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HomeSports#6 Tennessee Vols Basketball hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Sunday

#6 Tennessee Vols Basketball hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Sunday

#6 Tennessee Volunteers (5-1) vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (4-3)

Sunday, December 2nd, 2018 | 11:01pm CT
Knoxville, TN | Thompson-Boling Arena

Tennessee Volunteers - UT VolsKnoxville, TN – The Tennessee men’s basketball team will play its final home game of the next two weeks, as the Vols play host to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for the first ever meeting between the two schools at Thompson-Boling Arena Sunday, December 2nd at 11:00pm CT.

SEC Network will broadcast the game, which can also be streamed online through WatchESPN. Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action. Tickets are still available online at AllVols.com.

#6 Tennessee Men's Basketball plays Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Thompson-Boling Arena late Sunday morning. (UT Athletics)
#6 Tennessee Men’s Basketball plays Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Thompson-Boling Arena late Sunday morning. (UT Athletics)

No. 6 Tennessee (5-1) is coming off of a 95-67 victory over Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday night. Four Vols scored in double figures, headlined by a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double from junior forward Grant Williams.
 
Senior guard Admiral Schofield added 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field, while junior Jordan Bone contributed 14 points and seven assists for Tennessee. In his first collegiate start, sophomore guard Yves Pons posted a career-high 10 points.
 
The Vols’ meeting with the Islanders is only Tennessee’s second game ever against a member of the Southland Conference, joining UT’s 79-58 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 22, 1985. Over the course of his career, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes has posted a 17-0 record against Southland Conference opponents.

The Series

This is Tennessee’s first-ever basketball matchup with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Tennessee’s only previous game against a Southland Conference opponent was a 79-58 home win over Southeastern Louisiana on November 22nd, 1985. 

A Win Would

Extend Tennessee’s home win streak to 13 games, dating to last season. It is UT’s longest home win streak during the Barnes era.

Improve UT’s record vs. current members of the Southland Conference to 2-0.

Give Rick Barnes an 18-0 head coaching record against Southland Conference opponents. 

Storylines

A&M-Corpus Christi head coach Willis Wilson was an assistant coach under Josh Pastner at Memphis from 2009-11. During Wilson’s two seasons at Memphis, the Tigers went 49-19 but were 0-2 against Tennessee.

Tennessee has committed fewer turnovers than its opponent in all six games this season.

Grant Williams leads the SEC in scoring (21.5 ppg) and ranks second in field-goal percentage (.597) and rebounding (8.8 rpg).

As a team, Tennessee leads the SEC in 3-point field-goal defense (.275), rebounding (43.5 rpg), assists per game (21.2 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (1.7).

Three Vols rank among the top 10 in the SEC in assist/turnover ratio. Jordan Bone is fourth (2.7), Admiral Schofield ranks sixth (1.7) and Grant Williams is seventh (1.5). 

Layup Lines

According to KenPom, Tennessee ranks in the top 15 in both offensive efficiency (15th) and defensive efficiency (12th).

Tennessee grabbed a season-high 50 rebounds in Wednesday’s win over Eastern Kentucky.

Grant Williams and Jordan Bone both were named to last week’s NIT Season Tip-Off All-Tournament Team.

Williams also was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week.

About Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Meeting for the first time on the hardwood, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi comes to Knoxville returning three of its top five scorers from last season, including junior guard Kareem South (10.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 spg), who started all 29 games a year ago.

Head coach Willis Wilson, who is in his eighth season, signed five junior college or graduate transfers to the roster for this season to help add experience to the roster.

The top signee was forward Jashawn Talton, who was named the North Texas Junior College Athletics Conference Player of the Year last season after posting 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 59 percent from the field. This season, he has started all seven games for the Islanders and is averaging 6.4 point and a team-leading 6.1 rebounds per game.

Sophomore guard Myles Smith is the team’s leading scorer this season with 12.7 ppg on 52 percent shooting (34-of-65). Smith has scored in double figures in each of the last five games, including a pair of 20-point performances.

Junior forward Tony Lewis rounds out the double-digit scorers in his first season with the Islanders. The junior college product has been one of the most well-rounded players this season with 10.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 1.0 bpg. Against UT Rio Grande Valley, he posted a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds to go along with three blocks. 

Hoops Ranked High On Rocky Top

Tennessee joins Iowa as the only schools in the nation whose men’s and women’s basketball teams both are ranked in the AP top 15.

The Vols are ranked sixth in the country, while the Lady Vols are the AP’s 11th-ranked team.

 

Under Barnes, Tennessee Vols Are 25-9 As A Ranked Team

Tennessee has played 34 games as a ranked team (AP poll) under head coach Rick Barnes, and the Vols are 25-9 (.735) in those contests.

Jordon Bone Ranks Among Tennessee Vols’ Best

As a sophomore last year, point guard Jordan Bone posted the second-best single-season assist/turnover ratio in program history (2.818).

The Nashville native’s career assist/turnover ratio would rank as the best in program history (see chart below). He has 220 career assists to just 87 turnovers.

RANK    PLAYER, YEARS                       A/T RATIO
Active   Jordan Bone, 2016-present          2.53
1            Jon Higgins, 1999-2003               2.20
2            Dane Bradshaw, 2003-07            2.144
3            Bobby Maze, 2008-10                  2.142
4            C.J. Watson, 2002-06                  1.820
5            Shane Williams, 1994-96            1.819

Minimum: 2.0 assists per game and 40 games played

Yves Pons Much Improved

Sophomore swingman Yves Pons totaled 17 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in 24 appearances as a true freshman a year ago.

This season, Pons has already logged 25 points, 22 rebounds and six blocks.

The most athletically gifted player on Tennessee’s roster, Pons can guard all five positions and has provided a valuable spark off the bench.

He earned his first career start when the Vols hosted Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 28, and he logged a career-high 10 points in the win.

Six of his 11 made field goals this season are dunks.

 

Home Hoops During The Barnes ERA

The Volunteers own a 40-11 record at Thompson-Boling Arena under the direction of head coach Rick Barnes.

With Barnes on the bench, Tennessee is 18-9 at home against SEC opposition.

The Vols’ current 12-game home win streak is longest of the Barnes era.

Barnes has led the Vols to a 3-3 home record against AP top-25 opponents.

Average Home Attendance During Barnes ERA

Season           Average             NCAA Rank
2015-16         14,233                        17th
2016-17         13,637                        20th
2017-18         16,210                         8th
2018-19         16,069                         7th

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