Wednesday February 15, 2023

MADAME PRESIDENT Student Body President Jordan Brown talks building SGA back and what it takes to change the status quo.

The Daily Beacon

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Volume 143, Issue 4

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Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, February 15, 2023

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Letter from the Editor: Shame on The College Board DANIEL DASSOW Editor-in-Chief

It is insufficient to state that The College Board, the non-profit organization which creates Advanced Placement courses for high school students, should not have removed key theories and ideas in Black history from the required curriculum of their new African American Studies course.

The College Board should never have met with the administration of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to begin with, and it should never collaborate with any state government so invested in erasing pillars of Black intellectual history. Shame on the College Board for doing so.

When the Florida Board of Education published a year’s worth of exchanges with The College Board on Feb. 7, it became clear that the Board had hidden the extent of their deliberations with the state from the public. It was also clear the state was not going to allow the course into public schools without “revisions,” a major threat from the nation’s third most populous state.

Months later, the latest version of the curriculum has been revised to remove concepts like intersectionality and police brutality, as well as movements like Black Lives Matter and the call for reparations for the descendants of enslaved people.

In a letter from The College Board published Feb. 11, the organization repeated the claim that the changes were made to create more historical balance in the curriculum.

“Contemporary events like the Black Lives Matter movement, reparations, and mass incarceration were optional topics in the pilot course,” the Board said. “Our lack of clarity allowed the narrative to arise that political forces had ‘downgraded’ the role of these contemporary movements and debates in the AP class.”

Reparations is a contemporary debate? This is news to every scholar of Black history, who know that reparations have been at the center of Black politics and scholarship since emancipation.

“Our failure to raise our voice betrayed Black scholars everywhere and those who have long toiled to build this remarkable field,” the letter said.

It was a stunning admission from an organization that was trying to remain defiant as the odds stacked against them.

Of course, if the Board had refused to meet with the DeSantis administration, it is all but inevitable Florida would have banned the Black Studies course, which is a shame. But an integral part of the American political system is facing the consequences of your electoral choices. If you elect a politician who wants to scrub Black history in order to defang white supremacy and

Governor Ron DeSantis speaking with attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. Gage Skidmore / Creative Commons ensure its continuance, then that is what you will get.

These consequences are what keep elections turning. By paring down the course into a form acceptable to Republican politicians, the Board has increased these politicians’ chances of reelection. They have made a conservative political statement by involving themselves in these talks and changing the course, no matter their claim that these two things were not connected.

You cannot look the American public in the face and say that removing reparations, Black Lives Matter, critical race theory and queer theory is not a political decision.

You cannot say that these ideas are “contemporary” without explicitly erasing centuries of Black queer experience and Black political and scholarly activism.

Students will not get the full picture of Black history in this course because the Board gave into political pressure.

When I was a junior in high school, my AP English Language and Composition teacher assigned us a project called “Hyphenated America,” where we could closely read and analyze a text of our choice written by an author with a hyphenated identity, such as Asian-American or African-American.

Set aside the fact that these hyphens have come under scrutiny and are now largely unused. I was able to study Ta-Nehisi Coates’s landmark essay collection “We Were Eight Years in Power,” and it transformed the way I think about race in American history. To be clear: this transformation is what DeSantis and his supporters are afraid of.

In my essay, I concluded that Coates was no new James Baldwin, as some had asserted. Baldwin’s hope for America was tough and complex and scarred by white racist violence, but it was there nonetheless, and his hope is what made him remarkable. Coates, on the other hand, had all but given up on America, and had made hopelessness part of his ethos as a public intellectual.

Ron DeSantis does not take issue with Ta-Nehisi Coates’s hopelessness. He takes issue with Coates’s fierce honesty about everything white American voters and their elected representatives have taken from Black people since the end of legal enslavement.

He takes issue with the fact that these historical truths make certain demands of white people in the 21st century and that these demands are political.

These laws are not about protecting the truth.

They are about protecting white people from the truth. They are about predominantly white governments suppressing the voice of Black scholars and writers who have demanded that the U.S. take political action to repair the savage legacy of chattel slavery which continues to affect outcomes for Black Americans today.

Of course it matters that the AP course exists in the first place. But in this instance, it is not true that any course is better than no course.

This Black History Month, let’s remember that the only truthful telling of Black history is the full one, and let’s dispel with the notion that The College Board, who also administers the SAT test, is a politically unaffiliated organization.

They have affiliated themselves in brazen ways, and we are seeing the effects of that choice.

NEWS

Wednesday, February 15, 2023 • The Daily Beacon

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As changes to Cumberland Avenue begin, student workers fear uncertain future CHLOE COLE Contributor

The Strip as it is currently known will likely be unrecognizable within the next few years.

Developers plan to construct a ten-story parking garage and four residential apartment buildings where familiar buildings currently stand.

Some of these businesses – Stefano’s Pizza, University Liquors, Zen Ramen House and Jimmy John’s – sit on lots that have already been purchased by developers. Others, like Insomnia Cookies, Mellow Mushroom and Victor’s Taco Shop, sit on lots that are included in future construction proposals, though they have not been purchased for new development.

Cumberland Avenue, famously known as the “Strip,” is the heart of Knoxville for the majority of college students at the University of Tennessee. The current state of Cumberland won’t stand for much longer as developers will soon take action in an attempt to revamp the area. Concerns and mixed feelings about these changes have been hot topics of conversation lately.

Looming questions have gone unanswered leaving students’ imaginations to wander regarding what the area will look like 10 years down the road for alumni visiting UT’s campus.

Through this uncertainty, the main concern for current Vols is whether they will lose the current feel of the Strip.

The Strip is clearly a hot spot for businesses due to its location being within walking distance for most students and faculty.

Businesses that currently call Cumberland Ave. home are being offered heaps of money for the locations in which they reside. One major development group buying these properties is called Core Spaces. Core Spaces is specifically buying with the intention of turning these properties into residential housing. The group is headquartered in Chicago.

The group obtained the property under a $14.5 million deal.

While thinking about the future of Cumberland, many possible outcomes come to mind.

One beneficial factor is that the development will provide more housing options as having nearly 34,000 students can make it challenging to find places to live.

There are also professional issues and financial stresses that are of concern to students.

Students don’t only browse the strip for fun — many work at the businesses that are being torn down.

University Liquors will not be closing, but relocating further down the Strip next to Firehouse Subs. It is predicted the new University Liquors location will open at the end of this week as they

University Liquors in its new location. Madelyn Stone / The Daily Beacon

have effectively transported all inventory as of Jan. 28. Employees are wrapping up the move by finishing the interior and making sure the coolers and electrical appliances work properly.

