Good morning to everyone but especially to...
THE TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
On Monday, Alabama ascended to No. 1 the AP Top 25 for the first time in two decades. Just 48 hours later, No. 10 Tennessee ensured the Crimson Tide's stay atop the rankings would not last long, as it beat Alabama 68-59 in Knoxville.
Tennessee, which leads the nation in defensive efficiency, held the Crimson Tide to their fewest points this season and allowed just 35% shooting. Alabama also turned the ball over 19 times.
Tennessee's backcourt duo of Santiago Vescovi and Zakai Zeigler paced the hosts with 15 points apiece, and big man Jonas Aidoo posted 12 points and 11 rebounds, the first double-double of his career.Making this win all the more impressive is the fact that it came without key players Josiah Jordan-James and Julian Phillips.Tennessee has won each of its last two games against the top-ranked team (also 2018 vs. Gonzaga) and won six straight home games against top-10 teams.This is the eighth time this season the No. 1 team has gone down. (Purdue three times, Houston twice, North Carolina twice)The win couldn't have come at a better time for Tennessee, which had lost three of four (and two straight on buzzer beaters).
Alabama, meanwhile, suffers its first SEC loss of the year (12-1).
Honorable mentions
And not such a good morning for...
Getty ImagesFRANKIE MONTAS AND THE NEW YORK YANKEES
The start of spring training didn't exactly bring great news for the Yankees. Starting pitcher Frankie Montas will miss most, if not all of, the 2023 season due to arthroscopic surgery on his right (throwing) shoulder.
Montas, 29, was traded to the Yankees from the Athletics midway through last season. He struggled in pinstripes, going `1-3 with a 6.35 ERA in eight starts.One season earlier, however, Montas went 13-9 with a 3.37 ERA for Oakland and finished sixth in AL Cy Young voting.He's set to be a free agent after this season.It's certainly not ideal for the Yankees, and it hinders their pitching depth behind a starting rotation that likely will look like this: Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Severino, Nestor Cortes and Domingo Germán.
