Tennessee didn’t need one player to carry the load against Coppin State. It had plenty of answers.
The Lady Vols put four players in double figures and kept the offense moving from top to bottom of the roster in a 98-point showing that pushed them to 2-0 on the season. Kaylene Smikle led the way with 18 points, while Gabby Minus and Kennedy Fauntleroy each added 12. Aaliyah Moore chipped in 11 as Tennessee spread the production around and built a comfortable win.
Smikle was the headliner on the scoreboard, and she got there efficiently. She went 7-of-12 from the field and knocked down two 3-pointers on her way to 18 points. Her scoring gave Tennessee a steady source of offense whenever the Lady Vols needed a lift, and she showed how quickly she can put points on the board in bunches.
Moore gave Tennessee another useful scoring punch. She finished with 11 points and made both of her attempts from beyond the arc, giving the Lady Vols an inside-out threat defenses have to respect.
Fauntleroy did more than score. She posted 12 points and seven assists while finishing the game without a turnover. That combination of creation and control made her one of Tennessee’s most efficient pieces in the backcourt.
Minus turned in a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Even though her shot wasn’t falling at a high rate, she kept attacking and made her presence felt at the free-throw line. For a freshman, that kind of all-around impact matters.
The perimeter game was a major part of Tennessee’s offensive rhythm. The Lady Vols buried 13 3-pointers, with Moore, Smikle and others helping stretch the floor. Riley Makalusky gave the bench a quick burst, hitting both of her 3-point tries and scoring eight points in just six minutes.
That bench production mattered, too. It gave Tennessee another layer of scoring and helped keep the pressure on as substitutions came in. Across the board, the Lady Vols finished with 50 rebounds and 19 assists, numbers that showed how much they contributed beyond just putting the ball in the basket.
The shooting percentage wasn’t perfect - Tennessee finished at 39% from the field - but the Lady Vols still found a way to pile up points by getting perimeter looks, earning trips to the line and getting contributions from multiple spots in the lineup.
There’s still room for Tennessee to clean things up, especially around the basket. But the win over Coppin State offered an encouraging early look at an offense with options. Smikle can score, Moore can stretch the floor, Fauntleroy can run the show, and the bench can chip in when needed.
The Lady Vols return home next week with more chances to keep building that balance. Tennessee is set to host New Haven on Tuesday and Middle Tennessee on Thursday, with both games scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.
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 🡒]