The portends were not good. Tennessee has a loss streak on the road against top ten teams dating back to 2008. Kentucky was a newly emerged member of the top ten in the polls this week. Though they had a 50-10 record over Kentucky overall, they’d lost the last two times they played in Memorial Coliseum. Tennessee’s two losses this season have been on the road.
So, a loss in Lexington, though it would have been an upset, wouldn’t have been a shocking one, and true to expectations the game was close throughout with multiple lead changes and no large leads and could have gone either way right down to the final buzzer, when the ball was in Kentucky’s hands and one made shot would have changed the outcome. Tennessee’s defense got the stops it needed and Kentucky ended one point short, as they did the last time the two teams met, last year in the SEC tournament championship game. For Tennessee fans at least this was the most tense and exciting game of the year so far, and I’d like to think Kentucky fans enjoyed it too except for the final score. It was an epic game, as we are coming to expect playing Kentucky, a team which appears to overachieve on the court game after game, which is perhaps to give too much credit to coach Matthew Mitchell and not enough to his players. The signature of Kentucky is ferocious defense at all times but they always seem to be one nationally-ranked post player away from reaching the SEC championship or the final four. I shudder to think how good they will be if they ever get that player, considering how good they are without her. Which is to say if I had moved to Lexington instead of Knoxville when I retired, I would have had no trouble becoming a rabid Wildcat fan. I would be a little sad in the aftermath of this 73-72 heartbreaker, but I’d feel confident that if we meet the Lady Vols again in this year’s SEC finals, we’re good enough to win it and will certainly be competitive, and an NCAA tournament run this year is feasible in the right bracket.
For the Lady Vols the victory is clearly a significant step forward in team confidence and an onerous monkey off their backs. After a workmanlike victory over Georgia last Sunday, the Lady Vols have established in my mind at least that this team is closer to achieving the mindset and drive the coaches want and the team will need to compete at the national level and which typified the teams of Pat Summitt’s glory years. Recent teams have had the talent but not the drive, or the cohesiveness, or the dedication to defense and rebounding at all times which are their hallmark and legacy. This year’s squad seems to realize that if they play to their fundamental strengths they’ll always be in it, whereas abandoning the team concept and trying to win single-handedly will usually fall short. Games like this one, close all the way, easily lost, against a quality team, in a hostile environment, will do more to prepare the squad for the NCAA tournament than a dozen lop-sided wins against less talented teams would.
For Kentucky a special shoutout to Jennifer O’Neill and Makayla Epps, both of whom had streaks on offense that were devastating and nearly fatal blows to the Big Orange cause. Tennessee had a great second half from Izzy and Sierra up front that probably made the difference. Jordan Reynolds was less successful offensively than against Georgia, but her willingness to drive toward the basket was like an EMT technician’s blow to the chest in getting the Lady Vol’s faltering offensive heart beating again. Jaime Nared was the standout among the freshmen with some big buckets as well. Ariel Massengale had an off night with 5 turnovers, which the team was lucky to overcome. Burdick turned the ball over 5 times as well, and seemed to be involved too often in bringing the ball up the court but Kentucky’s disruptive defensive style deserves most of the blame for that and perhaps for Massengale’s turnovers as well.
The schedule ahead doesn’t get any easier, with Mississippi State, another top twenty team, coming into Thompson-Boling this Sunday, and the undefeated, number one team in the nation, still looming on the horizon. For dramatic purposes, I am hoping both Tennessee and South Carolina remain undefeated in conference play until they play each other. I’m very sad that game won’t be played in Knoxville.
Hoops and Diamonds 