University Liquors employee and UT senior Aaron Hull spoke on his experience with the transition.

“I plan to work there (University Liquors) as soon as it opens and want to make sure everyone knows we will not be closing down anytime soon,” Hull said.

Members of the UT community are likely aware of University Liquors’ merchandise consisting of various colored sweatshirts with the store’s logo. When rumors started flooding campus about the possibility of University Liquors shutting down, sweatshirt sales skyrocketed. Students wanted something tangible and sentimental to symbolize their beloved college memories and favorite spots.

Other working students were not so lucky with seamless transitions regarding their jobs.

Marin Tonelli, a senior at UT, worked at Yesterday’s for a year and a half.

Right before winter break, employees were given a two-day notice of their workplace temporarily shutting down and relocating. The amount of time it would take to relocate was uncertain and terminated employees had to race to make other arrangements regarding financial responsibilities.

Tonelli spoke on the personal feelings that erupted during this time.

“I loved the environment and working there. I just wish there was more communication about it closing down,” Tonelli said.

There are all types of predictions for the future of the Strip, but only time will tell how different it will actually be. Although future students will not get to experience the Strip as current students have, they will experience it in a unique way.

Change is inevitable, and the future state of the Strip is no exception. History seems to be repeating itself as this is surely not the first time Cumberland Avenue has experienced a refashioning, and it certainly won’t be the last.

Video: The Strip is ‘pretty much gone’

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NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, February 15, 2023

CCI holds weekly drop-in hours: ‘We’re your people’ ABBIE SMITH Staff Writer

Every Wednesday, the College of Communication and Information’s Career Development Center holds drop-in hours from 1-3 p.m. These drop-in hours were first held in Fall 2022, and are currently active for the spring semester. As of Feb. 1. Bukky Abdul, career coach in CCI and Devan Lane, director of career development, are the main people to work with during this time and they hope to spread the word about this opportunity for students.

“Tell your friends,” Abdul said. “We want CCI students to use our resources so that they can succeed.”

These drop-in hours are for CCI students specifically, while there is a separate set of drop-in hours for the university-wide Center for Career Development & Academic Exploration. Faculty members who participate in the program believe that CCI drop-in hours have been underutilized in the past semester. Lane stated that six students in total came to dropin hours last fall.

However, things are looking up. Lane also stated that two or three students came to drop-in hours last week alone and she hopes for it to increase steadily from there.

Headlines run above the entrance to classrooms in the Communications and University Extension Building in Circle Park. File / The Daily Beacon One of the things that Lane wants students to take advantage of is the resume-building assistance that is offered during drop-in hours.

“If you haven’t had somebody look at your resume, it pays to do that. You should take advantage of it — get some feedback, get prac-

tice talking about your resume,” Lane said. “I would really love to see more resumes, honestly, because there are some that are posted on Handshake and you’re like, ‘oh.’”

With a trained professional ready to look over your resume, it’s definitely worth the time to take advantage of their knowledge.

Other than resume-building, these drop-in hours offer chances to practice interviewing for jobs, negotiating salaries and building professional skills.

“I worked with a student a couple of weeks ago who had accepted a couple of different job offers and was deciding which one he should take,” Lane said. “If it’s career related, we’re here to help with that. We’re your people.”

CCI will also post an event on Thursday, Feb. 16, titled: “Build Your Online Portfolio with Wix.” It is a virtual event that will last one hour.

“It’s so important to build a portfolio, especially if you’re a JEM student,” Lane continued.

“Every person who attends this event will get a free Wix account.”

The following day, Friday Feb. 17, CCI will also be holding a brand new program: CCI by Design. At the event, CCI will host about twenty industry partners from companies such as WBIR, WATE and Tombras who will share their experiences in the industry in which they work as well as teach about opportunities for students within the industry.

If you have a class at the time of the drop-in hours or cannot make it for any other reason, both Devan Lane and Bukky Abdul are open to scheduling appointments with students at dlane20@utk.edu and babdul@utk.edu, respectively.

Senior Eric Stein fights for flu awareness with Families Fighting Flu KYLIA BERRY Contributor

In the U.S., the influenza illness typically peaks between January and March, with February having the highest number of influenza cases. The flu can account for tens of thousands of deaths annually, including hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations. According to CDC estimates, there have been approximately 17,000 deaths from the flu this season.

Eric Stein, a senior at the University of Tennessee, consistently advocates for flu awareness and prevention. He is also a junior board member of the Families Fighting Flu nonprofit organization created by families who lost their children due to influenza at a young age.

“The older I get, the more opportunities I find to make a difference within the organization (FFF), and I am extremely honored to be able to represent FFF with an executive position on the Junior Board,” Stein said in a statement to the CDC. Established in 2004, the FFF is committed to protecting children, families and communities against the flu. The organization is composed of families who have suffered from losing a loved one or almost lost their loved one due to health complications. In addition to educating families, the organization also focuses

on spreading the word about the flu vaccine to ensure that no family is at risk of getting sick.

In 2004, Stein and his older sister, Jessica, got sick with the flu. Stein’s immune system was able to fight off the dangerous illness, however, Jessica’s heart was attacked by the virus, and she died when she was four. Stein often considers what extraordinary accomplishments Jessica could have achieved in her life if the virus had not taken her life so early.

Since then, Stein and his family have made it their mission to advocate for yearly flu shots through FFF. “I’ve seen first-hand how missing a yearly flu vaccine can hurt a family,” Stein said in a statement to the CDC. Having lost a sister and daughter to the flu, the family has become an advocate for flu awareness. Stein is passionate about honoring his sister’s legacy by spreading the education and understanding the flu virus deserves.

Moreover, he believes that individuals should take the initiative to be protected by a flu vaccine every year.

“Nobody enjoys getting a vaccine, but the risks (of not getting a vaccine) are much higher than people realize,” Stein said in a statement to CDC. He acknowledges that a number of his peers and friends are reaching adulthood and are unsure of their health and well being without the assistance of their guardians. Therefore,

he ensures it is essential to remind his peers to take extra precautions, like the yearly flu vaccination, to benefit themselves and their community.

“I believe being properly educated about the flu is necessary through all the ages, as it is something that can have a much more significant impact on our self, friends and families lives than perceived,” Brian Heaney, a friend of Stein and a senior majoring in forestry, said.

Stein believes that flu vaccines are often an overlooked precaution that could be the deciding factor in saving someone’s life.

“I know the devastation of losing a family member to a vaccine-preventable disease,” Stein said in a statement to CDC. As a member of the FFF Brand Ambassadors program, Stein recruits college students to promote flu awareness through social media on their campuses.

