After a 43-point loss at South Carolina, Lady Vols basketball has slipped in ESPN’s updated bracketology. In the projection of the upcoming NCAA Tournament, Tennessee moved back to a predicted 5-seed.
This is a potentially critical change if the committee sees the loss in the same light. Moving from a 4-seed to a 5-seed means losing home-court advantage in the opening two rounds of the tournament. While Kim Caldwell and the Lady Vols made a Sweet 16 run as a 5-seed a year ago, it certainly makes things more difficult.
In ESPN’s projection, Tennessee would open the event against 12-seed San Diego State. Then, the winner of that game would get the winner between 4-seed TCU and 13-seed Louisiana Tech. The opening pair of rounds would all be played at the Horned Frogs’ home arena.
If the Lady Vols make their way to the Sweet 16 for the second-straight year under Caldwell, the likely opponent would be a rematch with 1-seed South Carolina. Other top seeds on the potential path to a Final Four include 2-seed Vanderbilt and 3-seed Michigan State.
More From RTI: Lady Vols Basketball Stay Ranked in the AP Poll After 43-Point Loss at South Carolina
Tennessee’s recent loss to South Carolina was the largest margin of defeat in program history. Tennessee stayed in step with South Carolina at first, before things progressively unwound into the 43-point loss.
“We just had a lot of quit in us tonight 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,” Caldwell said after the game. “You can’t do that anytime in the SEC, but you certainly can’t do that at a program like this.”
Next, the Lady Vols will return home after three games away from Knoxville. On Thursday, Feb. 12, Tennessee hosts Kellie Harper’s Missouri squad. This will be Harper’s first return as a coach to Knoxville since she was fired as the Lady Vols’ head coach. She was also a multi-time national champion player under Pat Summitt.
The game against the Tigers is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. It will air on SECN+.
