02122018 by UT Media Center

1 Paige Greene

Community members rally at The Rock

Members of the UT community gathered around the rock on Feb. 9, 2018 to rally against racism. Stu Boyd II / The Daily Beacon

Volume 135 Issue 9

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Copy Editor The UT community stood together at United at The Rock Friday afternoon to decry racism on campus. The event, organized by the UT Campus Ministry Council and sponsored by the Student Government Organization (SGA) and the Faculty Senate, began at 3:30 p.m., with a candlelight vigil at 5:30 p.m. Students were invited to leave their handprints on a freshly-painted orange backdrop on the Rock. By the start of the vigil, the handprints had covered the face of the Rock and wrapped around its back. The event was organized in response to the recent campus activity of the Traditionalist Worker Party (TWP), a white supremacist group led by Matthew Heimbach. In the past months, the Rock has been painted with messages such as “White Pride” and “Equal Rights 4 Whites,” and Heimbach recently scheduled a lecture on UT’s campus to kick off a “National Socialism or Death” circuit. Professor and head of sociology John Shefner spoke to the group’s intent to target campuses as places to disseminate its propaganda. “There’s a lot of folks, a lot of millennials, who are thinking about politics in new and different ways,” Shefner said. “Some are thinking about politics in progressive ways … This generation is the most accepting of diversity. But this generation is also, I think, in many ways, increasingly frightened for their economic well-being. I think that’s the piece that the TWP is trying to emphasize. That’s what they’re trying to recruit for … people who feel vulnerable.” TWP’s actions have drawn criticism and outrage from students and faculty alike, many of whom came together at the Rock to express their condemnation of hatred on campus. Chancellor Beverly Davenport made an appearance to assure the audience that TWP’s rhetoric would not be tolerated on campus. “Their (TWP’s) fear and their fear-mongering and their views are not winning the day,” Davenport said. “We will not let them make us afraid. We will not let them make us back down.” Asante Knowles, senior in psychology and philosophy, suggested that United at the Rock was a demonstration of love in the face of TWP’s hatred. “When people come together for hate, it tells me people are only hurting,” Knowles said. “We are here to show that love will always heal. Love is not just to erase hate but to heal hate.” Other students, however, were less satisfied with the community’s response to racism at UT. Akia Lewis, freshman in pre-professional, said the event was only a start and that deeper and more frequent discourse about race is necessary to combat groups like TWP. “The white supremacist group … that problem happened this week. That’s not the problem we see every day,” Lewis said. “We should not be leaving here today feeling good after this. This didn’t make me feel good.” See Rally on Page 2

Monday, February 12, 2017

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CAMPUSNEWS

The Daily Beacon • Monday, February 12, 2018

THE DAILY BEACON STAFF

EDITORIAL

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RALLY continued from Page 1 Lewis added that she’d like to see a more united effort to create a diverse campus in which every student feels welcome and safe, which could only be achieved by highlighting the voices of the students most affected by racist rhetoric. United at the Rock, she said, isn’t enough. “I came (to this event) thinking it would be unity,” Lewis said. “We would all be standing up, taking a stand, feeling united. I don’t feel united at all. If that was the purpose of this, then it failed.” Geoffrey Hervey, senior in College Scholars, also spoke to the importance of centering the experiences of students of color in future demonstrations against racism on campus. He attended this event, he said, because his own identity and feelings of safety were put in jeopardy by TWP’s activity. “I don’t begrudge anyone in the administration because I think it’s a very difficult job,” Hervey said. “But I do feel sometimes very unsafe on this campus … As a student, it’s very painful to have to go through this.” Junior in neuroscience Nathaniel Ramirez said that anti-racists must be methodical in their resistance. “We’re in between a rock and a hard place,”