“Stein has always strived to properly educate his friends and colleagues about the benefits of getting the flu shot,” Heaney said.

In addition, he has helped organize and manage a silent auction called “Rock the flu.”

The event helps raise money for flu awareness and vaccination. Stein will continue to honor his sister’s legacy by never losing his advocacy for the flu.

“It is very rewarding to be able to give back to the community through advocacy about an issue that is near and dear to me,” Stein said in

a statement to the CDC. Families affected by the flu, like Stein’s, want you to acknowledge the dangers the virus can cause. Members of the FFF believe that individuals should take the necessary precautions to ensure their and their beloved ones’ health can defeat the influenza illness that occurs yearly.

Eric Stein, a senior at the University of Tennessee, consistently advocates for flu awareness and prevention as a junior board member of Families Fighting Flu. Daniel Paquet / Creative Commons

NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, February 15, 2023

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Knoxville community gathers to discuss new city infrastructure plans, potential outcomes ABBIE SMITH Staff Writer

On Monday, the City of Knoxville, Sanders Pace Architecture and Port held a South Knoxville community open house in order to receive feedback on development plans they have for the area. There were eight stations of information available to the public.

The first three stations displayed the vision plan made in 2006 and zoning districts of South Knoxville, the progress that has been made over the last seventeen years and future possibilities for growth up and down the Tennessee River.

The remaining stations displayed the ongoing work of partner organizations, the City of Knoxville, private developers and the University of Tennessee’s master plan. This master plan includes the development of the pedestrian bridge, which was another station at this open house.

The pedestrian bridge is intended to make the South waterfront of the Tennessee River into a place for people to live, work and play. By bringing this area to life, the City of Knoxville hopes to bring more beauty to the growing city.

As of this month, the City of Knoxville has submitted a proposal for the US Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infra-

Renderings of a potential future pedestrian-bicycle bridge Courtesy of the City of Knoxville, Lawrie and Associates, CRJA, Wilbur Smith Associates, S&ME, and Sanders Pace Architecture structure with Sustainability and Equity Grant, which could provide up to $25 million for the building of the bridge. The bridge has been an idea since 2009, but with funding partnerships and sources being established, the City of Knoxville is closer than ever to completing the project.

Rebekah Jane Justice, deputy economic and community development officer for the city of Knoxville, explained the hopeful timeline for the bridge.

“If absolutely everything goes right and we get the money tomorrow, then we hope the bridge will be completed in five years or so,” Justice said.

The bridge will allow people to walk, bike, skateboard and rollerblade from one side of the river to another. On the feedback sheets that were posted around the community open house, one attendee wrote that they’re excited for the bridge because it allows for a much more direct path to Neyland Stadium.

As for UT’s role in the building of this pedestrian bridge, campus architect Andy Powers discussed the possibilities that the pedestrian bridge could open up for students. Students who don’t have cars will be able to travel from one side of the bridge, the campus side, to a recreational area that holds a world of possibilities.

“There could be rock climbing, water activities near the quarry … these are the things that will set us apart from other campuses. If someone is trying to decide between, say, Clemson and UT, maybe this will sway them,” Powers said.

UT continues to build their master plan in this way.

“Maybe if some real estate opened up on that side of the river, we could build some student housing. Apartment style – for the upperclassmen,” Powers said.

Additionally, on the UT master plan, Powers pointed out that he and the other architects and engineers working on UT’s infrastructure are working on parking structures and buildings that will house the humanities departments.

The university is actively working to solve the problems its students and faculty face. The pedestrian bridge will play a part in both improving the culture of Knoxville and providing the space that Volunteers need for the university to continue to grow.

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NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Rising to the Challenge Taking on a notoriously demanding role at a difficult time, Student Body President Jordan Brown has restored relationships and energized student leadership through her advocacy, candor and slight tendency towards perfectionism.

AURORA SILAVONG Staff Writer

Jordan Brown is a busy woman.

It was a beautiful, sunny Monday afternoon, but Brown was indoors, buzzing back and forth between the Student Government offices and the foyer area of the Student Union building.

SGA was hosting a drop-in event for students to meet the provost, and while it was an informal, more casual affair, everything still had to be up to snuff.

For detail-oriented Brown, “satisfactory” is not enough. Perfection – or as close as possible – or bust: that was the name of the game. And she pursued it with a charming smile, a good sense of humor and an approachable warmth.

“They delivered the donuts early,” she explained with a laugh as she power-walked out of the Student Success Center. “They got here at 1:30, but the event doesn’t start until 3, so half of them are already gone.”

This is what a typical day for the student body president, who is also a senior doublemajoring in psychology and sociology, looks like. Brown oversees SGA and its many committees, boards and branches, and she also serves as the foremost advocate on campus for students. She acts as a direct communication line between students and administration, delivering feedback she receives from her peers straight to the desks of the most powerful people at the university. She is also in charge of making the administration more accessible to the average student.

Despite all of these responsibilities, Brown miraculously manages to stay on top of everything.

“I could probably do a lot better,” Brown admitted. “Google Calendar is my best friend.

My actual friends are also very good at holding me accountable and making sure I’m taking care of myself.”

Brown has been a part of SGA since first stepping foot at UT. She joined the First Year Council her freshman year, and she served two

Student Body President Jordan Brown has made it a key part of her tenure to build back from the many setbacks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Jordan Brown’s duties as the top student leader include overseeing the committees, boards and branches of the Student Government Association. Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon terms as a senator and parliamentarian in the undergraduate senate. When the end of her junior year rolled around, she was faced with an important decision: continue serving in the senate or stepping up to the plate as a presidential candidate.

When it was finally time for elections, Brown found herself running unopposed.

“It was a leap of faith,” Brown said. “I hadn’t heard about anyone else running, and I couldn’t imagine just leaving the future of SGA to the wayside. I couldn’t watch this ship crash and burn or sail into the sunset, especially since I had been so heavily involved.”

“Of course, I was stepping out of my comfort zone, but why couldn’t I do it? There were no reasons holding me back.”

Now, a year after the election, Brown and her team say they are satisfied with the work they have done thus far, especially in bridging gaps between SGA, its student body constituents and university administration. These lapses were especially aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Brown’s government knew they wanted to prioritize rekindling former relationships and building new ones when they came into power.

“Sadly, I ran unopposed, which was a bigger reflection on the fact that SGA didn’t have many connections with students or administration coming out of the pandemic,” Brown said. “A lot of work was done internally or through Zoom [during COVID], but our campaign wanted to prioritize doing in-person events and going out and actually building those connections.”

