Tennessee

VolReport – Rick Barnes’ halftime decision paid off for Vols in win over Missouri

Published

2 years ago

February 21, 2024

VolReport – Rick Barnes’ halftime decision paid off for Vols in win over Missouri

Moments after Tennessee played perhaps its worst half of basketball all season, Rick Barnes contemplated making a change to the lineup.

The No. 5 Vols were on the ropes against the SEC’s last place Missouri Tigers at Mizzou Arena Tuesday night, trailing by three at halftime as a result of uncharacteristic turnovers and several scoring droughts.

Barnes’ decision, made after looking over the stat sheet, didn’t just help Tennessee avoid a disastrous upsetâIt completely changed the trajectory of the game, turning a deficit into a double-digit lead more than halfway through en route to a 72-67 victory that kept the Vols well within reach of a conference title.

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It started with moving away from Tennessee’s smaller lineup, which was coming off one of the most productive outings of the season three days before against Vanderbilt, and putting the game in the hands of its bigs.

Forwards Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka were dominant in the paint in the second half and while superstar guard Dalton Knecht got the offense rolling with 13 minutes left, it was their presence that made the difference.

“I told the team at halftime, I went down by the numbers and I said, ‘How about letting (Aidoo and Awaka) play a little bit? You know, let’s get them involved,’” Barnes said. “And they did…I thought both guys were playing with force.”

Aidoo scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, further proving himself as one of the top forwards in the league, but Awaka’s performance was the headliner.

Though Awaka was expected to make a significant jump this season after an impressive freshman campaign a year ago, seeing extended minutes on the floor has been hard to come by because of foul trouble.

Awaka played 22 minutes, the most he has recorded in a conference game this season. He totaled a career and game-high 18 points on 75% shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Key takeaways: Knecht is why the Vols are poised for a successful March

When Tennessee entered the locker room at the intermission, it was losing on the boards, 22-20 while shooting just 30% from the field. By the time the buzzer sounded, the Vols held a 39-34 edge in rebounds and shot more than 55%.

“I obviously wasn’t happy with the fact that the way we were playing offense (in the first half), everything that we talked about. We lost our poise again where everybody’s trying to go one-on-one,” Barnes said. “We didn’t know where shots were coming from. And if you don’t know where shots were coming from, because we weren’t executing and what we’re supposed to do, we’re not in position to rebound the ball…

“First half, I thought (Missouri) beat us on all the 50-50 balls. And the second half, we came out, fought forward. The post guys got it done for us tonight.”

The efforts of Aidoo and Awaka provided Knecht with a strong supporting cast as he put on another second half spectacular, turning just two first half pointsâboth free throwsâinto a 17-point showing.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Tennessee basketball uses second half to down Missouri on the road

After Missouri took its largest lead to that point at six points in the early-going of the period, Aidoo kept Tennessee within striking distance with a layup. An Awaka jumper helped the Vols withstand another Tigers run a few minutes later.

Then Knecht started to take over.

He started with a jumper, his first field goal of the night, with 13 minutes, 18 seconds left and then followed it up with a 3-pointer. Knecht put Tennessee ahead for good with a layup with just over 10 minutes to go.

That lead swelled to 11âTennessee’s largest at that pointâwith four minutes left off an Awaka dunk. It was the exclamation point on a career night that couldn’t have come at a better time.

“(Knecht) got going. I mean, that’s what he does,” Barnes said. “…And we got two big guys in there, let those guys come and make a play.”

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Tennessee

Memphis voters file federal lawsuit against new congressional map, claiming discrimination: ‘White control over Tennessee politics’

Published

27 minutes ago

May 12, 2026

Press Room

Memphis voters file federal lawsuit against new congressional map, claiming discrimination: ‘White control over Tennessee politics’

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WSMV) – Three Memphis voters, through the American Civil Liberties Union, have filed a federal lawsuit against Tennessee leaders, claiming the state’s new congressional maps are discriminating against Black voters.

The ACLU announced the lawsuit on Monday, saying that three organizations — the Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis, the Memphis A. Philip Randolph Institute and the Equity Alliance, are also part of the lawsuit that was filed against Sec. of State Tre Hargett, Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins and several others.

