Another game, another win for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers!
The Lady Vols continued their strong start to the 2026-27 basketball season Thursday night, traveling to Baltimore, Maryland, and taking care of business against Coppin State with a convincing 98-60 victory.
With the win, Tennessee improves to 2-0 on the young season, and while there is still plenty of basketball left to be played, there were several things to like about this performance.
From the defensive pressure to the rebounding and contributions throughout the roster, the Lady Vols showed just how dangerous this team can be when everything starts clicking.
A Slow Start Before Tennessee Took Control
The opening quarter was a little closer than Tennessee fans probably expected.
The Lady Vols held a narrow 12-10 advantage after the first 10 minutes, but things quickly changed in the second quarter.
Tennessee found its rhythm offensively, putting up 30 points in the second period while holding Coppin State to 17. That gave the Lady Vols a 42-27 advantage heading into halftime.
And if the second quarter wasn't enough, Tennessee came out of the locker room and made sure there would be no comeback.
The Lady Vols exploded for 33 points in the third quarter while allowing just 12, extending their lead to 75-39 entering the final period.
Tennessee would add another 23 points in the fourth quarter to finish off the 98-60 victory.
The biggest difference? Tennessee outscored Coppin State 63-29 in the second and third quarters combined.
That's how you take control of a basketball game!
Kaylene Smikle Leads the Way
Kaylene Smikle led Tennessee offensively, finishing with a team-high 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field.
Smikle also knocked down two three-pointers, grabbed three rebounds, and recorded two steals.
She wasn't alone, though, as Tennessee received contributions from several different players.
Gabby Minus finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds, recording a double-double despite struggling from the field. Minus made her presence felt at the free-throw line, connecting on 10 of her 12 attempts.
Kennedy Fauntleroy also had an impressive performance off the bench, finishing with 12 points, seven assists, and three steals without committing a turnover.
Aaliyah Moore added 11 points, while Jada Eads contributed nine.
Fatmata Janneh was another player who stood out, grabbing a team-high 13 rebounds to go along with five points.
Tennessee also received eight points apiece from Naomi White and Riley Makalusky, with Makalusky connecting on both of her three-point attempts.
What I really liked about this game was that Tennessee didn't have to rely on just one player to get the job done.
The Lady Vols had four players reach double figures, and several others made important contributions.
That's the kind of depth that can make a difference as the season progresses.
Tennessee's Defensive Pressure Was the Difference
If there was one thing that stood out to me more than anything else Thursday night, it was Tennessee's defense.
The Lady Vols forced Coppin State into an incredible 29 turnovers while recording 17 steals.
Tennessee turned those mistakes into 32 points off turnovers, compared to just 13 for Coppin State.
That's a 19-point advantage created directly from turnovers!
Tennessee also scored 25 fast-break points, showing how quickly this team can turn defense into offense.
The Lady Vols didn't necessarily have their best shooting night, connecting on just 39% of their field-goal attempts, but their ability to create additional opportunities made a massive difference.
And that's something I believe is important moving forward.
You're not going to shoot the basketball perfectly every night. There will be games when shots simply aren't falling.
But if you can force turnovers, create extra possessions, and capitalize on your opponent's mistakes, you're going to give yourself a chance to win a lot of basketball games.
That's exactly what Tennessee did against Coppin State.
Dominating the Glass
Another major factor in Tennessee's victory was rebounding.
The Lady Vols finished with 50 rebounds compared to Coppin State's 36, including an impressive 21 offensive rebounds.
Those offensive boards gave Tennessee additional scoring opportunities throughout the night.
Janneh led the way with 13 rebounds, while Minus added 11.
Even when Tennessee struggled to convert its initial shot attempts, the Lady Vols continued battling for second-chance opportunities.
That kind of effort is something you love to see, especially this early in the season.
Three-Point Shooting and Free Throws
Tennessee also found success from beyond the arc, connecting on 13 of its 35 three-point attempts.
That's good for 37.1% from three-point range.
For comparison, Coppin State made just three of its 15 attempts from beyond the arc.
The Lady Vols also took advantage of their opportunities at the free-throw line, shooting 25-of-30, an impressive 83.3%.
Those numbers helped Tennessee overcome its overall 39% shooting performance from the field.
My Takeaways
There are three things I'm taking away from this game.
First, Tennessee's defensive pressure is going to be a major part of this team's identity if the Lady Vols can continue playing with this kind of intensity.
Forcing 29 turnovers is impressive regardless of the opponent, and turning those mistakes into 32 points shows just how effective Tennessee can be in transition.
Second, I really like the contributions throughout the roster.
Smikle led the scoring, but Minus, Fauntleroy, Moore, Janneh, and several others all played important roles.
Having multiple players capable of stepping up is going to be important when Tennessee gets into the tougher portion of its schedule.
Finally, there's still room for improvement.
The Lady Vols shot just 39% from the field, and while they were able to overcome that against Coppin State, shooting efficiency will become increasingly important against stronger competition.
But that's also part of the excitement of the early season.
This team is 2-0, and there is still plenty of time to grow.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, Tennessee went on the road and did exactly what it needed to do.
The Lady Vols picked up a 38-point victory, forced 29 turnovers, dominated the rebounding battle, and received contributions from throughout the roster.
Was it a perfect performance? No.
But was it an encouraging one? Absolutely.
It's only November, and we're just two games into the season, so I'm not going to get too far ahead of myself.
However, if Tennessee continues playing with this kind of defensive intensity while improving its offensive consistency, this could be a very exciting team to watch as the season progresses.
For now, the Lady Vols are undefeated, and that's exactly where you want to be!