Senior Juliet Gear serves as chief of staff on Brown’s cabinet. Her responsibilities include supporting Brown during her official duties and acting as a liaison between SGA branches and administration.

“Previously, student government didn’t know how much we could change things like

advising and majors,” Juliet Gear, senior and SGA Chief of Staff said. “Jordan took the initiative to build up relationships with Student Success and the Office of the Provost and work with on initiatives with them.”

Another priority Brown has is making sure to address issues that students find important.

Sometimes, this means issuing statements on difficult and controversial topics.

During the summer of 2022, SGA released a statement on the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the subsequent banning of abortion in Tennessee. In the statement, SGA shared information on resources to help students during that uncertain time and invited members of the community to share their thoughts on the situation.

More recently, SGA issued a statement in the wake of the death of Tyre Nichols. Brown says she is usually less involved in the actual writing process, but she played a more active role for this one. As a Black student from Memphis, it was more personal.

“It impacted my home,” Brown said. “It impacted my family.”

“Google Calendar is my best friend.”

JORDAN BROWN SGA Student Body President

“A lot of the statement reads ‘Jordan.’ It’s literally my heart on paper.”

Brown drew inspiration for the statement from conversations she was having with her family and friends. She also used supportive efforts undertaken by UT administration to

NEWS center her statement, such as the reflection space event hosted at the Frieson Black Cultural Center. Additionally, she consulted and coordinated with several prominent Black student organizations to further elevate Black students’ voices.

In addition to these hot button issues, Brown has worked on a number of other initiatives to better students’ experiences on campus. One her team is particularly excited about is bringing the Aunt Flow program to UT. This program helps schools and workplaces provide free and sustainable menstrual products in their facilities. The project is a work in progress and the culmination of several years of negotiations through many SGA administrations.

“The funny thing about being in this position is that you think it’s just a one-year process and things will get done, but it’s actually continuing projects multiple years in the making,” Brown said. “I had to pick up that work and try to take it further through my year.”

Previous SGA presidents had championed the cause of free menstrual products on campus, but Brown and her cabinet were able to make meaningful progress this year with university administration.

The program’s details are currently being finalized, and it is only a matter of waiting for those first shipments of product.

While Brown made community relationships a priority, she has not neglected to foster a welcoming and efficient environment within SGA itself. She has worked towards cultivating a respectful and friendly workplace culture while also not being afraid to hold her peers accountable for their responsibilities.

“Jordan has done a really good job prioritizing internal relationships and making sure everything is done well,” Mark Hancock, junior and student body vice president, said. “It’s important to build those relationships because, when those relationships are strong, it makes us as an organization stronger.”

“When everyone knows each other and knows

Wednesday, February 15, 2023 • The Daily Beacon each other’s strengths and weaknesses, it’s easier to get those big outside projects done.”

As Brown approaches the end of her last semester on Rocky Top, she reflected on what she is leaving behind and the experience she has gained.

“I have become very comfortable with the fact that change is not linear, and it takes time,” Brown said.

“There are things I’m working on that I may not even see come to fruition, but it’s all about how I laid that foundation for the people that will come after me.”

She hopes her efforts this year have made it clear there is no one “right” type of person for SGA, and more people will make the effort to engage in student advocacy and student government.

“As long as you have that passion to want to advocate for your fellow students and you have issues you want to work towards on this campus, you can run for student body president or any of the elected top four positions,” Brown said. “There’s a stereotype that there’s a certain type of person for SGA, and that’s just not true.”

“I was stepping out of my comfort zone, but why wouldn’t I do it? There were no reasons holding me back.”

JORDAN BROWN SGA Student Body President

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The Weekly Crossword ACROSS 1 Part of GMAT 5 Gridiron play 9 Call's companion 13 Some nerve 15 Chills and fever 16 Astronaut Shepard 17 Belt size, basically 18 Measuring instrument (var.)

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ARTS & CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, February 15, 2023

New store Plugged In offers local street style on the Strip LEAH HIBBERT Staff Writer

Sneaker culture and streetwear have reformed the world of fashion in recent years.

Thousands of annual conventions, pop-ups and trade events take place nationwide for individuals to buy and sell merchandise.

David Deacon and Dallas Ogletree, two passionate sneaker enthusiasts, decided it was time that Knoxville got a local spot to do the same.

The pair opened up their vintage buy, sell and trade shop Plugged In back in June of 2021.

“Choosing a location was a long process,” Deacon said. “We wanted to originally be in the mall, but we were told a similar store already bought a space so we decided the Strip was the next best spot for foot traffic and the right demographic of people.”

Having enough on-hand products of rare and hard-to-get items isn’t an easy task , especially when trying to fill a whole store. However, Deacon and Ogletree have been raking up inventory since college.

“We started off buying and trading our own shoes in our dorm at Maryville College,”

Ogletree said. “Then about a year later, David got a job at Footlocker, so he was good at getting new sneaker drops. We started traveling around to different conventions and doing sneaker meet-ups around town too which is how we got most of our product.”

The pair said they continue to attend various meetups and conventions to get new products, just now with a bigger budget. Owning their own business has allowed the two to bulk buy popular products so inventory is always on hand.

Although UT students keep a constant traffic flow during the academic year, Deacon says a lot of locals and social media followers are very supportive and are a strong asset to their clientele.

“Throughout the whole year, the locals really support heavy,” Deacon said. “Even now with our online shop taking off, we’ve been shipping out here and to other states like Hawaii and California which is really cool.”

Ogletree and Deacon have collected enough products to fill two floors with merchandise and offer several different sizes and colors as well. They even have a dedicated University of Tennessee vintage section, which comprises everything from hats to bomber jackets.

“We don’t want to tell people how to dress,

we just want to be able to cater to everybody so that whatever style someone does have, they can find an option here,” Ogletree said.

Plugged In offers designer pieces, hats, vintage pieces, sneakers, streetwear and even accessories. Deacon and Ogletree are proud to have a store just minutes from campus that really offers something for everybody.

The pair is also very active on social media, especially since a lot of customers buy through their Instagram page. Their handle @ pluggedinknoxville, has almost 8,000 followers and is updated daily with new items for sale or items they’re looking to buy.

“We’re always looking to buy new items off of people. If it will sell, we’ll buy it,” Ogletree said.

However, Jordan 1ns, Jordan 4s, Nike Dunks, Yeezys and anything streetwear are definitely items they’re always looking for more of.

The sneaker industry is no joke. Ogletree and Deacon just sold their highest-priced shoe in the store for a little over $8,000 – a pair of Jordan UNC 5’s, Player Edition. Although most pairs in the store don’t go for nearly that much, limited edition styles will sell for thousands of dollars. A pair of Jordan Travis Scott High’s still remain in the store for around $2000.

