Mercedes Russell

Scouting Report

This WNBL Grand Finals MVP - Mercedes Russell is the quintessential professional center. She is adept at scoring from the low block, out to about 18 feet, comfortably. Defenses have to guard her anywhere in the half court set. She is a great passer and impacts the game in a multitude of ways. Defensively, she is very long to try to score against and she can get out and hedge on small guards and make it difficult on them to see around her. She is the type of center that every team needs to win.

CAREER HONORS

• WNBA Second Rd. Pick (22nd Overall, New York Liberty) -- 2018
• WBCA Honorable Mention All-American -- 2017-18
• WBCA All-Region 2 Team -- 2017-18
• Coaches All-SEC First Team -- 2017-18
• AP All-SEC Second Team -- 2017-18
• SEC Community Service Team -- 2017-18
• Lisa Leslie Award Top-Five Finalist -- 2017-18
• College Sports Madness SEC Player of the Week (11/28) -- 2017-18
• Media Preseason All-SEC First Team -- 2017-18
• College Sports Madness Preseason All-America Third Team -- 2017-18
• AP Honorable Mention All-American -- 2016-17
• WBCA Honorable Mention All-American -- 2016-17
• WBCA All-Region 2 Team -- 2016-17
• AP All-SEC Second Team -- 2016-17
• Coaches All-SEC Second Team -- 2016-17
• SEC Academic Honor Roll -- 2016-17
• SEC Player of the Week (1/3) -- 2016-17
• College Sports Madness SEC Player of the Week (1/3) -- 2016-17
• Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List -- 2016-17
• Coaches Preseason All-SEC Second Team -- 2016-17
• NCAA Sioux Falls Regional All-Tournament Team -- 2016
• Coaches Preseason All-SEC Second Team -- 2015-16
• SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll -- 2014
• SEC Freshman of the Week -- 2013-14 (12/23-12/30)

2017-18 - REDSHIRT SENIOR

• Named to the Coaches All-SEC First Team and AP All-SEC Second Team.
• Is just the sixth Lady Vol to ever record 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career.
• Set record for most double-doubles in a season by a Lady Vol senior at 16 after setting a junior record with 19 last season.
• Posted second-most career double-doubles at UT (46), trailing only Chamique Holdsclaw (57). .
• Joins Candace Parker and Chamique Holdsclaw as one of only three Lady Vols to ever record 40+ double-doubles.
• Her, 1,085 career rebounds rank No. 3 in Tennessee history behind Chamique Holdsclaw and Glory Johnson.
• Her 8.0 career reb. average is sixth all-time at UT, while her 9.2 season average was fifth among seniors.
• Finished with 1,597 career points, which ranks No. 16 in Lady Vol history.
• Her 15.3 ppg. average as a senior was the sixth highest ever by a true Lady Vol center.
• Finished fifth at UT in career FG pct. (.570) and ninth for a season at UT and 21st nationally (.583).
• Tallied 195 career blocked shots to wind up fifth all-time at Tennessee in that statistical category.
• Ranked third on the team with a career-best 39 steals in her final season.
• Scored in double figures in 31 of 33 games this season and has surpassed 20 points on seven occasions and 15 rebounds three times.
• Started her last 69 games at UT and 101 of 136 total contests as a Lady Vol.
• Concluded her career with 21 points and 14 rebounds in the NCAA Second Round vs. Oregon State.
• Ranked 19th nationally and fourth in the SEC in field goal percentage at 58.8 percent overall.
• Scored 10 points and pulled down nine rebounds against Missouri.
• Recorded her 1,500th career point against Alabama, notching 11 points and 11 rebounds for her 43rd career double-double.
• Became just the sixth Lady Vol to achieve 1,000 career rebounds after snagging 15 against Georgia en route to a double-double with 13 points. She is currently only one point shy of 1,500 points.
• Tallied 10 rebounds, seven points and four blocked shots against Arkansas.
• Recorded her 41st double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds against Vanderbilt while snagging a career-high four steals.
• Joined Candace Parker and Chamique Holdsclaw as one of only three Lady Vols to ever record 40 or more double-doubles after posting 18 points and 13 rebounds against Texas A&M.
• Posted her ninth double-double of the season at LSU with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
• Scored 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting and added six rebounds against Ole Miss.
• Went 7-of-9 from the floor to lead Tennessee in scoring against Mississippi State with 16 points.
• Notched 12 points, seven rebounds and a steal against Notre Dame.
• Logged a double-double at South Carolina with 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.
• Recorded her 37th career double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds against Texas A&M.
• Scored a career-high 33 points against Vanderbilt while adding eight rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
• Played 37 minutes against Auburn, notching 10 points, six rebounds, two steals and four blocked shots.
• Tallied 16 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots against Kentucky.
• Notched her third straight double-double against Stanford with 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.
• Posted a double-double against LBSU with 14 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and three steals.
• Recorded her 34th career double-double against Texas with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
• Played 21 minutes against Troy, scoring 13 points, pulling down six rebounds and blocking two shots.
• Led Tennessee in scoring for the second straight game, logging 22 points, six rebounds and three steals against Alabama State
• Led Tennessee in scoring with 19 points and posted her third double-double of the year with 10 rebounds against Central Arkansas.
• Put up 10 points, grabbed two rebounds and blocked one shot in 24 minutes against South Dakota.
• Led the team in scoring with 25 points while adding eight rebounds, a steal and an assist against Oklahoma State.
• Posted a double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds in UT’s overtime victory over Marquette.
• Led Tennessee in scoring with 17 points while pulling down nine boards against Wichita State.
• Tallied 14 points and eight rebounds against James Madison, bringing her career rebound total to 800 and making her just the 18th Lady Vol to reach that mark.
• Notched a double-double against ETSU with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

