Tennessee (11-6 | 4-1 SEC) vs. Vanderbilt (17-2 | 4-1 SEC)
Sunday, January 21st, 2024 | 2:02pm CT/3:02pm ET
Knoxville, TN | Food City Center | TV: SEC Network
Knoxville, TN – After weather presented Tennessee (11-6, 4-1 SEC) with two challenging road trips, the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team are happily back home for a Sunday “We Back Pat” matinee vs. in-state rival Vanderbilt (17-2, 4-1 SEC).
Participating in the SEC’s week-long We Back Pat initiative, the Lady Vols and Commodores will tip inside Food City Center at 2:02pm CT on SEC Network.
UT and VU are tied with LSU for second place in the SEC standings at 4-1, so Sunday’s match-up shapes up to be the most intriguing league game of the day.
The Lady Vols picked up a key road victory on Thursday evening, erasing a 13-point second-quarter deficit to zoom past Mississippi State, 75-64. MSU entered the game at No. 32 in the NET rankings, so the UT triumph was important toward Kellie Harper‘s club improving its résumé for the postseason.
Vanderbilt staved off Auburn in Nashville on Thursday, prevailing 53-50 to stay in second place in the SEC race. The Commodores’ only losses came at NC State on November 29th, 70-62, and at home vs. Missouri, 65-63, on January 14th.
Broadcast Details
Sam Gore (PxP) and LVFL Tamika Catchings (Analyst) will serve as the announce crew 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
Kids 12-and-under pricing is available for only $10.00.
Postgame Autographs: Sara Puckett
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.
It’s “We Back Pat” Week For The SEC
The Southeastern Conference, in cooperation with its 14-member institutions, observes the 12th annual “We Back Pat Week,” a week-long initiative focused on bringing awareness and recognition to the Pat Summitt Foundation, a fund of East Tennessee Foundation, and its fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
SEC member institutions support The Pat Summitt Foundation during their home basketball games starting January 18th. During the women’s games slated for the week, various efforts are made to increase awareness of The Pat Summitt Foundation.
In addition, for the second straight year game officials will have the opportunity to purchase and use purple whistles and wear a We Back Pat patch on their pregame jacket. All proceeds go to the Pat Summitt Foundation. In 2023, officials raised over $7,000 for the Pat Summitt Foundation.
The Pat Summitt Foundation Fund was launched November 27th, 2011, by Pat Summitt after her diagnosis of early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type at age 59.
The Pat Summitt Foundation, a fund of East Tennessee Foundation, was established by Pat and Tyler Summitt in November 2011. Its mission is to award grants to nonprofit organizations that advance research for treatment and a cure, provide care and support for patients and caregivers, and educate the public about Alzheimer’s disease. To learn more please visit www.patsummitt.org, like the foundation on facebook.com/webackpat, and follow it on Twitter and Instagram @webackpat.
Parking, Traffic Flow, Entry Alerts
Fans coming to 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.
Just 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.
Campus parking is limited for large Food City Center events, but there is a free shuttle service from the Ag Campus for all fans, dropping off and picking up immediately adjacent to Food City Center.
ADA shuttles and entry operate the same as previous years.
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.
For events at Food City Center, G-10 and Staff 5 parking areas will be accessible via Lake Loudoun Boulevard, but it is strongly recommended that vehicles enter G-10 via Neyland Drive.
Additionally, G5/30 will only be accessible from Lake Loudoun Boulevard.
Season Reset
After functioning without All-America and SEC Player of the Year candidate Rickea Jackson for eight games from November 13th to December 10th and posting a 4-4 record during her absence, Tennessee has been a much different team since she was cleared following a lower leg injury.
The Lady Vols are 6-1 since Jackson returned to action and are in a season-best stretch where they have won seven of their past eight games..
In addition to getting Jackson back, UT has been bolstered by the continued improvement of 6-foot-6 center Tamari Key. The school’s all-time leading shot blocker was sidelined after eight games a year ago due to blood clots in her lungs and understandably needed time to reacclimate to the rigors of the game.
Tennessee also has had to absorb the loss of reserve point guard Destinee Wells, who suffered a lower leg injury just prior to the Wofford game and is out for the season. Fifth-year standout Jasmine Powell has impressively picked up more of the load, and junior Kaiya Wynn has stepped up and provided a spark off the bench on both ends of the floor.
