KNOXVILLE -- RV/RV Tennessee (4-0) welcomes Western Carolina (5-2) to Food City Center on Tuesday night in the fifth straight home contest for Kim Caldwell's squad.

The matchup is the fifth in a string of six consecutive and a run of seven of the first eight contests taking place on Rocky Top at the outset of the 2024-25 campaign. UT and WCU will clash at 7 p.m. ET in the Big Orange's final contest of November.

For the first time this season, the Lady Vols will appear on linear television, with SEC Network broadcasting the game.

When it tips off on Tuesday night, Tennessee will have had a 10-day gap between games since facing Liberty on Nov. 16 and defeating the Lady Flames, 109-93.

While UT was idle last week, the Catamounts played in a pair of matchups, falling to Georgia State on Tuesday evening, 68-64, and winning at Presbyterian, 71-41, on Friday night.

Tennessee carries a 10-7 series record into the game, with the schools facing off for the first time since Nov. 25, 2008, when a No. 9/12-ranked Lady Vol squad raced to an 83-56 victory in Knoxville.

MORE INFO

GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO

Opponent: Western Carolina
Date: Tues., Nov. 26
Tip-off: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Food City Center
Watch: SEC Network
Radio: Lady Vol Network
Online: Live Audio, Live Stats

TENNESSEE

Roster Schedule Game Notes

WESTERN CAROLINA

Roster Schedule Game Notes

THE LATEST FROM THE LADY VOLS

Lady Vol Basketball Lands Top-Two Class Cooper Named SEC, USBWA Player of the Week Cooper's 33 Points Propel Lady Vols Past Liberty, 109-93 Lady Vol Three-Point Barrage Sinks Middle Tennessee, 89-75

BROADCAST DETAILS

Sam Gore (play-by-play) and LVFL Tamika Catchings (analyst) will have the call for SEC Network.
All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network stations and by audio stream, with Brian Rice providing play-by-play.
A link to the live audio stream can be found on the Hoops Central page or the schedule on UTSports.com.
For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on the Vol Network Affiliates tab.
Air-time generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.

GAME PROMOTIONS

No special promotions are in place for this game.
Tickets can be found by visiting AllVols.com or by purchasing on game day at Food City Center.

PARKING, TRAFFIC FLOW, ENTRY ALERTS

Fans coming to campus looking to purchase basketball parking will do so on-site with a credit card for men's and women's hoops.
Those parking in the G-10 garage are requested to enter from Neyland Drive.
There is free public parking on the Ag Campus and a free shuttle to and from there for fans. All shuttles are fully accessible for those with disabilities.
The shuttle location on the Ag campus is on River Drive near the Brehm Animal Sciences Bldg. and across from the CF lot. Visit https://parking.utk.edu/parking/special-events/athletic/ for maps and more information.
Shuttles begin two hours prior to tip-off. Return shuttles run until two hours postgame or until the Food City Center is cleared.
Accessible shuttle loading and unloading for those with disabilities is located next to Arena Dining.
For regular shuttles, the unloading and loading areas near Food City Center will be as follows: Prior to the game, regular shuttles will unload at Chamique Holdsclaw and Lake Loudoun Blvd. After the game, regular shuttles will load at Lake Loudoun Blvd and Phillip Fulmer Way.
All tickets and Tennessee Fund parking passes are digital.
Fans will again see walk-through metal detectors outside of all Food City Center entrances.
Gates typically open one hour before tip for women's games.

INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING

KUDOS FOR COOP: Talaysia Cooper was named both SEC and USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Week on Nov. 19 after averaging 25.5 ppg., 9.5 rpg., 4.0 apg. and 3.0 spg. while shooting 55.6 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from beyond the arc and 100 percent at the free-throw line.
FIVE WITH 10+ THREE TIMES: UT has five players who've scored 10+ in three of four games. The list includes Talaysia Cooper, Sara Puckett, Jewel Spear, Samara Spencer and Ruby Whitehorn.
ALWAYS FOUR IN DOUBLE FIGURES: In each of UT's first four games, it has had four players scoring in double figures.
GUARDS ON THE BOARDS: Tennessee's top two rebounders are guards. Ruby Whitehorn and Talaysia Cooper lead the way at 7.8 and 7.0, respectively.
STEADY SAMARA: Samara Spencer has dished 5+ assists in every game, with a season-high six vs. Liberty.
THREE-POINT TRIO: Jewel Spear (10), Tess Darby (9) and Samara Spencer (9) have combined for 28 of UT's 48 three-pointers this season.