Ramirez said. “We can censor these people, and by censoring them, you’re actually making it seem as if those ideas are correct. Or we could not censor them, and you run the danger of people being convinced by these ideas. This is where we as leftists must tread carefully.” The event concluded with a reading of a statement of hope and intent by various members of the community. Members of the UT community gathered around the rock The statement includ- on Feb. 9, 2018 to rally against racism. ed a resolution to “bear Stu Boyd II / The Daily Beacon the torch” — to bring hope and encouragement, strength, healing and Poverty Law Center Lecia Brooks on Thursday. Additionally, a rally is scheduled to occur for a commitment to justice to the community. As a final act of resistance, participants sang together the duration of Heimbach’s lecture on Saturday, a common hymn centering on inclusivity: “Draw Feb. 17. The rally, titled “No Nazis on Rocky the circle wide. No one stands alone; we’ll stand Top!” is sponsored by the Progressive Student Alliance, Sexual Empowerment and Awareness side by side.” Other anti-racist efforts have been organized at Tennessee (SEAT) and the Women’s for the next few weeks, including a panel dis- Coordinating Council. It will be held at the HSS cussion on free speech Tuesday evening and a amphitheater and will include a speak-out by presentation by outreach director at Southern “students of marginalized identities.”

Trailblazer Award winner reflects on past mentors Houston Holdren Contributor

Success is not a one-person journey for Andre Temple, solution’s consultant for the UT Center for Industrial Services (UTCIS). On Tuesday, Jan. 23, Temple was awarded the 2017-2018 Trailblazer Award by the UT Commission for Blacks. The Trailblazer Award recognizes African Americans who have been influencers, achievers and trailblazers in their fields or in interests of diversity, civil rights, inclusion and social equality. “Each of the selected Trailblazers are uniquely qualified for the award based on their contributions to the university, community or state. These are individuals that make us proud that they are carrying the UT brand while they make broad impacts,” Robert Nobles, interim vice chancellor for research and engagement and former chair of the Commission of Blacks, said. The awards committee of the commission, led by coordinator of community learning services and diversity programs for UT Libraries Thura Mack, chose Temple based on his work as an economic development specialist and industrial solutions consultant. His work includes advocacy of public and fair housing opportunities for disadvantaged communities and comprehensive volunteering and service work with various organizations.

As an industrial solutions consultant for the past seven years, Temple has created curriculums and delivered economic courses for economic development practitioners. In his service as a consultant to UT, he noted that he has worked with companies in the development of training strategies designed to preserve their ambition in today’s global economy. As this year’s recipient of the Trailblazer Award, Temple reflected on the influences that have led him to where he is today. “A trailblazer is defined as ‘a person who creates new paths to success,’” Temple said. “In retrospect, I now realized I have been surrounded by trailblazers all my life, and they have collectively provided me with the wisdom and confidence towards acquiring new generational success within my family and opportunities to serve our community.” Temple went on to state that every leader needs mentors and models within their personal lives to advise and influence. Likewise, Temple noted leaders additionally need to be mentoring and modeling growth to those that follow. Temple cited his mother as a person of motivation and a mentor in his life. Temple’s mother, an African American female with no postsecondary education, gave birth to him at 17 years old. While she raised him as a single mother, Temple said she nevertheless aided in exposing him to educational pathways. “Pathways to success are defined differently for many in our society primarily due to the circumstances they were born into including

Courtesy of Andre Temple race, gender, ethnicity, religion and geography,” Temple said. “Your neighborhood can greatly impact the trajectory of your life.” Despite his status as an award winner, Temple noted that recognition from his peers was a humbling reward in itself. Temple said that after being awarded the Trailblazer Award, he has begun to personally commemorate the people who have aided him in his journey, and he hopes that he is currently doing enough to pass along this encouragement and assistance to others. “Mentors are trailblazers who not only create new pathways to success by providing new opportunities but (are) people who also inspire purpose, passion and pride in others,” Temple said.

