Tennessee (8-5 | 1-0 SEC) vs. Kentucky (8-7 | 1-0 SEC)
Sunday, Janaury 7th, 2024 | 11:02am CT/12:02pm ET
Knoxville, TN | Food City Center | SEC Network
Knoxville, TN – The Tennessee Vols basketball team (8-5, 1-0 SEC) plays its first SEC home contest this weekend, as border rival Kentucky (8-7, 1-0 SEC) visits Rocky Top on Sunday.
With SEC Network televising, the Lady Vols and Wildcats will face off inside Food City Center at 11:02pm CT.
UT carries a four-game winning streak into the match-up after seizing a gritty, 75-67 road win at Auburn on Thursday night, overcoming an 11-point second-quarter deficit to do so. The Lady Vols improved to 4-1 on the season with Rickea Jackson in the lineup, as the all-star forward showcased another impressive performance with 24 points and a career-high 19 rebounds in her most minutes (36) since returning from an eight-game hiatus due to injury.
Kentucky also has a four-game victory string, opening SEC play with a 73-63 home win vs. Arkansas on Thursday night. UK stood 2-5 on November 25th, but it has won six of its last eight. Four of the Wildcats’ losses in 2023-24 are to Florida Gulf Coast, NC State, Colorado and Louisville.
Broadcast Details
Eric Frede (PxP) and Christy Thomaskutty (Analyst) will have the call for the SEC Network broadcast.
All games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
The contest can be heard on Lady Vol Network stations and by audio stream, with Brian Rice providing play-by-play. Jay Lifford is the studio host.
For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network, and then select the Vol Network Affiliates tab.
Air time is typically 30 minutes before tip-off.
Game Promotions
UT Lady Vol bucket hats to the first 1,000 fans.
Postgame Autographs: Jewel Spear
Download the Tennessee Athletics app to join the Coca-Cola GBO Zone Lightshow.
Purchase tickets at AllVols.com or call the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office at 1.800.332.VOLS or 865.656.1200.
Parking, Traffic Flow, Entry Alerts
Fans on campus looking to purchase parking will do so on-site with a credit card for all events, including men’s and women’s hoops.
All tickets and Tennessee Fund parking passes are digital.
Like last season, fans will see walk-through metal detectors outside of all Food City Center entrances.
The designated rideshare drop-off/pick-up area will be on Todd Helton Drive, west of Food City Center.
ADA shuttles and entry operate the same as in previous years.
(New) Phillip Fulmer Way Closure Information
Due to construction and upgrades to Neyland Stadium, basketball fans, and media members should be advised of immediate changes to normal traffic patterns on Phillip Fulmer Way and Peyton Manning Pass during the 2023-24 basketball season.
Phillip Fulmer Way from G-10 garage to Neyland Stadium Gate 21 vicinity is now closed.
The G-10 garage will not be accessible southbound on Phillip Fulmer Way.
Phillip Fulmer Way will be closed to southbound traffic at Middle Drive, and it will not be accessible via Peyton Manning Pass.
For events at Food City Center, G-10 and Staff 5 parking areas will be accessible via Lake Loudoun Boulevard, but vehicles are strongly recommended to enter G-10 via Neyland Drive.
Additionally, G5/30 will only be accessible from Lake Loudoun Blvd.
Common Threads
This marks the seventh time a Lady Vol head coach has faced a former UT teammate leading another program.
Kellie Harper is 4-2 vs. UK’s Kyra Elzy in the previous six meetings of that nature.
UT’s Kellie (Jolly) Harper (1995-99) was teammate from 1996-99 at Tennessee with Kentucky head coach Kyra Elzy (1996-2001) and assistant coach Niya Butts (1996-2000). The trio played together on the second and third of UT’s three consecutive NCAA titles in 1996, 1997, and 1998.
Elzy served a stint on UT’s staff that included roles as assistant coach and associate head coach from 2012-16.
