Game Thread: (7/7) Lady Vols 56 - (10/9) Connecticut 75

[creekdipper]

Kellie did look frustrated in one sideline shot. Not "lost," as some have described in other games, but just frustrated. For the record, I've seen similar...or worse...looks upon some of the winningest coaches' faces.

 

[Voltopia]

Walker, Puckett, Darby and Burrell are all solid outside shooters that you can't leave open. I'd say that's 4 legit outside scoring threats. There's no reason that teams should be able to swarm Rae inside and not pay for it with some made open 3's. But I do give credit to the UConn posts today. They were able to handle Key 1-on-1 and forced Tennessee to resort to hero ball.

Agree on Rae just playing mindlessly today. She kept going inside and wouldn't take "no" for an answer, even when ONO/Edwards kept stuffing her shot.

Agree on the shooters. Puckett is sometimes open at the end of a transition, good spacing from the defense, and for whatever reason we just can't get the ball to her. But that's not particular to her alone. We often go inside, have three people collapse on us, and there's no look to kick out. Maybe we can't make the passes, I dont' know. I know the inside game is part of our repertoire, but if you have even one person collapsing to help, someone is open. Unless the defense is late to you, your highest percentage choice is to find that person and get them the ball. Either they're a shooter and they shoot, pass to the next person who's even more open, or they can drive in and get a better look off your action.

Burrell, something about her play is out of sync with the team right now. I know this is a bit dim to assert, but honesty if Burrell would focus on the little things and stop trying to make the highlight moves, I think she could help the team a lot. I don't know how else to put it. The team was 15-1 before she got back. That's super. She doesn't have to shoulder it all. Just give the team a boost, and let the rest come back to her over time. Get some boards, make an assist, box out her man, just positive impacts. And whatever she does, don't turn the ball over. That more than anything has put Tennessee in a hole multiple times in the last five games. I know she's good enough to protect the ball. Just ... come on now. Stop going nuts in there. Ease up.

 

[brassie]

It was evident, they also ran a lot of "scoring sequence plays",,,offensive plays that were structured but with freedoms...A mix of creative, fast-break and motion offenses

Probably the best description of an Auriemma coached offense although this team has struggled to get there for much of the year. Watching UTenn it looks like they are stuck in the 90's pound it in to the paint and get the rebound game plan. They really need a true point guard and an offense plan that doesn't rely on a big under the basket.

 

[volmanNC]

Have been a Lady Vol fan since they began, and this year I was very excited about the wins we were getting, but always felt like the bubble would burst.

Good teams will not, and cannot, play as if it doesn't matter. Every possession is very important. Our team plays if they do not believe that.

Our men have been guilty also, of terribly careless passes. We look at the opposing player, who has an undeniable angle on the ball, yet we pass it anyone, too often right into the hands of the opponent. Another problem, when our player picks up a dribble and is double teamed, our other players stand around, thinking she will get out of instead of going toward the ball.

We take some shots that look great, but then we also take many (too many) shots which look like "hope it goes in". I would like to see a stat on how many layups we miss a game. That is strictly lack of concentration. Many of those are because we think it may be blocked, so we just sling it up into the air hoping it may magically it may drop into the basket.

We are not aggressive. We seldom go to the basket hard. We can see an opponent coming in from half court; knowing she is going to the basket, but we stand and watch instead of stepping in front of her.

As today against UCONN, we were down by 19 or 20 in the 4th quarter, and our point guard is walking the ball up the court as if we are up by 20. And then we pass the ball around until we throw it away or allow the valuable clock to be eaten up before we even attempt a shot, and then we have to take a really bad one.

We have played 23 games this year, and we still do not have a clue about getting out to guard a shooter whom we know will take any shot at any time.

There are many more, but it boils down to the fact that talent is important, and we do have a lot of potential talent, but talent can only take you so far. Heart and "want-to" takes you so much further. We simply are playing as if we do not have the "want-to".

Hope it changes, but the past 4 or 5 games have been very, very hard to watch.

The bubble has burst and the true Coach Kellie has appeared. I see this team making it to the round of 16 in the NCAA as a stretch goal.

 

[brassie]

In the previews, the actor looks a little too muscle-bound...like body-builder bilky instead of just a big, strong guy. He also looked a little too "pretty," I know Child has enthusiastically endorsed the new guy while still saying that he liked Cruise's performance. Does the new guy do well in the role, or does he seem like too much out of central casting (physical size notwithstanding)?

