Aftermath of Lady Vols Loss to Michigan

[Amb3096]

I've said numerous times Kellie committed coaching malpractice by not addressing the point guard situation last offseason, which ultimately bit them in the butt. If she decides to run it back with the Jordans handling the point again, adding only a raw, inexperienced true freshman, there is no hope for her...

"I'll take the Hayes Combo #2, please? P.S. - I'm not Holly."

 

[Darth_Vol]

"I'll take the Hayes Combo #2, please? P.S. - I'm not Holly."

I mean I'm sure Anastasia has learned her lesson from her past transgressions...

 

[Amb3096]

I mean I'm sure Anastasia has learned her lesson from her past transgressions...

Is recreational weed legal in Tennessee now?

 

[tenecvol4]

Kellie may get us there but I believe the rebuild could have been shortened by hiring an elite coach.

With lots of $$$$$ - Elite coach - I wanted Becky Hammond

 

[Lucy]

I've said numerous times Kellie committed coaching malpractice by not addressing the point guard situation last offseason, which ultimately bit them in the butt. If she decides to run it back with the Jordans handling the point again, adding only a raw, inexperienced true freshman, there is no hope for her...

There is virtually nothing that Kellie could do that would give you cause for “hope”. Just stop.

 

[Vols2015]

Your quote (speaking on the environment of the program): Holly was not a mother, that I know of, so that alone can make a huge difference!

Saying that not being a mother can make a huge difference in the environment of the program is most definitely implying something pertaining to someone's coaching ability. Coaching ability isn't just X's and O's.

That’s only if you take that implication from your own mind. I know what I said and how I intended it to be. If you chose to deem my words as an implication of something you want to believe, that’s on you, not me.

 

[Vols2015]

You said that Pat and Kellie's ability to take players under their wing was tied to them being mothers -- and Holly wasn't so that could have been her issue.

Not having kids wasn't Holly's issue.
There have been successful coaches without kids.
There have been coaches will a gaggle of kids that can't win and their team despises.

Holly could actually connect really well with the kids, otherwise they wouldn't have chosen UT in the first place (especially her last few years...). Her issue was she couldn't coach them out of a paper bag after they got got to Knoxville. It doesn't matter if the coach is like your mother if you're a top talent that isn't winning.

Holly was only a piece of the puzzle with getting recruits. A lot of the success was on her staff, and obviously the program Pat built didn’t hurt either. Obviously, Holly had a lot of issues with connecting with the kids she had sign under her tenure. There were several transfers.

 

[WeAreTheRealUT.]

"I'll take the Hayes Combo #2, please? P.S. - I'm not Holly."

They entered the transfer portal today.

 

[GameTime]

Next season the pg position will be just fine...Miles will be outstanding after a few games and Coach Kellie has some time to work with her....The girl is a rocket with the ball on offense...She has a fine outside shot, and is extremely aggressive on defense...

KK gave it all she had, no criticism from me....The team, and us fans, will miss her infectious personality...

Tamari Key played fine...With some additional strong post coaching, she could become something special....(Please someone help this girl) After her big triple double day, she became very average again, and that's being generous....

Horston is a good defender, but the girl is not an outside shooter...Not likely to ever have a high percentage as an out side shooter...The other teams have figured out, when open, she will pass before taking a shot.....Appears to lack confidence in her shot.

Burrell gave 1000%.....She'll be our floor leader next season....

There are players on our bench that may not be SEC ready, or will ever be ready for the SEC....

The incoming freshmen are all scorers....That, above all, is what will make this team dangerous to the competition...

 

[LadyVols_WBK]

She is a good post, I wouldn't call her athletic. She's actually a poor rebounder for her size. I would be surprised if she can dunk a ball...

Tamari Key is a poor rebounder because of Rennia Davis....sometimes (alot of times)Key would do all the hard work of boxing out and Rennia would come in and snatch it

 

[Nute Gunray]

Next season the pg position will be just fine...Miles will be outstanding after a few games and Coach Kellie has some time to work with her....The girl is a rocket with the ball on offense...She has a fine outside shot, and is extremely aggressive on defense...

KK gave it all she had, no criticism from me....The team, and us fans, will miss her infectious personality...

Tamari Key played fine...With some additional strong post coaching, she could become something special....(Please someone help this girl) After her big triple double day, she became very average again, and that's being generous....

Horston is a good defender, but the girl is not an outside shooter...Not likely to ever have a high percentage as an out side shooter...The other teams have figured out, when open, she will pass before taking a shot.....Appears to lack confidence in her shot.

