KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee shared its women’s basketball home and away Southeastern Conference opponents for the 2021-22 season on Friday.
As part of the 16-game SEC schedule, the Lady Vols feature home games vs. Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
On the road, UT will play contests against Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.
In addition to its permanent home-and-home rival, Vanderbilt, Tennessee plays its two rotating home-and-home series against Alabama and Arkansas during the upcoming campaign.
Five of those league opponents closed out the 2020-21 season in the final AP Poll, including the No. 4 Aggies, No. 6 Gamecocks, No. 10 UGA Bulldogs, No. 15 Razorbacks and No. 18 Wildcats.
Times, dates and television information for the 2021-22 SEC schedule will be released at a later date, as will the complete Lady Vol non-conference slate.
Tennessee returns six players with starting experience from a squad that finished third in the SEC. That unit advanced to the NCAA Second Round and ended the year at No. 13 in the AP Poll at 17-8 overall and 9-4 in league play despite losing two starters along the way due to season-ending injuries.
“Go-to player” and awards candidate Rae Burrell, a 6-1 senior guard/forward (16.8 ppg., 4.6 rpg.), inside presence Tamari Key, a 6-6 junior center (8.9 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 2.9 bpg.), and 5-8 redshirt senior point guard Jordan Walker (5.4 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 2.3 apg.) were among the starting five at the end of the season and are presumptive candidates to lead this year’s team.
Three more Lady Vols (gifted 6-2 junior point guard Jordan Horston [8.6 ppg., 4.2 apg., 3.9 rpg.], powerful 6-1 redshirt senior forward/center Keyen Green [6.8 ppg., 3.0 rpg. during four games in 2020-21 / 13.1 ppg., 7.5 rpg. in three seasons at Liberty] and crafty 6-2 sophomore guard/forward Marta Suárez [4.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg.]) combined for 31 games in the jump circle in 2020-21, with Horston getting the nod 35 times during her career and showing her scoring and distributing capabilities. Green and Suárez, meanwhile, are coming off injuries that ended their 2020-21 seasons early, but all indications suggest both players will be ready to contribute significantly in the year ahead. Suárez’s participation on Spain’s FIBA U19 World Cup team this summer further underscores that expectation.
Burrell just missed first-unit accolades last season as an All-SEC Second Team selection. Key, a prolific shot-blocker and disrupter was on the SEC All-Defensive Team, while Suárez was named to the SEC All-Freshman squad. Horston was SEC All-Freshman two seasons ago.
Tennessee also adds a Sun Belt Conference-player-of-the-year graduate transfer in Alexus Dye from Troy, giving Kellie Harper seven experienced, starting-caliber players. Dye led the NCAA in double-doubles (23) and total rebounds (352) a year ago, and the extremely-active 6-0 forward averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds in games vs. SEC teams Texas A&M and Mississippi State last season.
The Lady Vols also welcome a four-player freshman signing class rated No. 9 by ProspectsNation.com and No. 15 by espnW, giving Tennessee 14 players and its largest roster since 2014-15.
Fans interested in being a part of the action at Thompson-Boling Arena this season are encouraged to click HERE for ticket information.
-UT Athletics
