Men’s Basketball Set to Play Vanderbilt – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/25/1998 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
November 25, 1998
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Ohio State hits the road after 6-0 home start%^$
Jon Sanderson scored 18 points and Michael Redd added 17 as Ohio State moved to 6-0 for the first time in seven years with a 78-51 victory over Tennessee Tech. Ohio State remained perfect in Value City Arena, where the Buckeyes have played all their games. The last time Ohio State won its first six games was 1991-92, when the Buckeyes started 17-0 and captured an outright Big Ten title.%^$
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The Buckeyes were playing their sixth game in 12 days. Scoonie Penn added 13 points for Ohio State. Josh Heard had 16 points and Wesley Whitehorn 10 for Tennessee Tech (1-2). Ohio State has never lost in four games against teams from the Ohio Valley Conference, while Tech dropped to 1-10 against Big Ten opponents.%^$
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The Golden Eagles hung around for the first five minutes, but then Ohio State put together a 13-0 blitz to build a 17-point lead. Tech never got closer than 13 points again. After Tech pulled to 13-9 on Heard’s 3-pointer at the 15:44 mark, Ken Johnson got things going for Ohio State with a 12-foot hook shot. The Golden Eagles had turnovers on their next six possessions – they totaled 17 in the first half alone and finished with 25.%^$
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After Jason Singleton dunked off an alley-oop pass from Penn, Redd twice stole the ball off the press and converted with a spin-move layup and a breakaway dunk. %^$
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Noting the game with Tenn. Tech%^$
Ohio State is now 2-0 all-time against Tennessee Tech and 4-0against the Ohio Valley Conference after the 78-51 victory.%^$
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Ohio State’s 6-0 start is their best since the 1991-92 Buckeyeswent 6-0 to begin the season. Ohio State garnered a Big Ten titlethat season.%^$
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Ohio State last had a six-game home winning streak during the1993-94 season. The Bucks last won more than six in a row at homeduring the 1991-92 season when they took 12 games straight athome.%^$
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The Buckeyes moved their streak of consecutive games with atleast one three-pointer to 190 games after Scoonie Penn drilled atrey in the first half.%^$
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Ohio State forced 25 Tennessee Tech turnovers, which gives OSUopponents 140 turnovers on the season, an average of 23.3 turnoversper game.%^$
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Neshaun Coleman continues to climb up the three-point charts atOhio State after hitting two of six in the game. The senior captainranks second in three-point goals made (121) and attempted(370).%^$
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Ken Johnson swatted two shots against TTU and now has 76 in hiscareer, ranking seventh on the all-time Ohio State blocked shotschart.%^$
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Ohio State opened the game on a 31-14 run over the first 9:52.Tennessee Tech got no closer than 13 points for the remainder ofthe contest. The Buckeyes never trailed.%^$
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Michael Redd finished with 15 points, marking the 35th time inhis 36 career games that he has scored in double figures.%^$
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Jon Sanderson found his shooting touch tonight and had his bestoverall game of the season, racking up 18 points, three rebounds,and two assists, while canning 4 of 5 from behind the three-pointarc. The 18 points are the fifth-most in his career.%^$
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Ohio State drilled 11 three-pointers in the contest, which isthe third-most three-pointers in a game in OSU history. The currentBuckeye squad set the record on Nov. 13 with 13 treys againstOakland.%^$
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OSU attempted 25 three-pointers, which is the third-most inschool history. The Bucks attempted 28 in the Nov. 13 game againstOakland.%^$
