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SEC Preview: South Carolina, Mississippi State, Tennessee and much more

By Blake DuDonis

KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 16: Tennessee Lady Volunteers head coach Holly Warlick is interviewed by former Lady Vol, now ESPN commentator, Kara Lawson after a game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Tennessee Lady Volunteers on January 16, 2017, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. Tennessee upset the Irish 71-69. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 16: Tennessee Lady Volunteers head coach Holly Warlick is interviewed by former Lady Vol, now ESPN commentator, Kara Lawson after a game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Tennessee Lady Volunteers on January 16, 2017, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. Tennessee upset the Irish 71-69. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Tennessee Lady Vols
Predicted finish: 3rd  

Key returners (last season’s stats)
C- Mercedes Russell- 6’6, SR- 16.1 PPG, 56%FG, 9.7 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 35 MPG, Second Team All-SEC
G/F- Jaime Nared- 6’2, SR- 15.6 PPG, 42%FG, 38% 3pt, 6.9 RPG, 34 MPG, Second Team All-SEC

Biggest losses (last season’s stats)
G- Diamond Deshields, 6’1- 17.4 PPG, 42%FG, 33% 3pt, 6.4 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 34 MPG, First Team All-SEC
G- Alexa Middleton, 5’9- 7.9 PPG, 40%FG, 39% 3pt
G- Jordan Reynolds, 5’11- 7 PPG, 35%FG, 5.2 RPG, 4.5 APG, 35 MPG

Newcomers
G- Evina Westbrook, 6’0, (Salem, OR), FR- Ranked #2 in 2017 class, #2 shooting guard
G- Anastasia Hayes, 5’7, (Murfreesboro, TN), FR- Ranked #7 in 2017 class, #3 point guard
G/F- Rennia Davis, 6’2, (Jacksonville, FL), FR- Ranked #12 in 2017 class, #3 wing
C- Kasiyahna Kushkituah, 6’4, (Atlanta, GA), FR- Ranked #59 in 2017 class, #7 post
F- Cheridene Green, 6’3, (ASA College), R-JR- Sat last season with a knee injury, averaged 20.3 PPG, 16.5 RPG at ASA College
* Ranked as the #1 recruiting class in the country*

Head Coach- Holly Warlick, 6th season
You would be hard pressed to find a coach whose name is more polarizing in women’s basketball right now than Holly Warlick. The long time assistant and dear friend of the late Pat Summitt, Warlick took over the Lady Vols program in 2012 and has been, depending on who you talk to, on the hot seat ever since. Let’s stick with facts here though. In her five seasons as head coach, Warlick has compiled a 128-46 (60-20 SEC) record and has led her team to three Elite Eight appearances. The only other programs that have equalled or surpassed that number of Elite Eight appearances in that same time frame are UConn, Stanford, Notre Dame and Baylor. Warlick and her staff have also shown that they can still get the job done on the recruiting trails as the number one class in the country clearly indicates. Following a legend at any school is difficult, but Warlick was tasked with the toughest situation of all. With a roster filled with huge talent, albeit it small in numbers, Warlick has a chance to silence the doubters this season.

Key non-conference games
Nov. 23- Marquette (neutral site)
Dec. 10- Texas
Dec. 21- @ Stanford
Jan. 18- @ Notre Dame

Outlook
What an up-and-down season the Lady Vols had a season ago. The entire women’s basketball world was left scratching their head at some of the outcomes. Wins over Stanford and Notre Dame were impressive, and they handed both South Carolina and Mississippi State their only home losses of the season. For every big win, however, there were even worse losses. Penn State, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss and Alabama (three times) all took down Tennessee, and none of those teams made the NCAA tournament. Diamond DeShields was an indisputable talent but news of clashes in the locker room were impossible to avoid. With DeShields leaving school this summer, and the transfer of deadeye shooter Alexa Middleton, the team is now in the hands of seniors Mercedes Russell and Jaime Nared. Both of those players are likely first round WNBA draft picks and are more than capable of shouldering their load, but who else will step up? Evina Westbrok will be looking to replace Jordan Reynolds at the point guard position, and the other freshman will have to step in and play right away as well. If the talent comes together to play well as one, the Lady Vols can beat anyone. Keep in mind, despite all of the death and doom talk that faced this team last season, two more SEC wins would have earned them sole ownership of 3rd place. This is not a team to be taken lightly.

Best Case Scenario- Nared and Russell lead the team in a way that hasn’t been seen in Knoxville for years, the team because one of the best transition teams in the country, all the talent blends perfectly and Tennessee returns to SEC glory by winning it all and earning a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament

Worst Case Scenario- DeShields production can’t be replaced, the freshmen get shell-shocked in the tough and physical SEC, talks about Warlick’s job status becomes a distraction and the Lady Vols struggle to a tie for 5th place, bowing out of the NCAA tournament in the first weekend for the second straight year

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