Game Thread: #13/10 LSU (23-4, 10-3) @ Tennessee (16-9, 9-4 SEC) 2/25/24 12:00 pm EST ESPN

[VolBall09]

The way this team plays under pressure I expect a one and done showing in both the SEC and NCAA tournament this season.

Anything better will be bonus but that is what they have proven over and over this season. They aren’t going to win big games.

We didn’t win one game this year that was a “must win.”

 

[creekdipper]

The way this team plays under pressure I expect a one and done showing in both the SEC and NCAA tournament this season.

Anything better will be bonus but that is what they have proven over and over this season. They aren’t going to win big games.

We didn’t win one game this year that was a “must win.”

Well, so far. We'll have at least one more opportunity against an elite team.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Fairly conclusive where we will finish in the league after yesterdays games. Were finishing fifth no matter if we don't win another league game. We can finish fourth if we win one more and Alabama loses one more. They have A&M on the road their last game the other one looks like a sure win to me. Of course if we lose to A&M then that concludes everything were fifth cause don't see anyway were winning at SC.

We can win both games

 

[Rooster1]

She did keep her in the game though even if she kept doing the same thing and not having different results. I'd think that if Kellie said something and the player disregarded her, she'd pull said player and put someone in who was going to listen to her.

The only way to win was to put the ball in Rickea's hand, spread out and let her work. There were many possessions where she didn't even touch the ball, and I don't know how many shots she took in the last 15 min, but it wasn't many.

This is a game where LSU's balance really helps them, because you have no idea which of the 5 players on the court is taking the shot and any of them can take over a game.

I may be wrong, but I believe I read RJ did not get a shot for the last 8 minutes of the game. I cannot remember if that is accurate, but I read it somewhere.

 

[creekdipper]

We can win both games

Agree. It will take consistent effort from players and staff.

 

[Rooster1]

Powell shot 17.6% yesterday, and kept shooting. In the SC game, she played 38 minutes, and had 1 assist. I kept thinking, why is she taking all the shots? So yesterday’s 6 assists is better, but that doesn’t change what she did in the 4th quarter, in both games actually. We got to within 1 point, and she throws up an immediate 3 attempt, and that was a killer. Things went down from there. Going by memory, so may be wrong, but wasn’t there a tv timeout in the 4th where she could have been stopped, but it didn’t happen. We got to within 1 point, I understand saving timeouts. Who knows how many timeouts we might need at the end of a game? There was no one to replace her, she had to stop taking all the shots, and didn’t. With all the misses, still saw her waving for the ball. Poor Rickea had to take a bad shot, because she knew Powell wasn’t passing to her or anyone else.

Powell wasn't the only one struggling with shooting in that game, but your point is valid.

Reese: 4/18 = 22%
Morrow 4/14 = 28%
Johnson 3/11 = 27%
Poa 1/6 = 16%

 

[Volfaninfl2]

The way this team plays under pressure I expect a one and done showing in both the SEC and NCAA tournament this season.

Anything better will be bonus but that is what they have proven over and over this season. They aren’t going to win big games.

We didn’t win one game this year that was a “must win.”

Actually, Vanderbilt was a must win and we looked really good in that game. Now, Texas A&M is a must win.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

That's why losing the LSU game was a big missed opportunity. Their best wins were against Oklahoma (who also lost to WVU, UNLV, UNC, and Southern in addition to ranked losses to Princeton, KSU) and MSST (with unranked losses to Miami, Chattanooga, Vandy, UF, Ole Miss, Alabama and freakin' Kentucky!). There are a lot of other teams hovering around the bubble that can point to signature wins (Washington over Ore State, MSST and Auburn over LSU, Iowa St. and Kansas over KSU). I don't think they have a particularly strong case other than no one else is stepping up. But a lot of bubble teams have stepped up this past week, so it's getting a bit uncomfortable right now.

Losing the Sc game was more of a missed opportunity in my opinion, but good thing we play them gain.

 

[Amb3096]

Losing the Sc game was more of a missed opportunity in my opinion, but good thing we play them gain.

So Tennessee can show that the last game was an aberration and they lose by 30+ pts this time? Great…

 

[th2421]

Well we'd have to play a bottom feeder first and if we win that one would play Alabama and win that one yes SC. Fourth we play the winner of Alabama and a bottom feeder and then Sc. So yes let us take some more beatings to end all this. If we end up a nine seed in the NCAA bracket maybe they will put us in the SC bracket and we can find a way to play them again.

