The Vols pitcher will face an automatic multi-game suspension which is likely to be two games since Doyle was in the game as a relief pitcher at the time of his ejection The suspension for a starting pitcher is four games Auburn's Bristol Carter attempted to steal home on the Vols in 11th inning in a 4-4 game on May 4 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium threw to catcher Cannon Peebles and the Vols got Carter in a rundown Doyle tagged Carter out at home and the pair exchanged words leading to home plate umpire Javerro January jumping between the two The benches partially cleared as players and coaches stepped in to prevent the situation from escalating "I pat myself on the back and everybody else for keeping composure because our best player got thrown out of the game in an elimination situation for exchanging words with a guy," said Vols coach Tony Vitello, who was ejected in the fifth inning of the series finale these guys that are out there between the lines should probably get to say some things to each other and probably should be granted that right," Vitello said FASTBALL: How Liam Doyle's fastball makes Tennessee's ace college baseball's top strikeout pitcher four of their past five and three home series in the same season for the first time in Vitello's eight seasons Doyle is the first Tennessee player ejected since Blake Burke was tossed in the fifth inning against Illinois on March 10 2.39 ERA) would be on schedule to throw the series opener between No 14-10) on May 9 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium if he receives a two-game suspension He would have served the suspension by not pitching in the series finale against Auburn or against Indiana State on May 6 He threw one inning in the series opener May 2 before it was suspended because of inclement weather The Vols went on to lose that game 6-1 when it was completed May 3 The second game of the series was also suspended due to weather and Doyle entered in the 10th inning as a reliever AUBURN — Auburn baseball continues to play well taking two of three at then Top-10 Tennessee over the weekend Butch Thompson and Co. are now 33-15 overall and 13-11 in the SEC. The Tigers have won six of the eight conference series played, and has won eight of their last 10 conference series dating back to last season. Auburn is the only team in the league with eight series wins in their last 10. Auburn is the only team in the league to win eight of its last 10 SEC series. All this success has culminated in another jump in various rankings. RPI: No. 4 (Georgia, Texas and Vanderbilt are one, two and three from the SEC, with Arkansas at five)Perfect Game: No. 8 (Georgia, Arkansas, Texas and LSU ahead)D1 Baseball: No. 8 (Texas, LSU, Georgia and Arkansas ahead)Baseball America: No. 5 (Georgia, Texas and Arkansas ahead) Auburn is seventh in the SEC standings. Texas is first at 19-5, but was just swept at Arkansas, who is 17-7. LSU and Georgia are both 15-9, Tennessee and Vanderbilt are 14-10, with Auburn, Oklahoma, Alabama and Ole Miss sitting at 13-11. The Tigers’ record is deceiving with six of the 11 losses to two different No. 1 teams on the road — Georgia and Texas. If Auburn could have won at least one game in those series, they would be sitting in third place. Up next is a home series against South Carolina this weekend, who sits at 5-19 in league play. Auburn then travels to Ole Miss for a three-game series before the SEC Tournament. How good was the Tigers’ performance this past weekend in Knoxville? Auburn held Tennessee to one run in two of three games played. The Volunteers had only been held to one run on one other occasion this season entering the weekend. And in the third game, Auburn only allowed five runs in 11 innings. The two home runs hit by Tennessee were the second fewest hit in a series this season, trailing just the one hit at LSU last weekend. On the flip side, six Auburn players hit .300 or better in the three games in Knoxville and seven drove in a run in the series. The Tigers also did not commit an error in 101 chances at Tennessee. Ike Irish, Chris Rembert, Christian Chatterton and Sam Dutton were fantastic. Irish hit .444 with five RBIs and six runs scored in the series. He’s hitting .435 in SEC road series. Rembert hit .417 with five runs scored against the Vols. He’s hitting .471 during his current eight-game hit streak. The freshman Chatterton threw three scoreless innings in the Sunday finale against Tennessee, facing just one batter over the minimum and retiring 26 of the 29 batters faced. He was 2-0 in two starts on the week, throwing six scoreless innings against Samford on Tuesday, while striking out 10. Top 101Shane BeamerPuts NCAA on blast Hot3Trump By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein. And then there’s Dutton, who threw 6.2 innings against the Vols, giving up four hits, walking none and striking out eight. He retired the first 13 batters he faced. Dutton ranks top 10 in the league in all three categories in league games only – ERA (2.83), innings pitched (47.2), strikeouts (53). The six SEC series wins this season are already tied for the most since winning seven of 10 SEC series in 2017. The series at Tennessee marked Auburn’s fifth against a top-10 team in the last six weekends. The team’s 33-15 overall record is the best through 48 games since going 34-14 in 2018. The 13-11 mark in SEC play is tied for the best through eight weeks since 2017 (14-10). Tuesday’s win vs. Samford was the team’s fifth shutout of the season, the most since also turning in five shutouts in the shortened 2020 season. It also marked the sixth time this season the Tigers held the opponents to two hits. The team’s 1.78 ERA was just 0.03 points shy of the best in the league for the week – Georgia turned in a 1.75 ERA in four games against Kennesaw State and Missouri. Auburn walked just nine batters in 35.1 innings pitched for the week, the second fewest by a team that played four games. The weekend marked the team’s third road series win against a top-10 team in Thompson’s tenure – 2017 at No. 7 Mississippi State (Apr. 28-29) and 2023 at No. 2 South Carolina (Apr. 28-30). The seven runs scored were four fewer than the Volunteers had scored in any other series this season. The team’s 2.39 ERA at Tennessee surpassed the LSU series (2.67) for the best in a SEC series since registering a 1.33 ERA in a three-game sweep of Tennessee to start the 2019 conference season. The Auburn pitching staff has held the opponent to four runs or fewer in nine of the last 15 games. Auburn enters the week No. 4 in the RPI with the No. 2 strength of schedule. AUBURN -- Auburn baseball continues its rise up the rankings after a monster 4-0 week. The Tigers (26-10, 9-6) beat ranked Georgia Tech on the road... AUBURN -- Auburn baseball had two players selected in the MLB Draft on Monday. Pitchers Chase Allsup and Tanner Bauman heard their names called.... AUBURN -- Auburn baseball is receiving very good news, as first baseman Cooper McMurray has decided to return for one more season, he tells Auburn... One of the best pitchers and overall players in the entire college baseball transfer portal is planning a visit to Auburn. More on the news inside...... Auburn landed their fourth transfer commitment of the offseason, as a former Creighton pitching standout pledged to the Tigers following a two-day... Auburn has landed a commitment from a big-time freshman transfer outfielder from East Carolina. More on the Freshman All-American inside...... Auburn has landed a commitment from a talented transfer pitcher from LSU. More on the addition inside...... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – Chase Allsup pitched a gem, Auburn batted around in consecutive six-run innings and Hayden Murphy... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – Aided by two late sparking defensive plays from second baseman Caden Green, Tanner Bauman and Will... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics COLUMBIA, Mo. – Auburn secured its first Southeastern Conference series win with a 9-7 victory in the series... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics ATLANTA – Auburn recorded five defensive runs saved and hit three homers in a 7-2 win at Georgia Tech Tuesday,... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – In a back-and-forth series finale, Auburn scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – John Armstrong retired 10 straight batters and Cade Belyeu made a highlight-reel catch but Ole... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn sent the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning but ultimately dropped the... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics STARKVILLE, Miss. – Auburn dropped both games of Sunday’s doubleheader at Dudy Noble Field by a combined three... STARKVILLE, Miss. – Auburn jumped out to a lead in the top of the third but was shutout for the final six frames in an 8-1 loss to Mississippi... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn jumped out to an eight-run lead in the first inning and ultimately defeated Georgia Tech... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – After the offenses traded blows in the first two innings, Auburn’s bullpen duo of Carson Myers and... AUBURN, Ala. – No. 17 Auburn used a six-run sixth inning to comeback from a four-run deficit and defeat No. 1 Arkansas 8-6 in the series finale... AUBURN, Ala. – No. 13 Auburn turned in season highs in runs and hits and scored in every inning in a 24-5 run-rule victory to win the series... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – Mason Maners hit a walk-off homer to start the bottom of the ninth inning and lift No. 13 Auburn to... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – Behind three more homers at the plate and another strong midweek effort on the mound, No. 13 Auburn... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – Ike Irish turned in his first career multi-homer game to lead No. 14 Auburn to an 8-2 win against... Courtesy of Auburn Athletics AUBURN, Ala. – No. 14 Auburn split Saturday’s doubleheader vs. UConn, winning game one 8-1 before falling 8-4 in... Hot3Trump, Saban blastedNIL order ripped On3 is a registered trademark of On3 Media highlighting the top 200 NFL prospects ahead of this college football season Although Auburn hasn’t had a player drafted in the first round since 2020 (Noah Igbinoghene/Derrick Brown) edge rusher Keldrick Faulk is listed as PPF’s No.16 prospect Fellow Tiger Connor Lew also cracked the list Faulk, an incoming junior, has been effective since arriving on Auburn’s campus as a true freshman. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound pass rusher started in 12 games last season, finishing the year with seven sacks (top 10 in SEC) 11 tackles-for-loss and 45 combined tackles racking up 35 tackles and one sack while being named to the All-SEC Freshman team Last season, Faulk earned an 83.8 player grade from PFF, which would make him the second-highest-graded returning edge rusher in the SEC another player who has started since their true freshman season has been incredibly reliable throughout his first couple of years with the Tigers The incoming junior started every game last season, finishing the year as PFF’s 20th-best center Lew gave up just one sack and only nine pressures making the All-SEC Freshman team after not allowing a single sack through 181 snaps The Tigers kick off their season on Friday TYLER CARMONA The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Since head coach Hugh Freeze got to Auburn in 2023, he’s been looking for a long-term solution at quarterback to lead the Tigers offense. Now, the hope is that they’ve found that answer in transfer Jackson Arnold Freeze shared that he’s excited about Arnold his development has been something that coaches at Auburn noticed since he landed with the program “Really excited about Jackson,” Hugh Freeze said on The Paul Finebaum Show. “I thought he and Deuce [Knight] was we were able to just – we only had those two guys here so they got all the reps and I think that was a good thing Coming out of high school, Jackson Arnold was one of the most highly-touted recruits in the country. A five-star recruit in the Class of 2023 he was the eighth-ranked player overall and the fourth-ranked quarterback in that recruiting cycle Initially attending Oklahoma, Arnold flashed his talent at times. Other times, however, his youth and need to develop did stand out. Benched at one point during the 2024 season, Arnold completed 62.6 percent of his passes in 10 games for 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns to three interceptions. He also rushed for 444 yards and three touchdowns. Hugh Freeze stopped short of declaring Jackson Arnold Auburn’s starting quarterback. However, it’s clear he’s put himself in a good position moving forward. This spring, Jackson Arnold did miss Auburn’s A-Day Game while dealing with injury concerns. It was a minor leg injury that he suffered shortly before the spring game and Hugh Freeze made the decision not to play him