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#1 Vols Beat Middle Tennessee State, 82-64

Posted on December 24, 2024

Game Recap: Men’s Basketball | December 23, 2024

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team increased its season-opening winning streak to a dozen for the third time in program history with an 82-64 win Monday night against Middle Tennessee State.

Facing a halftime deficit for the first time in 2024-25, top-ranked Tennessee (12-0) controlled much of the second stanza to claim the win in front of 20,706 fans at Food City Center. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier paced the victors with 23 points, while senior guard Zakai Zeigler posted his second straight double-double, notching 17 points and career-high 15 assists, tied for the fifth-most in program history.

The Volunteers scored eight straight points in just 94 seconds midway through the first half to take a 25-14 edge with 9:31 on the timer. However, Middle Tennessee State (9-4) soon put together a 13-2 surge, including seven unanswered points in 55 seconds by redshirt senior guard Camryn Weston, to go in front for the first time, 32-20, with 3:06 left before the break.

After Tennessee leveled the score just 18 seconds later, the Blue Raiders scored eight of the last 10 points in the frame, making it a 21-6 run over the final 6:33 of the frame, to earn a game-high six-point advantage, 40-34, at the intermission. Weston, who capped the scoring on a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left, tallied 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the session.

Tennessee scored nine of the opening 12 points coming out of the locker room, evening the score at 43 with 16:01 to play. Middle Tennessee State thrice went back ahead by three before the Volunteers pulled ahead, 52-51, with 12:21 to go and never conceded the lead. It pushed the cushion to six, 57-51, with 11:09 remaining after making it a 9-0 burst over 1:44.

The Blue Raiders got the deficit down to one, 59-58, with 9:23 to go, but Tennessee then went 5:58 without allowing a field goal—that included 3:35 without a point—and posted a 14-2 run during 5:15 of that span to take a then-game-best 13-point edge, 73-60, with 3:39 left.

The Volunteers eventually won by their largest margin of the night, 18, after scoring the final seven points in the last 1:37 of action.

Lanier, who had his fifth performance of 22-plus points in the last eight games, shot 5-of-10 from 3-point range to lead the team in scoring for the ninth time, including the eighth outright. Zeigler, who logged his 11th-career double-double, scored or assisted on 19 of the team’s 27 made field goals, plus shot 8-of-9 at the line to set season highs in makes and attempts. His 15 assists marked the highest total by a Volunteer since Feb. 28, 1987, and the top figure by an SEC competitor in non-conference play since Nov. 15, 2019.

Junior forward Felix Okpara scored 12 points, including 10 in a first half during which he shot 4-of-4, all on dunks. Senior guard Jordan Gainey added 10 points, six rebounds and a game-best two blocks, while senior forward Igor Miličić Jr., paced all players with 12 rebounds.

Weston led all scorers with 24 points for the Blue Raiders, adding a game-high four steals. He shot 9-of-18 from the field, the most makes by a Tennessee opponent this season, despite missing his final six attempts and scoring just one point in the last 14 minutes. Junior guard Kamari Lands added 13 points on a 5-of-10 field-goal clip for Middle Tennessee State.

Tennessee limited Middle Tennessee State to 8-of-27 (29.6 percent) shooting in the second half, including a 3-of-14 (21.4 percent) mark from beyond the arc. The Volunteers shot 18-of-23 (78.3 percent) from the stripe in the win, while the Blue Raiders went just 7-of-14 (50.0 percent).

