Rick Barnes and Phillip Fulmer speaking on the Tennessee Vols basketball program leads our Volunteers news for Wednesday, April 17, 2019.
Spring practice and basketball season may be over, but that doesn’t stop a ton of news from happening surrounding the Tennessee Vols. Such was the case Tuesday, as there was plenty of news based on quotes from some people and personnel in other sports.
Our morning update on Rocky Top leads with Phillip Fulmer and Rick Barnes both talking about Barnes’s decision to stay with UT over the UCLA Bruins. There’s also some bittersweet women’s basketball news as well.
Then we have a softball recognition to cover along with baseball and softball recaps. Our final recap is of a golf tournament. Simply put, it’s still a huge news day in Knoxville, proving that nothing ever slows down. Let’s start with the revealing quotes from Fulmer and Barnes.
Rick Barnes admits buyout hangup kept him UCLA – Grant Ramey, GoVols247
Tennessee Vols men’s basketball head coach Rick Barnes admitted in a press conference on Tuesday that he would have taken the UCLA Bruins job if not for the buyout hangup. He also hinted the hangup was a sign that he was supposed to stay at UT. Here’s a bit of what he said.
"“To be honest with you, it got down to a lot praying went into it, I can tell you that. There was a lot going on. When you get down to a situation like that, it has to make sense from a financial standpoint. It does have to. The bottom line is we just really couldn’t work it out with the buyout.”"
Phillip Fulmer talks about Rick Barnes staying – Dan Harralson, VolsWire.com
Tennessee Vols Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer also issued a statement Tuesday on Rick Barnes’s decision to stay with Tennessee basketball over the UCLA Bruins. He discussed the process of keeping Barnes in Knoxville. Here’s a bit of what he said.
"“Having a person that has made the impact in our community, not just on the basketball court and what they’ve done, but what Rick Barnes has done in the community and the way he goes about his business has made us all proud. The great thing is that we are keeping him here, and that is an exciting thing in itself.”"
Lady Vols lose one transfer but return a player – Gene Henley, Times Free Press
The Tennessee women’s basketball team will indeed lose star guard Evina Westbrook to transfer. However, senior forward Lou Brown was granted a sixth year of eligibility.
"Brown missed last season, her first with the program after graduating and transferring from Washington State, due to a knee injury. She will immediately become the most experienced player on the roster."
Kaitlin Parsons named SEC Freshman of the Week – SECSports
Tennessee softball designated player and infielder Kaitlin Parsons was named SEC Freshman of the Week after helping the top 10 ranked Lady Vols sweep the Mississippi State Bulldogs over the weekend. In that series, she batted .571.
"Parsons tallied four runs scored, four RBI, three walks and a stolen base vs. the Bulldogs. On the week, she owned a .857 slugging percentage and a .700 on-base percentage."
Tennessee baseball wins midweek game – UTSports
The No. 22 ranked Tennessee Vols baseball team defeated the Morehead State Eagles 3-1 on Tuesday to improve to 27-11 overall. Morehead State, meanwhile, fell to 24-14. With the win, the Vols closed out a nine-game home stand. Up next for them is a three game series on the road against the Kentucky Wildcats.
"The Vol’s pitching staff held the Eagles – who entered the game ranked in the top 20 nationally batting average, hits and runs scored – to just one run on five hits. Camden Sewell got the starting nod for the second time this season and threw five solid innings to improve to 3-0 on the year."
Tennessee softball shuts out ETSU – UT Daily Beacon
The No. 9/8 Tennessee Lady Vols softball team defeated the East Tennessee State Buccaneers on the road Tuesday 11-0 behind two grand slams from Haley Bearden and a combined no-hitter from Ashley Rogers, who got the win, and Matty Moss. With the victory, they moved to 33-8 while ETSU fell to 17-20-2. Up next for them is a three-game road trip against the Georgia Bulldogs.
"Rogers threw 3.0 innings, where she allowed only one hitter to reach base from a walk and shutout the rest. She was able to strike out eight of 10 batters she faced, and out of her 43 pitches, 30 were strikes. Rogers in now 16-2 for the season. Moss came in to relieve Rogers in the fourth inning, throwing 19 pitches to finish the game."
Men’s golf finishes outside top 10 at Shoal Creek Invitational – GolfStat.com
The No. 22 ranked Tennessee Vols men’s golf team finished No. 11 in its final tournament of the regular season at the Shoal Creek Invitational with a score of 32-over par. Hunter Wolcott, their leader, finished tied for No. 14 with a 2-over par score. Four SEC teams, the Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 1, the LSU Tigers at No. 2, the Kentucky Wildcats at No. 4 and the Auburn Tigers at No. 6, finished ahead of the Vols.