Whether you’re on the hunt for the rar-

est sneaker on the market, want to up your streetwear style are just looking for a unique shirt for gameday, Plugged In has got it covered.

Streetwear store Plugged In is located at 1907 Cumberland Ave. Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Burgers, books and balayage: 5 Black-owned businesses in Knoxville AURORA SILAVONG Staff Writer

monthly book subscription, which it draws from its curated collection of Black-affirming, Black-authored works.

Business is booming in Knoxville, and the city seems to grow every day. Despite historical and present-day barriers, Black-owned businesses are fortunately also sharing in that growth.

Supporting locally-owned places has never been more important than now, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic devastated – and continues to wreak havoc upon – small, minority-owned businesses across the country.

Here is just a taste of some of the Blackowned businesses you should visit all yearround. For more information about Black businesses in Knoxville, check out the Knoxville Black Business Directory.

Established in 1969, this ensemble company’s mission is to highlight works by oppressed creators. In addition to bringing attention to the experiences of minority groups, the theatre intends to also offer a space for healing and learning, reframing trauma and empowering its community.

In addition to productions year-round, the theatre organizes a variety of other programs, including youth outreach and a digital storytelling house. For more information, visit their Facebook and Instagram.

The Bottom

Named after a historically Black neighborhood in East Tennessee, The Bottom is a bookstore and a non-profit community space. It was founded by Enkeshi El-Amin, formerly a sociology professor at UT, originally as a youth entrepreneurship program and sewing circle.

El-Amin later departed from the role when she accepted a post at West Virginia University, but her mission is being furthered by the team.

The Bottom regularly hosts events celebrating Black culture and creativity. It also offers a

The Carpetbag Theatre

BattleField Farm & Garden

In the spring of 2018, pastor Chris Battle set out to combat the food disparity in his community by starting a community garden at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in East Knoxville.

He was later able to expand his mission with the purchase of the two-acre Abbey Field farm, which he rechristened as “BattleField.”

In addition to fresh produce, the farm also houses chickens and bees (affectionately known as the “Cardi Bees”). It regularly hosts educational events and farmers’ markets, which are featured on its Facebook page. The farm is always looking for volunteers and is currently offering a paid summer internship for Black youth.

Burger Boys

Blink and you will miss it — or maybe not.

Despite its tiny size, it is difficult to miss the distinctive red and white exterior of Burger Boys. In 2018, owner Jeffrey Bryant took his over three decades of fast-food experience and opened this small slice of burger heaven on the side of Chapman Highway.

Home of the free fries, every burger comes with a generous portion of spuds at no additional charge. In addition to its burgers, Burger Boys dishes up a variety of other southern classics, such as fried chicken and ribs.

Fox Den Hair Hangout

Nashville native and UT alum Foxy prides herself on being a “multicultural hair artist.” Her impressive resume includes working for Christian Cowan at New York Fashion Week 2022, as well as Rihanna’s SavageXFenty Fashion Show Volumes 3 and 4.

Intended to be a less stressful alternative to a typical hair salon, the Fox Den offers a variety of hair care services, including styling and coloring. Foxy splits her time between Knoxville and Nashville, and appointments fill up quickly. In addition to the website, Foxy is active on The Carpetbag Theatre located at 1323 N Facebook and Instagram.

Broadway Knoxville, TN. File / The Daily Beacon

Burger Boys offers burgers, fries and a wide selection of other southern soul food.

Gareth Frymier / Contributor

Wednesday, February 15, 2023• The Daily Beacon

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Douglass Day preserves Black history DANIEL DASSOW Editor-in-Chief

On Feb. 14 in the Frieson Black Cultural Center from 12-3 p.m., the campus public had the opportunity to digitally transcribe papers and letters by Mary Ann Shadd Cary, a 19th-century anti-slavery activist, editor, lawyer, teacher and suffragist who emigrated to Canada and became the first Black woman newspaper editor in North America.

Every Valentine’s Day, universities around the nation participate in Douglass Day to celebrate the chosen birthday of abolitionist Frederick Douglass by conducting a crowdsourced transcription project to preserve the works of Black activists and writers.

Like Shadd Cary, the figures selected by the national Douglass Day organization are often Black women such as Anna Julia Cooper, the focus of the 2020 celebration, and Mary Church Terrell, whose works were transcribed in 2021.

The event included cake provided by Mer Mer’s Bakery on Gay Street, owned and operated by Chandra Taylor, as well as lunch. The event also provided a means for students to engage in an activity usually reserved for archivists and historians.

Each participant logged into an online platform where they transcribed a photo of one of Shadd Cary’s writings into text. The thousands of transcriptions produced around the nation are compared with each other to create a transcription that will be entered into the historical record.

The celebration is sponsored annually by the departments of English, History and Africana Studies as well as the Humanities Center, UT Libraries, UT Special Collections and the Division of Diversity and Engagement.

Shaina Destine, assistant professor and humanities librarian at Hodges Library, is chair of the Douglass Day committee at UT and helped plan this year’s celebration.

“Bring your laptops and whatever devices you have that you can help transcribe and see how we really are democratizing Black history, how you can affect the archives in real ways,” Destine said.

On Monday evening, Nneka Dennie, assistant professor of history at Washington and Lee University and a current postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Black Digital Research at Penn State, delivered the annual Douglass Day plenary address in Hodges Library.

Dennie, whose work locates the origins of Black radical feminism in the 19th century through the work of figures like Shadd Cary, spoke about Shadd Cary’s own characterization of herself as “insensible of boundaries.”

“She not only crossed geographical boundaries, but also pushed the boundaries of what Black women should be and say and do,” Dennie said.

Often sidelined in the telling of Black history, Shadd Cary’s legacy is increasingly cemented through research and archival work.

Frederick Douglass Day Committee Chair Shaina Destine (center) and Assistant Professor Paris Whalon look over a document that’s being transcribed during the Douglass Day Celebration at the Frieson Black Cultural Center on Tuesday Feb. 14, 2023. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Students transcribing during the Douglass Day Celebration at the Frieson Black Cultural Center. Tuesday Feb. 14, 2023. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Each year, Mer Mer’s Bakery, owned and operated by Chandra Taylor, bakes a cake to honor Frederick Douglass’s birthday. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, February 15, 2023

‘The Last of Us’ gets video game adaptations right so far AURORA SILAVONG Staff Writer

It is hard to get gamers to agree on anything ever, but there is one thing the community can agree on — 2013’s “The Last of Us” is nothing short of a masterpiece. Although the game turns ten years old in 2023 and spawned a controversial sequel, it is still regarded as a high point in video game narrative writing.