FROM A TEAM PERSPECTIVE

SWIPER MO' SWIPING: The Lady Vols lead the nation in steals per game, averaging 18.8. They tied a Food City Center record with 27 vs. Samford on Nov. 5.
THAT'S A 10-COUNT: Tennessee has prevented the opposition from getting the ball over halfcourt in 10 seconds five times in four games. That total ties UT's number of violations forced over the past five years combined.
PILING UP POINTS: The Lady Vols rank No. 2 nationally in scoring offense, rolling up 97.3 points per game. The lowest a Kim Caldwell team has ranked in scoring is No. 4, which Marshall did last season (85.3).
LETTING 'EM FLY: UT leads the nation in three-pointers attempted per game at 38.3 per contest. That's more than the school's single-game record of 36 (2010).
WE'RE MAKING THREES: UT also leads the country in three-pointers made per contest, knocking down 12.0 per outing.
A NOSE FOR O-BOARDS: Tennessee tops the nation in o-boards at 21.8 per game.
A KNACK FOR PUT-BACKS: The Lady Vols also excel in second-chance points, outscoring foes 22.0 to 9.8 per contest.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

THE NUMBER THAT COUNTS: UT is No. 1 nationally with 42 other teams with a win pct. of 100 through games of Nov. 23.
WINNING THE FIRST FOUR: Tennessee has won its first four games for the initial time since beginning 2021-22 at 9-0.
BEST STARTS FOR CALDWELL: A 4-0 start in 2024-25 is the third-best opening of a season in Kim Caldwell's nine years as a head coach. A UT win over Western Carolina would match her second-best start, with her 2018-19 Glenville State team beginning that year at 5-0. Top honors go to her 2021-22 GSU squad that started 29-0 on its way to 35-1 and an NCAA DII title.
SIX STRAIGHT AT HOME: The Lady Vols are playing their first six games of the 2024-25 season at home. This marks the first time since 2015-16 that UT has opened a campaign with that many in a row on Rocky Top. Tennessee played eight straight here to start the 2015-16 schedule.
EXCITEMENT ABOUNDS: UT has drawn crowds of 9K+ at each game thus far. A fifth 9K tally vs. WCU would mark the first attendance start that strong since 2013-14, when the final season average was 11,038.

SCORING POINTS AS CALDWELL TEAMS DO

Tennessee is averaging 97.3 points per game to rank No. 2 in the nation in scoring through four games.
Five times Kim Caldwell's teams have led the nation in scoring, with all five coming at Glenville State in 2019-20 (106.8), 2018-19 (102.3), 2020-21 (98.4), 2021-22 (95.5) and her first season as a head coach, 2016-17 (94.1). She was No. 4 in NCAA Division I in 2023-24 at Marshall (85.3).
UT has scored 89 or more points in each of the first four games of a season for the first time in school history.
It marked only the fifth time ever the Lady Vols have put together a run of four or more 89+ point efforts.
UT previously had five straight contests of 89+ points in 1987-88 (12/13 to 1/3) and 1997-98 (1/6 to 1/20), and four in a row in 1993-94 (1/2 to 1/13) and 2000-01 (2/1 to 2/11).

KEEPING IT 100

UT has reached 100 points twice in 2024-25.
That gives the program 89 regular-season scoring efforts of 100 or more points through the Liberty game.
UT had 101 in the opener vs. Samford on Nov. 5 and a season high of 109 vs. Liberty on Nov. 16.
The Lady Vols have never hit the century mark three times in their first five contests of a season before.
If UT tallies a third 100-point effort in 2024-25, it would equal the total of Tennessee's previous six seasons combined, and it would mark the 12th occasion of tallying triple digits three or more times in a campaign.
The last time Tennessee had back-to-back trips above the century mark was in 2017-18 (Alabama St. & Troy).
It has done that five times (1987-88, 1994-95, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2017-18), but it has never reeled off three straight.
The program record for most 100-point games in a season is seven in 1987-88.

