Game Thread: (4/5) Lady Vols 61 - Auburn 71

[madtownvol]

Context is your friend nimrod. Are you familiar with the season so far?

I was afraid losing Keyen would be one blow too many. Not that by itself it was worse than Marta, Rae, etc, its that it ended her career and also left us vulnerable in exactly the spot we're thinnest. We're running out of options. Also, IMO the emotional impact "gut punch" is why they looked dazed and confused and lacked energy last night.

Exactly. I know this is painful to many but KJH is not Pat and actually has a very different coaching style. She is not an in your face in public coach, never has been that I can see. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen behind the scenes. Because we don't see it doesn't mean accountability and adjustment doesn't happen.

Before anyone says KJH SHOULD coach more like Pat and publicly rebuke players, she's been coaching almost 2 decades and her style is what's brought about the previous success this season. To abandon that for theatrics at this point seems an over reaction and a real bad idea.

It's a big challenge to bounce back, especially in the meat of the schedule but they've earned the benefit of my doubt.

Follow-up on your excellent post. KJH's press conference echoed that losing Keyen took an emotional tool on the team and they did look mentally drained out there. People like to forget that Pat's teams had games like this too. Off nights happen and the "stare" an getting on players asses can't magically solve the confluence of factors that lead to a bad night.

Losses bring out a different set of posters and "the abandon ship" are in full force. !8-1 Kellie a coach of the year candidate whereas at 18-2 is clueless, lost, doesn't understand the mystical art of taking a timeout because as we all know, your opponent is always stymied when faced with the power of the time out. "Oh no, Tennessee has taken a timeout, We're meehhlting...."

Kellie identified the problems, spacing problems, over dribbling because there was not enough movement off the ball (I was screaming at the TV for the players to work harder getting open) and except for their burst in the 3rd quarter, the defensive effort was not up to standards.

Let's think about that. This team has been winning with intense defense and rebounding. That means every SEC game has been a very high energy game. They came into this game in less than a high energy mode. They are human, they are dealing with the loss of a beloved team leader, they do have a target on their back by being SEC leader. As Kellie said, they have earned that right to get everyone;'s best game and they are going to have learn how to deal with that. But this team has the ever present potential to throw in a clunker game, when they are not able to bring the defensive intensity.

This loss was a "team loss" but had Jordan had a partner, they still might have pulled it off. A half decent Rae could have made the difference but she had a really bad game because she was trying to force it. This was the first game since she has come back where she probably felt "I have to save the day" and she has to realize that she may not be at the point in her return where she can effectively put on the superman cape.

It seems that Kellie will have to find an alternative system for when Key is off the court. If she does not think Striplin to step in as the # post, then the LVs are going to find a small ball line-up (and that only works if you can hit from outside).

People who saying the team is "a mirage" are overstating matters. The way this team is built, the difference between a win (maybe even a double digit) and a game like this where the wheels come off at the end, is actually pretty small,

In other words, they have a small margin of error, and you point, losing a key bench player makes that margin even smaller. In effect, they played this game without keyen and Rae (who more than a non-factor, she hurt the team by too much ineffective one-on-one plays and TOs).

So, they need a better version of Rae, and they need players like Puckett (who actually had a pretty good game) to have more impact.

 

[SGMVols]

They lost to South Carolina, Louisville, Georgia Tech and Oregon.

The are now ranked No. 1, No. 5, No. 14 and No. 19.

Every game was shorthanded except for the South Carolina game.

UConn would beat that sorry Auburn team by 30.

 

[madtownvol]

UConn would beat that sorry Auburn team by 30.

Yes, just like they obliterated that crappy team Depaul team by a whoping 2 points, 80 to 78, after trailing for a big portion of the game. 2 points or 30 points same thing right?

 

[Bballnut1952]

Yes, just like they obliterated that crappy team Depaul team by a whoping 2 points, 80 to 78, after trailing for a big portion of the game. 2 points or 30 points same thing right?

DePaul is far from a crappy team.

They are 44th in the Net rankings.

Auburn is 92nd.

44th, 92nd, same thing, right?

 

[Amb3096]

UConn would beat that sorry Auburn team by 30.

Auburn beat the same Georgia Tech team that beat UConn. Honestly, Auburn's style wasn't so different from DePaul's, except that the Tigers actually play defense.

 

[madtownvol]

DePaul is far from a crappy team.

They are 44th in the Net rankings.

Auburn is 92nd.

44th, 92nd, same thing, right?

I would bet Auburn over DePaul.

 

[Amb3096]

DePaul is far from a crappy team.

They are 44th in the Net rankings.

Auburn is 92nd.

44th, 92nd, same thing, right?

Seriously...do you EVER talk about Rutgers? No comments on their game vs. Maryland last night? And instead, still talking about UConn. I would gather to say that if you're not crapping on Tennessee, then 100% of your posts are defending UConn.

