Lady Vols Basketball Needs to…
Be More Than Elite
It’s been a decade since the Lady Vols have made it further than the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. That has to change, and the sooner the better.
The Lady Vols had their most disappointing season in recent memory when the 2016-17 season came to an end. The Lady Vols finished with just 20 wins, the third-fewest in program history, and they were eliminated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That came on the heels of yet another disappointing season in 2015-16 when they finished tied for 7th in the SEC in the regular season and dropped 13 games in the regular season. That team was able to go on a run in the NCAA Tournament, though, and they made it to the Elite Eight.
But Lady Vols basketball hasn’t been more than just “elite” in a decade. And they need to get back to the Final Four or better in 2018.
Right now, the Lady Vols are off to a perfect start to the 2017-18 season. They finish this year with a sterling 13-0 record after a 63-49 victory over Kentucky on the final day of 2017. That 13-0 record is the best start to a season the Lady Vols have had since they went 18-0 to start the 2005-06 season. They’re back inside the top 10 of the AP Poll and look like an actual Lady Vols basketball team again.
If this team is truly going to bring Lady Vols basketball “back,” however, they can’t just settle for being “elite.” This team needs to be the squad who ends the final four drought.
