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LSU women’s basketball at Tennessee Lady Vols: Score prediction, scouting report

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LSU women’s basketball at Tennessee Lady Vols: Score prediction, scouting report


Who’s behind No. 1 South Carolina in the SEC has been a question for weeks.

LSU women’s basketball could supply the official answer by taking down Tennessee on the road inside Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday (11 a.m. ESPN).

A win would secure one of the SEC Tournament’s top 4 seeds for the No. 13 Tigers (23-4, 10-3 SEC) and would put them squarely in the driver’s seat for No. 2. They need two wins out of their final three games to lock up the 2-seed for the conference tournament, which starts March 6 in Greenville, South Carolina.

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Kim Mulkey and LSU have won five straight games, including a physical matchup with Auburn on Thursday night inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

LSU women’s basketball must limit Rickea Jackson

You don’t shutdown Lady Vols senior star Rickea Jackson. You can only hope to limit her.

Mulkey said earlier this week that she believes Jackson is one of the top draft choices in this spring’s WNBA Draft. Jackson’s play, and what she’s meant for Kellie Harper and Tennessee, have proven as much.

The 6-2 combo player is second in the SEC in scoring behind Angel Reese at 18.9 points per game. Jackson also records 7.9 rebounds per game. Her versatility and offensive prowess makes her the focal point of any team’s scouting report for the Lady Vols but her skill set can’t be completely stopped.

Angel Reese will want to get Tennessee C Tamari Key in foul trouble

LSU’s best shot at success in Knoxville will be to feed the ball early and often to Reese inside for a number of reasons.

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Yes, Reese is the league’s top scorer and rebounder, posting 19.4 points and 12.8 rebounds and has only seen her impact, looks and usage expand during conference play.

But the 6-4 forward will play a heavy role in LSU’s gameplan as it’ll want to get Tennessee center Tamari Key in foul trouble. Key is a vital part to the Lady Vols’ success and what they want to do in games, especially contests like this. The 6-6 shot-blocker is one of the top rim protectors in women’s college basketball and if LSU can force her to pick up some early fouls, the path to victory becomes much easier.

How Mikaylah Williams can swing the game for Kim Mulkey, LSU

Inside the post will be where all eyes gravitate to in the LSU-Tennessee matchup. And rightly so, Reese-Key and Aneesah Morrow likely guarding Jackson will be popcorn-worthy television.

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That’s where LSU having someone on the perimeter having a big scoring outing could be pivotal. To me, freshman Mikaylah Williams could be a matchup that Mulkey and her staff exploits on the offensive end.

Williams, with her bigger frame and ability to create space off the dribble, will be hard for Tennessee to handle on the wings. And Williams is an above average passer as well so if the Lady Vols crash on her, she can find the open teammate. She had six assists in the South Carolina game earlier this year.

ANGEL REESE’S LEADERSHIP How Angel Reese’s intensified leadership is steering LSU women’s basketball down stretch

LSU WBB NCAA TOURNAMENT PROJECTIONS LSU women’s basketball bracketology: Are Kim Mulkey’s Tigers locked in as No. 4 seed?

The past couple of games have been a struggle for Williams, but the freshman is primed for a breakout and she loves the big games.

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LSU women’s basketball score prediction at Tennessee

LSU 72, Tennessee 68: Much like the Auburn game, this one will be ugly, physical and gritty for LSU. But thanks to its much-improved defense, LSU gets just enough stops on Rickea Jackson late to fend off the Lady Vols.

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.



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Sick and tired: Counties near Chattanooga are now reporting highest flu rates in Tennessee

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Sick and tired: Counties near Chattanooga are now reporting highest flu rates in Tennessee


Tennessee health officials say flu activity is rising sharply in around Chattanooga, with counties surrounding Hamilton showing some of the highest rates in the state.

Marion, Grundy, Sequatchie, Bradley, Meigs, Rhea, Bledsoe, McMinn and Polk counties are currently the only areas in Tennessee rated “very high” for influenza activity by the Tennessee Dept. of Health. Photo via the Tennessee Health Dept.

Marion, Grundy, Sequatchie, Bradley, Meigs, Rhea, Bledsoe, McMinn and Polk counties are currently the only areas in Tennessee rated “very high” for influenza activity by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These counties have flu positivity rates greater than 10 percent. By comparison, the statewide average is 6.5 percent, and Hamilton County itself is at 6.9 percent.

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State and federal health experts say the surge comes as influenza A(H3N2) continues to circulate widely. The CDC reports at least 11 million flu illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths nationwide so far this season. One pediatric death was reported this week in Tennessee, bringing the season total to nine nationwide.

File photo: Getty Images.

File photo: Getty Images.