because of it. However, that was mostly precautionary. On3’s Sam Gillenwater contributed to this article. Maine (WGME) -- The Auburn Police Department says three teens were arrested as part of an armed robbery on Lake Street early Sunday morning a 17-year-old boy reportedly told police he had been threatened with a gun and knife and robbed of his clothing The boy reportedly told police he ran from those who robbed him being chased with the weapons from the apartment building where it happened spotting the teens later charged with robbery on the second floor Auburn Police say they called backup from the Maine State Police Tactical Team and other local authorities After a standoff lasting "several hours," nine people aged 13 to 21 left the building leaving only one 17-year-old boy with a gun who refused to leave and the tactical team went into the apartment The 17-year-old allegedly jumped from the second-story window and was arrested Police say the entire incident lasted almost 10 hours Three teens have been charged with the following: Two of the teens were reportedly on juvenile probation and house arrest Police say all three were taken to Long Creek Youth Development Center The rest were reportedly questioned and not charged The Auburn Police Department says they'd like to thank "Lewiston Police Department the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office and the Maine State Police for their assistance we thank the residents of the Lake Street neighborhood for their patience and understanding during this incident." Maine (WGME) -- Lewiston has announced the theme for its upcoming Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival: Star Wars They are calling it "The Rise of the Balloons," unveiling the theme on May 4th the unofficial but widely recognized Star Wars day The annual festival will be held from August 15 to August 17 Tethered balloon rides will reportedly make a return "[The festival] is about stepping into the magic and thrill while supporting our community For decades this festival showcases the best of Lewiston-Auburn during the peak of Maine summer," said Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival committee member Mell Hamlin Also read: Ogunquit's first lobster bite challenge crowns Clay Hill Farm as top lobster dish creator After dropping the final two games in the series at South Carolina the Crimson Tide ended up as the 10-seed in the 2025 SEC Tournament and will face 15-seed Auburn in the opening round on Tuesday at Jack Turner Softball Stadium in Athens This will be the first time the Crimson Tide and Tigers have faced this season and first meeting in the SEC tournament since 2018 As with any tournament setting (especially with summer weather in the south) the start time of no game is guaranteed Weather delays are can happen at any point or a game early in the day can go into extra innings causing the rest of the schedule to be delayed Alabama and Auburn are scheduled to play on Tuesday 35 minutes after the conclusion of the game between No which will be 35 minutes after the conclusion of the opening game between No This means Alabama will likely play somewhere around 6 p.m CT but it will be dependent on the results of the other games The winner will play 7-seed South Carolina on Wednesday Here's everything else you need to know about the Crimson Tide's opening game of the SEC tournament Radio: The Crimson Tide Sports Network on 100.1 FM in Tuscaloosa with Tom Canterbury and Gray Robertson on the call Game 3 defeat to the Gamecocks clinched 10th place in the SEC for the Crimson Tide Had just one SEC game gone the other way for the Crimson Tide (36-20 they would have ended up with an above .500 record in the SEC It’s a résumé bullet point for the NCAA Selection Committee to take note of Alabama would have gotten a first round bye in the SEC Tournament the Tide will play last place Auburn who has not much left to play for other than a chance to ruin their bitter big brother sisters’ hopes for Regional hosting duties At 31-21 overall and 6-18 in the conference the Tigers know that they probably need to make some noise in the SECT just for a fleeting hope of making the NCAAT The exact starting time for Alabama-Auburn is undetermined as it will start 35 minutes following Game 2 Should Alabama get by the 15-seeded War Eagles they will get a rematch with 7-seed South Carolina on Wednesday around 6:30pm/7:30pm Survive that and the opponent will be well-rested 2-seed Texas A&M on Thursday around the same time The first three rounds will air on the SEC Network it was more than swapping culinary delights he does remember one of their coaches from another football life Texas native became acquainted with defensive coordinator DJ Durkin It was that connection that prompted the linebacker to stay in the SEC but switch teams While not a measurable trait that you can quantify, loyalty is the currency of the successful. Durkin banked on his bond with Atkins to bring him to the program when he could have probably started at a slew of Group of Five schools.  Yet, he took his chances at an SEC school that never guaranteed him a starting spot. Instead, any reps that the transfer sees will be the by-product of hard work.  With just seven college games played and zero starts, the term "blank canvas" feels inadequate. As a result, Atkins will need to make his bones in subpackages and special teams in order to touch the field early in his career. While nickel and dime coverage fit his 6-foot-0 athletic profile, special teams will open eyes as well. Atkins, a linebacker with a sprinter’s past, lends itself to a special teams demon that bears down on kick returners.  Stars don't necessarily have to be starters right away. They can be role players that excel in their niche. to claim the series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium Sunday afternoon 13-11 SEC) fell in extra innings in the resumption of game two earlier in the day but bounced back to win their sixth SEC series this season The Tigers have won eight of their last 10 conference series dating back to last season and are the only team in the league to accomplish the feat “We competed like we won all three, if I can keep them away from the result,” head coach Butch Thompson said it just seems like every challenge that can come our way we’ve had it and have always just said ‘good’ If we just continue to keep our head down we can gain something from two really well played games.” After Chatterton turned in 3.0 scoreless innings in his second start of the week Fisher made his first relief appearance of the season and recorded the final 12 outs of the game to earn his first save “I had a feeling I’d go in this game,” Fisher said just try to throw everything as hard as I could in the strike zone but this game I just felt free and that I could throw the ball wherever I wanted to.” Offensively, the Tigers used big innings with a four-run third and three-run fifth to cruise to the series-clinching win. Four players in the lineup collected multiple hits, while Lucas Steele drove in a game-high three runs “It’s huge,” Steele said of the production up and down the lineup “A lineup is put together for a specific purpose We’re doing a great job working as a team and getting guys on so other guys can knock them in who turned in 6.0 scoreless innings against Samford Tuesday faced one batter over the minimum in his 3.0 innings of work and has now not allowed an earned run in his last 20.1 innings pitched The freshman worked a clean first inning before a leadoff single in the second was erased on a lineout double play Chatterton retired Tennessee in order with a pair of strikeouts in the third and turned in over to Fisher making his first relief appearance of the season in the fourth Fisher struck out designated hitter Levi Clark looking to strand a pair of runners in scoring position and maintain a 4-0 lead The Tigers added three more runs on three hits and three walks. Steele and Eric Guevara drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks with one out and Fralick came through with a two-out single to right field to extend the lead to seven 14-10 SEC) got on the scoreboard with a solo home run with one out in the fifth After entering the weekend with 100 home runs on the season it marked just the team’s second solo home run of the series Auburn answered Tennessee’s run with a RBI single from Steele in the seventh marking his third RBI of the game to cap off the scoring in the contest Fisher shook off the solo shot in the fifth and retired seven of the last nine batters he faced The game ended with Rembert snagging a softly-hit lineout at second and firing to first to double off the baserunner game two was resumed from Saturday with the score tied Auburn’s defense made two potential game-saving plays in the bottom of the 10th. Bub Terrell threw out a runner trying to go from first to third on a single to left for the first out and Snow made a diving stab and throw from third base to end the inning with a runner stranded in scoring position Bristol Carter hit a two-out double in the top of the 11th and Tennessee intentionally walked Rembert Carter stole third and attempted to steal home on a 2-2 count but was out at the plate to end the inning The Volunteers started the bottom of the inning with back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt moved them both into scoring position Auburn intentionally walked Levi Clark to load the bases and pinch-hitter Chris Newsome hit a walk-off single past a drawn in infield to win the game and even the series The Tigers return home for final exams next week before hosting South Carolina (26-22 5-18 SEC) in the final home weekend of the regular season KNOXVILLE, TN - Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello definitely put on a show for the fans in attendance on Sunday afternoon in Knoxville as the Vols finished their three-game series against Auburn.  All of this stemmed from an interesting few days for the umpire crew who were certainly not consistent with their strike zone this has been the case with college baseball in the SEC from the start of conference play but Sunday was a tipping point for the Tennessee head coach.  Tennessee pitcher Brayden Krenzel walked in a run which came right after the first base umpire missed what looked like an easy check-swing call The Vols coach decided to make a trip around the infield making sure each umpire heard what he had to say about what he thought had been an inconsistent weekend Vitello started with home-plate umpire John Brammer then made his way over to third-base umpire Javerro January before finally stopping at second-base umpire Ben Levin.  It should be noted that Auburn was leading 6-0 when Tony Vitello decided to come at the umpires which came after a bases-loaded walk.  The frustration for the Tennessee head coach started Friday night when he decided to start the game in what was seemingly a tropical storm After Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle finished up his time on the mound in the first inning Auburn coach Butch Thompson challenged the field conditions which is when the umpires decided to delay the game.  "The home institution's Athletics Director (or his/her deisgnee) shall have the authority to determine whether a contest should be temporarily delayed until a later time on the same date or another time on another date within the scheduled series the decision to suspend play is the responsibility of the umpires."  it falls on Tennessee for starting the game That is when Auburn head coach Butch Thompson decided to nudge the umpires a bit to delay the contest Tennessee ended up losing the first game on Saturday but Auburn won the series by dominating the Vols on Sunday afternoon in a 7-inning game.  I'm sure we will hear the reasoning for him going off on the umpire crew but it doesn’t take an expert to figure out why he was upset.  we are certainly on the ‘Road To Omaha’ for the college world series.  You are agreeing to OutKick's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy DISCLAIMER: This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting. Gambling related content is not intended for anyone under the age of 21. