No ‘I’ in Team: Several Lady Vols Dazzle in Win over UT-Martin
Credit: University of Tennessee Athletics
By Dawson Wise
Three games into the Kim Caldwell era, a new style is blossoming on Rocky Top.
Despite having a team that hasn’t never played together in the modern, fast-paced, high pressure style Caldwell coaches, the players are bought in and gelling well.
That trend continued on Thursday night when the Skyhawks of UT-Martin rolled into Food City Center. For the third time this season (second on the official record), the Lady Vols put together a complete, dominant effort in front of an appreciative and refreshed crowd.
Tennessee led in category after category on the stat sheet and closed the night with a 90-50 win. There is obvious life in this team again on both ends of the floor.
I’ve had the privilege of watching this team for four years now. I saw players like Rae Burrell, Jordan Horston, Rickea Jackson, and several others provide moment after moment.
But it never had the feeling of life this team is showing. There is no one star or sole player the success of the team revolves around. Instead, there are several key cogs that help the larger machine go, exactly what Kim Caldwell wants.
With that, let's dive into a recap of an impressive win on the Summitt.
First Quarter
Despite UT-Martin scoring first, the Lady Vols jumped out to a 9-2 lead behind veterans Sara Puckett and Tess Darby, who had 7 of the first 9 points. The Skyhawks gained their footing in what was a frantic, exhausting first five minutes few whistles to interrupt.
The shooting wasn’t there for Tennessee early, starting the game 4-13 from the field and 2-7 from three.
The defense kept the lead intact with fierce coverage from the opening tip. Constant movement and closing the distance meant less room for error for UTM, and the Lady Vols were able to force a flurry of turnovers early in the night.
Though the offense struggle, the defense and success on the offensive glass kept the door open for the lead to grow.
Tennessee had opened up a 23-9 lead late in the frame, mostly on the backs of Puckett (9), Darby (7) and South Carolina transfer Talaysia Cooper, who again showed a nose for the ball on defense and some handles on offense.
Overall, the Lady Vols forced 8 turnovers in the first frame alone, converting those into 10 points. They also outrebounded UTM in the first, 16-7 overall.
UT-Martin's early success was spread around as well, with guard Shae Littleford leading the way with 3 points.
Second Quarter
Early in the second quarter, UT was reliant on defense and offensive boards to generate success.
Talented freshman Kaniya Boyd saw her first action of the night but exited after successive fouls.
By the media timeout, the tide began to turn heavy toward Tennessee
This was the point when shots began to fall because of game plan adjustments from Caldwell. The Lady Vols drove and took shots inside the arc rather than relying on the three.
That's when Ruby Whitehorn decided to take over.
In the blink of an eye, the Clemson transfer scored 6 points and 8 total rebounds (4 offense) in the second quarter alone. A week removed from a 29-point performance against Carson-Newman, she put herself in the spotlight again.
After five straight points from Jewel Spear, Whitehorn grabbed an offensive rebound and converted the follow up to give herself a first half double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
As the halftime buzzer sounded, the 6-point ballooned to a 42-20 lead at the break.
Spear, Whitehorn, Puckett, and Darby accounted for 34 of Tennessee's 42 points, shooting 40% from the field. They outrebounded UTM 26-13 and forced 19 turnovers.
The Skyhawks were led by Morgan Borgstadt with 6 points and Kenley McCarn and Anaya Brown with 4 a piece.
Third Quarter
The approach to start the second half was similar to the first.
The full court press continued and affected UT-Martin. This is when other pieces started to get going offensively for UT.
Samara Spencer, Zee Spearman, and Alyssa Latham all scored buckets. Paired with Spear and Whitehorn's continued dominance, the lead suddenly jumped to 59-27.
It got chippy at the media timeout as UT-Martin's Anaya Brown shoved Tennessee's Avery Strickland. Zee Spearman got involved, and intentional fouls were called on her and Brown, but nothing came of the scuffle afterwards.
Everywhere you looked, there was a crooked number for Caldwell's unit. Tennessee forced 26 total turnovers, held a 39-9 advantage in points off turnovers, led 22-3 in second chance points, outscored UTM's bench 37-12, had 32 paint points and put 20 points up on the fast break.
UT Martin had no answers, though they were shooting the ball well and doing a good job at maintaining their energy and focus despite the quicker pace. Kenley McCarn scored double figures, Borgstadt scored nine, and Brown had six.
The Skyhawks still held the edge in field goal percentage.
Fourth Quarter
As the final segment began, you could tell the pace and pressing nature of the game had affected the visitors. The turnovers, bad passes, and poor decisions continued to pile up for Kevin McMillan's group.
Both teams felt the fatigue at this point in the game as scoring took a noticeable dip
Tennessee made its final subs of the night with around a minute and a half remaining, including Destinee Wells. A few more baskets on either side would bring the contest to a close, with a final score of 90-50 in favor of the home side.
For Tennessee, Ruby Whitehorn finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Jewel Spear, Sara Puckett, and Samara Spencer all joined her in double figures, with 13, 11, and 10 respectively.
For the Skyhawks, Kenley McCarn led the way with 13 points.
The Lady Vols ended the night shooting 39% from the field to UT-Martin's 42%. They forced 31 turnovers and outscored UT-Martin 32-5 in second chance points, 29-15 in fast break points, and 50-19 in bench points.
Takeaways
This game went about as expected.
It was low stress for Caldwell and company, but provided some very encouraging signs of things to come. The pace was high, the pressure was constant.
The offense put up 90 points, spreading the wealth across the roster by taking open lanes with fluid ball movement. The shots will fall, and Jewel Spear said postgame they will "continue to shoot with confidence."
Defensively, this team is as entertaining as the one on the gridiron.
Constant double teams and switches made for an intense pressure that forced UT-Martin into mistakes and turnovers.
The defense in the paint and ability to box out and rebound was noticeable compared to previous years. Turning defense into offense provides opportunities that previous teams didn’t have, especially considering the blitzing offense that Caldwell is implementing.
The foundation is there for this group.
Kim Caldwell has found a mix of holdover veterans, battle-tested transfers, and exciting young players that will inevitably put some teams on notice this year. There are no “stars,” but rather one cohesive unit that makes an opponent’s life miserable
There is hope on the Summitt.
Next Up
The Lady Vols face Middle Tennessee Tuesday. The game tips off at 6:30 p.m. ET and airs on SEC Network Plus.
