Riding the Razor's Edge
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www.dailypostathenian.com B4 | DAILY POST-ATHENIAN SPORTS | FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 Riding the razor’s edge TWU SPORTS INFORMATION Tennessee Wesleyan’s Ashley Baxter (34) makes a move into the lane against Bluefield on Thursday in James L. Robb Gymnasium. The former McMinn County standout scored 10 points in the Lady Bulldogs’ 61-55 win. SWEEPS: TWU Lady Bulldogs get fi rst victory since restart FROM B1 “We talked about that in practice (Wednesday), and making sure we take care of we felt like we had to get the basketball,” Stone said. some more out of every- “We had two turnovers at body,” Rice said. “I don’t halftime, so we didn’t take think anybody had played POOL | SAUL YOUNG | KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL VIA AP care of the ball too well in as well as they could’ve the Tennessee’s Josiah-Jordan James (5) attempts to score against Arkansas at Thompson-Boling Arena on Wednesday in Knoxville. the second half. There were last two games. But they a lot of unforced turnovers. played well. And I thought I thought we got relaxed on our bench came in and did the offensive end and tried a really good job.” No. 9 Volunteers pulls out nail-biter over Arkansas to make the home-run play Wesleyan was able to keep instead of making the tra- its lead at eight points or BY AL LESAR starting to learn how to play ditional basketball play. But more most of the fourth The Associated Press without 6-foot-7 graduate the guys are playing hard, so quarter, but Bluefield still student Justin Smith. While you’ve got to give a little bit.” stayed in striking distance KNOXVILLE — Josiah- averaging 11.6 points and 7.1 LADY BULLDOGS 61, BLUEFIELD with four 3-pointers in the Jordan James and Victor rebounds, he went down 55: It wasn’t always perfect, period and four free throws Bailey scored 17 points with a high ankle sprain especially on defense, but in the last 3:14. apiece and Tennessee hit a couple of games ago. Wesleyan’s women picked “We just didn’t do a good eight free throws in the He will be out anywhere up their first win of 2021, job of playing defense,” Rice final minute as the No. 9 between two to five weeks. snapping a two-game skid said. “We started fouling Volunteers pulled out a Against Tennessee, they that felt a lot longer than and letting them score with 79-74 victory over Arkan- went big, with Vanover that. the clock stopped. But we sas on Wednesday night. starting in his place. The Lady Bulldogs (3-2, found a way to win, and John Fulkerson scored Tennessee — Alabama’s 3-2) had only played two when you haven’t won in 12 of his 16 points in the victory over the Vols games before the New Year, two months — whether that second half and freshman gave Barnes plenty to both of those in Novem- was two games or 10 games Keon Johnson added 14 for think about. The physical, ber, and had been side- — it seems like forever. So the Vols (8-1, 2-1 Southeast- aggressive style of play by lined for nearly two whole we’re very happy to get the ern Conference). the Crimson Tide has chal- months due to various win.” “(Fulkerson) needed to lenged Tennessee to be bet- COVID-19-related issues. Cherry led TWU with 11 get the ball (in the second ter. After eight games with And when they finally got points, and Wright and Ash- half),” Tennessee coach the same starting lineup, started again, they dropped ley Baxter each contributed Rick Barnes said. “We had freshman Keon Johnson their first two games back 10 points. Madison McClurg to establish our inside-out replaced Victor Bailey as in action, both on the road. pulled down 14 rebounds, game. We had to let every- a starter. But on Thursday, back helping the Lady Bulldogs one else play off (him).” UP NEXT: After just its sec- in James L. Robb Gym- to a 32-30 rebounding edge, Fulkerson scored seven ond road trip of the sea- nasium, TWU scored the and Wright also dished five of Tennessee’s first nine son to play Tennessee, the game’s first seven points assists to lead the team in points of the second half. Razorbacks will return and led 21-11 at the end of that category. About four minutes into the home Saturday to play the first quarter. Bluefield Both Wesleyan teams hit final period the Vols had Georgia. started the