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Benches cleared in the top of the 11th between Tennessee baseball and Auburn and Vols pitcher Liam Doyle was ejected on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium Auburn's Bristol Carter attempted to steal home where he was tagged out in a rundown by Doyle to end the inning The pair appeared to exchange words and the benches partially cleared Home plate umpire Javerro January quickly got between Carter and Doyle Both teams' coaches corralled players back to the dugouts to avoid any escalation Vols coach Tony Vitello and Auburn coach Butch Thompson had brief conversations with the umpires The Vols won 5-4 in the bottom of the 11th on a walk-off single from pinch-hitter Chris Newstrom who snuck a seeing-eye single past a diving shortstop Eric Snow and into center field UT loaded the bases in the 11th with a pair of singles from Andrew Fischer and Hunter Ensley Dalton Bargo bunted the pair into scoring position before the Tigers walked Levi Clark Newstrom pinch hit for Reese Chapman and sent the Vols to the win to even the series Tennessee lost Game 3 8-1 to drop its third straight series and its fourth in its past five It is the first time the Vols have lost three home series in the same season in Vitello's eight season Doyle will face an automatic multi-game suspension He is the first Tennessee player ejected since Blake Burke was tossed in the fifth inning against Illinois on March 10 Samuel Dutton's pitching pushes No. 10 Auburn past No. 12 Tennessee - Southeastern ConferenceMay 03, 2025BaseballShareXFacebookSamuel Dutton's pitching pushes No 12 TennesseeDutton throws for eight strikeouts and Ike Irish posts a two-run homer as the Tigers defense impresses holding the Volunteers to one run in a 6-1 victory Auburn remains in the running to land a three-star offensive lineman from Mississippi after he revealed his final four Dalton Toothman, a three-star offensive lineman from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, announced his final four over the weekend, which includes Auburn. Hugh Freeze and the Tigers' coaching staff will need to battle in-state programs Ole Miss and Mississippi State, as well as ACC power Clemson "#AGTG I would like to thank God for putting me in this position and I’m truly grateful for all the coaches throughout this journey that have blessed me with an incredible opportunity this is my Final 4," Toothman shared via X (Twitter) on Sunday Ahead of his commitment date, which has not been set at the time of publishing, Toothman will take an official visit to every school in his top four. As has been the case with several of Auburn's top targets, Toothman will kick off his official visit tour on May 16 in Auburn. He will then visit Clemson on May 30 Toothman is listed as a three-star offensive lineman by 247Sports and On3 and ranks as high as the No. 16 recruit from Mississippi for the 2026 cycle. 247Sports has not logged a crystal ball prediction for Toothman, but On3's Recruiting Prediction Machine favors Auburn with an 86.4% forecast Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__ Advertise with us • Contact Us • RTI Team 12-10 SEC) Saturday in game two of a three-game series in Knoxville and game two of a makeshift doubleheader All three games will be streamed on SEC Network + this weekend. For a full preview of the series, including projected pitching matchups and more, click here Tennessee enters game two of the series coming off a 6-1 loss in game one After playing the top half of the first Friday inclement weather postponed the rest of the game to Saturday Liam Doyle could not pitch again the next day The Vols used five more pitchers to complete the game Pitching wasn’t the problem in the loss Read how it happened in a sluggish game one below Tennessee entered the series contest coming off a narrow midweek win over Northern Kentucky the Vols dropped two of three in a weekend series at LSU The Vols squandered a 3-0 ninth-inning lead to lose game one dominated in a 9-3 game two victory and then got blown out The loss dropped Tennessee six spots in the latest D1 Baseball Top 25 poll to No Tennessee has now lost three of its past four series and two straight See where Tennessee landed in all five major polls below Tony Vitello adjusted the lineup in the midweek contest against Northern Kentucky Dean Curley seemingly moved to second base in a full-time role while Gavin Kilen moved over to shortstop Kilen moved to the leadoff spot in the lineup and Curley was moved down to the two-hole That has remained the case so far this weekend Auburn has bounced back this season and is back as one of the top handful of teams in the SEC The Tigers lost just two games in the pre-conference slate UAB got them in a midweek game and a second time last month Old Dominion also won one game in a three-game series against the Tigers Auburn has won five of its seven SEC series to this point in the season but its conference record is just a game above .500 because the Tigers were swept in both series — at Georgia and at Texas Auburn’s two best players from last season are back and are its best bats again Cooper McMurray is hitting .337 with nine home runs Ike Irish is hitting .329 with 11 home runs Four Tigers are hitting over .300 and four have four or more home runs the Tigers rank 13th in the SEC in team-ERA Carson Myers and Parker Carlson are Auburn’s top bullpen arms and have been good but not great this season Head coach Butch Thompson is in his 10th year at Auburn and boasts a pair of Preseason All-Conference selections in catcher Ike Irish (1st team) and first baseman Cooper McMurray (2nd team) Auburn was picked to finish 12th in the league in the preseason For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread -Chris Rembert doubles to right-center field -Ike Irish sends an RBI single to left field -Lucas Steele slaps an RBI single to right field -Eric Snow reaches on a Gavin Kilen throwing error -Chase Fralick grounds into a 4-6-3 double play -McMurray grounds out to second base (4-1 put out) -Ensley cracks an two-run single to center *Pitching change: LHP Carson Myers on to pitch for Tilly* -Guevara chops into 5-4 fielder’s choice -Snow singles to right field on a hit-and-run -Chapman strikes out swinging on a 3-2 pitch -Terrell strikes out swinging on a 3-2 fastball -Irish reaches on a Dean Curley throwing error -Fischer doubles off the wall in centerfield -Peebles doubles off the wall in right field *Pitching change: RHP John Armstrong (4.86 ERA -Bargo sac fly to left to left to score Curley -Peebles beats the shift with a single down the left field line -Chase Fralick hits a soft RBI single to right field -Terrell grounds into 6-4 fielder’s choice -Clark strikes out swinging after a 10-pitch at-bat -Cooper McMurray grounds out to 1B unassisted -Hunter Ensley slaps a single to right field *Chris Newstrom pinch-hitting for Reese Chapman* -Newstrom delivers with an RBI WALK-OFF single up the middle Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" by Jeremy Harris "I think I'm a good person," Ramos told the judge and I will not do drugs again." (KOMO) — An Auburn man who said he was hearing voices after smoking meth when he went on a highway shooting spree in 2023 was sentenced to prison Friday afternoon King County Superior Court Judge Kristin Ballinger imposed a 93-month (just under 8 years) prison sentence that was recommended by prosecutors as part of a plea agreement with 30-year-old Marco Antonio Ramos Valdez Ramos pleaded guilty to one count of assault in the first degree and one count of reckless endangerment Troopers described Ramos’ actions on the night of December 6 and morning of December 7 as an ‘active shooter’ involving multiple reports of vehicles being shot at on interstate freeways in south King County One of the bullets struck a man in the neck The victim was in his car with his pregnant girlfriend While the couple did not appear at a sentencing hearing a victim’s advocate read a statement from them in which they disagreed with the plea agreement we will have to live with the trauma of what happened,” the statement said The couple said the bullet was millimeters away from severing the man's carotid artery we request the court impose the maximum sentence," the couple's statement said While Ramos' bullets only hit one person troopers said there were at least six reports of someone shooting at cars on the highway around the same time and in the same area The Washington State Patrol identified him as a suspect and began surveilling his home in Auburn He was arrested during a traffic stop the next day Troopers located a handgun on the driver's side floorboard and loose ammunition in the car Investigators said they also located spent shell casings inside the car Ramos told police he had been smoking meth and voices in his head told him to drive around and kill people "I think I'm a good person," Ramos told Judge Ballinger he will be under community custody supervision for three years After play between the 11th-ranked Tigers and Volunteers was suspended Friday night in Game One which became the back half of a doubleheader Game Two is set to resume at noon CT Sunday with the score tied 10-10 heading into the top of the 10th inning The series finale is expected to start 45 minutes after Game Two's conclusion 13-10) after Ike Irish hit a two-run homer in the top of the first With play suspended heading into the bottom of the first was sidelined Saturday after throwing an inning the evening prior Auburn starter Sam Dutton still took the mound and the ace fired off another exquisite performance striking out 8 batters while giving up 4 hits and 1 run in 6⅔ innings Chris Rembert and Cooper McMurray each drove in a run Tennessee would come back with a pair of runs in the third Freshman Chase Fralick would hit a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth Tennessee slugger Dalton Bargo went yard for the 12th time this season in the following frame taking Parker Carlson over the fence for a game-tying solo shot Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter having incredible success before losing in the Final Four.  The Tigers lost to the eventual national champion such as blue-chip freshman Tahaad Pettiford.  Pettiford declared for the 2025 NBA Draft after his freshman season at Auburn while maintaining college eligibility.  Auburn reacted to the news that Pettiford had been invited to the 2025 NBA Draft Combine "Formally invited ✅" posted the official social media account of the Auburn Tigers.  During his freshman season with the Auburn Tigers 2.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.  Pettiford is joined by a couple of the star freshmen across the country who will be participating in the NBA Draft Combine Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl Pettiford originally committed to Auburn as a five-star recruit, ranked as the No. 2 point guard and the No. 29 overall player in the 247Sports recruiting rankings.  He'll now have a chance to make his mark in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine after a stellar season with the Auburn Tigers.  and Lee County high schools perform their halftime shows during Band-O-Rama at Bulldog Stadium in Opelika on Thursday Leaving the dugout for the last time this season but he was proud of what they had accomplished in the first season under his watch and the first season since long-time head coach Matt Cimo’s retirement The Tigers returned to the playoffs in their first season under Carter after finishing second in the Area 4-7A regular season standings and advanced to the second round of the 7A playoffs – defeating Alma Bryant in the first round Auburn High’s season ended at home as the Tigers lost the second-round series to No The Wildcats took the first game of the series 14-2 and downed the Tigers 2-1 in Game 2 Though the season ended before Auburn High would have liked Carter was pleased with how his team handled the season and that they hosted a home playoff series for the first time since the school’s baseball field was named “Cimo Field” to honor the former head coach Talking to the guys inside just now about what an honor it is that they brought the playoffs back to Cimo Field,” Carter said “They got in the playoffs in our first year with me as the head coach… their hard work paid off We went down there and took care of business at Alma Bryant and what a blessing it was to bring it back to Auburn High School and let our fans see Carter was elevated to the school’s head baseball coach last summer after Cimo’s retirement A former Auburn University baseball player who spent seven years playing minor league baseball Carter was an assistant coach for Auburn High baseball for 27 of the 32 years Cimo was head coach Carter said it was “weird” early on as he had to transition from being an assistant coach for 27 years to a head coach for the first time he naturally got comfortable with his new role Carter was grateful he got the chance to coach this season’s group of players you got to be who you are do right for these guys and treat them with respect and just enjoy that we have the opportunity to play a game of baseball,” Carter said “… When we get to come out on the field and just have fun and mess around with each other and play the game of baseball I’ve been doing it my whole life and just every year is just fun to be around these guys.” a lot of Auburn High’s current team will be back and while replacing seniors like Will Whatley and Weston Luther will be difficult most of the Tigers’ key players will return Carter said the playoff experience those returnees gained this year will be huge as the Tigers move toward a second season under Carter young guys that were brought up that had a little taste of it,” Carter said “So it goes a long way when you can get in the playoffs and get that experience.” Email notifications are only sent once a day and Lee County high schools perform their halftime shows during Band-O-Rama at Bulldog