The Daily Beacon 021419

Volume 137, Issue 11 Thursday, February 14, 2019 utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Graphic by Elisa Razak

2

SPRING SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, February 14, 2019

DAILY BEACON STAFF AND POLICY INFORMATION

Letter from the Editor: Save student newsrooms

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Kylie Hubbard MANAGING EDITOR: Tyler Wombles COPY CHIEF: Paige Greene CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR: Gabriela Szymanowska CITY NEWS EDITOR: Val Lick SPORTS EDITOR: Blake Von Hagen ASST. SPORTS EDITOR: Will Backus ENGAGEMENT EDITOR: Jared Chadwick DIGITAL PRODUCER: Kelsey French ASST. DIGITAL PRODUCER: Elexis Houston OPINIONS EDITOR: Margot McClellan PHOTO EDITORS: Caitlyn Jordan, Megan Albers DESIGN EDITORS: Elisa Razak, Grace Atter PRODUCTION ARTISTS: Meliya Evans, Catherine

Fei, McLane Zaitz, Jeremiah Pham, Meg Kiestler, Leah Gardner

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KYLIE HUBBARD Editor-in-Chief

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Rhoden, Jasmine Rogers, Stephanie Lewis ADVERTISING PRODUCTION ARTISTS: Kinsey

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Boston University’s independent newspaper, The Daily Free Press, announced it will no longer print weekly unless a paid advertisement is requested.

After five, probably long-to-them years with lots of hard work and determination by students juggling not only classes and jobs but running a news outlet, a lack of paid advertisement has left their newsstands empty.

The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee on Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. The offices are located at 1345 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 379960314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year or $100/semester. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner.

University’s The Daily Free Press is facing an advertise-less life, it’s bound to happen here soon.

You, holding this paper, are a testament to the reason we print. You are the reader we are avidly producing content for. You are our biggest support.

Please consider supporting this organization that supports the work and further education of student journalists desperate to make a way in this industry. Your donation supports education, student work and the ability to make a portfolio for students jumping into the real world.

Without your support and without advertising, not only would the print publication die but we couldn’t pay our editorial staff leading The Daily Beacon, one of UT’s 100-year-old traditions to fade away as well.

I don’t say this to scare anyone. I say this to encourage. I encourage you to stand up for your student newspaper. To support education.

Those wishing to donate can on our website.

Letter from the Asst. Sports Editor: Spring sports are here

LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor must be exclusive to The Daily Beacon and cannot have been submitted to or published by other media. Letters should not exceed 400 words and can be edited or shortened for space. Letters can also be edited for grammar and typographical errors, and Letters that contain excessive grammatical errors can be rejected for this reason. Anonymous Letters will not be published. Authors should include their full name, mailing address, city of residence, phone number and e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters submitted without this information will not be published. The preferred method to submit a Letter to the Editor is to email the Editor-in-Chief.

CORRECTIONS POLICY:It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or staff members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to managingeditor@utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206.

They are no longer financially available to produce and print their paper.

“We are disappointed that we are not able to print every week. Along with many newspapers around the country, we have had to learn how to adapt to the changing news environment,” Lexi Peery, chair of the Back Bay Publishing, Co., Inc., said in a release on their site. “Although we are not able to print every week, we are still publishing digital content daily on our website.”

“We are, and will always be, dedicated to informing the BU community.”

Unfortunately folks, this story is not uncommon across the country.

To put into context, The Daily Beacon— which is an independent student newspaper that has printed for over 100 years—has seen its own fair share of bad juju when it comes to printing.

In 2017, we took a page out of many publications’ books and went from a daily to printing Monday and Thursday. It won’t be long before we’re printing once a week, and in our worst dreams, never again.

Being independent, our ads keep us going. It’s not the university. (Although the Office of Student Life kindly pays our advisors who help us with the tough stuff that we as students aren’t taught to handle in our classes). It’s advertising. And just as Boston

WILL BACKUS Asst. Sports Editor

As the temperature starts to heat up, and flowers start to bloom, another change can be noted around Tennessee’s campus. If you listen closely, you might hear the pinging of bats connecting with baseballs or softballs.

Spring sports are now in full swing, with the Tennessee softball team already off to a 5-0 start, and baseball just around the corner. Everybody knows how well the men’s basketball

team is performing, and the women’s basketball team is fighting for a postseason berth.

Still, sports like baseball and softball tend to get overshadowed by the more traditional football, and even the basketballs. But those two sports are primed to be some of the more successful on this campus.

