Tennessee Vols morning report: Grant Williams has big day
Tennessee Vols basketball player Grant Williams having a big day and the passing of Pat Summitt’s mom lead our Volunteers news for Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019.
The Tennessee Vols can’t relax. Men’s basketball is No. 1 and desperately trying to hold onto that ranking, while women’s basketball is on a brutal losing streak and doesn’t see it getting any easier in the near future.
All of this leads our morning news on Rocky Top, as those two sports have a ton of things for us to get to. We start with a focus on one player, who is a feature in three different news stories today. But the women’s team has two related stories, one tragic and one previewing an upcoming event.
In a rare day, there is no football news for us to cover. But there is still plenty of topics to discuss, so let’s dive in. We’ll get started with the player who is going to lead all of the coverage in Vol Nation today.
Grant Williams scores 43 as UT beats Vanderbilt – Grant Ramey, GoVols247
The Tennessee Vols men’s basketball team played its first game ranked No. 1 Wednesday night at the Vanderbilt Commodores and had to survive. They won in overtime 88-83 to move to 17-1 and 6-0 in the SEC, while Vandy fell to 9-9 and 0-6 in league play. But the star of the day was Grant Williams, who had 43 points, going 23-of-23 from the free throw line and 10-of-15 from the field with four blocks and eight rebounds. Here’s what Rick Barnes said after the game.
"We weren’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination. At the end of the game, we found a way to make some plays. We have to continue to get better. I thought we got a little bit emotional at times with some of our shots."
Mother of Pat Summitt passes away – WATE
Hazel Head, the mother of Tennessee Lady Vols legendary head coach Pat Summitt, passed away on Wednesday. The Pat Summitt foundation released a statement confirming her death. She was 93 years old.
"Seventh-year Lady Vol head coach Holly Warlick, who became close to Mrs. Head during a UT career that includes playing four seasons as Summitt’s point guard and serving 27 more as Summitt’s assistant and associate head coach, shared her thoughts about someone she knew well and thought of as a family member.“When you look at the life of Ms. Hazel, it’s easy to understand the roots of Pat’s ability as a leader and her ability to connect with people. Ms. Hazel was gracious and kind but always tough and hardworking.”"
Grant Williams named to Naismith Watch List – NaismithTrophy.com
Tennessee Vols basketball forward Grant Williams was named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award midseason Watch List. Williams was one of 15 players named to the list and one of only two from the SEC, the other being Kentucky Wildcats guard Ashton Hagans.
"“Defense makes up a huge part of every win in college basketball, and we’re excited to recognize those who defend the hardwood,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “These players represent on-court toughness and a defensive tenacity that make them worthy of consideration for this award.”"
Chris Lofton praises Grant Williams – Dan Harralson, Volswire.com
Former Tennessee basketball legend Chris Lofton praised Grant Williams after his 43 points against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Wednesday night. Here’s a bit of what he said.
"“He (Williams) made big-time plays down the stretch,” Lofton said. “That is what great players do, put the team on their back when they need to. We are lucky to have him wearing orange.”"
Tennessee Lady Vols to host Notre Dame – UTSports
Riding a five-game losing streak, the Tennessee Lady Vols will look to get back on track somehow against the No. 1 team in the nation Thursday night. At 12-6 and 1-5 in the SEC, Holly Warlick’s team is hosting the 18-1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The game is set for 7 p.m. and will be on ESPN.
"Thursday’s match-up provides a similar scenario to the last time these teams met in Knoxville. On Jan. 16, 2017, an unranked Lady Vols squad toppled No. 6/6 Notre Dame, 71-69, on a jumper by Jaime Nared with just over 10 seconds remaining."