Vanderbilt & Belmont Baseball Game At First Horizon Park Moved Due To Weather

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Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Sounds.

The Vanderbilt and Belmont baseball game, set for Tuesday, March 22, at First Tennessee Park, has been moved to 12 p.m. due to weather concern later in the day.

The game was originally going to start at 6 p.m. in front of local fans and students, but due to the short notice time change and staffing issues, the game will be played behind closed doors with no fans in attendance.

Any and all fans who still want to get a glimpse of the game live, can watch from Third and Home located at 919 3rd Ave. N.

Fans that purchased tickets online for the March 22 game will be automatically refunded within 48 hours. Fans that purchased tickets at the Nashville Sounds Ticket Office or via phone will be contacted by a Sounds ticket representative to either exchange their tickets for the March 29 Vanderbilt vs. Lipscomb game at First Horizon Park or receive a full refund.

The Commodores are currently 17-2 and ranked No. 4 nationally. They haven’t lost a game since their opening weekend when they dropped two wins to Oklahoma State.

Belmont is off to a great start with a record of 14-7. They start conference play against Murray State on April 1.

Belmont Women To Take On Lady Vols After Oregon Upset In First Round Of NCAA Tournament

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Photos: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

For the second straight season, the Belmont women’s basketball team busted brackets, upsetting a No. 5 seed in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. They will now face the Lady Vols in Knoxville.

On Saturday (March 19), the Bruins a No. 12 seed knocked out Pac-12 powerhouse Oregon 73-70 in an intense double overtime win. This was the program’s second-ever March Madness win after beating No. 5 seed Gonzaga in 2021.

It was a back-and-forth battle from these two high-powered teams. The Oregon Ducks have gone to four consecutive Sweet Sixteen’s, but the Bruins, led by coach Bart Brooks, made huge defensive plays late in the game, displaying the team’s toughness and discipline.

“I would say as a team, throughout the year, we have always focused on being tough and being together,” said sophomore Bruin Madison Bartley in a press conference. “Yesterday we really showed the world that we can fight through adversity and we fought through every single overtime that we went through. I think even if we would have went one more, we still would have fought through and won that game. I’m just proud of our team for fighting and sticking through it together.”

It was a huge night for the Bruins sophomore class as Tuti Jones led the Bruins in double figures with 22 points, six rebounds and four steals. Destinee Wells scored 16 points with seven assists, four rebounds and two steals, while Bartley scored eight points and picked up seven rebounds. Senior Conley Chinn played brilliantly, scoring 10 points and leading Belmont as its senior captain.

Belmont senior Jamilyn Kinney with a save that helped solidify the Bruin’s double OT win. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics.

Now the Bruins will face the University of Tennessee in the round of 32 at Thompson-Boling Arena on Monday night (March 21). The Lady Vols are currently ranked No. 18 nationally and earned the No. 4 seed in the tournament. They handled No. 13 seed Buffalo with ease, winning 80-67 on Saturday. Led by junior Jordon Hurston, who averages 16.2 ppg and 9.4 rpg, the Vols may be the toughest opponent Belmont has faced all season.

Tennessee’s team is stacked with some super athletic players, such as Tamri Key who stands at six feet-six inches and averages 10.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, and has blocked an unprecedented 115 shots. Against Buffalo, Key scored 11 points and had 11 rebounds.

“I don’t think Tennessee has a shot blocker, do they? Do they have a good shot blocker? I don’t know. I’m kidding! They have a great shot blocker!” Brooks quipped in a press conference. “There’s a lot of similarities and a lot of differences. Tennessee is one of the best, most disciplined defensive teams that we’ll play against. They do a really good job of making things difficult… I watched a lot of film, and sometimes as a coach when you prepare for these games, you’re just waiting to get struck by lightning and have an epiphany about how we’re going to get it done. But I’m not sure I’m to that place yet.

“We’ve got a lot of stuff in our back pocket that we can use and our normal flow and concepts are going to get us some looks. As we play and as we understand how we’re being guarded in certain scenarios and situations, we’ve got to adjust and be ready to adjust. There’s a lot of different ways that we can attack them, but the biggest part of it is they’re really, really solid at that end of the floor. We’re going to have to work really hard to get shots, and when we get them, we got to make them.”

Belmont student fan section at Thompson-Boling Arena. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics.

The game will be historic, regardless of the result. If Belmont pulls off the win, it will be a massive upset and will be the first time in program history that a team heads to the Sweet Sixteen. If the Lady Vols win, it’ll be their first Round of 32 win in their last four tournament appearances.

