Kaylene Smikle scored 18 points to lead Lady Vols past Coppin State 98-60 on Thursday night in Baltimore. It was an ugly win, but one that Tennessee women's basketball needed to bump its early NCAA season record to 2-0.
However, the fifth-year transfer guard was the lone bright spot on the Lady Vols bench for most of the first half.
Tennessee Survives Tough Road Test vs Coppin State
Tennessee led by just two points after the opening frame before adding 12 second-quarter points. That rough start reflected a revamped roster feeling the pressure of pulling off a road win inside a packed Coppin State arena.
"We needed this," head coach Kim Caldwell said of the early pressure. "We're a very young team."
After the break, though, the Lady Vols pulled away decisively. Tennessee outscored Coppin State by wide margins in the third and fourth quarters, turning a tight game into a comfortable 38-point win.
Freshman Gabby Minus also made her mark, finishing with a double-double on a rough 1-for-9 shooting night. However, she pulled down seven offensive rebounds, keeping Tennessee on track even as the team missed 22 layups.
Tennessee next faces New Haven women's basketball on Tuesday at 6:30 PM ET (ESPN).