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Jason Singleton tied a career high with five assists. He hashad five assists in three games in his career.%^$
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The OSU defense again created havoc for the opposing offense.Tennessee Tech shot just 36.7 percent in the game, including a 29percent performance in the second half.%^$
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Scoonie Penn grabbed three steals, giving him 100 for hiscareer. %^$
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Buckeye recruiting class among nation’s best %^$
After the conclusion of the early 1998-99 recruiting season, the Ohio State class of Brent Darby, a 6-0, 185-pound guard, Slobodan Ocokoljic (o-SOAK-o-litch) a 6-8, 210-pound forward and Aleksandar Radojevic (Rad-A-yev-itch), a 7-3, 245-pound center, is ranked with the Top 15 classes nationally. Hoopscoop has OSU tied at No. 15 with Kansas. Basketball Times rates the class No. 14 and Van Coleman of Future Stars rates the class No. 11. %^$
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O’Brien looking for win No. 250%^$
Ohio State head coach Jim O’Brien will be looking for victory No. 250 against Vanderbilt. O’Brien has a record of 249-239 in 17 seasons as a collegiate head coach. He is 14-22 at Ohio State. He posted records of 67-51 at St. Bonaventure and 168-166 at Boston College prior to joining Ohio State. %^$
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Ohio State (6-0, 1-0)%^$
Probable Starters
%^$G 12-Scoonie Penn, 5-10, Jr.%^$G 22-Michael Redd, 6-6, So.%^$C 32-Ken Johnson, 6-11, Jr.%^$F 23-Jason Singleton, 6-6, Sr.%^$F 33-Jon Sanderson, 6-7, So.%^$%^$
Vanderbilt (5-1)%^$
Probable Starters
%^$G 10-Sam Howard, 6-3, Fr.%^$G 20-Deandre Moore, 5-9, Fr.%^$C 52-Greg LaPointe, 6-10, So.%^$F 42-Dan Langhi, 6-11, Jr.%^$F 15-Vince Ford, 6-5, Sr.%^$%^$
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Vanderbilt improves to 5-1 with 10-point win over Morehead State%^$
Dan Langhi scored 18 points to lead four Commodores in double figures and Vanderbilt cruised to a 79-69 victory Tuesday night over Morehead State. Vanderbilt (5-1) won its fourth consecutive game. Morehead State (2-1) suffered its first loss of the season, despite Brad Cleaver’s game-high 20-points. After the lead changed three times in the first 2:34 of the second half, Langhi hit two free throws to give the Commodores a 38-37 lead. They would not trail again, and went on a 28-10 run to take a 65-47 lead with 8:48 left on a jump shot by Michael LeBlanc. The Eagles cut the lead to 76-57 on a 3-pointer by Eric Brown with 49 seconds left, but could get no closer. %^$
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Vanderbilt off to fast start%^$
Vanderbilt opened the season 1-1 at the CoSIDA Classic held at Providence, R.I. The Commodores won the opener 72-66 over Providence before falling 82-69 to No. 23 Rhode Island, 82-69. Vandy has won its last four games at home over Army (92-41), Austin Peay (89-79), Notre Dame (68-63) and Morehead State (79-69). %^$
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Buckeyes 3-3 against Vanderbilt%^$
The Buckeyes and Vanderbilt have split six meetings in the series history, which dates back to Dec. 30, 1922 (OSU 28, VU 22). Neither team has won consecutive games in the series. Vanderbilt won the last meeting, 64-54, last year (11/29/97) in Columbus. Ohio State won its only previous game in Nashville, 45-25 (12/21/31). Vanderbilt is 3-1 in Columbus and 0-1 in neutral contests. %^$
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Ohio State 25-21 over SEC%^$
Ohio State has played 46 games against members of the Southeastern Conference. The Buckeyes have won 25 of those games after downing Alabama (78-70) earlier this season in Columbus. The game with Vandy is one of three possible meetings with the SEC this season for OSU. The Buckeyes could meet Mississippi in the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic Dec. 21-23. OSU has met every member of the conference except for Auburn, LSU and Mississippi. The Buckeyes have played Kentucky the most, 19 times with a 9-10 record in those games. %^$
