Lady Vols basketball is off to a strong start to the SEC slate after a gauntlet of an out-of-conference schedule. While Tennessee’s wins came over Florida and on the road at Auburn, Tennessee still took some necessary steps in the right direction in the opening week.
Now, the AP Poll is reflecting the positive stretch. In the updated rankings, the Lady Vols sit at No. 20. This is a three-spot move for Tennessee after going into the New Year as the No. 23 team.
The Lady Vols’ position in the rankings is good for eighth in the SEC. Tennessee comes in behind No. 2 Texas, No. 3 South Carolina, No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 6 Kentucky, No. 7 Vanderbilt, No. 12 LSU and No. 18 Ole Miss.
Other opponents the Lady Vols either have already played or will play include No. 1 UConn, No. 4 UCLA and No. 10 Louisville. That means Tennessee has scheduled each of the top seven teams in the country and eight of the top 10.
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The recent win at Auburn was a strong effort for the majority of the game for Tennessee. Despite crumbling and giving up a 17-point advantage in the win over Florida the game prior, the Lady Vols managed to cling to their edge on The Plains and win comfortably.
This came despite turning the ball over 25 times over the course of the game.
“I think anytime you can turn the ball over 25 times on the road in the SEC and come out with a win, you should take it,” Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell said after the game. “We have a lot to clean up.”
Next, the Lady Vols, which are now 10-3 (2-0 SEC), will head west to play Mississippi State on the road. Tip-off is set for Thursday, Jan. 8, at 7:30 p.m. ET. It will air on SECN+.