“We say all the time that you’re never defending anything in this sport,” Brooks continued. “You’ve got to go take it. No one is going to hand it to you. It’s not going to be given to you. You’ve got to go take it. You’ve got to earn it. That’s the approach that our players have had all year, and as we enter this game, that’s how we’re going to look at it. Everyone handles [the pressure] differently.

“We’ve got an unbelievable baseball coach, Coach [Dave] Jarvis who told me pressure is like unicorns and dragons. Doesn’t exist. It’s not real. It’s in the mind,” he added. “Players and programs handle that differently, but we’ll try to use that to our advantage the best we can.”

Tennessee will take on the Bruins on their home court in Knoxville tonight at 6 p.m. and will be aired on ESPN.

Jordan Wright Leads Vanderbilt To Win Over Belmont In First Round Of NIT

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Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Jordan Wright‘s 24 points led the Commodores to a commanding 82-71 victory over Belmont in front of a loud and rowdy Memorial Gym in the first round of the NIT on Tuesday night (March 15).

The Music City rivals met for the first time since 2017 when the Bruins picked up its first-ever win against Vanderbilt.

This time around, the ‘Dores, led by the play calling from Jerry Stackhouse, overwhelmed a 25-win Belmont team to advance in the tournament.

The Bruins started off hot, hitting 50% of their total shots and shooting 56% from the 3-point line. Belmont hit seven of its first 10 shots, which included all three from behind the arc.

Vandy went down 32-21 with about seven minutes to go in the first half, but would go on a 10-0 run in less than two and half minutes. Quentin Millora-Brown hit the basket at the buzzer to give Vandy a 39-38 lead, its first of the day.

In the second half, there was a lot of back-and-forth scoring, as well as defensive opportunities, giving both teams hope to win and advance.

Belmont was able to keep it close, tying up with about four minutes left in the game. However, the size of Millora-Brown and Liam Roberts, who scored 14 points, just outmatched the Bruins. The Commodores bench also came in clutch, scoring 19 points while Belmont’s bench scored just eight.

Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen Jr. started off slow, but ended up with 10 points and six assists.

Freshman Will Richard led Belmont in scoring with 22 points. He also led the team in rebounds with eight and three blocked shots. Team seniors Grayson Murphy (10 points) and Nick Muszynski (13 points) played well in the first half but struggled to compete against Vanderbilt’s size in the second half.

This was Vanderbilt’s first NIT win since 2015. They now move on to the second round of the NIT and will face the winner of the Dayton vs. Toledo matchup.

The date, time and location of that game are yet to be determined.

Battle For Nashville: Vanderbilt To Host Belmont In NIT Opener

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Pictured (L-R): Nick Muszynski and Scotty Pippen Jr.

For the first time in five years, Belmont and Vanderbilt will play each other at Memorial Gym on Tuesday, March 15 after both teams were selected in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

This will be the first time the two programs will play each other since 2017 when the Bruins beat the Commodores 69-60 at the Curb Event Center.

“We are excited about the opportunity to continue our season in the NIT,” says Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse. “Our players have competed at a high level throughout the season and we are thankful that the selection committee has extended an invitation to our program. We are looking forward to more games together on the court starting Tuesday in Memorial.”

Vanderbilt finished its season extremely strong with wins against Georgia and Florida in the SEC Tournament. The ‘Dores lost in the quarterfinals to Kentucky in a nail-biter with a final score of 77-71.

Junior All-Conference player Scotty Pippen Jr. has been the star of Vanderbilt’s season. Throughout his college career, he has scored 1,507 points and is 14th on Vanderbilt’s all-time scoring list. This season Pippen Jr. averaged 20.2 ppg, assisted 142 buckets and shot for 42% in the field.

Belmont had another successful season, winning 25 games with a OVC record of 15-3. Belmont struggled a bit this year, failing to hold its own against nationally ranked Murray State who blew out the Bruins in both of their meetings. Belmont ended its season losing to Morehead State in the OVC Tournament semifinals 53-51.

The Bruins were led by four graduate students, including Nick Muszynski and Grayson Murphy. Junior Ben Sheppard had a breakout year, averaging 16.4 and shot 38% from the 3-point line. Muszynski also had a good year offensively, averaging 15.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg and blocking 51 shots.

Vanderbilt currently holds a 4-0 record when playing Belmont at home. The Commodores are the No. 4 seed and will host Belmont on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN2.

