Tennessee
Women's basketball Bracket Watch: What seed does Tennessee deserve?
(Editor’s note: This is part of the Bracket Central Series, an inside look at the run-up to the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.)
After a whirlwind week across conference postseason play, we’re on the eve of the official Selection Sunday bracket reveal. If that doesn’t have you ready to run through a wall, man, I have no idea what will.
Ivy Madness has lived up to the hype, Penn and Harvard giving Princeton and Columbia a run for their money. Louisiana Tech had Middle Tennessee on the back foot much of the game until the Raiders pulled away late. Maine, one of my favorite mid-majors, waltzed into its first tournament appearance since 2019 and third under coach Amy Vachon. Top-seeded Hawaii fell to UC Davis in the Big West tournament, advancing the Aggies to a championship meeting against UC Irvine. A win for the Anteaters would push them to their first NCAA Tournament since 1995.
Across every corner and region of basketball, history is being made and excitement is rising. March is in full swing.
| Last four in | First four out | Next four out | Last four byes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Marquette |
Columbia |
Saint Joseph’s |
UNLV |
|
Texas A&M |
Mississippi State |
Villanova |
Michigan |
|
Arizona |
Washington State |
VCU |
Vanderbilt |
|
Miami |
Penn State |
Washington |
Auburn |
Multi-bid conferences
| Conference | Bids |
|---|---|
|
ACC |
9 |
|
SEC |
8 |
|
Big Ten |
7 |
|
Big 12 |
7 |
|
Pac-12 |
7 |
|
Big East |
3 |
|
WCC |
2 |
Impaction of MACtion?
Ball State and Toledo combined for a 33-3 record in the MAC, and they split the season series. The Cardinals’ only loss outside of Toledo in the MAC came on the road in overtime to Northern Illinois.
Then March happened. Instead of the expected showdown in the MAC tournament finals between the Cardinals and Rockets, upsets set a new stage. In Friday’s MAC tournament semifinals, Buffalo took down Toledo and Kent State shocked Ball State.
Buffalo and Kent State will tip off at 11 a.m. (ET) Saturday for the MAC tournament title in Cleveland (home of this season’s Final Four). As has been said many times, many ways, this is March!
The Golden Flashes have been successful under coach Todd Starkey, finishing with a winning record in seven of his eight seasons, including two regular-season MAC championships. They’re one game away from making the Big Dance for the first time since 2002. Buffalo, on the other hand, has made the NCAA Tournament four times in the last decade, enjoying the school’s best run with Felisha Legette-Jack (now Syracuse’s head coach). Becky Burke is in her second year leading the Bulls and is on the brink of her first tournament appearance.
How does the unexpected impact the bracket?
Unfortunately for Ball State and Toledo, they’re both a decent ways down the pecking order from an at-large bid. Regardless of what happens the rest of the way in conference tournament play, I’d safely say that both are likely WNIT bound. Similarly to how I explained Lamar’s case, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Ball State and Toledo put together tremendous seasons in the history of each school. But this is just part of the brutality of March.
Though I don’t expect the MAC to become a two-bid league, it does have a sizable impact in pushing some teams up a seed line. Neither Kent State nor Buffalo has the same level of resume as Ball State or Toledo. Rather than the No. 12 seed that’s been projected from the MAC, I would envision either team on the No. 14 seed line, and Fairfield moving to the last No. 12 seed.
What’s Tennessee’s ceiling?
Tennessee is one of the harder teams to project in this year’s field. Injuries significantly impacted the Lady Vols early: Transfer point guard Destinee Wells suffered a season-ending knee injury 10 games into the season, and star forward Rickea Jackson missed eight games with a lower leg injury.
How will the selection committee factor injuries into Tennessee’s slower start? The Lady Vols endured a 4-4 stretch with Jackson out of the lineup, including losses to Indiana, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Middle Tennessee.
It’s worth noting that was one of the toughest nonconference stretches anyone played in the country: Tennessee finished 11th in the country in nonconference strength of schedule and first in overall strength of schedule.
Tennessee played the best team in the country, South Carolina, tighter than just about anyone this season. The Lady Vols finished within 11 points twice in the regular season and were a 10-second stretch away from winning in the SEC tournament semifinals. Their win against Oklahoma early in the season stands out as a signature win from an overarching perspective, and blowing out Alabama in the SEC tournament to avenge one of their earlier losses goes a long way.
The Lady Vols don’t necessarily have the same level of quality wins as higher-seeded teams, but how much stock gets put into their play as they closed the year and found a groove? Given that teams in a similar range all have marquee wins against top-flight opponents, it feels difficult to move Tennessee ahead. Watching that game against South Carolina, Tennessee looked like a team capable of hosting in the tournament. That SEC tournament run seemed much stronger to me than a No. 8 seed, but Tennessee’s resume still is what it is, and it feels like a bit of a gray area to start projecting with the eye test.
