TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell saw something Sunday evening she knows her team would not have handled a month and a half ago.
Tennessee weathered an early surge, absorbed a fourth-quarter challenge, and leaned on its composure to secure a 70-59 win over Alabama at Coleman Coliseum, closing strong after the Crimson Tide briefly seized momentum.
Alabama jumped out to a 12-3 lead, setting an early tone that tested Tennessee’s resolve. The Lady Vols trailed after the opening quarter but responded with defensive intensity in the second frame, outscoring Alabama 21-11 to regain control heading into halftime.
The Crimson Tide answered again after the break and eventually recaptured a brief lead midway through the fourth quarter on a Jessica Timmons 3-pointer that put Alabama ahead 54-53. Instead of unraveling, Tennessee steadied itself, tightened defensively, and closed the game on a decisive run.
The Lady Vols finished with their largest lead of the night at 12 points with 34 seconds remaining. Leaving with a road win built on patience and discipline rather than urgency or panic.
“It really just looked like we settled in, sort of hitting shots,” Caldwell said. “That’s what I’m most proud of. A month and a half ago, we would have quit at the beginning of the game. And we would have melted. We didn’t blink. We still had tight huddles. We still had great body language, and that is so much maturity for this team.”
The response reflected lessons learned earlier in the season. Which includes a loss to NC State in which Tennessee struggled to close out a tight contest. Caldwell said the difference now is a clearer understanding of roles and a growing trust within the group.
“I think we’re more resilient. I think we know our roles better. I think our shot selection is better,” Caldwell said. “But I think the biggest thing is, what Alyssa (Latham) said is, we’re playing as a team. We have a sense of urgency, and we’re not letting a few mistakes become a game’s worth.”
Latham embodied that steadiness on both ends of the floor. Tennessee finished with 15 assists, spread throughout the lineup, a sign of growing confidence and improved ball movement.
“We can’t win one against five,” Latham said. “We can’t constantly play 1-on-1 so you have to play as a team. You can’t win by yourself.”
Latham finished with 12 points in 23 minutes and credited recent practices as the turning point for the team’s ability to handle adversity.
“Probably our recent days of practice,” she said. “Probably, I think we all just understood that we have to mature and grow up and actually play as a team in order to get forward.”
That maturity showed in the final minutes as Tennessee controlled the tempo, executed defensively, and made timely shots.
“I feel like we learned that we have to continue to stick together no matter what happens about the game,” Latham said. “Whether we’re up or down, we have to continue to understand the assignment, know what we’re here to do.”
The Lady Vols return home Thursday for a 6:30 p.m. matchup against Kentucky.
