Tennessee fell out of the Top 10 in this week’s Associated Press women’s basketball poll.
Following a close win against UT Martin, Tennessee slides to No. 12 after a 2-1 start to the season.
The full rankings are available at ESPN.com.
After Sunday’s win at UT Martin, second-year head coach Kim Caldwell said the team’s energy and consistency remain the biggest areas for improvement.
“We had some moments in the second half where multiple players dove for loose balls and battled for rebounds,” Caldwell said. “Those are the plays that define us. We just need to do it all the time, not just in stretches.”
Caldwell also emphasized that the Lady Vols’ slow starts have been costly, and she wants the team to set the tone immediately.
“If you go out there and don’t give effort from the tip-off, it’s going to show,” she said. “We can’t wait until halftime to decide we’re going to play hard.”
Sophomore guard Nya Robertson acknowledged the early struggles but said the team knows how to respond once they refocus.
“We realized in the locker room that the first half wasn’t how we’re supposed to play,” Robertson said. “Once we came back out, we tried to pick up our energy and play together like we know we can.”
Freshman Jaida Civil has emerged as a reliable option but Caldwell noted she must also balance speed with control.
“She’s a big part of our team,” Caldwell said. “She just needs to slow down a little and make sure her decisions match the effort we’re trying to show on every possession.”
Caldwell views the early-season woes as a chance to address the team’s effort issues before conference play begins.
“Sometimes you find out what kind of team you are in November instead of January,” Caldwell said. “That’s the benefit of a tough schedule, you see who’s committed to playing hard early.”
The Lady Vols face their second ranked opponent in just three games when they take on the current No. 3 team in the country in UCLA.
