University of Tennessee Athletics
Thursday, November 24
Paradise Island, Bahamas
1:30 PM
University of Tennessee
vs
Southern Cal
Hoops Central: #22 Tennessee vs. USC
November 24, 2022 | Men's Basketball
The 22nd-ranked Tennessee men's basketball team is set to compete in its second game in as many days in the Bahamas, taking on USC in the Battle 4 Atlantis semifinals Thursday at approximately 1:30 p.m. ET.
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Fans can catch Thursday's game on ESPN2 and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst) will have the call.
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Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Brian Rice and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.
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Tennessee (3-1) defeated Butler Wednesday in its opening game of the Battle 4 Atlantis, 71-45. The Vols outscored the Bulldogs by 21 points during the second half, thanks largely in part to Santiago Vescovi's 13 second-half points. Julian Phillips (11) and Zakai Zeigler (10) also contributed double-figure scoring totals.
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USC (4-1) advanced to Thursday's semifinal matchup against Tennessee by defeating BYU on Wednesday, 82-76.
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Depending on the result of the Vols' Thursday's semifinal game, Tennessee will face either Kansas or Wisconsin on Friday. In result of a win, tip-off for the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. If USC wins Thursday, Tennessee will play at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2 on Friday.
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THE SERIES
• The Big Orange lead their all-time series with Southern Cal, 4-3, dating to 1967. The programs have never met at a neutral site.
• The Vols own a 22-13 all-time record against current members of the Pac-12 Conference. UT fell to Colorado earlier this season.
• Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes owns a 34-24 all-time record vs. current members of the Pac 12, including a 1-3 mark against USC.
• See Page 4 for a recap of the most recent meeting between the Vols and Trojans.
• When Tennessee made its first appearance at the Battle 4 Atlantis in 2013, USC was also in that field under the direction of first-year head coach Andy Enfield. The Vols and Trojans did not meet at that tournament.
• Real talk—when it comes right down to it, is Will Ferrell really that funny?
• Tennessee now owns a 5-2 all-time record at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
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SCOUTING REPORT
• Senior wing Josiah-Jordan James is shooting an SEC-best .526 from 3-point range this season (10 of 19), but he sat out Wednesday's game with left knee soreness. His status for Thursday is questionable.
• Tennessee entered this week's tournament averaging 33.7 3-point attempts per game. But in the win over Butler, the Vols attempted only 15 shots from beyond the arc while racking up a season-best 36 points in the paint.
• According to KenPom, the Vols rank second in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 85.3 points per 100 possessions.
• The Vols have held three of their four opponents this season to worse than 33 percent shooting from the field.
• UT opponents are averaging just 22.8 points in the first half this year.
• Among Division I teams, only Virginia and Xavier have a higher assist rate than Tennessee's 71.7 percent.
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FRIDAY'S FORECAST
• Looking ahead to Friday, Tennessee will face either No. 3 Kansas or Wisconsin.
• Tennessee trails its all-time series with Kansas, 2-4, dating to 2009. The programs have met three times during the Barnes era at Tennessee. Most recently, each team won on its home floor in consecutive SEC/Big 12 Challenge matchups in 2020 and 2021.
• The Volunteers trail their all-time series with Wisconsin, 2-3, dating to 1981. After UT won the first two clashes, in 1981 and 2000, the Badgers have reeled off three straight victories in 2001, 2016 (Maui) and 2019.
• Tennessee Director of Sports Performance Garrett Medenwald (pronounced: MAY-dihn-wald) was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and raised in Green Bay before starring as a two-sport athlete at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
• The Bahamas has been home to its very own version of the mythical Loch Ness Monster since a large sea creature's carcass washed ashore in 1896. The "lusca" has allegedly been spotted near the Blue Hole off Andros, and it's rumored to be more than 75 feet long. The lusca has been described as "half-shark and half-octopus."
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ABOUT SOUTHERN CAL
• USC (4-1) enters Thursday's game against Tennessee coming off an 82-76 win over BYU on Wednesday in its opening game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
• The Trojans and Vols have already faced one common opponent this season. USC fell to Florida Gulf Coast in its season opener, 74-61, while Tennessee defeated the Eagles at home last week, 81-50. The Trojans have won four straight games since dropping their season-opener.
• USC is coached by Andy Enfield, who is in his 10th season as the program's head coach. Enfield was previously the head coach at Florida Gulf Coast when the Eagles made a run to the 2013 Sweet Sixteen as a No. 15 seed.
• USC's leading scorer is senior guard Boogie Ellis, who is in his second season as a Trojan after transferring from Memphis. Averaging 18.0 points per game on the season, Ellis had a career-high-tying 27 points Wednesday in USC's win over BYU.
