Tennessee Lady Vols: 5 keys for SEC play in 2017-2018

1. The Tennessee Lady Vols have to dominate the inside game. 

This is the staple of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball. Pat Summitt’s teams always played great defense and dominated the paint. This year’s team is doing the same thing up to this point, and that warrants respect.

However, now comes the real test. SEC play will determine how elite these guys are.

Jaime Nared has transitioned well to help out a lot in the paint. Meanwhile, as we mentioned, Rennia Davis has become pretty good as well.

But the real star among all of these players in the paint is obviously Mercedes Russell. Russell is now a senior and has help on the perimeter. If the players out there do what they’ve been doing, then there’s no excuse for her not to dominate.

She’s done it all so far, on the scoring, defense and rebounding front. Currently, Russell is averaging over 16 points again with just under nine rebounds and about one and a half blocks a game. And she’s on the same level of any other skilled inside player.

Meanwhile, she has more help on the outside. Other players have developed the ability to complement her with two more averaging over eight rebounds a game. So now’s her chance to take over the conference.

And with her doing that, there could be no stopping this team.

The Tennessee Lady Vols need to continue to overwhelm opponents inside to win games. Yes, they need consistent shooting and great play from their freshmen. But the veterans are still the engine that drive this team.

That means Russell and at times Nared and Davis on the inside need to do what they can to dominate their opponents.