After a demanding stretch against three ranked opponents, Kim Caldwell said her Lady Vols remain confident its goals are still within reach, despite its four game losing streak.
“We know that we are getting better as individuals,” Caldwell said Wednesday. “We can clearly see now what we need to get better at, which is transition defense, limit your fouls. … It’s not the end of the world for us. We’re still trying to get better.”
The team recently navigated a packed schedule with little prep time while making up its game against Ole Miss. Now back to a standard week of preparation, Caldwell said the added practice time has been valuable for recovery and accountability.
“It’s nice to have a little bit of reset,” she said.
While results have been inconsistent, Caldwell pointed to clear offensive progress. The team has averaged around 10 made three-pointers over its last several games, shooting better than 30 percent from beyond the arc.
“Our shooting has gotten better,” she said. “Our offense, for the most part, … is night and day different than where it was.”
The bigger concern is on the defensive end, particularly in transition.
“The biggest thing is not getting the ball stopped,” Caldwell said. “We never get a turn. We never get the ball stop. … We are late, so we use our hands.”
Caldwell described many of the team’s fouls as undisciplined and fundamental breakdowns, stressing that improvement in those areas could quickly change outcomes in close games.
Despite the adversity, she praised her players’ resilience, especially the younger ones adjusting to the grind of SEC play.
“They’re used to this, and they’re built for it,” she said.
For Caldwell, the approach remains simple and consistent.
“We’ve kind of struck a balance of just becoming obsessed with getting better,” she said. “This is what the stat sheet says. This is what we need to improve.”
Tennessee is back on the road for a Thursday match against LSU.
