By Gage Miller
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– Tennessee didn’t look back after calling a timeout with 6:47 remaining in the first quarter, a moment when the Lady Volunteers were locked in a 7–7 tie with Coppin State.
“We just weren’t playing hard,” Tennessee’s Head Coach Kim Caldwell said when describing the early timeout that sparked the team’s response.
The huddle reset the tone. When the Lady Vols returned to the floor, they unleashed an 11–0 run in less than three minutes and never took their foot off the gas, finishing with an 88–35 win Sunday afternoon at Food City Center.
The victory marked the program’s 1,500th program win, and Tennessee made sure the milestone came with authority. The Lady Vols controlled almost every possession. They overwhelmed Coppin State with pressure defense that forced 36 turnovers. Tennessee collected 23 steals, consistently converting mistakes by the visiting Lady Eagles into points on the other end.
“It’s a blessing,” Caldwell said
Offensively, the Lady Vols were led by Nya Robertson, who delivered a breakout performance with 32 points in just 27 minutes. Thirty of her points came from beyond the arc, setting a new single-game program record for three-pointers made with 10.
Robertson, who carried the offensive load from start to finish, was emotional afterward.
“I don’t know what to say… I could cry right now,” Robertson said. She emphasized that her performance was just another step forward. “One step at a time…I’ve still got more to prove.”
Coppin State briefly chipped into Tennessee’s early run, pulling within eight after forcing the Lady Vols into a three and a half minute scoring drought. But Tennessee quickly regained its rhythm, closing the first quarter with a 23-15 lead and extending the margin to 45-21 at halftime. The Lady Vols kept their foot down in the third quarter, entering the final period ahead 67-31 and cruising from there.
With the win, Tennessee improved to 5-1 on the season. More importantly, the Lady Vols secured a historic milestone in dominant fashion and did it with a record-breaking shooting display from Robertson. The Lady Vols will take the week off and then travel to the West Coast to take on UCLA and Samford on Nov. 30th and Dec. 3rd.