Lady Vols basketball is back at home for its second straight ranked matchup.
No. 17 Tennessee (13-3, 5-0 SEC) hosts No. 12 Kentucky (17-3, 4-2) at Food City Center on Jan. 22 (6:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network). The Lady Vols are coming off their first ranked win of the season, a 70-59 win at Alabama on Jan. 18. The Wildcats lost to Mississippi State in their last game on Jan. 18.
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Here’s what you need to know about the matchup.
Kentucky forward Teonni Key out with injury
The game after Teonni Key logged a double-double (17 points, 16 rebounds) in Kentucky’s win over LSU, the 6-foot-5 forward dislocated her right shoulder against Missouri on Jan. 4.
Key has been sidelined the last four games with no change in her status on the SEC injury reports. Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks said Jan. 6 that Key “should return” this season and that things looked “pretty good.”
“It could be a couple of weeks, it could be a little longer,” Brooks said.
Key, the younger sister of former Lady Vols center Tamari Key, is a significant piece of Kentucky’s success. Brooks also doesn’t go deep into his bench, so the Wildcats are missing a lot of their production and have dropped games against Alabama and MSU since Key’s injury.
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Tonie Morgan, Clara Strack are dynamic duo for Kentucky
Kentucky point guard Tonie Morgan has been one of the most underrated guards in the country this season. She averages 15 points while also ranking second in the nation in assists (8.6) and shooting 40% on 3-pointers.
Morgan stepped in to fill the role of former point guard Georgia Amoore seamlessly, and she can make big-time plays. Morgan hit the game-winner at LSU, when she logged 24 points on 70% shooting, 12 assists, three rebounds and a steal.
Clara Strack leads Kentucky in every other stat category besides assists. The 6-5 center averages 16.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.4 steals.
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Strack can post up or face up and shoot, and she has a great fadeaway jumper from midrange that’s nearly impossible to guard at her size. She can be dangerous and Tennessee has to be able to slow her down.
Janiah Barker’s status in question for Lady Vols
Janiah Barker left the game in the fourth quarter against Alabama and did not return.
The senior forward went down in visible and audible pain after it appeared she got hit in the face on the play with 6:28 left in the game. Barker was down on the floor for multiple minutes before walking off the court on her own.
Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell did not have any update on Barker’s status after the game.
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Barker is a key piece of the Lady Vols’ success, averaging 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 47% from the field and 31.1% on 3-pointers. If she isn’t active for Kentucky, defending Strack is going to be a lot harder for Tennessee.
Lady Vols vs Kentucky prediction
Tennessee 81, Kentucky 70: Brooks himself admitted Kentucky doesn’t have the depth it needs, and that’s not a great outlook against Tennessee’s high-pressure, fast-paced style. The Lady Vols will avenge last season’s loss to the Wildcats and get another quality win.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Lady Vols basketball vs Kentucky prediction: Who will win SEC matchup
