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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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Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images /

Newcomers

Tamari Key

6’5″; Freshman; Cary, N.C.

If Kasiyahna Kushkituah doesn’t secure the starting job at center, it will likely go to Tamari Key. She is one of two five-stars in the Tennessee Lady Vols’ 2019 recruiting class, and at 6’5″, she brings immediate size to help offset the loss of Cheridene Green.

What’s clear is that Key and Kushkituah will both be rotational players. The only question is about which player will start in the post. However, Key is the one with the future star potential, so you could see Kellie Harper turn to her in order to develop the program early.

Jaiden McCoy (Junior College transfer)

6’3″; Redshirt junior; Knoxville, Tenn. 

Joining Jessie Rennie as the two players Harper signed, Jaiden McCoy brings much-needed experience and depth at forward. At Florida State college last year, she averaged 11 points and six rebounds while shooting an amazing 57.1 percent from the field.

That was coming off a season-ending injury. So her potential is huge, and she will likely immediately see significant action. Starting is probably out of the question, but McCoy could become a sixth-woman early on.

Emily Saunders

6’5″; Freshman; Mullens, W. Va.

The third center in the class, Emily Saunders was only a three-star recruit. But she brings solid size at 6’5″. Still, she will likely sit behind Key and Kushkituah to develop over the next couple of years, and it might make sense for her to take a redshirt this year while doing that. She is at least able to bring more depth to the position, which is critical given the losses they suffered down low.