Getting to play Alabama (if we beat them) could be a great thing. Oklahoma and Alabama are currently #26 and #27 in the NET and at this point our best shots at securing a NET top 25 win if both or either could move up a few spots (assuming we don't upset South Carolina in either of those games). Right now we only have 3 NET top 50 wins, so beating TAMU plus Alabama would get us up to 5.

Creme currently has us a #10 seed. Our resume, based on what the committee looks at (I don't see record against NET top 25, top 50, and top 100 on the NCAA website, though that is something they mentioned they looked at during the last top 16 seed reveal...):

• Availability of talent (injured or unavailable players): Rickea out for 4 of our losses
• Bad losses: no losses outside the NET top 50; all losses to NCAA tournament teams
• Common opponents: I suppose this is about seed placement and direct comparisons with another team
• Competitive in losses: 7 out of 10 losses by double figures
• Conference record: looking like 10-6 (should be better than most bubble teams)
• Early competition versus late competition: slightly better late
• Head-to-head outcomes: our record against bubble teams (per Creme's latest Bracketology): 4-1; our record against teams on the 7-10 seed lines: 2-4 (could improve to 3-4 with a win over Alabama)
• NET ranking: #37 (better than all the other bubble teams except Maryland, Penn St., and Washington St., about on par with the teams on the 8-9 seed line)
• Non-conference record: 7-5
• Overall record: 16-10 (likely 17-11, maybe 18-12 after the SEC tournament)
• Regional Advisory Committee region rankings: not sure what this is
• Significant wins: #26 Oklahoma, hopefully #27 Alabama and #39 TAMU (Mississippi State has dropped to #41)
• Strength of conference: #3 (behind Pac-12 and Big-12, which hurts against bubble teams like Washington St. and Iowa St., but helps against all those Big 10 bubble teams)
• Strength of schedule: #19 (likely to continue to go up)

The biggest things in our favor seem to be that we had Rickea out for almost all of our non-conference losses, we don't have any bad losses, our conference record is solid, our record is pretty good against other teams hovering around the bubble, the strength of the SEC, and our SOS. Not so good are all the double-digit losses, our overall record, and the lack of significant wins.

To move up from a #10 seed all the way up to a #7 will take some work and some luck, but it's not impossible. Certainly beating TAMU and Alabama would really help, as would upsetting USC or even playing them within single digits in one or both games. Looking at the current #7 seeds, we have the H2H against Oklahoma but not Florida State. Our NET is better than Florida State but worse than Oklahoma, Duke, and Michigan State. Duke has some bad losses (Davidson, Clemson) but is coming off two big wins (Syracuse, NC State) and could be peaking at the right time. Michigan State's resume is similar to ours in terms of no bad losses but no big wins (only 2 top 50 wins), but their SOS (and conference SOS) is way worse.

 

[Vol Hillbilly]

I think what kept Karo off the court in this game was size. Sheer size is what was working so well against Angel and Morrow; that's what Kim said after the game. At 6'3", Karo is just a bit short to pull that off.

I hate what's happening to her, but it's just circumstance not anything that's her fault. Once TK was able to start it's just tanked Karo's mins. She such a good teammate and such a hard worker, and has skills, I hope she hangs in. She'll have a big role next year.

She is a 3 or 4 when recruited and not a 5, if size is issue why do you replace Key with Wynn?. Don’t think she will stay , why should she ? Kellie has taken a player recruited as a 3 / 4 and now trying to force her into a 5 and cut her minutes drastically. Why would any recruit that See’s that want to play for this staff? I even seen Darby playing underneath , really? Her defense is terrible and you play her under the basket.She could easily have spelled puckett to give her a rest particularly with her shooting in this game. I will be surprised if Karo is here next year as opposed to going to a coach that really recognizes hard work and skills at the position she was recruited for! 3 minutes in the game and she prevented Reese from scoring and payed good defense on her at the end of 2nd period. Maybe to get playing time she needs to put her head down and shoot wild shots! Sorry recruits come to this program and skills regress.

 

[creekdipper]

Actually, Vanderbilt was a must win and we looked really good in that game. Now, Texas A&M is a must win.

True. We haven't had a statement game or upset against top competition, but we have had a few back-to-the-wall wins and looked good doing it. Got to get this next game for credibility and to gain some confidence heading into the postseason.