I did get the same impression - body builder and just a little too handsome to be Reacher. But at least the character and the dialog are closer to the books. Plus he popped some miscreants eyeball out so that was a plus.

 

[J-Dog 1313]

The bubble has burst and the true Coach Kellie has appeared. I see this team making it to the round of 16 in the NCAA as a stretch goal.

I will be the first to hand you a big helping of crow. Your prediction is way off. GBO.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

Kellie did look frustrated in one sideline shot. Not "lost," as some have described in other games, but just frustrated. For the record, I've seen similar...or worse...looks upon some of the winningest coaches' faces.

Airballs will probably do that to a Coach.

 

[creekdipper]

I did get the same impression - body builder and just a little too handsome to be Reacher. But at least the character and the dialog are closer to the books. Plus he popped some miscreants eyeball out so that was a plus.

Back in the olden days, I could see someone like Clint Walker (physical build & facial features but without the slow drawl) being Reacher. Tall, strong guy with muscular build but not a WWE or Arnold type.

Still has to be far better than the actors who have played Bob Lee Swagger from Stephen Hunter's novels. I always pictured a lean, older guy with an Arkansas drawl...like Eastwood around the time of Heartbreak Ridge. Instead, we got Mark Wahlberg and Reece Witherspoon's ex in the "Shooter" movie & series.

 

[Texas]

Probably the best description of an Auriemma coached offense although this team has struggled to get there for much of the year. Watching UTenn it looks like they are stuck in the 90's pound it in to the paint and get the rebound game plan. They really need a true point guard and an offense plan that doesn't rely on a big under the basket.

It’s almost always pound the paint and playing inside out at Tennessee. However, I did see a double screen to give Darby a 3 point look, which she missed, so it’ll probably be another 10 years before we see a screen specifically to get a shot beyond the arc. But, it sure would be nice to put some emphasis on distance shooting.

Another idea woul be to have Tamari stop posting up. It seems like months since she was actually able to post and score. I think the refs all got together and decided they’d tolerate any amount of pushing, hacking and under cutting on her. Move her to the elbow to set screens and shoot. She has the elbow shot.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

The +/- numbers are interesting for this game, Emily and Karoline had the best + number on the team.

UT UCONN WBB0203 (PDF) - University of Tennessee Athletics

 

[Coach Jumper]

No, sadly, we definitely do not. We don't have point blank gunners. How can a whole team of D1 basketball players shoot so poorly for so long? It's almost like a hex, we're effing jinxed. It's an LV systematic failure I guess, been going on for a decade.

Except! Sara Puckett who I truly think is a real, actual shooter. When she shoots I believe its going in. Not sure I can say that about anyone else except the occasional, just right situational Darby.

And Rae. Dang Rae who has now made the same highly predicable, heavily scouted "get to the rim "bad decision 27 consecutive times. Can you imagine how much film she's watched of her kooky playground scoop and sprawl play? Yet still doing it 4 or 5 times a game. Rae's another legit shooter and contribution is clearly as an outside and even midrange scorer. Why are they/she making this so hard? Forget the dang rim Rae.

We actually have 2 legit outside scoring threats for the first time in like never. Our offense is so starved, maybe that's a starting point.

Consistent offensive involvement for Key would be another. I can't figure out why we can't make that happen.

Also, you're still a nimrod if you blame any of this on players being lazy, slothful and overall morally disappointing. It ain't that.

I don't get it either
We shot 17 for 59...28%...I am 40 years coaching BB,,,with my eyes closed I have hit 3 of 10 foulshots

Had absences of playing and got my shooting touch the moment I was able to shoot the ball without feeling any residual fears or pains.

This is mental

You work your way through physical
You bust your way through mental

 

[NeedOrange]

We have three coaches who have all served as head coaches. Numerous resources exist breaking down different offenses along with multiple televised games per week. It's not as though there's some secret recipe out there known only to a select few gurus.

Why wouldn't any coach run the most efficient, high-scoring offense available that their athletes can handle? We've all seen less physically-talented teams run incredibly efficient offenses that got good shots for the players and exploited opponents' weaknesses.

Almost every coach runs some variation of the old Princeton offense modified to allow for the shot clock. It's not the design of the offense it's the execution. @Caz nailed it when he said some players don't cut hard. Some players don't know what a hard cut is. Some players pass to a player and some players pass to a particular spot between the chest and the chin. Do you pass to a player or do you pass to where that player is going to be. A multitude of small details determine the execution and if your players aren't executing it doesn't make a difference what offense you run. The old Green Bay Packers, in a much simpler time, ran just a few offensive plays but they ran them perfectly.