Georgia officials are also reporting higher-than-average flu activity, signaling that the region is experiencing a particularly active season. Health authorities encourage residents six months and older to get vaccinated if they have not already and to take precautions such as frequent handwashing and staying home when sick.

Flu activity is expected to remain elevated in Tennessee and across the U.S. for several more weeks, according to the CDC. Local hospitals and clinics are urging families to monitor symptoms and seek care early, especially for children, older adults, and those with chronic health conditions.

For the latest guidance on influenza vaccination and antiviral treatments, visit the Tennessee Department of Health or the CDC at cdc.gov.

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Tennessee launches country’s first public database tracking domestic abusers

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Tennessee launches country’s first public database tracking domestic abusers


Tennessee launched the country’s first-ever public database tracking and listing convicted domestic abusers as part of a ratified law honoring a sheriff’s deputy who was murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend.

The database, which officially launched on Jan. 1, includes offenders’ names, photos and dates of birth and is part of Savanna’s Law. The bill was signed into law by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in May 2025 and required the state to establish the registry in Savanna Puckett’s name.

Puckett, a 22-year-old Robertson County Sheriff’s deputy, was tragically killed by her ex-boyfriend, James Conn, at her home on Jan. 23, 2022. Conn had a lengthy history of domestic assault arrests that Puckett had no knowledge of before they began dating.

Robertson County Sheriff’s Deputy Savanna Puckett, 22, was killed by her ex-boyfriend in 2022. WVLT

Conn shot Puckett in the torso and head before he set her home on fire. He pleaded guilty to her murder in August 2023 and was sentenced to life in prison.

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Puckett’s distraught mother, Kim Dodson, was determined to save other domestic abuse victims from her daughter’s fate and began pushing state lawmakers for change.

She was a staunch advocate for the bill’s passage and said that if the registry had existed sooner, her daughter might still be alive.

Puckett’s killer, James Conn, had a lengthy history of domestic violence-related arrests. Robertson County Sheriff’s Office

“I was just horrified when I finally saw all those records because I know Savanna well enough that she would have never dated him. I honestly, honestly, honestly feel that if she had known that she could still be here,” Dodson told WSMV.

The domestic abuser registry is run through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and lists anyone in the state who has been convicted of at least two domestic violence-related charges, according to the website.

However, the offender’s registration is dependent on the accusing victim. If the victim doesn’t consent to their abuser’s name being included, then the offender can bypass the registry.

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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed Savanna’s Law in May 2025. Getty Images

The database doesn’t include info on offenders convicted before the new year, so the current list is limited. But it was made in the mirror image of the state’s sex offender registry, which is more fleshed out with decades-worth of listings.

The sex offender registry includes a rolling queue of “wanted violators” and a “map of offenders.”

Tennessee has previously ranked among the top 10 states with the most domestic violence homicides. In 2019, it tied for fifth with South Carolina in a separate list detailing the states with the highest femicide rates, WTVF reported.



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Cam Ward injury update: Titans QB out after shoulder injury vs. Jaguars

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Cam Ward injury update: Titans QB out after shoulder injury vs. Jaguars


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  • Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward left the Week 18 game against the Jaguars with a shoulder injury.
  • The injury occurred during a first-quarter touchdown run after a hard hit from a Jaguars linebacker.
  • Prior to the injury, the former Miami star had played every offensive snap of the season for Tennessee.

Tennessee Titans quarterback and former Miami star Cam Ward exited the Week 18 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a shoulder injury, sustained during a first-quarter touchdown run at EverBank Stadium on Jan. 4.

The Titans initially listed Ward as questionable to return, before declaring him out late in the first quarter. Up until the injury, the rookie quarterback had appeared in every offensive snap during the regular season for last-place Tennessee.

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While rounding right end and diving for the end zone, Ward absorbed a hard hit from Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokun as he also struck the ground just inside the end zone pylon. The rush gave the Titans a short-lived 7-0 lead.

Ward entered the medical tent after the injury, and Tennessee medical staff subsequently escorted him to the locker room.

The rookie from Miami had completed 24 of 38 passes for 141 yards when the Titans played Jacksonville on Nov. 30, a 25-3 Jaguars win. At Miami, Ward was a finalist for the 2024 Heisman Trophy, which ultimately went to Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, now with the Jaguars but also out due to injury.

Former Jaguars quarterback Brandon Allen entered the game in Ward’s place on the next series. The Jags drafted Allen in the sixth round (No. 201) in 2016, although he never appeared in a regular-season game for Jacksonville.

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With a victory, the Jaguars would clinch the AFC South and a first-round home assignment for the playoffs. The Titans were eliminated from postseason contention weeks ago.

(This story has been updated to add new information.)



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