KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Kaylene Smikle needed only 13 shots to score 31 points in her first game in orange, and the Tennessee women rolled past Duquesne 109-62 on Monday night before 9,662 fans at Food City Center in Knoxville.
The fifth-year guard made 11 of 13 from the field and 5 of 6 from 3-point range, with 17 points coming in the first quarter alone. Her 31 rank second for a Lady Vol debut, behind the 51 that Patricia Roberts scored in 1976. The team total was Tennessee’s best in a season opener since a 112-point game against Stetson in 1989.
Five teammates also reached double figures. Freshman Gabby Minus, making her first career start, and senior Rylie Theuerkauf each scored 13, Jada Eads had 12 points and six assists, and Naomi White and Aaliyah Moore scored 11 apiece. Fats Janneh grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
The crowd filled part of Thompson-Boling Arena, which seats 21,678 for basketball.
Duquesne kept it close early and trailed only 22-20 late in the first quarter, but Tennessee led 30-24 after one and 51-36 at the half. An 11-0 burst to start the third quarter broke it open, and an 18-6 finish to the period made it 81-50. Tennessee topped 20 points in all four quarters, including two 30-point periods. Carla Viegas hit seven 3-pointers and scored 24 for the Dukes, and Nadia Moore added 16.
Tennessee is now 47-6 all-time in openers and has won its first home game of the season 27 straight times. Coach Kim Caldwell is 9-2 in openers. The Lady Vols play at Coppin State in Baltimore on Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern.
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