University of Tennessee Athletics
USA Basketball Announces Roster For Exhibition Versus Lady Vols
October 26, 2023 | Women's Basketball
The USA Basketball Women's National Team announced Thursday its roster for the exhibition game versus the Tennessee Lady Vols at Food City Center on Nov. 5.
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Five-time Olympic champion Diana Taurasi headlines the group that will appear in Knoxville. Among the 11 players slated to compete vs. UT are Aliyah Boston, Kahleah Copper, Allisha Gray, Brittney Griner, Rhyne Howard, Sabrina Ionescu and Azurá Stevens.
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As a reminder to Lady Vol fans, this game is not part of the season ticket package, so tickets must be purchased separately. If you have not already done so, go to AllVols.com to reserve your seats for this special event.
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Free parking in all campus lots will be available for that game, as will free shuttle service from the Ag Campus. Fans will be dropped off and picked up immediately adjacent to Food City Center. ADA shuttles and entry will operate the same as previous years. Â Â
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The USA women will also play Duke on Nov. 12 with a slightly different roster after holding a training camp in Atlanta from Nov. 7-9. The game versus Tennessee will be televised on SEC Network at 6 p.m. ET. The USA's matchup with Duke will stream live on ACC Network Extra at Noon ET, with a tape-delayed presentation on ACC Network at 8 p.m. ET. All games are available on the ESPN App.
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2021-24 USA Basketball Women's National Team head coach Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) will coach the USA in both games and lead training camp. She will be assisted by Mike Thibault (Washington Mystics) and Curt Miller (Los Angeles Sparks).
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Tanisha Wright (Atlanta Dream), who led the Dream to their first playoff appearance in five years this season, and Stephanie White (Connecticut Sun), the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year, will serve as court coaches. Wright will coach in Knoxville, Tennessee, while White will be in Atlanta and Durham, North Carolina.
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As part of its Olympic preparation, USA Basketball will participate in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in early February before hosting training camp during the NCAA Women's Final Four™ in Cleveland. Details will be confirmed at a later date.
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This will mark the fourth time the Lady Vols have welcomed the USA Women's National Team to Rocky Top for an exhibition, holding a 1-2 all-time mark against that program. On all three previous occasions, the UT squads made their way to NCAA Final Fours at the end of those seasons, with two of them winning national championships (1996, 2008). Meanwhile, the USA teams went on to win gold in the Olympic Games of 1996, 2000 and 2008.
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During her playing days, Harper (known then as Kellie Jolly) was a freshman on the 1995-96 Big Orange squad that welcomed former Lady Vols Nikki McCray and Carla McGhee and friends back to Rocky Top on Nov. 22, 1995. USA would win the affair, 82-58. The late McCray-Penson would sing the national anthem before the game and say 'yes' to Thomas Penson's surprise marriage proposal on the court immediately following the contest.
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On Nov. 7, 1999, Tennessee pulled off an upset, edging the USA squad, 65-64, in Knoxville. The national team returned on Nov. 4, 2007, and the Lady Vols kept the deficit close before falling, 83-72.
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Five-time Olympic champion Diana Taurasi headlines the group that will appear in Knoxville. Among the 11 players slated to compete vs. UT are Aliyah Boston, Kahleah Copper, Allisha Gray, Brittney Griner, Rhyne Howard, Sabrina Ionescu and Azurá Stevens.
Â
As a reminder to Lady Vol fans, this game is not part of the season ticket package, so tickets must be purchased separately. If you have not already done so, go to AllVols.com to reserve your seats for this special event.
Â
Free parking in all campus lots will be available for that game, as will free shuttle service from the Ag Campus. Fans will be dropped off and picked up immediately adjacent to Food City Center. ADA shuttles and entry will operate the same as previous years. Â Â
Â
The USA women will also play Duke on Nov. 12 with a slightly different roster after holding a training camp in Atlanta from Nov. 7-9. The game versus Tennessee will be televised on SEC Network at 6 p.m. ET. The USA's matchup with Duke will stream live on ACC Network Extra at Noon ET, with a tape-delayed presentation on ACC Network at 8 p.m. ET. All games are available on the ESPN App.
Â
2021-24 USA Basketball Women's National Team head coach Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) will coach the USA in both games and lead training camp. She will be assisted by Mike Thibault (Washington Mystics) and Curt Miller (Los Angeles Sparks).
Â
Tanisha Wright (Atlanta Dream), who led the Dream to their first playoff appearance in five years this season, and Stephanie White (Connecticut Sun), the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year, will serve as court coaches. Wright will coach in Knoxville, Tennessee, while White will be in Atlanta and Durham, North Carolina.
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As part of its Olympic preparation, USA Basketball will participate in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in early February before hosting training camp during the NCAA Women's Final Four™ in Cleveland. Details will be confirmed at a later date.
Â
This will mark the fourth time the Lady Vols have welcomed the USA Women's National Team to Rocky Top for an exhibition, holding a 1-2 all-time mark against that program. On all three previous occasions, the UT squads made their way to NCAA Final Fours at the end of those seasons, with two of them winning national championships (1996, 2008). Meanwhile, the USA teams went on to win gold in the Olympic Games of 1996, 2000 and 2008.
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During her playing days, Harper (known then as Kellie Jolly) was a freshman on the 1995-96 Big Orange squad that welcomed former Lady Vols Nikki McCray and Carla McGhee and friends back to Rocky Top on Nov. 22, 1995. USA would win the affair, 82-58. The late McCray-Penson would sing the national anthem before the game and say 'yes' to Thomas Penson's surprise marriage proposal on the court immediately following the contest.
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On Nov. 7, 1999, Tennessee pulled off an upset, edging the USA squad, 65-64, in Knoxville. The national team returned on Nov. 4, 2007, and the Lady Vols kept the deficit close before falling, 83-72.
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