There are plenty of UConn fans that post here. Just drop the act already. People here would probably actually respect you if you weren't trying to pretend that you're not first-and-foremost a UConn fan.

 

[Bballnut1952]

I would bet Auburn over DePaul.

Losing bet.

 

[Volfan2012]

DePaul is far from a crappy team.

They are 44th in the Net rankings.

Auburn is 92nd.

44th, 92nd, same thing, right?

You do know that Auburn beat Georgia Tech the team that beat UConn on the same floor UConn lost on. I'm expecting Auburn to end up with about 5 conference wins that is probably about what DePaul could do cause they lost to Texas A&M by 20 a team we beat by 30.

 

[Bballnut1952]

Seriously...do you EVER talk about Rutgers? No comments on their game vs. Maryland last night? And instead, still talking about UConn. I would gather to say that if you're not crapping on Tennessee, then 100% of your posts are defending UConn.

There are plenty of UConn fans that post here. Just drop the act already. People here would probably actually respect you if you weren't trying to pretend that you're not first-and-foremost a UConn fan.

Is there really anything to say about Rutgers?

I was born in New Jersey and my sister went to Rutgers. I always rooted for them. I moved to Connecticut and it's hard not to become a fan of that team with UConn fans all around you. Kinda like, if you can't beat em join em.

But keep on telling me what to do. I'm used to it being married 46 years.

 

[Bballnut1952]

You do know that Auburn beat Georgia Tech the team that beat UConn on the same floor UConn lost on. I'm expecting Auburn to end up with about 5 conference wins that is probably about what DePaul could do cause they lost to Texas A&M by 20 a team we beat by 30.

None of that makes DePaul a crappy team.

 

[Coach Jumper]

With Summitt you knew,no guessing!!

there ya go !

 

[shiverz]

Auburn beat the same Georgia Tech team that beat UConn. Honestly, Auburn's style wasn't so different from DePaul's, except that the Tigers actually play defense.

From the eye test Auburn is not as bad as their record indicate. I don't know their schedule but with wins over Georgia Tech and now Tennessee they have something to build on.

 

[Volfan2012]

From the eye test Auburn is not as bad as their record indicate. I don't know their schedule but with wins over Georgia Tech and now Tennessee they have something to build on.

We certainly did more than our share to help them win but yes they are capable of playing a good game and they had as much energy last night as I've seen a team have all year.

 

[glv98]

With Summitt you knew,no guessing!!

there ya go !

I hope its not a high coaching priority that fans get to see the discipline and teaching in real time. I'd rather guess than have her put on a sideline show so I'll know for sure. Especially when that's never been her coaching style.

 

[Volfan2012]

None of that makes DePaul a crappy team.

I think they would be crappy in the SEC or at least on the same level as teams like Auburn, Vanderbilt, and Missouri. Auburn has a lot more athletes than DePaul certainly not better shooters, but I think the game would more than likely depend on where the game was played.

 

[Volfan2012]

Losing bet.

I would take the home team. I think both teams are both like everyone else far better at home than on the road.

 

[Volfan2012]

Follow-up on your excellent post. KJH's press conference echoed that losing Keyen took an emotional tool on the team and they did look mentally drained out there. People like to forget that Pat's teams had games like this too. Off nights happen and the "stare" an getting on players asses can't magically solve the confluence of factors that lead to a bad night.

Losses bring out a different set of posters and "the abandon ship" are in full force. !8-1 Kellie a coach of the year candidate whereas at 18-2 is clueless, lost, doesn't understand the mystical art of taking a timeout because as we all know, your opponent is always stymied when faced with the power of the time out. "Oh no, Tennessee has taken a timeout, We're meehhlting...."

Kellie identified the problems, spacing problems, over dribbling because there was not enough movement off the ball (I was screaming at the TV for the players to work harder getting open) and except for their burst in the 3rd quarter, the defensive effort was not up to standards.

Let's think about that. This team has been winning with intense defense and rebounding. That means every SEC game has been a very high energy game. They came into this game in less than a high energy mode. They are human, they are dealing with the loss of a beloved team leader, they do have a target on their back by being SEC leader. As Kellie said, they have earned that right to get everyone;'s best game and they are going to have learn how to deal with that. But this team has the ever present potential to throw in a clunker game, when they are not able to bring the defensive intensity.

This loss was a "team loss" but had Jordan had a partner, they still might have pulled it off. A half decent Rae could have made the difference but she had a really bad game because she was trying to force it. This was the first game since she has come back where she probably felt "I have to save the day" and she has to realize that she may not be at the point in her return where she can effectively put on the superman cape.