CAMPUSNEWS

Monday, February 12, 2018 • The Daily Beacon

Associate professor finds passion in history, engages students Natalia Capella Staff Writer

Associate professor of early American history Christopher Magra finds meaning in the present through the past and shares this passion with students. Magra’s areas of research explore early American social and economic history and are specifically focused on merchants and maritime labor. Following a class about the American Revolution as an undergraduate student, Magra was inspired to learn more about the subject. “I am a naturally curious person, but that class made me think in different ways about the American Revolution,” Magra said. Magra decided to partially focus his studies on fishermen during the American Revolution since most of the research was centered on farmers. His interest in this particular perspective was realized after his first book, “The Fisherman’s Cause: Atlantic Commerce and Maritime Dimensions of the American Revolution,” was published in 2009. “I’ve come to view many aspects of Dr.

Magra’s research with interest and admiration, but two things first attracted my attention. First, ‘The Fisherman’s Cause’ demonstrated a forgotten or neglected cause of the American Revolution which is also the focus of my own research interests,” graduate student in history J. Tomlin said. Because of Magra’s focus on an overlooked aspect of history, Tomlin said the research was important in spurring more conversation about the subject. “His research recognized the influence of ideas, goods and peoples around the Atlantic world on the American Revolution, which is a necessary first step to understanding the event and its actors,” Tomlin said. In the classroom, Magra uses his curiosity to push his students to delve deeper into concepts and share the same level of interest while utilizing critical thinking skills. “I hope that they become critical thinkers and do not just accept things at face value,” Magra said. “We read about them; we talk about them; we write about them and we think about them before we come to conclusions.” Senior in English Miranda Campbell described Magra’s teaching style as discussion-focused and engaging. “I love how energetic and passionate he is

about what he teaches,” said. “He manages to make (history) come alive, which is not the easiest task.” Magra makes history come alive through storytelling and finding the connections the present has to the past, Campbell said. “His spontaneous anecdotes are some of my favorite things about his classes,” Campbell said. “He is a great storyteller, always connecting historical events and ideas to the present.” Even now, Campbell said she is interested in history, and part of the reason is from Magra’s own enthusiasm. “When you sit in one of his lectures, you can’t help but get excited,” Campbell said. “It’s infectious, the way he teaches. I can honestly say that now, after having so many classes with him, I am genuinely interested in U.S. history and colonial history.” Tomlin felt that Magra’s work in researching historical events and connecting them to the present is especially important in modern times. “The modern world asks us to continuously define and redefine who we are, our values, our beliefs and what we want from the future — collectively and individually,” Tomlin said. “It is difficult to do any of those things without the context and insight that

the study of the past provides.” Magra attributed his excitement about history and dedication to students to his mentor Marcus Rediker, a distinguished professor at the University of Pittsburgh where Magra received his doctoral degree. “He (Magra) really does care about you as an individual student and wants so badly for everyone to do well and learn as much as possible,” Campbell said. “I know that if I need his help, he will do his level best to help me out.” Tomlin also said Magra’s knowledge, hard work and commitment to students has positively influenced his own academic career. “He has made me better at every single component of my academic training,” Tomlin said. “He is an especially prolific writer and researcher, and this sets an impressive example for his students. No one works harder than he does, and reminding myself of his work ethic motivates me.” And for Magra, teaching is more than a job or duty: It is a passion, and he said teaching these courses is among his favorite things to do. “I love UT; I love my job. I would do it if they didn’t pay me to do it,” Magra said. “I felt at home here as soon as I came here.”

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ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • Monday, February 12, 2018