Softball is currently ranked No. 6 in the nation, and they’re expected to be in the World Series National Championship scene. Meanwhile, second year head coach Tony Vitello has his baseball squad trending in the right direction.

They open up the season on Feb. 15, starting a three game series against Appalachian State. tate. I encourage the readers to follow these sports s this season, as they provide a very exciting spectacle. tacle.

As always, thank you for reading our Spring pring Sports Preview.

SPRING SPORTS

Thursday, February 14, 2019 • The Daily Beacon

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Harvey: Spring sports deserve attention of Vol fans

ROB HARVEY Sports Columnist

After the Tennessee men’s basketball team compiled an 18-game winning streak, Tennessee fans from all across the country — that were in hiding after a 5-7 football season — came out of nowhere to support the Vols.

Twitter is filled with people claiming they have been Tennessee fans since the Jerry Green and Buzz Peterson days around 25

years ago. However, these people were silent until the Vols gave them something to cheer about.

Now, this column is not here to bash these people, as it’s great seeing Tennessee fans come together and support the Vols, even if some of them may be bandwagon fans. No — this column is here to say that these fans who have come out of nowhere should stick with Tennessee athletics as the spring sports begin because the Vols’ athletic success will most likely continue into the spring.

The men’s and women’s tennis teams are already off and running with their seasons, seeing immediate success. The men’s team is coming off a 4-0 win on Saturday over Duke in Orlando. Senior Timo Stodder is ranked No. 82 in the nation in singles, while Andrew Rodgers and Martim Prata are the No. 57 doubles team. The team as a whole sits at No. 17 in the country.

The women’s team had a big win over Florida State earlier in the year and, with that win, cracked the Top-25, sneaking in at No. 24. Sadie Hammond and Kaitlin Staines are ranked No. 17 in the nation in doubles.

The Tennessee softball team had its season begin this past weekend and went 5-0

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in the Kickin’ Chicken Classic. With the hot start, the Lady Vols are ranked No. 6 in the Top-25. The softball team has historically been a powerhouse, and that looks to continue this season as they return a majority of starters from a team that made it to the Super Regional last year.

While the Tennessee baseball team has historically not been as successful as the softball team, there are signs of promise as Tony Vitello begins his second season as head coach. The Vols bring back almost every key contributor from last season, along with a recruiting class that ranked No. 5 in the country according to Perfect Game.

The Vols will be working with a better field too, as brand new artificial turf was put down at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. While the team is still projected to finish fourth in the SEC East, many experts have them as a bubble team to make the NCAA Tournament.

The Vols’ track and field team is finishing up its indoor season this month before beginning its spring outdoor season in March.

In the most recent polls, the women’s team sits at No. 16 in the rankings, while the men rank No. 30. The teams combined have five athletes with results that put them in the top 10 in the NCAA in their event.

All of these sports have the potential for breakout seasons this year. However, with the exception of softball, most Tennessee fans will go back to where they came from after basketball season and fail to support these teams.

Believe it or not, there are more sports at the University of Tennessee than football and basketball. It’s time for fans to see that.

Because, when they do, they will be pleasantly surprised at just how good Tennessee athletics really is.

These fans who have come out of nowhere should stick with Tennessee athletics as the spring sports begin because the Vols’ athletic success will most likely continue into the spring.

ROB HARVEY SPORTS COLUMNIST

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SPRING SPORTS // SOFTBALL

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, February 14, 2019

Tennessee softball set for tough 2019 slate QUINTON DOUGLAS Staff Writer

The No. 6 Tennessee softball team is about to embark on one of the toughest schedules in the nation.

Tennessee decided not to take the easy route by constructing one of the more rigorous non-conference schedules in the country.

A team looking to avenge an exit in last year’s NCAA Super Regionals seemingly wanted to challenge itself early on to be prepared for a gauntlet conference schedule, looking to contend for a Women’s College World Series National Championship.

“One of the things that Pat Summitt told us is to schedule tough out of conference,” co-head coach Ralph Weekly said. “We have found that in the past that the RPI is the main thing that decides if you go to the World Series. We are hoping to get our kids seasoned early and get them ready for a tough conference schedule.”

Tennessee has executed that by scheduling its first 11 games of the season away from Knoxville.

It’s already gotten off to a solid 5-0 start after sweeping its opponents in the Kickin’

Chicken Classic this past weekend, but three of its next six games are against Top-25 teams including defending champs Florida State.

