University of Tennessee Athletics
The @Vol_Hoops Report: Nov. 26
November 26, 2014 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2014
The Tennessee basketball team practiced Wednesday in Knoxville before departing for Florida, where it will play in the eight-team Orlando Classic tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World.
The Volunteers (1-1) open play at the tournament by facing Santa Clara (2-2) Thursday at noon ET at HP Fieldhouse. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2, and UT will play as the home team, wearing its white uniforms.
Tennessee will play three games in a four-day span in Orlando. On Friday, the Vols face either 11th-ranked Kansas or Rhode Island. Saturday is an off day for all eight teams before the tournament concludes Sunday.
While meeting with reporters Wednesday, Tennessee senior Josh Richardson said he didn't mind the tournament's grueling schedule.
"I like it. It kind of reminds me of high school or AAU basketball," Richardson said. "It's a quick turnaround every game, so we'll definitely have to be on our Ps and Qs."
Richardson currently ranks second among all SEC players in scoring (18.0 ppg) while ranking third in 3-point percentage (.400).
First-year head coach Donnie Tyndall said he likes what he sees from his young team as it heads to the Sunshine State.
"Our team has had some great practices (this week)," Tyndall said. "Our team is a mature team--even for its lack of experience--there are not a lot of veterans. I think we're fine. I think we're ready to go, and we're playing against a really good Santa Clara team.
ABOUT SANTA CLARA
The Broncos are off to a 2-2 start in their eighth season under head coach Kerry Keating. They defeated Cal State Fullerton and San Diego Christian before dropping back-to-back road games at Utah State and No. 20 Michigan State.
Keating has a Tennessee connection, as he was an assistant coach for the Vols from 2001-03 under head coach Buzz Peterson.
Last year, Santa Clara posted a 14-19 (6-12 WCC) record, while Broncos guard Jared Brownridge made 95 3-pointers and shot .436 from beyond the arc.
This season, senior point guard Brandon Clark is averaging 17.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game for the Broncos, who are shooting .417 from the field and .359 from 3-point range as a team.
"They use angles very well," Richardson said. "Their guards try to lift you up with shot fakes or jab-steps, and if you jump the wrong way at all, then they're in the lane. They're very small and quick."
The Volunteers won their only previous meeting with Santa Clara, defeating the Broncos 80-76 at the 1973 Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Keating's father, Larry Keating, was a Senior Associate AD at Kansas from 2003-11 and now serves as a Special Assistant to the Athletics Director there. Before his tenure at Kansas, Larry was the AD at Seton Hall for 12 years (where Kerry played).
BRADEN ELEVATED TO ASSISTANT COACH
It was announced Monday that Beau Braden had been elevated from his video coordinator position to the role of assistant coach with the Vols.
Braden, who was a full-time assistant coach at Morehead State each of the past two seasons, will work closely with Tennessee perimeter players and also will be very involved in opponent scouting.
"Beau is a very intelligent, hard-working guy," Tyndall said Wednesday. "In game preparation, he will be organized and do a fantastic job. He was on the floor as a full-time coach for two years at Morehead State, so he has experience in regard to being on the practice floor and recruiting. So I'm very comfortable and confident he'll do a good job."
Braden initially joined the UT staff in May as video coordinator. The Louisville, Ky., native lettered for four years at Centre College in Danville, Ky., serving as a team captain for two seasons.
VOLS FEATURED ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK TV SPECIAL
CBS Sports Network premieres HOOPS CONFIDENTIAL: VETERANS CLASSIC, a behind-the-scenes look at the inaugural Veterans Classic at the Naval Academy, a season-opening college basketball event featuring Tennessee, VCU, Michigan State and Navy.
The show debuts Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 9 p.m. ET.
The 30-minute show features exclusive coverage as the basketball teams from Tennessee Michigan State and VCU had the rare opportunity to get a glimpse of what life is like as a midshipman at the Naval Academy. The teams observe morning colors, tour the Naval Academy and have dinner with enlisted sailors and marines. Additionally, first-year Vols head coach Donnie Tyndallreceives an honorary Navy Officer's sword.
The show also follows Navy sophomore forward Edward Alade, providing an all-access look at a typical day for a Navy basketball player.
HOOPS CONFIDENTIAL: VETERANS CLASSIC re-airs Thursday, Nov. 27, at 11:30 p.m. ET and Friday, Nov. 28, at 11:30 a.m. ET.
CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, visit www.cbssportsnetwork.com.
For the most up-to-date information about the Tennessee basketball program, visit UTsports.com/basketball and follow @Vol_Hoops on Twitter and Instagram.