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van Breda Kolff in 6th season%^$
Jan van Breda Kolff is in his sixth season at Vanderbilt after two seasons at Cornell (23-29). While leading the Commodores, van Breda Kolff has four seasons with 18 or more victories and an overall mark of 95-67. Vanderbilt has advanced to postseason play in four of five seasons under van Breda Kolff, three NIT and an NCAA. As a player at Vanderbilt from 1972-74, van Breda Kolff played for teams that combined for a 59-21 record. Vanderbilt won the SEC in 1974 after finishing second in 1973. He was SEC Player of the Year as a senior. %^$
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Buckeyes conclude stretch of six games in 12 days with perfect mark
The Buckeyes are 6-0 in a stretch of 12 days to open the season with wins over Oakland, Alabama, Robert Morris, Penn State, Army and Tennessee Tech. Ohio State won its sixth game, against USC 79-73, last year Dec. 20. %^$
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Buckeyes hitting the offensive glass%^$
Ohio State averaged 12.3 offensive rebounds last season during an 8-22 campaign. This year OSU is off to a 6-0 start and are averaging 15.2 offensive boards. %^$
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OSU three-point field goal streak extended to 190%^$
Ohio State has connected on at least one three-point field goal attempt over the last 190 games. Junior Scoonie Penn extended the streak with a trey early in the first half against Tennessee Tech. The last time an OSU team missed all attempts from three-point range was Feb. 2, 1992 when the Bucks went 0 for 5 in a 68-58 OSU win over Michigan. Buckeye opponents have a streak of 182-consecutive games with at least one three-pointer made. Michigan went 0-10 from long range March 3, 1992 in an OSU 75-66 victory, marking the last time an opponent was held without a three-pointer. %^$
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OSU defense forcing mistakes%^$
The Buckeye defense has forced the opposition to turn the ball over 20 or more times in five of six games this season. Ohio State has forced 140 miscues in wins over Oakland (20), Alabama (26), Robert Morris (24), Penn State (18), Army (27) and Tennessee Tech (25). The Buckeyes forced an average of 15.9 turnovers a game last season and 20 or more in seven games. OSU foes are averaging 23.3 TOs this season. %^$
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Buckeyes 48-50 in road openers%^$
The Buckeyes have an overall record of 48-50 in its first game on the road over its 99 previous seasons. Ohio State did not play a road game during the 1900-01 season (1-3). %^$
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Ohio State looks for first 7-0 start since 1990-91%^$
The last 7-0 start for OSU was during the 1990-91 season when OSU won the Big Ten and finished with a 27-4 record. The Bucks won their first 17 games that season. The first loss that season was at Michigan State Jan. 31, 75-61. %^$
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Buckeye bits…%^$
Ohio State is averaging 41.2 points in the first half of games, 35.8 in the second…The Buckeyes are outscoring opponents 247-165 (+82) in the first half and 215-173 (+42) in the second…OSU is 6-0 when leading at the half…The Buckeye bench has outscored the opponents in each of the first six games for a total 147-83 advantage…The OSU bench has outscored the visitor reserves in each contest this season…16 Buckeyes have scored in double figures this season, Michael Redd has been in double digits in each game, Scoonie Penn four times…Eight different Buckeyes have scored in double figures this season…Redd has scored in double figures in 35 of 36 career games, including the last 23…He has four career double-doubles. %^$
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Ohio State over 50 percent in back to back games%^$
OSU shot better than 50 percent from the field in each of its last two games. The Buckeyes shot 51.5 percent (35-68) in the win over Army and 51.7 percent (30-58) against Tennessee Tech. Ohio State has shot better than 50 percent three times this season. Last year OSU managed to connected on 50 percent or better in seven games. The last time the Buckeyes managed to shoot better than 50 percent in back to back games was against Penn State (.540, 2/16) and Indiana (.525, 2/19) last year. The last time OSU connected on better than 50 percent in three consecutive games was during the 1996-97 season against Long Island (.547), George Mason (.539) and Alabama State (.576). %^$