When news came out in 2020 that HBO was looking to adapt the game into a show, fan reactions were mixed. On one hand, people believed in the network’s ability due to their other successful shows, such as “Chernobyl” and “Game of Thrones.” On the other hand, the film and television industries are still figuring out how to do games justice — looking at you, “Halo.”

The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world paralyzed by a fungal outbreak known as the cordyceps brain infection. The fungus turns its hosts into aggressive, flesh-eating monsters, known as “clickers” for the sounds they make, and the world is quickly overrun due to the fungus’s presence in the food supply.

The stories of both the game and the show focus on cynical smuggler Joel as he escorts a girl mysteriously immune to cordyceps to researchers. The girl, Ellie, may be the key in

engineering a vaccine or a cure for the outbreak. Throughout their travels, they fend off clickers, as well as other survivors trying to make it outside of the totalitarian, government-controlled quarantine zones.

Within the first three episodes, it’s too early to say if HBO has really nailed it as a whole.

However, that is not to say those three episodes are not some of the finest video game adaptations to ever hit the small screen, because they totally are.

The show remains faithful to the source material, but it is not afraid to deviate in some ways and explore the world outside of what was seen in the games. It is not a shot-forshot remake of the game, and both leads were encouraged not to play the games beforehand. Despite going in relatively blind, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey do a splendid job in their roles, and they retain key elements of their characters while also bringing their own touch to Joel and Ellie.

It is not necessary to have played the games to enjoy the show. While there are plenty of references and Easter eggs for fans of the games, the show is very accessible for general audiences. The show’s commentary about society’s response to a devastating pandemic is highly poignant and relatable in our postCOVID-19 world. Despite the science-fiction overtones, the show deals in other topics affecting the real world, such as climate change and authoritarianism.

However, be warned, the show is quite

ARTS & CULTURE

Joel and Ellie pictured in ‘The Last of Us’. Courtesy of IMDb graphic so be prepared for guts and gore galore. The show does not shy away from explicitly showing deceased children, which may be troubling for some viewers. On the plus side, there are few jumpscares, with scares being cultivated through tension and dread instead.

“The Last of Us” airs exclusively on HBO and its streaming platform, HBO Max. New episodes drop on Sundays at 9 p.m. EST. The first episode is currently free to stream for a limited time on the HBO website.

Review: CBT’s ‘Trouble in Mind’ astonishes and amuses ELI BOLDT Contributor

The Clarence Brown Theatre’s “Trouble in Mind” opened Friday, Feb. 10 to great success.

Kenneth Martin, the Artistic Director for the Clarence Brown and UT’s theatre department head, stood in the spotlight to introduce the show, reminding the audience that it is an important work, critical to our lives now.

It is an important piece of art, and beautiful too, in its powerful speeches and clever dialogue, but it is also so funny.

This show is a fantastic comedy, made so by the comedic timing of the cast, their interactions with each other timed perfectly. Laughs filled the audience and the stage, the characters cracking jokes with each other.

And throughout it all, a simmering. Something bubbles beneath, a slight tension, heightened one microaggression at a time.

When the breaking point comes, it is deserved, it is expected, a tea kettle whistling sharply as the main character Wiletta, portrayed by Shinnerrie Jackson, finally gets to yell.

It is a meta-play, about a Broadway show in rehearsal. The show the characters are putting

Cast of Clarence Brown Theatre’s Trouble in Mind production. Courtesy of Ella Martson on portrays a community in tension over Black people voting; it ends with a lynching. Through the story within the story, the characters reflect on a community filled with prejudice, while experiencing prejudice in their real lives too. Wiletta must decide to star in the Broadway show or be loyal to her own sense of what is right.

It is made extra meta by the fact that it might have been the first play written by a black woman produced on a Broadway stage.

But the playwright Alice Childress was asked to change too much, to take away too much of the story. She refused. “Trouble In Mind” came to

Broadway, finally, in 2021.

The Clarence Brown puts this show on with excellence.

The set is magnificent. It depicts a small rehearsal space, walls soaring up to the ceiling and the floor inching into the audience. It is immensely detailed and extensively intricate.

The actors interact with the space in a familiar and natural way. They come down into the wings, they enter through the same entrances we the audience use. The space is well-used and well-constructed. Scenic designer Christopher Pickart’s stunning set draws us into the reality of this world: cluttered tables and water

damage, old furniture and mismatched chairs.

The cast is exceptional, and all of them are brilliant in their executions of complex characters. One stand-out performance is Joshua Peterson who portrays, at times devastatingly well, the character of Al, who will not accept or acknowledge his own prejudices and privilege. Another is Tom Parkhill, who portrays the bumbling and hilarious electrician, Henry.

But this is truly Jackon’s show. In it, the character Al, directing the show’s show, asks for “natural” from his cast. Wiletta may struggle to draw it out, but Jackson does it flawlessly.

Her portrayal of Wiletta is truthful and beautiful. She gives us comedy and drama tied seamlessly together, and she gets to show off her singing voice — emotionally impactful and brightly clear. There is no better word than powerful for describing her performance. After she delivers her commanding speech to Al, I am startled out of the moment by the audience’s applause.

It is a stunning show and an astonishingly desperate story of power.

“Trouble in Mind” is playing through Feb. 26. Student tickets are free. To get tickets, stop by or call the Box Office Tuesday through Friday from 12-5 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the door 45 minutes prior to curtain.

ARTS & CULTURE

Wednesday, February 15, 2023 • The Daily Beacon

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Steep Canyon Rangers talk new music, upcoming show at Bijou Theatre ABBIE SMITH Staff Writer

Steep Canyon Rangers is a bluegrass band based out of Asheville, North Carolina. They began creating music about 25 years ago while at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The band has six members — Graham Sharp, Barrett Smith, Michael Ashworth, Mike Guggino, Nicky Sanders and Aaron Burdett. Notably, their 2013 album “Nobody Knows You” won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album.

The Rangers have a long history in Knoxville — especially at the Bijou, a theatre where the band tries to play at least once a year. This year, they will be performing a show at the Bijou on Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. and are looking forward to it immensely.

“It’s a counterpart to Asheville, kind of a sister city, almost,” Barrett Smith, the bass player for the Steep Canyon Rangers, said. “Knoxville is not some random city to us. It’s important to us and we’re so grateful to our fans in Knoxville. We know there are so many music lovers there who deserve really great shows and music. That’s what we do when we come to the Bijou — we really focus on bringing a killer show to the theatre and making it a special night.”

