Game Thread: Fla ST v Lady Vols, Wed Dec 4th; Home-FCC; 7:15 PM; SEC+ network: TN wins 79-77

[glv98]

So is this a feature in CKC's system, a calculated risk, to send all five in for offensive boards? If so, gotta be some interesting math involved. Would love to learn more.

Analytics! I'm sure they'll study this, esp against specific game matchups. I'm now way more confident they are willing and able to tweek their guiding principles situationally in game. Can't be stubborn.

 

[Volfan2012]

Never know what is going to happen in a basketball game. We could've come out in the second half and shot the lights out and won by 35. Instead after shooting 45 percent in the first half and 35 from the three we shot in the 30's and three point 20's. It was not their defense we had the shots. Some were shots we shouldn't have taken. Some we just missed that were good shots.
We have to get to the foul line more we've got the players and athletes that can get there. 7 free throws is not an amount you need to see in any game. I'd like to see some of the players cut down on the threes and drive the ball more. You almost have to foul Cooper to stop her from getting to the basket same for Spearman and a couple other players on the team.
My take is were a long way from reaching our potential. This team can be really good. Determining better shot selection and like Florida State identifying the shooters that need to take the most shots is something I think we will figure out as the season progresses. This team could be really good by tournament time. I can see us being one of the toughest outs in the country.

 

[glv98]

This team could be really good by tournament time. I can see us being one of the toughest outs in the country.

IMO both us and FSU are scary teams, esp to be unranked,

 

[Volfan2012]

IMO both us and FSU are scary teams, esp to be unranked,

Three of their players that start are seniors and Latson is a junior. Sure they are experienced and tough and they will show that in their league this year.

 

[glv98]

Never know what is going to happen in a basketball game. We could've come out in the second half and shot the lights out and won by 35. Instead after shooting 45 percent in the first half and 35 from the three we shot in the 30's and three point 20's. It was not their defense we had the shots. Some were shots we shouldn't have taken. Some we just missed that were good shots.
We have to get to the foul line more we've got the players and athletes that can get there. 7 free throws is not an amount you need to see in any game. I'd like to see some of the players cut down on the threes and drive the ball more. You almost have to foul Cooper to stop her from getting to the basket same for Spearman and a couple other players on the team.
My take is were a long way from reaching our potential. This team can be really good. Determining better shot selection and like Florida State identifying the shooters that need to take the most shots is something I think we will figure out as the season progresses. This team could be really good by tournament time. I can see us being one of the toughest outs in the country.

When we're in heavy press mode, I think sometimes the frantic pace carries over to our offense. We have to learn to play w pace without hurrying and losing control. Hopefully that will come.

 

[glv98]

Three of their players that start are seniors and Latson is a junior. Sure they are experienced and tough and they will show that in their league this year.

Timpson is a beast. She'll make noise in the ACC.

 

[Benionsopinion]

H

We have to get to the foul line more we've got the players and athletes that can get there. 7 free throws is not an amount you need to see in any game. I'd like to see some of the players cut down on the threes and drive the ball more. You almost have to foul Cooper to stop her from getting to the basket same for Spearman and a couple other players on the team.

Agree with all your points and would add that getting to the foul line is tough when one team is allowed to play knock down drag out defense and the other keeps getting called on touch fouls. Officiating was bad throughout the game. Lady Vols overcame the many swallowed whistles to get a victory.

 

[lvocd]

Now that the Lady Vols can win at home against better competition, now let's see what they do away from the Food Center Center vs Iowa this weekend.. hopefully they can bring same energy as they do at home..

It's an incremental step that, yes, it's on the road. But it's on a neutral court. The rims and lights and sound and feel will be equally strange to both teams. That's a plus.

I'm guessing our team is likely actually excited to finally be traveling for a game. Home games are fantastic, of course, but it's also fun for 20-somethings to go to New York.

So this, IMO, is the perfect circumstance to play outside of Knoxville. This team is blessed I tell ya!

 

[knoxvol52]

Another thing I enjoy about this team is last night when they pissed away an 18 point halftime lead, they didn't fold and stayed with the process.

 

[Scotty4lvs]

This has been a lowkey issue in several games. Is all the running and pressing and marine corp practicing taking a toll already? Some say it will actually work them into "game shape" as the season progresses. But if they're tired now after a week off, what is Feb going to be like?

I'm hoping/thinking that they are conditioning with big picture in mind. Cross country/endurance sports teams don't train for the early season meets, they train for the later season meets, and part of that is allowing your runners to race a bit fatigued from tough practices early on and then when the most important races of the season show up, ease up and be fresher for those and you're stronger for training thru some of the other, earlier races. I'm betting for the big SEC games and post season, their strength and conditioning people will have them ready, this early season toughness is (I'm guessing) is all part of the bigger picture plan.

I also think in Kim's expectation, if you don't look gassed, you aren't playing hard enough. She wants them on the edge of their physical capabilities with how hard they are playing, and after years of so many games looking blah, I'm loving it. Perfect, no, but I'll take maybe losing some games from almost playing too hard and too fast over losing from being blah.

 

[Volfan2012]

I'm hoping/thinking that they are conditioning with big picture in mind. Cross country/endurance sports teams don't train for the early season meets, they train for the later season meets, and part of that is allowing your runners to race a bit fatigued from tough practices early on and then when the most important races of the season show up, ease up and be fresher for those and you're stronger for training thru some of the other, earlier races. I'm betting for the big SEC games and post season, their strength and conditioning people will have them ready, this early season toughness is (I'm guessing) is all part of the bigger picture plan.