With the players available for the past seven contests stepping into and accepting their roles, the Lady Vols have competed cohesively as a team, with different players each game emerging to provide valuable contributions in starring and support capacities.
Noting The Lady Vols
The Tennessee Lady Vols climbed from 65 to 56 in the NCAA’s NET rankings after their win over No. 32 Mississippi State.
UT’s schedule is rated No. 27 in the NCAA’s Toughest Schedule Report.
The Lady Vols rise to No. 6 in that report for cumulative opposition (which factors past and future games this season).
UT ranks No. 8 nationally in attendance, averaging 8,027 fans per game.
The 64 points UT gave up to Mississippi State stands as the lowest total it has yielded against a Power 5 opponent this season.
Tamari Key has grown her blocks per game average to 2.80 this season, which ranks fourth in the SEC in 2023-24 and currently ranks as the fourth-best campaign in UT history.
Key also owns the No. 1 (3.50, 2021-22), No. 3 (2.88, 2020-21) and No. 5 (2.77, 2019-20) averages as well.
Since Rickea Jackson’s return to the lineup, Kaiya Wynn has been UT’s most effective player off the bench, producing 7.4 ppg., 3.6 rpg. and 3.8 apg. while shooting 48 percent from the field.
Hoops History Between Harper, Ralph
The 2021-22 season brought a brand-new look to the Tennessee-Vanderbilt rivalry, as former Lady Vol standout Kellie Harper, who was then in her third year leading her alma mater, met then first-year Vandy skipper Shea Ralph, a UConn alum, for the very first time as head coaches.
It’s now year five at UT for Harper and year three for Ralph at VU, with Harper getting victories in the coaches’ four meetings as head coaches.
The duo’s careers at UT and UConn overlapped from 1996-97 to 1998-99, with Harper (then known as Kellie Jolly) helping lead UT to the second and third of three-straight NCAA titles in 1997 and 1998, while Ralph contributed to a UConn crown in 1999-2000 after Harper had graduated.
Harper was 4-2 as a player vs. UConn, including 3-1 in games when both were on the rosters of the respective programs.
Both coaches feature spouses on their staff, with Jon Harper serving as an assistant coach alongside his wife, Kellie, for the 20th season. Tom Garrick is Ralph’s husband, and he is in his third year as an associate head coach on her staff. SEC observers may also recall Garrick was an assistant at Vandy from 2009-15.
The Harpers have two children, including son Jackson and daughter Kylie. Ralph and Garrick have a daughter, Maysen.
UT-VU Connections
Tennessee junior guard Kaiya Wynn and Vanderbilt graduate guard Jordyn Cambridge each played their high school ball at Ensworth School in Nashville.
Wynn helped Ensworth to Division II AA state titles in 2019 and 2020 as a sophomore and junior before moving to Texas for her senior year.
Cambridge, meanwhile, helped that program to a state crown in 2017.
Vandy sophomore Justine Pissott signed out of high school and played one season on Rocky Top before entering the portal and moving over to Music City.
Pissott appeared in 27 games in 2022-23, averaging 2.0 ppg. and 1.0 rpg. in 7.0 minutes per game.
Let’s Talk About The Net Rankings
Tennessee is in the midst of a four-game run of games against foes that offer a chance for the Lady Vols to enhance their positioning in the NCAA NET Rankings.
UT defeated No. 32 Mississippi State on Thursday to climb from 65 to 56 as of January 19th.
The game before, the Big Orange fell at No. 27 NET Texas A&M.
The next two games come vs. Vanderbilt and Ole Miss, who stand at No. 51 and 59 in the January 19th NET report.
Tennessee has current top 55 NET wins over No. 32 Mississippi State, No. 49 Florida and No. 55 Oklahoma.
The UT Lady Vols have losses to six Top 60 NET teams, with four of those coming while Rickea Jackson was out for eight games due to injury.
The losses are to No. 9 Notre Dame, No. 11 Indiana, No. 15 Ohio State, No. 27 Texas A&M, No. 39 Florida State and No. 60 Middle Tennessee. Jackson played only vs. Texas A&M and Florida State, with UT losing by one to the Seminoles in Tallahassee, 92-91.