I’m curious how the selection committee handles Tennessee as a case study because with respect to balancing the bracket, finding the right place to put the Lady Vols is challenging.
Seed list
| Seed | Team | Automatic qualifier | Lock |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
South Carolina |
AQ |
Yes |
|
2 |
USC |
AQ |
Yes |
|
3 |
Iowa |
AQ |
Yes |
|
4 |
Stanford |
||
|
5 |
Texas |
AQ |
Yes |
|
6 |
UCLA |
||
|
7 |
Ohio State |
||
|
8 |
LSU |
||
|
9 |
Notre Dame |
AQ |
Yes |
|
10 |
NC State |
||
|
11 |
UConn |
AQ |
Yes |
|
12 |
Oregon State |
||
|
13 |
Virginia Tech |
||
|
14 |
Indiana |
||
|
15 |
Colorado |
||
|
16 |
Kansas State |
||
|
17 |
Gonzaga |
||
|
18 |
Oklahoma |
||
|
19 |
Utah |
||
|
20 |
Syracuse |
||
|
21 |
Baylor |
||
|
22 |
Ole Miss |
||
|
23 |
Louisville |
||
|
24 |
West Virginia |
||
|
25 |
Duke |
||
|
26 |
Creighton |
||
|
27 |
Florida State |
||
|
28 |
Iowa State |
||
|
29 |
Nebraska |
||
|
30 |
Tennessee |
||
|
31 |
Michigan State |
||
|
32 |
Princeton |
AQ |
|
|
33 |
North Carolina |
||
|
34 |
Alabama |
||
|
35 |
Kansas |
||
|
36 |
Maryland |
||
|
37 |
UNLV |
AQ |
Yes |
|
38 |
Michigan |
||
|
39 |
Vanderbilt |
||
|
40 |
Auburn |
||
|
41 |
Marquette |
||
|
42 |
Texas A&M |
||
|
43 |
Arizona |
||
|
44 |
Miami |
||
|
45 |
Green Bay |
AQ |
Yes |
|
46 |
Middle Tennessee |
AQ |
|
|
47 |
Drake |
AQ |
|
|
48 |
Richmond |
AQ |
Yes |
|
49 |
FGCU |
AQ |
|
|
50 |
Fairfield |
AQ |
|
|
51 |
South Dakota State |
AQ |
Yes |
|
52 |
Marshall |
AQ |
Yes |
|
53 |
Eastern Washington |
AQ |
Yes |
|
54 |
Jackson State |
AQ |
|
|
55 |
Chattanooga |
AQ |
Yes |
|
56 |
Stony Brook |
AQ |
|
|
57 |
Maine |
AQ |
Yes |
|
58 |
Rice |
AQ |
Yes |
|
59 |
Kent State |
AQ |
|
|
60 |
Norfolk State |
AQ |
|
|
61 |
Cal Baptist |
AQ |
|
|
62 |
Portland |
AQ |
Yes |
|
63 |
UC Irvine |
AQ |
Yes |
|
64 |
Texas A&M-CC |
AQ |
Yes |
|
65 |
Holy Cross |
AQ |
|
|
66 |
Presbyterian |
AQ |
Yes |
|
67 |
Sacred Heart |
AQ |
|
|
68 |
Tennessee Martin |
AQ |
Yes |
The Bracket Central series is part of a partnership with E*TRADE.
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Kellie Harper and Tennessee: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images)
Tennessee
Tennessee State men’s hockey cancels 2026-27 inaugural season for second straight year
Tennessee State men’s hockey has once again canceled its inaugural season.
The first ever ice hockey team at an historically Black, public university was expected to begin play in 2025-26, but the season was canceled due to a fundraising shortfall. Now, the team has canceled its 2026-27 season according to a source with knowledge of the situation who wished to remain anonymous because the news is not public.
The Tennessean reached out to Tennessee State president Dwayne Tucker, who decline to comment on the situation.
The Tennessee State’s men’s hockey website does not have a schedule, roster, or any team events listed on its website. The site’s most recent update was July 10 of last year, an announcement about the 2025-26 season cancellation. Requests for additional information about the hockey team have gone unanswered.
This delay in the start of the men’s hockey team comes three years after the team’s inception was announced at Bridgestone Arena ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft. The Nashville Predators and NHL were instrumental in bringing a team to Tennessee State, and a representative with the Predators confirmed that support is ongoing.
While the 2025-26 cancellation followed unrest about the school’s financial situation, it’s unclear if this year’s cancellation is for the same reason or if its related to the school’s recent turmoil in the athletic department.
In May, six coaches gave a vote of no confidence for Tennessee State’s athletic director Mikki Allen. A letter to Dwayne Tucker on May 29 expressed concern about the “current direction, leadership, communication, and operational management of the athletic department” under Allen.
