It has been a dream start to the season for Tennessee Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell. UT is ranked the No. 15 team in the country and the squad is a perfect 13-0 after taking down Texas A&M 91-78 on Thursday night. Because of that, you'd think Caldwell is quite happy, right?
Not so fast. Despite her team posting win No. 13 on the year and remaining undefeated, she didn't hesitate in calling out her players following the win over Texas A&M. Yes, the Lady Vols posted a 13-point win, but there is still a lot to clean up, Caldwell told reporters:
"I was not happy with a lot, if you can't tell."
— John Sartori (@JohnSartoriTV) January 3, 2025
Kim Caldwell is now 13-0 in her first season at Tennessee following a 91-78 win over Texas A&M.
Is she thrilled with where her team is? Not exactly. #LadyVols pic.twitter.com/kKUNKofts5
Kim Caldwell is demanding more of her Lady Vols players and it's great
This is the exact kind of mindset you want from your head coach. In that win over the Aggies, Tennessee didn't match the same kind of intensity that was showcased in the first half for the second half. That's something Caldwell is never going to accept.
That's why she didn't hesitate in making it clear that she's not going to put up with a lack of effort moving forward. This should serve as a wake-up call for the Tennessee players too, and it might humble them a bit.
In that win over Texas A&M, Tennessee was led by the 20 points from Jewel Spear, while three other playmakers scored in double digits. Next up for Tennessee is a showdown with No. 9 Oklahoma on Sunday. This is going to be a huge showdown for the Vols, with the team having a great chance to send a statement to the rest of the SEC.
Caldwell will be demanding perfection from her players against the Sooners. Soon enough, we'll find out if the Lady Vols answer the call or not, as Oklahoma will be ready to take them down too.