Game Thread: (9) Lady Vols 84 - Georgia State 60

[LadyVols_WBK]

Casual double doubles now

 

[Rickster]

Postgame Quotes

Miles/Green/Striplin Presser

 

[PRG]

I see more and more teamwork every week.

When I see Rennie go into the game , I sort of think oh no ….. but I saw a player with little athletic ability make a couple of really nice plays !
Once while playing defense Rennie knocked the ball loose into the air and when it came down to the floor she dove on it and without picking the ball up she shoved the ball away from the other team and rolled it towards a Tennessee player ! Smart and putting forth a good effort !

A second time she got the ball on the left side of the court and could have shot the ball ! And believe most subs are looking to take any shot that they can get ! But she passed up her shot and passed to an open teammate for an open better shot !

She is limited on her game skills but I realized the effort and unselfishness that this player has . Completely changed my opinion about her getting more playing time . She deserves more PT . JMO

 

[madtownvol]

When I see Rennie go into the game , I sort of think oh no ….. but I saw a player with little athletic ability make a couple of really nice plays !
Once while playing defense Rennie knocked the ball loose into the air and when it came down to the floor she dove on it and without picking the ball up she shoved the ball away from the other team and rolled it towards a Tennessee player ! Smart and putting forth a good effort !

A second time she got the ball on the left side of the court and could have shot the ball ! And believe most subs are looking to take any shot that they can get ! But she passed up her shot and passed to an open teammate for an open better shot !

She is limited on her game skills but I realized the effort and unselfishness that this player has . Completely changed my opinion about her getting more playing time . She deserves more PT . JMO

At this level, no one "deserves" playing time. Athletics does not follow a a moral calculus that inherently rewards being "unselfish." Rennie can do just fine at this level of competition. But against Stanford type teams you really want to see her on the floor over Brooklyn Miles, or the Jordans?

Some players make their primary contributions by being great team mates and doing the job in practice. That seems to be Rennie.

 

[PRG]

At this level, no one "deserves" playing time. Athletics does not follow a a moral calculus that inherently rewards being "unselfish." Rennie can do just fine at this level of competition. But against Stanford type teams you really want to see her on the floor over Brooklyn Miles, or the Jordans?

Some players make their primary contributions by being great team mates and doing the job in practice. That seems to be Rennie.

I was just bragging on a substitute player showing smarts and effort ! Not trying to tell the coaches who should start , play , or anything else ! Until this game against a weaker team is probably one of the few times she will see the court this year ? I do think a player earns playing time though but I will leave that up to the coaches to determine when , where , and for how many minutes ….. I hope we see Rennie play some more minutes this year ! We will probably be far ahead when she comes in ? That would be good I guess ?

 

[Rickster]

When I see Rennie go into the game , I sort of think oh no ….. but I saw a player with little athletic ability make a couple of really nice plays !
Once while playing defense Rennie knocked the ball loose into the air and when it came down to the floor she dove on it and without picking the ball up she shoved the ball away from the other team and rolled it towards a Tennessee player ! Smart and putting forth a good effort !

A second time she got the ball on the left side of the court and could have shot the ball ! And believe most subs are looking to take any shot that they can get ! But she passed up her shot and passed to an open teammate for an open better shot !

She is limited on her game skills but I realized the effort and unselfishness that this player has . Completely changed my opinion about her getting more playing time . She deserves more PT . JMO

The only thing wrong with Rennie is a terrible mental shooting funk. She plays pretty well overall but is battling confidence issues that get a lot of shooters. Kellie just needs to let her shoot herself out of this funk. If she is indeed a sharpshooter, we need her. She has the ability to get her shots off because of that quick release.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Swish by swish?

Bottom by bottom.

 

[Rickster]

Everyone got good minutes today.

 

[dapeak]

Bottom by bottom.

No bottom shaming!

 

[PG1]

Everyone got good minutes today.

How could they not?

 

[Rickster]

How could they not?

What do you mean? They played 10.

 

[Lucy]

i could see tess taking a 5 year and if suarez red shirt this year she could play four more years for tenn . she might go pro and not take a covid year. walker might want a covid year to

If a kid is not going to play in the WNBA why wouldn’t you work on a masters free?

 

[teacherdean]

The only thing wrong with Rennie is a terrible mental shooting funk. She plays pretty well overall but is battling confidence issues that get a lot of shooters. Kellie just needs to let her shoot herself out of this funk. If she is indeed a sharpshooter, we need her. She has the ability to get her shots off because of that quick release.

One of the issues with Rennie, beside of the fact she seems to have lost confidence in her shooting, is that she is not able to play very good defense against good power 5 players.

 

[teacherdean]

Puckett seems to have the talent to be a very good player. She is a scorer who has the ability to play both inside and out. She just might be a hair from being one of our top five players. She is exhibiting more and more confidence every game she plays. I would not be surprised to see her break into the starting line up and become a force to deal with.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Puckett seems to have the talent to be a very good player. She is a scorer who has the ability to play both inside and out. She just might be a hair from being one of our top five players. She is exhibiting more and more confidence every game she plays. I would not be surprised to see her break into the starting line up and become a force to deal with.

Pretty sure I'd leave her in that first off the bench role. That rotation is really looking solid.

 

[madtownvol]

I was just bragging on a substitute player showing smarts and effort ! Not trying to tell the coaches who should start , play , or anything else ! Until this game against a weaker team is probably one of the few times she will see the court this year ? I do think a player earns playing time though but I will leave that up to the coaches to determine when , where , and for how many minutes ….. I hope we see Rennie play some more minutes this year ! We will probably be far ahead when she comes in ? That would be good I guess ?