The Lady Vols will finally have a game at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium two weeks into the season on Feb. 22. The weekend will include a five-game slate in three days.

Once they gather their breath, Tennessee will travel across the country to Fullerton, California for the Judi Garman Classic for five games including No. 19 Michigan and No. 25 Oregon.

The following week, the Lady Vols have a dance with No. 5 Florida down in Gainesville before a midweek battle with Middle Tennessee in a neutral site game.

The weekend of March 14-17 will see Tennessee play host to BYU and No. 16 Texas in the Tennessee Invitational.

In a midweek turnaround, the Lady Vols will travel to Virginia for a doubleheader with Liberty and then on to Chapel Hill for a game with North Carolina.

This non-conference slate will be an appetizer for the gauntlet that is the SEC. Five of Tennessee’s seven SEC matchups down the stretch are against top-25 squads.

No. 14 Arkansas will make the trip to Knoxville on the weekend of March 22 for a three-game series.

The following weekend Tennessee will be on the road to Missouri for a three-game slate with the Tigers.

No. 17 Auburn comes to town April 6-8 followed by No. 24 Mississippi State.

Tennessee will then go to Athens for a much anticipated matchup with Georgia, the team that eliminated them from the Super Regionals in last year’s big dance.

The last road test for the Lady Vols will come April 26-28 when they travel to Oxford to take on Ole Miss.

To wrap up the regular season, Tennessee will play host to No. 20 Texas A&M May 3-5.

One of the biggest keys for Tennessee during this tough schedule is the play of its pitching staff. One area of concern in past seasons was the lack of pitching depth that it possessed. Now the Lady Vols can go four deep at the position and they hope that it pays dividends late in the season.

“I think (the depth) helps a lot,” co-head coach Karen Weekly said. “If you only go with three pitchers, and one is injured or sick or something like that, then you go into a weekend with just two and you really struggle.

We’ve seen that happen the last couple of years.”

Freshman Ashley Rogers has been added to the mix along with experienced senior Matty Moss and 2017 SEC Freshman of the

UT infielder Meghan Gregg, #55, has a hit on March 31, 2018. File / The Daily Beacon Year Caylan Arnold. Even sophomore Ashley Morgan has seen action on the mound after being named to the 2018 SEC All-Freshman Team.

Youth, experience key for Lady Vols in rebound attempt PEYTON MARTIN Staff Writer

The No. 6 Tennessee softball team rides into the 2019 season on the heels of a Super Regional finish in last year’s NCAA Tournament. With its season ending in the Round of 16 in back-to-back years, the Lady Vols will try to get back to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2015.

Co-head coaches Karen and Ralph Weekly will have some familiar faces in the dugout this season, along with the incoming Gatorade Tennessee Softball Player of the Year.

Ashley Rodgers headlined a recruiting class that looks to bring a new level of depth to the program.

Pitching Matty Moss returns for her senior season after having 11 strikeouts in 11.1 innings during the NCAA Tournament run last year.

She enters with a career ERA of 1.73, which is third in program history, and 280 strikeouts.

She is the most experienced pitcher on the Lady Vols pitching staff.

Caylan Arnold, a junior, will be a part of the rotation as well. As a sophomore, she finished with a 26-6 record, along with three saves in a closer role. She was named to the SEC All-Tournament team last May. Rodgers was part of back-to-back state championships while at the high school level. In her time at Meigs County High School, she recorded six perfect games along with 20 shutouts.

Those three pitchers will carry most of the load for Tennessee and they have confidence from the coaches, but the team will need find more depth as they eye a long postseason run.

“Your ideal pitching staff is probably four pitchers,” Karen Weekly said, “The fourth one is someone who can play other positions, as well as pitching in a part time role. You need (at least) three to be confident you are going to be successful.

“I like our pitching staff a lot. We have a lot of experience with Mosa and Arnold…Ashley is very composed (as a freshman), what I like most is her mental game.”

Outfield Junior center fielder Jenna Holcomb comes

into the season with a career .374 batting average, along with 14 stolen bases for the Lady Vols. During her sophomore year she ripped off a 21-game hitting streak and will look to get back into that groove as the season moves along.

Sophomore Amanda Ayala was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team during her first year on campus. She recorded a .289 batting average with two home runs, 21 RBIs and five stolen bases. In her best game as a freshman, she went 3-for-4 against the Missouri Tigers with four RBIs in an 11-3 win.

