Tennessee Lady Vols Fall to #5 Vanderbilt 87-77 on Senior Day

The Lady Vols put up a fight but couldn't overcome the Commodores' hot shooting in the third quarter.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Tennessee women's basketball team pushed No. 5 Vanderbilt and led by as many as seven points in the third quarter, but the Commodores used 69-percent shooting in that period to separate from and defeat the Lady Vols, 87-77, in front of a crowd of 12,037 on Senior Day at Food City Center. Tennessee was led by 23 points from redshirt junior Talaysia Cooper, while senior forward Janiah Barker, senior guard Nya Robertson and senior forward Zee Spearman also contributed double-digit scoring efforts.

Why it matters

This was the final home game of the season for the Tennessee Lady Vols, who were honoring their senior class. Despite the loss, the team showed fight against a top-5 opponent and will look to carry that momentum into the SEC Tournament next week.

The details

Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes scored a game-high 34 points, including 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range, to lead the Commodores to the victory. Tennessee led by as many as seven points in the third quarter, but Vanderbilt used a 69-percent shooting period to pull away. The Lady Vols were unable to mount a late comeback despite strong efforts from Cooper, Barker, Robertson and Spearman.

  • The game was played on Senior Day at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.
  • Tennessee led by as many as seven points in the third quarter.

The players

Talaysia Cooper

A redshirt junior who led Tennessee with 23 points.

Janiah Barker

A senior forward who contributed 17 points and a game-high 8 rebounds for the Lady Vols.

Nya Robertson

A senior guard who scored 12 points for Tennessee.

Zee Spearman

A senior forward who added 10 points for the Lady Vols.

Mikayla Blakes

A Vanderbilt player who scored a game-high 34 points, including 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The Tennessee Lady Vols will learn their seeding for the upcoming SEC Tournament on Sunday evening. The tournament begins on Wednesday, March 4th in Greenville, South Carolina.

The takeaway

Despite the loss, the Tennessee Lady Vols showed fight and resilience against a top-5 opponent on Senior Day. The team will look to carry that momentum into the SEC Tournament as they aim to make a deep postseason run.