Are the Lady Vols going to make the NCAA Tournament after losing to Alabama? Tennessee has never missed the tourney before
The Lady Vols went one and done in the SEC Tournament.
The Lady Vols’ SEC Tournament run didn’t last long.
Tennessee was eliminated from the conference tournament on Thursday night in Bon Secours Wellness Arena, falling 76-64 to Alabama.
The Lady Vols have now lost seven straight games. Their one-and-done showing in the SEC Tournament leaves Tennessee a 16-13 record ahead of selection Sunday on March 15.
Despite the loss to Alabama, Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell believes her team has done enough to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
“I think we’ve played the hardest schedule in the country,” said Caldwell Thursday after the loss to Alabama. “I think the majority of that came in February, but we have significant wins….we hope to get in and continue to try to be a different team.”
The Lady Vols have never missed the NCAA Tournament, a streak that dates back to 1982.
Are the Lady Vols still projected to make the NCAA Tournament?
ESPN’s Charlie Creme updated his projected bracket after Thursday’s games and he currently has Tennessee as the No. 8 seed in the Sacramento region.
Creme has the Lady Vols playing Virginia Tech in Los Angeles in the first round. The winner of that game would play the No. 1 seed in the second round in the Sacramento region, which Creme projects to be UCLA.
Based on that projection from Creme, it seems that Tennessee should be safely in the NCAA tourney, regardless of how the conference tournaments play out.
It’s been a rough season for Caldwell and her team, but she’s expected back for a third season after receiving a public endorsement from Tennessee athletic director Danny White earlier this week.
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