Lady Vols basketball got the ball back against Texas, down just two points with six seconds to play. Kim Caldwell called her final timeout of the game in an attempt to draw up a play that could will the team to overtime or a win.
That’s not what transpired, though.
Talaysia Cooper inbounded the ball to Zee Spearman, who passed it back to Cooper. She drove as time ticked away, with Nya Robertson and Jaida Civil in the same corner to her right. Alyssa Latham was in the left corner, while Spearman began to position herself for a potential offensive rebound.
Ultimately, Cooper lost possession and turned it over to seal the game.
After the game, Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell said if anyone should take the blame for the final play, it’s the coaching staff, not Cooper.
“Yeah, Zee should have kept it and wheeled it towards the other side of the floor,” Caldwell said. “That was sort of where space was. So, again, I don’t think the game necessarily came down to that. It’s not a single person’s fault. If anyone, that one’s on us.”
Lady Vols can’t get a shot off.
Texas – 65
Tennessee – 63 pic.twitter.com/9cQcALFk5B— Ryan Sylvia (@RyanTSylvia) February 15, 2026
More From RTI: Everything Lady Vols Basketball HC Kim Caldwell Said After Two-Point Loss to Texas
As Caldwell noted, she didn’t think the game came down to those final moments, anyway. If that wasn’t what cost the Lady Vols the chance to upset the No. 4 team in the country, what was?
To her, it was the fouling. Texas took 23 free throws in the game, while the Lady Vols took just 11 and made only five. Tennessee also turned the ball over 22 times.
In the attempt to limit those turnovers, the Lady Vols would benefit from the return of freshman point guard Mia Pauldo. She did not play against the Longhorns, missing her second-straight game due to a concussion.
Tennessee will hope she’ll be back with a short turnaround.
The Lady Vols have a busy week on the horizon. The previously rescheduled Ole Miss game now lands on Tuesday in Oxford. That will tip off at 7 p.m. ET and air on ESPNU. Then, Tennessee will host Texas A&M on Thursday before playing at Oklahoma on Sunday.