Now in her fourth season as head coach of the Wildcats, Elzy took over at UK after Matthew Mitchell retired. He was a G.A. at Tennessee in 1999-2000.
Kentucky strength and conditioning coach Lee Taylor was a member of the UT women’s basketball staff in the same role from 2013-19.
UK’s Brooklynn Miles played two years at Tennessee before the Frankfort, Ky, guard transferred to her home state school after the 2022-23 season.
Season Reset
The UT Lady Vols are on a season-best four-game winning streak and will try to extend it to five on Sunday afternoon vs. Kentucky, as they start a two-game home stand.
Tennessee has finally developed some momentum after dealing with some unfortunate injuries to multiple players during the non-conference portion of the schedule.
Leading scorer and rebounder Rickea Jackson missed eight games with a lower right leg injury, including four vs. ranked teams, and the Big Orange went 4-4 in those contests.
UT is 4-1 with Rickea Jackson in the lineup, including dominant 85-63 and 90-55 victories vs. Wofford (reserve) and Liberty (starter), respectively, on Dec. 19 and Dec. 31 as she returned to action. It continued in a gritty SEC road win at Auburn (75-67) on Jan. 4.
The only loss by the Big Orange with Jackson in the lineup came on Nov. 9 in Tallahassee, with No. 18/22 Florida State winning, 92-91, despite a 31-point, 17-rebound double-double from the All-America candidate.
Power forward Jillian Hollingshead (concussion protocol/MTSU) and point guard Jasmine Powell (wrist/Troy) have missed one game each, guard/forward Avery Strickland (concussion protocol twice) has missed eight contests, and point guard Destinee Wells was lost for the season prior to the Wofford game after suffering a lower right leg injury.
While technically not injured, 6-foot-6 redshirt center Tamari Key (All-SEC Second Team/Cheryl Miller Award finalist in 2021-22) is still shaking off the rust and ramping up her conditioning and explosiveness after being shut down most of last season due to blood clots found in her lungs. She has been progressively more effective in UT’s past two games.
The Lady Vols have only two players (Sara Puckett and Jewel Spear) who have started every game together this season, so continuity and on-court chemistry have been works in progress.
UT did manage a 76-73 win over No. 22/20 Oklahoma at the Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off with Jackson sidelined for its best triumph of 2023-24.
Tennessee Lady Vols, Harper In SEC Openers
Tennessee is 36-5 in its first SEC home game of a season as it prepares to face Kentucky, winning six of its last seven such contests.
Kellie Harper is 4-0 in the first SEC home game of a campaign as Tennessee’s head coach entering her 2023-24 home SEC debut, defeating Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, and Alabama again in her first four seasons.
Tennessee is 36-6 all-time in its first SEC game of a season, including 19-3 at home and 17-3 on the road after defeating Auburn on January 4th, 2024, 75-67.
The Lady Vols have won their past 10 SEC openers, last losing to LSU, 80-77, on January 2nd, 2014.
Kellie Harper is 5-0 at UT in SEC openers, winning vs. Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida and now Auburn in her first five seasons.
The Lady Vols are now 33-9 in their initial SEC away game of a season after defeating Auburn on January 4th, 2024, 75-67, winning 14 of the past 15.
Harper is 4-1 in UT’s first SEC road game of the season, falling at Kentucky in 2019-20, defeating LSU in 2020-21, beating Arkansas in 2021-22, handling Florida in 2022-23, and handling Auburn in 2023-24.
Tennessee is now 5-2 all-time in SEC openers vs. Auburn, including 3-1 on the road and 2-1 at home.
Tennessee In SEC Play
UT is 439-97 (.819) in SEC regular-season games through the Auburn game, winning league bests of 18 regular-season championships and 17 SEC tourney titles through the years.
Tennessee Head Coach Kellie Harper is 44-18 in SEC games through the Auburn contest, including 13-3 (3rd place) in 2022-23. She is 5-4 all-time in SEC Tournament play.
