The problems with the Tennessee women’s basketball team’s start with head coach Kim Caldwell.
In Caldwell’s second season as head coach, Tennessee has five ranked losses of 15 points or more, including a 30-point loss to No. 1 UConn and a 43-point defeat to No. 3 South Carolina. The latter is the largest margin of defeat in Tennessee women’s basketball history. What’s more, three of those losses to college basketball’s top team include 20 turnovers.
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But, after the gut-wrenching loss to South Carolina, a frustrated Caldwell seemed to lay the responsibility at her players’ feet.
“We just had a lot of quit in us tonight,” Caldwell said. “And that’s been something that’s been consistent with our team is ― we’re not comfortable, and things don’t go our way, and I have a team that’ll just quit on you. And you can’t do that in big games, can’t do that anytime in the SEC, but you certainly can’t do that at a program like this.”
Why does Caldwell’s team seem to unravel, instead of staying composed when the pressure is on?
“That’s a question for them, about why they can’t stick together,” Caldwell said.
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More: Tennessee basketball coach says team ‘quit.’ Dawn Staley offers advice
In case it wasn’t clear, Caldwell’s words seem to indicate the issues plaguing the Lady Vols are on the players and not her. However, the way Tennessee shows up in big games and the day-to-day grind of the season matters. For example, after a 77-62 loss to unranked Mississippi State on Jan. 29, Caldwell seemed stunned when, ahead of the game, her team was late to warmups.
She revealed to the media that she told her team during shootaround she hadn’t seen that version of them “about 20, 25 days” and it was starting to “creep back in.” (Transparently, creeping was probably putting it lightly. It’s oozing at this point.) Yet, 10 days before blaming her players, Caldwell said how the team carries itself is her responsibility.
“It’s my fault. I’m the coach,” she said about her team showing up late. “I can sit here and be frustrated all I want with them, but if I’m seeing it, it’s my job to fix it. And, I obviously didn’t fix it.”
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So, what changed between January 29 and February 8?
Tennessee played four games during that stretch, losing three of the four by an average of 29 points. It hosted Mississippi State before three road games against UConn, Georgia and South Carolina. The team’s only win was in overtime, 82-77, against unranked Georgia. The victory certainly helps, but losing massive matchups against the Huskies and Gamecocks at this stage have to hurt potential NCAA tournament seeding and morale, for that matter.
Tennessee was actually tied with UConn at halftime of its Feb. 1 matchup. However, with every mistake the Lady Vols made in the second half, the Huskies made them pay. Tennessee didn’t score for nearly five minutes in the third quarter, and the brutal tendencies the team built throughout the season were exploited.
For every play taken off, bad shot or possession without moving the ball, UConn scored on the other end. Eventually, the lead ballooned to 30 points, and the Lady Volunteers lost, 96-66, to one of their biggest rivals. It was a far cry from Caldwell’s statement win over UConn, 80-76, just a year ago, and the blame began shifting to her players.
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“They have to fix it,” Caldwell said after the South Carolina loss. “They have to decide they want to fix it.”
With so much turmoil under Caldwell’s leadership, it begs the question: Is it time for Tennessee fans to panic? Is Caldwell already on the hot seat?
No, but her seat’s likely, at the very least, starting to boil.
In 2024, Caldwell was a bold hire by Tennessee, having coached at DI Marshall from 2023-24 but having no ties to the Lady Vols ― a departure from the program’s track record. Before her arrival, she had a 217-31 career record and a Division II national title while at Glenville State.
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The Lady Volunteers coach introduced a system that includes an up-tempo pace, hockey-style substitutions and press defense. That system produced some early returns. After a 22-9 regular season during her first year and an NCAA tournament run to the Sweet 16, Caldwell was rewarded with a reworked contract and a one-year extension. Her annual base pay was raised from $750,000 to $1 million, making her one of the 25 highest-paid coaches in the country.
“In just one season, we experienced firsthand how her winning formula can revolutionize the game with her dynamic, high-octane offense and relentless defense,” Tennessee athletic director Danny White said last year. “The promising future of Lady Vols basketball is in great hands under Kim’s leadership, setting the stage for a remarkable journey ahead.”
While the system may have worked initially, it’s currently faltering in the face of elite competition. Additionally, fair or unfair, the Lady Vols’ seemingly disheveled state reflects Caldwell’s leadership. If her team isn’t responding to adversity when challenged or showing up to routine activities on time, it shows a disconnect with the locker room.
Not to mention, when walking in the shadow of Tennessee coaching legend Pat Summitt, the pressure and expectations are high. It comes with the job. Caldwell can’t be Summitt, nor should she try. Still, Summitt established a level of excellence and expectations still coursing through the program’s veins. Caldwell has to meet the moment. She doesn’t really have any other choice, or she could find herself on the hot seat before her contract is up.
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What’s more, Tennessee’s schedule to close out the season includes five ranked teams between Feb. 12 and March 1. Four of those games are against teams ranked 10 or higher. After playing No. 4 Texas on Feb. 15, Tennessee faces No. 16 Ole Miss before entering an SEC gauntlet of No. 10 Oklahoma, No. 6 LSU and No. 5 Vanderbilt. The Commodores also pose another challenge: stopping guard Mikayla Blakes, the nation’s leading scorer.
If Caldwell wasn’t feeling the heat already, it’s suddenly getting much warmer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tennessee in freefall as losses mount and Kim Caldwell’s seat warms up