The Metrics Confirm Tough Schedule
Tennessee’s schedule thus far ranks 27th out of 360 Division I women’s basketball teams in the Jan. 19 NCAA Toughest Schedule Report.
Lady Vol opponents have compiled a 175-99 overall record for a .639 winning percentage that is used for ranking purposes.
Only Kentucky (No. 3) and Georgia (No. 18) rank higher among SEC schools.
Based on cumulative opposition, which includes all the foes teams played already and those they are slated to play this season, Tennessee projects to have the sixth-toughest schedule with a combined .707 winning percentage for opponents. Kentucky ranks No. 1 (.721).
UT Lady Vols vs. In-State Foes
The Tennessee women are 261-62-1 all-time vs. four-year college teams from the Volunteer State, and Kellie Harper is 17-1 in those matchups in her fifth season on Rocky Top through Dec. 6 after suffering at 73-62 setback to Middle Tennessee.
The Tennessee Lady Vols are 1-1 in 2023-24 (win vs. Memphis, loss vs. MTSU), were 3-0 in 2022-23 (wins vs. Chattanooga and Vanderbilt (away and home), were 6-0 in 2021-22 (wins vs. Tenn. Tech, ETSU, Chattanooga and Belmont at home and vs. Vanderbilt on the road and at home) and were 3-0 in 2020-21, with wins over ETSU, Lipscomb and Middle Tennessee, with two games on the schedule vs. Vandy (home and away) canceled.
UT has won 17 of 19 over schools from within the state border and 33 of the last 35, with the lone setbacks during that run being a 76-69 loss to Vanderbilt in Knoxville on Feb. 28, 2019, and a 73-62 loss to Middle Tennessee in Huntsville, Ala., on Dec. 6, 2023.
Recapping The Last Game
The Lady Vols got back in the win column in a big way on Thursday evening, overcoming a 13-point second-quarter deficit to take a 75-64 victory over Mississippi State in Humphrey Coliseum.
Tennessee (11-6, 4-1 SEC) was led by fifth-year senior Rickea Jackson, who turned in 19 points and seven rebounds. Junior Kaiya Wynn came off the bench to contribute a career-high 13 points, and fifth-year senior Jasmine Powell and junior Sara Puckett each tallied 11.
Erynn Barnum was the top scorer for MSU (15-5, 2-3 SEC) with 15 points, and Carter and Debreasha Powe each had 12. Lauren Park-Lane also landed in double digits with 10 on the night.
Postgame Notes vs. Mississippi State
Comeback Kids
Tennessee recorded its fourth double-digit come-from-behind SEC win and fifth such victory of the season, clawing its way back from a 13-point, second-quarter Mississippi State lead to win, 75-64. The Lady Vols previously won after trailing Auburn (11), Kentucky (17) and Florida (12) by more than 10.
The Lady Vols also came from 10-down to Oklahoma in the third quarter to defeat the then No. 22/20 Sooners on November 25th. For the season, UT has bounced back from being behind to win nine of its 17 games.
Getting Defensive
Trailing by seven at the half, Tennessee buckled down on the defensive end in the third frame, holding the home team without a point the final 6:08 of the stanza. UT allowed MSU only five points for the entire quarter, marking the Lady Vols’ best defensive effort of the campaign in that period or any period for that matter.
UT held an SEC foe to its lowest point total against the Big Orange this season and limited the Bulldogs to their lowest offensive output in league play and their second lowest of the year.
Rickea Jackson returned to the school where she played her first three college seasons for the second time in as many years. On this occasion, she walked away a victor, dropping a game-high 19 points and a team-best seven rebounds against the Bulldogs in 32 minutes. A year ago, she supplied Tennessee 28 points and 11 rebounds, but the Lady Vols came up just short, 91-90, in double OT.
Career Day For Kaiya
Junior guard Kaiya Wynn came off the bench and provided a spark for the Lady Vols. She went six of 10 from the field to finish with career highs of 13 points and three steals along with five rebounds and an assist in 23 minutes of action. Her +14 plus/minus rating was the game’s highest along with teammate Tamari Key.
Powell Dishing And Swishing
Starting point guard Jasmine Powell filled up the stat sheet once again, firing in 11 points with three key three-pointers and contributing seven assists, four rebounds and two steals in 38 minutes. It marked the third time in the past seven games she has dished seven dimes or more, also doing so vs. Wofford (10) and Kentucky (9). She now has a team-high 59 for the season, averaging 3.5 per game.
