JOHN ADAMS

John Adams: Lady Vols have proved they can't overlook a No. 12 seed

John Adams
USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

Tennessee’s wins mattered more than its losses. How else can you interpret its No. 5 seeding in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament?

Never mind that it lost to Alabama twice and Ole Miss once. Or its 19-11 record. UT received a No. 5 seed in the Oklahoma City Regional on Monday, and will play 12th-seeded Dayton on Saturday in Louisville, Ky.

SEE ALSO:  NCAA women's basketball tournament bracket

The higher-than-expected seeding obviously is a reward for beating top-10 teams Notre Dame, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Stanford during the regular season.

Despite the favorable seeding, UT could face the challenge of having to beat Louisville on its home floor in the second round to advance to the Sweet 16. But if you have followed the Lady Vols through an unpredictable season, your main concern should be 12th-seeded Dayton.

SEE ALSO: Oklahoma City Regional capsules

UT’s opening game in the NCAA tournament once had all the suspense of a shoot-around. It only had to show up and let its talent come roaring through against whatever hapless opponent showed up.

From 1994 through 2008, Tennessee won its tournament opener by an average of 44.5 points. Its narrowest victory during that stretch was by 23 points; its largest — 74.

Tennessee's Jordan Reynolds, left, and Diamond DeShields hope to play parts in an NCAA tournament run like last season.

That’s why UT’s 16-point loss to 12th-seeded Ball State in its 2009 tournament opener is one of the most stunning results in program history.

“I can’t believe it,” sophomore guard Angie Bjorklund said at the time. “I’m in disbelief.”

But eight years later, would anyone be shocked if UT lost to Dayton in the first round?

Not anyone who watched Tennessee lose to 12th-seeded Alabama in its SEC tournament opener.

Or anyone who watched UT lose to Ole Miss, Virginia Tech and Alabama in the regular season.

Hapless opponents are hard to come by for a team that seemingly can sink to depths far beneath its talent level. Based on UT’s track record, it’s as likely to lose in the first round as the Sweet 16.

The Lady Vols can overcome top-10 teams like South Carolina and Notre Dame. And they can overlook just about anyone, as senior point guard Jordan Reynolds pointed out after the loss to Alabama.

“We were just overlooking this team,” she said. “We didn’t think we had to come out and play to the best of our ability, because we came off a very good win.”

Tennessee players weren’t available Monday night to comment on the team’s mind-set entering the NCAA tournament. That’s a first. In fact, until last season, UT’s entire team was on hand for interviews after the tournament field was announced.

Last year, just two players were available to the media. Only coach Holly Warlick met with the media this time.

“Everybody is going to say their bracket is the hardest," she said. "But we’re zoning in on Dayton. You’ve got to really focus in on who you are playing one game at a time.”

Maybe, amid the pressure of an NCAA tournament, the Lady Vols will finally figure that out.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnadamsKNS.

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