Tennessee heads to Baltimore on Thursday night looking to keep its early-season momentum rolling against Coppin State, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. ET at the Physical Education Complex Arena.
The Lady Vols already handled this matchup once before, and that lone meeting was a runaway: an 88-35 Tennessee win on Nov. 23, 2025.
In that game, guard Nya Robertson made history by setting the Lady Vol record for most 3-pointers made in a game with 10. Robertson is back with the team for this one after being granted eligibility through a temporary restraining order in Texas, and she’s available Thursday night after spending time on staff as a student assistant and practice player.
Tennessee enters the game off a loud season opener, a 109-62 win over Duquesne on Monday night. Kaylene Smikle powered that performance with 31 points, including 23 in her first 12 minutes on the floor.
“I don’t know if it’s a record, but it is pretty impressive,” Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell said after the game. “She has been locked in from the moment I saw her today.
She’s been happy. She’s been full of joy.
She had a great shootaround. She played very hard in shootaround.
It’s been a very long time since she’s played in a basketball game, and to be able to see that joy in her today was really special for me. I hope that she had fun in the game.”
Caldwell’s roster has a mix of veterans and newcomers, and freshman Gabby Minus made a strong first impression in her debut against Duquesne. Minus earned the start and became the 25th freshman in program history to start in her first game. She finished with 13 points, six rebounds, and three assists without a turnover, and she was just the second UT freshman in the past eight years to score at least 13 points in a debut.
“I was so happy you guys got to see that version of Gabby,” Caldwell said. “That’s who she is.
That’s who she is. We’re going to see some freshman mistakes out of her, but I’m going to rock with her.
She was loyal to this program, and she stayed true and consistent from the day she said she wanted to be a Lady Vol. She’s been consistent in practice every single day since she’s been here.
You know what you’re going to get from Gabby.
“You’re going to get some freshman mistakes. She’s going to look you in the eye.
She’s going to adjust. She’s going to learn.
And she’s going to go out there and make the right shot, get to the rim, go get offensive rebounds, keep her man in front of her. That young lady has a very, very bright future when you think she has four years left.”
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Got A Huge Edge In A Massive Kentucky Showdown
Saturday night at Neyland Stadium already had the feel of a measuring-stick game, and now Tennessee enters it with a clean bill of health on the current roster. The 13th-ranked Volunteers will host No. 6 Kentucky at 6:15 p.m. ET in an SEC rivalry matchup that carries real weight for both teams, with each still eyeing the playoff picture and knowing a win would do plenty for the rsum.
For Tennessee, the absence of any new injury changes matters as much as the ranking gap. The Vols are still dealing with six season-ending injuries, but otherwise look ready for a game that could reshape the league conversation, while Kentucky got a small boost of its own with defensive back Isaiah McMillian moving to probable after previously being listed as questionable. In a matchup this big, the margins are thin, and availability could end up being part of the story before the first snap even arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Faces A Costly Problem At The Worst Time Against Kentucky
Penalty issues have been a recurring problem for Tennessee all season, and they come into this matchup with Kentucky needing a cleaner performance than the one that has too often followed them around. The Volunteers have been flagged 61 times and have given away too many yards in the process, a costly habit for a team trying to stay sharp in a rivalry game where every mistake can swing momentum.
Kentucky brings a different kind of challenge, one that shows up in the details. The Wildcats have been much better at avoiding self-inflicted damage and have built a strong turnover margin, while Josh Heupel has already pointed to the importance of Tennessee playing a disciplined game. Against an opponent that protects the football and limits mistakes, the margin for error is thin, and the Volunteers cannot afford another sloppy afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Kim Caldwell Sees One Clear Issue Despite Tennessees 2-0 Start
Tennessee opened the season 2-0 and handled Coppin State 98-60, but Kim Caldwell still found room for a sharp critique in the aftermath. In her postgame interviews on MEAC Network TV and Vol Network radio, the Lady Vols coach pointed to the teams defensive adjustments, the play of younger pieces, and the early contributions from Kennedy Fauntleroy and Gabby Minus as reasons for optimism, even with the lopsided win in hand.
The bigger concern, Caldwell said, was the kind of issue that can linger long after a comfortable result: ball sharing, defense and shot selection. With a young roster still settling in, Tennessee has already shown it can overwhelm an opponent, but the next step is making those stretches more complete and more consistent, especially once the competition tightens and the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]