University of Tennessee Athletics
HOOPS CENTRAL: Lady Vols vs. Carson-Newman
November 06, 2017 | Women's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The No. 14/18 Lady Vols will play their lone exhibition game of the 2017-18 campaign on Tuesday, facing off vs. NCAA Division II school Carson-Newman at 7:02 p.m. Eastern at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville.
MORE INFO
GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO
- Opponent: Carson-Newman
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 7
- Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: Thompson-Boling Arena
- Watch Online: SEC Network + (WatchESPN)
- Radio: Vol Network
- Online: Live Audio, Live Stats
RELATED LINKS
Buy Tickets New Clear Bag Policy Gameday Info Follow @LadyVol_Hoops SEC Clubhouse 2017-18 Women's Basketball Media GuideTENNESSEE
Roster Schedule 2016-17 Stats Game NotesCARSON-NEWMAN
Roster Schedule 2016-17 Stats Game NotesTHE LATEST FROM THE VOLS
Lady Vol Freshman Feature Coaches Named Nared, Russell Preseason All-SEC Lady Vol Hoops Media Day Nared, Russell Attend SEC Tip-Off 2018 In NashvilleThis contest begins the sixth season of the Holly Warlick era, and will mark the fifth-straight year UT embarks on a campaign with one exhibition game on its schedule.
Following Tuesday night's encounter with C-N, Tennessee will play host to the season-opener on Sunday at 2 p.m., as East Tennessee State comes to town.
WHAT'S THE PROMOTION?
• All tickets to Tuesday night's game are $5.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
• Roger Hoover (PxP), Christy Thomaskutty (Analyst) and Maddy Glab (Reporter) will describe the action for the Tennessee-Carson-Newman online broadcast on SEC Network+ (SECN+) and WatchESPN.
• Mickey Dearstone will handle the call for IMG College/Lady Vol Network radio/online broadcasts for the 19th season.
TENNESSEE IN EXHIBITION GAMES
• UT is 46-4 all-time in preseason exhibition games, with the only losses coming to the Soviet National Team (1979), Athletes in Action (1992) and the USA National Team (1995, 2007).
• Tennessee is 6-0 in preseason exhibition games during the Holly Warlick era, with the Big Orange defeating C-N five times (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) and Coker (2012) on one occasion.
• Including a 14-7 record on international tours, Tennessee is 60-11 overall in exhibition games.
BACK IN THE RANKINGS
• Tennessee begins the season at No. 14 in the AP poll and No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll after finishing the 2016-17 campaign receiving votes in both.
• The Lady Vols opened last year ranked No. 13 and 14, respectively.
• The Lady Vols have been ranked in every AP preseason poll since 1977-78, when they started out No. 1 and finished No. 1 in the poll.
• UT was unranked in the very first AP preseason poll in 1976-77, but debuted at No. 17 in the second poll and went on to finish fifth.
UT IN TOP FIVE OF BOTH SEC POLLS
• Members of the media picked Tennessee to finish fourth in the SEC this season, ranking behind South Carolina, Mississippi State and Missouri.
• The coaches, meanwhile, have UT slotted at fifth, falling in line behind South Carolina, Mississippi State, Missouri and Texas A&M.
A LOOK AT THE LADY VOLS
• Tennessee returns two starters (Mercedes Russell, Jaime Nared) and another part-time starter (Meme Jackson) from last year's squad, which wound up 20-12 after falling in the NCAA Second Round. The Big Orange women were 10-6 in league play a year ago and finished fifth in the SEC standings.
• Also back are 6-2 senior forward Kortney Dunbar and 6-3 sophomore center Kamera Harris.
• The newcomers include the nation's No. 1 ranked recruiting class as well as a two-time JUCO All-American forward who redshirted last season due to a knee injury.
• UT's consensus No. 1-ranked freshman class includes the No. 2 (6-0 guard Evina Westbrook), No. 7 (5-7 guard Anastasia Hayes), No. 12 (6-2 wing Rennia Davis) and No. 57 (6-4 center Kasiyahna Kushkituah) players in the nation, as ranked in the HoopGurlz espnW 100. All four players were McDonald's All-Americans and are expected to see extensive playing time in their first collegiate season. Davis and Westbrook, as a matter of fact, are slated as probable starters for the C-N game.
• Redshirt junior Cheridene Green was a two-time All-American at ASA College in Brooklyn, N.Y., averaging 20.5 points and 16.5 rebounds per contest as a sophomore before redshirting at Tennessee last season. The power forward should offer immediate help inside.
• The 2016-17 Lady Vols defeated three of the four teams in last season's NCAA Final Four (Stanford, South Carolina, Mississippi State) and also toppled Elite Eight squad Notre Dame as well.
• The Big Orange women were 10-6 in league play a year ago and finished fifth in the SEC standings.
• UT lost starting guards Jordan Reynolds (WNBA 2nd Round) and Diamond DeShields (signed pro contract in June) as well as reserve forward Schaquilla Nunn (WNBA 3rd Round) to the professional ranks. Guard Alexa Middleton, a part-time starter, and redshirt sophomore guard Te'a Cooper are no longer with the program. Cooper missed all of last season with a knee injury.
A LOOK AT THE LADY EAGLES
• Carson-Newman is under the direction of Mike Mincey, who has a 105-68 record entering his seventh season.
• The Lady EAT agles return four starters and nine total letterwinners from a squad that finished 20-10 overall a year ago. That unit finished fourth in the South Atlantic Conference at 16-6.
• C-N's top returnee is Mika Wester, a 5-11 junior guard/forward who averaged 18.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest after transferring from Western Carolina.
• The Lady Eagles' No. 3 through 6 scorers also are back, including guards Briana Smith (10.8) and Haris Price (7.7) as well as forward Katie Stubblefield (7.5) and forward/center Jecca Simerly (6.0).
• ETSU transfers Kayla and Kelci Marosites have joined the Carson-Newman program. They both played vs. UT last season when the Bucs and Lady Vols met in Johnson City on Nov. 15.
THE SERIES VS. C-N
• Tuesday night's match-up between the Lady Vols and Lady Eagles will be the 30th meeting between the programs, with UT holding a 27-2 mark in all games.
• Tennessee and Carson-Newman have met during the regular season on 16 occasions, with the Lady Vols owning a 14-2 advantage in the series.
• The Lady Vols and Lady Eagles have met on the hardwood in 13 exhibition contests, with UT prevailing in all 13 of them.
