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PAGE 6A October 2023 PAGE 7 February 2024
Vols Remain in Top 10 SEC Tournament Set for March 13-17
By Myra W. Pierce The Sports Ledger The University of Tennessee basketball team has succeeded in making its way into the Top 10 for the ninth consecutive week. According to a press release on Monday, February 12 from the Volunteers athletic department, “the nine-week AP top 10 streak is tied for the fifth-longest in Tennessee history, matching a mark from the 1967-68 campaign.” Additionally, “the Volunteers have now been featured in 53 straight AP Polls, the third-longest streak in America behind just Houston (79) and Kansas (58). That figure is also 16 weeks longer than the previous program record of 37.” Earlier this year, I had a chance to visit Thompson- Boling Arena in Knoxville to see for myself what makes this year’s Tennessee team so impressive. To start with, the fans for the Alabama game on January 20 were dressed in all orange and with snow and ice on the ground outside, Rocky Top looked like an orange creamsicle. However, none of that bothered the players. The Vols heated up fast and rolled past the visiting Crimson Tide 91-71.
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Western Kentucky earned a 70-59 win over Jacksonville State on Saturday, February 10, 2024. The loss was the first at home for the Gamecocks (12-13, 4-6 CUSA) since January 20. In two regular season meetings, the Hilltoppers (17-7, 6-4 CUSA) came back from halftime deficits to upend Jax State. KyKy Tandy's (#24) 13 points and Juwan Perdue's 10 points for the Gamecocks were not enough to match WKU's Don McHenry, who had 24 in the win for the Hilltoppers. Tandy finished 4-of-17 from the field and made the only three-pointer of the night for the Gamecocks. Jax State finished 1-for-14 from beyond the arc, nearly having their first game without a made three-pointer since 2019. Jax State falls to WKU
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Tennessee's Dalton Knecht (#3) blocks this shot by Alabama's Rylan Griffen on Saturday, January 20, 2024, The visiting Crimson Tide could not compete with the Vols, as Tennessee ran away with the game from start to finish and defeated Alabama 91-71. Knecht led the Vols with 25 points, four rebounds and two assists in the win. Tennessee Topples Alabama
Knecht scored 22 points in an 85-69 loss at Texas A&M and 22 points in a 92-63 win over Arkansas. The Volunteers are 19-6 overall and 9-3 in the SEC. With six SEC games left before the SEC tournament, Tennessee should reach the 20-win mark this season and have at least 10 or more wins in regular season conference action.
The men’s tournament is set for March 13-17 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. The SEC had five teams SEC in the top 25 for the second week in a row. The other SEC teams making the list on February 12, 2024 were No. 11 South Carolina, No. 13/12 Auburn, No. 15 Alabama and No. 22/20 Kentucky.
Fifth year guard Dalton Knecht is the real deal and he showed out against Alabama scoring 25 points. He also had four rebounds and two assists in the win. In more recent action, Knecht had 27 points, seven rebounds, a career-high six assists, three blocks and two steals to help the Vols earn an 88-68 victory over LSU on Feb. 7.
Snead clinches No. 1 seed in ACCC Tournament
Winners of their last six games, the Snead State Men’s Basketball Team has officially clinched a No. 1 Seed in the upcoming ACCC Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Parsons (20-6, 12- 1) have only lost one game since the holiday break, winning 10 out of 11 games since the new year. Most recently, on Monday night, Feb. 12, the Parsons rolled past Chattahoochee Valley 71-67 for Homecoming. “I’m very happy with how our team has been playing,” said Parsons Head Coach Jeremiah Patterson. “We’ve had a few long road trips, but our team has responded well for those.” Sophomore Donte Bacchus leads the conference in scoring with an average of 22.5 points per game. Sophomore Mario Andrews leads the conference in rebounding with 13.3 rebounds per game. Sophomore Maalik Leitch leads the conference with 6.1 assists per game. “Our team is leading the ACCC in assists per game and rebounds per game, which is two of our goals to win each game,” Patterson said. “We’re also leading in 3-point percentage, which means they are being unselfish and getting their
teammates great shots. We just hope to keep playing great basketball heading into the tournament.” Following a trio of games against Lurleen B. Wallace (Thursday, Feb. 15; AWAY), Enterprise State (Monday, Feb. 19; HOME/ Sophomore Night) and Marion Military Institute (Thursday, Feb. 22; HOME) to close out the regular season, the ACCC Men’s Basketball Tournament for Division II will be Feb. 29-March 2, hosted by Bishop State. The Parsons have a chance to repeat as champions of the ACCC. Last year, Snead defeated Coastal Alabama-South in overtime to capture the crown and earn a bid to the NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. This season, however, will be a bit different because the Parsons moved to Division II. Winner of the ACCC Division II Tournament will face-off against the winner of the Sun-Lakes Conference (a four-team, Division II league in Florida) on March 9 at Bay Minette (Coastal Alabama South) for a spot in the NJCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Tournament in Danville, Illinois.
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Snead State Sophomore Chantzley Kirkland, from Brindlee Mountain High School, finds an open lane during the Lady Parsons homecoming game against Chattahoochee Valley Community College on, February 12, 2024. Snead State lost the game 51-46 to fall to 5-18 overall on the season. Following the homecoming loss, the Lady Parsons only had two games left on the 2024 schedule. Homecoming Loss
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
The Snead State Men's Basketball team picked up its 20th win of the season with a thrilling 71-67 homecoming victory over Chattahoochee Valley Community College on February 12, 2024. With the win, Snead State moved to 20-6 overall. Following the homecoming victory, Donte Bacchus (#5) and the Parsons only have three games remaining on the 2024 regular season schedule. Twenty Win Season
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Moody blocked the Boaz Pirates from a trip to the Northeast Regionals with a 47-38 sub- state victory on Friday, February 9, 2024. Moody's Emma Kile (#2) also blocked this shot by McKenzie Garcia in the sub-state match-up. Boaz Falls in Sub-State
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