Following a one-week hiatus from game action, Tennessee wraps up its non-conference slate Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. against Norfolk State, 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
• Monday marked the 14th game in program history with Tennessee ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, as it improved to 12-2, including 11-1 in head coach Rick Barnes‘ tenure.
• The Volunteers also upped their record to 26-4 all-time while ranked top-three in the AP Poll, including 22-2 under Barnes.
• Tennessee remained one of the only four undefeated teams in the country and the lone school unbeaten in both men’s and women’s basketball.
• Barnes is now 34-6 (.850) against in-state opponents during his Tennessee tenure, including 17-1 (.944) the last 18 such contests.
• Barnes improved to 14-0 in his career against the current Conference USA membership, his third-most wins without a defeat against any league.
• Middle Tennessee State is the 204th different current Division I program Barnes has defeated during his 38-year head coaching career.
• Tennessee improved to 10-2 all-time versus Middle Tennessee State with the victories by an average of 21.7 points per game, including eight decisions by double digits.
• The Volunteers moved to 12-0 to begin a season for the third time in program history, alongside 1922-23 (14-0) and 1915-16 (finished 12-0).
• Tennessee now has its seventh winning streak of at least 12 games program history, including its fifth in a single season and first since 2018-19 when it claimed a program-best 19 consecutive victories.
• The other four single-season winning streaks of at least a dozen games for Tennessee are as follows: 19 in 2018-19 (Nov. 28 to Feb. 13), 14 in 1922-23 (Jan. 8 to Feb. 20), 12 in 1915-16 (Jan. 8 to Feb. 26) and 12 in 1976-77 (Dec. 11 to Jan. 24).
• As announced before tip-off, the Volunteers played without freshman guard Bishop Boswell (right shoulder injury), leaving them with eight available scholarship players.
• The Volunteers improved to 89-33 all-time when playing in front of 20,000-plus fans at Food City Center, including 30-9 under Barnes, with 24 of the latter 39 over the past four years (2021-25).
• Monday marked the first time in 2024-25 the Volunteers trailed at halftime and/or conceded 36-plus points before the break.
• Weston’s 17 first-half points tied for the most in a frame by a Tennessee opponent this season, matching the mark by Baylor’s Norchad Omier after the break Nov. 22 in Nassau, Bahamas.
• The seven made field goals by Weston in the first half set a new high in a session by a Volunteer foe this year, eclipsing the second-half mark of six by both Omier and his teammate, V.J. Edgecombe, in the matchup with Baylor.
• Weston shot 9-of-12 in the first 26 minutes of the contest, already setting a new top mark for the most made field goals in a full game by a single player against Tennessee in 2024-25.
• The Volunteers have led for 412:43 of a possible 480 minutes thus far in 2024-25, while trailing for only 43:39.
• Tennessee has held a lead of 18-plus points in 11 of its 12 contests this season, including by 26 in all but three, and still has not faced a deficit larger than eight.
• Eleven of Tennessee’s 12 wins thus far are by 13-plus points, with seven by at least 22, four by at least 35 and two by 40-plus.
• Zeigler, who now has back-to-back double-doubles for the first time as a Volunteer, upped his career double-double mark to 11.
• Ten of Zeigler’s 11 double-doubles are with points and assists, giving him twice as many in that category as any other player in program history.
• Monday marked the 11th double-figure assist outing of Zeigler’s career, including his third of the 2024-25 campaign.
• Zeigler’s previous career-best assist mark came on Feb. 24, 2024, when he registered 14 against Texas A&M.
• The most recent SEC player to post 15-plus assists in a game was Kentucky’s TyTy Washington Jr., who notched 17 on Jan. 8, 2022, against Georgia, while the last to do so in non-conference play was Auburn’s J’Von McCormick on Nov. 15, 2019, against Cal State Northridge.
• Over the last three seasons (2022-25) there are just four occurrences of an SEC player amassing 13-plus assists in a game, with Zeigler owning three of those performances, as he also did so Feb. 24, 2024, versus Texas A&M (14) and Feb. 2, 2024, at Kentucky (13).
• Zeigler’s 15 assists matched Fred Jenkins’ tally on Feb. 28, 1987, against Georgia for the fifth-most in Tennessee history, with that also the most recent performance of 15-plus assists by a Volunteer.
• Zeigler is one of just two players in program history to record 14-plus assists multiple times, joining Rodney Woods, who did so on Feb. 1, 1975, at Georgia (16) and Feb. 3, 1973, against Auburn (14).
• Miličić recorded double-digit rebounds for the 19th time in his career, including the fifth in 12 outings as a Volunteer.
• Lanier connected on at least four made 3-pointers for the 22nd time as a collegian, including the seventh in just 12 games at Tennessee.
• In half of those 22 contests, Lanier has now hit at least five 3-pointers, with this his third such performance as a Volunteer.
• Lanier now owns 20 total 20-point showing in his career, including five thus far in his lone year as a Volunteer.
• Over the last eight games, Lanier has scored 22-plus points five times and led Tennessee in scoring on seven occasions.
• Gainey has now tallied multiple blocks in three of the last four games, including each of the past two, after doing so five times in his first 108 outings.