‘the strangers’ is a play of uncharted territory Neeley Moore

Arts and Culture Editor The Carousel Theater will open its doors to a play that has never before seen the stage. Christopher Oscar Peña’s new work, “The Strangers,” will hold its world premiere on Feb. 23. Peña is a Tony Award-winning playwright who was commissioned to create the play with a very specific cast in mind. “The Strangers” is the story of a world turned upside down. The main character, Cris, returns to a place he used to know to discover that nothing is recognizable. In the middle of his confusion, he meets a stranger who has the task of explaining to him the story of the unfamiliar world he is encountering. Cris is challenged to rethink all the notions he once knew. “The Strangers” aims to portray a modern America thrown into disarray and chaos. The well-stocked cast includes Aaron Orlov (Cris), Jeff Dickamore (Dave), Emily Kicklighter, Charlotte Munsen, Carlene Pochette, Miguel A. Faña, Jude Carl Vincent and Lauren Pennline. Underneath the mystery of this odd contemporary spectacle, “The Strangers” tells a story that is relevant to our day and age. As an entirely new voice, it speaks to issues currently being debated and processed in society today. “(The play) is important because it is a play that talks about the current societal climate as told from the perspective of those that you may not have heard from at all, or often enough, meaning the voices of minorities, people of the LGBTQ community and women,” Orlov said. Theater has the unique opportunity to take a look at the human experience, according to Dickamore. It is a glance into stories, lives, circumstances, characters and choices that are similar or different from our own, and in turn, it causes audience members to evaluate themselves. Although such a response is possible through many forms of art, Dickamore clearly sees theater’s particular way to tackle these hard topics. “Theater is unique because it’s happening in front of you. And even in traditional theater, there’s an interaction between what’s happening on stage and what’s happening in the audience,” Dickamore said. “I think (the play) is important because it deliberately draws from the experiences of people we don’t often hear from, especially in contemporary American theater. That means people will get the opportunity to hear voices and relate to experiences they don’t often see depicted on stage.”

The cast members believe that the energy with “The Strangers” is different and exciting because it’s new material, as opposed to content that has been performed before. It’s brand new and has never been spoken to an audience before. “These words have never been said,” Orlov said. “These characters have never been brought to life. The only thing we can draw on to create these people is our imaginations and what’s written in the script.” “It’s uncharted territory,” Dickamore said. “We’re originating characters that have never been played before, and that gives us a lot of opportunities to figure stuff out. Second, it’s current. The issues are things we’re dealing with today — the things people are talking about right now. The stories feel like something you could overhear between classes on campus.” “The Strangers” is also personal. Peña wrote it after spending time getting to know the cast personally. Some of the material is from ideas and concerns that the cast directly shared and talked through with Peña as he was writing it. The depth of the characters from that writing experience is one of the revolutionary aspects of the production. Dickamore found that connection with his character, Dave, and the optimism and enthusiasm of his personality. “I don’t want to give anything away, but I think it’s okay to say that there’s a monologue in the second act that Chris wrote later in the process,” Dickamore said. “It answered some key questions I had asked about Dave, which was super helpful, but it also addresses something that means a lot to me: The idea that love is possible. That it’s real. Long story short ... My parents weren’t happily married, and I never thought I would be either. But I am. I love my wife. Our family means everything to me. I love getting to express that hope, that love can and does happen.” While Orlov didn’t find quite the same personal connection that Dickamore did, he does think his character’s place is important. He hopes that people connect with the character and the extent of his background. “Cris is a pretty complex character,” Orlov said. “He feels lost, especially in his love life. I don’t know that I share personal experiences with that of what Cris experiences, per se, but I do think that that need to love and that need to be loved the way one wants and needs to be loved is a pretty universal feeling that I think audiences will connect with.” While “The Strangers” holds a lot pertaining to the world we experience, it also is simply a love story. People should expect a story about love.

