Game Thread: 2023 Women's NCAA Tournament...Round of 16: Lady Vols v Va. Tech...Sat @ 6:30 ESPN2

[VA_VOLFAN]

put yourself into her shoes.she got virtually no time on the floor except for "garbage time" or "looking for a spark" time
Consider next year (Tess is returning)
Do you really think she thinks is anything will change?
Given the coach's credo about lot not liking change
Nope
If Justine leaves, it will not be bc she wanted to go, it will be bc she has to or sit another season wasting away the cannon that is in her arsenal.

And again... If she works this summer with the team and shows improvement in all areas who says she will sit ? She didn't have a whole summer last year coming in. She isn't the first freshman to sit in a big time school and she won't be the last. We have seen kellie play the players that got better. That's one thing she will do. If justine chooses to stay and gets better i'm sure she will play.

If she chooses to go wishing her or anyone else the best. NO, i'm not wishing her to leave! I'm just saying if that's her choice hope she does well wherever she goes since YOU say we only have her for another day or so....

 

[creekdipper]

Roster for next season will be set on May 13th unless we get a Grad Transfer later than that date which I am not expecting since we will have several seniors coming back. If we can't develop a well rounded offense where other players are not afraid to take open shots then we'll always suffer big turnover numbers. Of course they have to be able to make a decent percentage and I am still waiting for several players to develop that consistency. If we had someone that was able to defend a 5'6" guard we may have won even on a bad shooting day.

The worst part about not defending the guards well is that we don't have to totally shut them down. If we had "limited" Amoore to "only" 19 points, she'd still have been the game's leading scorer. And we would have won by a point.

 

[glv98]

The worst part about not defending the guards well is that we don't have to totally shut them down. If we had "limited" Amoore to "only" 19 points, she'd still have been the game's leading scorer. And we would have won by a point.

What was Amoore doing that made her unguardable? The step back? What was Lou doing the night she wore us out? Do all fans feel like a ton of players have career 3 pt shooting nights against them? I hope this is high on the list of things the coaches tear apart and study this offseason. Then recruit to whatever we're currently missing.

 

[creekdipper]

Fans can agree on things that went wrong this season and weaknesses (hopefully, fans can also agree on things that went right and areas of improvement). And we can agree for the most part on various solutions or strategies to correct the weak areas and improve our strengths.

We can also agree to a large extent on various coaching decisions involving time outs, personnel use, and offensive and defensive tactics.

But true fans do not show their support for these young women by mocking them for their affection for their teammates, by declaring that they're not good enough for the SEC and need to go elsewhere, or by suggesting that they need to move on to the W or transfer to another school for increased playing time.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

Are the games regularly televised? I remember not being able to find them easily one season.

Here’s the schedule. They’re playing now.

2023 Softball Schedule - University of Tennessee Athletics

 

[madtownvol]

What was Amoore doing that made her unguardable? The step back? What was Lou doing the night she wore us out? Do all fans feel like a ton of players have career 3 pt shooting nights against them? I hope this is high on the list of things the coaches tear apart and study this offseason. Then recruit to whatever we're currently missing.

It does seem to be a systematic problem. Having said that, Amoore hit some tough shots. where the defense was pretty good. Her step back was working last night. That is just a tough shot to stop. You have to deny her the ball instead, Her technique of getting down really low is unconventional but quite effective.

 

[Coach Jumper]

It does seem to be a systematic problem. Having said that, Amoore hit some tough shots. where the defense was pretty good. Her step back was working last night. That is just a tough shot to stop. You have to deny her the ball instead, Her technique of getting down really low is unconventional but quite effective.

when an opposing player is in the "zone",,,you have to turn up the deny-defense off the ball and make their bringdowns under duress from fullcourt pressure defense...that is how to take them out of the zone...frustrate the things you CAN control

 

[Voluble2]

Should have left the original title on the thread because this is what happens when no one wants revenge.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Should have left the original title on the thread because this is what happens when no one wants revenge.

Already been Edited to say replication Tour

 

[creekdipper]

 

[Rixxx]

She wasn’t fully healthy

Lou has knee issues. Carol is till not 100% from surgery and concussion. Audrey is having constant back spasms, She is a year removed from back surgery. Dorka and Nika have ankle issues that are common this far into the season. FYI.

