tennessee Lady Vols Face Crucial Week with Back-to-Back Top-10 Matchups
The Tennessee Lady Vols face a pivotal week with consecutive games against top-10 opponents, beginning with a highly anticipated matchup against No. 5 UConn on thursday. The week concludes with a rematch against sixth-ranked LSU on Sunday. A victory against either formidable foe would be a meaningful breakthrough for first-year head coach Kim Caldwell,who is looking to deliver a signature win for her program.
The rivalry with uconn was rekindled in 2020 after a 13-year hiatus. UConn has dominated the series since its return, winning all four meetings, including a 17-point victory in Knoxville last season. Tennessee, currently ranked No. 19, is seeking its first marquee win under Caldwell, who returned to coaching just two weeks ago after giving birth to her son.
Despite their 0-5 record against ranked opponents this season, the Lady Vols have come close to pulling off upsets.
Besides the LSU loss, tennessee fell to Oklahoma by a single point, Texas by four, and South Carolina by seven. Following a three-game slide, the Lady Vols snapped their losing streak with a win over Missouri on Sunday.
“We definitely needed it,” Caldwell said. “I just wish it would have looked a little bit better. Sometimes it’s about performance not production. And I don’t necessarily know that our performance is where it needs to be.”
UConn, which boasts a 3-2 record against Top 25 opponents this season, is also seeking a statement win. Their two losses came against Southern California and Notre Dame. Following Thursday’s clash with Tennessee, the Huskies’ only remaining Top 25 matchup is a February 16th tilt against No. 2 South Carolina.
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No. 1 UCLA’s dominance continues, extending their winning streak to 20 games, all by double digits. Their run marks the longest streak in the Big ten this season and the longest by the Bruins in the 21st century. UCLA faces another tough test against No. 8 Ohio State on Wednesday.
More scoring highlights came from the SEC this week. Vanderbilt freshman Mikayla Blakes set a conference record with 53 points in a win over Florida. Georgia Amoore, who transferred to Kentucky this season, equaled the school record with 43 points in a victory over Oklahoma.
The NCAA’s NET rankings, a key factor in NCAA Tournament selection, remain unchanged at the top. South Carolina holds the top spot,followed by uconn,Texas,and UCLA.
What are the key challenges the Tennessee lady Vols face in their upcoming matchups against UConn and LSU?
tennessee Lady Vols Face Crucial Week with Back-to-Back Top-10 Matchups
The tennessee Lady Vols face a pivotal week with consecutive games against top-10 opponents, beginning with a highly anticipated matchup against No. 5 UConn on thursday.The week concludes with a rematch against sixth-ranked LSU on Sunday. A victory against either formidable foe woudl be a meaningful breakthrough for first-year head coach Kim Caldwell,who is looking to deliver a signature win for her program.
The rivalry with uconn was rekindled in 2020 after a 13-year hiatus. UConn has dominated the series as its return, winning all four meetings, including a 17-point victory in Knoxville last season. Tennessee, currently ranked No. 19, is seeking its first marquee win under Caldwell, who returned to coaching just two weeks ago after giving birth to her son.
Despite their 0-5 record against ranked opponents this season, the Lady Vols have come close to pulling off upsets.
Besides the LSU loss, tennessee fell to Oklahoma by a single point, Texas by four, and South Carolina by seven. Following a three-game slide, the Lady Vols snapped their losing streak with a win over Missouri on Sunday.
“We definitely needed it,” Caldwell said. “I just wish it would have looked a little bit better. Sometimes it’s about performance not production. And I don’t necessarily know that our performance is where it needs to be.”
UConn, which boasts a 3-2 record against Top 25 opponents this season, is also seeking a statement win. Their two losses came against southern California and Notre Dame. following thursday’s clash with Tennessee,the Huskies’ only remaining Top 25 matchup is a February 16th tilt against No. 2 South Carolina.
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No. 1 UCLA’s dominance continues, extending their winning streak to 20 games, all by double digits.Their run marks the longest streak in the Big ten this season and the longest by the Bruins in the 21st century. UCLA faces another tough test against No. 8 Ohio State on Wednesday.
More scoring highlights came from the SEC this week. Vanderbilt freshman Mikayla Blakes set a conference record with 53 points in a win over Florida. Georgia Amoore, who transferred to Kentucky this season, equaled the school record with 43 points in a victory over Oklahoma.
The NCAA’s NET rankings, a key factor in NCAA Tournament selection, remain unchanged at the top.South Carolina holds the top spot,followed by uconn,Texas,and UCLA.
Q&A
Q: Can Tennessee pull off an upset this week?
A: The Lady Vols have come close against ranked opponents this season, losing by single digits to Oklahoma, Texas, and South Carolina.While UConn and LSU are formidable foes, Tennessee’s resilience suggests they could surprise.
Q: How significant would a win be for Coach Caldwell?
A: A victory over UConn or LSU would be a huge statement win for caldwell, who is in her first year at Tennessee. It would demonstrate the program’s progress and her ability to compete with the nation’s elite.
Q: What makes this rivalry with UConn so compelling?
A: The Lady Vols and Huskies have a rich history, having met in numerous NCAA Tournament battles.The rivalry was revived in 2020 after a long hiatus,adding another layer of intrigue.
Catch these crucial matchups this week as the lady Vols look to make their mark on the national stage!
