No. 17 Tennessee is rolling into Thursday night’s SEC clash with serious momentum.
The Lady Vols, winners of five straight and unbeaten in conference play at 5-0, are set to host No. 12 Kentucky at Food City Center in what promises to be one of the marquee matchups of the week.
Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST on SEC Network, with Tiffany Greene and Carolyn Peck on the call.
This isn’t just another conference game-it’s a collision between two nationally ranked programs with postseason implications already starting to take shape. At 13-3 overall, Tennessee has found its rhythm, and they’ll need every bit of that flow against a Kentucky squad that’s 17-3 and looking to bounce back after a couple of SEC stumbles.
Tennessee’s recent surge hasn’t gone unnoticed. In ESPN’s latest women’s basketball bracketology update, the Lady Vols are projected as a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would mean hosting rights for the first and second rounds at Food City Center. That’s a big deal-not just for the players, but for a fan base that knows how to turn Knoxville into one of the toughest places to play in the country.
According to the current projection, Tennessee would open the tournament against No. 13 seed Murray State. A win there could set up a second-round matchup with either No. 5 seed Texas Tech or No. 12 seed UC Irvine-both teams with contrasting styles that could test the Lady Vols in different ways.
Elsewhere in the bracket, UConn holds down the No. 1 overall seed-a familiar spot for the Huskies. Clemson is currently clinging to the final at-large spot, while Miami finds itself just outside the field as the first team out. That bubble watch will only intensify as we inch closer to March.
The road to the Final Four runs through Phoenix this year, with the national semifinals and championship game set for April 3-5 at the Mortgage Matchup Center. But for now, the focus in Knoxville is clear: protect home court, keep the SEC streak alive, and prove they belong in the top tier of the national conversation.
Thursday night’s showdown is more than just a battle of ranked teams-it’s a measuring stick for where Tennessee stands in the bigger picture. And with a rowdy home crowd behind them, the Lady Vols will look to make another statement.