Tamari A Big Plus
Tamari Key played a season-most 29 minutes at Mississippi State, besting her previous high of 24 at Auburn. The 6-foot-6 redshirt senior contributed eight points, four rebounds, three assists and three blocks while matching Kaiya Wynn for Tennessee’s best plus/minus rating at +14.
Consistent Buckets From Puckett
Sara Puckett scored in double figures for the third straight game and the 11th time in 17 contests. The junior forward went five for eight from the field and finished with 11 points and grabbed six rebounds while generating a plus/minus tally of +12.
UT-VU Series Notes
Tennessee leads the all-time series, 78-10.
The Lady Vols are 36-1 vs. the Commodores in Knoxville, 32-7 in Nashville and 10-2 at neutral sites (all postseason).
UT has won 16 of the past 17 contests vs. Vandy.
These squads have been to overtime on one occasion, with Tennessee seizing a 92-79 decision in Nashville on Jan. 19, 1997.
Including that OT game in ’97, Kellie (Jolly) Harper was 9-0 vs. Vanderbilt as a Lady Vol point guard, and she is 6-0 as UT’s coach.
Harper also was 0-1 vs. VU at Western Carolina and 1-1 vs. the Commodores while at NC State.
The 84 points scored by the Lady Vols in Nashville last season were UT’s most in Memorial Gymnasium since defeating Vandy, 94-88, on February 15th, 2004.
A Look At The Commodores
Vanderbilt is led by a trio of players scoring in double figures, including Jordyn Cambridge (14.2), Sacha Washington (12.9) and Iyana Moore (12.3).
Washington and Cambridge pull down 7.7 and 6.9 rebounds per game, respectively.
Cambridge also leads the team in three-pointers (30), assists (88) and steals (77).
Vandy generates 11.4 steals per contest and turns opponents over 18.8 times per game.
VU has hit 125 threes, with six different players knocking down 10 or more.
Like UT, Vandy’s SEC wins in 2023-24 are over Mississippi State, Florida, Kentucky and Auburn.
About Vanderbilt Head Coach Shea Ralph
Shea Ralph is 45-40 in her third season at Vandy.
She has guided the Commodores to their second-best start in school history at 17-2.
A seven-time national champion as a student-athlete and coach, Ralph arrived at Vanderbilt after spending the previous 13 seasons as an assistant alongside Geno Auriemma at UConn.
While serving as a coach at her alma mater, Ralph helped guide the Huskies to 12 Final Four appearances and six national championships, including a record four straight titles from 2013-16.
Vandy’s Most Recent Game
Freshman Khamil Pierre came up big for Vanderbilt down the stretch, helping the Commodores secure a 53-50 win over Auburn Thursday in Nashville.
Pierre scored six points over the final three minutes of play and collected the game-sealing steal with four seconds left to help VU mount a comeback win.
The freshman scored a career-high 17 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to record her second-consecutive double-double.
Iyana Moore chipped in 12 for the Commodores in a game that featured 17 lead changes and eight ties.
Last UT-VU Contest
A 28-point third quarter effort propelled the Lady Vols to an 86-59 victory over Vanderbilt in UT’s home Play4Kay game on Feb. 12, 2023.
Senior Rickea Jackson led Tennessee (18-9, 10-2 SEC) in scoring with 21 points on the day, while senior Jordan Horston narrowly missed a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds. Junior Tess Darby also had a productive outing with 14 points, and graduate Jordan Walker dished out a game-high eight assists and logged an eye-popping +40 plus/minus effort.
Vanderbilt (11-15, 2-10 SEC) was led by Marnelle Garraud who tallied 16 points. Sacha Washington and Ciaja Harbison were also in double figures with 12 and 11, respectively.
The win gave UT a 2022-23 season sweep after previously winning in Nashville on January 8th, 84-71.
Next Up For UT Women’s Basketball
After enjoying a Thursday open date on January 25th, the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team heads back on the road for two more games and continues a stretch that includes four out of five away from the friendly confines of Food City Center.
UT ventures to Oxford next Sunday to take on the Rebels at 2:00pm CT (3:00pm ET) on ESPN.
The Big Orange will then journey to Athens to face Georgia on February 1st at 6:00pm CT on SEC Network.
