If you were looking for a quiet, defensive grind, you definitely picked the wrong game. The recent collision between LSU Tigers women’s basketball vs Tennessee Volunteers women’s basketball was less of a tactical chess match and more of a 40-minute street fight with high-end sneakers.
Seriously.
The energy inside the arena felt different. It wasn't just another SEC mid-season tilt; it was a clash of cultures. You had Kim Mulkey’s glitz and intensity on one side and Kim Caldwell’s "run-and-gun" system on the other. Honestly, the pace was so fast in the opening ten minutes I'm surprised the floor didn't start smoking.
Why This Rivalry Still Matters in 2026
For a long time, Tennessee owned this matchup. It was the Lady Vols’ world, and everyone else was just living in it. But the landscape has shifted. Under Mulkey, LSU has become this unavoidable force, a program that feels like a permanent resident of the top ten.
Tennessee isn't exactly falling off the map, though. Under Kim Caldwell, they’ve adopted a style that is, frankly, exhausting to watch, let alone play against. They press. They shoot threes at a rate that would make a 2016 Steph Curry blush. They basically try to turn every game into a track meet.
When these two styles clash, you get chaos.
The Breakdown of the Most Recent Battle
LSU eventually walked away with an 89-87 victory, but that score doesn't even begin to tell the story. It was a game of massive swings. At one point in the second quarter, LSU looked like they were going to run Tennessee right out of the building, building an 18-point lead.
But here’s the thing about this Tennessee team: they don't stop.
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They chipped away. They hit 11 three-pointers. They actually took the lead multiple times in the closing minutes. The Food City Center was deafening. You could see the frustration on Mulkey’s face as the Lady Vols erased that massive deficit.
Aneesah Morrow was, quite simply, a monster. She finished with 23 points and 21 rebounds. Think about that for a second. Twenty-one rebounds in a single game is a season's worth of work for some players. She was the anchor that kept LSU from drifting away when Tennessee’s press started causing turnovers.
Then there was Kailyn Gilbert.
With the game tied at 87 and the clock ticking down to its final heartbeat, Gilbert drove into a forest of orange jerseys and flipped up an acrobatic shot that went in with about a second left.
Game. Set. Match.
The Stars That Defined the Night
It’s easy to look at the scoreboard and move on, but the individual performances in this lsu tigers women's basketball vs tennessee volunteers women's basketball matchup were wild.
- Flau'jae Johnson (LSU): She’s more than just a rapper or a personality; she’s a cold-blooded vet now. She dropped 20 points and was the emotional heartbeat for the Tigers when things got shaky in the fourth.
- Jewel Spear (Tennessee): She kept the Lady Vols in it with 25 points, including five triples. Every time LSU thought they had breathing room, Spear would pull up from the logo and splash one.
- Talaysia Cooper (Tennessee): She was everywhere, finishing with 24 points. Her speed in transition is probably the best in the SEC right now.
- Mikaylah Williams (LSU): The "Bossier City Assassin" had a quiet 16, but she hit the transition layup that put LSU up 87-84 late in the game.
Coaching Philosophies: The Two Kims
It’s fascinating to watch Mulkey and Caldwell interact. Mulkey has gone on record saying Caldwell’s system is "unlike anything I have ever seen." Coming from a woman who has won four national titles and been in the game for decades, that’s high praise.
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Caldwell’s "System" is basically organized anarchy. They rotate players constantly. They want to wear you down. LSU, on the other hand, relies on elite individual talent and physical dominance in the paint.
LSU out-rebounded Tennessee 46-38. That was the difference. You can hit all the threes you want, but if you can't stop a team from getting second and third chances at the rim, you're eventually going to run out of luck.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Matchup
There’s a common narrative that LSU is just "too talented" and that Tennessee is "rebuilding."
That's a lazy take.
Tennessee broke the program record for threes in a season during this stretch. They aren't rebuilding; they are reimagining what Lady Vol basketball looks like. They are currently a nightmare matchup for anyone because they force you to play at a speed that usually leads to mistakes.
LSU won because they have veteran poise. When the crowd was screaming and Tennessee was on a 10-0 run, the Tigers didn't panic. They went to Morrow in the post. They trusted Gilbert to create. That’s championship DNA, and it’s why they’ve been able to sweep the season series against the Vols for the first time in program history.
Key Stats You Might Have Missed
While the 89-87 score is the headline, the underlying numbers show why the game was so close.
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LSU Tigers vs Tennessee Volunteers: Quick Look
- Fast Break Points: LSU 34, Tennessee 21. For a team that loves to run, Tennessee actually got beat at their own game in transition.
- Points in the Paint: LSU had 60. Sixty! They lived at the rim.
- Three-Point Shooting: Tennessee shot 35.5% compared to LSU’s abysmal 12.5%.
- Free Throw Percentage: LSU shot 85.7% from the stripe. In a two-point game, those freebies are everything.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Both Teams?
If you’re a fan of either squad, the takeaway from this LSU Tigers women’s basketball vs tennessee volunteers women’s basketball game is that the SEC is deeper than ever.
LSU is clearly a contender for another deep March run. They have the star power, the bench depth (shoutout to Mjracle Sheppard’s defensive energy), and the coaching. However, their perimeter defense against high-volume shooting teams is still a bit of a question mark.
Tennessee is the "team nobody wants to play" in the tournament. They are going to ruin someone’s bracket because they only need to get hot from three for one night to knock off a giant.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Watch the Bench: Keep an eye on LSU’s bench rotations. When Johnson or Morrow get into foul trouble, players like Kailyn Gilbert and Jada Richard become the most important people on the floor.
- Monitor the Three-Ball: For Tennessee, the win-loss record almost perfectly correlates with their three-point percentage. If they shoot over 33%, they can beat literally anyone.
- The Glass is Key: If LSU continues to dominate the boards by a +8 or +10 margin, they are virtually unbeatable.
The rivalry is alive and well. It might not look like the Pat Summitt days, but the intensity is exactly where it needs to be. Whether it's in Baton Rouge or Knoxville, these two programs are currently the gold standard for entertainment in women's college hoops.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the recruiting trail. Both programs are currently fighting over five-star power forward Oliviyah Edwards for the 2026 class. Whoever lands her might just tip the scales of this rivalry for the next three years.
For now, we just wait for the next time these two meet in the SEC Tournament. Based on what we just saw, it's going to be another classic.
To stay updated on the latest SEC standings and player stats, check the official SEC Women's Basketball site. You can also follow the specific team progress via the LSU Athletics and UT Sports portals for live updates.