UT tied for third in 2019-20 and finished third outright in 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23, marking its best back-to-back-to-back-to-back outcomes in SEC play since taking second in 2011-12, first in 2012-13, second in 2013-14 and first in 2014-15.
UT Lady Vols vs. Unranked Teams
Tennessee is 7-1 vs. unranked teams in 2023-24, with its lone setback coming in a neutral site game hosted by Middle Tennessee.
During the Kellie Harper era, the Big Orange women sport an 84-12 mark vs. teams outside the top 25 polls.
UT is averaging 82.6 points and 49.0 rebounds vs. unranked foes this season, while allowing 66.5 and 35.8 to opponents for margins of +16.1 and +13.3, respectively.
Five UT Lady Vols are averaging double figures in points vs. unranked teams this year.
Rickea Jackson leads the way at 17.3 ppg., followed by Karoline Striplin (15.0), Jewel Spear (11.1), Jasmine Powell (10.3) and Sara Puckett (10.1).
Jackson is averaging nearly a double-double vs. unranked foes, with 9.8 rebounds per contest to go along with her 17.3 scoring average.
Jasmine Powell leads UT in assists with 29 (4.1 apg.) vs. 17 turnovers.
Karoline Striplin is shooting 56.0 percent from the field and 47.8 from the three-point arc to pace Tennessee.
Defense Making Nice Strides
Against Liberty on December 31st, the Lady Vols held the Flames to the lowest scoring total (55) and field goal percentage (.310) in 2023-24 and tallied a season-best 12 steals while forcing a high of 19 turnovers.
The next game against Auburn, UT held the Tigers to 33.3 percent shooting and their lowest point total of the season at 67.
That sum marked UT’s fourth straight allowance and fifth time this season of 67 points or fewer.
Over their last four games, Tennessee is allowing opponents just 33.9 percent shooting from the field, resulting in only 62 points per game scored by foes.
Recapping The Last Game
Rickea Jackson turned in a double-double, helping Tennessee erase an 11-point, second-quarter deficit to seize a 75-67 victory over Auburn in the SEC opener for both teams at Neville Arena on Thursday night.
Jackson finished the game with 24 points and a career-high 19 rebounds to lead Tennessee (8-5, 1-0 SEC) in both categories. Fifth-year senior Jasmine Powell was also in double figures with 16, and junior Kaiya Wynn turned in 10 points and a game-high six assists.
Mar’shaun Bostic led Auburn (11-3, 0-1 SEC) with 17 points. Honesty Scott-Grayson and JaMya Mingo-Young added 16 and 11, respectively.
Postgame Notes vs. Auburn
Streaking Into SEC Play: Tennessee picked up its fourth straight victory, carding its longest winning streak of the season and its best spree since putting together a string of nine straight from December 27th, 2022, to January 22nd, 2023.
Jackson With Another Double-Double: Rickea Jackson produced her second double-double of the season in only her fifth game, finishing with 24 points and a career-high 19 rebounds against Auburn. It is the 12th double-double of her career, a mark that ties her for eighth among active SEC players. Her effort is the 20th performance of 19+ rebounds by a Lady Vol, and she is the 15th different UT player to hit that total.
Rickea Stacking Up 20s: Rickea Jackson carded her third game with 20+ points in 2023-24 in only five outings. She ranks eighth all-time at Tennessee in career 20-point games with 19, standing one behind seventh-place Meighan Simmons (20, 2010-14). Jackson had 31 vs. Florida State on November 9th and 21st the last game vs. Liberty.
Decisive Defense In The Third Quarter: UT held Auburn to eight third-quarter points, marking the fewest points the Lady Vols have allowed in any stanza this season. The previous low was nine in the first frame to EKU and Liberty, and nine in the second quarter to Troy. AU managed only three-of-18 shooting from the field in the third period for 16.7 percent.