Stadium in Opelika… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Florida forward Alex Condon and forward Thomas Haugh celebrate their win against Auburn in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida forward Thomas Haugh celebrates after their win against Auburn during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida celebrates their win against Auburn in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida guard Will Richard celebrates after their win against Auburn in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament shoots as Auburn’s Chaney Johnson (31) defends during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament shoots over Auburn guard Chad Baker-Mazara during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament drives around Auburn guard Miles Kelly during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Auburn players leave the court after losing a national semifinal game against Florida at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida guard Will Richard celebrates after their win against Auburn during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida’s Sam Alexis (4) and Micah Handlogten (3) celebrate after a national semifinals game against Auburn at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament yells at an official during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Auburn forward Johni Broome vies for the ball with Florida guard Alijah Martin during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida’s Thomas Haugh (10) celebrates after making a basket while being fouled against Auburn during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida’s Thomas Haugh (10) celebrates after making a basket while being fouled during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida celebrates after scoring during the second half against Auburn in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida’s Thomas Haugh celebrates after making a basket while being fouled during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida head coach Todd Golden reacts during the second half against Auburn in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Auburn’s Johni Broome (4) and Florida’s Alex Condon (21) react after a play during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida’s Alijah Martin (15) dunks the ball as Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford (0) defends during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida’s Alijah Martin (15) dunks the ball against Auburn during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Auburn’s Chris Moore (5) and Ja’Heim Hudson sit in the locker room after Auburn lost to Florida in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament Florida now just needs him to deliver one more time Set to face Houston in the title game Monday night at the Alamodome the Gators finally are getting a shot at another national championship after another special performance from their All-America guard Clayton scored 34 points with five 3-pointers giving him the first consecutive 30-point games this deep in the tourney since Larry Bird and Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Auburn 79-73 in the Final Four on Saturday night The Gators are going to the national championship game for the first time since their titles in 2006 and 2007 He was just flat out the difference,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said No team has against the leading scorer in this NCAA Tournament He is the first player with 30-point games both the the Elite Eight and semifinals since Bird for Indiana State in 1979 We have that confidence in him,” Gators guard Will Richard said We’re glad everybody else is getting to see him do it in a game.” “I’m just used to seeing him put the ball in the basket “But he’s done what he’s done all year for us settled our team down and made winning plays when we needed it the most.” The first SEC matchup in a Final Four ended with Clayton chasing down a loose rebound and tipping it back inbounds to keep the clock running out on the win teammate Alijah Martin was standing watching him at the end line nodding with a smile to greet him on the court and off the court,” Clayton said After a record 14 SEC teams made this NCAA Tournament seven got to the Sweet 16 before the league made up half the Elite Eight and then this Final Four filled with No Florida will have the chance Monday night to win the SEC’s first title since Kentucky in 2012 the only one since the Gators won in back-to-back seasons They take an 11-game winning streak into the title championship game against Houston a 70-67 winner over Duke in the second semifinal who played in the Final Four with FAU two years ago were the top overall seed and had an eight-point halftime lead “Auburn had us on our heels in the first half but we came out with a great start and we didn’t look back,” said the 39-year-old Golden who joined Pearl’s first staff at Auburn in 2014 Florida opened the second half with a 13-3 run with Clayton capping that with a layup after Rueben Chinyelu’s steal That put the Gators up 51-49 with 15 1/2 minutes left After eight lead changes and six ties in the first 11:02 of the game Auburn stretched out to as much as a nine-point lead before halftime and led until Florida ended its big spurt with 11 consecutive points with his left hand partially wrapped because of a thumb issue Broome finished with 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting and had seven rebounds — he had only three points after halftime in the Tigers’ second loss to Florida this season Broome was hunched over even before the final buzzer and then was surrounded by cameras to capture his reaction then walked off the court with his eyes red from crying — pulling up his jersey to wipe his face as cameras continued to follow his exit Obviously here and there it bothered me a little bit nothing that I couldn’t play with,” Broome said “I feel like we got the looks that we wanted to get I wasn’t able to capitalize and finish them.” AUBURN, Ala. -- About three months after his second straight losing season at Auburn Hugh Freeze found out in February that he had prostate cancer the only thing you hear is that 'C' word,'" Freeze told ESPN on Tuesday and more scared for his family than anything else Freeze has since settled on a course of treatment and after getting some encouraging news recently from doctors that his form of cancer was low aggressive he has decided to wait until January and let doctors reexamine his situation instead of having surgery and I just didn't feel like it was time to rush into surgery," Freeze said The same goes for his football team as Freeze enters his third season on the Plains He's by no means content with the results the past two seasons -- and neither is he naïve about the lack of patience within the realm of SEC football -- but Freeze was outspoken when he arrived that it would take three full recruiting classes to get Auburn back into championship contention His first two have both been top-10 classes nationally "I think it's as settled as we've been as a program the pieces of our staff that we've added and what we've been able to do in building our roster in high school recruiting and in the portal," Freeze said we've got to go compete and win some more games "We're on our way to getting where we want to be and where we should be." and has won more than eight games only twice (2017 and 2019) since playing for the national championship in 2013 Freeze said the support and commitment from Auburn chancellor Christopher Roberts and athletic director John Cohen couldn't be stronger Auburn is going all-in on locking in key players financially The payroll for the 2025 roster will exceed $20 million One of the key acquisitions was quarterback Jackson Arnold 2-ranked dual-threat quarterback prospect in the 2023 signing class but he was benched for part of last season after some early struggles I needed to go to a place where I was going to put myself in a better position I'm never going to say anything bad about OU or any of the people there maybe it was them losing confidence in me or whatever but I never doubted that I could play at this level and win at this level." Arnold said it was especially important to him to play for an offensive-minded head coach and one with a history of coaching and developing quarterbacks Freeze said he plans to call the majority of the plays this season (although offensive coordinator Derrick Nix might call some) and Freeze said he will spend more time with the quarterbacks on the practice field this fall "[Quarterbacks coach] Kent Austin is great," Freeze said "From fundamentals and coverage recognition and all that but I think it's vital that they're hearing my thoughts and I just think this fall it would be even more vital that Jackson is hearing my thoughts." "I know quarterbacks take the brunt of the deal but there were times that [last year's starter] Payton [Thorne] was ready to pull the trigger on something that should have been there and we didn't run the right depth of a route or the right route." Cam Coleman who averaged 16.2 yards per catch and had eight touchdown receptions a year ago as one of the more heralded true freshman receivers in the country said his emphasis has been more consistency He said the entire receiving corps has taken on a leadership role to push each other and hold each other accountable which wasn't necessarily the case a year ago "Every receiver brings something different to the table and our identity is we're going to catch anything and everything "That's no matter if we make the quarterback look good or the quarterback makes us look good We're going catch the ball and make things happen." Singleton's speed should complement Coleman's ability to win one-on-one battles down the field, and Malcolm Simmons is equally explosive He returns for his sophomore season after catching 40 passes last season The 6-3 Coleman said he's up to 205 pounds That's all I can tell anybody trying to cover him," Singleton said of Coleman Arnold said his role is to come in and "play point guard" and that Freeze also likes his ability to extend plays The Tigers struggled mightily to score last season They finished 14th in the SEC in scoring offense (19.1 points per game) and were 13th in third-down conversions while scoring just six rushing touchdowns in eight SEC games But they did move the ball on offense and finished second in the league in yards per play (6.67 yards) Three of their seven losses last season were by a touchdown or less What plagued the Tigers were crippling turnovers, coming up empty on key third downs and not being able to finish drives -- or even make field goals. They were 8-of-17 on field goal attempts in SEC play, but the good news is that regular kicker Alex McPherson is back after missing almost the entire past season a with gastrointestinal issues and I know for a fact these coaches believe in me and they know I can do it I've been able to play a lot more," Arnold said but my confidence is really high right now His players have seen it up close and personal "He's out here every day, and it gives the whole team the sense that he cares, and that whatever he's going through, he's going to push through," junior defensive end Keldric Faulk said "It gives us the confidence to just ride behind him "The only difference I see is that he's brought way more energy Freeze would tend to agree that his cancer diagnosis has helped him to narrow his focus although life as an SEC head football coach tends to have that effect naturally I think as much as anything it's just been a reminder that every day is a gift "That's what I should be concerned about." Broome returned to Sunday's game after being injured midway through the second half but spent this week in rehab, preparing for his team's rematch against Florida On Thursday he had a sleeve on his right elbow as he spoke with reporters but he said he's not concerned about his availability against the Gators who beat the Tigers 90-81 on Auburn's home floor on Feb "I did a lot with my elbow [this week]," Broome said on Thursday in San Antonio who returned to practice Thursday for the first time since he suffered the injury will make a difference against any opponent I'm glad he feels that way [about being 100 percent] Today was the first day he moved and practiced so I was glad to see him," Pearl said Thursday and the one thing Johni Broome showed in this NCAA tournament is that there was another level Everybody keeps watching him and wondering 'When is he going to fizzle When is he going to not show up?' And he just and Florida's bigs are a little bigger and a little bit more athletic than Michigan State's or Michigan's bigs but he was the MVP of the South Region and we rode him hard and we're going to ride him hard again on Saturday." Broome suffered the injury as he tried to block Michigan State forward Frankie Fidler's shot in Auburn's 70-64 win Broome briefly left the court to see trainers in the locker room but returned after the team's medical staff said he had not suffered any