The Lady Vols had a chance to make a statement Thursday night-and instead, they stumbled hard. Tennessee, riding high at the top of the SEC, fell flat at home in a 77-62 loss to Mississippi State that raised more questions than answers about where this team is heading.
Now, things get even tougher.
Next up? A Sunday showdown with No.
1 UConn, a powerhouse with revenge on its mind after falling to Tennessee in Knoxville last season. This isn’t just another game-it’s a litmus test.
The Huskies are not only the reigning national champs, but they’ve looked every bit the part of a title favorite again this season. And they’re not coming to play nice.
For head coach Kim Caldwell, the priority right now isn’t UConn-it’s cleaning up what went wrong against Mississippi State before it spirals into something bigger. She didn’t sugarcoat it after the loss.
“It very well could [snowball],” Caldwell said. “They have to make up their mind and fix it.”
Rebounding has been a glaring issue, and Caldwell’s frustration is clear. The team has been drilling it in practice, even going as far as putting a bubble on the rim to force rebounding scenarios. But the message hasn’t translated to game day.
“We’ve really focused on it,” she added. “And until they see it’s a problem and they see that it hurts us, it’s gonna continue to hurt us.”
That’s the kind of self-inflicted wound you can’t afford against a team like UConn.
Caldwell knows it. Her focus right now is inward-get her team right before worrying about the juggernaut waiting on Sunday. Because if they don’t?
“We’re gonna get ran out of the gym in the first quarter,” she said bluntly.
And she’s not exaggerating. UConn has been steamrolling teams all month, thanks in part to playing in a weaker conference. But don’t let the blowouts fool you-this team has built a strong résumé out of conference, with wins over Louisville, Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Iowa, and Notre Dame.
At the center of it all is Sarah Strong, who’s making a serious case for National Player of the Year. She’s been lights out-averaging 19.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting a scorching 60.2% from the field.
She’s also knocking down nearly 40% of her threes and is automatic at the line, hitting 91.8% of her free throws. That’s the kind of efficiency that breaks game plans.
Tip-off is set for noon ET on FOX. And for Tennessee, it’s more than just a marquee matchup-it’s a gut check. After a deflating loss, how they respond against the nation’s top team will say a lot about this group’s resilience, identity, and ceiling.