With the three spots in the outfield, the Lady Vols will look to find a third to go along with Holcomb and Ayala. It can come in the form of Kali Phillips, a freshman product from Chattanooga, or senior Hayley Bearden, who has 45 career starts entering 2019 and holds a career .338 on-base percentage. Both will see action in 2019.

“There is a lot of emphasis on hitting. (We) have a lot of people teaching good things,” Karen Weekly said.

Infield Senior leader Aubrey Leach comes in to 2019 with 185 starts in 185 appearances for

the Lady Vols. The durable Leach has been in the offensive spotlight during her career, recording 190 career runs scored, 23 doubles and 65 RBIs. She will lead the team from either of the inside-infield positions throughout the season.

Junior Chelsea Seggern will be on the hotcorner at third base in a typical Tennessee lineup. She has 127 starts in 127 appearances for the Lady Vols. Offensively, she had 10 homeruns and 103 RBIs during her first two years on campus.

At first base, sophomore Ashley Morgan will be a staple for the Lady Vols this season.

After being named to the All-SEC Freshman Team, her sophomore season presents an opportunity to grow on the five homeruns and six doubles she recorded. She also had 31 RBIs to go along with a .994 fielding percentage on last year’s stat sheet.

Morgan could be one of the players the coaches look to for relief of the pitching staff.

As a freshman, Morgan had four appearances at the center-circle, recording 6.2 innings of work.

Tennessee is off to a 5-0 start after sweeping its competition in the Kickin’ Chicken Classic.

SPRING SPORTS // BASEBALL

Thursday, February 14, 2019 • The Daily Beacon

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Tennessee baseball set to open season on new turf field RYAN SCHUMPERT Contributor

The Tennessee baseball team will start its 2019 season Friday on new turf at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The project was completed last week after beginning in December.

The new turf will allow for the team to practice at a more efficient rate, and will make bad weather less of a factor going forward.

“Yesterday it was raining all day and we didn’t have to come off the field,” senior Garrett Stallings said. “We got to continue to play instead of mud accumulating… but when it’s gametime we can take in-and-out and be on the field in ten minutes ready to play rather than having the grounds crew go out there and line the field again.”

The pitcher’s mound is the one part of the field that remained dirt, much to the satisfaction of sophomore Sean Hunley.

“I don’t really have a preference (between grass or turf). It just depends on what the mound is. I like the dirt mound. I’m glad we kept it.” Hunley said.

Tennessee became just the fourth school in the SEC to move to artificial turf, joining Missouri, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt. However, the

turf in Lindsey Nelson Stadium is unique.

Second year Head Coach Tony Vitello believes the field could contribute to Tennessee’s home field advantage going forward.

“It’s unlike any field in the country,” Vitello said in an interview with Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes as part of a ‘94 feet’ segment on the Rick Barnes Show. “It’s pretty advanced technology wise. It’s going to be a time consuming process. It’s going to be a few weeks before they’re really settled in, but that means the opponents won’t get settled in and maybe we have a unique home field advantage there.”

The turf wasn’t the only project completed at Lindsey Nelson Stadium during the offseason as work was done to the home bullpen area, batting cages, and players’ locker room.

“The locker room is awesome,” junior Andre Lipcius said. “They took out the middle lockers so now it is all open.”

The project was critical as the facilities were seen as some of the worst in the conference.

The new facilities will be an enormous help in recruiting as Vitello tries to turn the program around.

“Rather than saying ‘We’re going to change things’ to recruits and to our players (they needed) to see that progress, and then holding them accountable that their progress on the field needs to be parallel to that progress.”

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The Tennessee Baseball team practices on the new turf field on Feb. 7, 2019.

Ryan Schumpert / Contributor Vitello said.

The project comes at a time where the University has seen a greater financial commitment to winning than at any time previously.

The football staff salary was higher last season than at any point before, and after prying away assistant coaches from the NFL and other SEC schools this winter that number only looks to go up.

The project at Lindsey Nelson Stadium proves that that commitment goes much farther than football as the Vols try to make it to

their first NCAA Tournament since 2005.

“Coach Fulmer has spent a great deal of time and energy in an effort to make sure every sport here at UT is seen as important and takes winning championships very seriously,” Vitello said last December. “Our student-athletes are incredibly fortunate to immediately benefit from these actions that support that philosophy.”

Tennessee’s season begins this Friday at 4:30 as they open up a three game series against Appalachian State.

