The Lady Vols absolutely exploded for a 132-63 exhibition win against Florida A&M on October 27, kicking off the 2026-27 season with a statement at Food City Center. It was a lopsided matchup, sure, but Tennessee still gave us some serious flashes of potential with their brand new 15-player roster. Their press defense was relentless, wearing down the Rattlers into a staggering 37 turnovers, which the Lady Vols turned into 45 points of their own. Talk about making opponents pay!
Naomi White’s Playmaking: Nobody Saw That Coming
Junior guard Naomi White came into this season hyped as a talented scorer, but what truly blew everyone away in her debut was her incredible playmaking. White led the Lady Vols with seven assists, an insane number for a player known for putting up buckets. She wasn’t just passing though, she still dropped 16 points on 6-for-14 shooting, grabbed six rebounds, and snagged four steals. And get this: ZERO turnovers. Not a single one! Plus, she was 4-for-9 from deep, showing she can still light it up. Head coach Kim Caldwell didn’t even expect those assist numbers from White, saying she was “proud of it.” Caldwell even called her “a little bit of a gamer,” someone who always plays hard and is in the gym more than anyone. She totally deserved that stat line, and we all know she’ll keep earning them.
Gabby Minus Anchors a Versatile Defense
Freshman Gabby Minus showed exactly why she’s already locked into the 10-player rotation. This 6-foot-1 forward is a beast on defense and a strong rebounder. She was practically the one-woman wrecking crew responsible for forcing Tennessee’s first 10-second violation, shutting down the Rattlers at the top of the press. Minus finished with 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block, with just one turnover. Coach Caldwell admitted she was proud of Minus, who even confessed to being nervous before her first college game. Caldwell is already working with her on shot selection, after Minus took a couple of “ill-advised 3-pointers early,” but overall, she made good decisions and her size means she fits with so many different lineups.
The Lady Vols’ Weapons Are Loaded
Beyond the standout individual performances, this team showed off some serious firepower. Kaylene Smikle led the scoring charge with 19 points, consistently getting to the rim and the free throw line, even if her 2-for-7 performance from behind the arc wasn’t her best. Jada Eads was fantastic pushing the pace, adding 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting, always knowing when to take her shot and when to dish it. Zhen Craft chipped in 11 points and six rebounds. The most dominant lineup of the night, featuring Jada Eads, White, Smikle, Minus, and Craft, spent 11:15 on the court and racked up a +33 score differential with an incredible 1.69 points per possession. Eads summed it up perfectly, saying, “We have so many weapons, so it’s like, once you move the ball around, the floor is open. Honestly, if somebody attacks, someone is open. It feels nice to be able to play with a lot of weapons on the floor.” The future is bright, and this exhibition win is just the beginning.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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