Game thread: #11 Lady Vols host Georgia. Sunday, March 2, Noon ET, SECN

[Volfan2012]

The system is supposed to turn the ball over but it isn’t happening. The press gives up around 15pts a game, if we stop that we could’ve won more games in conference.

Kim doesn’t do any tweaking to the press at all and continue to get beat on the backside of it.

Putting Jill Sara and Tess at the front of the press is a head scratcher. At this point in the season our 10 players should tired the other team out but it’s not happening we aren’t running hard on every possession we walk the ball up the court.

Plus 10 yesterday just have to make 40 percent from the field to win 34 won't do it. If the shots had been even they win by 12. Since we had ten more we cut that to three. 34 percent to 46 percent are the big numbers yesterday. We won the floor game they shot far better.

 

[SGMVols]

The way you get a top 16 back is win two tournament games otherwise not going to happen. The losses are a result of poor offensive execution whether that is because of being tired or just plain lack of understanding how to execute an offense were really not doing what we need to win right now. 34 percent shooting does not beat 46 percent shooting even if you have 10 more shots that they do. If you can't score then you have to play better defense. You have to match their offense at least to a reasonable point. 40 percent would've been enough to win yesterday. Seldom is shooting in the 30's going to get it done. The way you get it done by shooting that low percentage is defense and it is very difficult to hold a team under 40 percent.

Obvious the flaw in this team right now is offense Ruby and Samara have disappeared. Talaysia has slacked way off what her percentages were most of the season. Spearman has been the most consistent other than the Kentucky game. We get what we can out of Jill, Tess, and Sarah they are usually not going to give you more than 15 points between the three of them. Jewell can be hot and cold and she got no help yesterday.

Where does it stand now? Well if Ruby, Samara, Talaysia, Jewell, and Taniya go back to putting up 50 points at 45 percent efficiency and Zee keeps getting her 15 and the other get us their 15 then were in a position to win. If the first five give us what they did yesterday were going to lose to just about anybody.

A lot of fans want to say the system does not work well what system works when your shooting 34 percent? It is going to work when we get some scorers in here that are consistent. It worked yesterday got us around 10 more shots than Georgia got that is what it is supposed to do. We didn't shoot well enough to take advantage of those 10 extra shots.

The blame I put on the coaches is to much freedom for all the players to put up any shot they want to put up. I lost count of the poor shots and poor execution of a 30 second clock that we ran yesterday. Basketball is about execution 3 of 19 from the three only has to be a decent percent 6 of 19 to win that game. 34 percent only needed to be 38 to 40 percent to win the game. If you can't score at a certain percentage efficiency not winning in any sport and more so basketball.

Turn it all around is fairly simple make shots at around 45 percent and as we have done in almost every game win the turnover and offensive rebound stats.

Beating A&M and Vandy is not going to get us back to hosting. We have to beat SC too. And that’s going to be near impossible after the wear and tear of two games in two days when they will be coming in fresh. But I think Vandy is going to beat us anyway so it’s moot

 

[Volfan2012]

Beating A&M and Vandy is not going to get us back to hosting. We have to beat SC too. And that’s going to be near impossible after the wear and tear of two games in two days when they will be coming in fresh. But I think Vandy is going to beat us anyway so it’s moot

I disagree think it will probably won't get to find out. The way Vandy is playing even if we get past A&M they are going to beat us. The total disappearing act of Whitehorn and Spencer is just to much to overcome. Were not making up their 25 ppg average with Tess, Sarah, and Jill.

 

[mudcat1973]

Does she need to add some half court offense to that recipe?

Zone defense you got have shooters who knot them down.
A system to get your shooters shots
Georgia zone defense won the day
A coach needs to keep players from shooting bad shots players know where they are most comfortable in shooting three's.
Not letting players throw up force three's is where she can improve as a coach.
If you're not making three's a coach needs offense plan to attack the paint.
Doesn't matter if other team playing man to man or zone defense a coach needs a offense to get open two pointers.