We call talk about the SC rematch after Thursday night's game.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Agree, Brooks and Chastain could only verbally commit and could not be given NIL $ info. So yeah, their non binding committments were not money driven at the time. But my understanding is the latest ruling means you can now talk NIL with nursery school standouts. So yes, now the young uns can reopen for NIL $ if they want to.

So when we get a commit they aren’t motivated by money, but if we don’t get them it’s because we didn’t get them Nil deals?

 

[creekdipper]

So Tennessee can show that the last game was an aberration and they lose by 30+ pts this time? Great…

No, so we win this time.

 

[Volfan2012]

Getting to play Alabama (if we beat them) could be a great thing. Oklahoma and Alabama are currently #26 and #27 in the NET and at this point our best shots at securing a NET top 25 win if both or either could move up a few spots (assuming we don't upset South Carolina in either of those games). Right now we only have 3 NET top 50 wins, so beating TAMU plus Alabama would get us up to 5.

Creme currently has us a #10 seed. Our resume, based on what the committee looks at (I don't see record against NET top 25, top 50, and top 100 on the NCAA website, though that is something they mentioned they looked at during the last top 16 seed reveal...):

• Availability of talent (injured or unavailable players): Rickea out for 4 of our losses
• Bad losses: no losses outside the NET top 50; all losses to NCAA tournament teams
• Common opponents: I suppose this is about seed placement and direct comparisons with another team
• Competitive in losses: 7 out of 10 losses by double figures
• Conference record: looking like 10-6 (should be better than most bubble teams)
• Early competition versus late competition: slightly better late
• Head-to-head outcomes: our record against bubble teams (per Creme's latest Bracketology): 4-1; our record against teams on the 7-10 seed lines: 2-4 (could improve to 3-4 with a win over Alabama)
• NET ranking: #37 (better than all the other bubble teams except Maryland, Penn St., and Washington St., about on par with the teams on the 8-9 seed line)
• Non-conference record: 7-5
• Overall record: 16-10 (likely 17-11, maybe 18-12 after the SEC tournament)
• Regional Advisory Committee region rankings: not sure what this is
• Significant wins: #26 Oklahoma, hopefully #27 Alabama and #39 TAMU (Mississippi State has dropped to #41)
• Strength of conference: #3 (behind Pac-12 and Big-12, which hurts against bubble teams like Washington St. and Iowa St., but helps against all those Big 10 bubble teams)
• Strength of schedule: #19 (likely to continue to go up)

The biggest things in our favor seem to be that we had Rickea out for almost all of our non-conference losses, we don't have any bad losses, our conference record is solid, our record is pretty good against other teams hovering around the bubble, the strength of the SEC, and our SOS. Not so good are all the double-digit losses, our overall record, and the lack of significant wins.

To move up from a #10 seed all the way up to a #7 will take some work and some luck, but it's not impossible. Certainly beating TAMU and Alabama would really help, as would upsetting USC or even playing them within single digits in one or both games. Looking at the current #7 seeds, we have the H2H against Oklahoma but not Florida State. Our NET is better than Florida State but worse than Oklahoma, Duke, and Michigan State. Duke has some bad losses (Davidson, Clemson) but is coming off two big wins (Syracuse, NC State) and could be peaking at the right time. Michigan State's resume is similar to ours in terms of no bad losses but no big wins (only 2 top 50 wins), but their SOS (and conference SOS) is way worse.

I think we got a bid in the NCAA unless we lose to both A&M and Sc and then one of the four worse teams in the SEC in game one. A&M clinches it for sure. Not really excited about moving up would like to land in that ten spot instead of eight or nine. If we had won yesterday I think we could've gone for seven or higher, but that is over so being a ten is our best option to get a couple games.

 

[Volfan2012]

I don't know what has happened to A&M but their offense can't even get to 50 points. Guess they are saving it for when they play us.

 

[turbovol]

I don't but she kept it up so why not get her to the bench.

