# 1981–82 Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team

The 1981–82 Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team represented the University of Tennessee as a member of the Southeastern Conference during the 1981–82 women's college basketball season. Coached by Pat Summitt, the Lady Volunteers finished 22–10 and ranked No. 4 in the final poll, and reached the first NCAA Final Four in their rich program history.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| Nov 22, 1981* | No. 2 | No. 18 Stephen F. Austin | L 74–80 | 0–1 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Nov 28, 1981 | No. 7 | at Florida | W 85–73 | 1–1 (1–0) | O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida |
| Dec 2, 1981* | No. 7 | at No. 2 Old Dominion | L 54–66 | 1–2 | Norfolk Scope Norfolk, Virginia |
| Dec 6, 1981 | No. 10 | Vanderbilt | W 99–77 | 2–2 (2–0) | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Dec 8, 1981* | No. 10 | at Colorado | L 60–78 | 2–3 | CU Events/Conference Center Boulder, Colorado |
| Dec 9, 1981* | No. 10 | at No. 4 USC | L 70–86 | 2–4 | L.A. Sports Arena Los Angeles, California |
| Dec 13, 1981* | No. 14 | at No. 17 UCLA | W 71–66 | 3–4 | Pauley Pavilion Los Angeles, California |
| Dec 16, 1981* | No. 14 | vs. Washington State Giusti Tournament of Champions | W 55–46 | 4–4 | Portland, Oregon |
| Dec 17, 1981* | No. 14 | vs. Ohio State Giusti Tournament of Champions | L 82–83 $^{2OT}$ | 4–5 | Portland, Oregon |
| Dec 18, 1981* | No. 14 | vs. Oregon State Giusti Tournament of Champions | W 73–62 | 5–5 | Portland, Oregon |
| Jan 4, 1982 | No. 20 | at Vanderbilt | W 80–63 | 6–5 (3–0) | Memorial Gymnasium Nashville, Tennessee |
| Jan 7, 1982* | No. 20 | Kansas State | W 83–68 | 7–5 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Jan 10, 1982* | | No. 1 Louisiana Tech | L 64–72 | 7–6 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Jan 17, 1982 | | at No. 13 Georgia | L 63–66 | 7–7 (3–1) | Stegeman Coliseum Athens, Georgia |
| Jan 21, 1982* | | Clemson | W 91–60 | 8–7 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Jan 23, 1982* | | at No. 3 Rutgers | L 57–68 | 8–8 | Rutgers Athletic Center Piscataway, New Jersey |
| Jan 25, 1982* | | at No. 12 South Carolina | W 87–81 | 9–8 | Columbia, South Carolina |
| Jan 28, 1982 | | No. 8 Kentucky | W 81–75 | 10–8 (4–1) | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Jan 30, 1982* | | at North Carolina | W 76–62 | 11–8 | Carmichael Auditorium Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
| Feb 1, 1982 | | Florida | W 83–67 | 12–8 (5–1) | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Feb 7, 1982* | No. 20 | No. 14 Penn State | W 98–74 | 13–8 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Feb 11, 1982 | No. 20 | No. 15 Georgia | W 83–67 | 14–8 (6–1) | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Feb 14, 1982* | No. 13 | No. 4 Old Dominion | W 62–58 | 15–8 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Feb 18, 1982 | No. 13 | No. 14 Kentucky | W 65–61 | 16–8 (7–1) | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| Feb 20, 1982* | No. 13 | No. 9 Maryland | W 70–62 | 17–8 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| SEC tournament ||||||
| Feb 26, 1982* | No. 8 | vs. Vanderbilt Quarterfinals | W 80–75 | 18–8 | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| Feb 27, 1982* | No. 8 | vs. No. 18 Georgia Semifinals | W 55–44 | 19–8 | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| Feb 28, 1982* | No. 11 | at No. 13 Kentucky Championship game | L 74–80 | 19–9 | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| NCAA tournament ||||||
| Mar 13, 1982* | (2 ME) No. 8 | (7 ME) Jackson State First round | W 72–56 | 20–9 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Mar 18, 1982* | (2 ME) No. 8 | (3 ME) No. 15 Memphis State Regional Semifinal – Sweet Sixteen | W 78–63 | 21–9 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Mar 20, 1982* | (2 ME) No. 8 | (1 ME) No. 5 USC Regional Final – Elite Eight | W 91–90 $^{OT}$ | 22–9 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Mar 26, 1982* | (2 ME) No. 8 | vs. (1 MW) No. 1 Louisiana Tech National Semifinal – Final Four | L 46–69 | 22–10 | Norfolk Scope Norfolk, Virginia |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ME=Mideast. ||||||