KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Yves Pons and John Fulkerson have both had great college basketball seasons, particularly in SEC play. Their hard work paid off, as both were recognized Tuesday morning. Pons was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year, while Fulkerson was voted by the coaches as a second-team All-SEC player.
Pons, a junior for the Vols, leads the entire conference in blocks this season. He has tallied 73 to this point with the conference tournament still to be played. He averages 2.4 blocks per game, and accounts for nearly 42 percent of Tennessee's blocks as a team. Pons needs just one block to take the top spot as Tennessee Basketball's single-season block leader. Pons is the first Volunteer to ever be named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Fulkerson leads the team in scoring, averaging just under 14 points per game. His value extends far being just his inside scoring prowess. He leads the team in free throws made (113), but also leads the team in rebounds (183), steals (33), and is second on the team in blocks with 27. Fulkerson's 27-point performance against Kentucky last week was the apex of what has been a strong redshirt junior campaign.
Tennessee will be back in action on Thursday as they get SEC Tournament play going against Alabama. The game is set for 1 P.M. on the SEC Network.