 

[LadyinOrange]

Thanks!

 

[GameTime]

Well, another glorious LV season ends with us wondering what in the hell happened...The Sweet 16 may be "Mecca" for a Harper coached team...It appears that way...

To let a little 5'6 " girl run all over your team, is just ridiculous....Our coaches knew going in she would be their go to player, but this team was not properly prepared to defeat her...Not great coaching preparation.

Not sure of the future of Justine with the LVs....During the early part of the schedule, she got around a total of 120 minutes of playing time....Most of it was clean up time...

During the SEC portion of the schedule she got around 57 minutes, again clean up time....She played zero minutes in SEC Tournament time, just set on the bench and clapped...During the NCAA she played a total of 16 minutes, again in clean up time...

In yesterday's game the need for an outside shooter/scorer was so very evident, but she was not even called on to attempt one damn shot...She could not have done worse than Darby and the rest of them, but then Harper does not like change.

 

[madtownvol]

Well, another glorious LV season ends with us wondering what in the hell happened...The Sweet 16 may be "Mecca" for a Harper coached team...It appears that way...

To let a little 5'6 " girl run all over your team, is just ridiculous....Our coaches knew going in she would be their go to player, but this team was not properly prepared to defeat her...Not great coaching preparation.

Not sure of the future of Justine with the LVs....During the early part of the schedule, she got around a total of 120 minutes of playing time....Most of it was clean up time...

During the SEC portion of the schedule she got around 57 minutes, again clean up time....She played zero minutes in SEC Tournament time, just set on the bench and clapped...During the NCAA she played a total of 16 minutes, again in clean up time...

In yesterday's game the need for an outside shooter/scorer was so very evident, but she was not even called on to attempt one damn shot...She could not have done worse than Darby and the rest of them, but then Harper does not like change.

Truthfully, it was too late to play the Justine card. You can't keep a player in moth balls all season and then expect her to save the day in a Sweet 16 game. She needed to have been brought along during the season but that drum has been beaten pretty heavily this season on this board.

 

[turbovol]

when an opposing player is in the "zone",,,you have to turn up the deny-defense off the ball and make their bringdowns under duress from fullcourt pressure defense...that is how to take them out of the zone...frustrate the things you CAN control

You have to get your body up on players who are scorers for the opposing team--be a bit physical. We are not.

The cold hard fact is that
we are not coached well enough. Where is the talent advantage that Va. Tech has? There isn't one. They simply execute better, make fewer mistakes. We have been playing the same way for many years--too many mistakes on both ends of the floor. We pull within 1 point and Horston turns the ball over--twice--and then fouls on a three-point shot--and that was effectively the game. On what other teams do the two best players have 13 turnovers between them? NONE. Mistakes. This is why the program has floundered for years.

 

[Texas]

That and every game we play against the better teams or at least most of them we get dominated at the three point line 8 threes to our 3 was basically the game. They had a couple more free throws, but that was because we were behind going down the stretch. If we can't go out and get some effective guards that are consistent three point shooters and can also drive the ball will be more of the same next season.

No guards want to come here because the mantra feed the post defines Tenn. that’s not basketball anymore.

Horston and Jackson should play 3-4 and some 5 over PG. the most successful lineup they had yesterday was with their 3 PGs in.

Kelly should see this and figure it’s time to change. Most bigs don’t even like to play traditional big style.

 

[Texas]

Coaching malpractice she didn't play her more...

She was one of 4 to be a positive +/-. It’s not the best stat but when you only have 4 players in the positive there has to be something. And there is absolutely nothing Puckett has that Jill doesn’t.

 

[Real Info]

It was actually a miracle we made the Sweet 16 with the guards we have. Great young people, but not Elite 8 type of players. Darby or Walker would play very little for all other 15 schools who made the Sweet 16, let alone start. Hollingshead not starting and not playing starter minutes still blows my mind.

 

[Texas]

I hope Horston comes back. But if she doesn’t, then I hope she comes to play for Dallas. I’ll be happy to watch her skills as a pro. It’ll be nice to have her on a team where she isnt needed to do everything for the team. She could end up being like Catchings.