major damage That's good news for a team that hopes the SEC Player of the Year will be at full strength Saturday "He's been doing a great job of trying to get it better and staying in the training room," Auburn standout Miles Kelly said Thursday "But he's definitely going to be ready for Saturday." playJohni Broome throws it up to Dylan Cardwell for beautiful alley-oop jam (0:16)Dylan Cardwell gets the alley-oop dunk for Auburn off a heads-up-pass from Johni Broome vs SAN ANTONIO -- Soon after the buzzer sounded in the national semifinal, Auburn star big man Johni Broome slumped over a few feet from the baseline his hands etched into his thighs and head slung toward the floor As his teammates waded toward the postgame handshake line, Broome stood frozen with the grief from Auburn's 79-73 loss to Florida on Saturday at the Alamodome After a second half full of missed opportunities that left Broome scoreless for the game's final 15 minutes Broome's resplendent career and the dream of winning the school's first men's basketball title ended probably best year of my life," Broome said speaking barely above a whisper in the Auburn locker room "I wanted to win the national championship Broome wore a black hoodie pulled over his forehead and his cracked red eyes looked down at the locker room floor He was barely audible as he tried to put the game and season into context Broome went scoreless for the game's final 15 minutes and 12 seconds after dominating much of the first half He closed the game's final 15 minutes with three missed free throws two misses from the field and three turnovers "I feel like we got the looks that we wanted to get," he said "I wasn't able to capitalize and finish them." he looked overcome with exhaustion and emotion the coaches and players took credit for the physical toll they inflicted on Broome and we could see by that 10-minute mark in the second half he was really starting to get fatigued," Florida associate head coach Carlin Hartman said It was a stark difference from the first half Broome had 12 points at halftime and Florida did a poor job moving him from his desired spots The Auburn staff was optimistic at halftime about how sharp he looked "That was about as much pop and pace that he's played with in a long time," Auburn assistant coach Steven Pearl said if not one of the best players in all college basketball." Pearl then pointed out that a different level of energy is required to handle the waves of Florida big men Florida assistant John Andrzejek credited Hartman for a fiery halftime speech that included challenging Chinyelu whom Broome took advantage of in the first half and part of that included a deep analysis of the risk-reward of not doubling Broome Broome spent parts of the first half methodically pounding the ball into the paint None of his shots were from more than eight feet The Gators needed to make sure he couldn't establish himself And Andrzejek stressed that the Gators force Broome to shoot over his left shoulder Hartman's halftime motivational speech to the Gators' big men lasted about three minutes was pockmarked with some colorful language and ended with a simple theme -- it's OK to lose Broome took a hard fall against Michigan State on Sunday and didn't practice this week until Thursday because of an injured elbow Broome's right elbow was padded and then wrapped in a sleeve that stretched from his right bicep to his wrist "Our medical staff did an unbelievable job this week of just making sure that he was as comfortable as he possibly could," Pearl said played through that contact and was still able to have a really effective game." And when Broome's space collapsed and his energy zapped The Tigers had 12 second-half turnovers -- the Florida coaching staff counted 20 second-half deflections -- and Auburn had just eight second-half paint points after 26 in the first half The second-half performance left a pall over the Auburn locker room as Broome whispered answers to the final questions he received after the loss I left my impact on what I've done here," he said "I [thank] God for allowing me to come here and be able to make an impact." playJohni Broome drills 3 after return from injury (0:34)After exiting the game Johni Broome returns and knocks down a 3 for Auburn The men's Final Four is set -- and it's all No With all chalk on the San Antonio River Walk who do our college basketball experts see facing off in the national championship on April 7 They break down how each team reached the NCAA tournament national semifinals and its keys to advancing to the title game and also predict the winners Jump to: Auburn vs. Florida | Duke vs. Houston 1 factor that helped Florida reach the Final Four: No team in America has been able to turn games in their favor with devastating runs the way the Gators have Down nine points with 3:14 to play against Texas Tech they ended the game on an 18-4 run akin to ones we have seen from them multiple times this season they outscored Maryland 47-33 in the second half of their Sweet 16 win and had 53 points in less than 17 minutes against Norfolk State in the opening round They have launched those same knockout punches against other elite teams Florida was tied with Tennessee at 16 with 11:30 to play in the first half Florida is college basketball's equivalent of a home run hitter in the bottom of the ninth inning It's never over with the Gators because of the way they can seize control of games play0:35Walter Clayton Jr.'s late 3s propel Florida to the Final FourFlorida's Walter Clayton Jr hits a pair of clutch 3-pointers late to send the Gators to the Final Four Florida's key against Auburn: Walter Clayton Jr.'s brilliance Florida might have the biggest star of them all in Clayton Jr His sheer will and talent could be the deciding factors in whether the Gators win the title 1 factor that helped Auburn reach the Final Four: Tightening up defensively When Auburn had its struggles down the stretch of the season the Tigers basically fell apart defensively They allowed at least 1.13 points per possession in all three of the defeats committing too many fouls and struggling to defend the rim they have looked much more like the team that started the season 27-2 Bruce Pearl's team has done a much better job limiting easy opportunities allowing only Creighton to reach one point per possession Johni Broome and the Auburn Tigers punched the last Final Four ticket with Sunday's win over Michigan State. Brett Davis-Imagn ImagesAuburn's key against Florida: Johni Broome Broome took an awkward fall midway through the second half of Sunday's Elite Eight win over Michigan State and immediately went to the locker room, offering words of encouragement to Chaney Johnson and giving his parents an update on the way It looked like his night -- and perhaps more -- was over But Broome came out of the locker room after only five minutes of game action and checked back in then quickly buried a 3-pointer to give Auburn a boost He seemed healthy enough to perform at a high level this Saturday but he will need to be at 100 percent to compete with Florida's deep and talented frontcourt The Gators have the size and depth inside to make life difficult for Johni Broome and can win in more ways than the Tigers can 1 factor that helped Houston reach the Final Four: 3-point shooting The easy answer would be D -- and we will get to the Cougars' elite defensive unit But the biggest difference between this year's team and previous iterations of Kelvin Sampson's program is the Cougars' ability to consistently make shots from the perimeter making nearly 40% of their shots from behind the arc with three starters shooting 42% or better Houston has averaged nine made 3s per game in the NCAA tournament and it was able to take all the life out of Tennessee in the Elite Eight with dagger 3 after dagger 3 late in the game The Cougars hit five treys in the final 5:30 on Sunday ruining any chance of a Volunteers comeback Houston's key against Duke: Defense > offense Saturday's Final Four showdown against Duke will feature the most efficient offense in the KenPom era (since 1996-97) against the nation's best defense. Can the Cougars slow down the Blue Devils? Duke has been torching teams all season, capable of beating opponents in a variety of ways, whether it's via Cooper Flagg 3-point shooting or using its superior size to finish around the rim make sure it stays mostly in a half-court setting and then try to lean on its experience and physicality to get Duke's young stars out of their rhythm Will the best defense be better than the best offense 1 factor that helped Duke reach the Final Four: Duke is simply more talented than any other team but the fleet of talent down the roster has enhanced everything that coach Jon Scheyer has done with it How many teams are bringing players of that pedigree off the bench there just isn't a team in the field that can assemble a comparable collection of elite players play1:57Bilas explains how Duke shut down Alabama's offenseJay Bilas and Jay Williams break down Duke's emphatic win over Alabama in the Elite Eight Duke's key against Houston: The Blue Devils' ability to protect the rim and defend the paint This Duke team has one of the top defensive units in recent program history Against an Alabama squad that made 25 3-pointers in the Sweet 16 the Blue Devils forced the Crimson Tide into awkward Alabama plays at the fastest pace in America Alabama was outscored in the paint by double digits Saturday in part because Duke does not give opposing teams space to get comfortable in the post This is going to be an incredible contrast of elite offense versus elite defense featuring one of the youngest teams in the country versus one of the oldest teams The problem for the Cougars is that the Blue Devils also have an elite defense to go with their historically good offense Duke can switch everything and is able to run good shooters off the 3-point line with Khaman Maluach in the paint to protect the rim but the Blue Devils' offense has been unfazed by pretty much anything all season It is a massive difference in experience and basketball maturity but it's not like the Houston guys are unaccomplished The Cougars have won 159 games in the J'Wan Roberts-Kelvin Sampson era can also claim the nation's longest current winning streak They have lost just once since November and have lost only once in regulation all season but I'm taking the experienced veterans over the most talented freshmen in the tournament playAuburn ball movement finds open Tahaad Pettiford for 3 (0:16)Auburn's passing leads to an open 3-pointer from Tahaad Pettiford in the corner Auburn freshman Tahaad Pettiford will declare for the 2025 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility "I'm looking for an NBA team that values my skill set and sees my long-term potential," Pettiford told ESPN "The right fit and organization that values me I'll sit down with my family and representation and decide whether to stay in the draft." "I couldn't have asked for a better freshman season who averaged 11.6 points and 3.0 assists in 22.9 minutes as a freshman for Auburn this season 39 prospect in ESPN's NBA draft rankings. Kevin C Cox/Getty ImagesThe 19-year-old Pettiford's shot creation shotmaking prowess and scoring instincts have stood out to NBA scouts with several signature outings as he stepped up in clutch moments against some of the best teams Auburn faced Pettiford ranked first on the team in assists and third in scoring despite finishing sixth in minutes played helping him carve out a strong role on a deep veteran Auburn squad that started five players aged 22 to 25 "That's why I came to Auburn," Pettiford said "My coaches and teammates' trust and confidence in me allowed me to thrive Coach [Bruce] Pearl sees things in me and lets me be myself." Should Pettiford elect to return for his sophomore season he will likely be a leading player for the Tigers which had 10 seniors on their roster this season Pettiford has until May 28 to decide whether to withdraw his name from the draft to remain NCAA-eligible next season He said he will prepare for the combine and the NBA draft in Santa Barbara with his childhood friend, Dylan Harper of Rutgers The NBA combine will be held in Chicago from May 11 to May 18 Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA playFlorida fans erupt after Thomas Haugh's game-sealing and-1 (0:22)Thomas Haugh gets the Florida faithful on their feet after sealing the game with an and-1 vs SAN ANTONIO -- The crowd at the Final Four is often filled with college basketball dignitaries In the front row of the Alamodome on Saturday sat Jim Boeheim Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony were also in the building But when Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. lit up the Alamodome with a 34-point effort in his team's 79-73 victory over Auburn the same group of basketball veterans who had seen it all before reacted as if perhaps they hadn't who coached Michael Jordan as an assistant at North Carolina under Dean Smith only Larry Bird had scored 30 points or more in back-to-back Elite