Today On Rocky Top: Tennessee’s Basketball Mantra
By Zach Ragan
From The Times Free Press
"The message is one Donnie Tyndall has reiterated to his Tennessee basketball team for months.Only now are the Volunteers seeing its importance become tangible.Half of Tennessee’s 12 losses this season have been by eight points or less, and five of the Vols’ seven Southeastern Conference defeats in the last nine games have been close down the stretch, giving credence to Tyndall’s mantra that one play can make all the difference.The hope of the first-year coach is that his young players are beginning to understand it.“I’ve said that from literally our first team meeting the night before school started,” Tyndall said Monday. “One play can be the difference between going to a Final Four. One play can be the difference between getting into the NCAA tournament. One play can be the difference in winning a game.From The Times Free Press"
From The Tennessean
"After back-to-back top-five recruiting classes at Tennessee, it’s safe to say Vols coach Butch Jones is very good at acquiring talent.But it doesn’t hurt that he’s had an inside track because of family connections.And that advantage continues.In 2014, Jones signed five legacy recruits – the sons of former Vols players. It’s quite a collection: Dillon Bates (father Bill Bates), Todd Kelly Jr. (Todd Kelly), Neiko Creamer (Andre Creamer) and twins Evan and Elliot Berry (James Berry).This year, prized defensive lineman signee Kahlil McKenzie is the son of former Vols linebacker Reggie McKenzie.Read more at The Tennessean"
From ESPN
"Holly Warlick found plenty of hope in No. 6 Tennessee’s loss at No. 2 South Carolina.The Lady Vols cut an 11-point lead to 67-66 in the final 20 seconds before falling to the Gamecocks 71-66 on Monday night. It was Tennessee’s second game — and biggest test — since losing 6-foot-3 forward Isabelle Harrison to a season-ending knee ligament tear earlier this month.Warlick said she saw the fight that’s marked Lady Vols basketball for decades and knows that will serve her team well in the season’s most important month.Read more at ESPN"