After a week off, Lady Vols basketball is back in action. Tennessee is headed to Murfreesboro to square off with MTSU in a road game.
Here’s everything to know about the matchup, from broadcast details to a prediction.
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How to Watch — No. 15 Lady Vols (3-1, 0-0 SEC) vs. MTSU (2-2, 0-0 CUSA)
- Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT
- Location: Murphy Center (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
- Watch: ESPN+ | PxP: Jake Rose, Analyst: Alysha Clark, Reporter: Dylan Simmons
- Online Streaming: Watch ESPN
- Radio (Knoxville): The Vol Network/The Vol Network App
- Vol Network radio crew: PxP: Brian Rice, Studio Host: Jay Lifford
Betting Odds
No odds currently listed
ESPN Matchup Predictor
Lady Vols: 94.0%
MTSU: 6.0%
What Kim Caldwell Said About MTSU
“I mean, they’re very well coached. They run their sets very well. They’re very good defensively. I think the biggest thing for us is we’re gonna go into a hostile environment. We need to be mentally tough enough to handle it when the shots aren’t going in, when things aren’t going our way, when the calls aren’t going our way. Just play through it, handle it.”
How They’ve Fared
Lady Vols (3-1):
- Loss vs. No. 9 NC State in Greensboro, 80-77
- Win vs. ETSU, 97, 47
- Win at UT Martin, 72-61
- Win vs. Belmont, 68-58
MTSU (2-2):
- Win vs. Tennessee State, 59-53
- Win at St. Louis, 73-55
- Loss at Tennessee Tech, 63-54
- Loss at Rice, 66-59
Where They Land In Rankings
Lady Vols:
- AP Poll: No. 15
- Coaches Poll: No. 13
- Bart Torvik: No. 14
MTSU:
- AP Poll: Unranked
- Coaches Poll: Unranked
- Bart Torvik: No. 146
Stat Leaders
Lady Vols:
- Points: Talaysia Cooper – 18.2
- Rebounds: Talaysia Cooper – 8.0
- Assists: Talaysia Cooper – 2.5
MTSU:
- Points: Alayna Contreras – 14.8
- Rebounds: Blair Baugus – 10.5
- Assists: Blair Baugus – 2.0
Prediction
Tennessee has seemingly taken a step back in each game it’s played this year. Well, now, the Lady Vols have had an entire week off to catch their breath and prepare for this matchup with MTSU. After the win over Belmont, that’s exactly what Kim Caldwell said she needed. Just some time to correct the mistakes.
While Caldwell said she doesn’t expect it to be perfect now, there should be some serious strides. You’d hope the offense, particularly in the halfcourt, will look a lot better. Shot selection has been a point of emphasis, as well, so wildly jacked-up jump shots should decrease.
If the team takes these changes to heart, then Tennessee should have no problem. MTSU isn’t bad, but it isn’t as good as some of the teams it’s had in the past. If the Lady Vols fall into the same old traps, that’s when the Blue Raiders could make this a game, or even pull off the upset at home.
Lady Vols 78, MTSU 64
