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Tennessee Lady Vols 2019-2020 preview: Frontcourt

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 21: Tennessee Volunteers fans hold up a cardboard photo of women's basketball coach Pat Summitt during the game against the Connecticut Huskies at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 21, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Connecticut 60-57. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 21: Tennessee Volunteers fans hold up a cardboard photo of women's basketball coach Pat Summitt during the game against the Connecticut Huskies at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 21, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Connecticut 60-57. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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How are the Tennessee Lady Vols looking in the post for Kellie Harper’s first season? Here is our preview of the women’s basketball Volunteers’ front court.

While they didn’t suffer the most severe loss in the frontcourt like they did in the backcourt, the Tennessee Lady Vols still took a hit in terms of key players. After all, they lost their starting center and their top forward off the bench.

For the second straight year, UT has to replace its center. This time, Cheridene Green is gone after averaging nine points and over seven and a half rebounds a game. However, no disrespect to her, but replacing her won’t be as tall of a task as replacing Mercedes Russell was the year before.

Meanwhile, they also lost Mimi Collins. A rising star off the bench last year, Collins averaged five and a half points and three and a half rebounds in just under 15 minutes of play as a freshman. But she has now transferred to the Maryland Terrapins, joining Evina Westbrook as two people who could have been key players this year but are now gone.

So first-year head coach Kellie Harper has a few things to work on with the Tennessee Lady Vols up front, just as she does with the backcourt. How will she be able to replace those two key players from last year?

Well, there is a solid bit of returning talent. Also, she added three newcomers, and there’s another player who returns to health this year. So UT has quite a few options to figure out its rotation this year under the basket.

As we get set to look at Rocky Top on the inside, we’ll be breaking down exactly which players are expected to stand out in this cluster. And make no mistake, this is actually a cluster. But lots of what happens depends on how Harper runs her system.

Who will help her determine that? What is the key personnel for a program that built its identity on rebounding and toughness inside? Let’s break that down here. This is our 2019-2020 preview for the Tennessee Lady Vols frontcourt.