Measurable Improvement On The Defensive End: Tennessee held its fourth straight opponent and fifth of the season to 67 points or fewer. UT did so by limiting Auburn to 33.3 percent from the field, which was the fourth straight sub-36-percent effort by an opponent and the third-lowest shooting performance by a foe in 2023-24.
Making Our Own Breaks: Tennessee reeled off 25 points on fast breaks, carding a season high in that category. Its previous best was 19 vs. Wofford on December 19th. The Lady Vols tallied 11 of their 21 fourth-quarter points in transition.
UT-UK Series History
Tennessee has won the past two match-ups and four of the last six over Kentucky, including the past two meetings in Knoxville.
The Tennessee Lady Vols own a 26-4 mark against UK in Knoxville and are 59-16 in all games.
UT is 22-9 vs. Kentucky in Lexington, including 21-7 all-time at Memorial Coliseum and 1-2 in Rupp Arena.
Tennessee is 9-2 in SEC Tournament games vs. the Wildcats and 2-0 in other neutral site match-ups.
UT is 3-1 in overtime games vs. Kentucky, including 3-0 in Lexington and 0-1 in Knoxville, with the last OT contest coming in 1994.
Kellie Harper is 4-4 all-time vs. Kentucky, but she is 4-2 head-to-head vs. former Tennessee teammate Kyra Elzy as the Wildcats’ skipper.
A Look At The Wildcats
UK has won its past four games entering Sunday.
The Wildcats are led by 6-foot-3 senior forward Ajae Petty, who is averaging a double-double of 16.3 ppg. and 10.5 rpg.
She ranks sixth nationally with 157 rebounds thus far and is No. 11 with eight double-doubles.
Senior guard Maddie Scherr fires in 14.6 ppg. and has made 18 three-pointers during the season, while sophomore guard Saniah Tyler leads UK with 28 treys.
Kentucky is adept at getting to the free-throw line, ranking 51st in the nation with 20.3 attempts per game and standing 85th in free throws made per contest at 13.4.
About Kentucky Wildcats Head Coach Kyra Elzy
LVFL Kyra Elzy (1996-2001) is in her 12th season as part of the Kentucky women’s basketball program.
For eight seasons, she served as an assistant coach and an associate head coach for the Wildcats (2008-12, 2016-20) before being named the eighth head coach in program history in 2020.
She is 57-47 in her fourth year at the helm.
Elzy guided UK to the 2022 SEC Tournament title and to the 2021 and 2022 NCAA Tournaments.
Kentucky’s Most Recent Game
Senior Ajae Petty scored 22 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds as Kentucky upset Arkansas 73-63 inside Rupp Arena on Thursday night.
Petty made 11 of 19 from the floor for her 22 points, and she added a career-high-tying three assists.
Kentucky (8-7, 1-0 SEC) also got 12 points from Brooklynn Miles and 10 from Emma King.
The Wildcats outrebounded Arkansas, 45-38, which marked a season-high rebounds for UK.
Last UT-UK Contest
Senior Rickea Jackson poured in 16 fourth-quarter points en route to a season-high 34 points, leading third-seeded Tennessee to an 80-71 victory over 14th-seeded Kentucky in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 3rd, 2023.
Senior Jordan Horston was also in double figures for UT (22-10, 13-3 SEC) with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while junior Tess Darby turned in 12 points on 80 percent shooting from behind the arc.
It marked the second time this season that Jackson and Horston scored 20+ points in the same contest, with the Colorado game being the other occasion.
Kentucky (12-19, 2-14 SEC) was led by Robyn Benton with 20 points. Maddie Scherr, Jada Walker and Ajae Petty were also in double digits with 13, 12 and 11, respectively.
Next Up For UT Women’s Basketball
The Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team plays its second straight contest at home, welcoming Florida on Thursday at 6:00pm CT. SEC Network will televise the game.