2016-17 - REDSHIRT JUNIOR

• Named to the 2017 Coaches and AP All-SEC Second Team after improving several key areas of her game: points (9.9 to 16.1), rebounds (8.3 to 9.7) and free throw percentage (.554 to .671).
• Russell was Tennessee's second-leading scorer at 16.1 per game and leading rebounder at 9.7 per contest, which was tied for the fourth highest single-season average in Lady Vol history with Glory Johnson. Her numbers are the best by a true center at UT since Daedra Charles (17.3/9.2) in 1990-91.
• She was the SEC leader in double-doubles with 19, a total that ranks as the most ever by a Lady Vol junior, and scored in double figures in 30 of 32 games, including five with 20 or more points.
• Scored 15+ points in 22 games this year after scoring 15+ in only four games over her first two years.
• Notched 151 career blocks in her career, recently passing Tamika Catchings (136) for seventh on the school's all-time career blocks list against Auburn.
• Led UT scoring in 10 games, rebounding 18 times and blocks on 17 occasions during her redshirt junior season, all of which were team-highs.
• Tallied her 19th double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, passing Isabelle Harrison for the most double-doubles in a season by a Lady Vol junior and is second all time behind Candace Parker's 21 as a sophomore.
• Posted 14 points and 10 rebounds in the Lady Vols win over Dayton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Scored nine points and added 10 rebounds in win versus #3/2 Mississippi State while limiting the SEC's 6th Woman of the Year, Teaira McCowan, to just one point and five boards after allowing 14 points and nine rebounds in the first meeting.
• In UT's game against Alabama, Russell became the 43rd Lady Vol to score 1,000 points. She finished with 17 in the game to go along with nine boards.
• Dropped 24 points, a career-high 17 rebounds, three blocks and two steals against Georgia.
• Put together a dominant performance in the paint against #4 South Carolina, shooting 80 percent (8-10) from the field for 16 points to go along with 10 rebounds.
• Tallied a career-high 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting against Auburn to go along with 11 rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
• Totaled 13 points, four rebounds and two blocks against #6 Notre Dame, with the second block coming on the final shot of the game by the Irish from three that could have won the game for them.
• Posted another dominant performance in win at Vanderbilt, totaling 15 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks, which tied her career high.
• Named SEC Player of the Week (1/3/17) after dropping 20 points and 11 rebounds aganist UNCW followed up by 22 points and nine rebounds in UT's win over #17/23 Kentucky. This marks the second conference honor for Russell, who was the SEC Freshman of the Week in 2013.
• Notched 11 points and 13 rebounds vs. #10 Stanford while holding All-Pac 12 honoree Erica McCall to 6-15 shooting and only six rebounds in the Lady Vols' win.
• Scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and four blocks while holding #4 Baylor's post players Beatrice Mompremier (3-12), Kalani Brown (1-9) and Lauren Cox (0-3) to a combined 4-24 (16.7%) shooting. The Lady Bears threesome combined to shoot 60.4 percent from the floor entering the contest.

