Kim Caldwell hoped Alyssa Latham would return for Lady Vols basketball against Coppin State.
Caldwell’s hopes were realized as the junior forward got back in the mix for Tennessee before a two-game trip to play marquee games on the West Coast.
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“We’re gonna need her in a big way and I hope that we can get that out of her,” the Lady Vols coach said on Nov. 25.
Latham returned after a two-game absence before the two-game swing as the No. 11 Lady Vols (5-1) play at No. 3 UCLA (6-0) on Nov. 30 (4:30 p.m. ET, FS1) and at Stanford (7-0) on Dec. 3 (9:15 p.m., ESPN2) in its next two games.
Latham played six minutes in the 88-35 win for the against Coppin State (1-5) at Food City Center on Nov. 23. She had missed the prior two games against Belmont on Nov. 13 and MTSU on Nov. 20 due to personal reasons.
She did not attempt a shot and had one rebound against Coppin State, but her presence alone mattered to Caldwell.
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“She’s such a big part of our team and a great person and to be able to have her back, get a game under her belt going into the West Coast stretch that we’re about to have, we’re gonna need her,” Caldwell said.
The 6-foot-2 Latham is averaging 2.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game. She has played in four games after stepping back in against Coppin State. She played a stretch in the third quarter and two fourth-quarter stretches.
Latham’s return fortifies Tennessee’s interior presence alongside Janiah Barker and Zee Spearman. Both Barker and Spearman play more than 20 minutes per game. Senior Jersey Wolfenbarger is averaging 10.4 minutes per game.
Latham also boosts the Lady Vols’ defense, which is notable before UT faces UCLA and All-American center Lauren Betts. The 6-7 Betts is averaging 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds after averaging 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds in the 2024-25 season.
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She appeared in 34 games last season after transferring from Syracuse. She averaged 3.9 points, 3.7 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game. She shot 47.8% from the field and 31.3% on 10 made 3-pointers.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Alyssa Latham back with Lady Vols basketball before UCLA, Stanford
