A program that Kellie Harper loved and guided with utmost care will be the one that’s coming to haunt her on Thursday. It’s the SEC’s Lost Classic rivalry that takes center stage at the Food City Center, where Harper faces off against her alma mater, Tennessee, and the coach who replaced her in the program, Kim Caldwell.

Harper led the Lady Vols across five seasons, leading the side to four appearances in the postseason tournament before getting sacked in 2024. However, it was her stint as the starting point guard of the Tennessee side that did a three-peat at the NCAA Championships. And quite naturally, the homecoming is getting all the spotlight ahead of the game. But for Harper, her instincts her clear amid the emotions as she has a job to do on her hands.

“I’m a professional on what I do.” she said in the pre-game press conference. “For me, I’m just doing my job. This is about our players and our team. I know there’s going to be so many people that will want to make it about me, and I get that, but it really isn’t. It’s about the game, and we have to do our best to have our players prepared. The challenges that we have on Thursday are enormous, but we’ll fight.”

That last line mattered most. It clearly reflects that Harper is in no way underscoring the enormity of the game and the prowess of the Lady Vols. Caldwell’s team has struggled immensely of late, facing 30+ points defeats against UConn and South Carolina within 10 days. But they are still an elite team, ranking fourth in SEC play, and Kellie Harper is in no way overwhelmed with her return to the Food City Center, amid her native place and native people.

“I’m now almost two years removed, so time takes a lot of emotion out of it,” she added. “I’ve always been the type of person that what’s next on my agenda.”

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It will be a game for Tennessee supremacy and an opportunity to prove themselves to the Lady Vols Nation for both Caldwell and Harper, and the fans didn’t take too long to build anticipation around it.

Fans send warning signs to Kim Caldwell ahead of a faceoff with Kellie Harper’s Missouri

“Someone in local media should do a Twitter poll on which team Tennessee fans are rooting for in this game. Not sure which way it would go tbh,” joked a fan. “I hope the fans in Knoxville on Thursday give @KellieHarper the biggest ovation of the season. She’s a #LVFL and we still love Kellie!” commented another.

The emotions will be high around the Food City Center on Thursday, that’s for sure, given one of their 90’s poster girl returns. Though Kellie Harper will fill the shoes of the opposition coach, the abundant memories she framed over all her years in the program, as a point guard and a head coach, ain’t easy to erase from the program’s history book.

There’s no doubt that Kim Caldwell and the Lady Vols will receive the backing of the majority of the crowd. But some claps will be for Harper, too. And some placards will bear her name, as well, amid the ocean of white and orange.

“Thursday is a must win for Coach Kimmie,” emphasized a fan. “Kim’s hot seat is gonna get scorching hot if Harper beats us on Thursday night,” chimed in another, aligning with the same mindset.

For Caldwell, the Thursday game can’t get more tougher. The Lady Vols are already in a precarious position, following a blazing start to their season. The team hangs in the top 25 (22) by a thread for now, with 15-6 and 7-2. And amid this, Caldwell faces the challenge of proving her mettle to the coach she replaced at Tennessee.

So, a lot will be on the line for her, especially with the Lady Vols in desperate need of W’s following a tumultuous last stretch, and these comments are just a perfect reminder of it.

“If she goes in there and beat the lady Vols 😮‍💨,” commented another fan. With all the media-narrated rivalries and social media hype, the Missouri-Tennessee game has reached a new ceiling. But generically speaking, the game isn’t much more than just a regular affair for Caldwell’s team. For the Missouri Tigers and Harper, they are still searching for momentum, trailing 11th in SEC play at 4-7 and with no ranked wins.

The numbers clearly reflect the entire story for Missouri. In a similar vein, the Lady Vols have struggled against ranked teams, too, but they have a far more decorated roster with the likes of Zee Spearman, Talaysia Cooper, Janiah Barker, and can still annihilate any opponent on a basketball court on a given day. However, the pressure will be there for Kim Caldwell and co. as they face a coach who bleeds Tennessee.

With the match set to tip off in a few hours, which side are you cheering on in this high-stakes SEC rivalry? Do let us know in the comments.