2020–21 Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team
Intercollegiate basketball season
The 2020–21 Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2020–21 college basketball season. Led by former Lady Vol Kellie Harper ,[ 1] entering her second year as head coach, the team played their games at Thompson–Boling Arena and are members of the Southeastern Conference .
Previous season
The 2019–20 team finished the season 21–10, 10–6 for a third-place tie in SEC play. They lost in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament to Kentucky.[ 2]
Preseason
The SEC media poll was released on November 17, 2020 with the Lady Volunteers selected to finish in sixth place in the SEC.[ 3]
Media poll
Predicted finish
Team
1
South Carolina
2
Kentucky
3
Texas A&M
4
Arkansas
5
Mississippi State
6
Tennessee
7
LSU
8
Alabama
9
Georgia
10
Missouri
11
Ole Miss
12
Florida
13
Vanderbilt
14
Auburn
Preseason All-SEC teams
Rennia Davis was selected to the preseason all-SEC team, her third-straight honor.
Roster
2020–21 Tennessee Lady Volunteers women's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Year
Previous school
Hometown
G/F
0
Rennia Davis
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Sr
Jean Ribault HS
Jacksonville, FL
G
2
Destiny Salary
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Fr
Jonesboro HS
Jonesboro, AR
G
4
Jordan Walker
5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
RS Jr
Western Michigan University
Muskegon, MI
G
10
Jessie Rennie
5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
So
Bendigo Senior Secondary College
Bendigo, AUS
C
11
Kasiyahna Kushkituah
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Sr
St. Francis HS
Atlanta, GA
G/F
12
Rae Burrell
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Jr
Liberty HS
Henderson, NV
F/C
13
Keyen Green
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Sr
Liberty University
Philadelphia, PA
F
15
Jaiden McCoy
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
RS Sr
Northwest Florida State
Knoxville, TN
C
20
Tamari Key
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
So
Cary HS
Cary, NC
G/F
21
Tess Darby
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Fr
Greenfield HS
Greenfield, TN
G
25
Jordan Horston
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
So
Columbus Africentric Early College
Columbus, OH
C
31
Emily Saunders
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
So
Wyoming East HS
Mullens, WV
G/F
33
Marta Suárez
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Fr
Joaquim Blume Institute
Oviedo, Spain
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
(W) Walk-on
Roster
Rankings
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking RV = Received votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Final AP RV RV RV RV RV RV 23 25 20 18 16 21 14 14 Coaches RV RV RV RV 24 RV 22 19 19 21 20
^Coaches' Poll did not release a second poll at the same time as the AP.
Schedule
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Site (attendance) city, state
Regular season
11/27/2020 *1:00 pm, SECN+
Florida A&M
Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, TN
11/28/2020 *2:00 pm, SECN+
Western Kentucky
W 87–47
1–0
18 – Burrell
11 – Davis
7 – Burrell
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,239)Knoxville, TN
12/1/2020 *7:00 pm, SECN+
ETSU
W 67–50
2–0
20 – Burrell
8 – Suarez
3 – Tied
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,156)Knoxville, TN
12/6/2020 *2:00 pm, ESPN+
at West Virginia Big 12/SEC Women's Challenge
L 73–79 OT
2–1
18 – Burrell
9 – Green
6 – Davis
WVU Coliseum (142)Morgantown, WV
12/10/2020 *7:00 pm, SECN+
Furman
W 90–53
3–1
26 – Burrell