Belmont Women’s Basketball To Face Off Against Oregon In NCAA Tournament

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Pictured: The Belmont Women’s Basketball celebrating its selection into the NCAA tournament during a party at Belmont University. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

The Belmont women’s basketball team is headed to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 12 seed and will play No. 5 seed Oregon in Knoxville on Saturday, March 19.

This is the seventh NCAA Tournament appearance that the Bruins have made it to the dance and the sixth in seven years. The team had another immaculate season, finishing 22-7 and winning the OVC Tournament Title with ease.

This year marks the third time and second consecutive season Belmont has earned a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins upset fifth-seeded and 14th-ranked Gonzaga 64-59 in the 2021 NCAA Tournament First Round, becoming the first OVC program to win a NCAA Tournament game since 1990.

The Bruins, led by 2022 OVC Coach of the Year Bart Brooks, are an extremely talented team. Sophomore Destinee Wells won OVC Tournament MVP for the second consecutive year after scoring 22 points in two games. Wells averaged 16.6 ppg, 129 assists, and shot 75% from the free-throw line. She was key for Belmont when they beat Gonzaga in March Madness last year, scoring 25 points.

Along with Wells, sophomores Tutti Jones and Madison Bartley will be major factors in the game. Jones, who was named 2022 OVC Defensive Player of the Year, dominated in conference play this year averaging 11 ppg, 4.3 rpg, and stole the ball 81 times.

Bartley had a breakthrough season being named to the OVC All-First Team. She averaged 11.7 ppg, 5 rpg and blocked 49 shots. She was second on the team in field goals made and shot for 52%.

Oregon finished the season with a record of 20-11 and went 11-6 in Pac-12 Conference play. The Ducks went on to lose to sixth-seeded Utah 80-73 in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals.

This will be the first time the two programs will face each other, but Belmont is no stranger to Power-5 opponents.

Over the past years, Brooks has been determined to schedule extremely tough non-conference teams to help prepare the Bruins for the NCAA Tournament–such asGeorgia Tech, Arkansas, Louisville, Kentucky and NC State, just to name a few. This method proved victorious when the Bruins knocked out Gonzaga in 2021.

Belmont will play Oregon at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are available now and can be purchased through the University of Tennessee’s website.

Vanderbilt Football Promotes Nick Howell To Defensive Coordinator

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Nick Howell. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt head football coach Clark Lea has announced the promotion of Nick Howell to defensive coordinator.

Howell was hired in January as the team’s defensive backs coach after spending the previous six seasons as the defensive coordinator at Virginia. During his time there, the Cavaliers received a bowl bid in four seasons, highlighted by an ACC Coastal championship and Orange Bowl invitation in 2019.

“Nick brings a wealth of experience in the role of defensive coordinator, but more importantly, he is skilled at building an environment to drive the style of defense we want to see at Vanderbilt,” says Lea. “Nick will be an excellent culture builder for us and he has already started building relationships with our men. I’m excited to have Nick leading our defense and we’re looking forward to watching the unit progress under his direction.”

In his first two seasons at Virginia, the Cavaliers produced three first-team All-ACC selections in Quin Blanding, ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year Brenton Nelson and Juan Thornhill. Linebacker Micah Kiser won the Campbell Trophy after leading the ACC in tackles for a third straight season.

Prior to his time with UVA, Howell spent nine seasons at BYU, rising up the ranks from defensive intern to defensive coordinator and helping the Cougars to eight bowl games. Howell’s final BYU defense in 2015 ranked sixth nationally in sacks per game, while his 2014 unit finished 20th nationally in rushing defense.

Howell got his coaching start at the high school level, serving as head coach and defensive coordinator at three Utah high schools before being hired at BYU. He graduated from Weber State in 2005 and received a master’s degree from the University of Phoenix in 2007.

The Commodores open the regular season Aug. 27, at Hawai’i before the home slate begins Sept. 3 against Elon.

Press Kit: A Confident Vanderbilt Team Gears Up For SEC Tournament

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Scotty Pippen Jr. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

After having one of its most successful seasons in recent years, the Vanderbilt men’s basketball team now prepares to make some noise in the upcoming SEC Tournament in Tampa, Florida.

Superstar junior Scotty Pippen Jr., who was recently named to the First Team All-SEC, has led the team in scoring with 20.5 ppg, steals with 61 and assists with 127. He decided to return to Vanderbilt after contemplating entering the NBA Draft at the end of the 2020-21 season.