Men’s hockey coach Duante Abercrombie was not among the six coaches mentioned in the letter.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. He never uses artificial intelligence when developing or drafting stories. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
Tennessee
TN Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for July 8, 2026
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 8 drawing
12-29-37-43-55, Powerball: 18, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from July 8 drawing
17-26-31-32-37, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 8 drawing
Morning: 5-0-7, Wild: 6
Midday: 9-0-5, Wild: 8
Evening: 4-7-3, Wild: 3
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 8 drawing
Morning: 1-9-3-7, Wild: 4
Midday: 0-0-0-8, Wild: 3
Evening: 8-0-5-3, Wild: 1
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from July 8 drawing
07-14-15-18-29
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from July 8 drawing
01-02-06-13-27, Bonus: 03
Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from July 8 drawing
06-27-33-44-69, Powerball: 23
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 8 drawing
16-18-43-48-50, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Tennessee
Data centers driving up Tennessee power bills, report finds
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Home power bills are feeling the impact of data centers opening across Tennessee communities, according to a new report from ThinkTennessee.
Researchers found electricity usage has increased by more than 7.2 times over the past five years as data centers opened in the Tennessee Valley region. Areas with data centers saw average power bills rise more than the state average, but the increase was not distributed evenly among customers in those areas.
“Tennessee’s data center growth is arriving faster than the rules designed to manage that growth,” research director Chris Candelaria said. “Our report isn’t saying whether data centers are good or bad. Instead, we’re trying to highlight the issues that communities and policymakers need to know about.”
Residential customers hit harder than businesses
Residential customers in communities with data centers saw their bills jump 3.2 percent, to an average of $149 a month, between 2023 and 2024, the report found.
During that same period, commercial customers, including data centers themselves, saw their bills slightly decrease. By comparison, the statewide average power bill over the same period increased 1.3 percent.
Candelaria said the findings are tied directly to where the data centers are located and signal what may be ahead for the rest of the state.
“Residents seeing these higher prices and that’s associated with where the data centers are located,” Candelaria said. “We know that the data centers are coming, and the report’s really just forecasting that this situation may play out in more places across the state. This is an issue that city and community leaders will need to address directly.”
He said the trend warrants close attention, but stopped short of drawing firm conclusions in their report based on the data analyzed.
Tennessee emerges as a data center hub
The report, titled “Powering the Boom,” describes Tennessee as an emerging data center market that has likely not yet seen the full scale of potential growth. For roughly 15 years, the state’s electricity consumption was essentially flat or declining before the current surge began around 2020.
Data center facilities planned, operating or under construction in Tennessee represent approximately 2,177 megawatts of demand capacity which is roughly equivalent to powering more than 1.3 million homes for a year. Those facilities are concentrated in and around Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville.
Grid strain, costly outages a concern
Candelaria said the study drew on data from across the country to examine how data centers are already affecting communities and what Middle Tennessee should plan for.
“As we get requests for more data centers, there’s an issue with how is that going to affect our current grid infrastructure? This is the key question,” Candelaria said. “We also provide in the report some studies from other states. If you over-strain the system, what does that mean? Well, it could lead to costly outages. We’re just trying to think strategically.”
Alex Kardokus is among the more than 500,000 people who signed a petition against a proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo. He said his concerns have since expanded to the broader impact data centers could have across the city after learning about this report.
“NES, we don’t want that (bill) to go higher because it’s already expensive in Nashville. Don’t want that to be a raising,” Kardokus said.
Policy seen as key to managing growth
Candelaria said policies, including data center zoning restrictions Metro Council is currently working on, will be key to protecting families from further cost increases. He said the decisions made now will shape whether the growth benefits or burdens Tennessee residents.
“The policy choices that we make now on pricing and grid planning will determine whether that growth is going to strengthen the state’s economy or whether that’s going to shift costs onto everyday households,” Candelaria said.
He added that the situation requires a balancing act, as data centers also bring jobs and economic opportunities to the communities where they operate.
ThinkTennessee said a second installment of the “Powering the Boom” series is expected to lay out policy options aimed at protecting ratepayers while the sector continues to grow.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
-
Tennessee3 minutes agoTennessee State men’s hockey cancels 2026-27 inaugural season for second straight year
-
Texas8 minutes agoTed Cruz warns Talarico has ‘real chance’ to flip Texas’ U.S. Senate seat
-
Utah15 minutes agoMan suspected in 2006 Utah murder left suicide note in Las Vegas jail cell: police
-
Vermont18 minutes agoOUTDOOR ACCESS FOR DISABLED IN VERMONT
-
Virginia23 minutes ago4 indicted in Virginia double homicide; second victim ID’d as grandmother of 6
-
Washington30 minutes agoWashington Commanders are retiring Hall of Famer John Riggins’ No. 44
-
Wisconsin33 minutes ago
Wisconsin State Patrol rides with truck and bus drivers to spot violations in five areas
-
West Virginia38 minutes agoWest Virginia town fires entire police force after chief resigns, sergeant alleges evidence room break-in