Kaniya Boyd played a critical role for Lady Vols basketball in a must-win game against Alabama, and Kim Caldwell said she's a rare kind of freshman.

Kaniya Boyd has started to hit her stride for the Lady Vols. Here's why Kim Caldwell called the redshirt freshman the "future of this program."

Caldwell hasn't seen a freshman as mature as Boyd since she coached Re'Shawna Stone at Glenville State, who is currently playing professionally in Finland. The Las Vegas native is continuing to improve, and it's starting to pay off.