The band is excited to present new content in the show as well. At the end of January, they re-

The bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers is playing at the Bijou Theatre on Feb. 17, 2023. .

Courtesy of Steep Canyon Rangers corded a new album, their first with their newest member Aaron Burdett.

“My favorite album is our most recent album, ‘Arm in Arm,’” Smith said. “But as the dust settles and starts coming in, the album we just recorded may become my favorite album on top of ‘Arm in Arm.’” “I’m excited to see how the new songs are going to grow and see what they shape up to be,” Graham Sharp, a banjo and guitar player, as well as one of the major songwriters for the band, said.

“When you’re in the studio, you have a dream for your song that it’ll land a certain way with the people. You never really know until you get on stage. When we get to Knoxville, I’m excited to see what will happen with those songs.”

People of all ages come to watch the Steep Canyon Rangers perform. According to Sharp, bluegrass fans represent the “whole gamut of the age.”

Smith in particular is hoping to see some newer fans — younger people and college students — at the show as well.

“The university in Knoxville is just so unfathomably large and it’s concentrations of young, creative, music-loving people. We have such confidence that it doesn’t matter who you are — your age, sex, race, anything — just come party with us and have a good time. It would be really fun to tap into that population and have them in the room and feel the energy — we love that.”

Even though Smith and Sharp love their time

at the Bijou, they are outspoken about their experiences playing festivals in the warmer months.

Smith noted his time at Red Rocks in Colorado in particular as one of his favorite shows. Other than that, the band hosts their own music festival in western North Carolina called Mountain Song.

They also will be hosting another festival in May in South Carolina called Bird Fest. Being from South Carolina originally, Smith is most looking forward to this festival.

“The festivals are always very special,” Smith said. “But there are lots of times that we’ve walked off of stages and said, ‘That’s one of the best shows we’ve ever played.’”

“I mean, sometimes your favorite set isn’t the most glamorous thing. It’s just somewhere where something really connects, you know? I think that’s the cool thing about what we do, it doesn’t always have to be a packed house or your favorite venue. Sometimes there’s just a special spark,” Smith said.

The Bijou has definitely held that special spark for the band in the past, and on Feb. 17, they hope to find it again.

You can buy tickets on steepcanyon.com, with prices ranging from $30 to $45. The band will certainly try to put together a great show for all of their fans, so if you’re free that Friday night, buy a ticket. Even if you don’t know much about bluegrass or the band, who knows — the spark at the show might spark something inside of you, too.

Madness or motive: A spoiler-free review of ‘You’ season 4, part 1 ADAM DELAHOUSSAYE Contributor

Courtesy of IMDb It’s often said that the three core motives for murder are money, power and love. While Sera Gamble’s “You” has in seasons past sunk its cleavers into victims of fatal attraction, its return

to the small screen has eyes for malice in more arenas than one.

Now playing a literature professor in London going by Jonathan, Penn Badgley’s Joe acquaints himself with some of the city’s finest — though maybe only in name. A rather messy after party for one of these inherited wealth galas pushes our reformed serial murderer into his own Agatha Christie novel, with the antihero being the main suspect.

Bodies start to pile yet the motives start to branch in this whodunit framed social commentary that’s first half is fresh air breathed into a series susceptible to fatigue from repetition.

By now, violence being enacted on the one percent should be a pretty familiar plot device for any semi-frequent moviegoer. “Parasite’s” Best Picture win four years ago saw slews of cinematic floggings follow, both literal and metaphorical.

Gamble’s episodic iteration of those ideals is one that feels much more malicious, and it’s definitely not accidental.

“Not only are there people who have a ridiculous amount of money and have no idea what’s going on in the world, but they have titles, their families have been wealthy and important since long before the United States was even born,” Gamble said in a recent interview.

The shake-up in setting only adds to the unease in the wrench thrown in this season’s formula break, and ultimately seems to lead Joe’s arc to become more inward-focused than seasons

past. While still quenching that thirst for mystery — and blood, if that’s your thing — Badgley’s apathetic attitude combined with the very nature of the show as a whole seems to pose questions of necessity, and maybe even appropriateness.

“Great, I get to reacquaint myself with my least favorite genre,” Joe said in a voiceover from this season’s premiere. Fitting enough, as the quote seems to match the energy Joe seems to bring to the suspects surrounding him.

We’re shown early on Joe’s distaste for the kind of people he’s associated himself within the skin of his new identity. While, loyal to the commentary it’s going for, this seems somewhat contrarian given the ethos — or lack thereof — built around Joe’s character for the last three seasons.

It just doesn’t feel like Joe is the person, nor is he ever put in the position, to be realigning anyone’s moral compass.

That being said, the thematic explorations of “You” are never really the sharpest knives in its drawer. Throwing an aggravatingly arrogant anti-hero at the center of his own game makes for pretty fascinating character exploration for Joe. We’re not immediately pulled into another soon-to-be ex-girlfriend, we’re constantly reminded of his now foreign nature, and it seems that he’s having his own tricks pulled on him this time around. Looking from the other side of that glass opens up Joe’s eyes to a path, maybe undeserved, for his redemption.

This isn’t the first instance of on-screen kill-

ers seeking some sort of salvation. Michael C. Hall introduced the idea in Showtime’s “Dexter,” Bill Hader’s “Barry” seems to look for it everywhere he goes and even Evan Peters’s rendition of Jeff reyDahmer seemed to want some looks of sympathy from its audience. It’s a question screenwriters keep posing that seems to have a pretty definitive answer, but Badgley’s reformed killer at least has interesting insight to take away from his role reversal.

He’s pure evil, to be sure, but that doesn’t seem to stop him from wrestling with it. Continually employing the mental gymnastics that comes with being a psychopath starts to spin Joe’s story in a more definitive direction — and maybe an eventual exit.

In an interview earlier this week Penn Badgely was prompted on where Joe’s story takes him from here. For him, it’s a conflict of retribution.

The actor stated, “Is justice for Joe death? And who delivers it? Is it prison? Do we want retribution? Do we want him to suffer a painful miserable death? Well, that’s him lowering us to his level, if there’s another season to me, that’s what it’s about.”

It’s an interesting thing to have Joe juggle guilt and pride, and only accelerated and convoluted due to the ethics of those currently around him.

Only time and five new episodes on March 9 will tell where Joe’s rampage of passion will take him, but we can only hope he figures himself out a little better along the way.

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SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Why Kellie Harper praised Jordan Walker, Jordan Horston following win over Vanderbilt CALEB JARREAU Staff Writer

When anyone hears the name “Jordan” associated with basketball, they probably think of Michael Jordan. For the Lady Vols, it’s the tale of two Jordans not named Michael – Jordan Walker and Jordan Horston.

