Winning by 100 points usually calls for celebration, but not for Kim Caldwell. The Tennessee Lady Volunteers head coach was anything but pleased after her team’s 148 – 48 victory over Columbus State in their lone exhibition game before the 2025–26 NCAA season. Instead of praising her players, Caldwell turned this game into a teaching moment, calling out her team’s sloppiness and lack of execution.

In a post-game press conference, Caldwell expressed her frustration as her team’s offensive execution fell short of expectations. “Our offense wasn’t great. It really wasn’t. It didn’t look like anything we’d practiced. I think we need to put pressure on the rim and look to play inside-out from there,” she said.

While the Lady Vols’ team chemistry produced 71 points off turnovers and nearly 50 fastbreaks, and even broke the record for points scored in an exhibition game, which was set at 144 points vs. Dynamo Kiev on Nov. 5, 2000. Caldwell emphasized that not every opportunity should lead to a rushed perimeter shot.

“We’re still having a hard time discerning the difference between what the defense gives us and what we kind of create,” she further added. “I need to go back and look at the film. I didn’t think we took very many bad threes tonight. I think a lot of our threes were assisted threes. I do have to look at that number. I think we should’ve gotten to the rim more against this opponent.”

Caldwell knows that the real test begins on November 4 against NC State at the Ro Greensboro Invitational, and observing the Lady Vols in their game, she has written down improvements they need to make before the regular season. “Finishing box outs, foul shots, transition defense. There’s probably some more I wrote down,” she revealed.

Despite their dominant win, Tennessee’s shooting revealed clear areas for concern. The Lady Vols missed 18 three-pointers and 17 free throws, and even their 38 second-chance points pointed to missed first-shot opportunities. At times, the Lady Vols even failed to get back on defense after turnovers.

Doubling down on her list of concerns, she further added, “We’ve got to limit our turnovers, we’ve got to win the rebounds, we’ve got to get back in transition. One thing that didn’t show up on the stat sheet this game that will next game is fouls. And all of those things are going to cost us.”

While these lapses didn’t hurt them against a Division II opponent, Caldwell knows that they could prove costly against top-ranked teams. With the Lady Vols set to play against NC State, fans will be eager to see how Caldwell has addressed her concerns.

What’s next for Kim Caldwell and the Lady Vols?

Caldwell used the matchup against Columbus State to experiment with rotations, giving nearly every player a chance to play in the first half. Transfers Nya Robertson and Janiah Barker started alongside returners Ruby Whitehorn, Talaysia Cooper, and Zee Spearman, a group that is likely to start heavily in the regular season. And despite her frustrations with the team’s offensive rhythm, Kim Caldwell remained focused on the bigger picture. She revealed that the exhibition wasn’t just about the score; it was about seeing where they stand.

“I think we got a lot of good film tonight. We obviously found some things that we desperately need to work on and fix before we go to NC State, so that was the whole point of it,” she said. “I was happy that our eight new ones could be in the arena and see the crowd and kind of get the jitters out.”

This game marked the first time the fans saw Janiah Barker, Nya Robertson, Jersey Wolfenbarger, Jaida Civil, Mia Pauldo, Mya Pauldo, Deniya Prawl, and Lauren Hurst in action. As a whole, these eight newcomers dropped 94 points, 19 assists, 32 rebounds, and 20 steals.

But one question remains: Will the Lady Vols be able to maintain their dominant form when it really counts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!