Tennessee Vols morning report: Rick Barnes recaps Georgia win

While news surrounding Tennessee football’s staff still remains muzzled for some reason, the Tennessee Vols men’s and women’s basketball programs are stealing all the headlines. On the women’s side, it will start today with a trip to the Kentucky Wildcats, the first of four straight games against top 25 teams, three on the road and two straight against top 10 teams.

Our morning update on Rocky Top includes one individual in the women’s program who continues to make the cut for different awards. However, the men’s side has plenty of news too. We’ll cover the postgame of a huge victory for that program that took place Wednesday night.

Beyond basketball, men’s tennis, of all sports, made some news on Wednesday with multiple players in the program being recognized by the SEC. We’ll take a look at who they are. Let’s start, though, with the aftermath of the men’s basketball Wednesday night win.

Rick Barnes, players discuss Georgia win – UTSports

Without Yves Pons, the Tennessee Vols men’s basketball team beat the Georgia Bulldogs Wednesday thanks to all four starting guards scoring double figures with Jaden Springer dropping 30 and a monster dunk from Keon Johnson. Rick Barnes, Springer, Josiah-Jordan James, Santiago Vescovi and UGA head coach Tom Crean spoke after the game. Here’s a bit of what Barnes said.

"“Obviously in the first half a lot of good things, good decisions. I think that the faster we play and stay with it, people will try to slow you down. We want to get out. We want to go. We want to get in the open court. We’ve been talking about it for a long time, and right now they’re looking to do it. When it’s not clicking the way you want it to, that’s where we’ve got to take care of the ball and whatever it is we want to get into—we’ve got different ways we can get into different things—but we have to continue to be aggressive.”"

Rennia Davis makes Wade Trophy Midseason list – WBCA.org

For the third time this week, Tennessee Lady Vols senior Rennia Davis’ name has come up in the conversation of a postseason award. The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association named Davis among the 39 players who are on the Wade Trophy Midseason Watch List.

"The Wade Trophy — now in its 44th year — is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women’s basketball. It is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade, who won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen. First awarded in 1978 by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), now known as SHAPE America, the Wade Trophy has been presented to the WBCA NCAA Division I National Player of the Year since 2001."

Giles Hussey, Johannus Monday recognized by SEC – SECSports

This past weekend, the Tennessee Vols men’s tennis program shut out the Duke Blue Devils and the No. 16 ranked N.C. State Wolfpack. Now, players are getting recognized for it. Graduate student Giles Hussey has been named SEC Co-Player of the Week, and Johannus Monday was named SEC co-Freshman of the Week, winning the award three straight times.

"On Friday against Duke, Hussey and doubles partner Mark Wallner rolled past Duke’s tandem of Michael Heller and Faris Khan, 6-2 to help UT claim the all-important doubles point. On Sunday against NC State, Hussey and Wallner breezed through their doubles match, knocking off the NC State team of Yannai Barkai and Rafa Izquierdo Luque, 6-2.…In singles play, (Monday) picked up a pair of wins in UT’s shutout victories over Duke and NC State. Against Duke, he knocked of Edu Guell, 6-3, 6-3 on court two to put the Vols on the brink of clinching match point. On Sunday against NC State, Monday rolled past Yannai Barkai, 6-4, 6-4, to clinch match point over the No. 16 Wolfpack."