Lady Vols Nearly Upset No. 4 Texas

Tennessee's women's basketball team shows signs of progress despite narrow loss

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The No. 22 Lady Vols basketball team nearly pulled off an upset over the No. 4 ranked Texas Longhorns, marking a significant improvement from their previous losses to top-5 opponents this season.

Why it matters

Tennessee's women's basketball program has struggled in recent years, but this close loss to a highly ranked Texas team suggests the Lady Vols are making progress and could be a team to watch as the season continues.

The details

The Lady Vols kept the game close throughout, only falling short by a narrow margin against the Longhorns. This was a marked improvement from their previous losses to top-5 opponents earlier in the season, which had been by much larger deficits.

  • The game was played on February 15, 2026 at the Food City Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The players

Lady Vols

The women's basketball team representing the University of Tennessee.

Texas Longhorns

The women's basketball team representing the University of Texas at Austin, currently ranked #4 in the country.

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The takeaway

While the Lady Vols ultimately fell short of the upset, this close loss to a top-5 opponent suggests the team is making progress and could be a team to watch as the season continues.