Knoxville Fire Department Responds to Jacksboro Pike House Fire

Posted on December 24, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) No one is injured but a home suffers significant damage following a house fire late Monday morning.

Knoxville Fire Department crews responded to the home in the 5500 block of Jacksboro Pike around 10:30 a.m. to find flames coming from the downstairs windows of the house.

KFD reported crews encountered a heavy amount of smoke and fire but were able to get the fire under control within 20 minutes.

“Upon the arrival of the first fire apparatus, the crew saw flames coming from the downstairs windows of the home,” KFD’s Timothy Woods said. “Firefighting efforts began immediately with first crew going inside to try and extinguish the fire. There was a heavy amount of smoke and fire, but the crews were able to get the fire under control within 20 minutes.”

KFD said no one was home at the time of the fire, and the house suffered significant fire, smoke and water damage.

KFD is investigating the fire’s cause.

*Knoxville Fire Department responds to Jacksboro Pike house fire*. (*Courtesy*: *KFD*)

Knoxville Police Ask for Information after Car Caught Damaging Lakeshore Park

Posted on December 24, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville police are asking for information after a car is caught on camera damaging Lakeshore Park.

KPD says a Nissan Xterra was caught on camera off-roading at Lakeshore Park and damaging the landscape just before midnight on December 19.

Anyone with information is asked to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165. Tipsters can remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward.

*KPD said a car was caught on camera off-roading at Lakeshore Park and damaging the landscape on Dec. 19*. (*Courtesy*: *KPD*)

THP Ramping Up Efforts to Ensure Safe Roads During Holiday Season

Posted on December 24, 2024

(Story courtesy of WVLT News)

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Highway Patrol said it is ramping up efforts to ensure safety on the state’s roadways during the holiday season.

As a part of the Holiday Safety Enforcement Campaign, state troopers will be out in full force in an effort to prevent serious crashes and fatalities.

“The holidays are a time for joy and celebration, but they also bring increased risks on the road,” said Colonel Matt Perry of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. “We’re asking all drivers to slow down, avoid distractions, and always buckle up. Our goal is to make sure everyone arrives at their destination safely.”

THP officials said the campaign will focus on reducing impaired driving, speeding, aggressive drivers and distracted driving across all 95 counties.

Colonel Perry also reminded drivers of the dangers of drowsy driving.

“If you start to feel sleepy, pull over to a safe spot, take a short nap, or roll down your window for some fresh air,” Perry said. “Don’t risk your life or the lives of others by driving drowsy.”

Officials said you can report distracted or other unsafe driving by calling *THP hands-free.

*A Tennessee Highway Patrol cruiser*. (*Courtesy*: *WVLT / WSMV*)

Union County Man Charged after Shooting Person at Walmart in Halls

Posted on December 23, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Union County man is charged after shooting a person Friday at a Walmart in Halls.

According to charging documents, four men who knew each other were arguing inside the store.

The report says one of the men, 23-year-old Joshua Bailey of Luttrell, pulled out a gun and shot the victim in the hip.

The victim is expected to be okay.

Bailey was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault.

City of Sweetwater Officials Made ‘Questionable Credit Card Purchases’ Totaling More than $130,000, Investigation Reveals

Posted on December 23, 2024

Sweetwater, TN (WOKI / WVLT) An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office revealed that officials with the City of Sweetwater made questionable credit card purchases totaling more than $130,000 over the course of nearly a decade.

According to the investigation, city officials made purchases totaling $132,680.03 from December 2014 through June 2023, including at least $2,615.99 the city paid in taxes and fees.

Types of Questionable Expenditures	Total ($)	Taxes or Fees ($)
Food	71,636.67	1,967.41
Unsupported	36,009.14	73.12
Equipment and Supplies	10,287.60	254.55
Planning, Development, or Tourism	9,843.38	205.63
Contingency and Gifts	4,248.65	97.54
Travel	654.53	17.74
Grand Total	132,680.03	2,615.99

City officials “frequently dined at restaurants or food trucks located in Sweetwater or nearby cities such as Athens, Cleveland, Crossville, Farragut, Knoxville, Lenoir City, Madisonville, and Spring City,” the Comptroller Office’s investigation said. However, the city did not have a policy governing the purchase of food, the purpose of the meals or who was present.

Additionally, investigators said city officials made unsupported purchases including Amazon Prime and Adobe subscriptions and equipment and supply purchases, such as diffusers and essential oils.