It seems that Kellie will have to find an alternative system for when Key is off the court. If she does not think Striplin to step in as the # post, then the LVs are going to find a small ball line-up (and that only works if you can hit from outside).

People who saying the team is "a mirage" are overstating matters. The way this team is built, the difference between a win (maybe even a double digit) and a game like this where the wheels come off at the end, is actually pretty small,

In other words, they have a small margin of error, and you point, losing a key bench player makes that margin even smaller. In effect, they played this game without keyen and Rae (who more than a non-factor, she hurt the team by too much ineffective one-on-one plays and TOs).

So, they need a better version of Rae, and they need players like Puckett (who actually had a pretty good game) to have more impact.

Been waiting all year to get out finally getting their chance. I know it has been frustrating for them not to have something to complain about guess it had to happen they would finally get an opening.

 

[Bballnut1952]

I would take the home team. I think both teams are both like everyone else far better at home than on the road.

Very true. Auburn has some very good players. Not sure why they were 0-7 before the Tennessee game.

 

[Volfan2012]

Very true. Auburn has some very good players. Not sure why they were 0-7 before the Tennessee game.

All I know is that teams that beat them we've beat everyone of them so yes we lost, but not like were destroyed for the season. 4 and 1 on the road in the SEC is still excellent.

 

[Bballnut1952]

All I know is that teams that beat them we've beat everyone of them so yes we lost, but not like were destroyed for the season. 4 and 1 on the road in the SEC is still excellent.

Neven commented on the game last night. I only fact checked sisq on his statement that UConn had lost to 3 unranked teams.

I also didn't say UConn would beat Auburn by 30 points. I only disagreed that DePaul is a crappy team.

Have a great day!

 

[Volfan2012]

Neven commented on the game last night. I only fact checked sisq on his statement that UConn had lost to 3 unranked teams.

I also didn't say UConn would beat Auburn by 30 points. I only disagreed that DePaul is a crappy team.

Have a great day!

Auburn lost to LSU by 18 then we lost to Auburn by 10 but beat Arkansas by 7 who beat LSU by 14 so in this day and time when a decent team plays at home you better be ready to play because seen to many games this year where huge home team underdogs are winning.

 

[creekdipper]

We played far below our potential, and Auburn played up to their potential. It happens. It was a rough game for us and our weaknesses caught up to us, but we didn't just luck into a 18-1 record before last night. Auburn deserves a lot of credit.

As far as the barking at the team and throwing theatrical air punches, that was on display in another game yesterday...and the team still ended up getting drilled. Yes, they were facing a far better opponent, but the point is that getting yelled at does not automatically translate into elevated play. It's entertaining for the home audience and the network who loves "characters," but sometimes the silent treatment works better (even Pat and her male nemesis up north knew that). My wife always said that the words, "I'm disappointed in you" always hurt far more than a switching.

And, yes, Kellie and staff need to look at their substitution and time out strategy. Maybe they underestimated Auburn a little or overestimated our reserves' ability to maintain momentum. It was truly a team loss, which ought to help prevent finger-pointing.

Good athletes and coaches move on. Our coach was on a ten-loss team which won a national championship. She knows what it takes to win.

Go Lady Vols! Fans have your backs!

 

[Rixxx]

None of that makes DePaul a crappy team.

Also, they have the probable FOY in Morrow at 6'1" playing center and is a double double waiting to happen in the New Big East conference.

 

[madtownvol]

I hope its not a high coaching priority that fans get to see the discipline and teaching in real time. I'd rather guess than have her put on a sideline show so I'll know for sure. Especially when that's never been her coaching style.

Sometimes we need not to be so enamored by the Pat Summitt myth, where endless stories are told of how she completely changed the course of a game with "the stare." The LVs had more than their share of disappointing losses, including the inexplicable result where the legendary "meeks" team lost to an on paper overmatched Duke squad in the elite 8. In a lot of games, the outcome turned less because of CPS's stare than because the LVs had a Candace Parker, a Holdsclaw, or a Catching, or a Lawson would could take over a game.

(Imagine the conversation around this Auburn game, if a 100% Rae had closed the game with 10 point flurry leading the team to victory...)

CPS was kind of in the Bobby Knight mold (a much more in-control version of course) and I think that stern disciplinarian approach just does not work as well in today's world. I have no doubt that kellie demands accountability but redface screaming at a player may make fans feel better but it probably does not do jack squat for most players. In her presser, Maria ask if Kellie if this game could be a teaching moment to make the team appreciate the value of not turning the ball over. And Kellie's response, was they know that already, we talk about it, we work on it, it was our execution and spacing that was our problem tonight."

I think that is exactly right. Does anyone really believe that Burrell needs a coach to scream at her to realize that she hurt the term when she dribbled the ball off her foot in a crucial moment (and to feel awful about that mistake). Is screaming at Emily going to improve her reaction time? and so on.