#11 Tennessee (21-7 | 8-7 SEC) vs. Georgia (11-18 | 3-12 SEC)
Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 | 11:00am CT / 12:00pm ET
Knoxville, TN | Food City Center | TV: SEC Network
Knoxville, TN – No. 11/11 Tennessee (21-7, 8-7 SEC) is home for its regular season finale and Senior Day, playing host to Georgia (11-18, 3-12 SEC) at noon on Sunday at Food City Center.
Senior Day ceremonies will take place immediately after the game with the Lady Vol careers of Favor Ayodele, Tess Darby, Jillian Hollingshead, Sara Puckett, Jewel Spear, Samara Spencer and Destinee Wells being celebrated.
The Lady Vols and Lady Bulldogs will meet in a contest televised on SEC Network and carried on Lady Vol Network radio stations as well as audio-streamed on UTSports.com and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (Ch. 81).
Tennessee, 13-3 at home this season with its only losses here to No. 9/10 Oklahoma, No. 6/4 LSU and No. 2/2 South Carolina, has won four of its last five games and six of its last eight entering Sunday. UT, though, is coming off an 82-58 loss at No. 15/14 Kentucky on Thursday night in which the Lady Vols scored their lowest point total of the season and shot their second-lowest field goal percentage at 31.1.
Looking to bounce back strong on Sunday, the Lady Vols are led by redshirt sophomore guard Talaysia Cooper, a member of the John R. Wooden, Naismith and Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Watch Lists and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List. She puts up 17.3 ppg., 5.8 rpg., 3.3 apg. and 3.1 spg. and shoots 45 percent from the field. Cooper has 11 20+ scoring efforts this season, including 25 at Kentucky.
Also averaging double figures are fifth-year guard Jewel Spear (12.9 ppg., 66 3FGs), junior guard Ruby Whitehorn (12.3 ppg.), junior forward Zee Spearman (11.5 ppg., 6.1 rpg.) and senior point guard Samara Spencer (10.4 ppg., 4.9 apg.).
Georgia, which is 0-8 in road games this season, ended a three-game losing skid to the likes of Kentucky, LSU and Texas on Thursday night, knocking off Auburn in Athens, 62-59. Leading UGA are Trinity Turner (12.2 ppg.), De’Mauri Flournoy (11.2 ppg.) and Mia Woolfolk (11.0 ppg., 5.2 rpg.). Asia Avinger is right behind at 9.7 ppg.
Broadcast Details
Sam Gore (play-by-play) and Tamika Catchings (analyst) will have the call for SEC Network.
All of the 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 also can be heard on Lady Vol Network stations and by audio stream, with Brian Rice providing play-by-play and Jay Lifford serving as studio host.
A link to the live audio stream can be found on the Hoops Central page or the schedule on UTSports.com.
For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on the Vol Network Affiliates tab.
Air-time generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
The Lady Vol Network broadcast also will be available via SiriusXM Satellite Radio channel 81.
SEC Tournament Seedings At Stake
At stake for Tennessee is its seeding for next week’s SEC Tournament, and either the No. 7, 8 or 9 spots in the bracket.
A Tennessee win over Georgia would make it 9-7 and an Ole Miss loss at LSU would make it 9-7, with the Big Orange winning a tiebreaker and getting the No. 7 seed due to its head-to-head win over Ole Miss this season.
An Ole Miss win over LSU would make it 10-6 and relegate UT to the No. 8 seed, regardless of its outcome vs. UGA.
The No. 7 seed opens tourney play at 6:00pm on Thursday, the No. 8 seed plays at 8:15pm on Thursday and the No. 9 seed plays at 11:00am on Wednesday.
Parking, Traffic Flow, Entry Alerts
Fans coming to campus looking to purchase basketball parking will do so on-site with a credit card.
Those parking in the G-10 garage are requested to enter from Neyland Drive.
There is free public parking on the Ag Campus and a free shuttle to and from there for fans. All shuttles are fully accessible for those with disabilities.
The shuttle location on the Ag campus is on River Drive near the Brehm Animal Sciences Bldg. and across from the CF lot. Visit https://parking.utk.edu/parking/special-events/athletic/ for maps and more information.
Shuttles begin two hours prior to tip-off. Return shuttles run one hour postgame or until the Food City Center is cleared.
Accessible shuttle loading and unloading for those with disabilities is located next to Arena Dining.
For regular shuttles, the unloading and loading areas near Food City Center will be as follows: Prior to the game, regular shuttles will unload at Chamique Holdsclaw and Lake Loudoun Blvd. After the game, regular shuttles will load at Lake Loudoun Blvd and Phillip Fulmer Way.
Fans will again see walk-through metal detectors outside of all Food City Center entrances.
Gates typically open one hour before tip for women’s games. Changes for large crowds will be announced publicly.