The Comptroller’s Office also said city officials made other questionable purchases totaling $34,165.66 that were coded to an account nicknamed “gun pay.”

“Many city employee purchases appeared to be relevant to city business, such as police employees purchasing firearms or several employees purchasing clothing and boots for additional uniforms; however, some city employee purchases appeared to be abusive by benefiting the employee as a payroll advance rather than benefiting the city,” investigators said.

According to the Comptroller’s Office, the investigation revealed the following deficiencies:

City of Sweetwater officials failed to provide adequate oversight or separate financial duties
City of Sweetwater officials failed to establish an adequate prior approval system for purchases
City of Sweetwater officials failed to maintain adequate supporting documentation for purchases
City of Sweetwater officials failed to maintain adequate supporting documentation for city accounts
City of Sweetwater officials routinely paid sales taxes on city purchases
City of Sweetwater officials failed to establish adequate written policies governing city purchases

Investigators said city officials “indicated that they have corrected or intend to correct these deficiencies.”

The City of Sweetwater providing our news partner WVLT with following statement:

“As a result of a comprehensive investigation over the scope of nearly nine years, the Comptroller’s Office of the State of Tennessee is releasing a report spanning from 2014 to 2023. And while the report makes only two findings, neither of which are criminal, the City of Sweetwater takes this review very seriously. The report recommends a few internal control policy changes, several of which have already been implemented and adopted by the City of Sweetwater. We will now take time for internal review on additional procedures and policies to ensure continued public confidence. We want to continue to sharpen and improve our internal controls to benefit the citizens of Sweetwater.

We are grateful to see this matter closed, and appreciate the diligence the staff and state personnel provided throughout the course of this thorough investigation.“ – City of Sweetwater

Click here to view the full report.

*City of Sweetwater* (*Courtesy*: *Tennessee Comptrollers Office*)

Suspect in Deadly Knoxville Shooting Arrested in Nashville, KPD Says

Posted on December 23, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: Knoxille police have identified the suspect in a deadly Knoxville shooting.

Officers responded to Washington Pike early Thursday morning, December 19. Investigators say 21-year-old Kevin Martinez shot and killed the victim, 38-year-old Ernest Glenn.

Nashville police arrested Martinez as he was boarding a Greyhound bus there.

He is now being charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault.

KPD says he will be extradited back to Knoxville in the coming days.

ORIGINAL STORY: Knoxville Police Department officials Friday afternoon identify the victim of a deadly shooting Thursday on Washington Pike while the search for a suspect continues.

KPD says 38-year-old Ernest Glenn of Knoxville was shot at least once and pronounced dead at the scene in the 2900 block of Washington Pike after crashing his car into a fence.

Officials say a second gunshot victim, identified only as a 45-year-old man, remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

Police believe, at this time, that the shooting was targeted and not random in nature.

According to KPD, a suspect has not been identified or charged, but detectives are pursuing active leads.

The shooting remains under investigation by the KPD Homicide Unit.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers anonymously at 865-215-7165. Tipsters may be eligible to receive a cash reward.

*Kevin Martinez*, 21 (*Courtesy*: *Metro Nashville Police Department*)

Courtesy / UT Athletics

#7 Vols Fall to #6 Ohio State in College Football Playoff

Posted on December 22, 2024

Game Recap: Football | December 22, 2024

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The seventh-ranked Vols fell to No. 6 Ohio State, 42-17, at Ohio Stadium Saturday night in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff.

Tennessee finished the season 10-3, earning its second 10-win campaign in the past three seasons under head coach Josh Heupel. The Vols’ 30 victories since 2022 are the most for the program in a three-year span since 1998-2000.

Quarterback Nico Iamaleava finished the night 14-for-31 with 104 passing yards, adding 47 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns. The redshirt freshman concluded his first season as the starting quarterback with a 10-3 record, becoming the first freshman quarterback—true or redshirt—in Tennessee history to win 10 games in a single season.

Wide receiver Bru McCoy was Iamaleava’s favorite target, hauling in four receptions for 40 yards.

Freshman running back Peyton Lewis led the Vols in rushing, carrying the ball 10 times for 77 yards.

Ohio State (11-2) jumped out to a quick 21-0 lead, scoring on its first three drives of the game. Quarterback Will Howard connected with receiver Jeremiah Smith on a 37-yard touchdown pass on OSU’s opening drive.

