Tennessee

Inside the numbers of Dalton Knecht’s road stardom for Tennessee basketball

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4 months ago

January 13, 2024

Press Room

Inside the numbers of Dalton Knecht’s road stardom for Tennessee basketball

ATHENS, Ga. − Two Georgia fans hovered in the hallway underneath Stegeman Coliseum on Saturday swiping at their phones.

They had to know more about Dalton Knecht.

That’s the experience when Tennessee basketball comes to a college city with the senior who bewilders with his offensive brilliance. Knecht had these two Bulldogs fans searching to know if he was a senior or not, surely with hopes they’d never see him again in the aftermath of a 36-point barrage.

It was the latest and arguably the greatest road game for Knecht, who couldn’t guess his road scoring average afterward.

“About 80,” estimated teammate Jonas Aidoo after some quick finger math.

Not quite, but it almost feels like it after the Northern Colorado transfer inflicted his will as No. 5 Tennessee (12-4, 2-1 SEC) earned an 85-79 win against Georgia (12-4, 2-1). He is averaging 31.3 points per game in four road games.

Why Dalton Knecht excels in road games for Tennessee basketball

Knecht had a look about him Saturday to Vols coach Rick Barnes. It was a look “where you can just tell he has got a little bounce about him,” Barnes said.

Barnes has seen it before. He witnessed it in Tennessee’s exhibition win at Michigan State when Knecht scored 28 points. He has been so good on the road that his scoring in East Lansing would bring down his average if included in his stats.

“He likes the moment. He does,” Barnes said.

That might be understated. Knecht seems to crave the stage, coveting the opportunity to silence if not crush an opposing crowd.

“You just always as a kid want to grow up and play in those type of environments,” Knecht said. “I think all of us have. I think all of us are always ready to perform in front of those crowds.”

Knecht has 125 points on 70 shots in four road games. He is shooting 48.3% on 3-pointers and 61.4% from the field on the road.

He scored 24 points for Tennessee at Wisconsin on Nov. 10. He had 37 points at North Carolina on Nov. 29, tying. the record for most points scored by a visiting player at UNC. He had 28 at Mississippi State on Jan 10.

“He is one of those guys that puts the time in and when he gets going, he is a confident player,” Barnes said.

Dalton Knecht saves his best for the second half on the road

Knecht and assistant coach Rod Clark identified a flaw in the Georgia defense’s ball-screen coverage Saturday.

Knecht hurtled a dagger into the flaw with 1:56 to play when he saw two Georgia confused defenders go under a screen and he hit a lead-taking 3-pointer. That accounted for three of his 10 points in the final 5:39 and of his 20 in the second half.

“Just going to hoop and be myself,” Knecht said. “Big props to my teammates for getting me in the right spot and making it easier for me − as well as the coaches for putting me in the right spots.”

KD: Why Rick Barnes compared Tennessee basketball’s Dalton Knecht to Kevin Durant

Knecht is averaging 19.5 points in the second half on the road. He had 26 at MSU after halftime and 20 in the second half at UNC.

On Saturday, he scored for the Vols each time Georgia took a double-digit lead. In the end, he was bringing the ball up the court often and dictating the game. He made 3-pointers and midrange jumpers. He got fouled and created opportunities. He was the reason Tennessee staved off a two-loss week.

“Just go downhill and make the right play,” Knecht said. “Coach just said get the ball and make the right play or find your teammates or get downhill and get a layup or get to the free-throw line.”

Maybe it is that simple for Knecht. He has conquered every visiting arena he has walked into. He earned an ovation at UNC when he was injured in the final minutes, recognition of his greatness from a basketball fan base well-versed in it.

Maybe it’s all about what Barnes believes: Knecht does the work in the quiet hours at Pratt Pavilion and that’s why he’s ready.

Whatever it is, Tennessee’s trip to Nashville to play Vanderbilt on Jan. 27 is another chance to find out.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it

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Tennessee

Tennessee first SEC team with regular-season titles in men’s basketball, baseball, softball in same season

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1 hour ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

Tennessee first SEC team with regular-season titles in men’s basketball, baseball, softball in same season

Tennessee athletics are sitting on the Rocky Top, indeed.

The Vols have accomplished major history this season, becoming the first SEC school to win the regular season championship in men’s basketball, baseball and softball in the same season. The Lady Vols are the No. 3 seed and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals this weekend in softball, while the baseball team is the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament, which kicks off Tuesday in Hoover, Alabama.

REQUIRED READING: Why it’s special for Tennessee softball seniors to lead Lady Vols back to NCAA super regional

Tennessee clinched the men’s basketball regular season championship on March 6 with a road victory over South Carolina, its first outright regular season championship since the 2006-07 season. On May 3, Tennessee softball defeated Kentucky in Knoxville to clinch its second straight SEC regular season title. The Vols went on to lose in the quarterfinals.

Following a sweep of South Carolina over the weekend, Tennessee baseball clinched a share of the SEC regular-season championship with Kentucky. It was the second time in three years the Vols won at least a share of the conference championship. They are the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and are currently projected as a No. 2 national seed in the NCAA Tournament by D1Baseball, entering last weekend.