The Commodores, who hold the No. 11 seed, will take on bottom seeded Georgia who has had an abysmal season, winning only once since Dec. 22. Vandy beat Ole Miss 63-61 to finish the season after dropping three straight games against SEC opponents.

However, their record doesn’t properly represent the real threat this team can be in the SEC Tournament.

Vanderbilt dropped those three games to Alabama, Mississippi State and Florida, losing all contests by five points or less. The ‘Dores also lost to Tennessee twice, the first time by eight and the second time by nine. Both times, Vanderbilt kept the games close until the Vols ran away with it at the end.

This Vandy team, led by head coach Jerry Stackhouse, has a lot to prove and is due for a major win, especially with Pippen most likely leaving at the end of the season.

“I think we’re in a good spot. We know that we had some great opportunities that we didn’t handle well down the stretch ourselves. We could easily be in a different situation,” Stackhouse shared in a virtual press conference. “If you think of not only the earlier games that we had an opportunity to win, but just those three in a row there, that changes where we are tremendously. We start talking about 18-20 wins. That’s a different conversation for postseason and things like that, especially in our league and how tough it’s been this year. 

“For us it’s just about focusing on the stuff within the game and not getting so much into the next game or the next opponent, but just trying to handle our business on a possession to possession basis,” he adds.

Along with Pippen, Jordan Wright will be a key playmaker for the Commodores. Wright averaged 11.7 ppg, with 45 steals and 6.3 rpg–the most on the team.

Defense will be key if Vanderbilt plans to make a run in the tournament and will need major defensive performances from Wright and Quentin Millora-Brown. Millora-Brown had 16 steals, 32 blocks and averaged 5.7 rpg this season for Commodore.

Vandy has one of its best teams in over five years and is built around a strong core of juniors and seniors. This may be their last chance to make some noise and win a few conference tournament games before their college careers are over.

“We’re going to go with our older guys. We’re going to go with our guys that have been around. That’s the hierarchy around here,” Stackhouse said. “This is the time where you count on your older guys and try to go out and get every game you can get.”

Vanderbilt faces Georgia tonight (March 9) at 7 p.m. CT. The winner of the matchup will then play Alabama on Thursday. The Crimson Tide recently dropped out of the AP Top 25.

The winner of that game will then face nationally ranked No. 5 Kentucky in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 11.

Vanderbilt’s Toby Wilt, David Williams II Join Class Of 2022 TN Sports Hall of Fame Inductees

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The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame has announced Vanderbilt University’s Toby Wilt and the late David Williams II as the final inductees of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

Wilt, a football player and golfer at Vanderbilt, lettered from 1963-1965 as a running back on the Commodores football team before joining the Vanderbilt golf team. The Illinois native represented Vanderbilt at the SEC Championships during his senior season.

In 1991, Wilt co-founded the Golf Club of Tennessee in Kingston Springs, and in 1998 co-founded the Music City Bowl. However, Wilt may be best known for his role at the Masters’ Golf Tournament, serving as the official starter at the first tee since 2018.

Williams was the first Black athletics director in the SEC and the first Black Vice-Chancellor at Vanderbilt. During Williams’ 15 seasons overseeing Vanderbilt Athletics, the Commodores won 4 National Championships in baseball, bowling, and women’s tennis. He joined the Law faculty in 2000 when he began working in Vanderbilt administration as a vice-chancellor, general counsel, and secretary of the University.

In 2002, student affairs were added to his responsibilities, followed by Athletics in 2003. Over the final 13 years of his tenure, Vanderbilt student-athletes earned a cumulative 3.0 GPA every year. Williams announced his retirement in 2018 and unexpectedly passed away on Feb. 8, 2019.

“We’re thrilled to be able to honor two representatives of Vanderbilt University whose contributions will live on for generations,” says Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. “Their respective places in the Class of 2022 finalize our group of 12 inductees, and we are excited to honor them this July.”

Wilt and Williams join Titans star defensive end Jevon Kearse; Maryville College coaching legend Randy Lambert; Sharrieffa Barksdale, R.A. Dickey, Harry Galbreath, Nikki McCray-Penson, and Tony White from the University of Tennessee; Nashville Predators star David Legwand; Memphis football standout Artis Hicks; and Trevecca basketball legend David Suddeth as members of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Induction Banquet, presented by the Tennessee Titans, will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Information regarding tables and individual tickets can be found at the Hall’s website.