Phillip Fulmer Way Closure Information
Due to the resumption of 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 rest of the 2024-25 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 it is strongly recommended that vehicles enter G-10 via Neyland Drive.
Lot G5/30 is only accessible from Lake Loudoun Boulevard.
Individually Speaking
COOP IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Guard Talaysia Cooper, who is on three POTY watch lists and the Naismith Defensive POTY watch list, leads UT in scoring (17.3 ppg.) and steals (3.1 spg.), hitting double figures in points 25 times, carding 11 efforts of 20+ points and notching 12 quarters where she scored 10 or more during that frame.
SPEAR FOR THREE: Jewel Spear is averaging 14.3 ppg. in SEC play, hitting 42 of 87 three-point tries in league action (48 pct.) to rank No. 3 in conference games with 66 treys and No. 2 at 2.54 treys per contest.
SMOOTH SAMARA: Samara Spencer (10.4 ppg.) leads UT in assists (137) and is second in 3FGs made (56), which both rank as the second best totals of her career.
ZEE COMING ON STRONG: Zee Spearman has scored in double digits 18 times, including seven of the past seven contests when she has averaged 13.0 ppg. and 6.1. rpg.
GET A BUCKET, RUBY: Ruby Whitehorn is UT’s third-leading scorer at 12.3 ppg., tallying 10+ points in 20 contests and 15+ in 11 of them.
ALYSSA PROVIDING GOOD MINUTES: Over her past three games, Alyssa Latham has averaged 6.3 ppg. and 3.3 rpg. off the bench.
From A Team Perspective
PILING UP POINTS: The Lady Vols rank No. 2 nationally in scoring offense at 88.6 ppg., just behind SEC-record pace (89.2).
UT RECORD FOR 3s: UT ranks No. 2 nationally for 3FGs made per game at 10.3 (289 total) and broke the old Lady Vol single-season record of 242 (37 games in 2010-11) in only 23 contests this season.
CHASING SEC SEASON RECORDS: The Lady Vols are 289 of 864 on 3FGs, ranking No. 5 in SEC history for 3FGM and No. 4 for 3FGA in a season. Arkansas is No. 1 for 3FGM (314, 2019-20) and 3FGM (1,007, 2022-23).
TURNING OVER THE OPPOSITION: UT is No. 11 in turnovers forced per game (22.32) and No. 12 in T.O. margin (7.62). Kentucky had 20 miscues on Feb. 27 for the 17th 20+ T.O. game (7 were 30+) by a foe in 2024-25.
RACKING UP STEALS: UT is No. 17 nationally in steals per game (11.5). It now has 14 games of 10+ steals and 323 total in 28 games. It had 159 in 33 contests last year.
TENN-ACIOUS PRESS: Tennessee has prevented its foes from getting the ball over halfcourt in 10 seconds 26 times in 28 games. UT forced only five violations the previous five years combined.
Inside The Numbers
UT 12TH IN NET: UT is 12th in the NET and has wins over No. 1 UConn, No. 13 Ole Miss, No. 15 Alabama, No. 23 Fla. St., No. 27 Iowa, No. 32 Miss. St., No. 33 Richmond, No. 51 Middle Tenn., No. 55 Florida, No 60 Auburn and No. 61 Missouri along with close losses to No. 2 So. Carolina, No. 3 Texas, No. 10 LSU (twice), No. 14 Okla. and No. 25 Vanderbilt.
THREE RANKED WINS: UT has three wins over ranked teams, including #5/5 UConn, No. 17/20 Iowa and No. 17/19 Alabama.
SPEAR NEARS SEASON LIST: With 66 treys in 2024-25, Jewel Spear stands three away from cracking the UT single-season top 10 for the second time. She had 69 last season for the No. 10 total on that list.
Looking Back At The Last Game
No. 11/11 Tennessee suffered through a rough shooting night, while No. 15/14 Kentucky hit shots at a 52-percent clip and ran away from the Lady Vols Thursday night, 82-58, in front of 5,951 at Memorial Coliseum.
Redshirt sophomore guard Talaysia Cooper fired in 25 points and was the only player in double figures for Tennessee (21-7, 8-7 SEC), which struggled to a season low in points and its second lowest field goal percentage at 31.1 while seeing its four-game winning streak come to an end.
Kentucky (22-5, 11-4 SEC) had four players in double figures, led by a 23-point, 15-rebound double-double from Clara Strack. Georgia Amoore and Teonni Key added 18 points apiece, while Dazia Lawrence chipped in 13.
