University of Tennessee Athletics
The @Vol_Hoops Report: Jan. 23
January 23, 2015 | Men's Basketball
After back-to-back victories away from Knoxville lifted the Tennessee basketball team into sole possession of second place in the Southeastern Conference standings, the Volunteers (12-5, 4-1 SEC) return home to host Texas A&M Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net. A limited number of tickets remain available by calling 1-800-332-8657 or visiting www.UTtix.com. The UT Ticket Office at Thompson-Boling Arena opens Saturday at 10 a.m. ET.
Fans also can redeem two canned food items--to be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank--in exchange for one free 300-level ticket. And the first 500 UT students to enter the arena Saturday will receive a free orange replica jersey shirt.
Thompson-Boling Arena has proven to provide a true homecourt advantage for UT this season. The Vols are 8-1 on Rocky Top, where they've drawn an average of 13,940 fans per game.
Tennessee head coach Donnie Tyndall has grown accustomed to winning at home. Over the last three seasons (dating to start of 2012-13), Tyndall's teams are 35-2 in regular-season home games (27-1 at Southern Miss; 8-1 at Tennessee).
"Well I don't think I deserve any of that credit," Tyndall told reporters Friday. "It's just the home courts we've played on have given us a tremendous advantage. At Southern Miss, and now here at Tennessee, the fans have been exceptional. And that extra energy and little bit of extra juice that your players get on the home court is usually the difference."
ABOUT TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M is 12-5 (3-2 SEC) in its fourth season under head coach Billy Kennedy. The Aggies are riding a three-game win streak that includes victories over Mississippi State, LSU (on the road) and Missouri.
The Aggies took top-ranked Kentucky to double overtime Jan. 10 in College Station, Texas.
Texas A&M is shooting .450 as a team this season and averages 67.8 points per game while limiting opponents to 61.9 points.
"They're long and athletic," Tyndall said. "They remind me a lot of Alabama in the fact that they have big guards with good length. Their big guys inside can change and challenge shots around the goal.
"It's a very good team--a team that, certainly at the end of the season, could be one of the top three or four in our league without question."
Aggies point guard Alex Caruso leads the SEC in assists with 5.5 apg.
Versatile junior Jalen Jones leads the Aggies in both scoring (13.9 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg).
Texas A&M handed the Big Orange a pair of heartbreaking, buzzer-beater losses last season. Antwan Space drilled 3-point daggers in each game. Space is still on the Aggies roster and averages 4.7 points off the bench.
Reporters on Friday asked Vols senior Josh Richardson what comes to mind when he hears Space's name.
"Swish," Richardson said. "I mean, he hurt us twice last year. And if Antwan Space is in the game at the end this year, I'm definitely going to tell whoever is near him not to give him any space."
Tyndall quickly shot down any potential talk about Saturday's contest being a "revenge" game.
"No, I don't think there's any vengeance (involved) when you only have four returning players," Tyndall said. "Not too many guys are remembering that game. Certainly with a new staff, that wouldn't be the thought. It's just one more game in our conference schedule. It's no more important or less important than any other SEC game.
"We have great respect for A&M, their talent, their coaching. They're just a very good team. It's going to be a tough game."
UT Knoxville Chancellor Dr. Jimmy G. Cheek earned his bachelor's degree with high honors (1969) and his doctorate from Texas A&M.
Tyndall and Kennedy spent five seasons coaching against one another in the Ohio Valley Conference from 2006-11.
SUITS & SNEAKERS
This week of college basketball marks the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Awareness Week. Coaches and staff on the benches are encouraged to wear sneakers with their suits to raise awareness about the fight against cancer.
The campaign began in 2004, but this is the first year that the movement has been expanded from a weekend into a whole week. For the Vols, that includes two games, the 66-62 road win against South Carolina on Tuesday and Saturday's afternoon home game against Texas A&M.
The Vols have played very well when the coaches have been wearing their different kicks. Tennessee is 10-2 in Suits and Sneakers games. That includes a 6-1 record at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Coaches vs. Cancer is a collaboration of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society. The program's goal is to raise awareness of cancer and promote healthy living. Since 1993, Coaches vs. Cancer has raised more than $87 million for the American Cancer Society.
ESPN2 DESIGNATED AS TV NETWORK FOR AUBURN GAME
ESPN announced Friday that the Jan. 31 clash between Tennessee and Auburn at Thompson-Boling Arena has been designated to air on ESPN2.
Tipoff remains set for noon ET.
As with every SEC game, fans also can access a live stream of the telecast via the WatchESPN app.
