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Lady Vols have anxious wait ahead after up-and-down season

Mississippi State's Bre'Amber Scott recovers a loose ball in front of Tennessee's bench and coach Holly Warlick during the first half of an SEC women's basketball tournament quarterfinal on Friday in Greenville, S.C. Mississippi State won 83-68.
Mississippi State's Bre'Amber Scott recovers a loose ball in front of Tennessee's bench and coach Holly Warlick during the first half of an SEC women's basketball tournament quarterfinal on Friday in Greenville, S.C. Mississippi State won 83-68. Mississippi State's Bre'Amber Scott recovers a loose ball in front of Tennessee's bench and coach Holly Warlick during the first half of an SEC women's basketball tournament quarterfinal on Friday in Greenville, S.C. Mississippi State won 83-68.

By Gene Henley 3 min read

KNOXVILLE – Now starts what will be the uneasiest week in the history of University of Tennessee women’s basketball.

Gone for now are the days when the only intrigue was which team the Lady Volunteers would face – and beat – in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. No longer are the times when the program that was light-years ahead of so many and coached by one of the matriarchs of women’s college basketball, Pat Summitt, would be stunned by anything less than a Final Four appearance.

The Lady Vols lost 83-68 to fifth-ranked Mississippi State in the Southeastern Conference tournament quarterfinals Friday at Bon Secours Arena in Greenville, S.C. They dropped to 19-12 and, after up-and-down season, are unsure of their postseason fate.

The field of 64 for the NCAA women’s tournament will be announced March 18.

On Friday, 25 Tennessee turnovers led to 30 Mississippi State points, and the Lady Vols were outscored in the paint, 48-24, and had only 11 offensive rebounds. After the game, though, seventh-year Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said she thought her team had played a “pretty solid game.”