Postgame Notes vs. Kentucky
SAM HITS 1500/500/500 STAT LINE: Samara Spencer has carded a career stat line of at least 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists and joined five other SEC women’s players who have accomplished that feat since 1991-92. Through the Kentucky game, Spencer has produced 1,659 points, 522 rebounds and 502 assists between her time at Arkansas and UT. She joins Kelly Miller (Georgia, 2,177/711/639), Niesa Johnson (Alabama, 2,134/846/800), Khayla Pointer (LSU, 1,934/573/599), Jordan Lewis (Alabama, 1,581, 535, 510) and C’eira Ricketts (Arkansas, 1,537/664/516) in that limited club.
50-TREY TRIO: Tess Darby, Jewel Spear and Samara Spencer have made history, becoming the first Lady Vol trio to knock down 50 or more three pointers each in a season. Spear leads the group with 66, Spencer has drained 56 and Darby knocked down her 50th trey on Thursday night during the Kentucky contest.
COOPER DROPS 20+ AGAIN: For the 11th time this season, Talaysia Cooper scored 20 or more points, finishing with a game-high 25 vs. the Wildcats. The point total was her 25th double-figure effort of the campaign and third-highest output behind 33 vs. Liberty and 27 at Missouri.
UT/UGA Series Notes
The Tennessee Lady Vols are 24-5 in Knoxville, 16-3 at neutral sites and 15-11 in Athens vs. the Lady Bulldogs.
UT has won the past three meetings and has lost only twice at home to Georgia since 1991.
Tennessee is 1-3 vs. UGA in overtime games.
The Lady Vols have a 14-3 postseason record against Georgia after winning in the 2015 SEC quarterfinals.
UT beat Georgia, 83-64, in the 1996 NCAA title game in Charlotte to begin a run of three straight crowns.
Tennessee (18) and Georgia (7) rank No. 1 and No. 2 in SEC regular season championships.
Look At The Lady Bulldogs
Georgia is led by the trio of Trinity Turner (12.2 ppg.), De’Mauri Flournoy (11.2 ppg.) and Mia Woolfolk (11.0 ppg., 5.2 rpg.). Asia Avinger (9.7 ppg.) is right behind them.
The Lady Bulldogs score only 63.5 points per game but allow only 67.9.
UGA is 0-8 in road games this season, with its closest setback a 68-63 loss at Texas A&M.
Georgia held Texas to 20 first-half points on Feb. 24 and trailed the Longhorns by just five, 27-22, with 3:56 to go in the third period before UT pulled away.
About Georgia head Coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson
Georgia is led by Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, who possesses a 417-205 record in 20 seasons and is 45-48 in her third year in Athens.
Abrahamson-Henderson has compiled 13 20-win seasons as a head coach.
She also served as head coach at Missouri State (2002-07), Albany (2010-16) and UCF (2016-22).
In 2023, Coach “ABE” took a team to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time.
UGA’s Last Game
Led by 17 points from freshman Mia Woolfolk, Georgia defeated Auburn, 62-59, Thursday night at Stegeman Coliseum.
Thursday’s win was the final home game for three Lady Bulldogs: Asia Avinger, De’Mauri Flournoy and Roxane Makolo. The Georgia seniors accounted for 31 of the Lady Bulldogs’ 62 points.
Lady Bulldogs held the Tigers to 59 points, which is almost ten points lower than their season average of 68.7 points.
Last Time Tennessee Played Georgia
The Tennessee Lady Vols earned a road win on February 1st, 2ww025, defeating Georgia in Stegeman Coliseum, 95-73.
Jewel Spear had the hot hand for UT (13-7, 6-2 SEC), racking up 25 points on 57.1 percent shooting and five made threes. Rickea Jackson added 21 points, five assists and six rebounds, and Tamari Key chipped in 10 points and a season-best eight rebounds.
Georgia (10-11, 1-7 SEC) was led by De’Mauri Flournoy with 18 points. Asia Avinger was also in double figures with 15, and Javyn Nicholson and Jordan Cole posted 13 and 11, respectively.
Last Time Tennessee Played Georgia In Knoxville
Tennessee improved to 6-0 in SEC play on January 15th, 2023, defeating Georgia, 68-55, in Knoxville.
Debuting their Summitt Legacy series Summitt Blue uniforms, UT (14-6, 6-0 SEC) won its seventh straight game and was led by 23 points from Rickea Jackson and 16 from Tess Darby.
UGA (13-7, 2-4 SEC) was led by Brittney Smith and Diamond Battles with 14 and 12, respectively.
The Lady Bulldogs shot 30.2 percent shooting from the field and were 0 for 14 beyond the arc.
Next Up For UT Women’s Basketball
Next up on the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team schedule is a trip to the SEC Tournament in Greenville, SC.
The tournament runs Wednesday through Sunday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, and the Big Orange will begin play on either Wednesday or Thursday.
The contests will be televised on SEC Network on Wednesday and Thursday, ESPN2 or SEC Network on Friday, ESPN2 on Saturday and ESPN on Sunday.
Games also will be broadcast on Lady Vol Network radio stations statewide and via audio stream on UTSports.com.
