Tennessee

No. 8 Florida rolls over No. 1 Tennessee, hands Vols first loss of season in 30-point blowout

Published

1 year ago

January 8, 2025

No. 8 Florida rolls over No. 1 Tennessee, hands Vols first loss of season in 30-point blowout

Florida held Tennessee, which entered the night as the country’s last remaining undefeated team, to just 43 points. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

It took them several months, but the Volunteers have finally fallen.

No. 8 Florida absolutely rolled over top-ranked Tennessee on Tuesday night in a massive statement win for the Gators. Florida picked up a dominant 73-43 win over Tennessee at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, which marked the Volunteers’ first loss of the season. It was the first time Florida had beaten a No. 1 team at home in program history.

That paved the way for a new team to overtake them in the rankings next week and kept the door open in the SEC after the Vols’ historic start.

Florida dominated in the first half and got out to a 34-15 lead in the first 20 minutes. The Gators held Tennessee to just 4 of 29 from the field in the first half, too, and 0 of 14 from beyond the arc. The Vols didn’t even get on the board until a Felix Okpara free throw nearly seven full minutes into the game. Nothing was working at all.

Though Tennessee improved slightly in the second half, it was way too late. Florida still came out of the locker room on a 30-15 tear to put the game away with more than five minutes left on the clock. Tennessee was way too out of it to make a difference.

Alijah Martin led the Gators with 18 points and six rebounds, and Denzel Aberdeen added 16 points off the bench. Florida went just 6 of 20 from the 3-point line, but it out-rebounded Tennessee by 18.

Chaz Lanier led Tennessee with 10 points and seven rebounds after he shot 1 of 9 from the 3-point line. Zakai Zeigler was the only other player to hit double figures. He had 10 points and a rebound, and went 1 of 6 from behind the arc. Tennessee finished the game shooting just 21% from the field and 4 of 29 from the 3-point line as a team.

Tennessee had been the top-ranked team in the country for over a month. The Vols entered conference play with several major wins under their belt, including double-digit victories over Louisville, Baylor, Syracuse and Miami. They even beat then-No. 23 Arkansas by 24 points on Saturday, which pushed them to 14-0 for the first time in more than 100 years.

The Gators entered Tuesday night needing to make a statement. While they started out the season a perfect 12-0, they didn’t play a single ranked team in that stretch. Then they fell on Saturday to No. 10 Kentucky in their SEC opener.

But after Tuesday night, it’s clear their start wasn’t a fluke. While Tennessee will be fine after putting this off night behind it, the Gators are clearly ready to compete with the top tier in the SEC.

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Tennessee

Lady Vols fall to Alabama in SEC Tournament for seventh loss in row

Published

42 minutes ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Lady Vols fall to Alabama in SEC Tournament for seventh loss in row

GREENVILLE, SC – Lady Vols basketball had an underwhelming showing against Alabama, and it led to a winless trip to the SEC Tournament.

No. 6 seed Tennessee (16-13) never led in the second-round matchup with No. 11 Alabama (23-9) at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 5, and extended its losing streak to seven games with the 76-64 loss.

Janiah Barker led the Lady Vols with 20 points on 6-for-14 shooting, five rebounds and a steal, but also had seven turnovers. Zee Spearman added 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting with six rebounds, an assist and two blocks.

Talaysia Cooper, the team’s leading scorer, did not play in the game after 6:27 left in the third quarter. She had four points on 1-for-4 shooting with two assists, two steals and a rebound in 12 minutes.

The Lady Vols tied the game 12-12 in the first quarter, and by halftime they trailed by double digits – they never came back within single digits after halftime. Their defense didn’t show any improvement as they allowed Alabama to shoot 50% from the field and gave up 19 points off their 18 turnovers. Tennessee only scored 11 points off 13 forced turnovers.

The Lady Vols fell behind early when Alabama destroyed their press, passing through it for easy buckets to build a lead. When Tennessee stopped pressing, it still couldn’t get enough stops in the halfcourt. Alabama outscored UT 36-24 in the paint.

Freshman guard Deniya Prawl, who was listed as out on the SEC availability report, was not on the bench with the team.

Watch Lady Vols basketball vs. Alabama

Lady Vols basketball vs. Alabama: Live score updates

Tennessee got outscored 22-17 in the third and Alabama took a 61-46 lead into the fourth quarter. The Tide shot 55% from the field in the third.

