Despite loss, Lady Vols regain spot in AP poll

Despite losing a women's basketball game, Tennessee regained a spot Monday in the Associated Press' Top 25 weekly poll.

The Lady Vols resurfaced at No. 24 after a nine-week absence. They were rewarded for beating conference leader South Carolina last Monday in Columbia, S.C. The victory wasn't trumped by an 81-78 double-overtime loss to Georgia, which entered the game tied for ninth in the SEC standings.

After a whirlwind week, the Lady Vols are tied for fourth in the conference with Kentucky and Missouri. The Tigers visit Thompson-Boling Arena on Thursday.

In the meantime, here are three observations about Sunday's agonizing loss:

1. Turnovers about execution but also imbalance

Tennessee had averaged only 11 turnovers the last four games, which amounted to its most sustained efficiency of the season. And then came 24 turnovers against an aggressive Georgia defense.

The 10 turnovers charged to Diamond DeShields offset her game-high 34 points and four steals. Four of her turnovers were in the final 2 minutes, 17 seconds of regulation and another came in the second overtime. They corresponded with seven Georgia points.

Two of the late turnovers in regulation – a stolen entry pass and a strip steal while driving – came with the redshirt junior guard essentially running the possession. The other was a tie-up off an inbounds, a possession that initially was manned by forward Jaime Nared. The fourth came when she threw an inbounds pass over everyone with 1.9 seconds left.

The overtime turnover was a ball-handling mistake.

“I think Diamond at times has a mindset that she needs to do everything,” UT coach Holly Warlick said. “I’m not going to blame her. She scored 34 points.”

There was a noteworthy correlation between DeShields’ struggles and the nine turnovers she committed in a loss at Auburn on Jan. 19. Against Georgia, six of the eight Lady Vols who played combined for 20 points and 10 turnovers. At Auburn, five Lady Vols scored a collective six points and committed 10 turnovers.

Whatever the cause, the disproportion played a part in both situations.

2. Nared needed better chance for better start

Tennessee’s Nared had scored in double figures in 19 consecutive games and had averaged 26.5 points the previous two. Therefore, it was perplexing that she hardly touched the basketball during the first quarter.

Nared scored 11 points in the first 10 minutes against LSU Thursday and had 16 by halftime.

Against Georgia, Nared’s first touch occurred after a Mercedes Russell block. Nared drove from the frontcourt all the way to the basket and drew a foul against Mackenzie Engram, who played 46 minutes and had 18 points and 13 rebounds. Nared’s second touch came via an offensive rebound.

Nared, who finished with five points, attempted one field goal in the quarter, when UT shot 3 for 13 from the floor and fell behind by eight points. If anything, a few more attempts might have resulted in more fouls against either Engram, who finished with three fouls, or Caliya Robinson, who scored 28 points but also had four fouls.

3. Defense didn’t make enough difference

DeShields was especially frustrated by Georgia guard Haley Clark dribbling the length of the floor in seven seconds and scoring the game-tying basket with two seconds left in regulation.

“Stuff like that shouldn’t happen,” she said.

Conversely Robinson looked like a budding star, shooting 13 for 17 from the floor. The 6-foot-3 sophomore forward’s size and athleticism created matchup problems, particularly with Nared in foul trouble by the second quarter.

“I just thought she was outstanding tonight,” Warlick said of Robinson. “… Maybe we should’ve fouled her more. She was 1 for 4 (at the free throw line).”