Lady Vols to host Longhorns in key SEC matchup

No. 22 Tennessee looks to keep momentum against No. 4 Texas on Sunday

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The No. 22 Tennessee Lady Vols will host the No. 4 Texas Longhorns in a key SEC matchup on Sunday. The Lady Vols are coming off a dominant 98-53 win over Missouri after a disappointing loss to South Carolina, while Texas is looking to bounce back from an 86-70 defeat at Vanderbilt. The game carries significant weight for both teams' SEC and NCAA tournament seeding aspirations.

Why it matters

This matchup between two top-25 teams will be a good test for the Lady Vols as they look to prove they can compete with Final Four-caliber squads. Tennessee has already lost to UCLA, UConn, and South Carolina by double digits this season, so a strong performance against the Longhorns could boost their NCAA tournament resume.

The details

Tennessee is led by freshman Deniya Prawl, who recorded her first career double-double in the win over Missouri with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Fellow freshman Jaida Civil also had a strong game with 8 points and 10 rebounds. The Lady Vols will need to limit turnovers and dominate the glass against the physical Longhorns, who are led by SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker (18.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg).

  • The Lady Vols and Longhorns will tip off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 19, 2026.
  • Tennessee will then travel to Oklahoma on February 22 for the final game of a four-game stretch in eight days.

The players

Madison Booker

A 6-1 junior guard from Ridgeland, Mississippi, Booker leads Texas in scoring at 18.7 points per game and is tied for the team lead in rebounds with 6.7.

Deniya Prawl

The Tennessee freshman posted her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Missouri.

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What they’re saying

“We have no heart. We're not tough. It's probably the softest team I've had in years. … It translates from practices ... my fault. I'll wear it. I'll wear all of it. It's my fault. It stops now.”

— Vic Schaefer, Texas Head Coach

“Everything just felt electric today, and it's what we've been doing in practice as well. Because when you see your teammates playing hard, diving on the floor, it makes you want to do it as well. I think that flowing through our whole team makes us for sure we want to play hard on defense, and it's a team effort, for sure.”

— Deniya Prawl, Tennessee Freshman (247sports.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game will be a crucial test for both teams as they jockey for position in the SEC and NCAA tournament. Tennessee needs to prove it can compete with elite teams, while Texas looks to bounce back from a disappointing loss. The outcome could have significant implications for the postseason aspirations of both programs.