Lady Vols coach Holly Warlick on next four games: 'We'll see how good we are'

Thursday's opponent served as Wednesday's ally for Holly Warlick.

The Tennessee Lady Vols were watching video of Texas A&M the day before their  game at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas (TV: SEC Network, 7 p.m. ET). Warlick, UT's coach, indicated that the exercise served her purpose of keeping their focus trained on the game at hand.

"I think they're trying to figure out how we're going to guard Chennedy Carter and Danni Williams and their inside game," Warlick said. "We haven't had the opportunity to look ahead. They're pretty zeroed in on getting ready for Texas A&M. They're going to be a pretty difficult team."

More:Lady Vols beat Vanderbilt behind Mercedes Russell's career day

The No. 16 Aggies (13-4, 2-1 SEC) will be the first of four consecutive difficult opponents for Tennessee. The first three are on the road. A trip to No. 8 South Carolina, the defending national champion, looms on Sunday. Tennessee visits No. 2 Notre Dame on Jan. 18.

When the Lady Vols return home, they'll face No. 3 Mississippi State, last season's national runner-up, on Jan. 21.

"We'll see how good we are," Warlick said.

No. 6 Tennessee (15-0, 3-0) is in the midst of its longest winning streak since 2011. Its ranking is the highest since 2015. Vanderbilt coach Stephanie White referred to the Lady Vols on Sunday as a national championship contender.

UT's No. 12 RPI reflects its schedule, which RealTimeRPI.com ranks as No. 60. The latter ranking is bound to be on the rise. 

"I keep saying this, we really truly have not talked about who's down the road," Warlick said. "We talk in general terms that you have to be prepared, your practice has to be game speed and those type of things. But not each individual team, haven't done that."

At this point, the Lady Vols' stature is affirmed by more than its undefeated record. For starters, they've begun the season with the same starting five for the longest stretch since at least 1977-78. Warlick called Jaime Nared, Rennia Davis, Mercedes Russell, Meme Jackson and Evina Westbrook "a great starting core." They've been instrumental in outscoring the opposition 342-191 during the first quarter.

Tennessee is on pace to be the best rebounding team in program history, averaging 49 per game. Its scoring average (85.3) ranks fourth. Warlick conceded to being surprised that the Lady Vols have been consistent enough defensively to limit opponents to 34.3 percent field goal shooting.

Former Lady Vol Andraya Carter, who's working as an analyst for the SEC Network, suggested Wednesday during her weekly appearance on Knoxville radio station WNML that UT's best approach to this difficult stretch of games is staying the course it's already plotted.

"It's almost as if they don't continue doing what they're doing then they lose," she said. "If they continue doing what they're doing, then they'll be solid."

UT probably needs to do defense better after allowing 73 points against Vanderbilt. The Commodores shot 49.1 percent from the floor, a season high for a Tennessee opponent.

Warlick thought Tennessee's early offensive struggles affected its defense, at least until the fourth quarter. 

"It hasn't happened (before)," Warlick said. "I don't anticipate it to continue happening because they saw the result."