America by The Athletic, while Mays earned second team recognition from the American Football Coaches…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 13, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Maryville, TN (WOKI) Kenneth DeHart Jr., the man accused of shooting two Blount County Sheriff’s Office deputies in February, injuring one and killing the other, could face the death penalty. He appeared in a Blount County courtroom Friday for a formal arraignment. The state has filed two notices, one seeking the death penalty. DeHart entered…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 13, 2024 by rcadle • 0 Comments
A Knox County School is placed on lockdown this morning (Friday). Officials say that L&N Stem Academy was placed on lockdown due to a law-enforcement investigation near the campus. The school was locked down just after 9:30 a.m. and Scott Erland with the Knoxville Police Department says officers are investigating a possible threat that was…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 13, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
BaseballDecember 12, 2024 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The defending national champion Tennessee Volunteers officially announced their 2025 schedule on Thursday. This year’s regular-season slate consists of 38 home games, 15 road contests and three neutral site games. Tennessee opens its 2025 campaign with eight straight home games, beginning with a series against Hofstra from Feb. 14-16 at…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 13, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Tennessee football garnered four honorees on the 2024 Freshman All-SEC Team as the league office concluded its awards rollout Thursday. Tennessee’s four recipients are the program’s most since having four players recognized in 2011. Tight end Ethan Davis, defensive lineman Jordan Ross, linebacker Jalen Smith and defensive back Boo Carter are UT’s representatives on the team, with Carter being…… Continue Reading
