After an unexpected break, the Tennessee Lady Vols are finally back in action Thursday night for a rematch with Mississippi State.
Inclement weather disrupted Tennessee’s schedule earlier this week, postponing Tuesday’s game against Ole Miss. The league has not rescheduled the game, leaving Tennessee with an unusual pause in SEC play.
As the Lady Vols prepare for the Bulldogs, coach Kim Caldwell said the challenge goes beyond the opponent. The break came just days after an emotional home win against Kentucky and stalled the team’s on-court momentum.
“It’s been a little bit of an interesting two weeks,” Caldwell said. “I feel like we haven’t played very many games.”
The postponement forced a sudden shift in preparation. Caldwell said the team learned the Ole Miss game was off just before practice.
“We practiced pretty hard and we were off the following day,” she said. “I think all in all they handled the news well.”
With extra preparation time, Caldwell said Tennessee focused primarily on itself while revisiting scouting work from the first meeting. The Lady Vols earned a 90–80 win in Starkville, shooting 50.7% from the field.
Caldwell acknowledged that matching that offensive efficiency will be difficult.
“When we played at their place, it was one of our best offensive performances,” Caldwell said. “It’s going to be hard to replicate that because we’ve only kind of seen it once.”
Tennessee has scored 90 points against a Power Four opponent only once this season.
The Lady Vols have also shot 50% or better one other time against a Power Four opponent, doing so against Auburn.
Caldwell pointed directly to where the Lady Vols must improve. Rebounding remains a major emphasis after Tennessee struggled on the glass in the first meeting.
“We’ve been practicing with the lid on the rim all week,” Caldwell said. “That’s been a point of emphasis and it’s going to continue.”
Caldwell also wants Tennessee’s press to be more effective while maintaining progress in half-court defense. She said the Lady Vols are defending tougher, rotating better, and creating turnovers without relying solely on pressure.
“I don’t want to jinx it,” Caldwell said, “but that’s been kind of one bright spot for our team.”
Offensively, Caldwell pointed to efficiency and shot volume as keys. She said forcing turnovers and winning the rebounding battle allows Tennessee to create separation.
Caldwell added that the team’s growth has been mental as well as physical. Practices have become more consistent, with fewer dramatic swings.
“Our threshold for discomfort and how to handle that is getting stronger and better,” she said.
Tennessee and Mississippi State meet Thursday at 6:30 pm inside Food City Center.