The Buckeyes scored twice on the ground in the first half, with Quinshon Judkins punching in a one-yard run, followed by a 29-yard rushing touchdown from TreVeyon Henderson.

With Ohio State driving and threatening to take a four-score lead, redshirt senior defensive back Will Brooks intercepted Howard in the back of the end zone with 10:02 remaining in the second quarter—his fourth interception of the season.

Tennessee used the pick to build momentum, driving 62 yards in nine plays for its first score of the night—a 36-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Max Gilbert. UT’s defense forced a quick three-and-out on OSU’s next possession as the Vols fought back.

Iamaleava marched Tennessee down the field in 16 plays on the ensuing drive, capping the series with a two-yard rushing touchdown, cutting the Buckeyes’ lead to 21-10 going into halftime.

Ohio State repeated its first-half performance, scoring touchdowns on its first three second-half drives. Howard and Smith connected on a 22-yard touchdown pass before Judkins and Henderson rushed for touchdowns of one yard and 24 yards, respectively.

The Vols added a late touchdown as Iamaleava plunged in for a two-yard score with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee registered seven tackles for loss in Saturday’s game, finishing the year with 100 TFLs—tied for the eighth-most in a season in Tennessee history. The Vols have now produced triple-digit tackles for loss in three of four seasons under defensive coordinator Tim Banks.

Sophomore linebacker Jeremiah Telander led the team with a career-high 10 tackles, including one tackle for loss.

Courtesy / UT Athletics

Lady Vols’ 41-Point Second Quarter Fuels 102-61 Win Over Tulsa

Posted on December 22, 2024

Game Recap: Women’s Basketball | December 21, 2024

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Senior forward Sara Puckett scored 12 of her season-high 17 points in the second quarter, aiding a 41-11 Big Orange blitz in that period that sent No. 18/16 Tennessee on its way to a 102-61 victory over Tulsa on Saturday at the West Palm Beach Classic.

The Lady Vols closed out their stay in Florida with a 2-0 mark and improved to 11-0 overall. This marks UT’s best start since opening 15-0 in 2017-18.

Puckett finished seven of 12 from the field, including 3-of-5 marksmanship from long range, and added seven rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals. She knocked down five of seven field goal attempts in the second period, including two three-pointers in three tries, as her team broke open a 22-20 game after the opening period.

Joining Puckett in double figures were Jewel Spear, who fired in 16 via four treys, junior Zee Spearman, who added 15, and redshirt sophomore Talaysia Cooper and junior Ruby Whitehorn, who chipped in 13 each. Spearman finished one shy of a double-double with a team-high nine boards.

Tulsa, which saw its four-game winning streak snapped, fell to 6-6. The Golden Hurricane got 17 points from Delanie Crawford, 12 from Mady Cartwright and 11 from Jade Clack on the offensive end. Hadley Periman pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Lady Vols grabbed a quick 2-0 lead on a pair of free throws from Zee Spearman, but Tulsa was the aggressor early on. The Golden Hurricane built a 9-4 cushion by the 7:45 mark before a three-pointer from Cooper, a layup by Jillian Hollingshead and free throws by Alyssa Latham evened things up at 11-all with 5:58 to go. A pair of buckets by TU, though, sent it into the 4:24 media break with a 15-11 advantage, thanks to a 12-4 differential in points in the paint and 58.3-percent shooting. Tennessee began to whittle away at the deficit, getting a pair of Spear free throws and a Puckett three to retake the lead, 18-17, with 2:27 remaining. A Spearman close-range bank shot and a Cooper putback down the stretch helped their squad close out the opening stanza with a 22-20 edge.

A Cooper jumper in the paint and another from Spearman from the baseline provided the Lady Vols their biggest lead, 26-20, forcing Tulsa to ask for a timeout with 8:31 left in the second quarter. The run continued, reaching 10-0 as Tennessee increased its pressure and held its foes scoreless from the 2:18 mark in the first quarter until 6:39 remaining in the second and upped the score to 30-20. After the Golden Hurricane ended the drought with a bucket, UT scored the next five points and forced another TU timeout with the Big Orange leading 35-22 at the 6:08 mark. The Golden Hurricane scored shortly after the break, but another UT 9-0 burst propelled the Lady Vols to a 20-point lead, 44-24, with 3:08 showing on the clock. The Lady Vols closed out the first 20 minutes by outscoring Tulsa, 19-7, to take a 63-31 at the intermission behind 12 of Puckett’s 15 points in the first half.

