_Lady Vols Basketball Loses to Georgia on Senior Day, Putting March Madness Seeding in Danger_
The Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team suffered a disappointing loss on Sunday, falling 72-69 to the Georgia Lady Bulldogs on Senior Day at Thompson-Boling Arena. The loss, which snapped the Lady Vols’ five-game winning streak, puts their March Madness seeding in danger.
The Lady Vols, who were celebrating the careers of seniors Jordan Horston, Rickea Jackson, Jasmine Powell, and Tamari Key, came out flat and struggled to find their rhythm throughout the game. Despite a late rally, Tennessee was unable to overcome a 10-point deficit and suffered their first loss at home since January 12.
“We just didn’t play well enough to win,” said Lady Vols head coach Kellie Harper. “We had some good moments, but we also had some bad moments. We just didn’t play with the consistency and the energy that we needed to win.”
The loss was a tough pill to swallow for the Lady Vols, who had been playing some of their best basketball of the season. Tennessee had won five straight games coming into Sunday’s contest, and had been looking to secure a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Instead, the Lady Vols may now find themselves in a precarious position. With the loss, Tennessee falls to 22-7 overall and 12-4 in the SEC. The Lady Vols are still likely to make the NCAA Tournament, but their seeding is now in question.
“We’re still going to be a good seed, but we might not be as high as we were hoping,” said Harper. “We just have to take care of business from here on out and see what happens.”
The Lady Vols will now turn their attention to the SEC Tournament, which begins on Wednesday in Greenville, South Carolina. Tennessee will face off against the winner of the Ole Miss-Auburn game in the quarterfinals.
“We’re not going to dwell on this loss,” said Harper. “We’re going to move on and focus on the SEC Tournament. We’re still a good team, and we’re still capable of making a deep run in the tournament.”
Despite the loss, the Lady Vols still have a lot to be proud of. Tennessee has had a successful season, and has shown a lot of heart and determination. The Lady Vols will look to bounce back in the SEC Tournament and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
“We’re not giving up,” said Horston. “We’re still a team, and we’re still going to fight. We’re going to go out there and give it everything we’ve got, and see what happens.”
The Lady Vols’ loss to Georgia was a disappointing end to an otherwise successful regular season. However, Tennessee still has a lot to play for, and will look to bounce back in the SEC Tournament and beyond.
“We’re not done yet,” said Harper. “We’ve still got a lot of basketball left to play, and we’re going to go out there and give it everything we’ve got.”
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