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Opponents shooting 38 percent%^$
Ohio State held Tennessee Tech to just 37 percent shooting from the field (18-49) and Army to just 28 percent (15-53) shooting and just 6 percent (1-17) from three-point range. Both Robert Morris and Penn State shot 20-59 from the field (.339). Each of the last four OSU foes–Robert Morris, Penn State, Army and Tennessee Tech–have scored 20 or less field goals. Opponents are shooting just 37.5 percent from the field this season. The Buckeyes are shooting 47.5 percent. %^$
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Three Buckeyes could reach 1,000%^$
Three Buckeyes could reach 1,000 career points this season. Senior Neshaun Coleman (649) needs 351 points and classmate Jason Singleton (753) is just 247 short. Sophomore Michael Redd (767) is 233 shy after his record-setting freshman campaign (658 pts.). Another Buckeye, junior Scoonie Penn, could reach 1,000 points as well for his career. He tallied 737 during two seasons at Boston College. He has scored 83 at Ohio State leaving him 180 shy of 1,000. %^$
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Michael Redd scores first Buckeye basket in Value City Arena%^$
The clock showed 18 minutes, 20 seconds remaining in the first half when Buckeye sophomore Michael Redd squared and launched a left-handed three-pointer from the right wing. The attempt found the target, giving Ohio State a 3-0 lead, marking the first official basket made at Value City Arena. For Redd, it was just the start of a 29-point effort in leading the Buckeyes to an 89-61 victory. Redd made the first shot in each of the exhibition openers as well. %^$
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O’Brien’s second class signed%^$
Brent Darby, a 6-0, 185-pound guard from River Rouge (Mich.) High School, Slobodan Ocokoljic (o-SOAK-o-litch) a 6-8, 210-pound forward from Yugoslavia and Massillon Washington (Ohio) High School and Aleksandar Radojevic (Rad-A-yev-itch), a 7-3, 245-pound center, from Herceg Novi, Montenegro, Yugoslavia and Barton County (Kan.) Community College all inked letters of intent last week.%^$
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The three make up a class rated among the Top 10 nationally.%^$
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Darby is ranked as one of the Top 10 point guards in the country after he averaged 21 points in leading River Rouge to a 27-1 and a state championship last season.%^$
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Ocokoljic averaged 16.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and connected on 38 percent of his three-pointers as a junior. He also is rated among the Top 75 players nationally. Radojevic is believed to be the No. 1 junior college prospect in the U.S. He is from same hometown as OSU freshman Boban Savovic. Radojevic averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 blocks for Barton County last year for a 29-4 squad that ranked No. 3 in NJCAA Division I. %^$
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Redd considered for Wooden Award%^$
Ohio State sophomore Michael Redd is on the preseason watch list as a candidate for the prestigious John R. Wooden Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate player. Redd is among 50 players under consideration this season. %^$
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Redd preseason all-Big Ten selection%^$
Both the Big Ten coaches and media selected the same five players to their preseason all-Big Ten Teams at the annual media day festivities in Chicago (Oct. 25). Ohio State sophomore Michael Redd earned a selection along with Louis Bullock (Michigan), Mateen Cleaves (Michigan State), Evan Eschmeyer (Northwestern) and A.J. Guyton (Indiana). Cleaves was tabbed as the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year. %^$
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Buckeyes Celebrating 100 Years%^$