LEADERS BEYOND THE ARC

Tennessee ranks No. 1 nationally in three-pointers attempted per game at 38.3.
That average is higher than the 2010 school record for most threes made in a game (36) by the Lady Vols.
UT also is No. 1 in three-pointers made per game, firing in 12.0 per contest through the game vs. Liberty.
The program best average for three-pointers per game is 6.8, which came last season (223 in 33 games).
The Lady Vols attempted a program-most 695 treys in 2023-24 in 33 games.
Tennessee has made 48 treys in four games, already ranking higher than the school's season total in 1989-90 (43), 1987-88 (27) and 1988-89 (6).
Samara Spencer ranks No. 10 nationally for three-point field goal percentage at 60.0 (9-15).

NO. 1 IN STEALS PER GAME

As of Nov. 23, Tennessee ranks No. 1 in the NCAA in steals per game at 18.8 per contest.
The Lady Vols are fifth nationally and No. 1 in the league in turnovers forced per game at 28.75
As a direct result of those numbers, UT has generated 44.5 points per game off those turnovers vs. its opposition (while allowing 17.8 ppg.).
UT tallied 50 points off turnovers vs. Samford and 48 vs. UT Martin in its opening two games.
Tennessee also is outscoring its opponents 29.3 to 19.3 in fast break points.
The Lady Vols got 36 points on the break vs. Samford and 29 vs. UT Martin and Liberty.

TURNING THEM OVER

The Lady Vols rank No. 5 nationally and No. 1 in the SEC in turnovers forced per game at 28.8.
All four of Tennessee's opponents thus far have committed at least 22 miscues, with Samford (37) and UT Martin (31) losing the ball 30+ times.
The last time UT hurried foes into 20+ turnover efforts in each of the first four games of a season was in 2018-19, when the initial four opponents did so.
The last time Big Orange opponents committed 20+ miscues in each of the first five games of a campaign was in 2004-05, when the Lady Vols' first six foes did so.
The only other times a season began with opponents committing 20 or more turnovers over the first five games in a campaign occurred in 1989-90, when the first five did; in 1988-89, when the first 10 did; in 1985-86, when the first six did; and in 1982-83, when the first five did.
The last time the Big forced three opponents in the first five games of a season to commit 30 or more turnovers was in 2014-15, when UT foes did that in three of the first four contests.

LOOKING BACK AT THE LIBERTY GAME

Redshirt sophomore guard Talaysia Cooper fired in a career-high 33 points, propelling Tennessee past Liberty, 109-93, on Nov. 16 in front of a crowd of 9,109 at Food City Center.
Cooper connected on 12 of 20 field goal attempts, sinking all seven free-throw tries and netting two of four three-point shots to pace the Lady Vols (4-0). She finished a rebound shy of her second straight double-double and added three assists and a pair of steals.
Also in double figures for the Big Orange were Ruby Whitehorn, Sara Puckett and Jewel Spear, who tossed in 13, 12 and 10 points, respectively, as their team drained 14 three-pointers on 36.8-percent accuracy.
The Lady Flames (2-2), who are picked to finish second in Conference USA, got 27 points from 6-foot-6 center Bella Smuda as well as 19 from Avery Mills, 11 from Emma Hess and 10 from Emily Howard. LU finished the game at 51.5 percent from the field, including 50 percent (11 of 22) from beyond the three-point arc.

UT/WCU SERIES NOTES

This marks the 19th meeting between UT and WCU in women's hoops but the first since 2008.
The Lady Vols are 10-7 all-time in the series, including 5-2 at home, 2-4 on the road and 3-1 at neutral sites. No score was available for another tilt.
Tennessee and Western Carolina have played only twice since 1977, with the Lady Vols winning handily in 2005 (94-43) and in 2008 (83-56).
The Lady Vols are 73-20-1 all-time vs. teams currently in the Southern Conference, defeating SoCon member Samford in the opener, 101-53.
Samford was picked to tie for third in the SoCon, while WCU was projected to finish eighth.