 

[Moar Steam]

Worst loss since Holly was coach.

Absolutely unforgiveable.

When you have your forever coach, who is going to take you back to the promised land, they do not lose games like this.

GA's first win in 16 SEC road games. Only 6th victory in program history at Knoxville.

And worst of all, the team laid down two games in a row.

Bad loss for sure but ask Bama fans about losing to Louisiana-Monroe in Nick Saban’s first year. Not comparing Kim to Saban but weird stuff can happen in a coach’s first year. Give her some to adapt and adjust.

 

[mudcat1973]

Is there another committee reveal for the tournament before selection Sunday? I tried finding something but only came up with selection Sunday.

Charlie Cream ESPN gives his pridictions
Selection show on the ESPN everybody besides the committee finds out then.

 

[volbound1700]

This team tied for the 2nd worst record in SEC play in school history. Only Holly’s last team was worse and all 5 of Kellie’s teams finished better.

Still hard to judge based on one year but looks like the honeymoon phase could be over. That UK loss was rough...

UK had our number in Men's as well this year though.

 

[mudcat1973]

;o)

Big difference between regular season and "win or go home" basketball

Also big difference between endurance for one game and back to back to back's...Our girls have run for days so they can run for days,,,no one else will have that gas tank (theoretically)

Now we get to find out if the "plan" works in the bigger stage

Kentucky had Three good post players.
Kentucky play at their own pace and didn't take bait in getting into fast break game.
Georgia zone exposed Tennessee weekends in the paint.
All teams are in better shape than the start of the season in the game thread a poster posted Georgia look tired but Georgia had enough in the tank.
Kim / coaches will need right adjustments to get two wins vs Texas A&M and Vanderbilt
Being in better shape will not win those two games alone.

 

[SGMVols]

I disagree think it will probably won't get to find out. The way Vandy is playing even if we get past A&M they are going to beat us. The total disappearing act of Whitehorn and Spencer is just to much to overcome. Were not making up their 25 ppg average with Tess, Sarah, and Jill.

When you enter yesterday already barely clinging to a host spot and then proceed to take a quad 4 loss at home, you are not getting that spot back by just beating the worst team in the conference and a mid tier team in the conference. You’ve got to knock off someone in the top tier to make up for that abomination of a loss.

 

[Volfan2012]

If we win two I'll get back to you otherwise it is not happening. All the other teams are playing too some will lose games so you can move up
We're not that far down now but of course losing either of next two probably makes us a six

 

[Volfan2012]

From the best I can figure we are at number 18 right now. The second five seed.

 

[volbound1700]

This team tied for the 2nd worst record in SEC play in school history. Only Holly’s last team was worse and all 5 of Kellie’s teams finished better.

Also, sorry for double-post but the irony is that Kellie Harper's teams would usually stink it up in the Non-Conference but do well in the league. I think it was the Non-Conference performances that got Harper fired (and recruiting).

Now, you got the opposite going on where Kim Caldwell's teams are doing great in non-Conference but dropping games they shouldn't in SEC play.

I think Kim is still the right choice and will get it going. Despite that, I was iffy about Harper's firing. I was 50/50 on it. I understood it but wasn't clear if it was right choice or not. It is always debatable to fire a coach that is making tournaments but we seem to be in a free fall with her.

 

[Orange.]

No reason to believe Whitehorn and Spencer won’t have big games coming up. We’re down but not out. That was emotionally difficult to watch. But let’s see what our ladies can do. I’m worried about Cooper’s injury. But I’m not throwing in the towel. A win against TAMU could fire us up.

 

[mudcat1973]

I disagree think it will probably won't get to find out. The way Vandy is playing even if we get past A&M they are going to beat us. The total disappearing act of Whitehorn and Spencer is just to much to overcome. Were not making up their 25 ppg average with Tess, Sarah, and Jill.

Tess - Sara Jill played a combine 38 minutes of the available 200 minutes of the team of five players.
80 % of the playing time went to other players majority of that loss to Georgia belongs on the players getting most of the playing time . 12,12 or 14 minutes is not much to score 25 points.
When you just in few minutes at a time.

