Lady Vols Suffer Another Close Defeat, Fall 80-76 to Texas
The Lady Vols have been plagued by small but costly mistakes over the past few weeks, and their loss to Texas on Thursday night in Austin was no exception. This defeat marks their fourth in the last six games, underscoring the team’s struggle to close out tight contests.
Tennessee took to the court against Texas without their head coach, Kim Caldwell, who is on maternity leave after welcoming a baby boy. Despite the absence of their head coach, the Lady Vols fought hard but ultimately couldn’t overcome late-game issues, especially in their defensive rebounding.
The Vols have consistently struggled with securing key rebounds in the closing moments of games, and this match was no different. With 46 seconds remaining, Madison Booker of Texas missed a shot, but the rebound came off the back of the rim. Tennessee failed to box out Taylor Jones, who grabbed the offensive rebound and scored a crucial layup, putting Texas ahead 76-74.
After a timeout, Tennessee advanced the ball and had possession along the sideline. Ruby Whitehorn, who had been a key contributor all game, drove the lane and sank a floater to tie the game. However, with 27 seconds left, Madison Cooper hit a 12-footer to give Texas a 78-76 lead, which turned out to be the game-winner.
With just eight seconds left, Tennessee had a chance to either tie the game or take the lead. Samara Spencer found some space and drove to the basket, but Texas’s defense collapsed on her. Spencer kicked the ball out to the corner, where Zee Spearman, a 31% three-point shooter, missed the critical shot. Texas’s Jones secured the rebound, sealing the victory for the Longhorns.
Tennessee’s struggles on the glass were evident once again. The Lady Vols only grabbed 17 defensive rebounds, while Texas hauled in 16 offensive rebounds. Throughout the season, Tennessee has shown promise, particularly in conference play. Despite facing three top-10 teams in their first seven games, the Lady Vols have shot well, hitting 36.3% of their three-point attempts. Additionally, they have improved their turnover rate, now sitting at 17.9% in conference play, which ranks second behind South Carolina’s 17.6%. However, their inability to secure rebounds and their overaggressiveness on defense have led to too many scoring opportunities for opponents, especially around the rim. In Tennessee’s four conference losses, opponents have averaged 27 shots in the paint, converting at an impressive 65% rate.
These issues will be even more critical as the Lady Vols prepare to face South Carolina on Monday night. The Gamecocks excel in three areas that Tennessee struggles with: dominating the glass, preventing turnovers, and defending the three-point line. South Carolina’s ability to create scoring opportunities off offensive rebounds and fast breaks, coupled with their suffocating defense, makes them a formidable opponent. To have any chance of pulling off an upset, Tennessee must find a way to limit the impact of Joyce Edwards and Chloe Kitts on the boards while also breaking through South Carolina’s relentless defense to get open shots.
Monday’s matchup at Thompson-Boling Arena will undoubtedly be Tennessee’s toughest test of the season so far. The Lady Vols will need to clean up their rebounding and defensive issues if they hope to challenge one of the top teams in the country. Fans can expect an intense and high-stakes game, and it will be a pivotal moment in the Lady Vols’ season
