Lady Vols loss to Virginia Tech in Sweet 16 reminds you they aren't elite program | Adams

The Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament turned sweeter for the Tennessee Lady Vols before they even took the floor Saturday at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Third-seeded Ohio State knocked off longtime Tennessee nemesis Connecticut in the opening half of the regional doubleheader.

But a UConn loss was as good as it got for the Lady Vols.

No. 1 seed Virginia Tech wasted little time in setting the tone for a game that oddsmakers rated even. There was nothing even about it in the opening minutes when Hokies 5-foot-6 point guard Georgia Amoore hit a 3-pointer, and her teammates followed with a couple of layups. They were off and running to a 73-64 victory.

The fourth-seeded Lady Vols spent the rest of the game playing catchup. They even cut an 18-point disadvantage to one in the fourth quarter.

Virginia Tech faltered. But it didn’t fold.

The game was indicative of Tennessee’s 25-12 season, which proved disappointing given its top-five ranking in preseason. It often was competitive against the nationally ranked teams on its schedule, but only against LSU in the SEC Tournament could it close the deal.

That successful comeback from a 17-point deficit gave credence to the possibility of another rally when Tennessee had a shot at its first Elite Eight appearance since 2016. Virginia Tech’s lack of reliance on its bench breathed more life into a late Lady Vols charge.

Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks used only six players, and some of them were cramping up at the end. Conversely, Tennessee coach Kellie Harper went to her bench early and often, relying on 10 players for much of the game.

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UT’s depth helped shift the momentum in the third quarter. So did Harper’s decision to extend her defense and put more pressure on the Hokies’ overworked point guard.

Amoore and her teammates were up to the challenge. She finished with 29 points, five rebounds and four assists. How does a 5-6 player get five rebounds against a team as tall as the Lady Vols? With sheer hustle, that’s how. Even as tired as Amoore must have been, she found a burst of energy down the stretch as Virginia Tech pulled away for the nine-point victory.

Never mind how potent Tennessee’s star combo of Jordan Horston and Rickea Jackson has been at times this season. It couldn’t match Amoore.

Horston had 17 points, and Jackson added 15. But the Lady Vols needed more from its two best players to beat a team of Virginia Tech’s caliber. They also needed more help from their supporting cast against the Hokies, who were superior offensively and defensively for much of the game.

At least, give the Lady Vols credit for mounting a challenge when the game was slipping away. Point guard Jordan Walker had much to do with that. She doesn’t have Amoore’s ability, but she played her hardest in the second half and finished with 12 points.

Tennessee received little support from post players Karoline Striplin and Jillian Hollingshead, who were a combined 2-for-10 from the field with four points and two rebounds. They were overmatched against the Hokies’ 6-6 center Elizabeth Kitley, who had 12 points and eight rebounds. But that was as expected.

Nonetheless, Hollingshead showed All-SEC potential in the second half of the season. She will return next season, as will Jackson. Post player Tamari Key will be back, too, after missing most of the season with blood clots in her lungs. Horston has yet to decide whether she will move on to the WNBA.

So, the Lady Vols could field another 25-win team that will qualify for the NCAA Tournament. But the program that won eight national championships under former coach Pat Summitt hasn’t been elite for a long time.

The loss to Virginia Tech in the Sweet 16 was another reminder of where Tennessee now ranks in women’s basketball.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Lady Vols loss to Virginia Tech reminds you they aren't elite program