Lady Vols Hang Tough Early, But UConn Pulls Away Late in Lopsided Loss
Coming off a tough loss to Mississippi State, the Lady Vols walked into one of the toughest arenas in the country with a chance to reset. The opponent?
Top-ranked UConn. The result?
A 96-66 loss that looked far worse than it felt-at least for the first 20 minutes.
Tennessee went toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in the nation for a full half, even holding a lead late in the second quarter. But a third-quarter collapse and a relentless UConn press turned a competitive game into a runaway. Let’s break down how it unfolded-and what it says about where the Lady Vols stand right now.
A Gritty First Half That Showed Real Fight
This one could’ve spiraled out of control early. UConn came out like a team with something to prove, racing out to a 16-point lead just six and a half minutes into the game. Tennessee looked like it might be in for a long night.
But credit the Lady Vols-they didn’t fold.
Kim Caldwell’s squad responded with poise and purpose, tightening up defensively and finding rhythm on offense. They chipped away at the deficit and, with just under three minutes to go in the second quarter, they had not only erased the early hole-they had taken the lead.
By the two-minute mark, Tennessee was up four. That’s not just a comeback-it’s a statement. The Lady Vols were pushing the pace, forcing turnovers, and playing with confidence.
Unfortunately, momentum can be fragile. A couple of questionable calls and back-to-back UConn buckets right before the break knotted things up at halftime.
Still, to head into the locker room tied with the No. 1 team in the country after trailing by 16? That’s no small feat.
Third Quarter Turns the Game on Its Head
After halftime, the Lady Vols looked ready to keep swinging. Zee Spearman gave Tennessee a brief one-point lead with just under eight minutes left in the third. But that would be the last time the Vols were out front.
UConn responded with a 10-0 run that flipped the game on its head. Caldwell called timeout, and Tennessee answered with a Mia Pauldo three and another Spearman bucket to cut the lead back to four.
But then came the knockout punch.
The Huskies closed the quarter on a 14-0 run, turning a tight game into an 18-point lead heading into the fourth. That stretch was the difference. Tennessee went cold, UConn turned up the pressure, and the Lady Vols simply couldn’t stop the bleeding.
Outplayed at Their Own Style
Caldwell’s system is built on pressure-turnovers, tempo, and creating chaos. The goal is simple: generate more possessions and capitalize on them. But against UConn, the Huskies beat Tennessee at their own game.
UConn forced 20 turnovers and turned those into 36 points. That’s not just opportunistic-that’s surgical.
Tennessee, meanwhile, forced 15 turnovers but managed just nine points off them. That’s a major swing in a game where every possession matters.
Even on the glass, where the Lady Vols usually make their living, the edge didn’t translate. Tennessee did pull down more offensive boards (11 to UConn’s 9), but they only managed two second-chance points.
UConn? They turned their nine into 14.
In a game where the Lady Vols needed to control the chaos, UConn simply created more of it-and made it count.
What’s Next
The road doesn’t get any easier. Tennessee stays on the road for a Thursday matchup with Georgia, a team currently ranked but likely on its way out of the polls.
That one tips at 6:30 p.m. ET on SECN+.
Then comes a heavyweight bout: a Sunday road showdown with No. 3 South Carolina.
Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
There’s no sugarcoating it-this stretch is brutal. But if the Lady Vols can bottle up that first-half energy and find a way to sustain it, they’ve still got the tools to make noise in the SEC.