2015-16 - REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE

• Averaged 9.9 points and led the team with 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting a team best 54.8 percent from the field.
• Recorded 66 blocks in the 2015-16 season, tying Kelley Cain (2011-12) for eighth-most blocks in a single season by a Lady Vol.
• Averaged 1.83 blocks per game, which is the tenth-best single-season mark.
• Currently ranks sixth in career blocks per game with an average of 1.49 rejections per contest.
• Scored in double figures 20 times and had efforts of 20 or more points against Central Arkansas (20 on 11/15) and Ohio State (25 on 3/25).
• Led the team in rebounding 14 times and was the leading shot blocker 25 times, including the 11 occasions when she recorded three or more rejections.
• Averaged a double-double with 13.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while shooting 68.6 percent in NCAA Tournament play and was named to the NCAA Sioux Falls Regional All-Tournament Team.
• Finished third all-time among UT sophomores with 11 double-doubles, trailing only Candace Parker (21) and Chamique Holdsclaw (16).
• Tallied career highs with a double-double of 25 points and 15 rebounds on 12-of-16 shooting in 37 minutes vs. #9 Ohio State in the NCAA Sweet 16.
• Recorded her first-ever double-double by posting 20 points and 13 rebounds on 10-of-16 shooting against Central Arkansas in the season opener.
• Scored 15 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and added three assists and blocks vs. Arkansas on Feb. 4.
• Notched a career-high 15 rebounds and added 14 points vs. Virginia Tech.
• Tallied another double-double with a 14-point, 13-rebound, two-block effort against Penn State on Nov. 18.
• Recorded her third double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 boards on 6-of-11 shooting vs. ETSU.
• Tallied 13 points along with eight rebounds and four blocks against Syracuse on Nov. 20.
• Recorded 12 points, six boards and a team-high three assists and two blocks vs. Arizona State in the NCAA Second Round.
• Posted 12 points and 13 rebounds while also tying her career high with three assists against Alabama.
• Recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Kentucky.
• Scored 12 points and added two blocks in her return to her home state against #7/7 Oregon State.
• Scored a team-high 12 points and had five blocks in the 63-55 victory over UAlbany, opening the season with five straight games in double figures.

2014-15 - SOPHOMORE

• Sat out 2014-15 season as a redshirt to recover from off-season surgery on both feet.

2013-14 - FRESHMAN

• Played in all 35 games, starting five, and led UT in blocked shots with 40 and field goal percentage at 59.6 percent (93-156).
• Was team's fourth-leading rebounder (5.0 rpg.) and seventh-best scorer (6.3), averaging 18.5 minutes per contest as a rookie.
• Scored in double figures nine times and had 10 or more rebounds on two occasions.
• Shot 60 percent or better from the field in 18 games as a freshman.
• Finished at 51.4 percent from the free throw line after getting off to a rocky start, but nailed 19-of-23 for 82.6 percent over the final 14 games.
• Recorded a career-best 15 points against Chattanooga, hitting seven of 11 field goals and grabbing four rebounds in 22 minutes.
• Scored 14 points against Georgia Tech, connecting on 6-of-8 shots from the field and 2-of-2 from the free throw line.
• Instrumental in UT's SEC semifinal win vs. Texas A&M, scoring 11 points, going 4-for-4 from the field and 3-for-3 from the line, and grabbing six rebounds.
• Posted career-best 11-rebound efforts vs. Missouri and at Texas A&M.
• Picked up SEC Freshman of the Week honors (Dec. 30) after scoring 12 points and tallying seven rebounds and five blocks against Lipscomb.
• Made her college debut at Middle Tennessee and contributed 11 points, seven rebounds and three blocks to the come-from-behind victory.
• Racked up a career-best six blocks against Tennessee State to go with 12 points and seven caroms.
• Shot 77.8 percent from the field (7-for-9) in NCAA postseason action.
• Led UT in scoring for the first time with 12 points against Northwestern State in the NCAA First Round, going 5-for-6 from the field and a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line.

USA/AAU BASKETBALL

• Has been a part of four USA Basketball teams that won international competitions.
• Started all three games and was the leading rebounder (6.3 rpg.), shot 63 percent and averaged 5.3 ppg. for the victorious USA U23 team at the 2017 U24 Four Nations Tournament in Tokyo, Japan.
• She won a gold medal at the 2015 World University Games alongside UT teammate Diamond DeShields and with Holly Warlick serving as an assistant.
• Led that 2015 WUG team with 9.2 rpg. and was third in scoring at 13.0 ppg., recording three double-doubles and shooting 53.7 percent as the USA went 6-0 in the tourney.
• In her two previous gold medal occasions, she played for squads coached by former Lady Vol Jill Rankin-Schneider.
• Member of USA squad that won FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in August 2012.
• Started all eight games for the U17 squad, averaging 8.9 points and 6.9 rebounds and hitting 64.0% from the field.
• Also struck gold in June 2011 with the USA U16 team at the FIBA Americas Championship in Merida, Mexico.
• Set USA U16 single-game records for rebounds (15) and blocks (5) and tournament records for rebounds (11.4) and blocks (4.0) averaged.
• Started all five games, contributing 11.6 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.0 blocks for that unit.