Both Jordans shined on Sunday, warranting high praise from head coach Kellie Harper after the Lady Vols’ (18-9, 10-2 SEC) win over Vanderbilt (11-15, 2-10 SEC) on Sunday.

Walker didn’t necessarily stuff the stat sheet for Tennessee, but she made her presence felt.

She finished with six points, six rebounds, eight assists and a block.

“She’s a dog, I say it all the time and she knows it,” fellow Jordan and guard Horston said. “She’s the backbone of this team, really.

All the things that she does, it goes unnoticed, but it is so big for us.”

While she wasn’t flashy during any part of Sunday, Walker’s plus/minus was off the charts. Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper was visibly surprised when she noticed that Walker finished +40 on Sunday.

“She’s a big part of who we are,” Harper said. “Again, you don’t see +40 very often, and that’s how she was affecting the game on both

ends of the court. Six points and +40, I mean, she’s so valuable to our success.”

As for Tennessee’s other Jordan, Jordan Horston, her play was more eye-catching and stat-stuffing on Sunday.

With the score tied at halftime, Tennessee needed a spark. Who provided that spark? Horston.

She came out of halftime and poured in 10 points in the third quarter, sparking the Lady Vols’ 20-point swing and rout of the Commodores.

“It was just fun,” Horston said. “I was just letting my defense dictate how everything else was going to go. I feel like it’s a lot more fun playing that way.”

Horston finished the game with 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists. She also shot at an efficiency that she hasn’t achieved since Nov. 25 against Colorado. Horston finished shooting 61.5%, going 8-for-13 from the field.

“For me, what I’ve been doing recently is letting the game come to me, finding where I can be productive,” Horston said. “I can do a lot of things on the floor. I’m always attacking, putting the ball in the basket.”

Horston finished third in plus/minus for Tennessee on Sunday, ending at +24 for the day. A point guard first, Horston has found herself on the wing more this year.

On Sunday, she showcased how she can

still thrive running Tennessee’s offense. The 6-foot-4 guard finished with four assists on Sunday, second to only to the previously mentioned Jordan, Jordan Walker.

“I can crash hard, or if I’m sprinting down the court, they’re worried about that, but Tess (Darby) is wide open for the three,” Horston said. “It’s just little things like that happen, focusing on them and then when it’s time, I find my shots in rhythm.”

As Horston said, when she is on, defenses have to prioritize guarding her. In the Lady Vols’ only two SEC losses, Mississippi State and LSU, Horston was a non-factor.

When Horston is playing at her best, Tennessee’s ceiling is very high.

“She wants it so bad, and she wants to do her part,” Harper said. “Sometimes, she can rush some things. When she settles in and plays with confidence, it looks good. She’s been practicing well.”

With just four regular-season games remaining, Horston will need to put in more performances like Sunday and fewer performances like last week against Mississippi State for Tennessee to improve its postseason stock.

As for when March Madness begins, the Lady Vols will need both Jordans performing at their best.

“We are at our best when (Horston) is stuffing the stats, and it does not have to be points,”

Harper said. “Her effect on the game in every other column is so valuable to our team, whether that’s assists, steals, or boards, or blocked shots. I mean, she can do so many things and our team, not just Jordan (Horston), but our team is at our best when she’s doing that.”

Jordan Walker (4) drives to the hoop against two UConn defenders on Thursday Jan. 26, 2023.

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Tennessee basketball finding positives after 2-loss week ANDREW PETERS Sports Editor

Tobe Awaka (11) goes for a layup against Missouri at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Saturday Feb. 11, 2023.

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Despite facing possibly the most unlucky week of any team this college basketball season, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes and his team are finding positives heading into one of their toughest weeks so far this season.

On Wednesday, the Vols (19-6, 8-4 SEC) lost to an unranked Vanderbilt team at the buzzer after Santiago Vescovi missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw situation and the Commodores drew up a perfect play that led to a corner three.

On Saturday, the Vols lost to an unranked Missouri team at the buzzer after Vescovi missed a free throws and Tobe Awaka committed a lane violation. This time, rather than a perfectly drawn up play, the Tigers won on a chaotic heave from 35 feet.

What made the loss on Saturday so crushing was that the Vols crawled back from a 17-point deficit and had one of their best offensive halves of the season, just to have the comeback spoiled by the last-second shot.

But despite the crushing loss, Barnes found positives from the game and is looking to bounce back against No. 1 Alabama (22-3, 120) on Wednesday in a game that could make up for last week.

“Their effort, intensity, willingness to do what they had to do – I thought it was enough,” Barnes said.

The second-half comeback on Saturday showed a new side of Tennessee’s team – an

offense that was scorching hot and scoring on a different level than it has for most of the season.

“We were just out there playing basketball.

That’s what we have to do,” sophomore big Jonas Aidoo said. “Just all be on the same page and be on the same gameplan.”

The Vols were taking open shots when they found them on Saturday, which proved to be the biggest difference. That was especially evident for Tyreke Key, who had 23 points with 21 of those coming in the second half.

Key’s hot hand is exactly why Barnes brought him to Tennessee from Indiana State in the offseason. Games like Saturday’s “He missed some shots early, but he kept that thing loaded and kept that thing shooting, and that’s what we need him to do,” Barnes said.

And Barnes wants his team to follow in Key’s lead. While the Vols will always pride themselves on defense, confidence on offense will lead to scoring outbursts like the one on Saturday.

“I tell these guys, if they’re not going to take open shots, they’re not going to get in rhythm,” Barnes said. “They’ve got to get some rhythm going even if they miss a few of them. The key is, when you do miss them, you’ve still got to be willing to take open shots.

You can’t stop.”

But the Vols will have to combine their typi-

cally great defense with their rarely great offense if they want a chance to knock off Alabama, which has seemed like the best team in the country in a weird college basketball season.

“Nate Oats and his staff, they’ve done a great job,” Barnes said. “They’ve more than earned the right to be the No. 1 team in the country. Like I said, I think they probably should have been there before now.”

The Crimson Tide come into the game as the new No. 1 team in the nation and the No. 2 Kenpom team. Alabama has a top-five defense and a top-15 offense.

A lot of Alabama’s success has come through freshman Brandon Miller, who is averaging 18.8 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game.

Tennessee’s game plan isn’t to stop Miller – nobody is stopping him – the Vols will just try to make things hard for him.

“I don’t think you stop great players,” Barnes said. “I think you try to work hard and when the day is done, he’s going to get his points and you’ve just got to hope that he had to work to get all of them. But when it comes to playing great players, great teams, you’re not going to stop them.”