 

[Remy]

If you find it unacceptable quit watching it. It was a fiscal game. If you had watched the game entirely you would have seen that. Jackson was thrown around all game with no calls. Walker's play was just one that got caught on TV and they kept showing it. Let it go. It's over. If you think it was dirty play go watch another sport where there is no contact.

Basketball IS a contact sport. Football is a collision sport. Nothing wrong with physical play IMO.

 

[Bakers1]

put yourself into her shoes.she got virtually no time on the floor except for "garbage time" or "looking for a spark" time
Consider next year (Tess is returning)
Do you really think she thinks is anything will change?
Given the coach's credo about lot not liking change
Nope
If Justine leaves, it will not be bc she wanted to go, it will be bc she has to or sit another season wasting away the cannon that is in her arsenal.

I was hoping Justine would have seen more playing time to start the season. If she did things might have been different. Once Kelly started to play her some the team wasn't exactly blowing teams out and the team needed wins after a rough start.. I feel like not playing her early on handcuffed Kelly to a degree. That said, as a coach when you put that bench player in she has to earn her time. The team needed Justine's 3 pt shooting and unfortunately when she was out there shooting the 3 her shots weren't even close.

It's a tough call. Tara does the same thing with many her freshman, they really don't play much their first year. Most stay but Stanford is Stanford...There's nowhere to go bit forward. Hopefully during their end of season talk KJH gives Justine encouragement and tells her what she needs to do to get on the floor. I hope she stays.

 

[th2421]

It was actually a miracle we made the Sweet 16 with the guards we have. Great young people, but not Elite 8 type of players. Darby or Walker would play very little for all other 15 schools who made the Sweet 16, let alone start. Hollingshead not starting and not playing starter minutes still blows my mind.

I disagree about Darby. I think she'd a great 4th or 5th scoring option on a lot of teams with her 3pt. %. The problem is that she was our 3rd option and she can't create for herself. We really needed a go-to 3rd option beyond that (Hollingshead showed flashes but she wasn't quite ready). That said, while I think Darby improved her defense this year, she was still last on the team in player defensive rating and defensive win shares per 40 minutes. That's tough, especially when you don't have Tamari around to make up for the guards' defensive challenges.

I love Walker and all she gave to this program, but unfortunately, I think you're probably right. I don't see her as a starter on any of the other Sweet 16 teams, though I think with her energy and leadership skills she could be a solid rotation player elsewhere.

Powell, on the other hand, started to show what she can be in the last 1-2 months of the season. I think if she stays and continues on this trajectory, she should have a very good season next year. She's the first player we've had since Jazmine Massengill with at least a 25% assist ratio and >2 A/TO ratio.

 

[th2421]

I disagree about Darby. I think she'd a great 4th or 5th scoring option on a lot of teams with her 3pt. %. The problem is that she was our 3rd option and she can't create for herself. We really needed a go-to 3rd option beyond that (Hollingshead showed flashes but she wasn't quite ready). That said, while I think Darby improved her defense this year, she was still last on the team in player defensive rating and defensive win shares per 40 minutes. That's tough, especially when you don't have Tamari around to make up for the guards' defensive challenges.

And on that note, I went all the way back to the 2009-10 season and couldn't find an example of us having a 3rd leading scorer average so few points (Tess averaged 7.4 points per game). We had a lot of role players who might or might not step up game-to-game this year, but we really needed at least one, ideally two, more consistent double-figure scorers.

Since 2009-10 (not counting this season)...

• Seasons with 5 double-figure scorers: 1
• Seasons with 4 double-figure scorers: 3
• Seasons with 3 double-figure scorers: 7 (most of these seasons had a 4th player averaging 8 or 9 points)
• Seasons with 2 double-figure scorers: 2 (3rd-leading scorer in those seasons averaged 9.9 and 8.9 points)

 

[fastvol7]

I'm as sad about our season ending as any fan. I do want to thank this wonderful team and staff for giving us much excitement and pride. Every team has some games that just misfire, but that doesn't ruin everything.

 

[Texas]

Watching LSU is so frustrating. I absolutely despise Mulkey, but how come all her teams play tremendous D? There is never a time her teams don’t play staunch defense. They made one 3 pointer and still smoked. Tennessee used to hang their hat on defense. Recall in the CP years, Pat had Anosike guarding the point guard in a tournament game cuz she was such a defensive beast. What happened to demanding defense?