The Tennessee Lady Vols made their first public appearance of the season with an emphatic exhibition win over Columbus State on Thursday night.
Then 148-48 win gave fans an early glimpse of their depth, chemistry and defensive potential.
Head coach Kim Caldwell said she was pleased with her team’s effort and unselfishness in the 100-point victory. She also noted there is still room for growth before the official season opener at NC State.
“I wanted us to play hard, and I think we did that,” Caldwell said. “We’ve got eight new players, and the way we play with pace, freedom and multiple lineups, it takes time. It was important for them to be out there in front of a crowd and play somebody else.”
Freshman Mia Pauldo made a strong debut, showing poise and vision in her first game wearing Tennessee orange.
She finished with seven assists and no turnovers to go along with 18 points and four rebounds, earning praise from Caldwell.
“I’m not one bit surprised. That’s who she is,” Caldwell said. “She made the right play. Every night won’t be like this for her as a freshman, but this is why she’s here.”
Forward Janiah Barker also impressed, recording a double-double with15 points and 10 rebounds while posting a plus-minus rating of +62.
“That’s also who she is,” Caldwell said with a smile. “She could’ve had a triple-double if we had her in the press the whole time. It was a really efficient double-double. She made the right plays, shared the ball, and didn’t take bad shots.”
The Lady Vols were particularly effective in their full-court pressure, with Barker’s length and energy disrupting passing lanes.
“We’ve been figuring out where I best fit in the press,” Barker said. “Being at the top, I can use my length. It’s tiring, but it’s fun.”
“She gets steals and turns them into buckets,” Mia added. “I’m proud of her. She was really efficient tonight.”
Caldwell highlighted several areas for improvement, including boxing out, free throws and transition defense, but said the team checked many boxes in its first live action.
“Our offense wasn’t great. It didn’t really look like anything we practiced,” Caldwell said. “We need to put more pressure on the rim and play inside-out, but I thought most of our threes were good, assisted looks.”
Transfers Nya Robertson and Ruby Whitehorn both made strong impressions. Caldwell highlighted Robertson’s perimeter shooting and Whitehorn’s leadership and effort.
“Nia’s a very good shooter. People forget she was the second-leading scorer in the ACC,” Caldwell said. “We’re trying to get her to take efficient shots, not volume ones. She, Mia and Maya are probably our most consistent three-point shooters.”
“Ruby is just a great leader,” Barker said. “She plays hard, talks on defense and brings energy that everybody feeds off.”
Caldwell also noted the emotional return of Kaiya Wynn, who played her first game back from injury and added a modest five points in just eight minutes of play.
“It was great to see her out there,” Caldwell said. “When that first bucket went in, I was so happy for her. She’s been through a lot, and she’s given everything to this program.”
As Tennessee prepares for its official opener next week, Caldwell said the exhibition served its purpose: letting her team find rhythm, confidence and connection.
“Hopefully they’ll feel more confident going into Game 1,” she said. “It’s different when you do it in front of a fan base. I just want them to keep building and realize this is the right system and style of play for them.”