ARTS&CULTURE

Monday, February 12, 2018 • The Daily Beacon

Courtesy of Shannon Herron

Rhythm N’ Blooms completes line-up Neeley Moore

Arts and Culture Editor Knoxville’s biggest weekend of music and culture rounded out its much-anticipated lineup of artists who display a variety of music from the South and beyond. Back at the beginning of the new year, Rhythm N’ Blooms announced the first names of who will be performing, including Dr. Dog and Paul Thorn’s Mission Temple Fireworks Revival ft. The McCrary Sisters. On Wednesday, the final names promised have now been announced for the ninth year of the festival that blends together the urban and Appalachian scene. The added big names include Deer Tick, an American alternative rock band from Rhode Island. Deer Tick’s music is a combination of rock, blues and country influences, although they refuse to let their songs fall under the country genre. A second significant added name is Penny & Sparrow, a folk duo from Texas known for the depth of their lyrics and power of their harmonies. Penny & Sparrow have performed on Knoxville stages many times, most recently last September at the Bijou Theater. “Knoxville — we’ll be joining y’all this April for the (Rhythm N’ Blooms festival). We can’t wait! But we will wait!” Penny & Sparrow said on their Twitter page following the announcement. Other names recently announced include Hayes Carll, DK The Drummer (of Mutemath), Caroline Spence, Possessed By Paul James, Andy Wood, Max Gomez, Sucre, Dori Freeman, Okey Dokey, The Broadcast, The Lonely Biscuits, LUTHI and Ancient Cities. Joining them will be Paul Lee Kupfer,

Southern Cities, Carly Burress, Art Smashes Records, Nancy Ann Wilson, Anthony daCosta, Cassi Raye and Natchez Tracers. “Rhythm N’ Blooms prides itself on celebrating Tennessee’s rich musical heritage and discovering bands that are on the verge of mainstream success,” Rhythm N’ Blooms’s official press release stated. Many of the bands are Tennessee natives. LUTHI is composed of nine Nashville natives known for their funky and energetic stage presences. Andy Wood is known for his instrumental power as a solo guitarist and mandolinist who has been recognized as extremely influential throughout his musical career. Glass Magnet, another artist slated to perform, is an indie pop side project containing members from Americana band The Black Lillies. Chyna Brackeen, co-founder of Rhythm N’ Blooms and president of Attack Monkey Productions, shared her excitement for the new additions, especially the ones with local blood. “We’re thrilled to be announcing 26 additional artists who will be joining us in April. The newly announced acts run the gamut from some of Americana music’s best-known songwriters like Hayes Carll to young bands like Knoxville’s own Art Smashes Records who are currently making their mark on the Knoxville music scene and who we’re sure will be artists to watch as their careers progress,” Brackeen said. The music festival will span all over on stages in Old City and Downtown. The streets of the city will be rich with the artists prepared to welcome the Spring season with unforgettable performances. Rhythm N’ Blooms will begin on April 6 and end the night of April 8. Passes for the festival are now on sale and are selling out quick.

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PUZZLES&GAMES

The Daily Beacon • Monday, February 12, 2018

STR8TS No. 1083

Tough

Previous solution - Medium

1 2 2 3 1 4 5 3 4 7 9 8 5 6 6 7

9 9 6 5

1 6

8 6

You can find more help, tips and hints at www.str8ts.com

6 5 3 4 2 3 7 8 9 2 7 8 4 9

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How to beat Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

SUDOKU

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz Across

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Medium

Previous solution - Very Hard

1 4

1 1 4 2 8 1 6 7 9 3 7 5 1 2 3 8 7 9 6 7 2 2 2 3 8 The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

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No. 1083

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Str8ts, Sudoku and other puzzles, check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store at www.str8ts.com

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PUZZLE BY TrAcY GrAY

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SPORTS

Monday, February 12, 2018 • The Daily Beacon

ROWING

Moses York / The Daily Beacon

Rowing team locked in on all fronts Charlie Tate

Contributor The Tennessee rowing team may not always garner the same attention as competitors in other sports, such as basketball and football, but the Lady Vols are proving to be just as fierce. It all circles back to head coach Lisa Glenn. Glenn is heading into her 19th season at Tennessee in a program that has only existed for 22 years. She is a former collegiate rower herself and has used her first-hand experience to develop studentathletes in a unique way. “There’s an unspoken understanding and common drive,” Glenn said. “I’ve been through what they’re going through. My knowledge base is helping guide the ship.” For Tennessee, the ship is more than merely what the rowers command on the water. Glenn has continued to implement tried-and-true strategies to lead her athletes in the right direction. “It’s the same now, and it was the same then,” Glenn said. “It’s about a great group of people coming together to take ownership. Great students make great rowers, and great rowers make great students. The more serious the student, the more readily adaptable they are to rowing. It’s a harmonious relationship.” Sophomore Jess Magnoli is no stranger to the level of all-around excellence Glenn expects from her student-athletes. Many

