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When considering SEC women’s basketball, will Tennessee once again be at the forefront of our minds? The legacy of Pat Summitt still hangs over Tennessee women’s basketball, as it rightfully should. However, in order to reach new heights in the sport, the Lady Vols must step out from the shadows of their past greatness.
New head coach Kim Caldwell seems to have arrived at Rocky Top with the intention of doing just that. Despite only having one season of Division I head coaching experience, where she quickly turned Marshall into a dominant team in the Sun Belt and took them to the NCAA Tournament, Caldwell has brought to Knoxville a sense of confidence in her ability to once again make Tennessee one of the most feared teams in women’s college basketball, albeit in a fresh and innovative way.
The Caldwell Approach
Similar to the esteemed Tennessee teams of the past, Caldwell expects her players to play with intensity, making sure that opponents will fear facing the Lady Vols. As graduate guard Jewel Spear explained to ESPN before the season, “I want people to know that you’re gonna hate playing us. Simple.”
Yet, in addition to these traditional principles, Caldwell emphasizes her modern priorities which include an aggressive, fast-paced, and 3-point heavy style of play. She aims for 85-90 shot attempts per game while forcing 20-25 turnovers on defense, along with a minimum of 20 offensive rebounds. Caldwell shared with ESPN her ideal style for the Lady Vols, stating:
I think it is just making teams uncomfortable and making people play the way they don’t want to. We’re not going to try to beat them at their own game. We’re going to try to beat them at a different game. We’re going to try to make them beat us at our game.
Despite the small sample size, Caldwell’s vision for the revamped Lady Vols is already coming to fruition. In the team’s first three games, she has opted to play a full rotation, giving players shorter stints on the court to maintain a high-energy, maximum-effort style of play. Caldwell recognizes the strategic advantages of this approach, mentioning to ESPN, “There’s a lot of beauty in it. It’s fun to play, it’s fun to watch, it’s hard to scout. Your teams are generally closer because you play more people, there’s more buy in, there’s less drama.”
The Lady Vols and 3-Point Shooting
Whenever the Lady Vols hit the court, Caldwell’s players are firing away from behind the arc.
After three games, Tennessee ranks third nationally in 3-point attempts per game, averaging 38.3 per contest, just slightly behind Lipscomb and Utah State. Caldwell is likely pleased with the increasing number of attempts each game, even if the conversion rate isn’t rising proportionately. The Lady Vols have shown a commitment to 3-point shooting, resulting in a high-scoring offense averaging over 93 points per game. In contrast, last season Tennessee averaged 21.1 3-point attempts per game and 76.3 total points.
Among the players, Jewel Spear leads with an average of 8.7 3-point attempts per game, significantly surpassing her numbers from last year. Forward Tess Darby follows with 6.7 attempts per game. The team’s emphasis on 3-point shooting has led to a dynamic offensive performance, showcasing a new aspect of their game.
Dominating the Boards and Defense
The Lady Vols are creating scoring opportunities by dominating the offensive boards, as demanded by Caldwell. They rank second nationally in offensive rebounds per game, a significant improvement from last season. Meanwhile, their defensive aggression has resulted in an average of 30 turnovers forced per game and over 19 steals per game, placing them near the top in both categories.
Looking Forward for the Lady Vols
Tougher challenges lie ahead for Tennessee, including matchups against strong offensive teams that will test their progress under Caldwell. Their upcoming games will provide insight into how far the team has come and how much further they have to go. But first, the Lady Vols will continue to refine their game as they face Liberty on November 16 at 12 p.m. ET.
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