Lady Vols Basketball Stays Committed to Full-Court Press in NCAA Tournament Under head coach Kim Caldwell, the Lady Vols basketball team has relied heavily on a full-court press strategy throughout the season. The approach involves constant trapping, jump passes, and aggressive transition play to disrupt opponents and create turnovers. However, this year, the system has occasionally led to turnovers and missed opportunities due to miscommunication and overextension. Despite these challenges, the Lady Vols remain steadfast in their commitment to the press, especially as they prepare for the NCAA Tournament. Star forward Janiah Barker emphasized the importance of maintaining the system, noting that it serves as both a defensive and offensive catalyst. “Sometimes our press is our defense and our offense,” Barker said. “It’s what fuels us, what gets us going. When we’re having fun, getting steals and layups easily, that’s what really gives us energy and boosts our confidence. If we get beat in the press, we lose our confidence. So we need to stay fully committed to it and accept it as our identity.” Caldwell, however, has expressed frustration with the team’s execution of the press in recent games. Tennessee has struggled with consistency, losing seven of its last eight contests and 10 of its past 12 appearances heading into March Madness. The issue isn’t confined to a single aspect of the strategy; instead, the team has faced problems with cohesion. Caldwell noted that players sometimes abandon the system mid-game, leading to a loss of identity. “We haven’t been pressing with a purpose,” she said. “We need to get back to flying around, guarding, and having an identity. We weren’t guarding in a press, in a half-court, and we weren’t doing much of anything.#ncaa_tournament #nc_state #lady_vols #kim_caldwell #janiah_barker
Lady Vols Freshmen Aim to Make Noise in March Madness Rematch Against NC State The Lady Vols’ freshman class, still finding their footing in college basketball, faced a mix of nerves and excitement as they awaited their NCAA Tournament seeding on Selection Sunday. Mya Pauldo described the moment as a “ball of nerves,” while Deniya Prawl felt detached, watching projections of Tennessee as a No. 8 seed and other teams fill the seed line. Despite the uncertainty, the freshmen were determined to make their mark. Tennessee, seeded No. 10, wasn’t in danger of missing the tournament for the first time in program history, but the young players were unsure what to expect from their first Selection Sunday. Jaida Civil called the experience “crazy,” admitting she didn’t fully grasp the significance at first. However, seeing their names called and continuing the legacy of the program brought a sense of pride. The nerves quickly turned to excitement when the Lady Vols learned their first-round matchup: a rematch against No. 7 seed NC State at the Crisler Center on March 20. A win would set up a potential second-round clash with either No. 2 seed Michigan or No. 15 seed Holy Cross. The Lady Vols (16-13) have a history with the Wolfpack, having lost their season opener 80-77 on Nov. 4. Coach Kim Caldwell emphasized the need to prove themselves, and the players echoed that sentiment. Civil expressed a strong desire to revisit the game, hoping to correct their earlier performance. She grinned when acknowledging the extra motivation behind the rematch. “I feel like that’s going to be the one to bring us back to where we were with our winning streak,” Mia Pauldo said. “I think the NCAA knew what they were doing with that one.” Pauldo added, “I was super surprised and I’m not going to lie, I like it, because we get to get our get back.#nc_state #lady_vols #mya_pauldo #deniya_prawl #jaida_civil
Kaiya Wynn has decided to leave the Lady Vols basketball program before the postseason, she announced Tuesday. The senior guard did not play in her final home game for the team, a senior day matchup against Vanderbilt that ended in a 87-77 loss at Food City Center. Wynn described the event as a “breaking point” in a statement posted on X, where she reflected on her time with the team. Wynn expressed disappointment that she did not get to start in her final home game, a goal she had hoped to achieve after never starting in her career. She wrote, “That obviously did not happen and to be asked to check into the game with 15 seconds left while losing was not how I wanted to spend my final moments in my arena after five years.” While she acknowledged the loss was not the sole reason for her decision, she emphasized that it was the final straw. The 6-foot guard’s departure comes after the conclusion of the regular season and two days before the Lady Vols begin postseason play. She stated the decision was “not made lightly or instantly,” indicating she had considered her options carefully. The Lady Vols, with a 16-12 record, are seeded No. 6 in the SEC Tournament and will face the winner of the matchup between No. 11 Alabama and No. 14 Missouri on Thursday. The team has struggled in recent games, losing six straight contests and nine of their past 11. Wynn, who played in 103 games over four seasons, saw her playing time diminish significantly in the 2025-26 season. She logged just 52 minutes across nine games, averaging 2.6 points in 8.7 minutes per game. Her best statistical season came in 2023-24, when she averaged 4.4 points and 1.6 assists in 13.4 minutes per game. However, her 2024-25 season was cut short after she tore her Achilles tendon before the season began.#sec_tournament #kaiya_wynn #lady_vols #food_city_center #ensworth