coaches harp on success in the classroom, but it is apparent that Glenn is more than just talk. “It’s definitely tough,” Magnoli said. “It holds you accountable, but in the end, I think we’re all better students and better athletes because of it. My grades have been the best they’ve ever been in my entire academic career. Personally, I enjoy it.” As far as this season goes, the Lady Vols have set the bar high. After coming off of a third-place finish in the Big 12 Championship (Tennessee does not compete in the SEC), the Lady Vols are looking to make a deeper run in the postseason. “We’re trying to come in at least the top two at the Big 12 Championship,” Magnoli said. “That’s our main goal, trying to beat teams like Oklahoma and Texas and then get to the NCAAs. Personally, though, I’d like to get my 2K test down to a 7:08. That’s something I’m working on every day in practice, and it just comes with time, the miles and meters and training.” So, what really defines the Lady Vols rowing team? To Magnoli, the answer is pretty simple. “We work extremely hard,” Magnoli said. “We train just as hard as any athlete here, and we respect all the other teams. We love Rocky Top, and we’re here to win an NCAA championship and keep pushing for more.” The Lady Vols will open up the 2018 season Saturday, Feb. 24, with competitions against UCF and Louisville.

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SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Monday, February 12, 2018

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

No. 11 Lady Vols spread out offense in win against No. 18 Georgia Will Backus

Staff Writer The No. 11 Tennessee women’s basketball team (21-4, 9-3 SEC) welcomed the No. 18 Georgia Bulldogs (21-4, 9-3 SEC) to Knoxville on Sunday afternoon for a contest that had the makings of a stellar chess match between two evenly matched teams. However, that was not reality, as the Lady Vols were able to dispatch the Bulldogs in a statement win, 62-46. Senior post Mercedes Russell made history during the game, as she pulled down her 1,000th career rebound in the first half and came just one point away from scoring her 1,500th career point. She became just the sixth Lady Vol in history to reach 1,000 rebounds. Tennessee flashes versatile offense: The past two games, offensive production has been slightly top-heavy for the Lady Vols. On Thursday against Arkansas, freshman Rennia Davis and junior Meme Jackson were responsible for 54 of Tennessee’s 90 total points, with both Lady Vols scoring career-highs, as Davis dropped 33 and Jackson scored 21. The duo was a combined 71.4 percent from the field, as opposed to the rest of the team, which shot just above 30-percent. The story was the same, albeit with a different cast, in last Sunday’s victory on the road against Vanderbilt. Seniors Russell and Jaime Nared were responsible for almost 68 percent of Tennessee’s offense, scoring 50 out of 74 total points. The pair was also responsible for 25 of Tennessee’s 41 rebounds, including all but five of the 19 total offensive boards. “We want to hit a homerun every time,” head coach Holly Warlick said. “But I just want them

to get on base. We’ve really tried to work on creating great shots.” However, on Sunday against the Bulldogs, Tennessee did a much better job of spreading around its offensive production, with four starters scoring in double-digit point figures. Every single player on the roster, with the exception of Kortney Dunbar and Kamera Harris, scored at least one point. Freshman Kasiyahnah Kushkituah contributed her first points since Dec. 6 against Troy, scoring three. Davis stayed hot, scoring 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting and coming just two boards short of recording her second straight double-double with eight. Turnover woes continue: Despite the lopsided result of Sunday’s showdown, the Lady Vols still got behind the eight ball when it came to giving the ball away. This has been a consistent issue for the team in almost every single game this season, and Tennessee averages almost 17 turnovers a game. Against Georgia, Tennessee gave up the ball a whopping 27 times. The worst stat is that nine of these turnovers were unforced errors, like a traveling violation. Warlick has maintained all season that she does not mind turnovers, as long as the team is being aggressive, but the volume of unforced errors today was not a stat the team is proud of. “I’m not happy about the turnovers,” Warlick said. “I guess you have to be mad at something if you’re a head coach.” Despite the heavy volume of turnovers, Georgia was only able to capitalize on a handful of the mistakes, scoring only 12 points off of turnovers. The Lady Vols can be given credit, though, for forcing 19 Georgia turnovers in a day that their defense ruled the roost. A lot of the defense could be attributed to Tennessee’s ability to limit scoring on backcourt

