# SEC Women's Basketball: Tennessee Lady Volunteers Dominates New Haven Chargers 83-40 **Published:** 2026-11-10 — **By:** Stacy Stanfield **Category:** games — **Type:** game-recap **Source:** https://secscouts.com/news/sec-women-s-basketball-tennessee-lady-volunteers-dominates-new-haven-chargers-83-40 **Teams:** [Tennessee](https://secscouts.com/tennessee/) **Players:** [Kennedy Fauntleroy](https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/player/_/id/5106189/kennedy-fauntleroy), [Gabby Minus](https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/player/_/id/5455522/gabby-minus), [Aaliyah Moore](https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4433794/aaliyah-moore), [Kaylene Smikle](https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4618080/kaylene-smikle) --- KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (11/09/2026) — The Tennessee Lady Volunteers opened their 2026 season with an emphatic statement at Food City Center Monday night, dismantling the New Haven Chargers 83-40 in front of 10,343 fans. Tennessee's combination of perimeter shooting and rebounding dominance proved insurmountable for a New Haven squad that struggled to generate consistent offense throughout the contest. ## How It Happened Tennessee seized control early and never relinquished it. Naomi White drained a 23-foot three-pointer at the 8:22 mark of the first quarter — assisted by Zhen Craft — to push the Lady Vols to a 5-1 advantage, and Kennedy Fauntleroy followed with a 26-foot three moments later to extend the lead to 8-1. Kaylene Smikle added another long-range strike from 24 feet to push Tennessee to 11-3 before New Haven mounted a brief response. The Chargers briefly trimmed the deficit to single digits when Jada Eads connected from beyond the arc at the 1:28 mark, pulling New Haven within 15-10 heading into the final minute of the first quarter. Aaliyah Moore converted a pair of free throws as time expired to send Tennessee to the second quarter with a 17-10 edge. The second quarter belonged to Tennessee's shooters. Riley Makalusky buried a 26-foot three at the 8:22 mark, with Fauntleroy earning the assist to extend the lead to 21-11. Smikle added her second three-pointer of the night — a 25-footer — before Jasmine McKay provided New Haven's lone bright spot of the half, hitting a 29-foot three to trim the gap to 24-18. Tennessee closed the half on a decisive run, with Makalusky adding another three-pointer and Smikle converting a tip-in to send the Lady Vols into the locker room leading 37-24. The third quarter sealed the outcome. Tennessee continued to push, with Jada Eads hitting a 26-foot three at the 8:03 mark to open the second half scoring. Gabby Minus added a three of her own at the 2:59 mark, and Fatmata Janneh converted from 26 feet at the buzzer to push the lead to 53-33 entering the fourth quarter. ## Turning Point The game's decisive sequence came in the fourth quarter when Tennessee uncorked a 21-0 run, extending a 50-33 advantage to a commanding 70-35 margin. The run featured back-to-back three-pointers from Gabby Minus and Harissoum Coulibaly — the latter hitting from 24 feet with Riley Makalusky assisting — that eliminated any remaining doubt. New Haven's offense, already hampered by 26 turnovers on the night, could not generate a response as Tennessee's defense clamped down and the Lady Vols converted in transition repeatedly. The statistical disparity told the full story of the stretch: Tennessee finished with 12 turnovers compared to New Haven's 26, and the Lady Vols converted those miscues into scoring opportunities throughout the second half. ## Star of the Game Aaliyah Moore led Tennessee with 14 points and seven rebounds, setting the tone at both ends of the floor. Moore's composure and efficiency — she made her presence felt early, converting free throws at the end of the first quarter and hitting a layup in the third quarter to push the lead to 55-33 — anchored an offense that spread scoring across nine contributors. Gabby Minus complemented Moore with 13 points and eight rebounds, drilling two three-pointers including a critical shot to open fourth-quarter scoring. Kaylene Smikle added 10 points and eight rebounds — with three three-pointers helping Tennessee establish its perimeter identity in the opening two quarters — while Kennedy Fauntleroy chipped in 11 points and five rebounds. For New Haven, Teaira Kelley delivered a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort, providing a bright spot in an otherwise difficult night for the Chargers. ## What It Means For the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, the season-opening performance at Food City Center demonstrates clear perimeter depth, with the team connecting on 16 three-pointers at a 38% clip. The Lady Vols out-rebounded New Haven 53-43 and held a decisive turnover margin, suggesting a disciplined and well-organized unit heading into conference play. For the New Haven Chargers, the 28% shooting performance and 26 turnovers represent areas that must improve significantly. Despite Kelley's individual effort, the Chargers face a long road ahead and will need sharper ball security and better shooting efficiency to compete as the season progresses. --- *Original article: [SEC Women's Basketball: Tennessee Lady Volunteers Dominates New Haven Chargers 83-40](https://secscouts.com/news/sec-women-s-basketball-tennessee-lady-volunteers-dominates-new-haven-chargers-83-40) — SEC Scouts*