We SHOULD be able to give UConn all it can handle. The huskies are loaded with talent--and so are we! But the Vols are handicapped by two things--coaching and team confidence. I like Holly and think she and her staff are pretty good--but Geno is better, and Geno was better the last decade that PS was coaching. Geno essentially is a male version of PS--with a better, more efficient offense. Like PS, he builds tough-minded teams--but unlike PS and Warlick, his teams are efficient with the basketball whereas UT has been VERY SLOPPY offensively for years, and you can't beat the top teams when you play sloppy. Geno's teams are usually very good passing teams; that is not the case with UT. We've gotten a little better the last couple of years, but the Vols still are too careless with the basketball, lack crisp passing--which lead to turnovers.
The other difference between the programs is confidence. We've lost some as a program--and the Louisville game showed that with sad clarity last year. We have a chance to go to the Final Four for the first time in 5 years, playing a team that's never won anything, and the Vols came out and played like a nervous high-school team. As a longtime follower of the program, it was shocking to see. Whereas past UT teams would have completely intimidated Louisville, our girls seemed to be intimidated by either Louisville or the moment. Couldn't handled it: UT was in a panic mode before the game was 5 minutes old. Spani and Simmons, two veteran players, were jittery and bad.
The bottom line: we have the TALENT to play with Connecticut, especially if Russell starts to become more of a force, but I don't think we have the coaching or the confidence to do it. The program needs to get its swagger back. That is a psychological thing, of course, it really starts with the coach. I don't think Warlick is tough enough and demanding enough to build a great basketball team that can compete with--and beat--UConn, but maybe she'll prove me wrong. In the end sports is half about talent and half about belief--you have to believe you can beat your opponent. If you don't, you won't.