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SPRING SPORTS // BASEBALL

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, February 14, 2019

Strong pitching staff set to lead Tennessee baseball MATTHEW UNDERWOOD Staff Writer

As the Tennessee baseball team gets set to begin the 2019 season this Friday with a series against Appalachian State, there is a great sense of optimism surrounding the team.

Coming into the new season, the Vols return 21 players from last year’s team that finished with a 29-27 overall record in head coach Tony Vitello’s first season. The 12 conference wins were the most by Tennessee since 2014.

With most of the team returning this year, the Vols will look to lean on their experience from last season to take another step in year two of the Vitello era. Tennessee enters the 2019 season with 15 juniors on its roster, 12 of which saw playing time for the Vols in 2018.

Pitching The Vols return the bulk of their pitching staff from last season. Tennessee brings back all eight pitchers that made at least one start last season, three of which made 11 or more starts (Will Neely-14, Sean Hunley-14, Garrett Stallings-11).

Tennessee also returns all seven pitchers

that recorded a victory last season. The Vols are the only Power 5 conference program that can make that claim. Right-hander Will Neely, who anchored Tennessee’s weekend rotation last season, leads the charge.

Neely finished the 2018 season with a 4-2 record in 14 starts. He went at least five innings in 12 of his 14 starts and finished the regular season tied for the SEC lead with three complete games. The Knoxville native earned SEC postseason honors for the first time in his career after being named to the league’s all-defensive team.

Another important piece to the Vols pitching staff that will return this season is righthanded pitcher Sean Hunley. He is coming off an incredible debut season on the mound, leading the Vols with seven victories and a 2.64 ERA. Hunley became the first true freshman in program history to start a season 6-0, and his seven total wins were tied for fourth all-time among Tennessee freshmen.

Infield/Outfield The Vols’ infield, like its pitching staff, will return most of their production from last season.

The infield will be led by junior Andre Lipcius, who was the offensive leader for one of

the nation’s youngest teams. Lipcius posted team highs in batting average (.315), home runs (seven), RBIs (42) and total bases (96).

Along with Lipcius, the Vols will return junior Jay Charleston, who also had a breakout season in 2018. Charleston ended the season tied for the conference lead with 21 stolen bases during the regular season.

Nico Mascia was named SEC Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year last season for the Vols.

Mascia finished third on the team in batting average, while hitting nine doubles and tying for third on the team with five home runs. Mascia also led the team with a .487 slugging percentage and .439 on-base percentage.

Overall With Tennessee returning six position players that started at least 34 games this season, on top of returning most of the major pieces of its pitching staff, the outlook for the season appears to be bright.

Tennessee is scheduled to play its first nine games of the season at home. In total, the Vols are set to play 36 of its 56 regular-season games inside the confines of Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The 29 wins that Tony Vitello guided the Vols to last season is tied for the most by a first-year head coach in program history. With many of

Tennessee head baseball coach Tony Vitello, #22, on April 4, 2018.

File / The Daily Beacon their returning players from last year and the addition of some newcomers, the Vols hope to improve on that number in the 2019 season.

PUZZLES & GAMES

Thursday, February 14, 2019 • The Daily Beacon

LOS ANGELES TIMES CROSSWORD • Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

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SPRING SPORTS // BASKETBALL

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, February 14, 2019

No. 1 Vols finding favor in polls, projections BLAKE VON HAGEN Sports Editor

The Tennessee basketball team entered the 2018-19 season with expectations from both inside and outside of the program.

After flying through non-conference play with just one loss—and now cruising through SEC play with an undefeated record—the Vols have risen to No. 1 in the AP Top 25. So, what are the Vols projected to do going forward?

Bracketology ESPN has become famous for its “bracketology,” which is the method of predicting participants and outcomes of the NCAA Tournament.

Joe Lunardi, ESPN’s resident bracketologist, updates his projections often during February and March as the NCAA Selection Show approaches. During his latest update (Feb. 12), “Joey Brackets” has Tennessee as a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance.

The Vols would face the winner of a playin game between Norfolk State and Robert Morris in the Round of 64 in the South Region. That matchup would take place in Columbus, Ohio, where Tennessee would

await the winner of Baylor and North Carolina State, assuming the Vols take care of business in their opening game.

Due to its popularity, bracketology has spread to other websites as well.

CBS College Hoops expert Jerry Palm also has Tennessee as the No. 1 seed in the South Region.

His latest update places the Vols in a matchup with Sam Houston State in the Round of 64. The winner of that game would face the winner of Baylor and Minnesota in the Round of 32.

