Vols' Phillips leaving the program

Tennessee basketball's numbers crunch got a little bit of relief today with the announcement that junior-to-be Shembari Phillips is transferring out of the program.

Phillips started 13 games as a sophomore and averaged 6.2 points per game. He shot 37.5% from three-point range and 78% at the foul line.

He originally signed with former head coach Donnie Tyndall’s staff out of Norcross High School (Ga.) and then stuck with his decision after Rick Barnes took over the program in the spring of 2015.

Phillips joins Kwe Parker as two Vols who decided to leave the program following Tennessee's 2016-17 season.

After landing junior college All-American guard Chris Darrington last week, it appeared that the Vols were officially full for the 2018 class. That’s no longer the case.

The immediate impact of Phillips’ departure is that the Vols now have an open scholarship that they could either use immediately or carry over into the 2018 class where Tennessee currently does not have an open spot.

It appears that the Vols’ ideal scenario is to do both, use the scholarship now and also save it for next year as well.

That scenario could pan out due to the upcoming official visit of Howard transfer James Daniel, a fifth-year transfer who will be immediately eligible next fall.

Daniel (6-foot-0, 175 pounds) has already made official visits to Michigan and Depaul. He’s scheduled to visit Ohio State this weekend and then will make a trip to Knoxville to officially visit Tennessee.

Daniel sat out all but two games this past season due to an ankle injury.

As a junior, he led all of Division I in scoring at 27.1 ppg. He was named the MEAC Player of the Year following that junior season.