 

[Volfan2012]

I'll take a guess and say we will be ranked number 18 today. We could move up to 14 or 15 by beating A&M and Vandy.

 

[Volfan2012]

Tess - Sara Jill played a combine 38 minutes of the available 200 minutes of the team of five players.
80 % of the playing time went to other players majority of that loss to Georgia belongs on the players getting most of the playing time . 12,12 or 14 minutes is not much to score 25 points.
When you just in few minutes at a time.

Playing thirty eight minutes and contributing 6 points is what I am talking about. That is why they are not playing more. That is one fifth of a game so you have to put up at the least 17. They are the best of the rest and the best have been playing horribly as well so were losing. We average 88 so one fifth would be close to 18 for those minutes. Think the coach would be happy if they were contributing 15 playing those minutes and sometimes they do not in the last several games.

 

[Volfan2012]

Going to predict we beat A&M and lose to Vandy. I know people don't like to hear that and hope I am wrong but Vandy has an inside out game better than ours. Maybe already playing a game will help sometimes getting a game in helps you in the second game. They overpowered Missouri 100 to 59 on their home floor yesterday. Unless we get some people to scoring they will do the same thing to us. We just recently beat that same Missouri team by 9 and had to huff and puff down the stretch to do it. We will be a five or six if we win one and lose one. A five we could go to North Carolina or God forbid Kansas St or Ohio St somewhere like that. A lot of possibilities. One thing for sure and the only thing were solidly in the NCAA Tourney no matter when we lose next.

Winning two I disagree with some posters who say it want matter. I think we will squeeze in a host spot. NCAA wants to give us one they can only do it if we qualify and we defintely could by beating A&M and Vandy. Our Quad one would be 7 and 7 much better than some of the teams were competing with. Losing to SC would not affect anything.

 

[th2421]

Going to predict we beat A&M and lose to Vandy. I know people don't like to hear that and hope I am wrong but Vandy has an inside out game better than ours. Maybe already playing a game will help sometimes getting a game in helps you in the second game. They overpowered Missouri 100 to 59 on their home floor yesterday. Unless we get some people to scoring they will do the same thing to us. We just recently beat that same Missouri team by 9 and had to huff and puff down the stretch to do it. We will be a five or six if we win one and lose one. A five we could go to North Carolina or God forbid Kansas St or Ohio St somewhere like that. A lot of possibilities. One thing for sure and the only thing were solidly in the NCAA Tourney no matter when we lose next.

Winning two I disagree with some posters who say it want matter. I think we will squeeze in a host spot. NCAA wants to give us one they can only do it if we qualify and we defintely could by beating A&M and Vandy. Our Quad one would be 7 and 7 much better than some of the teams were competing with. Losing to SC would not affect anything.

Totally agree with you on all of this. Kansas St. without Ayoka Lee wouldn't be the worst place to have to play, though they've said they're hoping to have her back for the tourney.

 

[mudcat1973]

Playing thirty eight minutes and contributing 6 points is what I am talking about. That is why they are not playing more. That is one fifth of a game so you have to put up at the least 17. They are the best of the rest and the best have been playing horribly as well so were losing. We average 88 so one fifth would be close to 18 for those minutes. Think the coach would be happy if they were contributing 15 playing those minutes and sometimes they do not in the last several games.

Cooper 13 mins 2 points Whitehorn 16 mins 0 pts Lathan 15 mins 2pts 44 mins 4 points more mins less points

 

[Volfan2012]

Cooper 13 mins 2 points Whitehorn 16 mins 0 pts Lathan 15 mins 2pts 44 mins 4 points more mins less points

I said they played terrible to, but they haven't always at least half or more of the time they score their average. Tess is up and down. Puckett and Jill don't have much of an average for the entire season. So if you want to go there Tess,Sarah, and Jill come in with 47 minutes on average for the season. Points scored 15 a game should be more like 22 so not real bad, but lately they haven't been doing anything close to even 15. Whitehorn, Spencer, Spearman, Cooper, and Spear our best five for the season 55 points per game on average playing 118 minutes. That is where they need to be and against Georgia was not even close.
The point being if they don't do it we don't have any backups that are going to make up the difference when they fail. Next season we will. I know you don't like to hear it but the Pauldo twins, Civil, and Prawl are much more talented than Tess, Jill, Sarah, and Ace it is just a fact that is true.

