The Southeastern Conference released its 2026 women's basketball schedule on Tuesday, and Tennessee's 16-game slate features six games against teams appearing in the ESPN Way-Too-Early Top 25.
Second-year Lady Vol head coach
Kim Caldwell's squad, ranked No.
7 in ESPN's preseason poll, will welcome SEC foes No. 4 Texas and No. 17 Vanderbilt to Food City Center. They'll also make league road trips to No. 1 South Carolina, No. 5 LSU, No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 13 Ole Miss.
While the majority of tip times and broadcast details have yet to be announced, season tickets for an impressive home schedule are on sale now and can be purchased
here.
Conference play will begin on Thursday, Jan. 1, and run through Sunday, March 1. The schedule consists of a single round robin of home or away (14 games) with one rotating opponent that will be played at home and away (2 games). This year's rotating opponent for UT is Mississippi State.
Each team will play eight home games and eight away games. The rotating opponent changes annually. This marks the 17th season of the 16-game schedule for women's basketball.
Caldwell's troops will open SEC action at home on New Year's Day, welcoming the Florida Gators to Rocky Top. The Big Orange women also feature home contests vs. Arkansas on Jan. 11, Kentucky on Jan. 22 and Mississippi State on Jan. 29, followed by Missouri, Texas and Texas A&M on Feb. 12, 15 and 19, respectively, and Vanderbilt for the regular-season finale on March 1.
The road portion of the itinerary includes January treks to Auburn on Jan. 4, Mississippi State on Jan. 8, Alabama on Jan. 18 and Ole Miss on Jan. 26 for UT's lone Monday night SEC contest. The February slate of away games includes stops at Georgia on Feb. 5, South Carolina on Feb. 8, Oklahoma on Feb. 22 and LSU on Feb. 26.
The 2026 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament will be held for the ninth time at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. The tournament, which will include all 16 teams, begins on Wednesday, March 4, and concludes with the championship game on Sunday, March 8.