Former Lady Vols basketball coach Kellie Harper pinpointed the end of the second quarter as the reason for Tennessee’s win Thursday.

Harper, who was fired as the Lady Vols coach in April, has begun to make regular appearances in the SEC Network studio this season. She was on the desk again Thursday when No. 15 Tennessee beat Mississippi State 86-73 to kick off “We Back Pat” Week in the SEC.

“Once they got that cushion – they hit three 3s to end the second, they started the third with a three, and they maintained that cushion throughout the second half,” Harper said when asked what impressed her most about the win. “They played comfortable, they played very loose and very free in the that second half. Mississippi State didn’t gain on them – they didn’t lose – but they didn’t gain on them. They just couldn’t keep up.”

The sequence turned a 2-point lead into a nine-point lead at halftime in 1:21. It started with a steal by Talaysia Cooper at the top of the press, and she assisted a wide-open 3-pointer for Jewel Spear. After Tennessee gave up a fast-break layup, Samara Spencer knocked down a 3-pointer in response. Then Cooper snagged another steal in the press, giving the Lady Vols the final shot – and Spencer drained a deep buzzer-beater 3-pointer.

Spear was responsible for the 3-pointer on the first play of the third quarter.

Spencer, who scored 18 points and went 4-for-7 from deep, was interviewed postgame. Harper congratulated Spencer on the win and asked where the senior point guard thought the team could continue to find improvement.

Spencer pointed to the team’s lapses at times and weaker third quarters – the Bulldogs only outscored Tennessee in the third – and said they need to make sure they come out of halftime with the same intensity.

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Spencer also said transition defense was a big focus going into the game after hearing Mississippi State thought it would be successful in transition. Tennessee had one player in position to get back quickly to defend any breakaways, and MSU only outscored UT on fast-break points 21-13.

“Well, we heard that they were talking about how they felt like they could get a lot of transition points, and they did get some transition points, but not as many as they normally get,” Spencer said. “I think that we did a pretty good job at it. We had some lapses, but overall, we kept the game in check in transition.”

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.

The Volunteers Dylan Sampson and Jermod McCoy were both named to the ESPN All-American second team. 

After stellar seasons Dylan Sampson and Jermod McCoy were both selected to the second team of ESPN’s All-American team. Sampson led the rushing attack for the Volunteers and led the Southeastern Conference in carries, yards and touchdowns on the ground. McCoy was a vital piece of the volunteer defense and had a stellar sophomore season. 

Sampson was an electric back for the Volunteers in 2024. The 5-foot-11 201-pound back mixed size and speed with elite vision to explode through running lanes and punish second level defenders. He finished the season with 258 carries for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns.

With Sampson’s help, the Volunteers led the SEC in rushing yards for the second season in a row. Sampson was the true definition of a workhorse, leading all SEC players in plays from scrimmage with 278. 

Being named to the ESPN All-American team is another award Sampson can add to his resume as he takes his talents to the NFL. Last month Sampson announced he would be forgoing his senior year and entering his name into the NFL draft. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. rated Sampson as the No. 10 running back prospect eligible for the 2025 draft. 

After a solid freshman season at Oregon State, during which McCoy racked up 31 tackles, two interceptions, and seven pass breakups, the young corner decided to enter the transfer portal. Tennessee earned the four-star transfer commitment, and McCoy made an immediate impact for the Volunteers. The 6-foot 193-pound corner had 44 tackles, four interceptions, and nine pass breakups. Unfortunately, Tennessee will be without McCoy for spring practices after the young corner tore his ACL during an off-season workout. 

McCoy helped lead one of the top defenses in the country in just his sophomore season. The Volunteers only allowed 293 yards per game which was second in the SEC. 

Tennessee has consistently had some of the top talent in the nation and this year was no different with Sampson and McCoy both having outstanding seasons and being named to the ESPN All-American second team. 

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The Tennessee Titans were blessed by the football gods with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Many believe that they will look to fix their quarterback problem with that pick.

Right now, there are two expected options that the Titans will choose from. Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are the only two players receiving the vast majority of the projections fro the team with the top pick.

Ward has gained a slight edge over Sanders in the minds of many. A lot can change, but Ward is trending very well to be the No. 1 pick at this point in time.

That being said, a concerning comparison has been made for Ward that could make Tennessee think twice.

Bleacher Report has dropped a comparison for Ward to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. That clearly is not the best comparison that a potential No. 1 pick could be given.

Obviously, Smith has ended up having a solid NFL career. However, he has been far from a star and if Ward developed like Smith did, it would be another potential setback for the Titans and definitely not worth the No. 1 overall pick.

While it’s a bit of a concerning comparison, Ward put up huge production on the field for the Miami Hurricanes in 2024. He has earned the hype that he has been receiving as an option for Tennessee.

During the 2024 season with Miami, Ward ended up completing 67.2 percent of his pass attempts for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns, and seven interceptoins. He also picked up 204 yards and four more touchdowns on the ground.

Throughout his entire college career, his numbers look even more impressive.

He has finished with 18,187 passing yards, 158 touchdowns, and just 37 interceptions. He also completed 67.2 percent of his passes. In addition to his passing numbers, he had 469 yards and 20 touchdowns with his legs.

That kind of production speaks volumes. Ward was a dynamic quarterback in college and if those skills transfer to the NFL, he would be exactly the quarterback fix that the Titans desperately need.

Hopefully, Tennessee gets this decision right. They have been in quarterback purgatory over the last few years and have to find a franchise quarterback that can lead them back to contention.

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