Eight and Final Four games Clayton's effort Saturday followed a 30-point contribution in a win over Texas Tech which had a nine-point lead with 3:14 to play That's why Clayton's teammates weren't surprised "I feel like everybody sees it," Florida guard Will Richard said after Saturday's game We're glad everybody else is getting to see him do it in a game." is the seventh player to have 30-plus points in both the Elite Eight and national semifinals in a single NCAA tournament: "He's incredible," added Thomas Haugh, who, along with Alijah Martin (17 points) and Clayton everything Auburn coach Bruce Pearl feared in his team's second meeting with Florida had come true who scored 19 points in a 90-81 win at Auburn on Feb He made a layup from an impossible angle after halftime He hit a 3-pointer to cut Auburn's lead in the second half And when he finished a three-point play with a layup after a foul in the final minutes the obit on Auburn's 2024-25 season was nearly finished "Clayton has been the best guard on the floor every single night," Pearl said Friday "Clayton can't be the best guard on the floor tomorrow." only two months after he had been the best guard on the floor in Florida's win over Auburn in SEC play The Gators will play in the national title game for the first time since 2007 when they won their second national title in a row Florida's postgame locker room was not only the scene of a celebration but also a chance for Clayton's biggest fans to convey why they weren't scared when the team was down by nine points -- the same margin it erased late against Texas Tech -- early in the second half Gators center Micah Handlogten and his teammates had predicted the outcome at halftime Auburn had left too much time on the clock for Clayton "The fact that he can go out there tonight and score 34 points and get us to a national championship is just amazing," Handlogten said He always just has this little mean mug on and he just hoops." Those who play with Clayton said they also become fans when the AP first-team All-American enters what multiple teammates called a "zone" that they can feel approaching as he heats up The shots that shouldn't fall always seem to during those stretches the Gators know that they can take control of the game "I feel like he's in the zone every time he touches the rock," Sam Alexis said about his team's confidence amid adversity with Clayton on the roster Added Denzel Aberdeen who has played with Clayton since they were on the same AAU team in middle school: "You always look in the sky and see it go through the net and you're like Auburn's game plan against Clayton was the byproduct of hours of film Clayton did not get a multitude of open looks "We will go back and watch the film and you're going to see three or four but that's why he is one of the best players in college basketball because he's able to do those things," said Steven Pearl he did an unbelievable job of willing them to a national championship game." On Monday night, he'll have a chance to lead his team to its third national title and first championship in nearly two decades when it takes on Houston, a 70-67 winner over Duke in Saturday's late semifinal with another effort like the one he's had over the past two games he'll have a chance to join the lineage of Final Four stars who are known by one name Clayton felt the weight of that possibility Knowing Clayton can't be rattled has become a problem in the NCAA tournament -- for everyone else playWalter Clayton Jr.'s late 3s propel Florida to the Final Four (0:35)Florida's Walter Clayton Jr A showdown of the top two teams from the best conference in men's college basketball And a battle between the country's best defense and a historically efficient offense There's a reason it's all chalk on the San Antonio River Walk for the March Madness finale -- and our experts are here to break down how each team can win its Final Four matchup Read their analysis for Florida vs. Auburn and Duke vs. Houston including fatal flaws and players each semifinalist will need to step up in the final stages of the 2025 NCAA tournament For more on tonight's action, see our experts' picks for the final three games of the 2024-25 college basketball season the Gators have lost only once: 88-83 at Georgia on Feb They have encountered more trouble than anticipated in recent weeks but we've learned you can never assume they're out of a game before it's over Down late against back-to-back national champion UConn Alex Condon sustaining an ankle injury against Maryland in the Sweet 16 They held on until the 6-foot-11 standout returned to close out the double-digit victory And we all watched the furious comeback from a 10-point deficit in the final minutes against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight The Gators have five wins against top-20 KenPom teams by 14 or more points in March and refuse to quit against extreme adversity The player who needs to step up: Alex Condon After his shaky defensive effort against Texas Tech star Darrion Williams Condon has to be a better defensive player in space against Auburn The Tigers are stacked with versatile talents at 6-7 or taller who are comfortable on the perimeter and in the post they will try to draw Condon outside then attempt to attack him off the dribble to get to the rim and score Williams was excellent whenever Condon ended up in those scenarios and Florida has a fleet of offensive options The Gators don't need every player on their roster to score 15 points but they will need 6-11 Condon to play excellent defense to advance to the title game Potential fatal flaw: A strength could also be Florida's potential flaw: its comfort level in adversity The Gators often execute when down -- they overcame a four-minute scoring drought in the second half of their second-round win over UConn and a 10-point deficit in the final six minutes against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight -- but those scenarios are dicier in the Final Four which is riskier at this stage than in December against North Carolina (allowed the Tar Heels to take the lead after being up 17 points) or in January against South Carolina (overcame a 14-point second-half deficit to win by one point) Even if Auburn forces Florida to switch a lot of matchups and a Gators guard ends up on Broome Johni Broome had 18 points in Auburn's February loss to Florida. Todd Kirkland/Getty ImagesFlorida will win if: The Gators play the way they have for the past month They have made 58% of their shots inside the arc and 38% of their 3-point attempts since March They have also had the best offense in America over that stretch They know how to pummel opponents and can do it from every spot on the floor And they have a unique combination of experience and talent they have length that few teams can match and are 10th in adjusted defensive efficiency Yes, Alabama State had a brief lead over the Tigers in the first round, but the Tigers ultimately won by 20. They went on to beat a good Creighton team by 12 in the second round and hold Michigan standout Danny Wolf scoreless for the final 13 minutes of their Sweet 16 win Then they overcame Broome's midgame injury to hand Michigan State its first NCAA tournament loss to an SEC team under Tom Izzo The player who needs to step up: Chad Baker-Mazara The 6-7 standout has battled through hip and shoulder injuries in recent weeks but the Tigers will need the best version of the All-SEC third-team selection to produce in the final stage of the season He's an essential player on both ends of the floor for the Tigers who have won with star power (see: Broome) and depth Baker-Mazara has registered double figures just once since March 4 and doesn't look like he's 100% but Auburn will need everything he can give to avenge the February loss to one of the hottest teams in the country Potential fatal flaw: Shots from 3 have not been falling They are talented at every position on the floor but they have gone cold from beyond the arc They have made just 31% of their 3-point attempts in four NCAA tournament games but now they will face a Florida team that went 13-for-33 (39.4%) from 3 against them in February when the Tigers were just 7-for-22 (31.8%) Another cold night could lead to Auburn's elimination and not allow him to hit the big shots that shift the momentum The Tigers also can't be afraid to slow the game down or call an early timeout to limit the Gators' opportunities to get their offense rolling play0:35Houston takes down Tennessee to reach 7th Final FourTennessee lets the clock run down as Houston celebrates reaching its seventh Final Four in program history Auburn will win if: The Tigers limit Clayton's impact on the outcome Auburn has multiple defenders it can use to corral the Florida star -- and will need all of them Saturday The NCAA tournament has been a showcase for the All-America guard but the Gators are a significantly different team when he has a tough night If the Tigers can make it difficult for him they will have a chance against a team that scored 90 points against them in February Coach Bruce Pearl needs a game plan that doesn't allow Clayton to do whatever he wants on the court but the Blue Devils have lived up to every expectation we had of them on Selection Sunday If you were concerned they inflated their numbers due to mediocre ACC competition They put forth staggeringly efficient offensive performances in the second round against Baylor and in the Sweet 16 against Arizona 1 scoring offense -- to 65 points and below 0.90 points per possession in the Elite Eight That was only the second time in two seasons the Crimson Tide failed to reach that per-possession threshold One thing we did learn was that the moment hasn't been too big for Kon Knueppel who averaged 20.5 points and 4.0 assists with terrific performances in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight The player who needs to step up: Tyrese Proctor It needs to be a big night for Proctor. One would surmise Houston's defense will focus on limiting Cooper Flagg and Knueppel which could give Proctor some shotmaking opportunities He has been in terrific form over the past few weeks making 20 3s in a three-game stretch against Louisville he went for 17 points on 10 shots against Alabama He shoots better than 41% from 3-point range and has been playing with confidence His perimeter shooting could be needed to loosen up the Houston defense Tyrese Proctor had 17 points in the Elite Eight win over Alabama. AP Photo/Julia Demaree NikhinsonPotential fatal flaw: Relative youth The Blue Devils are elite at both ends of the floor possessing the most efficient offense in the history of the KenPom database and a top-five defense to go with it rebound and block shots (all at an elite level of course) -- can a moment really be too big for him What will be key for Duke's offense if Houston can limit the Blue Devils' dribble penetration and the Cougars excel at preventing opponents from attacking the rim off the bounce has four players on the floor at all times who can put pressure on the defense forcing them into rotations and to collapse in the paint -- before either finishing at the rim kicking it out to a shooter or throwing a lob to Maluach Can the Blue Devils continue to do that against Houston's defense One area where Houston's defense is potentially vulnerable is behind the arc: The Cougars allow teams to shoot 3s ranking 12th in the Big 12 in 3-point attempt rate defensively And the Blue Devils are capable of taking advantage of that They took nearly 45% of their field goal attempts from 3-point range in ACC play and made nearly 40% of those attempts Duke will win if: The Blue Devils stay the course If they play their best game (or even 90%) there's not a team in the country that can beat them they need to continue to do what got them to this point It will be hard to beat Houston consistently with dribble penetration but they have to make shots from the perimeter but their rim protection takes a hit when he's on the bench so they will need to stay out of foul trouble And against Houston's elite offensive rebounding they also need to crash the defensive glass especially after showing some potential vulnerabilities against Baylor and Arizona Houston's offense had fallen flat in big moments it came against Villanova in the Elite Eight they scored only 51 points in a Sweet 16 loss to Duke Houston scored at least 1.17 points per possession in three of four games still scoring 1.08 in its worst offensive performance of the Dance while making an average of nine 3s per game We've been saying all season that this is the best offensive team Kelvin Sampson has had in Houston and the Cougars are proving us right so far The player who needs to step up: J'Wan Roberts Roberts was playing like a legitimate All-American at the midway point of the season Over an eight-game stretch between mid-January and early February Roberts averaged 16.9 points and 6.5 rebounds while playing more than 35 minutes per game averaging 8.8 points and 5.8 rebounds over the past 13 games (He missed two games in the Big 12 tournament with an