Tennessee increased its margin by one in the early going of the second half, with Spear’s third trey of the game sending the teams into the 4:55 media timeout with the Big Orange on top, 71-38. A Darby three ball ballooned the lead to 37, 78-41, leading to a Tulsa timeout with 1:43 to go in the third. The Golden Hurricane tallied the last four points of the period to make it 78-45, UT, heading into the final 10 minutes.

The Lady Vols rotated in fresh reserves in the final frame, hitting a 40-point lead when Edie Darby drained a three in her third straight game to make it 89-49 with 5:21 remaining. A Cooper jumper in the paint sent the teams into the final media timeout with UT leading, 91-52. A Whitehorn layup and Destinee Wells three elicited Tulsa’s final timeout with 2:37 to go and the Big Orange leading 96-54. A Spearman three, a bucket by Avery Strickland and a free throw by Kaniya Boyd helped their squad close out the game and eclipse 100 points.

UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will take a brief holiday break and then return to action on Dec. 29, as they play host to Winthrop at Food City Center. Tennessee and the Eagles will meet at 2 p.m. ET in the Big Orange’s first Sunday home game of the season. The contest will be streamed on SECN+ and broadcast statewide on Lady Vol Network radio stations and worldwide via live stream on UTSports.com.

ELEVEN WINS IN A ROW: In her first year as the head coach of the Lady Vols, Kim Caldwell has guided the team to an 11-0 start, marking only the second time in 13 seasons UT has opened a campaign with that many wins. The 2024-25 squad joined the 2017-18 (15-0) unit in opening their years that way. UT won its first 11 contests for only the 10th time in program history, and Caldwell has built her second-best start to a season in her ninth year as a head coach. Top honors go to her 2021-22 GSU squad that started 29-0 on its way to 35-1 and an NCAA Division II national title

LOTS OF BUCKETS FOR PUCKETT: Sara Puckett produced a strong showing, racking up a team-leading and season-high 17 points versus Tulsa. Puckett made seven of 12 field goal attempts and hit three of five treys. The senior finished with a season-high seven rebounds, two steals and two assists. It’s the fifth game Puckett has landed in double figures.

TREYS FOR DAYS: Tennessee carded its seventh performance with ten or more three-pointers in a single contest, hitting 14 against Tulsa. The Big Orange was on target often, hitting 43.8 percent from beyond the arc. Nine Lady Vols knocked down a three-pointer, with Jewel Spear and Sara Puckett leading the charge with four and three, respectively. In addition to the double-digit team three-point effort vs. the Golden Hurricane, Tennessee drained an NCAA, SEC and school-record 30 treys vs. N.C. Central and had 15 vs. MTSU, 14 vs. Liberty, 12 vs. Memphis, and 10 vs. Western Carolina and Samford.

100-POINT DUB: The Lady Vols tallied their fifth 100-point game of the 2024-25 season. That gives the program 92 all-time regular-season scoring efforts of 100 or more points through the Tulsa contest. Prior to Saturday’s matchup, UT had 101 in the opener vs. Samford on Nov. 5, 109 vs. Liberty on Nov. 16, 102 vs. Western Carolina on Nov. 26 and a school and SEC-record 139 vs. N.C. Central on Dec. 14.

PRESSURE SPARKS SUCCESS: The Lady Vols forced Tulsa to turn the ball over a total of 23 times during Saturday’s win, posting a 27-13 advantage on points off turnovers. Eight of Tennessee’s foes thus far have committed at least 22 miscues, including N.C. Central (44), Samford (37), Western Carolina (37), UT Martin (31), Iowa (30), Liberty (25), Tulsa (23) and Middle Tennessee (22). Tennessee also forced a 10-second violation versus the Golden Hurricane, with UT’s press now resulting in 13 10-second violations by opponents through 11 games.

Courtesy / UT Athletics

FB PREVIEW: #7 Vols Head North for Playoff Battle Against #6 Buckeyes

Posted on December 21, 2024

COLUMBUS, Ohio – After three weeks of rest and preparation, the time has finally arrived for No. 7 Tennessee’s College Football Playoff debut as it takes on No. 6 Ohio State tonight in primetime at Ohio Stadium.

