The Tennessee Lady Vols escaped Gainesville with a narrow victory over the Florida Gators, but the performance raised as many concerns as it did celebrations. While any road win in the SEC is valuable, the Lady Vols’ inconsistent play and struggles to close out the game suggest that there’s still work to be done before the postseason begins.
With the SEC and NCAA tournaments looming, the Lady Vols must use games like this as learning experiences. Their talent is undeniable, but their execution, consistency, and composure in tight situations will need to improve if they hope to make a deep run in March.
A Win That Felt Like a Warning
Tennessee’s victory over Florida was not the dominant performance that many expected. The Lady Vols entered the game as favorites but found themselves in a battle from start to finish. Florida played with energy and aggression, forcing Tennessee into uncomfortable situations and capitalizing on lapses in focus.
Despite leading for most of the game, Tennessee struggled to put Florida away, allowing the Gators to stay within striking distance throughout. Late-game execution proved to be a challenge once again, as careless turnovers, defensive breakdowns, and missed free throws nearly cost the Lady Vols the game.
Winning close contests can be a sign of resilience, but needing last-second stops or fortunate breaks against a middle-of-the-pack Florida team is not the mark of a championship contender. The Lady Vols have aspirations beyond just competing—they want to be a force in the postseason, and to do that, they need to show more poise and maturity in critical moments.
Turnovers and Decision-Making Still a Problem
One of the biggest issues for Tennessee in the Florida game was turnovers. Sloppy passes, miscommunication, and forced plays led to easy scoring opportunities for the Gators. These types of mistakes might be survivable against unranked opponents, but against top-tier teams in March, they could spell disaster.
Decision-making under pressure has been an ongoing concern for this team. At times, Tennessee’s offense can look fluid and efficient, moving the ball well and finding high-percentage shots. But when the game tightens, they tend to revert to rushed possessions and isolation plays that lack structure.
To mature into a true postseason contender, the Lady Vols need to trust their system and execute plays with discipline, even in crunch time. Avoiding unnecessary risks and maintaining composure will be essential moving forward.
Defensive Lapses Nearly Cost Them
Tennessee has shown flashes of defensive excellence this season, but those flashes need to become more consistent. Against Florida, the Lady Vols had stretches of strong defensive play, but they also had lapses that allowed the Gators to stay in the game.
Rotations were slow at times, leading to open shots for Florida’s perimeter players. The Gators also found success attacking the paint, taking advantage of defensive breakdowns to get easy baskets. Tennessee must tighten up their defensive discipline, particularly when protecting a lead late in games.
Championship-caliber teams don’t just rely on scoring—they clamp down defensively when it matters most. The Lady Vols have the potential to be an elite defensive team, but they need to show more urgency and attention to detail in key moments.
Poise in Close Games Must Improve
The best teams in college basketball don’t just win games—they close them out with authority. Tennessee’s struggles to finish off Florida are part of a concerning trend. The postseason is full of high-pressure moments, and if the Lady Vols aren’t ready to handle them now, they could find themselves exiting the tournament earlier than they’d like.
Composure in late-game situations separates good teams from great ones. The Lady Vols must learn to stay patient, trust their fundamentals, and execute with confidence when the game is on the line. That means valuing possessions, hitting free throws, and making smart defensive plays without fouling.
The Road Ahead: Growth Before March Madness
With only a few games left in the regular season, Tennessee has time to address these issues, but the clock is ticking. They have all the pieces necessary to make a deep tournament run, but those pieces need to fit together more consistently.
The Lady Vols should view the Florida game as a wake-up call. Winning on the road in the SEC is never easy, but their performance showed that they still have maturing to do before they can be considered serious contenders.
If they can clean up their late-game execution, reduce turnovers, and develop a stronger defensive identity, Tennessee has the potential to be dangerous in March. But if they continue to struggle with composure in tight games, their postseason dreams could be cut short.
The talent is there. The question now is whether they can refine their game and become the team they’re capable of being when it matters most.