Tennessee Lady Vols basketball wins national title. 5 bold predictions for 2022-23 season

Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel

November 8, 2022 at 5:34 PM·4 min read

It almost feels like no prediction is too bold for this season's Tennessee Lady Vols.

This team is a title-contender on paper not just in the SEC but for a national championship. We'll see very soon how that translates to reality. If Tennessee coach Kellie Harper can get the Lady Vols to play to their potential, the ceiling is in the sky.

Here are five bold predictions for the No. 4 Lady Vols before they begin the season at No. 15 Ohio State on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network).

FOR SUBSCRIBERS:How Jordan Horston played the biggest role in recruiting Lady Vols basketball roster

PRESEASON TEAMS:Preseason All-SEC women's basketball team, plus player and coach awards for 2022-23 season

LADY VOLS LEGEND:ESPN Films announces documentary on Lady Vols great, two-time WNBA champion Candace Parker

Jordan Horston, Rickea Jackson will have All-American seasons

Both Jordan Horston and transfer Rickea Jackson were on their way to All-American seasons before injury and entering the transfer portal, respectively, ended their seasons prematurely. The two seniors will be centerpieces of Tennessee's offense this season, and it wouldn't be crazy to project them both averaging around 20 points per game.

A key factor in this is the addition of senior point guard Jasmine Powell, who averaged 5.7 assists last season at Minnesota. Her presence not only frees up Horston from on-ball responsibilities – which I believe will greatly decrease her turnovers – but will increase her scoring opportunities.

Tennessee forward Rickea Jackson (2) and Tennessee guard Jordan Horston (25) take a photo together during the Lady Vols' media day at Thompson-Boling Arena on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022.

Both Horston and Jackson are elite scorers and defenders, and they were put on Preseason All-SEC teams for a reason. If they lead Tennessee back to the Final Four, they should land on All-American teams, and should be finalists for the Ann Meyers Drysdale and Cheryl Miller Awards.

A Lady Vol will win SEC Sixth Player of the Year

I left this nameless because I honestly believe it could go to three players: Jasmine Franklin, Sara Puckett or Marta Suárez.

They're all players who could – and might – make their way into the starting lineup. But all will be incredibly valuable off the bench if they don't. All three are threats offensively and strong on the defensive end. There will be no drop-off in production between the starters and these players, and there will be multiple games this season they all play crucial roles.

This team's strength is its depth, and these three players will prove it. Other players who could win the award are Jillian Hollingshead and Justine Pissott.

Tennessee wins its first SEC regular season title since 2014-15

The Lady Vols sat atop the SEC standings as the only undefeated team for the first half of conference play last season. Then the season was promptly derailed by key injuries and Tennessee ended third in the SEC.

South Carolina is a favorite to win the league – as it should be – but I think the Lady Vols will put themselves in a position to make their matchup at home against the Gamecocks the SEC regular season title game. If Tennessee can execute and stay healthy until then, I believe it can win that game and take the SEC title for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

LSU will be a top SEC team once again, but without a single challenge in its nonconference slate, the Tigers are going to be in for a rude awakening when SEC play starts. I don't believe LSU will be battle-tested enough to take down South Carolina or Tennessee.

THE COMEBACK:Secret shooting sessions, prayers: How Lady Vols' Jordan Horston made it back from elbow injury

Feb 20, 2022; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Zia Cooke (1) shoots over Tennessee Lady Vols center Tamari Key (20) in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Lady Vols win first national championship since 2008

The Final Four should be the expectation for this team – a national championship is possible. The talent across this roster is higher than it ever has been in Harper's tenure and she has built a roster that can challenge South Carolina. If everyone stays healthy and the Lady Vols play to their potential, a ring will be in their future.

There is a long, challenging road to Dallas. But Harper put together a schedule that will test Tennessee early and often. The Lady Vols will be primed in March to cut down the nets for the first time since Pat Summitt and Candace Parker brought home the program's eighth national championship in 2008.

Tennessee Lady Vols basketball coach Kellie Harper talks with center Tamari Key (20) during the women's NCAA college basketball game against Carson-Newman on Sunday, October 30, 2022 in Knoxville, Tenn.

Kellie Harper wins Coach of the Year

If Harper leads the Lady Vols to an SEC and national championship, she'll be a shoe-in for Coach of the Year. I would say even just leading Tennessee back to the Final Four, but if South Carolina coach Dawn Staley wins back-to-back national titles, the award should go to her.

This is what Harper was hired at Tennessee to do, of course. But to make the turnaround in four seasons is impressive. From recruiting this team to making all the talent work together, Harper has had her work cut out for her. But if she can get last season's limping team to the Sweet 16, only time will tell what Harper will do with this edition.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Five bold predictions for 2022-23 Tennessee Lady Vols basketball

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