Polls and rankings Tennessee is the No. 1 team in every major poll.

The AP Top 25, ESPN, CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated all place the Vols at the top spot. Tennessee has been No. 1 in the AP Poll since Jan. 21.

Some of the computer-generated and math-driven analytic websites, however, do not have the Vols in the No. 1 spot.

Kenneth Massey, a sports statistician, developed a system of ratings known as the Massey Ratings. Tennessee currently comes in at No. 3 in his ratings, trailing Duke (No. 1) and Virginia (No. 2).

Another popular math-driven ranking system—run by Ken Pomeroy—is the

Pomeroy (Kenpom) Ratings. The Vols come it at No. 5 in his latest update (Feb. 11).

Duke (No. 1), Virginia (No. 2), Gonzaga (No. 3) and Michigan State (No. 4) sit ahead of Tennessee.

Vegas The Las Vegas oddsmakers have not been as high on Tennessee as the polls and analysts have been this season.

In August, the Vols opened at 40/1 to win the NCAA Tournament this year. Since then, that number has continued to plummet.

As of Feb. 12, Tennessee sits around 8/1 at most sportsbooks in Vegas. Duke is the favorite to win it all, coming in around 2/1.

Virginia, Gonzaga, Kentucky and Michigan follow close behind the Vols.

Up next Tennessee closes the regular season with several high-profile SEC games.

The Vols face No. 5 Kentucky (twice), No. 19 LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Auburn before heading to the SEC Tournament in Nashville.

Tennessee is a 2.5 point Vegas underdog to Kentucky for Saturday’s matchup in Lexington.

Grant Williams, #2, makes a layup against University of Florida’s, Kevarrius Hayes, on Saturday Feb 9. 2019 at Thompson-Boling Arena. Caitlyn Jordan / The Daily Beacon

Lady Vols facing cloudy NCAA Tournament forecast WILL BACKUS Asst. Sports Editor

Louisiana Tech beat Cheyney 76-62 in the inaugural NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament to become the first ever NCAA Women’s Basketball Champions in 1982.

Prior to that game, in the Final Four, Louisiana Tech downed the Tennessee women’s basketball team 69-46 to earn its spot in the championship.

Since that first tournament, the Lady Vols have made an appearance in every single tournament since — a 36-year long streak that no other team in women’s basketball can claim. In that span, they have appeared in 18 final fours and won eight National Championships, second most in NCAA women’s basketball history.

They won their first early in the game, in 1987, the first for legendary head coach Pat Summitt. She holds all eight national title wins for Tennessee.

The team’s dominant streak may come to an end this year. The Lady Vols are in the midst of one of the worst seasons in the team’s history. A six-game losing streak

earlier in the season tied for the longest in team history, and they lost more than three conference games in a row for the first time.

They just came off of one of the worst losses in recent memory, a 91-63 decision against the No. 6 Mississippi State Bulldogs. With a 15-8 overall record and a 4-6 record in conference play, Tennessee’s tournament odds are beginning to trend downward.

Charlie Creme, a women’s basketball bracketologist for ESPN, has the Lady Vols listed as one of the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament. In addition, he listed them as one of five teams moving out of the tournament.

The tournament has not been kind to Tennessee in the past couple of years, as it has failed to advance past the second round since 2016. Not making the tournament would be a first ... And not in a positive way.

Though their stock is trending downward, it does not mean all hope is lost for the Lady Vols. They still have a chance to close out the season strong, with the SEC Tournament still looming.

Six games remain on their schedule, all of them being in-conference. On Thursday night, they play Auburn, a team that they

Head women’s basketball coach Holly Warlick during a timeout at the Vanderbilt Commodores game on Feb. 3, 2019 at Memorial Gymnasium. Caitlyn Jordan / The Daily Beacon beat on the road earlier in the season. Outside of that matchup, two ranked teams remain on the schedule.

On February 21, they hit the road to face the 21st ranked Texas A&M Aggies. Three days later, they welcome the No. 11 South Carolina Gamecocks to the Summitt. If Tennessee can win three to four more games in the regular season, than the NCAA Tournament certainly is not out of the question.

The SEC Tournament also provides Ten-

nessee an opportunity to further build its resume. The team that wins its conference tournament gets an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Even if the Lady Vols could make it to the final, that would do a lot for their hopes.

It seems as if Tennessee may be facing an uphill battle, though, if it wants to avoid missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in team history. Only time will tell.