Tonight’s showdown in Columbus will mark the Volunteers’ first-ever road game against a Big 10 team at the time of the meeting as well as the program’s first time playing a game in the state of Ohio.

In the first year of the expanded 12-team playoff, UT enters as the No. 9 seed after posting a 10-2 record overall with a 6-2 mark in the Southeastern Conference while the Buckeyes are the No. 8 seed after finishing 10-2 overall, including a 7-2 record in the Big 10.

The complete 2024 CFP bracket can be found HERE.

BROADCAST INFO

Saturday’s game will be nationally televised on ABC and ESPN with Chris Fowler (PxP), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Marty Smith (field reporter) and Holly Rowe (field reporter) on the call. Coverage is slated to begin at 8 p.m. ET.

The game will also feature an ESPN Megacast with multiple auxiliary broadcasts on the ESPN family of networks, all of which are listed below.

Main Broadcast (ABC & ESPN): LINK
McAfee Field Pass (ESPN2): LINK
Command Center (ESPNU): LINK
SkyCast (ESPNews): LINK
SkyCast 2 (SEC Network): LINK
Spanish Broadcast (ESPN Deportes): LINK
Halftime Band Performances (ESPN3): LINK

Fans can listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) over 65 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 82) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 82), as well as the Varsity App. A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App. Fans attending the game are encouraged to listen to the radio broadcast via the Vol Network Stadiumcast on 91.1 FM.

Bob Kesling (PxP), VFL Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with VFL Jayson Swain handling sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins two hours prior to kickoff at 6 p.m. ET. The pregame show is hosted by John Wilkerson, Hubbs, Swain and a rotating VFL special guest each week. The Vol Network celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2024.

The Spanish broadcast is available locally on WNML-AM 990 with Carlos Lopez (play-by-play) and VFL Fuad Reveiz on the call.

SEC Network will be on location in Ohio Stadium. A special edition of Marty & McGee airs at 6 p.m. followed by SEC Now at 7 p.m.

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

Fans are encouraged to visit OhioStateBuckeyes.com for gameday information.

Additionally, fans should note the Ohio Stadium bag policy – bags or purses of any size are NOT permitted in Ohio Stadium. Wallets, clutches or wristlets no larger than 5″ x 8″ x 1″ are permitted. Fans should also be aware that Ohio Stadium is a CASHLESS venue. Concession stands accept debit cards, credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Any fans that purchased tickets through Tennessee Athletics’ official allotment are encouraged to enter through Gate 6.

NEED TO KNOW

Vols Set to Make CFP Debut
Tennessee will make its first appearance in the College Football Playoff this Saturday night when it squares off against Ohio State at The Shoe. The contest will be the Vols’ first game in the state of Ohio and just their second-ever meeting with the Buckeyes. The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to the CFP quarterfinals to take on No. 1 seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, California.

D-Samp, the SEC Offensive Player of the Year
Junior running back Dylan Sampson has orchestrated one of the most prolific rushing seasons in SEC history and was recognized by being named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and the Associated Press. Sampson has also earned All-America honors from seven different outlets after setting four single-season program records.

The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native enters this weekend’s contest with a Tennessee record 22 rushing touchdowns, a mark that leads the Power Four and ranks fourth nationally as well as tied for fifth in SEC history with LSU’s Leonard Fournette (2015). Sampson has found pay dirt at least once in 11 games this season and has scored multiple touchdowns seven different times. He is tied for second in program history for career rushing scores with 35 and needs just two more to tie Gene McEver’s record of 37 from 1928-31.

Sampson also enters the CFP first round matchup at Ohio State as the SEC’s leading rusher with 1,485 yards, which is another single-season program record after he ran for a career-high 178 yards in the regular-season finale at Vanderbilt to surpass Travis Stephens previous record of 1,464 yards in 2001.

Championship Caliber Defense
Led by defensive coordinator and Broyles Award finalist Tim Banks, the Vols have boasted one of the nation’s top defensive units all year long, ranking among the FBS leaders in scoring defense (t-4th – 13.9), yards per play allowed (4th – 4.33), total defense (4th – 278.3), third-down defense (5th – 29.5), tackles for loss (7th – 7.8), rushing defense (8th – 99.6) and red zone defense (11th – 73.5).