I also think in Kim's expectation, if you don't look gassed, you aren't playing hard enough. She wants them on the edge of their physical capabilities with how hard they are playing, and after years of so many games looking blah, I'm loving it. Perfect, no, but I'll take maybe losing some games from almost playing too hard and too fast over losing from being blah.

I think were going to see some players start getting extended minutes in big games. Spencer played 27 minutes last night. Cooper went 24 and Spear 25. I can see them playing those kind of minutes in all the big matchups and expect if she can stay out of foul trouble Spearman would get in that group as well. I like those four Whitehorn, Hollingshead and Latham look like our top seven. Puckett still trying to find her offensive game and Tess has trouble guarding anyone. So I could see them going to the teens in minutes as well as Boyd. Don't what the deal is with Favor she played some really good minutes game before this one and didn't play any minutes tonight.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Keeps the mind active!

got to have an active mined,,,,yep

 

[volbound1700]

I don’t see them taking lumps to be honest.. they are good now and will only get better from here.
I’ll bet they give out more lumps than they will receive.
This team is just getting start and is way way ahead of schedule if we’re being honest.

FSU is good but not ranked. They survived at home. They could get beat by Iowa in the next game. They are also still not on the level of teams like South Carolina or Texas yet.

To be frank, I didn't have expectations that this team would be that level anyways. I think they are doing good for where they are at.

 

[newladyvolfan]

I was surprised there were no postgame questions about the appearance of fatigue by many LVs (unless I just missed it). I wonder by how many minutes/seconds the platoons played longer intervals last night, compared to previous games?

honestly our girls look fatigue in several games.. maybe too much running in practice.. need to scale it down a bit

 

[therickbol]

79 points on 85 shots 0.93 which is terrible offense and should be a loss except it wasn't. 77 points for them on 69 shots 1.16 which is quite good just didn't get enough shots and that was why we win this one.

This is the foundation behind the system she runs. The sooner fans understand the logic the sooner they can accept it. Some won't like the strategy. It's non-traditional. But it's rooted in facts.

 

[therickbol]

FSU is good but not ranked. They survived at home. They could get beat by Iowa in the next game. They are also still not on the level of teams like South Carolina or Texas yet.

To be frank, I didn't have expectations that this team would be that level anyways. I think they are doing good for where they are at.

There are not 25 teams better than FSU. Rankings are definitely off.

 

[glv98]

honestly our girls look fatigue in several games.. maybe too much running in practice.. need to scale it down a bit

I would love to hear from an actual S & C coach what the analytic is on the benefit of continued heavy running vs the cost of tired legs. I hear those who say all the running enables more and longer running, but we also know wear and tear catches up later in the season.

I think were going to see some players start getting extended minutes in big games. Spencer played 27 minutes last night. Cooper went 24 and Spear 25. I can see them playing those kind of minutes in all the big matchups and expect if she can stay out of foul trouble Spearman would get in that group as well. I like those four Whitehorn, Hollingshead and Latham look like our top seven

Agree and as they get more mins, it will be interesting to see if that dials back the heavy press some. Have to say I only keep Jewel in the main group if she begins to consistently hit 3s. Both Jewel and Sara are at the twilight of their careers. If younger players can do the other things just as well, it makes sense to play them. They'll both still contribute for sure.

I believe Jewel, Sara, and Ruby are all still learning to play in short bursts instead of extended mins. All said in seperate interviews this week that's definitely a big adjustment for them that they're still working on.

 

[newladyvolfan]

 

[glv98]

This is the foundation behind the system she runs. The sooner fans understand the logic the sooner they can accept it. Some won't like the strategy. It's non-traditional. But it's rooted in facts.

It's fine as an underlying principle and brand. As long as it's flexible to situation as it was last night. Can't be a one trick pony in this league.

 

[Rickster]

so thankful this happened:

Can't be what they wanted. No touch for Latson? Why do they start these plays so late? Dribble down until about 6 seconds then dive headlong willy nilly. Great job by Spearman to put pressure on but not foul.

They used the Holly/Kellie last second shot game plan. They just didn't execute it very well because they didn't dribble right into a triple team or turn it over.

 

[Volfan2012]

This is the foundation behind the system she runs. The sooner fans understand the logic the sooner they can accept it. Some won't like the strategy. It's non-traditional. But it's rooted in facts.

Agree it can keep you in any game and you can blow teams out when your shooting well and stay close when you are not. Last night would be considered a terrible shooting game one of our worst and we didn't get to the foul line but seven times still a two point win when we played our worst quarter of the season and worst half overall.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Got this from a game article this AM that I think fits some of narrative on here about the players and style of play: Not sure all will agree but does make a point.

The difference in the game, though, was offensive rebounds, as Tennessee had 23 of them and outrebounded FSU 50-39.

That stat line validated Caldwell’s offseason decisions. Unable to fully construct the team she needs to run her system at this level, Caldwell had to sacrifice size, athleticism or elite shooting when building her roster. She sacrificed the elite shooting, but with the size and athleticism, her team is winning the boards.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Another thing I enjoy about this team is last night when they pissed away an 18 point halftime lead, they didn't fold and stayed with the process.

That was growth they desperately needed,,,bc, there is only a couple of teams early on capable of putting us in that situation,,,better to experience it now, than later in the meat of o ur schedule

 

[Vols2015]

Another thing I enjoy about this team is last night when they pissed away an 18 point halftime lead, they didn't fold and stayed with the process.

This!

Past TN teams under Warlick and Harper would have folded and panicked.

 

[Lucy]

We’ll be using that one on the ‘crooting trail!

All grown up.