Tennessee — 16-14, the program’s lowest winning percentage ever since the first season of NCAA-sanctioned women’s basketball in 1981-82 — went quietly, the 10th seed falling to No. 7 NC State, 76-7…
Tennessee — 16-14, the program’s lowest winning percentage ever since the first season of NCAA-sanctioned women’s basketball in 1981-82 — went quietly, the 10th seed falling to No. 7 NC State, 76-71, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night.
The defeat was the Volunteers’ eighth straight, their most recent victory on Feb. 12. A team traditionally built for March Madness went winless in the month. Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell gives instructions against North Carolina State during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 20, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich.“I can’t put it on roster construction. I gotta put it on me, right? I’ve always been able to recruit players … and get them to run through a wall for me and get them to play hard,” second-year Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell told reporters, via ESPN. “I wasn’t able to do that, and the one thing I can put my finger on is that I bailed on what we want to do first, and then how can I blame anyone else from doing it?” She “bailed” on her original plan, which had revolved around running and pressing and subbing on the fly.2026 March Madness bracket Midwest Region breakdown, prediction “It was the worst year of my professional career,” Caldwell told reporters. “Our players deserve better than that from me, and you learn from that going forward. “There was never clear leadership on my part of, hey, this is exactly what we’re going to do. This is why we’re going to do it. We never got consistent rotations.” Tennessee has played in every NCAA Tournament, and the program that forever will be known for Pat Summitt now has only lost three times in the initial game of the tournament. Kim Caldwell of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during the first half of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the NC State Wolfpack at Crisler Arena on March 20, 2026 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.Last year — Caldwell’s first with the school — Tennessee was knocked out in the Sweet 16. Caldwell had been seen as a rising star in the industry, leading Division II Glenville State to a 2022 national championship before a stop at Marshall, where in 2023-24 she led the Thundering Herd to their second NCAA Tournament berth ever and first since 1997.Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man’ on Netflix, a Fitting Conclusion to the Stylish Rock ‘n’ Roll Gangster Saga
Sports March Madness March Madness 2026 Tennessee Volunteers
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Miami (OH) vs Tennessee Prediction, Picks & Odds for Friday's March Madness GameOur Miami (OH) vs. Tennessee predictions see Vols big man Jaylen Carey feasting on a weak RedHawks interior defense on Friday, March 20.
Read more »
Tennessee vs Miami Injury Report - What To Expect in NCAA Tournament, Rd 1The Tennessee Vols are set to begin their quest for a National Championship in the NCAA Men's Tournament on Friday afternoon. The No. 6 seed Tennessee Vols take on the No. 11 seed Miami (OH). Here’s everything you need to know about the injury report.
Read more »
ICE releases Tennessee Spanish-language reporter on bondA reporter for a Spanish-language news outlet in Tennessee who contends she was wrongly held in a detention center for more than two weeks has been released. Her attorneys say she was released Thursday after paying a bond recently allowed by a judge. Estefany Rodríguez Flórez was in U.S.
Read more »
Six Tennessee Football Freshmen Spoke to the Media Following Spring Practice No. 3Six freshmen answered questions following practice on March 19, 2026.
Read more »
Tennessee teens sue Elon Musk's xAI over deepfake sexual imagesThree teenagers in Tennessee have sued Elon Musk’s xAI, claiming the company’s image-generation tools were used to morph real photos of them into explicitly sexual images. The high school students are seeking to proceed under pseudonyms. They filed the lawsuit in California, where xAI has its headquarters.
Read more »
Kim Caldwell Admits 'Failure' After Tennessee's NCAA Tournament ExitKim Caldwell discloses the many flaws that led to Tennessee's early NCAA tournament exit after its 76-61 loss to NC State.
Read more »