A LOOK AT THE CATAMOUNTS

Western Carolina has fashioned a 5-2 record thus far during the young season, defeating Warren Wilson, Campbell, Radford, USC Upstate and Presbyterian, while falling to No. 9 Oklahoma and Georgia State.
The Catamounts are led by AC Carter, Tyja Beans and Jada Burton, who are each scoring in double figures at 12.7, 11.4 and 11.0 points per game.
WCU is averaging 7.6 made threes per game, led by 14 from Chelsea Wooten and eight from Carter.
The Catamounts are grabbing 9.9 steals per game and forcing 18.4 turnovers from their opponents.

ABOUT WCU'S HEAD COACH

Jonathan Tsipis is in his first season as head coach at Western Carolina.
Tsipis is 5-2 at WCU and 147-139 overall in 10 years as a head coach.
Previously, Tsipis was head coach at Wisconsin (2016-21) and George Washington (2012-16).
Tsipis was an assistant coach (2003-08) and associate head coach (2008-12) at Notre Dame under hall-of-famer Muffet McGraw prior to leading his own programs.

WESTERN CAROLINA'S LAST GAME

Jada Burton led Western Carolina with 25 points and seven rebounds, as the Catamounts picked up a 71-41 road win at Presbyterian on Friday night to improve to 5-2 on the year.
Burton enjoyed an 8-for-10 night from both the field and free-throw line in the victory.
Tyja Beans, AC Carter and Chelsea Wooten chipped in 11, 10 and 10 points, respectively, to aid Burton.
WCU built a 20-12 lead in the opening frame and took a 34-19 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Catamounts shot 48.2 percent for the game and held the Blue Hose to a paltry 28.8 percent on their field goal attempts.
Western Carolina forced PC into 23 turnovers and scored 26 of its points off those miscues.
WCU also won the points in the paint war, 40-20.

THE LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET

Tennessee shot 46.2 percent from the field and hit 10 of 11 attempts at the free-throw line to take a 49-26 lead into the locker room at the half and never look back en route to an 83-56 victory over Western Carolina in Knoxville on Nov. 25, 2008.
Future WNBA standouts Glory Johnson and Shekinna Stricklen paced the Lady Vols with 19 and 13 points, respectively, and each grabbed four steals.
Vicki Baugh controlled the paint for the Big Orange by pulling down 15 rebounds and adding 11 points for a double-double, while Briana Bass chipped in 10 points in the victory.
WCU, which limited Tennessee to a 34-30 advantage in the second half, was paced offensively by Lauren Powell, Brooke Johnson and Emily Clarke, with 14, 12 and 11 points, respectively.

UP NEXT

UT's highest rated opponent of the season visits Food City Center next on Dec. 4, as RV/RV Florida State (4-1) rolls into Knoxville.
Tipoff is slated for 7:15 p.m., with the second game in a row televised by SEC Network.
These teams had a barn-burner last season in Tallahassee, with the No. 18/22 Seminoles escaping with a 92-91 victory after the No. 11/12 Lady Vols erased a 15-point deficit and came up just short.
The Lady Vol Radio Network broadcast may be heard on stations statewide and via the web on UTSports.com.
It also can be heard on SiriusXM Satellite Radio on channel 386.
Please purchase tickets at AllVols.com or by calling the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-332-VOLS or 865-656-1200.

Hoops Central: RV/RV Lady Vols vs. Western Carolina

MORE INFO

GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO

RELATED LINKS

TENNESSEE

WESTERN CAROLINA

THE LATEST FROM THE LADY VOLS

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Talaysia Cooper

Tess Darby

Sara Puckett

Jewel Spear

Samara Spencer

Ruby Whitehorn

University of Tennessee Athletics

Hoops Central: RV/RV Lady Vols vs. Western Carolina

MORE INFO

GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO

RELATED LINKS

TENNESSEE

WESTERN CAROLINA

THE LATEST FROM THE LADY VOLS

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Talaysia Cooper

Tess Darby

Sara Puckett

Jewel Spear

Samara Spencer

Ruby Whitehorn

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