Probably because we don't/didn't have a lot of offensive options. You can just bring the ball down the court and pass it to Jackson and then stand and see if she can elude two defenders, get a shot off and make it. That's not good basketball and what we did in the horrendous second quarter: After Powell and Spear spent 5 minutes throwing up shots and missing, we started giving it to Jackson, she went 1v1 about 3/4 straight times and missed them all. You need other options, and you need players who can create off the bounce--and Powell is better at that than anybody on the team, and we only have a couple/three at most who can do it at all. She's too amped up all the time and hasn't learned to relax when shooting the ball. It's a dilemma. I'm sure something was said to her during breaks/TV timeouts. In our two big games, against SC and LSU, our starting guards have been absolutely terrible offensively. In the history of this program, we've not had a coach who could teach good team offense. PS couldn't do it, Warlick couldn't do it and Harper can't do it. Our offense often sux because we're too static. Watch our men move the ball versus how the women's team does it. Big difference. Not having a big who can move and score is a big problem. Key has actually improved a tiny bit offensively--she made a jumper yesterday, which might be the first time I've ever seen that--but she is very limited offensively. And we don't

If we had more of a motion offense, with more screens, we could get Puckett open for shots--she's certainly a better shooter than Spear and Powell. But we don't do it. Half the time, she just stands out by the three-point line and watches the other players hoist up clangers. She should be more of a focus for us because she can shoot--but you need to work at getting her free for shots.

 

[turbovol]

We'll be in the tourney, but as a low seed, and that means playing away from home and facing tough teams early---not two cupcakes at home like last year.

 

[Remy]

Once again, I mentioned it in another thread, when we absolutely NEED a basket to break a drought, our staff cannot draw up a play to get us a bucket. It just does not happen. It's a weakness that's been there since day one and has not changed. I need KJH to change that.

 

[Amb3096]

I don't know what has happened to A&M but their offense can't even get to 50 points. Guess they are saving it for when they play us.

Starting Pg and leading scorer Endyia Rogers is out with an injury. Timetable for her return is unknown. Tennessee should win this handily, but if they don’t…

 

[Volfan2012]

Probably because we don't/didn't have a lot of offensive options. You can just bring the ball down the court and pass it to Jackson and then stand and see if she can elude two defenders, get a shot off and make it. That's not good basketball and what we did in the horrendous second quarter: After Powell and Spear spent 5 minutes throwing up shots and missing, we started giving it to Jackson, she went 1v1 about 3/4 straight times and missed them all. You need other options, and you need players who can create off the bounce--and Powell is better at that than anybody on the team, and we only have a couple/three at most who can do it at all. She's too amped up all the time and hasn't learned to relax when shooting the ball. It's a dilemma. I'm sure something was said to her during breaks/TV timeouts. In our two big games, against SC and LSU, our starting guards have been absolutely terrible offensively. In the history of this program, we've not had a coach who could teach good team offense. PS couldn't do it, Warlick couldn't do it and Harper can't do it. Our offense often sux because we're too static. Watch our men move the ball versus how the women's team does it. Big difference. Not having a big who can move and score is a big problem. Key has actually improved a tiny bit offensively--she made a jumper yesterday, which might be the first time I've ever seen that--but she is very limited offensively. And we don't

If we had more of a motion offense, with more screens, we could get Puckett open for shots--she's certainly a better shooter than Spear and Powell. But we don't do it. Half the time, she just stands out by the three-point line and watches the other players hoist up clangers. She should be more of a focus for us because she can shoot--but you need to work at getting her free for shots.

It certainly wasn't all her, but a point guard doesn't need to take an ill advised shot seven possessions in a row. Let Jackson of Spear throw up a miss or two as well at least it takes the heat off you once the game is over. She shot so much is has made herself a huge object of attention and not in the good way.

 

[Volfan2012]

Starting Pg and leading scorer Endyia Rogers is out with an injury. Timetable for her return is unknown. Tennessee should win this handily, but if they don’t…

If she is out for that game we should win big she is a huge part of their offense. Better shooter than HVL so hopefully she sits out one more game.

 

[Amb3096]

It certainly wasn't all her, but a point guard doesn't need to take an ill advised shot seven possessions in a row. Let Jackson of Spear throw up a miss or two as well at least it takes the heat off you once the game is over. She shot so much is has made herself a huge object of attention and not in the good way.

Not to mention I’d rather take my chances with Jackson hitting a tough contested shot while in rhythm than Powell hitting one of her patented sideways shots horizontal to the floor.

 

[Amb3096]

If she is out for that game we should win big she is a huge part of their offense. Better shooter than HVL so hopefully she sits out one more game.

Yup, they’ve looked terrible since she got hurt at the end of the Kentucky game. No outside shooting whatsoever except in that fluke Arkansas win where they don’t even play defense to start with.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

So Tennessee can show that the last game was an aberration and they lose by 30+ pts this time? Great…

I’ll actually wait until they play the game and see what happens, like I said they can win.