# 1987–88 Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team

The 1987–88 Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team represented the University of Tennessee as a member of the Southeastern Conference during the 1987–88 women's college basketball season. Coached by Pat Summitt, the Lady Volunteers finished 31–3 and reached the program's fifth NCAA Final Four. The Lady Vols started the season ranked No. 1 and played their home games at the brand new Thompson–Boling Arena.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| Nov 27, 1987* | No. 1 | vs. Indiana | W 91–52 | 1–0 | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Nov 28, 1987* | No. 1 | vs. No. 18 Old Dominion | W 83–52 | 2–0 | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Dec 3, 1987* | No. 1 | Stetson | W 102–59 | 3–0 | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Dec 9, 1987* | No. 1 | No. 2 Texas | L 78–97 | 3–1 | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Dec 13, 1987* | No. 1 | at UCLA | W 89–63 | 4–1 | Pauley Pavilion Los Angeles, California |
| Dec 16, 1987* | No. 3 | at Oregon State | W 91–56 | 5–1 | Gill Coliseum Corvallis, Oregon |
| Dec 19, 1987* | No. 3 | Eastern Kentucky | W 115–40 | 6–1 | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Dec 20, 1987* | No. 3 | Northern Illinois | W 103–76 | 7–1 | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Jan 3, 1988* | No. 3 | at Illinois | W 93–59 | 8–1 | Assembly Hall Champaign, Illinois |
| Jan 5, 1988* | No. 4 | Northwestern | W 78–65 | 9–1 | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Jan 9, 1988 | No. 4 | No. 2 Auburn | L 68–71 | 9–2 (0–1) | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Jan 11, 1988* | No. 4 | at Georgia Tech | W 96–79 | 10–2 | Alexander Memorial Coliseum Atlanta, Georgia |
| Jan 14, 1988* | No. 4 | Old Dominion | W 91–68 | 11–2 | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Jan 17, 1988 | No. 4 | Vanderbilt | W 104–67 | 12–2 (1–1) | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Jan 20, 1988* | No. 4 | at South Carolina | W 85–80 | 13–2 | Carolina Coliseum Columbia, South Carolina |
| Jan 23, 1988 | No. 4 | Alabama | W 97–70 | 14–2 (2–1) | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Jan 27, 1988* | No. 4 | at Memphis State | W 97–73 | 15–2 | Memorial Fieldhouse Memphis Tennessee |
| Jan 31, 1988 | No. 3 | at No. 13 Georgia | W 82–79 | 16–2 (3–1) | Tad Smith Coliseum Athens, Georgia |
| Feb 3, 1988* | No. 3 | at Notre Dame | W 91–71 | 17–2 | Joyce Center Notre Dame, Indiana |
| Feb 6, 1988 | No. 3 | at Ole Miss | W 78–67 | 18–2 (4–1) | Tad Smith Coliseum Oxford, Mississippi |
| Feb 8, 1988 | No. 3 | at Mississippi State | W 81–74 | 19–2 (5–1) | Humphrey Coliseum Starkville, Mississippi |
| Feb 13, 1988 | No. 3 | LSU | W 89–82 | 20–2 (6–1) | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Feb 15, 1988* | No. 3 | No. 5 Louisiana Tech | W 76–74 | 21–2 | Thompson–Boling Arena (7,106) Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Feb 18, 1988 | No. 3 | at Kentucky Rivalry | W 99–75 | 22–2 (7–1) | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| Feb 21, 1988 | No. 3 | Florida | W 108–53 | 23–2 (8–1) | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Feb 25, 1988* | No. 3 | at North Carolina | W 88–65 | 24–2 | Carmichael Auditorium Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
| Feb 27, 1988* | No. 3 | Tennessee State | W 104–51 | 25–2 | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| SEC tournament ||||||
| Mar 5, 1988 | (2) No. 3 | vs. (10) Kentucky Quarterfinals | W 100–66 | 26–2 | Albany Civic Center Albany, Georgia |
| Mar 6, 1988 | (2) No. 3 | vs. (6) No. 17 Georgia Semifinals | W 82–76 | 27–2 | Albany Civic Center Albany, Georgia |
| Mar 7, 1988 | (2) No. 3 | vs. (1) No. 1 Auburn Championship game | W 73–70 | 28–2 | Albany Civic Center Albany, Georgia |
| NCAA tournament ||||||
| Mar 19, 1988* | (1 E) No. 1 | (9 E) Wake Forest Second round | W 94–66 | 29–2 | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Mar 24, 1988 | (1 E) No. 1 | vs. (4 E) No. 14 James Madison Regional Semifinal – Sweet Sixteen | W 72–52 | 30–2 | Norfolk Scope Norfolk, Virginia |
| Mar 25, 1988 | (1 E) No. 1 | vs. (2 E) No. 10 Virginia Regional Final – Elite Eight | W 84–76 | 31–2 | Norfolk Scope Norfolk, Virginia |
| Apr 1, 1988 | (1 E) No. 1 | vs. (2 MW) No. 5 Louisiana Tech National Semifinal – Final Four | L 59–68 | 31–3 | Tacoma Dome (8,449) Tacoma, Washington |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. E=East. ||||||