The Lady Vols got one last look before the games start counting, and Tuesday night in Knoxville was as lopsided as the final score suggests. Tennessee rolled past Florida A&M 132-63 in an exhibition that doubled as the program’s final tune-up before the regular season.
For Kim Caldwell, the bigger story wasn’t just the margin. It was the first real glimpse at how the rotation is shaping up.
At least to begin the year, it looks like Tennessee has 10 players firmly in the mix: Kaylene Smikle, Harrisoum Coulibaly, Gabby Minus, Zhen Craft, Jada Eads, Rylie Theuerkauf, Naomi White, Aaliyah Moore, Kennedy Fauntleroy and Fatmata Janneh. That left forwards Riley Makalusky and Harper Peterson, along with guards Irene Oboavwoduo and Shaelyn Steele, on the outside looking in for the main rotation. Avery Mills remains out for an extended stretch because of her knee injury.
The first two players off the bench from that next group gave a pretty clear signal. Makalusky checked in midway through the second quarter, followed by Oboavwoduo late in the period. If foul trouble, injuries or anything else forces Caldwell to go deeper, those look like the first names she’ll reach for.
A couple of transfers also made a strong early case for themselves. Naomi White, who was a prolific scorer at Northern Arizona last season, arrived with real questions about how her offense would translate to the SEC.
She answered them well against Florida A&M, finishing with 16 points on 6-for-14 shooting and 4-for-9 from three. She also piled up seven assists, six rebounds, three steals and a block without turning the ball over.
Kaylene Smikle looked every bit the established scorer Tennessee expected from the Maryland transfer. She put up 19 points on 7-for-15 shooting and hit 2 of 7 from deep while adding two rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.
Florida A&M, which went 9-22 last season, is not the kind of opponent Tennessee will see night after night once the schedule gets real. But even with that caveat, White and Smikle looked comfortable operating like high-level scorers.
Freshman Gabby Minus gave Tennessee another encouraging note. Her night started rough - two missed threes and a miss at the rim - but she settled in fast and finished with 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
Minus’ impact went beyond the box score. She kept playing through the early misses, then did the work that coaches love: rebounding on both ends, defending in the press and staying active.
At 6-foot-1, she’s one of the taller players on the roster, but she still moves well enough to bother teams in the press. With Tennessee lacking height overall, that combination matters.
Florida A&M didn’t have the size Tennessee will run into during SEC play, but Minus still handled her assignment and showed she can help as she adjusts to the college game.
In Other News...
Lady Vols Showed Off A Depth Tennessee Fans Will Notice Fast
The only exhibition game on Tennessees schedule offered an early look at how many different ways this Lady Vols roster can beat you, and Florida A&M had no answer for it. Tennessee rolled to a 132-63 win while forcing 37 turnovers and turning those takeaways into 45 points, the kind of pressure-to-points formula that can make a deep team even harder to handle once the games start to count.
Eight players finished in double figures, a sign that the scoring load could be spread around in a way Tennessee fans are likely to appreciate fast. White filled the box score with 16 points, seven assists, six rebounds and four steals, Minus added 12 points and seven rebounds, Smikle led the way with 19 points, and Janneh controlled the glass with 13 rebounds, giving the Lady Vols a glimpse of the balance they can lean on this season. [Read more 🡒]
DeSean Bishop Update Matters For Tennessees Stretch Run
DeSean Bishops day at South Carolina ended early, but Tennessee got a reassuring sign afterward. Josh Heupel said the running back is expected to be in good condition for the upcoming week, which matters as the Volunteers head into the stretch run with Bishop playing a bigger and bigger role in the offense.
Bishop has been pushing toward 1,000 rushing yards this season, and his presence gives Tennessee another reliable option as the games get tighter. With one year of eligibility still left after this season, keeping him available now and down the stretch looms as an important piece of the bigger picture for the Volunteers. [Read more 🡒]
Vols Suddenly Have A Real Shot At Key 2027 DB Target
Preston Glascos recruitment is moving into the home stretch, and Tennessee has positioned itself squarely in the mix for one of the more intriguing 2027 defensive backs in the region. The Grayson High School cornerback from Georgia is expected to make his college choice soon, and his list has been trimmed to Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee after a process that has already brought multiple scholarship offers and steady attention from major programs.
For the Vols, the encouraging part is that Glasco has remained in regular contact with the coaching staff and came away from a recent visit with Tennessee firmly in the conversation. That kind of late momentum matters in a battle like this, especially when the competition includes two heavyweight SEC neighbors, and it leaves Tennessee with a real opening as his decision approaches. [Read more 🡒]