Tennessee’s defense couldn’t get a stop on defense, and it wasn’t even pressing much anymore. Alabama went on a 6-0 run to take a 17-point lead before Zee Spearman hit a layup to cut it to 15, and Tennessee trailed 53-38 at the media timeout with 4:55 left in the third quarter.

Alabama outscored Tennessee 8-3 to open the third quarter, and after five straight points for the Tide that included a late closeout by Talaysia Cooper and a turnover on the inbound by Janiah Barker, Kim Caldwell called timeout with 8:47 left in the quarter.

Caldwell was not happy and yelled, “wake up!” as she walked onto the court to meet her team. Alabama led 47-32.

Tennessee’s defense got better in the second quarter, and it held Alabama to 14 points. However, its shotmaking did not improve and it committed eight turnovers. The Tide scored 12 points off Tennessee’s 12 turnovers.

The Lady Vols only scored 11 points in the second. Janiah Barker led the team with nine points on 3-for-6 shooting with two rebounds in the first half. Zee Spearman added seven points on 3-for-4 shooting with four rebounds, an assist and a block.

The Lady Vols regrouped between quarters and outscored Alabama 5-2 in the first three minutes of the second. Nya Robertson hit a 3-pointer and Zee Spearman scored off an offensive rebound to cut Alabama’s lead to 27-23 with 6:47 left in the quarter.

Alabama passed through Tennessee’s press with ease and immediately retook the lead. The Lady Vols weren’t hitting shots and couldn’t get a stop defensively, either. The Tide shot 55% from the field and scored 18 points in the paint.

Alabama also scored seven points off of Tennessee’s four turnovers and outrebounded UT 11-8.

Alabama jumped out to a 12-7 lead, but then Zee Spearman scored five straight points to tie the game 12-12. Then Tennessee was two seconds away from trapping the Tide in the backcourt before Kristy Curry had to call timeout with 3:44 left in the first quarter.

Janiah Barker also had five early points for the Lady Vols.

Deniya Prawl out on SEC injury report

Freshman Deniya Prawl was listed as out on the SEC student-athlete availability report on March 4.

The 6-foot-2 guard has been a solid piece of the rotation for Tennessee this season. Prawl has averaged 3.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and a steal in 15.4 minutes per game while shooting 40.4% from the field.

When does Lady Vols basketball vs. Alabama start?

Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina

What TV channel is Lady Vols vs. Alabama on today?

Lady Vols basketball 2025-26 schedule, TV times

Nov. 4: NC State 80, Tennessee 77
Nov. 7: Tennessee 97, ETSU 47
Nov. 9: Tennessee 72, UT Martin 61
Nov. 13: Tennessee 68, Belmont 58
Nov. 20: Tennessee 85, MTSU 41
Nov. 23: Tennessee 88, Coppin State 35
Nov. 30: UCLA 99, Tennessee 77
Dec. 3: Tennessee 65, Stanford 62
Dec. 14: Tennessee 112, Winthrop 40
Dec. 20: Louisville 89, Tennessee 65
Dec. 22: Tennessee 89, Southern Indiana 44
Jan. 1: Tennessee 76, Florida 65
Jan. 4: Tennessee 73, Auburn 56
Jan. 8: Tennessee 90, Mississippi State 80
Jan. 11: Tennessee 85, Arkansas 50
Jan. 18: Tennessee 70, Alabama 59
Jan. 22: Tennessee 60, Kentucky 58
Jan. 29: Mississippi State 77, Tennessee 62
Feb. 1: UConn 96, Tennessee 66
Feb. 5: Tennessee 82, Georgia 77
Feb. 8: South Carolina 93, Tennessee 50
Feb. 12: Tennessee 98, Missouri 53
Feb. 15: Texas 65, Tennessee 63
Feb. 17: Ole Miss 94, Tennessee 81
Feb. 19: Texas A&M 82, Tennessee 74
Feb. 22: Oklahoma 100, Tennessee 93
Feb. 26: LSU 89, Tennessee 73
March 1: Vanderbilt 87, Tennessee 77

Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks: subscribe.knoxnews.com/offers

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Tennessee

How much have Tennessee gas prices risen amid war in Iran?

Published

13 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

How much have Tennessee gas prices risen amid war in Iran?

Gas prices on March 5 have gone up 27 cents in both the U.S., and in Tennessee compared to one week ago, which likely relates to the war in Iran, according to AAA – The Auto Club Group.

The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.25. Tennessee’s average on March 5 is $2.84, according to AAA.

The last time the national average made a similar weekly jump was back in March of 2022 during the start of the Russia/Ukraine conflict, AAA said.

