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Nobody makes plans for a parade when the Lady Vols reach the Sweet 16 of an NCAA tournament. That much success is expected of a program that has won eight national championships and never failed to qualify for the tournament.
In fact, a coach could lead Tennessee basketball to the Sweet 16 and get fired in the same season. Former coach Kellie Harper can vouch for that after last season.
But not all Sweet 16s are alike, and this one seemed sweeter that most after the No. 5 seed Lady Vols shook off a shaky start and a furious second-half surge from No. 4 seed Ohio State on the Buckeyes’ home court Sunday. UT’s 82-67 victory propelled it into the second weekend of the NCAA tournament.
That might not be worthy of a parade at a program that has won so much. But it’s worth a celebration when you weigh the accomplishments in what qualified as a transitional season.
Tennessee athletic director Danny White should be leading the cheers.
He’s the one who took a chance on coach Kim Caldwell, who won big at Division II Glenville State and in one season at Marshall but had no experience at the SEC level. He believed more in her winning than where she won.
One season later, she’s still winning. And there’s plenty of credit to go around – for the young coach and her staff as well as the returning players. They bought into Caldwell’s unorthodox system that features a barrage of 3-pointers, full-court defense, and a 10- or 11-player rotation that defies the norm of college basketball.
They weren’t the only ones who took a leap of faith with a new coach. Transfers joined up, too. Together, they’re 24-9 with the Sweet 16 still to come.
Now, back to the shaky start I mentioned.
Ohio State looked more confident and comfortable in the opening minutes when it took a 16-5 lead. But if you have followed the Lady Vols throughout this season, you probably didn’t overreact to their troublesome beginning.
Sometimes, against the best teams on their demanding schedule, they appeared headed for the wrong end of a blowout. However, when momentum and the score were building against them, they rarely collapsed.
They also showed their resilience in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.
Tennessee entered the tournament having lost three of its last four games. The losses cost it a fourth seed and an opportunity to host first- and second-round games at Food City Center.
That late-season fade didn’t steal the Lady Vols' resolve. They were at their best in a first-round 101-66 victory over South Florida in which they made 16 of 37 3-point attempts. They also threatened to run away from Ohio State when they raced to a 14-point lead in the third quarter.
Then, back came the Buckeyes. They outscored Tennessee 19-2 and forged a 56-56 tie with three minutes to play in the third quarter.
That charge seemingly took more out of Ohio State than Tennessee, though. The Lady Vols regained their footing, pulled away down the stretch and registered a win for Caldwell’s system when they finished off the Buckeyes. They used 11 players, made 10 3-pointers, and forced 23 turnovers.
They also looked like a team that might have more to celebrate before it's done.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or [email protected]. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why this Sweet 16 is so sweet for Lady Vols, new coach Kim Caldwell
Continue reading...
In fact, a coach could lead Tennessee basketball to the Sweet 16 and get fired in the same season. Former coach Kellie Harper can vouch for that after last season.
But not all Sweet 16s are alike, and this one seemed sweeter that most after the No. 5 seed Lady Vols shook off a shaky start and a furious second-half surge from No. 4 seed Ohio State on the Buckeyes’ home court Sunday. UT’s 82-67 victory propelled it into the second weekend of the NCAA tournament.
That might not be worthy of a parade at a program that has won so much. But it’s worth a celebration when you weigh the accomplishments in what qualified as a transitional season.
Tennessee athletic director Danny White should be leading the cheers.
He’s the one who took a chance on coach Kim Caldwell, who won big at Division II Glenville State and in one season at Marshall but had no experience at the SEC level. He believed more in her winning than where she won.
One season later, she’s still winning. And there’s plenty of credit to go around – for the young coach and her staff as well as the returning players. They bought into Caldwell’s unorthodox system that features a barrage of 3-pointers, full-court defense, and a 10- or 11-player rotation that defies the norm of college basketball.
They weren’t the only ones who took a leap of faith with a new coach. Transfers joined up, too. Together, they’re 24-9 with the Sweet 16 still to come.
Now, back to the shaky start I mentioned.
Ohio State looked more confident and comfortable in the opening minutes when it took a 16-5 lead. But if you have followed the Lady Vols throughout this season, you probably didn’t overreact to their troublesome beginning.
Sometimes, against the best teams on their demanding schedule, they appeared headed for the wrong end of a blowout. However, when momentum and the score were building against them, they rarely collapsed.
They also showed their resilience in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.
Tennessee entered the tournament having lost three of its last four games. The losses cost it a fourth seed and an opportunity to host first- and second-round games at Food City Center.
That late-season fade didn’t steal the Lady Vols' resolve. They were at their best in a first-round 101-66 victory over South Florida in which they made 16 of 37 3-point attempts. They also threatened to run away from Ohio State when they raced to a 14-point lead in the third quarter.
Then, back came the Buckeyes. They outscored Tennessee 19-2 and forged a 56-56 tie with three minutes to play in the third quarter.
That charge seemingly took more out of Ohio State than Tennessee, though. The Lady Vols regained their footing, pulled away down the stretch and registered a win for Caldwell’s system when they finished off the Buckeyes. They used 11 players, made 10 3-pointers, and forced 23 turnovers.
They also looked like a team that might have more to celebrate before it's done.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or [email protected]. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why this Sweet 16 is so sweet for Lady Vols, new coach Kim Caldwell
Continue reading...
