Lady Vols basketball survived its first true road test.
No. 16 Tennessee won 90-75 against Memphis (2-8) at FedExForum on Wednesday. The Lady Vols (9-0) couldn’t pull away until the end of the game, and they struggled to create turnovers against the Tigers, who ended the night with 17.
Jewel Spear scored 18 points on 6-for-11 shooting, and had six rebounds and four assists. Zee Spearman had a double-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.
Memphis came out ready to compete and was the aggressor in the first half. The Tigers put Tennessee on its heels at times, and even went on an 11-0 run to take a 34-27 lead halfway through the second quarter. They had the lead for 15 minutes of the first half, led by senior point guard DeeDee Hagemann’s 19 points in her season debut.
Tennessee took control of the game in the third quarter, outscoring Memphis 27-13. But the Tigers wouldn’t go away easily, and kept the game within reach until the end. Memphis guard Tilly Boler scored a game-high 23 points.
Watch Lady Vols basketball vs Memphis live on Fubo (free trial)
Lady Vols basketball vs Memphis score updates
What time does Lady Vols basketball vs Memphis play today?
- Date: Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Location: FedExForum
What channel is Lady Vols basketball vs Memphis on today?
Lady Vols vs Memphis live stream options
Lady Vols basketball vs. Memphis will be broadcast on ESPNews. Eric Frede and Christy Thomaskutty will call the game from the court in FedExForum. Other streaming options for this game include Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers, and the ESPN app.
Lady Vols vs Memphis predictions
Tennessee 85, Memphis 68: It’s hard to predict exactly what Memphis will look like with an impact player like DeeDee Hagemann in the lineup for the first time. But even with Hagemann, beating Tennessee is a tall order. But with the Lady Vols’ first true road game, it might be closer than expected, especially considering Memphis forced overtime last season at Food City Center.
Lady Vols vs Memphis injury updates
- Senior guard Jewel Spear and redshirt freshman guard Kaniya Boyd were inactive for Saturday’s win. They were expected to return to practice Tuesday, coach Kim Caldwell said. Spear missed a second game due to a lower right leg injury and Boyd was out due to concussion protocol.
- Tennessee is without senior guard Kaiya Wynn, who’s out for the season with a torn Achilles.
- Memphis point guard DeeDee Hagemann is expected to make her debut for the Tigers on Wednesday after missing the first half of the season due to an academic eligibility issue.
Buy Lady Vols basketball tickets this season via StubHub
Tennessee Lady Vols basketball schedule 2024-2025
Lady Vols basketball’s next five games:
- Richmond: 2:15 p.m. ET on Dec. 20 in West Palm Beach Classic (BallerTV live stream)
- Tulsa: 11 a.m. ET on Dec. 21 in West Palm Beach Classic (BallerTV live stream)
- Winthrop: 2 p.m. ET on Dec. 29 (SEC Network+)
- at Texas A&M: 8 p.m. ET on Jan. 2 (SEC Network+)
- Oklahoma: 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 5 (ESPN)
Lady Vols basketball news
Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.