Ohio State will celebrate 100 years of men’s basketball during the 1998-99 season. The Buckeyes first fielded a team in 1898, posting a record of 12-4. Since then, OSU has compiled a record of 1,264-902 (.584). Since joining the Big Ten, Ohio State has won or tied for 15 conference titles, winning 10 outright. OSU has an overall record in Big Ten games of 610-599 in 87 years of membership. Along the way, the Buckeyes have produced 14 All-Americans, three Associated Press players of the year, 13 NBA first round draft picks, eight members of the National Basketball Hall of Fame, two U.S. Olympians and countless others national, international, conference and local award winners and team members. %^$
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WBNS to televise three games in Puerto Rico%^$
The Buckeyes will have every game on its 1998-99 schedule televised with the addition of the three games in Puerto Rico Dec. 21-23. WBNS (Channel 10) will air the games tape-delayed at 7 p.m. each night of the tournament. Ohio State will open with Alabama-Birmingham Dec. 21 and will play either N.C. State or Middle-Tennessee State Dec. 22. The opener against UAB will begin at 11 a.m. EST. All OSU games will air live on WBNS Radio (AM 1460 and FM 97.1). %^$
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OHIO STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL STATISTICS%^$
%^$RECORD: OVERALL HOME AWAY NEUTRAL%^$ALL GAMES…………….. (6-0) (6-0) (0-0) (0-0)%^$CONFERENCE……………. (1-0) (1-0) (0-0) (0-0)%^$NON-CONFERENCE………… (5-0) (5-0) (0-0) (0-0)%^$
%^$T O T A L 3-POINTERS R E B O U N D S%^$P L A Y E R GP-GS MIN-AVG FG-FGA PCT FG-FGA PCT FT-FTA PCT OFF-DEF TOT-AVG PF-FO A TO BLK ST PTS-AVG%^$22 Redd, Michael 6-6 161-26.8 43-96 .448 9-32 .281 14-30 .467 17-16 33-5.5 8-0 12 13 0 10 109-18.2%^$12 Penn, Scoonie 6-6 174-29.0 31-58 .534 10-24 .417 11-15 .733 3-7 10-1.7 8-0 26 22 0 12 83-13.8%^$23 Singleton, Jason 6-6 142-23.7 21-30 .700 0-0 .000 8-12 .667 10-21 31-5.2 20-1 14 12 3 18 50-8.3%^$40 Reese, George 6-0 117-19.5 18-40 .450 0-0 .000 11-18 .611 13-14 27-4.5 4-0 5 7 2 2 47-7.8%^$32 Johnson, Ken 6-6 131-21.8 16-32 .500 0-0 .000 6-13 .462 13-26 39-6.5 16-0 2 9 18 2 38-6.3%^$33 Sanderson, Jon 6-6 101-16.8 13-25 .520 5-9 .556 4-7 .571 10-13 23-3.8 9-0 6 4 2 5 35-5.8%^$13 Brown, Brian 6-0 109-18.2 13-27 .481 6-10 .600 2-5 .400 3-5 8-1.3 9-0 13 14 1 7 34-5.7%^$03 Coleman, Neshaun 6-0 96-16.0 10-31 .323 6-22 .273 0-0 .000 2-0 2-0.3 8-0 5 1 1 5 26-4.3%^$43 Dudley, Will 6-0 36-6.0 8-11 .727 0-0 .000 4-8 .500 5-3 8-1.3 1-0 1 0 1 1 20-3.3%^$54 Herron, Shamar 3-0 25-8.3 3-9 .333 0-0 .000 1-2 .500 2-8 10-3.3 4-0 0 1 3 0 7-2.3%^$21 Savovic, Boban 6-0 74-12.3 2-13 .154 1-8 .125 6-11 .545 2-7 9-1.5 12-0 7 10 0 3 11-1.8%^$31 Steele, Kwadjo 3-0 17-5.7 1-4 .250 0-0 .000 0-2 .000 4-1 5-1.7 1-0 1 1 0 1 2-0.7%^$24 Smith, Devon 3-0 17-5.7 0-1 .000 0-1 .000 0-0 .000 1-1 2-0.7 1-0 1 4 0 1 0-0.0%^$TEAM REBOUNDS………………………………………………………….. 6-8 14%^$Ohio State 6 1200-179 377 .475 37-106 .349 67-123 .545 91-130 221-36.8 101-193 98 31 67 462-77.0%^$Opponents 6 1200-120 320 .375 32-106 .302 66-100 .660 71-127 198-33.0 118-471 40 14 23 338-56.3%^$
%^$SCORE BY HALVES(and OTs): 1st 2nd OT1 OT2 OT3 OT4 TOTAL%^$Opponents 165 173 0 0 0 0 338%^$Ohio State 247 215 0 0 0 0 462%^$
%^$DEADBALL REBOUNDS: OFF DEF TOTAL%^$Opponents 19 11 30%^$Ohio State 25 14 39%^$%^$
OHIO STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL – RESULTS & LEADERS %^$
%^$DATE TIME OPPONENT SCORE W/L ATTEND HIGH POINTS HIGH REBOUNDS%^$11-13-98 8:00 p.m. OAKLAND 89-61 W 11,533 (29)Redd, Michael ( 8)Johnson, Ken%^$11-15-98 4:30 p.m. ALABAMA 78-70 W 16,763 (23)Penn, Scoonie ( 8)Singleton, Jason%^$11-18-98 8:00 p.m. ROBERT MORRIS 61-49 W 15,364 (17)Penn, Scoonie ( 7)Redd, Michael%^$ ( 7)Johnson, Ken%^$11-20-98 8:00 p.m. * PENN STATE 70-62 W 19,500 (21)Redd, Michael ( 8)Redd, Michael%^$ ( 8)Johnson, Ken%^$11-22-98 2:00 p.m. ARMY 86-45 W 16,629 (14)Redd, Michael ( 7)Herron, Shamar%^$11-24-98 8:00 p.m. TENNESSEE TECH 78-51 W 16,505 (18)Sanderson, Jon ( 6)Johnson, Ken%^$11-28-98 8:30 p.m. at Vanderbilt%^$12-5-98 7:00 p.m. at Toledo%^$12-14-98 8:00 p.m. TENNESSEE MARTIN%^$12-17-98 8:00 p.m. FLORIDA ATLANTIC%^$
%^$ATTENDANCE SUMMARY: TOTALS AVG/GAME%^$HOME………………….. 96,294 16,049%^$AWAY………………….. 0 0%^$NEUTRAL……………….. 0 0%^$TOTAL………………….. 96,294 16,049%^$