second quarter the road Saturday to Ken- erased their seven-point The Vols’ first game away on an 11-0 run, including tucky Christian, with the halftime deficit and tied from Thompson-Boling two 3-pointers, and nudged women tipping off at 2 p.m. the game at 42. Arena was last week when ahead. Two Kaitlyn Strange and the men at 4. “(Early in the second they knocked off unbeaten triples at the end of the first half) we got momentum POOL | RANDY SARTIN | USA TODAY SPORTS VIA AP Missouri. They have two half reversed a 28-26 deficit TENNESSEE WESLEYAN BULLDOGS 77, from what we were run- Tennessee’s John Fulkerson (10) shoots against Arkansas forward straight road trips ahead of into a 32-28 halftime lead for BLUEFIELD RAMS 61 ning,” Fulkerson said. “That Connor Vanover (23) on Wednesday in Knoxville. them, starting with Texas the Lady Bulldogs. BF 19 42 – 61 play was working. We had A&M Saturday. “We got settled in a little TW 41 36 – 77 WESLEYAN (77): Bryant Bernard 25, to keep going to it until ing a four-point play that Musselman said. bit offensively and defen- Jonathan Webb 19, Elisha Mayberry 10, Billy NO. 9 TENNESSEE 79, ARKANSAS 74 they stopped it.” momentarily stole the FIRE DAMAGE: James, a sively,” said Lady Bulldogs Balogun 8, Marquice Fifield 7, Noah Fager 4, Rather than try to shoot moment from Tennessee sophomore who hails from ARKANSAS (9-2): Vanover 5-9 1-1 12, Wil- coach Jeff Rice. “We didn’t Darwin Hubbard 4, Brendon Tyler, Timothy over Arkansas’ 7-foot-3 midway through the sec- Charleston, S.C., is playing liams 3-3 0-0 6, Moody 1-8 3-3 6, Sills 0-1 guard the three particularly Chatman, Matthew Kile, Kole Billingsley 0-0 0, Tate 7-11 0-1 15, Jackson 5-10 1-2 14, BLUEFIELD (61): Stanley Christian 12, Jer- Connor Vanover, the Vols ond half. with a heavy heart. Barnes Notae 7-11 3-3 19, Davis 1-2 0-0 2, Robinson well, but they shot it a little miah Jenkins 11, Brandon Shields 11, Christian adjusted their strategy to Jalen Tate had 15 points, said his home suffered 0-0 0-0 0, Henderson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals better than we expected. We Bullock 10, Trent Dunn 8, Omega Stitt 6, go at him. Not only did Vance Jackson scored 14 extensive damage from a 29-55 8-10 74. expected more of them try- Keyshon Ingram 2, Rob Littlejohn 1 Fulkerson come alive, but and Vanover added 12. fire Saturday. James was ing to drive the basketball Vanover picked up three With just over a min- informed of the incident TENNESSEE (8-1): Fulkerson 6-11 4-6 16, and get to the rim, and they TENNESSEE WESLEYAN LADY BULLDOGS 61, fouls in the first 10 minutes. ute to play, Tennessee led after Tennessee’s loss to James 6-12 3-5 17, Ke.Johnson 4-8 6-6 14, made a few more shots than BLUEFIELD RAMS 55 Vescovi 1-7 2-2 4, Pons 3-6 0-0 6, Bailey 5-9 BF 11 17 9 18 – 55 “Coach Barnes does a 69-61. However, a couple Alabama. 5-6 17, Springer 2-7 0-1 5, Anosike 0-0 0-0 0, we thought they would. So TW 21 11 17 12 – 61 good job with mismatches,” of quick baskets by Notae “Josiah keeps a lot within Plavsic 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-60 20-26 79. you’ve got to give them WESLEYAN (61): Hannah Cherry 11, Jordan Arkansas coach Eric Mus- and a 3-pointer narrowed himself,” Barnes said. “(His credit for that.” Wright 10, Ashley Baxter 10, Cambree Mayo selman said. “Fulkerson the gap. possessions are) all gone. HALF: Arkansas 40-33. 3-POINTERS: Five different Lady Bull- 9, Madison McClurg 6, Kaitlyn Strange 6, Arkansas 8-20 (Jackson 3-6, Notae 2-4, Tate Kathaleen Alomar 3, Alyson Crowder 3, Chloe played like we expected. Musselman wasn’t happy He has handled it well. He’s 1-2, Vanover 1-3, Moody 1-4, Sills 0-1), Ten- dogs — Hannah Cherry, Yearwood 2, Carlie Runyan 1 They put Connor in iso- with the free throw num- such a mature young man. nessee 5-18 (Bailey 2-3, James 2-6, Springer Cambree Mayo, Jordan BLUEFIELD (55): Morgan Wylie 13, Kylie Meadows 11, Tianna Crockett 10, Nialla Curtis lations.” bers. The Razorbacks hit 8 His mother told us to watch 1-2, Ke.Johnson 0-1, Pons 0-2, Vescovi 0-4). Wright, Alyson Crowder and 9, Tiyanna Scott 7, Emily Breeding 4, Shayla REBOUNDS: Arkansas 33 (Jackson 9), Ten- Jamie Notae had just five of 10 while Tennessee con- him because he will hold Kathaleen Alomar — each Spell 1 points in the first half for nected on 20 of 26.