Three Tennessee basketball players are among the best in the SEC this season, according to the league's coaches who voted on postseason honors.
Senior Yves Pons, last year's SEC Defensive Player of the Year, was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team.
"The senior from Fuveau, France, led the Vols and ranked fourth in the SEC with 1.8 blocks per game during league play this season," according to UT. "His 126 career blocks rank 10th all-time in program history."
Pons also snagged 16 steals this season, a career-high, and was second on the team for drawing charges, with nine.
Former Vol and current Dallas Mavericks starter Josh Richardson is the only other Tennessee player to be named to the SEC All-Defensive Team twp in multiple seasons.
The Vols' talented first-years, Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer, were among eight players named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. Tennessee was the only team with multiple players honored on that team.
Springer, who averaged 12.7 ppg, had five 20-point games against SEC opposition and scored 30 in the win over Georgia. He also led the Vols in assists (3.3 apg).
Johnson, who averaged 12.1 ppg and 2.6 assists, led the team in drawing charges (11) and diving efforts (13), according to UT. The Shelbyville native was particularly memorable against Kentucky, with 27 points in a second half rally to beat the Wildcats in Rupp Arena.
Both Johnson and Springer are expected to enter the NBA draft once the season is over, as will Pons.
The Volunteers enter this week's SEC Tournament as the No. 4 seed. The Big Orange travel to Nashville on Wednesday afternoon and tip off in the quarterfinals against a to-be-determined opponent (Florida, Vanderbilt or Texas A&M) Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.