Burrell gave 1000%.....She'll be our floor leader next season....

There are players on our bench that may not be SEC ready, or will ever be ready for the SEC....

The incoming freshmen are all scorers....That, above all, is what will make this team dangerous to the competition...

GameTime, I agree with all of your comments except the Horston comments. I think Jordan can become an elite scorer averaging 20-25 ppg. if she is willing to be taught how to shoot and will put in the hard work to learn.

 

[glv98]

She is a good post, I wouldn't call her athletic

Key has some athleticism, like in that fast break in the tourney where she made a great catch and lay up (!) on an overthrown pass while nearly out of bounds. But her athleticism comes in fits and spurts. And she barely jumps, you couldn't slide a pizza between her feet and the floor. I'd really like to see her develop some hops during the offseason. Amazing she blocks as many shots as she does flat footed. Just imagine if she jumped!

I've said numerous times Kellie committed coaching malpractice by not addressing the point guard situation last offseason, which ultimately bit them in the butt. If she decides to run it back with the Jordans handling the point again, adding only a raw, inexperienced true freshman, there is no hope for her...

Unfair to say she didn't address it. Do you seriously think she did not try to get the best PG available? You can say she was unsuccessful in attracting an elite PG and had to settle for Walker, and maybe you consider that malpractice. But ""failure to address" as if she went swimming instead of trying to recruit a PG is not fair.

Similarly, she never "decided" to run PG with the Jordans, that got decided for her when Jaz left and no one else came. And I highly doubt she will "decide" to do it again. I'm sure she's beating the bushes even as we speak.

Harper is in a really tough recruiting spot. The glow of Pat is far, far off for recruits yet the stench of Hollyball still hangs in the air. She needs to win to recruit, but she needs to recruit to win. It's the curse of all rebuilding teams.

For the upcoming year, she's going to have to rely on development of current players. Basically, Rae has to become Re and Horston and Key have to become the players they were recruited to be. The good news, the hope for Harper, is that we have actually seen pretty significant player development each of the last two offseasons - Jaz in yr one and Rae in yr two. Let it Be.

 

[Amb3096]

GameTime, I agree with all of your comments except the Horston comments. I think Jordan can become an elite scorer averaging 20-25 ppg. if she is willing to be taught how to shoot and will put in the hard work to learn.

So do people think that Jordan will be able to completely retool her jump shot as a college junior to become an elite scorer? I have my doubts. I'd rather see her work with her limitations and take smarter shots.

Before someone brings up Rae Burrell's improvement, she had the prettiest jump shot on the team since she stepped on campus; the problem was that they weren't going in. But her form looked near perfect and she had more to work with than Jordan on her shot mechanics.

I think that expecting Miles to come in and be outstanding after "a few games" is probably setting oneself up for disappointment. It's more likely that she will take about 2 years before she becomes a reliable rotation player.

 

[glv98]

GameTime, I agree with all of your comments except the Horston comments. I think Jordan can become an elite scorer averaging 20-25 ppg. if she is willing to be taught how to shoot and will put in the hard work to learn.

And if she is not asked to play point guard. I don't think her actual shot is the problem; it's shot selection due to decision making and also the mental pressure of having shot so poorly for so long. JH needs a new lease on life from the wing. I think she has great, athletic moves and great court vision. She sure seems like a kid who would put in any amount of work in the offseason. I certainly wouldn't rule out a big improvement for her by next season. She needs to be freed from primary handling duties!

 

[PG1]

I've said numerous times Kellie committed coaching malpractice by not addressing the point guard situation last offseason, which ultimately bit them in the butt. If she decides to run it back with the Jordans handling the point again, adding only a raw, inexperienced true freshman, there is no hope for her...

Got to pick up a starting PG in the Portal. Without one we are 3rd thru 5th in an obvious weak SEC the tourney has proven that. Then another 1st or 2nd round exit. PG’s rule women’s basketball.

 

[Rooster1]

davis is not the same as last year back or hip she been playing hurt and covid 19. no point guard on team but walker played point guard in high school. i think her old old college team she was not the point guard walker. lets see kellie point guard miles coming in next year. her old team just went back to sweet 16 with most of kellie players lending the way. next year class 21 was her change to recuit a class not like 20 no time to talk to players most all had commited.

i need a translator.

 

[lfvol]

Next season the pg position will be just fine...Miles will be outstanding after a few games and Coach Kellie has some time to work with her....The girl is a rocket with the ball on offense...She has a fine outside shot, and is extremely aggressive on defense...