ankle injury.) He needs to be at his best at both ends of the floor Saturday Roberts has also picked up four fouls in two of his past three games playing just 16 minutes against Tennessee due to foul trouble It would be a huge lift for Houston if he can cause Khaman Maluach some issues early This is J'Wan Roberts' second trip to the Final Four with Houston. AP Photo/Michael ConroyPotential fatal flaw: It's not as easy to pinpoint as it was the past few years Houston is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country after not ranking in the top 110 nationally in that category since 2018 it's the Cougars' best offense (by far) since Sampson took over in 2014 First is the foul disparity: Houston ranks No 322 nationally in free throw attempts per game while ranking in the 200s in defensive free throw rate Purdue and Tennessee shot more free throws than Houston The second is Houston's propensity to allow 3-point attempts: The Cougars contest 3s All four opponents in the NCAA tournament have attempted at least 20 3s one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country How can the country's best defense slow the most efficient offense in the KenPom era (i.e. Houston is going to have to use its physicality and ball pressure to take Duke out of its rhythm When the Blue Devils are swinging the ball around and attacking the rim off the bounce kicking it out to their quartet of perimeter shooters But the Cougars are elite at keeping teams away from the rim allowing just 21.8 points in the paint per game while also ranking in the top five nationally in block percentage Duke also hasn't faced a team in the NCAA tournament that can turn teams over like Houston is capable of doing The Blue Devils had some issues with transition defense against Arizona and Alabama -- although that hasn't been a seasonlong problem -- and the Cougars could find success going that route Houston makes offenses uncomfortable like no other team in the country can Houston will win if: The Cougars' physicality and experience win out They will look to throw Duke off its game from the opening tip they pressure the ball and they attack the offensive glass Everything is designed to make opponents uncomfortable Duke hasn't seen anything like it in the NCAA tournament -- or all season The Blue Devils have been able to play with so much freedom on the offensive end in their past few games; can Houston rattle them early There's also the experience factor: Houston is one of the oldest teams in the country, filled with players who have played a lot of NCAA tournament games. L.J. Cryer won a national championship Sampson has coached in the semifinals before Could that make a difference at some point Saturday QuarterbacksJackson ArnoldDeuce KnightAshton Daniels This should go without saying. Head coach Hugh Freeze can’t afford to develop a freshman. He needs to win right away. Barring an injury or a collapse from Arnold, Freeze and Auburn’s 2025 fate rest in Arnold’s hands.  Running BacksDamari AlstonJeremiah Cobb OR Durell RobinsonAlvin Henderson ReceiversCam ColemanEric SingletonMalcolm Simmons-slot Singleton is scheduled to fill the role of the departed KeAndre Lambert-Smith. This trio will face competition from Perry Thompson. Thompson was part of that talented '24 recruiting class and should emerge in four-wide receiver sets giving Auburn one of, if not the best wideout groups in all of FBS.  Offensive LineLT Xavier ChaplinLG Dillon WadeC   Connor LewRG Jeremiah WrightRT  Izavion Miller 80% of this makes sense. Chaplin will play on Sundays, and Lew is the unquestioned leader of this team. However, if you look at the right tackle spot and see Miller, I wouldn’t bet against transfer Mason Murphy winning that job in fall camp.  Offensively, Auburn presents itself as a unit that will definitely make a bowl game and shock a few SEC opponents to their best season in nearly a decade. The Vols coach was tossed in the fifth inning of UT's 8-1 loss of the series finale as Tennessee lost its third straight series Vitello ran onto the field after pitcher Brayden Krenzel walked in a run in the fifth inning The third ball to Auburn's Eric Guevara featured a check-swing call that Vitello was displeased with Vitello went to home-plate umpire John Brammer after Krenzel walked Guevara on the following pitch He then yelled at third-base umpire Javerro January He had fire for second-base umpire Ben Levin who had Tennessee irate with his strike zone in Game 1 He finished with a brief exchange with first-base umpire Richard Riley before heading into the dugout WINNER: Chris Newstrom hits pinch-hit walk-off single for Tennessee baseball in 11th vs Auburn The Vols trailed 6-0 when Vitello was ejected after Krenzel walked in back-to-back runs UT lost the opener 6-1 to the Tigers then won on a walk-off single in the 11th inning in Game 2 Tony Vitello recognized the humor But emotional control was on Vitello’s mind after another series loss for the Vols enough leadership and enough ability to execute,” Vitello said May 4 “But we throw up some roadblocks in our own way Tennessee is on a miserable run since the start of April, which trickled into May. The No. 6 Vols (37-11, 14-10 SEC) lost a series to No. 11 Auburn (33-15 its third straight series loss and its fourth in its past five Tennessee has lost three home series in a season for the first time in Vitello’s eight years with the Vols The latest series loss led Vitello to bring up the notion of roadblocks which wasn’t about making mistakes as it was having the appropriate approach or response “I think some guys will get a little too wrapped up emotionally in what’s going on,” Vitello said I think that’s been a trademark of ours — have a little extra fight but the way you execute that is to have your emotions under control.” Take Liam Doyle’s 11th-inning ejection in Game 2 as a sign the Vols have the fight Vitello is seeing Take likewise what Vitello repeatedly said about emotions and control as a sign Tennessee has a lot left to figure out It just hasn’t clicked in the back half of the season thus far and time is running low as the Vols prepare for a gauntlet with Vanderbilt and Arkansas coming on the schedule you got to be under control,” Vitello said Tennessee scored seven totals runs in the Auburn series its fewest since it had seven in a series at Arkansas in 2023 The Vols have been held to one run in three of their past eight SEC games They have scored more than five once and have been held to three or fewer six times in that stretch a jarring switch from a hot start to the season really high on themselves and were shocked that they weren’t invincible,” Vitello said The Vols were lousy when they did get runners on base especially in its 6-1 and 5-1 losses to Auburn They struck out looking and made baserunning mistakes DOYLE: Liam Doyle ejected from Tennessee baseball vs Auburn, faces suspension Nate Snead came in with the bases loaded to relieve AJ Russell in the third inning of Game 3 He allowed all three runs to score before giving up another The junior inherited four runners in his two appearances against Auburn and all four scored continuing a recent run of unreliable outings his LSU loss aside He surrendered three runs on five hits in 3⅔ innings against Kentucky on April 20 He gave up five runs on six hits and two walks against Texas A&M on April 5 Russell allowed three runs on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts He dominated for two innings before a pair of hard-luck singles started the third "You could tell there was an attitude difference and certainly the stuff spoke to that as well," Vitello said Tegan Kuhns and Dylan Loy pitched their best for TennesseeTegan Kuhns got the nod for Tennessee when Game 1 resumed and turned in his second-best outing The freshman struck out six in a season-high 4⅔ innings He allowed two runs on five hits and a walk WALK-OFF: Chris Newstrom hits pinch-hit walk-off single for Tennessee baseball in 11th vs Auburn Dylan Loy then provided his best work this season The lefty relieved Marcus Phillips in Game 2 and threw a season-high 3⅔ innings He allowed one run on hit and struck out three The Vols coach also thought Auburn's Eric Guevara went around on a check swing in the fifth inning Only Clark's was called a swing and the different rulings were on Vitello's mind as he stormed from the dugout and headed toward an ejection “Probably the comparison of the check swings of Levi versus — Levi won’t like hearing it The Vols coach was tossed in UT's 8-1 loss in the series finale at Lindsey Nelson Stadium as Tennessee lost its third straight series Vitello ran onto the field after pitcher Brayden Krenzel walked Guevara to score a run in a run in the fifth inning The third ball to Guevara featured a check-swing call that Vitello was displeased with Vitello indicated there was probably "spillover" from the first game when tensions arose and Vols pitcher Liam Doyle was tossed in the 11th inning Doyle was ejected following an exchange at home plate with Auburn's Bristol Carter after Doyle tagged Carter out trying to steal home to end the inning 6 Vols trailed 6-0 when Vitello was ejected after Krenzel walked in back-to-back runs 13-11) then won 5-4 on a walk-off single in the 11th inning in Game 2 Tennessee baseball was back in action on Sunday afternoon from Lindsey Nelson Stadium for the finale of a three-game Southeastern Conference series with Auburn The following is a written transcript from coach Tony Vitello’s postgame press conference on the weekend of play Up Next: Tennessee is back in action on Tuesday evening by playing host to Indiana State at 6 o’clock eastern time. The Vols then welcome Vanderbilt next weekend for more SEC play. On what led to his ejection in the fifth inning… If Auburn outfielder Bristol Carter also got ejected following the altercation with Tennessee LHP Liam Doyle… If Tennessee will try to appeal Doyle’s suspension… “It’s by the book, so whatever the rules are.” On the problems for Tennessee’s offense in Game 1 and Game 3… “And then two, today, emotions are high, you get punched in the gut, and then same thing. We did, in that first game — I will say that — when balls were put in play, or at bats didn’t end without the ball being put in play, guys struck the ball really, really well. Just at guys.” On Tennessee centerfielder Hunter Ensley’s approach at the plate throughout the weekend… On what the team can take from Hunter Ensley’s mentality… On the roadblocks for this team right now… On how much difference there is between how Tennessee is playing and what its best looks like, results aside… On the struggle to drive in runs over the weekend… On the struggles ayt home this season and what needs to change… On the confidence he has in the offense to get going again… Where does Tennessee baseball come in for the national rankings this week following a series-loss to Auburn at home?... Tennessee dropped the weekend series to Auburn and have now lost four of five weekends. We discuss on the weekly 3-2-1.... Tennessee Baseball coach Tony Vitello explained his ejection Sunday against Auburn during his press conference after the game.... Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle was ejected from the Vols Game 2 victory over Auburn on Sunday in the 11th inning. What does this mean?... Tennessee and Auburn concluded the three-game series on Sunday afternoon in Knoxville. Here's some Quick Takes from the ballgame.... Tony Vitello was ejected for the fifth time in his career as Tennessee's head coach on Sunday afternoon in series-finale with Auburn.... Tennessee came form behind to walk it off in the 5-4 suspended-completed contest on Sunday for Game 2 action. Watch how it all happened.... Tennessee takes game two of the series, having finished up on Sunday due to weather suspension. Vols & Tigers ready for rubber match.... Tennessee Baseball's game against Aubrun Saturday evening at Lindsey Nelson Stadium went into a weather delay in the top of the 10th.... Tennessee Baseball lost 6-1 to Auburn Saturday afternoon the series opener that was delayed after rain Friday night in Knoxville.... Tennessee and Auburn suspended play in the first inning Friday night due to weather. The completion of the contest will take place Saturday morning.... Tennessee is back home for a much needed stay at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Auburn comes to town this weekend looking to keep an overachieving season... Tennessee Baseball pitcher AJ Russell is scheduled to make his second straight SEC start when the Vols host Auburn on Sunday.... Tennessee is fairly healthy entering this weekend's SEC series with Auburn from Lindsey Nelson Stadium.... Former Tennessee catcher Charlie Taylor joins The Porch to detail UT's recent play and to look ahead to the final homestand of regular season.... What Tony Vitello said after Tennessee beat Northern Kentucky 7-5 Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.... Tennessee kicked off a key 9 game home stand with a Tuesday night win over Northern Kentucky as the Vols overcame a two run deficit.... In the latest attempt to gain eligibility for the 2025 baseball season, Alberto Osuna's team has filed for a motion of reconsideration to a Knoxville... Where Tennessee Baseball is ranked after the series loss at LSU over the weekend, the third series loss in the Vols' last four.... Tennessee baseball returns to the friendly confines of Lindsey Nelson Stadium this week and the Vols need to find a way to get back on track.... What Tony Vitello said after No. 6 Tennessee lost 12-2 to No. 5 LSU Sunday afternoon in the series finale in Baton Rouge.... Tennessee fell Sunday at LSU 12-2 loses the series. Here are four quick takes on the Vols, second straight series loss.... Junior right-hander AJ Russell will start for No. 6 Tennessee at No. 5 LSU on Sunday afternoon in Baton Rouge.... The 2026 NFL Draft is a full year away, but Tennessee corner Jermod McCoy is already being hyped as a top-10 prospect.... What head coach Tony Vitello said after No. 6 Tennessee's bounce-back win over No. 5 LSU Saturday night in Baton Rouge.... Tennessee baseball and Auburn had a game suspended again and will play a Sunday doubleheader CT after Nate Snead threw one pitch in the 10th inning It was the fourth delay of the weekend at Lindsey Nelson Stadium Tennessee tied Auburn 4-4 on a Dalton Bargo homer in the ninth inning with one out The Tigers took a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth UT lost the first game of the doubleheader 6-1 in a game that started after a 35-minute delay ET after it was suspended after a half-inning amid two lengthy weather delays Friday The Vols trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the first when play resumed The opener was slated to start at 6:30 p.m and a further delay was announced a half-hour later 13-8 SEC) has won straight series against the Tigers (31-14 winning two of three at Auburn in 2024 and winning a pair in a 2022 series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium Tennessee has lost back-to-back home series the first time that has happened in the same season since 2021 LINEUP: Will a Tony Vitello lineup switch jumpstart Tennessee baseball like it did in 2023? One of those players is Auburn tight end Rivaldo Fairweather, who was named as the undrafted free agent to watch for the Cowboys by The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner "A raw tight end with interesting traits 242 with 34 1/2-inch arms and an 83 5/8-inch wingspan) was one of the longest skill players in the draft," Baumgardner wrote MORE: Cowboys' culture under Brian Schottenheimer lured promising UDFA "He plays with natural leverage as a blocker and has the length to be a factor in the run game and pass protection Auburn tight end Rivaldo Fairweather catches a pass as Auburn Tigers take on Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesFairweather failed to catch for more than 500 yards during any of his five seasons in college He was at Florida International from 2020-22 before transferring to Auburn MORE: Cowboys named biggest NFC East offseason loser despite recent optimism The Cowboys have some uncertainty at the tight end position as Jake Ferguson enters the final season of his rookie deal Auburn Tigers tight end Rivaldo Fairweather runs the 40-yard dash during Auburn Tigers football pro day / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesThe team doesn't have much depth beyond Ferguson at tight end Luke Schoonmaker, a former second-round pick so there is an opportunity for someone to emerge as a top contributor at the position Fairweather adds some intrigue to the tight end position battle as he is likely fighting for a roster spot alongside Princeton Fant Vanderbilt Commodores defensive back Martel Hight breaks up a pass intend for Auburn Tigers tight end Rivaldo Fairweather. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images— Enjoy free coverage of the Cowboys from Dallas Cowboys on SI — Cowboys' first rookie minicamp media practice summarized in one exciting word Meet Victoria Kalina: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Cowboys' Brian Schottenheimer does something no Dallas head coach has done since 2010 Cowboys RB named best value pick of NFL Draft — but not Jaydon Blue Cowboys LB levels coach during rookie minicamp pad drills, gets staff fired up The second game of Tennessee Baseball’s doubleheader Saturday afternoon was postponed by inclement weather in the top of the 10th inning and will be completed on Sunday at 1 p.m Game 3 of the series, which will be seven innings, will begin 45 minutes after the completion of Game 2. SEC rules dictate the final game of the weekend series being seven innings when a postponed game has to be completed on Sunday. Tickets for Sunday’s Game 3 will also be good for the completion of Game 2. Saturday started with a 6-1 Tennessee loss in the series opener, which started in a downpour Friday night before being postponed after the top of the first inning. The Vols had out-hit Auburn 12-7 entering the bottom of the ninth, but trailed 4-3 after leaving 11 runners on base, going 5-for-19 with runners on base and 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position, wasting one scoring chance after the next. Then Dalton Bargo sent a bomb to the second row of the porches in left field, tying the game at 4-4 as the rain started to fall again. Bargo’s shot answered Auburn’s go-ahead run on a single to right field in the top of the ninth, when Auburn scored with the hit-and-run in place. Tennessee had wasted runners on second and third in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings, with all three innings ended on strikeouts, before Bargo came up clutch in the ninth. Runners were at the corners in the sixth when Cannon Peebles was thrown out at home plate, after a Gavin Kilen single to right. The Vols were 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position to start the day in the 6-1 loss in Game 1 Saturday afternoon. They were 1-for-10 with runners on base. Dylan Loy had his longest outing of the season after replacing Marcus Phillips in the fifth inning in Saturday’s second game. Loy went 3.2 innings pitched and was pulled after giving up a leadoff double to start the top of the ninth. He pitched 1.1 innings against Northern Kentucky on Tuesday, giving up one hit, after going 2.1 innings at LSU on Saturday, giving up one run on one hit. His previous season high was 3.0 innings against Florida on March 16, when he gave up just one hit without allowing a run.  The sophomore left-hander from Pigeon Forge entered Saturday’s games with a 2.57 ERA, pitching 21.0 innings over 21 appearances, with 25 strikeouts against just five walks. Dean Curley threw wide on a hard-hit Ike Irish ground ball to second in the top of the fifth, Tennessee’s second error of the day, and Irish later came around to score.  Irish stole second — he was initially called out on the field, but the call was overturned after Auburn challenged — then stole third. The throw from Peebles was ahead of Irish at third, but Tennessee’s Manny Marin fell as he caught the throw and couldn’t apply the tag. The Vols made the third out at home plate in the bottom of the sixth, when Peebles tried to score on a Kilen single to right field. Peebles doubled off the wall to reach, but didn’t go to third despite Irish crashing into the wall and falling down.  Tennessee started the second inning with another error on a throw to first. This time it was Kilen throwing low to the bag, where Andrew Fischer was unable to stop the one-hopper.  Curley has now committed a team-high 12 errors on the season. He had two errors at third base in the bottom of the ninth at LSU last Friday, helping the Tigers score six unearned runs to rally for an improbable 6-3 win to start the series in Baton Rouge. He went from third base to designated hitter for the final two games at LSU, with Marin replacing him at third, then switched to second base in Tennessee’s midweek win over Northern Kentucky, with Kilen going from shortstop to second. Colorado defensive back Colton Hood has committed to Tennessee out of the NCAA Transfer Portal, bolstering the Vols' secondary.... Rick Barnes and the basketball staff have done it again. They have went overseas and landed another key piece to the Tennessee roster in guard... Grand Valley State defensive line transfer Josh Schell thought he would take more visits but after getting back home to Michigan, he couldn’t get... Indiana transfer Marcus Burris Jr. was in Knoxville on Saturday to meet with the Tennessee staff. As he left campus, he caught up with Volquest to... Arizona defensive line transfer Isaiah Johnson was on Rocky Top on Friday to see what Tennessee has to offer. After the visit, Volquest caught up... Division II transfer wing Elyjah Freeman committed to Auburn over Tennessee and Indiana out of the NCAA Transfer Portal... Tennessee Football's annual Orange & White Game won't be on TV on Saturday afternoon, but updates can be found on Volquest.com.... VFL Zander Sechrist joins The Porch to preview Tennessee and Ole Miss this weekend in SEC play from Oxford.... Tony Vitello gave the latest on the Gavin Kilen injury and spoke on Liam Doyle's minor blister from Friday night.... Tennessee has seen tremendous success on the recruiting in recent years. One of the key contributors to that success has been Levorn ‘Chop’ Harbin.... Tennessee has picked up bruising big man Jaylen Carey from Vanderbilt out of the transfer portal. So why did Carey choose to leave the mid state... Billings, Montana is a long way from Rocky Top but tight end Matt “Moose” Ludwig was at Tennessee this weekend to checkout the Vols. Before leaving... Greeneville, Tennessee native Jakobi Gillespie is heading to Rocky Top. Tennessee has landed one of the top guards out of the portal.... Tennessee wideout Braylon Staley has seen tremendous growth over the last several months. He joined Vol Club Confidential sponsored by Knoxville... Tennessee hosted Indianapolis defensive end JJ Finch on Thursday. Following the visit, he recapped his time on Rocky Top with Volquest. “I really... Tennessee tight end Miles Kitselman will miss extended time after suffering a pectoral injury this spring. Additionally, sources tell Volquest that... Little by little, tight end Ethan Davis sees growth. Growth in his game which ultimately results in growth in playing time on the field as a... What Tennessee coach Tony Vitello said on a midweek win over Queens and what's to come this weekend in South Carolina.... Tennessee transfer first baseman Alberto Osuna hasn’t yet played in a game with the Vols due to being declared ineligible by the NCAA. Instead, the... Tennessee baseball is off and running in Southeastern Conference play with a sweep of the Florida Gators. It's the weekly Volquest Baseball 3-2-1.... For the better part of seven innings, game two of the top-ten matchup between Tennessee and Florida was a defensive struggle. Tennessee found plenty... Tennessee seniors Jordan Gainey and Jahmai Mashack wrapped up their home career on Saturday with a win over South Carolina. They joined Vol Club... Tony Vitello met with members of the media on Friday night following a game one victory over St. Bonaventure. Here's the postgame transcript.... Tennessee has a big freshman class ready to go through spring practice starting on Friday. A top-10 recruiting class ready to make an impact. They... After a college football playoff performance last fall, Tennessee returns to spring practice this week. The roster is full of talent and yet also... Thanks for visiting Chris Newstrom didn't get all of the ball but he got enough The Tennessee baseball pinch hitter muscled a seeing-eye single into center field to lift the Vols to a 5-4 win in the 11th inning against Auburn Andrew Fischer and Hunter Ensley singled leading off the 11th at Lindsey Nelson Stadium Dalton Bargo bunted the pair into scoring position before the Tigers intentionally walked Levi Clark Newstrom pinch-hit for Reese Chapman and hit a single past the pulled-in infield and a diving attempt from Auburn shortstop Eric Snow The Vols caught Auburn's Bristol Carter trying to steal home in the top of the 11th Liam Doyle tagged Carter out and the benches partially cleared after Carter and Doyle exchanged words ET with Doyle replacing Nate Snead on the mound to face Auburn's Ike Irish Doyle walked Irish before striking out three straight Tigers to keep the game tied UT wasted an opportunity in the bottom of the 10th running into an out at third when Manny Marin headed for third on a Gavin Kilen single to left center argo tied the game on a solo homer to left field with one out after the Vols entered the inning down 4-3 He practically skipped around the bases as rain and wind picked up The game was suspended due to inclement weather in the top of the 10th with a 1-0 count to Irish The Tigers took a one-run lead in the top of the ninth on a bloop single from Chase Fralick to score pinch-runner Deric Fabian 6 Tennessee lost the first game of the Saturday doubleheader 6-1 to the No The game resumed in the bottom of the first after it was suspended Friday with Auburn leading 2-0