8 – Suarez
7 – Burrell
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,137)Knoxville, TN
12/13/2020 *5:00 pm, ESPN
at No. 23 Texas
Frank Erwin Center Austin, TX
12/17/2020 *4:00 pm
at No. 15 Indiana
W 66–58
4–1
19 – Davis
15 – Davis
6 – Horston
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Bloomington, IN
12/20/2020 *Noon, SECN
UNC Greensboro
W 66–40
5–1
13 – Kushkituah
7 – Suarez
5 – Tied
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,114)Knoxville, TN
12/28/2020 *7:00 pm, SECN+
Lipscomb
W 77–52
6–1
19 – Davis
11 – Davis
4 – Tied
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,141)Knoxville, TN
1/7/2021 6:30 pm, SECN
No. 13 Arkansas
W 88–73
7–1 (1–0)
26 – Tied
11 – Davis
5 – Tied
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,143)Knoxville, TN
1/10/2021 2:00 pm, SECN+
at LSU
W 64–63
8–1 (2–0)
18 – Burrell
9 – Davis
2 – Tied
Maravich Center (762)Baton Rouge, LA
1/14/2021 6:30 pm, SECN
No. 23
Georgia
L 66–67
8–2 (2–1)
15 – Davis
7 – Kushkituah
4 – Horston
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,167)Knoxville, TN
1/17/2021 3:00 pm, SECN+
No. 23
at Alabama
W 82–56
9–2 (3–1)
21 – Davis
10 – Davis
7 – Horston
Coleman Coliseum (914)Tuscaloosa, AL
1/21/2021 *7:00 pm, ESPN
No. 25
No. 3 UConn Rivalry
L 61–67
9–3
18 – Burrell
9 – Tied
5 – Walker
Thompson–Boling Arena (3,553)Knoxville, TN
1/24/2021 2:00 pm, ESPN2
No. 25
No. 12 Kentucky Rivalry
W 70–53
10–3 (4–1)
19 – Key
20 – Davis
7 – Horston
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,609)Knoxville, TN
1/28/2021 7:00 pm, SECN+
No. 20
Ole Miss
W 68–67
11–3 (5–1)
21 – Davis
8 – Kushkituah
4 – Salary
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,167)Knoxville, TN
1/31/2021 2:00 pm, ESPNU
No. 20
Florida
W 79–65
12–3 (6–1)
23 – Key
12 – Kushkituah
4 – Tied
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,409)Knoxville, TN
2/11/2021 7:00 pm, SECN+
No. 16
at No. 20 Kentucky Rivalry
L 56–71
12–4 (6–2)
22 – Burrell
9 – Walker
3 – Horston
Memorial Coliseum (1,683)Lexington, KY
2/14/2021 3:00 pm, ESPN
No. 16
at No. 6 Texas A&M
L 70–80
12–5 (6–3)
25 – Davis
10 – Key
7 – Horston
Reed Arena (500)College Station, TX
2/16/2021 5:00 pm, ESPNU
at Mississippi State
Postponed due to weather concerns.
Humphrey Coliseum Starkville, MS
2/18/2021 7:00 pm, SECN
No. 21
No. 2 South Carolina
W 75–67
13–5 (7–3)
24 – Davis
12 – Davis
5 – Horston
Thompson–Boling Arena (2,512)Knoxville, TN
2/21/2021 Noon, SECN
No. 21
at No. 22 Georgia
L 55–57
13–6 (7–4)
22 – Davis
13 – Kushkituah
1 – Tied
Stegeman Coliseum Athens, GA
2/25/2021 8:00 pm, SECN+
No. 20
at Missouri
W 78–73
14–6 (8–4)
26 – Davis
10 – Walker
6 – Horston
Mizzou Arena (1,828)Columbia, MO
2/28/2021 2:00 pm, SECN
No. 20
Auburn
W 88–54
15–6 (9–4)
23 – Davis
11 – Davis
9 – Horston
Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, TN
SEC tournament
March 5, 2021 8:30 pm, SECN
(3) No. 14
vs. (11) Ole Miss Quarterfinals
W 77–72
16–6
33 – Davis
14 – Davis
5 – Horston
Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, SC
March 6, 2021 6:30 pm, ESPNU
(3) No. 14
vs. (2) No. 7 South Carolina Semifinals
L 52–67
16–7
11 – Tied
6 – Tied
3 – Burrell
Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, SC
NCAA tournament
March 21, 2021 2:00 pm, ABC
(3 RW) No. 13
vs. (14 RW) Middle Tennessee First Round
W 87–62
17–7
24 – Davis
14 – Tied
6 – Horston
Frank Erwin Center Austin, TX
March 23, 2021 ABC
(3 RW) No. 13
vs. (6 RW) No. 16 Michigan Second Round
L 55–70
17–8
12 – Davis
9 – Key
2 – Walker
Alamodome San Antonio, TX
References
Venues Rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons AIAW and NCAA national championships in bold; AIAW and NCAA Final Four appearances in italics