 

[Govols922]

We lost. Okay positive perspective. I’m so glad we are being exposed this early in the season so that we can fix these issues before the tournament (SEC and NCAA) I think we find a way to win the rest of these games we can go into tournament time confident. Now that means guard play has to be number 1. We need better guards and more guards to play in the line up to win big.

 

[Memvol44]

The bubble has burst and the true Coach Kellie has appeared. I see this team making it to the round of 16 in the NCAA as a stretch goal.

Think you are wrong ...

 

[Remy]

I don't get it either
We shot 17 for 59...28%...I am 40 years coaching BB,,,with my eyes closed I have hit 3 of 10 foulshots

Had absences of playing and got my shooting touch the moment I was able to shoot the ball without feeling any residual fears or pains.

This is mental

You work your way through physical
You bust your way through mental

Totally agree what we saw yesterday was a mental lapse for this team. It was disappointing but can be set aright.

 

[1reVOLver]

Here are some facts. What do they tell us?

First 8 minutes of the game - tied at9.

Next sixteen minutes - we were outscored 37-16.

Last sixteen minutes - we edged UConn 31 - 29.

Massey's computer program bumped CT up 2 places to #5, and dropped us 8 spots from
5 to 13.

 

[mcannon1]

Today's my Birthday.I am 83 years young today and every year that I can remember my Mom who will be 102 March 9 has reminded me ," son if you can't say something nice about something or someone do not say anything at all ".Today ,I am going to take her advice ......

Happy birthday Alex. Sure wish you had gotten a Lady Vol win for your birthday.

My mother said the same thing as your mother.

 

[Peas29]

They’ve quit. I may not watch another game the rest of the year. If they don’t care, why should we?

Do as you please but I’ll never stop watching and although I may comment some mistakes I’ll never stop defending them from critics! Being a college athlete is tough both physically and mentally. They will correct it but either way I’m sticking beside them and can’t wait to get to Nashville to cheer them on in the SEC Tournament! Win, lose, or draw….

 

[Amb3096]

Never understand why people keep saying we need to get top recruits, when that’s such a ‘well duh’ comment. I do love our Freshmen, and look forward to the future with them, and none were in the top ten lists of recruits, yet Kellie has far exceeded what many expected this year to look like, after the graduation of Rennia, and then the loss of Rae for 12 games.

Still, I do not think it’s fair to criticize Kellie by comparing our Freshmen players to UConn’s, when their Coach has had literally decades of recruiting at the top level, and our Freshmen class was recruited in Kellie’s second year here. Thrilled we got them, especially since this was during a time of no visits because of Covid, yet Coaches like Geno had been seeing and recruiting that class for years.

Kellie knows what needs to be done. We know she searches the portal, graduate players, European players, probably players we have never heard of, like Justine. Takes time, and I do not think she is wasting any time concerning recruiting. Btw, I do think Sara will become a Star.

GO LADY VOLS!!!

There are a lot of posters here do don't agree that those top rated recruits matter that much, even going as far as saying that the they are fake rankings that are just used to make UConn incoming players look better (FWIW, Fudd and Ducharme look every bit like top 5 freshmen this year).

It's less of a criticism of Kellie and more noting the danger of hiring a coach from a mid-major who built relationships with a different caliber of recruits than one would need to be successful at a school like Tennessee. So whereas Vic Schaefer or Kim Mulkey could count on a landing a some elite players very early in their tenure, Kellie is kind of starting from scratch. And if she doesn't pick it up when the current crop of 5-stars leave, then it will be even harder to bring them in because it's likely that she won't have the team positioned as a destination program for the best players.

 

[glv98]

I don't get it either
We shot 17 for 59...28%...I am 40 years coaching BB,,,with my eyes closed I have hit 3 of 10 foulshots

Had absences of playing and got my shooting touch the moment I was able to shoot the ball without feeling any residual fears or pains.

This is mental

You work your way through physical
You bust your way through mental

Exactly what I thought - shooting woes are in the head. (BTW, the number of times you and I have agreed lately is amazing, and frightening lol). By this point in their careers, they've put up tens of thousands of shots. None seem to have major mechanical problems. How could they help but get a little better? And I'll bet they are much better shooters in practice.

Like so much with this team, when its gametime the decision making and overall head space get tested and often are found lacking. It's Kellie's hardest challenge, getting the heads right, and she was succeeding earlier in the season, at least enough to get by. Could be the step up in competition level has exposed some overall talent limitations as well, but by gosh they should be able to hit more shots, especially the open ones.