• Guard Drew Peterson is the Trojan's second-leading scorer (15.8 ppg), leading rebounder (8.2 rpg) and leading assist-maker (7.6 apg). Entering the Battle 4 Atlantis, Peterson ranked seventh in the nation in assists. Like Ellis, Peterson is in his second season at USC after transferring prior to last season. Peterson played three seasons at Rice.
• Ellis and Peterson were both named first-team on the Pac-12's preseason all-conference teams. USC was picked to finish fourth in the conference.
• The Trojans entered the Battle 4 Atlantis ranked third in the nation in blocks per game, thanks in large part to forward Joshua Morgan, who averages 3.4 rejections per game.
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LAST MEETING WITH SOUTHERN CAL
• Southern California head coach Kevin O'Neill guided his unranked Trojans to a 65-64 upset win at 18th-ranked Tennessee on Dec. 21, 2010.
• It completed a home-and-home sweep for USC and O'Neill over the Vols, as the Trojans also defeated the Vols in Los Angeles the previous December. O'Neill was Tennessee's head coach for three seasons from 1994-97 before leaving to take the same position at Northwestern.
• Tennessee was led by one-and-done forward Tobias Harris, who scored 14. Big man Brian Williams added nine points and nine rebounds.
• Maurice Jones led the Trojans with 15 points.
• Donte Smith hit a 3-pointer from the wing over the heads of three Tennessee defenders to give the Trojans a 65-60 lead with 2:13 left.
• Scotty Hopson and Melvin Goins then each made a pair of free throws for the Vols, with Goins cutting the margin to 65-64 with 47 seconds left. UT got the ball back after Jones missed a short jumper with 15 seconds left, but the Vols struggled moving the ball down the floor against USC's press and called a timeout with 3.5 seconds left to set up a play.
• Harris got a deep 3-point shot off as time expired, but it bounced off the rim.
• USC committed 24 fouls—twice as many as Tennessee—and the Vols shot 24 of 29 from the free-throw line.
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SANTI MORE THAN JUST A SNIPER
• Santiago Vescovi last season developed into a much more balanced scorer. During his first two seasons as a Vol, he made just 45 total 2-point field goals. Last season alone, made 43 2-point field goals—many of them layups.
• Through four games, Vescovi—who appears on both the Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy watch lists—has recorded a team-high 14 steals.
MORE INFO
GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO
- Opponent: USC Trojans
- Tipoff:Â Thursday, Nov. 24Â | ~1:30 p.m. ET
- Venue:Â Imperial Arena
- Watch Online:Â ESPN2
- Online: Live Stats
RELATED LINKS
Buy Tickets Game Day Information Follow @Vol_Hoops SEC ClubhouseTENNESSEE
Roster Schedule Stats Game NotesUSC
Roster Schedule Stats Game NotesTHE LATEST FROM THE VOLS
No. 22 Vols Cruise Past Butler With Explosive Second Half, 71-45James, Nkamhoua Lead No. 22 Vols to 81-50 Victory over FGCUNo. 11 Vols Fall to Buffs in Nashville, 78-66Barnes Announces Signing of Four Highly-Rated Class of 2023 ProspectsSecond Half Offense, Stout Defense Surges No. 11 Vols Past Tennessee Tech, 75-43Fans can catch Thursday's game on ESPN2 and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst) will have the call.
Â
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Brian Rice and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.
Â
Tennessee (3-1) defeated Butler Wednesday in its opening game of the Battle 4 Atlantis, 71-45. The Vols outscored the Bulldogs by 21 points during the second half, thanks largely in part to Santiago Vescovi's 13 second-half points. Julian Phillips (11) and Zakai Zeigler (10) also contributed double-figure scoring totals.
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USC (4-1) advanced to Thursday's semifinal matchup against Tennessee by defeating BYU on Wednesday, 82-76.
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Depending on the result of the Vols' Thursday's semifinal game, Tennessee will face either Kansas or Wisconsin on Friday. In result of a win, tip-off for the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. If USC wins Thursday, Tennessee will play at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2 on Friday.
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THE SERIES
• The Big Orange lead their all-time series with Southern Cal, 4-3, dating to 1967. The programs have never met at a neutral site.
• The Vols own a 22-13 all-time record against current members of the Pac-12 Conference. UT fell to Colorado earlier this season.
• Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes owns a 34-24 all-time record vs. current members of the Pac 12, including a 1-3 mark against USC.
• See Page 4 for a recap of the most recent meeting between the Vols and Trojans.
• When Tennessee made its first appearance at the Battle 4 Atlantis in 2013, USC was also in that field under the direction of first-year head coach Andy Enfield. The Vols and Trojans did not meet at that tournament.
• Real talk—when it comes right down to it, is Will Ferrell really that funny?
• Tennessee now owns a 5-2 all-time record at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Â
SCOUTING REPORT
• Senior wing Josiah-Jordan James is shooting an SEC-best .526 from 3-point range this season (10 of 19), but he sat out Wednesday's game with left knee soreness. His status for Thursday is questionable.
