Game Thread: #11 Lady Vols at #15 Kentucky. Thursday, Feb. 27, 7pm ET, SECN.

[lvocd]

I still think a factor of this is that our players are not in the game long enough at the beginning to get in the flow of it. In all sports and exercise, there is a warmup period where your body and mind are getting used to it. It typically takes time to get into the flow. Think if every time you started an exercise that the moment you just are getting into the flow you had to stop it. This is even harder in basketball because there are so many skills that are a part of being in the flow. So, with those early platoon changes, which in many games this year are the quickest of the entire game (well under 2 minutes), our team stay stuck in the warmup phase as a new group is put in and they too are trying to get into the flow. Meanwhile, the other team can get the beyond the rusty warmup period and get into the flow. The results support this.
I actually totally like the platoon system and am a big supporter of CKC. I do think they need to come with some type of adjustment towards the beginning of the game, such as longer intervals at first or keeping a few players in who are starting to look like they are getting the flow and sub some others out that aren't. I trust she will find some solution, as the current approach is not optimal.

You and I think exactly alike on this. I've said before that even four minutes for each group on their first tour would probably do wonders.

 

[MAD]

Don’t understand why people are confused by the slow starts. Who do you think has the advantage when the other team plays their starting 5 for the first 6-8 minutes and Tenn has players 6-10 in the game a minute in? I can’t think of any situation in basketball history where matching you bench against their starters has been a winning strategy. Maybe to send a message in a particular game, but not as a team philosophy.

It’s common sense. Name any top 10 team at any level that pulls their top 3-5 players out a minute in and puts their end of bench players in vs the other teams starters. You spend half the first quarter at a significant talent disadvantage. Can this work against a lesser team that might wear down over 40 minutes? Sure. But KY will win by 10+ points 9 out of 10 times if Amoore, Strack and Key play 34 minutes and 10-15 of those minutes are against Tenn’s 6-10 bench players. Kim will be ok if she isn’t too stubborn to tweak her style. I don’t care what class is coming in, a good or great team will always have the advantage if their stars are playing 8-12 more minutes than Tenn starters. Just tweak it where the top 2-3 play 32-34 minutes and hockey sub players 4-8.

People bring up 40 minutes of hell. But check and see how many players Nolan used in a big time matchup. Maybe 7. Eight at the most. Again, this can work, but not if stubbornness or pride gets in the way.

You sound like a coach and really understand the game.