Kim Caldwell and Tennessee received a reality check at the hands of UConn. A 30-point drubbing showed the difference in class and the sheer gap between the No. 1 seed and the No. 19 seed. On a two-game skid, the Volunteers were under the pump against the Georgia Bulldogs, but they eked out an 82-77 OT win. With just a few seconds to go, Kim Caldwell gave one warning that probably saved their game.

“We just tend to foul at the wrong time. So, like, she was just on edge, like do not foul them, like basically, and I was just laughing because I just knew how we are, and I was just like, yeah, y’all, we can’t foul,” Zee Spearman said after the game. “So we were literally laughing about like we shouldn’t even be here right now, honestly.”

Tennessee was in foul trouble throughout the game. With five seconds to go in regular time, Deniya Prawl fouled on the perimeter to give Georgia three free throws. They equalised 68-68 after that play. Overall, Tennessee gave away 25 free throws in this game, which included 21 fouls. The game was pretty physical throughout, and remaining cool in the final seconds was key in Tennessee coming out as the winner.

Even in overtime, with 11.1 seconds to go, they sent Rylie Theuerkauf to the line. With the margin at just five points, Georgia was still in the game. Tennessee allowed Trinity Turner to take a low-percentage three-point shot rather than fouling and stopping the clock. Turner missed the three-pointer, and the Lady Vols secured their victory. It was that discipline at a crucial moment that broke their two-game losing streak.

“It was good for us to get one under our belt, and it was good for us to win,” Caldwell said. “I thought we played with poise and good pace and together down the stretch. I was a little bit worried about the moment from not being in our favor and us being deflated, but we weren’t.”

Zee Spearman and Mia Pauldo were the stars of the show. Together, they combined for 44 points while Talaysia Cooper almost recorded a double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds. It was still a streaky display, but a win is a win. In addition, the Volunteers showed some resistance after starting the game poorly.

Kim Caldwell Impressed After Lady Vols Bounce Back From Poor Start

It’s easy to go on a downward spiral after two deflating losses. The Volunteers were rarely in the game against Mississippi State and Connecticut. They were completely dominated by the best team in the country. With confidence low, the first quarter against Georgia made matters worse.

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They shot a poor 6-for-20 and 2-for-12 from the three-point line for 15 points in the first quarter. Fortunately for the Lady Vols, the Bulldogs struggled on offense as well, shooting 4-for-14 for 14 points. Once again, it’s important to note that five of Georgia’s points came by way of free throws. The Bulldogs came out with a 5-0 run to start the second quarter, and it seemed to be trending away from Kim Caldwell’s side. However, the Lady Vols roared back late in the first half. After falling behind by seven, the Lady Vols went on an 8-0 run to close the quarter. The offense clicked, which is why they were able to match Georgia for the rest of the game.

“Yeah, it was great to see him go in. I was really proud of them,” Caldwell said. “Our confidence kind of sparked, I wanted us to get off to a really good start today. I don’t think we did, but I do think we did a good job of continuing to play.”

By no means were the Volunteers close to perfect. There are many wrinkles to iron out for Kim Caldwell. With an adjusted defensive rating of 89.1 per Barttorvik, it was their worst defensive display of the season. They are still struggling from the three-point line, going 6-23 from beyond the arc. However, the team is finding ways to win despite their shortcomings, which is also an important skill come March.