In Tennessee’s 99-64 blowout win over UCF on Wednesday, the Lady Vols held a large lead with just minutes left on the clock.

In those waning moments, a distinct chant from the crowd — led by the band — filled the arena.

“We want Edie!”

Seconds later, Tennessee coach Kellie Harper obliged to the request. She sent walk-on freshman Edie Darby to the scorer's table to check-in.

In Darby’s five minutes of play, the fans in the arena begged her teammates to pass her the ball. When she converted on a free throw, they erupted with joy.

However, the supporters in the stands weren’t Darby’s biggest fans inside Thompson-Boling Arena. The Lady Vols’ sideline couldn’t get enough of her playing time. The players on the bench rose to their feet whenever she touched the ball and leaped with joy when she scored.

This support of Darby displays the team chemistry that Tennessee is developing. The group of tightly-knit players love nothing more than lifting their teammates.

"It is fun to see them rally around their teammates,” said Harper. “Obviously, they love Edie. She practices so hard. She's there for them and again, they couldn't be happier when she gets to take a shot. It's fun to see. I think the (chemistry has) been good, and I think right now we've got to carry some momentum with us to the west coast."

Darby’s relationship with the team has stemmed past her time on the roster, though. Through her sister, Tess Darby, she knew members of the team before stepping on campus as a student. Tess is a junior for the Lady Vols who averages 5.3 points per game on 41.9% shooting on 3-pointers.

For the Darby family, a chance to see the sisters play together is a dream come true. Edie Darby received offers from other schools but turned down the chance at a scholarship to fulfill her dream of donning the iconic Orange and White.

"It's special,” said Tess Darby. “I don't even think special is a word to describe how special it is to have both of us here getting the opportunity to play. We're both very thankful and fortunate to be back in this position. Seeing so many other people rally around her and help support her and know that she can be out there competing with us too, that makes her smile. I think it makes me smile bigger even being the big sister."

This isn’t the first time the sisters have played together, though. The pair spent time as teammates at Greenfield High School where they saw a massive amount of success. Edie Darby even helped the team win a state title as an eighth grader.

As an individual player in high school, Edie Darby shined. She earned an ample amount of awards — including 2022 District MVP, 2022 District Tournament MVP and three years as a TN Report All-State player. She reached 1,000 career points as a junior and finished her high school tenure with 1,603 points.

Now, she may not receive much playing time, but she is still an important part of her team. She works as hard as anyone in practice and is reaping the benefits of her positive attitude.

“Edie, she's a great person; she's a great teammate,” said Jordan Horston after Tennessee's win over Wright State last Sunday. “She works hard, and you know, we were just happy when somebody gets in and scores that usually doesn't get in. So, I'm very proud of her. She puts the work in and like I said, we just want to see the best for everybody on this whole team."

Next up for the Lady Vols is a trip to play No. 2 Stanford on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET (ABC). It is unlikely Edie Darby will play, but she will still have a big role in the preparation for the game and from the sideline.

*****

– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.

– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.

– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @TMansfieldMedia, @JNichols_2121, @ByNoahTaylor, @TylerIvens, @RealTBannerman, @JacobPolacheck, @RyanTSylvia.