“In May 2026, over the course of mere days, a White-dominated supermajority of the Tennessee General Assembly redrew Tennessee’s congressional map to crack the predominantly Black city of Memphis into three pieces and destroy the only district in which Black voters are able to elect representatives of their choice, shutting Black voters completely out of power in federal elections in Tennessee,” the filing states.

The ACLU and the other plaintiffs echo arguments made by Democrats while the maps were being debated during last week’s special session: “The cracking of Memphis unlawfully targeted Black voters.”

“The new plan carves through the center of Tennessee’s second largest city, dividing neighborhoods that have voted together for decades, splitting numerous counties and precincts, and cutting the Black population into thirds with suspect precision,” the lawsuit says. “The districts then run hundreds of miles east towards the Nashville suburbs, snaking through predominantly White and rural counties to dilute the voting power of now-divided Black Memphians.”

Gov. Bill Lee signed the new congressional map into law last week. The new map splits Shelby County, home of Memphis, into three districts.

Republicans have said the map modernizes the districting process and removes “racial data from the mapmaking process entirely.” Democrats, on the other hand, say that the move is meant to dismantle the Black-majority district.

Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton (R) told WSMV that Republicans “have been very clear” on their intention to secure a ninth Republican seat in the state. He has said the map would help “ensure the state’s representation in Washington reflects its conservative values.”

The lawsuit draws significant attention to the racial makeup of Tennessee lawmakers, describing, “White control over Tennessee politics.” Plaintiffs allege that a white majority “faction” of state leaders “gave bizarre, robotic answers to the most basic questions about the map they were sponsoring.”

“None of the sponsors of the plan would admit who actually drew it, and the lead Senate sponsor—a White legislator with over a decade of service in the Tennessee General Assembly who had attended law school in Memphis — would not say whether Memphis was predominantly Black and claimed not to know that Congressional District 9 was a majority- Black district,” the filing says.

They seem to be referencing Sen. John Stevens (R-Huntingdon), who was asked during the special session if he was aware that the majority of the residents in the ninth district are Black.

“I’m not aware,” he responded. “I know how the map is divided, but I don’t know the racial makeup of the map.”

Stevens got his juris doctorate from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

The three Memphis residents who took part in the lawsuit are Amber Sherman, a lifelong resident of Memphis and the lead Tennessee regional organizer for Black Voters Matter Fund, Rachael Spriggs, a Memphis resident for more than 20 years who is the director of Power Building for the Equity Alliance, and Kermit Moore, a nearly lifelong resident of Memphis who is the president of the Memphis A. Philip Randolph Institute.

The lawsuit claims intentional discrimination in violation of the 14th and 15th Amendments, as well as retaliation for protected expression and association in violation of the First Amendment.

Plaintiffs are asking the court to declare that the newly drawn map is unconstitutional and restore district lines before primary elections proceed.

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Tennessee

New Tennessee law allows K9 officers to be transported by helicopter, ambulance to vet

Published

13 hours ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

New Tennessee law allows K9 officers to be transported by helicopter, ambulance to vet

Tennessee State Senators Michele Reneau of Signal Mountain and Bo Watson of Hixson spoke today about the new law supporting police K-9’s.

The act allows injured dogs to get stabilization services on-site and then be transported via ambulance or helicopter to a vet hospital.

“In the past, officers were basically putting the k9 in their car and transporting them in their in their own vehicle, they didn’t have an ambulance or an air ambulance,” said Senator Watson. “This allows for an air ambulance. It also allows for a educational program for those in EMS, who will be taught how to manage canines emergency medical condition, which is different than a human’s.”

In April, Erlanger flew a K9 officer from Clay County, to North Carolina.

It was the first time the program was used for a live transport after several training runs.

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Tennessee

What You Need to Know About Tennessee Softball’s Path to Another WCWS | Rocky Top Insider

Published

1 day ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

What You Need to Know About Tennessee Softball’s Path to Another WCWS | Rocky Top Insider

Tennessee softball’s path back to the Women’s College World Series is set. On Sunday night, the Lady Vols were named the No. 7 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament and will host the regional stage in Knoxville as it looks to return to the WCWS in back-to-back seasons.

The Lady Vols are matched up with Virginia, Indiana and Northern Kentucky in the regionals. It would play Georgia, Clemson, UNC Greensboro or Charleston in the super regionals.

Ahead of the tournament, here’s a look at each team in the Knoxville Regional and potential matchups for the ensuing best-of-three super regional if Tennessee advances.