Last Chaos Tips » really have to hit the ball, said a relieved Nishikori.d

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee is turning one of its biggest weaknesses from last season into a strength.Alexa Middleton scored a career-high 21 points as No. 13 Tennessee capitalized on sizzling 3-point shooting Sunday to beat Navy 85-55 and win a home opener for the 17th consecutive season. Tennessee (2-0) hasnt lost a home opener since a 69-64 decision against Louisiana Tech in 1999.The Lady Volunteers shot 12 of 14 from 3-point range, with Middleton going 6 of 7. After making just 25.4 percent of its 3-pointers last season to rank last in the Southeastern Conference, Tennessee has shot 56.4 percent (22 of 39) from 3-point range this season.I know a lot of people last year said we couldnt shoot the ball, Middleton said. Were trying to make sure we can hit those open shots because people are sagging in on (center Mercedes Russell), and shes going to kick the ball out. Weve got to be able to hit those shots if we want to do well.This marks the first time Tennessee has made at least 10 3-point baskets in consecutive games since November 2011. Tennessee shot 10 of 25 from 3-point range Friday in a season-opening victory at James Madison.Russell had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Tennessee. Jordan Reynolds had 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Diamond DeShields added 14 points.Ashanti Kennedy scored 16 points and Taylor Dunham added 14 for Navy (0-2).This game was a mismatch in terms of height.Navys tallest player was 6-foot freshman forward Laurel Jaunich, and its other four starters were 5-8 or shorter. Tennessees starting lineup included four players taller than 6 feet, including the 6-6 Russell.Navy still briefly led in the second quarter and only trailed 43-35 at the half, which caused the Lady Vols to receive a stern halftime lecture from coach Holly Warlick.My expectations for them are high, and these kids understand it, Warlick said. I saw things I havent seen in practice for whatever reason. Im just not going to tolerate no effort.Tennessee gradually put the game out of reach as Navy cooled off. After shooting 5 of 11 from 3-point range in the first half, Navy was 1 of 9 the rest of the way.Playing against Tennessee, everyone was really excited, Dunham said. We had a lot of energy and we were hitting shots. Everyone was making big plays. I wouldnt say our energy was that much different in the second half, but Tennessee definitely picked theirs up.THE TAKEAWAYNavy: A lack of height will force Navy to rely on its outside shooting this season. Tennessee outrebounded Navy 47-29. Through its first two games, Navy has been outrebounded 94-51 and has shot 19 of 46 from 3-point range.Tennessee: Middleton has shown remarkable scoring punch in the first two games of the season after averaging just 3 points per game last season and 3.8 points per game in 2014-15. The 5-9 junior had 18 points off the bench against James Madison and was even more productive Sunday. Middleton is 10 of 11 from 3-point range thus far.PAYING TRIBUTETennessee went through its pregame shooting drills wearing special Veterans Day T-shirts. The back of the shirts said Thank You and mentioned the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard.Navy wore purple T-shirts with the message We Back Pat to honor former Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt, who died June 28 after battling early-onset dementia, Alzheimers type.The Lady Vols gave Navys players miniature basketballs with messages thanking them for their serviceThere are so many crazy things going on right now, Warlick said. Weve all got to pull together. ... Our military is there to help us and to make sure I can be a female coaching womens basketball, and these young ladies -- black or white -- can go out and perform, and they have that opportunity and we pay for their education. That comes from people fighting for our freedom.UP NEXTNavy hosts Hofstra on Friday.Tennessee is at East Tennessee State on Tuesday.---Follow Steve Megargee at www.twitter.com/stevemegargee Tyler Ennis Jersey . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. DeAnthony Melton Jersey . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. https://www.rocketsrookiesshop.com/Brandon-Knight-City-Edition-Jersey/ . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. Anthony Bennett Rockets Jersey . Roman Josi had a goal and an assist to lead the Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night. Ben McLemore Jersey . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments.Kei Nishikori saved two match points to defeat Gilles Muller 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 on Saturday and earn a place in the Swiss Indoors final against Marin Cilic. The world No 5 performed his escape act in the second set against Luxembourgs big hitter, who rained down 20 aces in the two-and-a-quarter-hour thriller in Basel.The Japanese trailblazer will aim for only his second title of the season on Sunday against fourth seed Marin Cilic, who is still in the hunt to qualify for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. Third-seeded Nishikori saved the first match point with a perfectly timed lob.I saw that he was almost touching the net, but my arm was shaking as it was match point, he said of the winner that pulled the score level 5-5 in the second set. After his heroics in the second set, the 26-year-old was able to steady his game to earn a hard-earned win over the 37th-ranked Muller. Murray v Djokovic: The race is on Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic: Their previous meetings I got more comfortable and played a good match. The balls ffly a lot here, you really have to hit the ball, said a relieved Nishikori.dddddddddddduller has a great serve. Im just happy to have won the match.Nishikori has already qualified for next months ATP World Tour Finals for a third straight season.Cilic had to come from a set down to beat Mischa Zverev, earlier conqueror of Stan Wawrinka, 4-6 7-5 6-3 in a gruelling encounter. Marin Cilic will play Nishikori in a repeat of the 2014 US Open He played Nishikori in final of the 2014 US Open, when Cilic won the only Grand Slam of his career so far.Its tough to think of the past, but when I remember that match it gives me some guidance about how to play this next one, Cilic said.It will be another tight match like others weve played Im looking forward to the final.Check our game-by-game updates from Andy Murrays match against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna on skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad and our Twitter account @skysportstennis this Sunday or catch the action, live on Sky Sports 5 HD from 12.45pm. Also See: Murray gets Vienna walkover Kerber to take on Cibulkova Tennis on Sky Evans out after losing racquets ' ' '