Tennessee is sending its men's and women's basketball teams to the Sweet 16 this year. Both teams have shown the ability to compete with the best teams in the country, making their potential through the roof in the NCAA Tournament.
After a slow start against Ohio State in round two, the Lady Vols started clicking on both ends of the court. Tennessee took the lead going into halftime and never looked back, beating the Buckeyes 82-67 to advance to the Sweet 16.
This will be Tennessee's third trip to the Sweet 16 since 2017, but Kim Caldwell is demanding greatness from her players in her first year as the Lady Vols' head coach, which has directly impacted Tennessee's dominance on both ends of the court throughout the season.
It was a slow start for the Lady Vols, as they quickly trailed by double digits in the first quarter. They made a run in the final minutes of the quarter to make it a four-point game, and after that moment, the Lady Vols controlled virtually every aspect of the game.
That was primarily because of the defensive pressure Tennessee put on the Buckeyes. The Lady Vols finished the night with 15 steals and six blocks. Those steals greatly impacted in the second half as the Lady Vols began to pull away from Ohio State.
Talaysia Cooper led the charge in steals, finishing the game with seven while also leading the team in scoring. Cooper finished the game with 19 points, eight rebounds, and five assists in the game.
Caldwell's up-tempo offense and aggressive, turnover-driven defense have paired well in her first year at Rocky Top and have led the Lady Vols to a trip to the Sweet 16.
Tennesee has advanced out of the Columbus region and will play the winner of No. 1 Texas and No. 8 Illinois on March 29 at 3:30 PM ET in Birmingham.