Coach Kim Caldwell understands the importance of keeping her team grounded despite their impressive 8-0 start to the season. The Lady Vols made history in their recent victory over North Carolina Central, setting an NCAA Division I record with 30 successful three-pointers. However, rather than dwelling on their accomplishments, Tennessee focused on their mistakes—such as defensive lapses and missed box-outs—when reviewing game footage.
Caldwell emphasized that her players can easily find their highlights online, as their standout performances are widely shared. However, her responsibility is to keep them humble and focused on improving. “Everyone else is telling them they’re great. It’s my job to bring them back down to earth,” she said on Tuesday.
Staying disciplined has not been an issue for the No. 16-ranked Lady Vols, especially with a challenging road stretch ahead. Their first true road game of the season is against Memphis (2-7) on Wednesday at FedExForum, airing on ESPNews at 8:30 p.m. ET. Caldwell believes the team is motivated to prove they can secure victories away from home.
After facing Memphis, Tennessee will head to Florida for the West Palm Beach Classic, where they will compete against Richmond (9-2) on Friday and Tulsa (5-5) on Saturday. The back-to-back games will test the team’s ability to manage rest, recovery, and preparation in a condensed schedule.
Caldwell believes that meeting these challenges will demonstrate the Lady Vols’ strength. Each player has access to game film on their phones, and Caldwell expects them to use it to refine their skills, even when team film sessions are not possible.