Sorry, I did not mean to come off as scolding. This comment is not directed at you but this board in general is a little schizoid on this issue. On the one side, people complain that kellie substitutes too much and that she needs to settle on a tight rotation. Now that she has done that through some of the tougher early season games, then the other narrative comes in about wanting to see so and so player who is not part of that rotation get more minutes etc.

I am not that impressed by a player showing effort because that should be the default orientation of a players on a good team and kellies seems to have instilled that. They all go to the floor after loose balls, except may Tamari (who at 6-6 or so, I don't wanting diving like that anyway). The good news that this team works hard on defense.

Rennie passes because she is not looking for her shot and its hard for her to get that shot. There is a common claim on this board that Jessie has a quick release and can score from anywhere on the floor. But the evidence is that she actually needs to be wide open because she takes time to get set and can't shoot over taller players. Compare her to Shanna Zolman who after an up and down freshman season where she had trouble matching up defensively, transformed her body over two years. She became super fit. If you were going to guard Zolman, be prepared to run a 10k around the perimeter and she improved her quickness enough to become a competent defender. In contrast, Rennie looks about the same as she did as a freshman. So, showing a little hustle against Georgia St is one thing; putting in the hard off season work to really earn playing time is another.

 

[PG1]

What do you mean? They played 10.

I am just saying that the caliber of teams we are playing our 2nd 5 would win by 30. 2 or 3 mid majors is ok but we are not Baylor we need to play better OOC. Yes Texas and Stanford are very good but as a fan these 40 point blowouts vs lower level mid majors are not fun to watch.

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

I am just saying that the caliber of teams we are playing our 2nd 5 would win by 30. 2 or 3 mid majors is ok but we are not Baylor we need to play better OOC. Yes Texas and Stanford are very good but as a fan these 40 point blowouts vs lower level mid majors are not fun to watch.

 

[VolBall09]

Around the 8:50 mark of the 2Q there is a neat play. Didn’t result in the score but it’s maybe my favorite of the game.

Horston brought the ball up the floor then passed it to Miles at the top of the key. After Horston passed the ball she pointed toward the opposite wing directing Miles to swing it.

When Horston pointed both Miles and Alexus’ defenders looked to their right. In that moment Brooklyn read that, passed the ball just to her left to Dye for a wide open look at the elbow.

It didn’t go down, that’s BBall IQ and just good old fashioned smart.

 

[Rickster]

Nice game Tamari.

 

[Memvol44]

I am just saying that the caliber of teams we are playing our 2nd 5 would win by 30. 2 or 3 mid majors is ok but we are not Baylor we need to play better OOC. Yes Texas and Stanford are very good but as a fan these 40 point blowouts vs lower level mid majors are not fun to watch.

I enjoy watching every game!! Like to see some of our bench players getting into games. They work hard and really like seeing them get a chance!

 

[krichunaka]

Sorry, “I did not mean to come off as scolding.”
I don’t think you were scolding; only pointing out what most of us already know. Just tough love.

“Rennie passes because she is not looking for her shot.”
I agree.

“and its hard for her to get that shot.”
Disagree. She passes up more open shots than any Lady Vol I’ve ever seen play.

“There is a common claim on this board that Jessie has a quick release and can score from anywhere on the floor.”
I think you’d be hard-pressed to substantiate any such “common claim.” And I’ll bet you a dime to a doughnut that Jessie’s catch-and-release is faster than any player we’ve ever had (except for Dale Ellis and Bernard King, if we include the men). As Rickster said, her problem is 100% mental.

“But the evidence is that she actually needs to be wide open because she takes time to get set and can't shoot over taller players.”
Very rarely do any of our ladies take “contested” threes. In almost every case our ladies shoot threes ONLY when wide open. “Compare her to Shanna Zolman who after an up and down freshman season where she had trouble matching up defensively, transformed her body over two years. She became super fit. If you were going to guard Zolman, be prepared to run a 10k around the perimeter and she improved her quickness enough to become a competent defender. In contrast, Rennie looks about the same as she did as a freshman. So, showing a little hustle against Georgia St is one thing; putting in the hard off season work to really earn playing time is another.”
Shanna Zolman was more advanced, even as a freshman (except perhaps Kara Lawson) than any shooter we’ve ever had. She was considered by many analysts, THE best shooter - man or woman - in her class. Though she did improve her fitness by leaps and bounds throughout her college, and professional days. She’s one of my all-time favorites, so not disagreeing with your appraisal of Zolman; in fact, I’d like to see more movement by all our shooters. That, and we should move the ball better. And, I think Jessie is considerably stronger/better fit now than at her arrival. I also think her diabetes might be if some detrimental influence as well; but now I’m speculating. She hustles. She’s smart. She’s unselfish to a fault.

But, all the above is more an excuse to ask about your children. Are they happy and healthy? Did the European opportunity materialize? I’ve spent a lot of time recently, thinking about our young, and the effects of this, well, you know.….

 

[Memvol44]

One of the issues with Rennie, beside of the fact she seems to have lost confidence in her shooting, is that she is not able to play very good defense against good power 5 players.

Still say a pump fake,one dribble in and shoot!!! Not every shot she takes has to be a three .

 

[PG1]

I enjoy watching every game!! Like to see some of our bench players getting into games. They work hard and really like seeing them get a chance!

That’s not a chance that’s mop up minutes and yes that can be good for team morale but there can be too many of these type games. I think we were mediocre for so long some fans are just desperate for W’s

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

That’s not a chance that’s mop up minutes and yes that can be good for team morale but there can be too many of these type games. I think we were mediocre for so long some fans are just desperate for W’s

I think some fans are used to having schedule in the 50-100 range they can't even see when we have a schedule that is way better than we have had in recent years.

Enjoy your take though