My hopes lie with Puckett, who seems to be an actual shooter who does not hurt us in other areas. Also Rae, if only she'd stick with her beautiful outside shot and lose the attack the rim at all costs mentality.

 

[Volfan2012]

I never had a reason to believe we were going to win playing UConn at home. They haven't lost a game there all season even when they were down to eight players they won at home. Losses came on the road at Oregon and Ga Tech and neutral court losses to Louisville and SC. Doesn't excuse how badly we played should've been a closer game but they play far better there than on the road.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Exactly what I thought - shooting woes are in the head. (BTW, the number of times you and I have agreed lately is amazing, and frightening lol). By this point in their careers, they've put up tens of thousands of shots. None seem to have major mechanical problems. How could they help but get a little better? And I'll bet they are much better shooters in practice.

Like so much with this team, when its gametime the decision making and overall head space get tested and often are found lacking. It's Kellie's hardest challenge, getting the heads right, and she was succeeding earlier in the season, at least enough to get by. Could be the step up in competition level has exposed some overall talent limitations as well, but by gosh they should be able to hit more shots, especially the open ones.

My hopes lie with Puckett, who seems to be an actual shooter who does not hurt us in other areas. Also Rae, if only she'd stick with her beautiful outside shot and lose the attack the rim at all costs mentality.

It wasn't this game where it started, it was the GA game...we got a chink in our armor and no one took time to fix it. It turns out to be one of those chinks, you can't ignore.

A heartfelt request for "everyone" to bring a little more, instead of "next man up",,, threw the team out of kilter....Now everyone is trying to replace Keyen, instead of one person taking one person's role,,,next man up/

Re Rae,, she too is in the "a little more from everybody" mindframe and right now she needs to be testing her game, not forcing it.

 

[glv98]

It wasn't this game where it started, it was the GA game...we got a chink in our armor and no one took time to fix it. It turns out to be one of those chinks, you can't ignore.

A heartfelt request for "everyone" to bring a little more, instead of "next man up",,, threw the team out of kilter....Now everyone is trying to replace Keyen, instead of one person taking one person's role,,,next man up/

Re Rae,, she too is in the "a little more from everybody" mindframe and right now she needs to be testing her game, not forcing it.

In Kellie's defense, I think she did everyone up as opposed to next man up bc she actually did not have a next player up. We thought it would be Striplin but apparently coaches knew something about her we didn't know. Plus, everyone covering for everything had been the theme of the season so it made sense.

The thing that astounds me about Rae is that she stubbornly keeps doing the same thing painful outcome after painful outcome. Exactly how much leather does she plan to eat, how many plays does she plan to end sprawled helplessly out of bounds looking for a foul? Especially when her outside shot has been her one constant since she got back? Her "move" to the rim is predictable, slow, and unsuccessful. I get she has to be a threat to drive in order to get open for outside shots, but the priority of rim vs outside shot has got to change.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

There are a lot of posters here do don't agree that those top rated recruits matter that much, even going as far as saying that the they are fake rankings that are just used to make UConn incoming players look better (FWIW, Fudd and Ducharme look every bit like top 5 freshmen this year).

It's less of a criticism of Kellie and more noting the danger of hiring a coach from a mid-major who built relationships with a different caliber of recruits than one would need to be successful at a school like Tennessee. So whereas Vic Schaefer or Kim Mulkey could count on a landing a some elite players very early in their tenure, Kellie is kind of starting from scratch. And if she doesn't pick it up when the current crop of 5-stars leave, then it will be even harder to bring them in because it's likely that she won't have the team positioned as a destination program for the best players.

There are plenty of examples of teams winning with players who were not highly ranked recruits out of high school, against teams that had the highest rated players. With some of the very highest ranked recruits throughout their entire roster, Uconn has lost games this year to some of those teams, even with their National Championship winning Coach. Kellie has won against older established Coaches, including Vic and Muffet, and will beat Geno, just didn’t happen yesterday.

You criticize Kellie and our players and try to disguise it with “mid-major” comments. Either you are not a Tennessee fan, or at the least, not a Kellie fan. I don’t care, I am.

 

[Majors]

Here are some facts. What do they tell us?

First 8 minutes of the game - tied at9.

Next sixteen minutes - we were outscored 37-16.

Last sixteen minutes - we edged UConn 31 - 29.

Massey's computer program bumped CT up 2 places to #5, and dropped us 8 spots from
5 to 13.

Adjustments coming out the timeout with two mins left in the first.

ESPN had LV at 14 missed layups for the game by my count.