Here’s a look at how each team performed this season:

Tennessee men’s basketball

Tennessee men’s basketball advanced to the Elite Eight in 2023-24, losing to eventual runner-up Purdue. The Vols have qualified for the NCAA Tournament for four straight seasons under coach Rick Barnes.

Final record: 27-9, 14-4 SEC
Season finish: Lost to Purdue in Elite Eight
SEC regular season titles: 11

Tennessee softball

The Lady Vols won their second straight conference regular season championship and the third in program history, all led by coach Karen Weekly. Tennessee swept through the Knoxville Regional to advance to its 13th Super Regional.

Record: 43-10, 19-5 SEC
SEC regular season titles: Three
WCWS ranking: No. 3 overall seed
Next up: No. 14 seed Alabama in Knoxville Super Regional

Tennessee baseball

Tennessee baseball swept South Carolina, while rival Kentucky dropped its finale to Vanderbilt for the two schools to finish with a share of the regular season championship. The Vols ― led by coach Tony Vitello ― earned the No. 1 seed after taking two of three regular-season games against the Wildcats in Lexington, Kentucky, earlier this season.

Record: 46-10, 22-8 SEC
SEC regular season titles: Five
Next up: Winner of the No. 8-No. 9 matchup in SEC Tournament

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Tennessee

Heartbreak for Tennessee High, falling 5-1 to Gibbs to end their season

Published

8 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

Heartbreak for Tennessee High, falling 5-1 to Gibbs to end their season

BRISTOL, Tenn. (WCYB) — Sunday was the final day to punch tickets to Murfreesboro, with Tennessee High softball looking to return to the state tournament with a win over Gibbs.

Spending the Sunday at Rotary Park, it was the Lady Eagles of Gibbs striking first with an RBI-Double from Lacey Keck in the top of the first.

Tennessee High at the plate in the bottom of the inning, the Vikings looked for a spark and it was provided by Addie Wilhoit with a stand-up double.

Unable to move the runners around, the Vikings bac on the field and it would be Carly Compton settling in on the mound and collecting strikeout after strikeout.

Handling business in the top of the inning, it was Compton providing her own run support with a solo shot to even the game up in the bottom of the fourth.

Story of the day was stranded runners as Tennessee High came up short, fighting hard but falling 5-1 to close out their season.

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Why it’s special for Tennessee softball seniors to lead Lady Vols back to NCAA super regional

Published

16 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Press Room

Why it’s special for Tennessee softball seniors to lead Lady Vols back to NCAA super regional

Kiki Milloy kicked into another gear when Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly waved her home Sunday.

The senior outfielder sprinted down the third baseline to beat the throw from left field. Milloy dove, sliding headfirst across home plate – safe.

She rose to her knees to smack the ground as she screamed in celebration. Milloy turned towards the field at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium as she stood up, yelling again for good measure as she put the Lady Vols up by three runs.

Rylie West, who was on deck when Zaida Puni hit the RBI-single, came up to Milloy to join the celebration.

West and Milloy are the only two players left from Tennessee’s 2021 team. They’re the only ones left who felt the pain of back-to-back exits in the NCAA regionals on their home field. They’re two of the biggest reasons it hasn’t happened since.

West hit a two-RBI double right after Milloy scored, and by then, the win was well within their grasp. West followed it with a solo home run in the fifth, and No. 3 Tennessee (43-10) won 6-0 over Virginia (34-20) to claim the Knoxville Regional and advance to the super regionals for the second year in a row.

Two straight years of elation, made even sweeter by the two years before that ended in heartbreak.

“(I’m) just super proud that … we can end our careers differently than how we started them,” West said.

Puni, who transferred to Tennessee from Oklahoma ahead of the 2022 season, called the early exit her first season at UT “heartbreaking.”

“So, we made a commitment to never having that feeling again,” Puni said.

The Lady Vols will host No. 14 Alabama (36-17) in the super regionals. The best-of-three series will start Friday.

Weekly was already getting emotional after the Lady Vols run-ruled Virginia on Saturday. She fought back tears in the dugout as soon as the game ended.

“When they go out and play with so much joy and so much competitiveness and so much passion … They were just locked in and just really, really enjoying competing, and that’s what makes me the happiest,” Weekly said. “Usually wins come with that, but really, that’s what I want them to strive for every day, is just to go out there every day and compete their hearts out.”

Tennessee was dominant in all three victories, not conceding a single run. The Lady Vols outscored opponents 21-0 over 19 innings and hit .329. Karlyn Pickens and Payton Gottshall held opposing hitters to a .109 average and combined for 24 strikeouts.

MORE: Rylie West’s dad saw potential that led to Tennessee softball career. But first he told her to quit

The three-game shutout was the first thing Weekly pointed out when she met with the team after Sunday’s win.

“That’s huge. I doubt that’s being done in any other regional in the country,” Weekly said. “I think it takes just a big weight off these guys’ shoulders as hitters, knowing that our pitchers … they both have the mindset that my job is to keep a zero on the board until our offense can figure things out and get runs up for us. I would imagine they’re a whole lot of fun to play behind.”

Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.

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