Tennessee was probably better than the No. 4 seed it got last year in the women’s NCAA tournament. But being better and earning a better seed are two different things, and a tough first two months to last season cost the Lady Vols on Selection Sunday.
Still, a No. 4 seed is an accomplishment, and Tennessee got to host two NCAA tournament games. But had they had a better seed, the Lady Vols would have avoided top-seeded Virginia Tech in the regionals, the game that ended their season.
Key nonconference games won’t make or break a season, but they can shape it. And help construct the postseason path.
Tennessee finished third in a top-heavy SEC whose first- and second-place teams reached the Final Four. The Lady Vols even beat eventual national champion LSU in the conference tournament. But time and time again against the best of what was a challenging schedule in the first two months of 2022-23, Tennessee came up short. Regular-season losses to Ohio State, Indiana, UCLA, Gonzaga and Virginia Tech meant an 8-7 record outside of…