Tennessee has held its opponents to under 20 points in 11 out of its last 13 games dating back to last season’s 35-0 Citrus Bowl shutout of Iowa. During this stretch, the Vols have pitched three shutouts, including two this season (71-0 vs. Kent State on Sept. 14 and 56-0 vs. UTEP on Nov. 23). It’s the first time UT has recorded multiple shutouts in a season since the final two regular season games of 2002 against Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Tennessee and Texas are the only SEC teams to hold 10 of their opponents under 20 points this season.

Nico Playing His Best Football
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava enters Saturday’s game playing his best football of the season. The redshirt freshman has passed for four touchdowns in back-to-back games, becoming the first UT player to do so since Tyler Bray did it in three-straight games during the 2012 season.

Iamaleava is the first Tennessee freshman quarterback in school history – true or redshirt – to win 10 games in a season as the starter. He’s also the first UT signal caller to do so overall since Casey Clausen posted a 10-3 record as a senior in 2003. Iamaleava is seeking to become the first Vols’ quarterback to win at least 11 games in a season as the starter since Clausen went 11-2 as a sophomore in 2001.

Non-Conference Success
Tennessee comes into Saturday’s contest with a non-conference winning streak that sits at 14 games, its longest since winning 27 straight against non-SEC foes from 1969-73. The current streak dates back to a Sept. 1, 2022, season-opening victory over Ball State. The Vols’ last non-conference loss was to Purdue in the 2021 Music City Bowl.

Under head coach Josh Heupel, UT is 17-2 in non-conference games and has outscored its opponents 950-246. The Vols have won their last four against non-conference ranked teams, as well (at No. 17 Pitt, vs. No. 10 Clemson, vs. No. 20 Iowa, vs. No. 24 NC State). Since the start of the 2022 season, Tennessee is 14-0 versus non-conference teams. Only Georgia (15-0) owns a better non-conference record in the FBS during that span. The Big Orange are seeking their first road win over a non-conference top-10 team since beating No. 6 Miami, 10-6, in Miami on Nov. 8, 2003.

ESPN College GameDay on Site
For the third time this season, ESPN College GameDay will be on site for a Tennessee road game. Saturday will mark the Vols’ 27^th all-time appearance on the show, as well. In the previous five College GameDay appearances for the Big Orange under head coach Josh Heupel, they have posted a 3-2 record, with victories over Oklahoma (2024), Alabama (2022) and Florida (2022).

SERIES HISTORY

Tennessee leads series, 1-0
The Vols and Buckeyes will meet for the just second time in the storied history of the two programs when they face off on Saturday night. Tennessee won the only prior contest in the series, posting a 20-14 victory in a battle of top-five teams at the 1996 Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

Running back Jay Graham was named the game’s MVP after rushing for 154 yards and a touchdown while quarterback Peyton Manning passed for 182 yards and a score, connecting with star wideout Joey Kent seven times for 109 yards.

ABOUT OHIO STATE

Ohio State is making its sixth College Football Playoff appearance in program history, which ranks third in the FBS behind Alabama (eight) and Clemson (seven). The Buckeyes are one of six teams to win a national championship in the CFP era, winning the very first playoff in 2014. They are led by head coach Ryan Day, who has posted an impressive 66-10 overall record during his time in Columbus.

The Buckeyes are led by one of the nation’s most dominant defenses, ranking No. 1 nationally in points per game allowed (10.9), yards per game allowed (241.1) and red zone defense (55.2). All-American safety Caleb Downs leads the Ohio State defense, totaling 61 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and an interception. Junior linebacker Sonny Styles leads the team with 76 total tackles while senior defensive end JT Tuimoloau has wreaked havoc off the edge with a team-high 11.5 TFLs and six sacks.

Offensively, OSU ranks 16^th in the country in scoring, averaging 35.5 points per game. The Buckeyes feature a balanced attack, having passed for 3,052 yards and rushed for 2,030 yards on the year. The dynamic backfield duo of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson have combined for 1,556 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground this season. Quarterback Will Howard has been effective, as well, completing 73 percent of his passes for 2,860 yards and 27 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. Ohio State boasts one of the nation’s most talented receiving corps, with the trio of Jeremiah Smith (57 rec., 934 yds, 10 TD), Emeka Egbuka (60 rec., 743 yds, 9 TD) and Carnell Tate (41 rec., 583 yds, 4 TD) leading the way.