Mercedes Russell, #21, during the game against Georgia at Thompson-Boling Arena on Feb. 11, 2018. Adrien Terricabras / The Daily Beacon cuts this game, something that has bothered twice to Alabama last season. The first came them this season. on the road in the regular season, as Tennessee “We just communicated that in our shoot- dropped the contest 65-57. around,” Nared said. “I think we did a pretty The second was an upset victory in the secgood job of it today. Obviously, they’re not going ond round of the SEC Tournament, as the No. to run the same thing every time, but we did a 12-seed Crimson Tide knocked the No. 5-seed good job.” Lady Vols out in their first game, 72-64. Next up: Alabama has a staunch defense that Tennessee After playing three out of their last four will need to look out for, as the Crimson Tide games on the road, Tennessee will return home has only allowed opponents to have an average for the second time in a row as the Lady Vols of just under 62 points per game, including take on the Alabama Crimson Tide for the first about 39 percent shooting. time this season. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday The Crimson Tide is currently 15-10, with and the contest will be broadcast on the SEC a 5-7 record in conference play. Tennessee lost Network.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Vols six-game win streak snapped in loss to Crimson Tide Staff Report After a huge emotional victory over the Kentucky Wildcats, the Tennessee men’s basketball team weren’t able to return home to its friendly gym. Instead, the Vols had to go into another road environment to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. The hostile road environment at Coleman Coliseum proved to be too much, as the Vols (18-6, 8-4 SEC) were handily defeated 78-50 by the Tide (16-9, 7-5 SEC), snapping their seasonhigh six-game winning streak.

From the tip, many things weren’t going right for the Vols. They allowed the Tide to get off to a 17-6 lead in the opening minutes as they struggled to get anything going. The Vols were able to cut into the lead and make it a two-point game later in the first half, but that was as close as it would get since the Vols were never able to gain the lead. During their six-game win streak, the Vols were primarily carried by their defense. In each of the six games during the streak, the Vols held their opponents to 63 points or fewer. Against the Tide, Tennessee struggled defensively, allowing them to shoot 57 percent from the field. Projected top-10 pick Colin Sexton led the Tide offensively, scoring 16 points while

dishing out four assists. Offensively, the Vols had their worst outing of the season, shooting 28 percent from the field. Grant Williams led the Vols with 16 points, but the Tide focused their defensive effort around Williams. Williams was constantly double-teamed and held to 5-of-12 shooting from the field. In the second half, Williams countered the Tide’s defense by trying to look for his teammates, but they couldn’t get many shots to fall. The rest of the starters struggled as they shot a combined 6-of-24 against the Tide’s defense. Williams was the lone Vol to reach double figures in the game, with Admiral Schofield’s seven points being the next highest.

With a loss, the Vols are now tied with the Florida Gators for second place in the SEC standings with a 8-4 record. The Auburn Tigers lead the SEC standings with a 10-2 record. Entering Saturday’s contest, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had the Vols projected as a three seed in the NCAA Tournament. Before the game against the Tide, the Vols were 6-2 in true road games and looked like one of the best road teams in the SEC. Now, Tennessee will try to regroup and get back on track with a big week ahead. They’ll host South Carolina this week and head to Georgia next Saturday to another hostile environment.