KK gave it all she had, no criticism from me....The team, and us fans, will miss her infectious personality...

Tamari Key played fine...With some additional strong post coaching, she could become something special....(Please someone help this girl) After her big triple double day, she became very average again, and that's being generous....

Horston is a good defender, but the girl is not an outside shooter...Not likely to ever have a high percentage as an out side shooter...The other teams have figured out, when open, she will pass before taking a shot.....Appears to lack confidence in her shot.

Burrell gave 1000%.....She'll be our floor leader next season....

There are players on our bench that may not be SEC ready, or will ever be ready for the SEC....

The incoming freshmen are all scorers....That, above all, is what will make this team dangerous to the competition...

I pretty much agree with all this except I’d be very surprised if Miles is the answer at PG. I’ve seen a little film on her. Her rating isn’t encouraging. She has the height challenge and it is worrisome she is a poor free throw shooter. And I will admit to being influenced by back to back AAU games last summer where she scored 0 and 4. Her team lost at least one of those games but that just doesn’t happen to power five talent. Hope I’m wrong.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

All shots by Davis and Burrell ( the few that were taken in the 1st half ) were highly contested .Both had two ( 2 ) points respectfully at the half.Shots were being taken by our non scoring personnel.Nothing was done to adjust to the Michigan defense used to shut down our two best scorers and the rest of the team could not hit the broad side of the barn with a bass fidle.So Michigan sloughed off on rest of team ( left them open to shoot all they wanted to ) and there were two Michigan defenders on Davis and Burrell any time they touched the ball......no screens set or double screens set to break one or the other loose for an open shot.That is what I was referencing in being outcoached .By the end of the 1st quarter Harper should have adjusted the offensive game plan and sets to offset or at least try to offset the Michigan defense game plan which was not to bother guarding closely anyone but Davis and Burrell ......that strategy worked like a finely tuned Swiss watch.

Please tell us how KH should have countered the other coach's strategy?

 

[Voluble2]

She has a fine outside shot, and is extremely aggressive on defense...

I have not seen Miles play, but everything I have read says she is a poor shooter.

Speed and defense are what people usually say are her strongpoints.

 

[Darth_Vol]

Next season the pg position will be just fine...

Which is exactly what you and so many others were saying a year ago at this time...

 

[Darth_Vol]

Tamari Key is a poor rebounder because of Rennia Davis....

And her two inch vertical. And weak upper body strength. But other than that, crazy athleticism...

 

[glv98]

Speed and defense are what people usually say are her strongpoints.

This is basically equivalent to saying "Your blind date has a really great personality!"

The role of guard who can't shoot but contributes other ways is all filled thank you. No more of those please.

 

[Darth_Vol]

Harper is in a really tough recruiting spot. The glow of Pat is far, far off for recruits yet the stench of Hollyball still hangs in the air. She needs to win to recruit, but she needs to recruit to win. It's the curse of all rebuilding teams.

Then maybe she should have gotten her team to the Sweet 16...

 

[Texas]

I think Kelly had pretty much been handcuffed by what she had inherited from Holly. Holly reviled the 3 point shot and that is still tainting the pool of players. In the woman’s game, I don’t believe you can win at the highest level anymore without that threat. Only 2 players can even remotely be thought to reliably shoot the 3 and that includes Rennia at less than 30%. (Still Lover her game, want her to be a Wing)

Add to the glaring 3 point issue that the LV posts are immobile, the idea of screen and cutting creating beautiful movement on offense is not a real possibility either. Now, I feel like maybe they could have moved Tamari up to the elbow and ran the offense through her because she does have a reliable elbow shot in my opinion. But that supposes she can get position there, fend off the defender on the entry pass reception and of course pass to cutters and open players.

I also feel the turnovers may be due to the severe limitations in mobility and the lack of 3 point shooting. Someone, at some position has to make a move with the ball and pass to do something and when the options are so limited and easily defended then the risk of throwing the ball away goes up.

My prediction for next year is that Kelly is gonna have a SF and PF that shoots the three. And then we will see the Jordan’s clean up their turns and improve their shooting % due to having more space and more options. I don’t know that they need a superstar to replace Rennia. Put a couple shooters out there and give Horston or Walker the Ball. Imagine a TN team with 3 point threats at the 2,3 and 4.

 

[glv98]

Then maybe she should have gotten her team to the Sweet 16...

Right. While I don't think it completely wipes out the good stuff she accomplished this season, I do think it was a missed opportunity to make a sizable splash with recruits. Program needed that milestone.