It has been seven years since Lady Vols basketball made it to back-to-back Sweet 16.
For many programs, that's not too long. But for eight-time NCAA champion Tennessee it felt like seven decades. The Lady Vols are the only team to have appeared in all 41 NCAA Tournaments –and now they've advanced to the Sweet 16 in 36 tournaments, which is the most in women's and men's history.
Fourth-seeded Tennessee did it in dominating fashion, beating No. 12 seed Toledo 94-47 on Monday at Thompson-Boling Arena in the second round. The Lady Vols will face No. 1 seed Virginia Tech (28-4) on Saturday (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2) in the Sweet 16 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The winner advances to the Elite Eight against either No. 2 UConn (31-5) or No. 3 Ohio State (27-7) on Monday (4 p.m., ABC).
Starting a streak of Sweet 16 appearances again is a significant step for Tennessee (25-11) and coach Kellie Harper. She's not concerned about what it means for her as a coach, though. Harper's just happy for her players, who stuck with the hardest schedule in the country to get to this point.
"They really pushed and stayed confident with we could still do, even in November," Harper said. "I'm proud of them for that. There is no doubt that early part of our schedule and the results that we had in some of those losses, that could've of broken a lot of teams. It really could have. It did not break us. It made us stronger."
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Jordan Horston gets to enjoy Sweet 16 run this season
An injured Jordan Horston watched from the sidelines last season as Tennessee made its first run to the Sweet 16 since 2016.
On Monday, the senior guard led the charge as the Lady Vols dominated Toledo. Tennessee became the fourth team in history to win both its first two games of the NCAA Tournament by 45 points each, according to ESPN Stats & Info. UConn is the only other team to accomplish the feat in 2001, 2010 and 2016, winning a title the last two times.
"There's no better feeling than this," Horston said. "We're only getting better. It just goes to show the growth, it shows how hard we work, it shows our work is paying off."
Horston arrived at Tennessee in Harper's first season. She has played an integral part in the rebuilding of the program, and this time she'll get to enjoy the the March Madness run on the court.
In Monday's blowout win, Horston had 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. She tied Harper's career assist total at 452, which ranks No. 7 in program history.
"It's crazy, I would never have thought that was going to be an option for me," said Horston, who has an option to return for another season. "Just to see the amount of work she put in and the trophies and people that she played with. It's just an honor."
Harper said she's going to have fun with Horston as she tries to pass her. Horston is already in the record books, though, as the only Lady Vols player besides Alexis Hornbuckle to surpass 1,000 points, 700 rebounds and 400 assists.
But Horston catching Harper is fitting, given how close the pair are.
"I think that kind of has to happen, right? She's got to get mine," Harper joked. "There are so many talented players that have come before. So for her to be able to put her name on lists of great players – and I'm not including myself in that. I mean all those other lists that she's on. I'm just really proud of her."
'I love proving people wrong'
Tennessee lost three games after starting SEC play 8-0. After the third loss in double-overtime to Mississippi State on the road, many wrote off the Lady Vols.
They struggled to earn their way back into the polls with nine losses, and they were under-seeded in tournament projections.
But since that loss to Mississippi State on Feb. 6, the only team to beat the Lady Vols is No. 1 South Carolina.
"I'm not satisfied yet," Horston said. "It's funny though, to see how the people that were doubting us are just swallowing their words. I love that. I love proving people wrong. Keep doubting us, I feel like it's motivating us –it's motivating me. I don't mind haters."
Junior Tess Darby credited the schedule to Tennessee's success in March. She said the tough situations Harper put them in forced them to figure out who they were –quickly.
"It goes to show you we didn't pay attention to the naysayers out there," Darby said. "The coaches put us in a pretty tough preseason schedule, but that's why we're still playing and that's why we've been so dominant the last two games ... I think we're peaking at the right time because of those tough situations."