 

[feathersax]

I hesitate to use that word because it’s a strong accusation to make. But for that annihilation in Lexington to have not woken them up at all yesterday is troubling and does point to some sort of internal issue with this team that the coaches have yet to solve.

Not blaming the coaches here. Players gotta PLAY, or at least make an effort.

 

[Majors]

I hesitate to use that word because it’s a strong accusation to make. But for that annihilation in Lexington to have not woken them up at all yesterday is troubling and does point to some sort of internal issue with this team that the coaches have yet to solve.

7 players had 3 points or less. Not much to solve.

 

[madtownvol]

I get that it is different posters making these statements but it is amazing that the tone of the board has gone from "CKC is another genius hire from DW. She is going to be the next Pat Summitt!!!" to "maybe we need a new coach!"

This team is built to rely on the 3 pt shot and when they go 6-28 (21%) and don't dominate the boards, it is hard to win. You get that % up to 33% that is 9 more points and most probably a win. And, the team shot 1-10 from 3 and 2-16 from inside during the fatal 1st quarter.

People can complain about shot selection but most of our threes were wide open. Except for Jewel, GA was not closing out and they should have been punished. Tess was 1-5 and only one was a forced shot with the shot clock running out.



This stat box is telling. The LVs won all those categories but the margins were all relatively small. CKC's game dependents on generating a lot more points of TO than the opponent, whereas GA played it just about even.

On the flip side, this system did close a 23 point gap but they fell apart down the stretch when they actually had a 3 point lead. I think that is where Coop's absence was really felt. She has been the team's closer all season.

My grade is that CKC's spread offense is fine. Players need to hit shots and we have too many shots missed at the rim. A mobile post which would let Zee play more at the 4 would be a big boost to this offense. I expect action in the transfer portal to fill this gap.

Defensively, I think it is fair to now say that the "we will press the opponent into submission and out hustle everyone until they surrender" was a pipe dream that never had a chance once the competition ramped up.

Good teams (and now mediocre ones like GA) break the LV press with relative ease. KY was actually licking their chomps in facing it. Our defense now, more often then not, consists of players running beside a player trying not foul as the ball advances up the court.

Defensively, we are working harder not smarter and the LVs seem to be the team wearing down.

Cooper, Boyd, Spearman, Whitehorn, and Spencer all have the capabilities to be lock down perimeter defenders. Enough of the gimmicks, just play a straight up man-to-man D with some occassional zone traps thrown in the mix.

This high press stuff is now a lot of futile effort that gets our players constantly out of position and gives up just about as many easy buckerts as it generates in TO points.

 

[Voltopia]

Winning two I disagree with some posters who say it want matter. I think we will squeeze in a host spot. NCAA wants to give us one they can only do it if we qualify and we defintely could by beating A&M and Vandy. Our Quad one would be 7 and 7 much better than some of the teams were competing with. Losing to SC would not affect anything.

And unfortunately I think winning one and then losing to Vandy knocks Tennessee out of hosting. Tennessee's the only team in the top 25 with a Q4 loss. Their end of season trajectory is a bit of a tailspin right now. They've been blown out on the road, beaten at home by a really really really bad team, and going 1-1 in the SECT would mean they're limping across the finish beating the worst team in the SEC and then losing to a decent but not top 15 Vanderbilt team.

Again, the only team in the top 25 with a quad 4 loss, and that loss is fresh. Just think they need to beat both to even have a chance at this point.

 

[creekdipper]

Old and slow !

In my admittedly limited experience compared to Wilt, the ladies actually prefer the latter.