March Madness is upon us, and the excitement is palpable as the NCAA Tournament brackets for both men's and women's basketball have been unveiled. Fans are gearing up for the thrilling journey ahead, and for the Tennessee Lady Vols, the path is set under the leadership of Kim Caldwell in her second season.
The Lady Vols enter the tournament as a 10-seed, facing off against 7-seed NC State in the Round of 64. These teams have already clashed this season, with NC State narrowly edging out Tennessee in a nail-biter, 80-77, on a neutral court. Now, the Lady Vols have a shot at redemption.
Breaking a seven-game losing streak will be key for Tennessee. A win in the opening round would set up a matchup against the victor of the 2-seed Michigan versus 15-seed Holy Cross game. These initial rounds will be played on Michigan's home turf in Ann Arbor, adding another layer of challenge for the Lady Vols.
Should Tennessee advance to the Sweet 16 for a consecutive year, they could potentially face 3-seed Louisville, 6-seed Alabama, or 11-seed Rhode Island. The Lady Vols have a mixed history with these teams, having suffered a tough loss to Louisville in Brooklyn, securing a road victory against Alabama, but then falling to them in the SEC Tournament.
After the SEC Tournament loss, Coach Caldwell expressed confidence in her team's tournament bid, citing the grueling schedule they've endured. "I think we’ve played the hardest schedule in the country," Caldwell noted. "We have significant wins, and we hope to get in and continue to try to be a different team."
While the exact schedule and tip-off times are yet to be announced, Tennessee is set to begin their tournament journey on Friday. The Lady Vols are ready to embrace the madness and make their mark.