Lady Vols Seek First Win Against ETSU After Close Loss

KNOXVILLE, TN – The No. 8/9 Tennessee Lady Vols will aim for their first victory of the 2025-26 season on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET when they host East Tennessee State University at Food City Center. This matchup marks the first time ETSU will play in Knoxville since the 2021-22 season.

After narrowly falling to No. 9/8 NC State 80-77 in a neutral-site game on Tuesday, Tennessee is looking to bounce back. In that contest, Tennessee’s redshirt junior guard Talaysia Cooper posted an impressive double-double, scoring 23 points and grabbing 11 rebounds while leading the team with seven assists and three steals.

ETSU, similarly seeking its first win, comes into the game with a record of 0-1 after losing 65-56 to Elon on Tuesday night. The Lady Vols hold a dominant lead in the all-time series against the Bucs, with a 25-2-1 record. The last meeting ended in a resounding 112-58 victory for Tennessee on December 20, 2021.

The Lady Vols’ head coach, Kellie Harper, expressed optimism about the team’s prospects facing ETSU. “We learned a lot from our matchup against NC State. We’re ready to apply those lessons against ETSU,” she said.

The game will be accessible for fans to watch via streaming on SECN+ and can also be heard on the Lady Vol Radio Network and on UTSports.com.

Moving forward, Tennessee will take the road again as they prepare for a Sunday game at UT Martin, part of the Pat Summitt Heritage Classic. The Lady Vols are focused on improving their play this week as they aim to establish a winning momentum.