Tennessee’s dream to down the UConn Huskies for the second consecutive year was met with setbacks on Sunday. Instead of a victory, all the Lady Volunteers could return with was a 30-point crushing defeat at the hands of the Huskies, putting several elements of the teams, including the players’ discipline and head coach Kim Caldwell’s position, in question.

In an X post,  Grammy-nominated rapper and close confidant of Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley, Plies, expressed his opinion, calling out disciplinary issues within the Lady Volunteers following the tough 96-66 defeat at the PeoplesBank Arena.

“🗣️🗣️ @LadyVol_Hoops Is Probably The Most Talented Undisciplined Team In Women’s College Basketball!!!! If They Was Just More Discipline They’d Be A Much Better Team!!!!” the post stated.

The post is quite justifiable. Caldwell spoke about the team’s undisciplined off-court culture herself following the defeat to Mississippi State. She had revealed that her players arrived late to training and were reluctant during practice, which eventually cost them a home game. While the Huskies were an even tougher opponent, a 30-point deficit loss wasn’t expected of a basketball powerhouse like Tennessee.

This loss was also Tennessee’s second-worst in program history (just one point shy of the worst). The Lady Vols struggled with ball security, turning the ball over 20 times. Moreover, their cold perimeter shooting didn’t help them either. Caldwell’s side scored 10 of 31 in three pointers for 32%, much less than the Huskies’ 50%.

Lady Vols played some good stretches in the game, eventually tying the score at 42 following the second half, but Sarah Strong and co. led the Huskies to a 23-5 stretch, eliminating the Lady Vols’ chance of a comeback.

The defeat was the breaking point of the fans’ patience with Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell. So much so that fans are now calling for Caldwell’s replacement.

Fans Left Disappointed With Kim Caldwell’s Coaching Nuances

The Tennessee fans were quick to pinpoint Kim Caldwell’s coaching lapses in the game, while comparing her to veteran Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt. “Pat Summitt wouldn’t tolerate this team’s behavior for a second. 🤦🏼‍♀️,” a fan wrote.

There’s no doubt that Summitt is one of the most iconic coaches in women’s basketball history. With 8 NCAA Championships, her prowess speaks for itself. The demanding, strict standards she set for the team made it a basketball powerhouse, and the current team is just a shadow of it.

However, Caldwell is very young and is still finding her footing in the basketball circuit. Thus, a comparison between the two isn’t justified, but in terms of the strictness element and man management, there’s no doubt Summitt would have handled it much more efficiently.

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“I’m on the fence with Caldwell,” stated another fan. “I just told my wife this. The coach gotta have a little more fire from the sidelines in my opinion. There is a ton of contact that is being allowed by UConn that isn’t being called,” commented another.

The second-straight defeat for the Lady Vols. has got Caldwell catching fire. It’s very important for her to turn the situation around quickly, with wins in their next few games. But the brutal stretch ahead, seven games in 17 days, including five against Top 25 teams, doesn’t exactly make things easier for the second-year coach. At the same time, perspective is key, so looking on the bright side, it’s a chance for her to prove herself and win over the fans’ trust.

And about the officiating part, there were at least a couple of instances when there was a foul on the Tennessee players, but the referees didn’t call a foul, and the Tennessee coach didn’t appeal to the referees either.

“Wholesale substitutions is a difficult way to beat a good team. Play your top 7 or 8 dawgs and stick with the plan.” ” Kim Caldwell killed her own damn teams momentum with all those damn substitutions! Check her phone for Hard Rock Bet 🤣🤣🤣🤣”

The frequent substitutions hampered the Lady Volunteers’ offensive flow. While it didn’t allow the players to compete as a unit, it also halted the offensive momentum. For instance, in the first quarter alone, Caldwell made 26 substitutions, and the fans were quick to highlight this bizarre man-management, which accounted for the team’s highest time on the field.

These substitutions also limited the time of the Lady Vols’ impactful players in the game. Janiah Barker, who scored a team-high 16 points in the game, played for 27 minutes.

Thus, the excessive substitutions in the game, intended to introduce an element of surprise, didn’t work well for Caldwell. Now, with two straight defeats, the team is trailing in third place in the SEC. Caldwell and Co. don’t have much leverage to drop points going forward in the season.

Safe to say, it’s possibly time for Caldwell to go to the drawing board once and reiterate her plans for the season. The Lady Vols’ coach would have to address the ball security that the Huskies breached quite conveniently on Sunday within a few days; otherwise, worrying signs are starting to show, and things can go south for them very quickly.