The Lady Vols have hit a rough patch this season, dropping out of the AP Poll for the first time. With just 12 votes to their name, Tennessee finds itself ranked 28th in terms of votes received nationwide.
Starting the season with high expectations as the No. 8 team, the Lady Vols have seen their fortunes dwindle after four consecutive losses, bringing their record to 16-10 overall and 8-6 in the SEC.
The SEC is well-represented in the current poll, boasting nine teams, including heavyweights like No. 3 South Carolina, No.
4 Texas, and No. 5 Vanderbilt.
Other ranked SEC teams include LSU, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Georgia, and Alabama.
Tennessee's schedule has been nothing short of brutal. They've faced off against some of the best, including No.
1 UConn, No. 2 UCLA, and No.
10 Louisville, meaning they've battled each of the top seven teams in the nation and eight of the top ten.
Last week, the Lady Vols were still clinging to the No. 21 spot but suffered three tough losses. The slide began with a defeat at Ole Miss, followed by a surprising upset by Texas A&M in Knoxville, and concluded with a hard-fought loss to Oklahoma in Norman.
Coach Caldwell reflected on the challenging stretch after the Oklahoma game, acknowledging the ups and downs of SEC play. "You’re gonna have patches where you look really good.
You’re gonna have patches where you have a tough stretch," Caldwell noted. Despite the setbacks, she found positives, praising her team's effort and togetherness, even as they made some basketball errors.
Looking ahead, Tennessee has two critical games left. They’ll face No.
6 LSU on the road this Thursday, with tip-off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The season finale and Senior Day will see them take on No. 5 Vanderbilt at home on Sunday, starting at 2 p.m.
ET, also airing on ESPN. The Lady Vols will be looking to finish strong and regain some momentum heading into the postseason.