Team USA arrived in Knoxville on Thursday to prepare for Sunday’s exhibition game against Tennessee.
Tip time is 6 p.m. Eastern Time (TV: SEC Network) at Thompson-Boling Arena at the Food City Center. With the United States Women’s National Team only just coming together, the game is tilted heavily in favor of the red, white and blue. The 10 players sent to Knoxville include Ariel Atkins, Aliyah Boston, Kahleah Copper, Allisha Gray, Brittney Griner, Rhyne Howard, Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney, Diana Taurasi and Jackie Young.
After the stop in Knoxville, USA Basketball will convene in Durham, North Carolina to take on Duke on November 12. A total of 14 players are in training camp, so some new faces, including Angel McCoughtry, Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby and Arike. Ogunbowale will face the Blue Devils with an overlap from those who went to Tennessee. The camp will take place in the meantime in Atlanta.
“As preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics continue, the games against Tennessee and Duke, as well as training camp, will provide important opportunities for the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee to evaluate players who have national team aspirations,” said the director of the women’s national team. Briana Weiss said. “USA Basketball has a long history of partnering with NCAA Division I programs to help prepare for major international competitions and we are grateful to both of these programs for adding our games to their preseason slates.”
? Knoxville, Tennessee is where it’s happening this weekend!
?? #USABWNT pic.twitter.com/qO9TD5Cp2V
– USA Basketball (@usabasketball) November 3, 2023
Tennessee coach Kellie Harper met with the media Thursday to discuss her team’s challenge — and she wants the players to meet it.
“They’re going to keep some of the greatest of all time in their facilities,” Harper said. “You can look at it and cringe or you can step in and really appreciate it – and really not just appreciate it, but just accept it.”
“We’ll give our players scouting reports on personnel that say she can shoot, rebound, post up, pass defense. I mean, that’s what the scouting report should say about all these players. They are the most elitist.
Transfer Jewell Spear will make his Tennessee debut Sunday after missing last week’s practice and exhibition opener with an ankle issue.
“Jewell was back in practice this week,” Harper said. “Hopefully we can continue to see her in practice and watch her progress, but we had a feeling she would be back in practice this week, and she looked good.”
Spear sort of announced her own comeback on an Instagram Reel indicating the wait was over.
“I think it was new to me,” Harper said. “But Jewell is so much fun. She has a great personality.
Spear, an impact player at Wake Forest, is a projected starter because of her scoring and shooting ability. It’s a difficult start, with the opponent being former Olympic hopefuls. Harper understands those kinds of beginnings, but she was a freshman when it happened to her in 1995 during her very first Lady Vol game against the Dream Team, one of the best Olympic teams ever assembled. Former Lady Vol Nikki McCray quickly stole the ball and made a layup.
“I was probably too young to get it,” Harper said. “And that’s where I want to make sure our players understand. I want them to understand what an incredible opportunity they have on Sunday.
We want to see YOU on Sunday!!
? https://t.co/7q1bt0nFql pic.twitter.com/poypOgwPpz
– Lady Vols Basketball (@LadyVol_Hoops) November 2, 2023
Parking is free in all campus garages. The game is not part of the Lady Vol subscription package and tickets can be purchased HERE.
Last summer, USA Basketball called several colleges to inquire about an exhibition game, and Tennessee immediately expressed interest.
“This was an opportunity for our players, an opportunity for our community and an opportunity for Team USA to come here and be in front of some of the biggest women’s basketball fans in the world ” Harper said. “To show this is really special.”
Kellie Harper, Tennessee coach
