By: Dallas Bowlin
Senior Staff Writer/Editor/Host
All Vol Call In Show
Fans had read about the high-scoring, up-tempo, chaos-inducing scheme of new Tennessee Lady Volunteers Basketball head coach Kim Caldwell. But tonight, they finally got to see it in person—albeit against Division II school Carson-Newman. And, oh boy, did they see it.
While the offensive numbers were impressive, it feels only fitting to start with the defense—especially for someone like me who believes in the 'Defense wins championships' mantra. The Lady Eagles turned the ball over an eye-popping 43 times, with the Lady Vols racking up 30 (!!) steals. Carson-Newman shot a dismal 37% from the field but managed a respectable 38% from three. Racking up 30 steals is one thing, but doing so while sending the opposing team to the free-throw line just four times is nearly a statistical anomaly.
On offense, the Lady Vols hoisted a staggering 48 three-point attempts—21 more than in last year’s matchup against Carson-Newman under former head coach Kellie Harper. They connected on 19 of those attempts, 12 more than the previous year, shooting an impressive 39.6% from deep. Altogether, the Lady Vols attempted 94 shots compared to last year’s 81.
If there’s one thing that gives me pause, it’s the substitution patterns. Every two minutes, Coach Caldwell runs an entirely new lineup, which could make it hard for players to get ‘warmed up.’ But considering the Lady Vols reportedly used the same approach against #15 North Carolina in a “secret scrimmage” and came away with a 96-79 win...what the hell do I know?
As for the new faces, they did not disappoint. Clemson transfer Ruby Whitehorn exploded for 22 points in the first half alone, finishing with 29. Miami transfer Zee Spearman added 17, South Carolina transfer Talaysia Cooper contributed 17, and Arkansas transfer Samara Spencer chipped in with 7 points.
Returning star Jewel Spear proved she can still fill it up, scoring 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting from three.
Catch Coach Kim Caldwell and the Lady Vols back in action for their regular-season opener on November 5th as they host Samford. Tip-off is set for 6:30 PM.
Photo | Knoxville News Sentinel
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