• Tennessee entered this week's tournament averaging 33.7 3-point attempts per game. But in the win over Butler, the Vols attempted only 15 shots from beyond the arc while racking up a season-best 36 points in the paint.
• According to KenPom, the Vols rank second in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 85.3 points per 100 possessions.
• The Vols have held three of their four opponents this season to worse than 33 percent shooting from the field.
• UT opponents are averaging just 22.8 points in the first half this year.
• Among Division I teams, only Virginia and Xavier have a higher assist rate than Tennessee's 71.7 percent.
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FRIDAY'S FORECAST
• Looking ahead to Friday, Tennessee will face either No. 3 Kansas or Wisconsin.
• Tennessee trails its all-time series with Kansas, 2-4, dating to 2009. The programs have met three times during the Barnes era at Tennessee. Most recently, each team won on its home floor in consecutive SEC/Big 12 Challenge matchups in 2020 and 2021.
• The Volunteers trail their all-time series with Wisconsin, 2-3, dating to 1981. After UT won the first two clashes, in 1981 and 2000, the Badgers have reeled off three straight victories in 2001, 2016 (Maui) and 2019.
• Tennessee Director of Sports Performance Garrett Medenwald (pronounced: MAY-dihn-wald) was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and raised in Green Bay before starring as a two-sport athlete at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
• The Bahamas has been home to its very own version of the mythical Loch Ness Monster since a large sea creature's carcass washed ashore in 1896. The "lusca" has allegedly been spotted near the Blue Hole off Andros, and it's rumored to be more than 75 feet long. The lusca has been described as "half-shark and half-octopus."
Â
ABOUT SOUTHERN CAL
• USC (4-1) enters Thursday's game against Tennessee coming off an 82-76 win over BYU on Wednesday in its opening game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
• The Trojans and Vols have already faced one common opponent this season. USC fell to Florida Gulf Coast in its season opener, 74-61, while Tennessee defeated the Eagles at home last week, 81-50. The Trojans have won four straight games since dropping their season-opener.
• USC is coached by Andy Enfield, who is in his 10th season as the program's head coach. Enfield was previously the head coach at Florida Gulf Coast when the Eagles made a run to the 2013 Sweet Sixteen as a No. 15 seed.
• USC's leading scorer is senior guard Boogie Ellis, who is in his second season as a Trojan after transferring from Memphis. Averaging 18.0 points per game on the season, Ellis had a career-high-tying 27 points Wednesday in USC's win over BYU.
• Guard Drew Peterson is the Trojan's second-leading scorer (15.8 ppg), leading rebounder (8.2 rpg) and leading assist-maker (7.6 apg). Entering the Battle 4 Atlantis, Peterson ranked seventh in the nation in assists. Like Ellis, Peterson is in his second season at USC after transferring prior to last season. Peterson played three seasons at Rice.
• Ellis and Peterson were both named first-team on the Pac-12's preseason all-conference teams. USC was picked to finish fourth in the conference.
• The Trojans entered the Battle 4 Atlantis ranked third in the nation in blocks per game, thanks in large part to forward Joshua Morgan, who averages 3.4 rejections per game.
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LAST MEETING WITH SOUTHERN CAL
• Southern California head coach Kevin O'Neill guided his unranked Trojans to a 65-64 upset win at 18th-ranked Tennessee on Dec. 21, 2010.
• It completed a home-and-home sweep for USC and O'Neill over the Vols, as the Trojans also defeated the Vols in Los Angeles the previous December. O'Neill was Tennessee's head coach for three seasons from 1994-97 before leaving to take the same position at Northwestern.
• Tennessee was led by one-and-done forward Tobias Harris, who scored 14. Big man Brian Williams added nine points and nine rebounds.
• Maurice Jones led the Trojans with 15 points.
• Donte Smith hit a 3-pointer from the wing over the heads of three Tennessee defenders to give the Trojans a 65-60 lead with 2:13 left.
• Scotty Hopson and Melvin Goins then each made a pair of free throws for the Vols, with Goins cutting the margin to 65-64 with 47 seconds left. UT got the ball back after Jones missed a short jumper with 15 seconds left, but the Vols struggled moving the ball down the floor against USC's press and called a timeout with 3.5 seconds left to set up a play.
• Harris got a deep 3-point shot off as time expired, but it bounced off the rim.
• USC committed 24 fouls—twice as many as Tennessee—and the Vols shot 24 of 29 from the free-throw line.
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SANTI MORE THAN JUST A SNIPER
• Santiago Vescovi last season developed into a much more balanced scorer. During his first two seasons as a Vol, he made just 45 total 2-point field goals. Last season alone, made 43 2-point field goals—many of them layups.
• Through four games, Vescovi—who appears on both the Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy watch lists—has recorded a team-high 14 steals.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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