KNOXVILLE - The Tennessee women's basketball team's 2019-20 schedule was finalized Wednesday with the announcement of the Southeastern Conference slate.
With the official addition of eight home dates in SEC play, the Lady Volunteers will have a total of 16 games at Thompson-Boling Arena this coming season, not counting an Oct. 29 exhibition against NCAA Division II member Carson-Newman.
The opponents for Tennessee's nonconference home dates are Central Arkansas (Nov. 7), Tennessee State (Nov. 14), Stetson (Nov. 19), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Nov. 26), Air Force (Dec. 1), Texas (Dec. 8), Colorado State (Dec. 11) and Howard (Dec. 29).
In conference competition, new head coach Kellie Harper's team will welcome Missouri (Jan. 2), Georgia (Jan. 12), Alabama (Jan. 20), LSU (Jan. 26), Mississippi State (Feb. 6), Texas A&M (Feb. 16), Vanderbilt (Feb. 23) and Ole Miss (Feb. 27) to Knoxville. The Lady Vols will travel to Kentucky (Jan. 5), Ole Miss (Jan. 9), Florida (Jan. 16), Vanderbilt (Jan. 30), South Carolina (Feb. 2), LSU (Feb. 13), Arkansas (Feb. 20) and Auburn (Mar. 1) in league play.
Photo by Patrick Murphy-Racey / Tennessee's Zaay Green has trouble seeing as her braid gets in the way during a home game against Auburn this past January. The Lady Vols' 2019-20 schedule includes what are expected to be tough nonconference matchups against 2019 Final Four participants Connecticut and Notre Dame.The 2020 SEC women's basketball tournament is March 4-8 in Greenville, South Carolina.
The Lady Vols have 13 regular-season games against teams that competed in postseason play beyond conference tournaments in 2018-19, including nonconference battles at Notre Dame (Nov. 11) and Connecticut (Jan. 23), with both of those teams reaching the Final Four last season.
The Lady Vols recently completed a three-game European tour undefeated and with an average margin of victory of 48 points. Sophomores Rae Burrell and Zaay Green scored in double figures in all three games, and junior Rennia Davis and freshman Jordan Horston each had a pair of double-digit performances.
After the trip, Harper spoke in Knoxville about setting expectations for the program.
"I think the players understand the culture in terms of how they're supposed to act and how they're supposed to carry themselves," said the former Lady Vols point guard who was Missouri State's head coach the past six seasons.
"I think it's a process; it's something we're continually working on. In terms of the basketball expectations, those definitely have not been set yet. We have a lot to do to even put ourselves in a position to know where we need to be. We talk about just wanting to be the best we possibly can be, and that's going to take a lot both on and off the court."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.
LADY VOLS BASKETBALL 2019-20 SCHEDULE
* - SEC game
Oct. 29 - Carson-Newman (exhibition)
Nov. 5 - at East Tennessee State
Nov. 7 - Central Arkansas
Nov. 11 - at Notre Dame
Nov. 14 - Tennessee State
Nov. 19 - Stetson
Nov. 26 - Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Dec. 1 - Air Force
Dec. 8 - Texas
Dec. 11 - Colorado State
Dec. 18 - at Stanford
Dec. 21 - at Portland State
Dec. 29 - Howard
Jan. 2 - Missouri*
Jan. 5 - at Kentucky*
Jan. 9 - at Ole Miss*
Jan. 12 - Georgia*
Jan. 16 - at Florida*
Jan. 20 - Alabama*
Jan. 23 - at Connecticut
Jan. 26 - LSU*
Jan. 30 - at Vanderbilt*
Feb. 2 - at South Carolina*
Feb. 6 - Mississippi State*
Feb. 13 - at LSU*
Feb. 16 - Texas A&M*
Feb. 20 - at Arkansas*
Feb. 23 - Vanderbilt*
Feb. 27 - Ole Miss*
Mar. 1 - at Auburn*