“Oil prices are rising largely due to growing instability in a region that is essential to global energy markets,” AAA spokesperson Megan Cooper said. “Although the U.S. does not import oil from Iran, the country remains a major producer, supplying nations such as China and India. Any potential disruption to Iranian oil infrastructure can influence global supply expectations.”

Middle Tennessee county averages include:

Davidson County: $2.90
Williamson County: $3.12
Rutherford County: $2.87
Wilson County: $2.88
Sumner County: $2.89
Robertson County: $2.90
Cheatham County: $2.92
Maury County: $2.85.

Crude oil pricing correlates to about 60% of what consumers pay at the pump, Cooper said. Recent global tensions tied to the conflict with Iran are adding upward pressure on crude oil prices, according to AAA.

Also, the Strait of Hormuz is a critical connection for the Persian Gulf to open waters as a shipping lane for crude oil. Because oil is traded globally, a shortfall in one region can impact prices throughout the world.

Tennessee and the southeast portion of the U.S. consistently rank among the least expensive markets for fuel. Proximity to refineries and pipeline infrastructure are major reasons for less expensive gas, according to AAA.

Tennessee is currently the fourth least expensive market in the U.S. for gas. The last time Tennessee’s average was over $3 per gallon for regular unleaded gas was August 2024.

Refineries are also starting the process of producing summer-blend gasoline. which contains additives to help reduce evaporation during warmer months and adds to the cost. Gas demand generally increases with the spring break season and the expectation of more road trips.

Disclaimer: This story was created by reporter Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing.

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Tennessee Football 2028 In-State CB Target Jermaine Cobbins Talks Recruitment

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee Football 2028 In-State CB Target Jermaine Cobbins Talks Recruitment

One of the nation’s fast-rising 7v7 events made it back to the Atlanta area as The Sevens 7v7 tournament was held at Peachtree Ridge High School over the weekend.

Many of the top organizations across the country registered and entered the tournament such as Hustle INC, C1N, NPA, 24K Cold Hearts, and Fast Houston.

The amount of star power each brand displayed with many of the top athletes from all of the country was insane to fathom.

One of the nation’s coveted 2028 cornerbacks was in attendance as Jermaine Cobbins and NPA showed up on a mission.

NPA earned the number 1 seed during pool play on the first day of the event. The team fell just short of the championship game, but the players went down swinging.

Vols on SI caught up with Cobbins to discuss any recruiting updates, and to shed light on an off-field story that deserves some attention.

Jermaine Cobbins Update

2028 Springfield (TN) cornerback Jermaine Cobbins | Dale Dowden- Vols on SI

“The recruitment is going great,” Cobbins said.

“You know, a lot of teams are showing love,” Cobbins continued. Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M were a few schools mentioned to be showing a lot of love to the Tennessee native.

Cobbins has plans to get on the road once dead period is over.

March 2- Auburn
March 6- USC (potentially)
March 13- Alabama
March 17- Georgia
March 19- Tennessee
March 21- Vanderbilt

As Cobbins is wrapping up his sophomore year and on his way to becoming a junior, the pace will pick up as schools will come on stronger as some will fall back. The talented defender has to check boxes of his on while spending time with each school.

“The main thing I’ll be looking for is probably how much love are they going to be showing, their background (track record), and how the coaches coach,” Cobbins explained.

With a visit to Rocky Top in a few weeks looming, this will be the first time Cobbins has made it to Tennessee since the staff changes on the defense.

Cobbins had a relationship with Coach Michael Hunter Jr., who joined the Volunteers staff for a very short time before taking an opportunity in the NFL.

“Me and the corners coach had a great relationship, he came (to UT) but he left out for the NFL, so kudos to him. Love that for him. I’ve met Coach Poindexter. He’s a great coach,” Cobbins said.

The coaching staff at Tennessee stands out to the Springfield (TN) student-athlete as, “they coach at a high level.” Cobbins would go on to describe how the Vols pulling in great talent truly has an impact because you get to practice against some talented players day in and day out.

Cobbins Gives Back

Cobbins recently had the opportunity to give back to the next generation, and it was no surprise to see this act carried out, so Vols on SI had to ask about this act of kindness before concluding the interview.

“That was very important (to me), you know. It just really made me feel good inside. I always love giving back to the little kids, especially from my hometown,” Cobbins said with a smile.

Cobbins understands the small-town life, and how such a simple gesture can make a huge difference. Talent aside, this is an A+ young man.