Game Thread: Lady Vols at No. 4/3 LSU; 7PM; ESPN2

[Rooster1]

Damn, LSU seems jacked for this game…calling for a white out? That place is going to be crazy. Wonder what Kim will wear?

 

[volnationnj]

Damn, LSU seems jacked for this game…calling for a white out? That place is going to be crazy. Wonder what Kim will wear?

It will be white. The only question is, will there be sequins ?

 

[th2421]

The Striplin Puckett part should've been Hollingshead and Franklin.

I still think you need at least one true 3-point threat out there like Puckett or Darby. We started the season with both of them on the bench and there just wasn't enough room for all of those starters to make plays and score in the paint.

 

[Rooster1]

It will be white. The only question is, will there be sequins ?

The white Elvis jumpsuit?

 

[Volfan2012]

I still think you need at least one true 3-point threat out there like Puckett or Darby. We started the season with both of them on the bench and there just wasn't enough room for all of those starters to make plays and score in the paint.

If they are making a couple of threes but giving up ten on defense it is not a fair tradeoff. That seems the way it has been going against the better teams not so much the average teams.

 

[madtownvol]

It will be white. The only question is, will there be sequins ?

Kellie has a clear sartorial pattern. She dresses up for home games and goes casual (usually wearing a LV pull over) for away games.

On this roadtrip, Kellie needs to bring the look and match Mulkey's trailer park fashion intensity blow for blow, rhinestone for rhinestone. And that response will probably need to be a black leather Catwoman suit with a rhinestone studded mask and sky high stilettos. That may be the only chance the LVs have to win.

 

[LV renaissance]

The best defensive team we can put on the floor is Hollingshead, Franklin, Horston, Jackson, and Walker. Probably just as good an offensive team as well except for a three point threat which you don't need if your getting a lot of stops. This group stopped UConn cold for six minutes second quarter when they were on the floor and were never seen together again. I kept thinking surely we will start this five in the third quarter after what they did in the second quarter, but we did not. We went back to the same group that got mauled in the first quarter and of course it happened again. I doubt we see them very often as a group in this game either. Coach Harper seems to have a loyalty program where certain players are going to get those minutes no matter how they are doing on the court. This is why I am choosing LSU to win this game. I haven't seen any defense from the rotation we are using except the group I mention so no reason for it to show up in any of the others now.
I figure we'll see Reese score about three baskets on Karoline in the first two or three minutes and we'll be a few points behind when we make some changes. Hopefully they are not hitting threes or this one could get ugly fast.

Your first paragraph so eloquently describes what has been the most disturbing aspect about coaching decisions this year: The rotations! Why go away and never come back to things that worked better than stay stuck in the lane that didn't work. In addition to your comment, I can't tell you how often I will say in a game that this player is playing unusually well and then immediately the player is yanked. I usually make the comment based on a variety of observations, mostly not about making shots. I know a lot of things can go into the decision that I might not know, but I have watched basketball throughout my long life and I have never had this occur so often with any other coach. I think KJH is a good coach but this will be one of her downfalls if she doesn't getter better about rotations. Hopefully we will see some progress with this in the LSU game.

 

[th2421]

If they are making a couple of threes but giving up ten on defense it is not a fair tradeoff. That seems the way it has been going against the better teams not so much the average teams.

Darby against ranked teams:

• Ohio State: 9 points, 3-5 from 3
• Indiana: 9 points, 3-7 from 3
• UCLA: 3 points, 1-2 from 3
• Gonzaga: 6 points, 2-2 from 3
• Colorado: 0 points, 0-2 from 3
• Virginia Tech: 2 points, 0-3 from 3
• Stanford: 5 points, 1-3 from 3
• UConn: 6 points, 2-4 from 3

Puckett against ranked teams:

• Ohio State: 0 points, 0-1 from 3
• Indiana: 0 points, 0-0 from 3
• UCLA: 2 points, 0-2 from 3
• Gonzaga: 0 points, 0-1 from 3
• Colorado: 4 points, 0-2 from 3
• Virginia Tech: 2 points, 0-0 from 3
• Stanford: 11 points, 3-6 from 3
• UConn: 5 points, 1-6 from 3

Yeah, Puckett has struggled against the better competition (4-18 from 3), though to be fair to her, she was barely playing in that first brutal stretch of the schedule when we still had Tamari and Marta. Darby's scoring is definitely down against tougher competition, but going 12-26 from 3 against that schedule? That's pretty elite. If anything, we should be doing more to get her more looks against better defenses.

You're right that Darby is towards the bottom of the roster when it comes to defensive rating and defensive win-shares per 40 minutes, and Puckett is kind of in the lower-middle tier. You know who's second to last in both (just above Pissott)? Rickea Jackson. (that actually really surprises me) And Striplin is actually second only to Horston in both!

 

[I4Vols]

It will be white. The only question is, will there be sequins ?

If she wears white, she won't stand out to the refs' eyes... they'll just think it's some screaming egg rolling beyond the coaching box

 

[Darth_Vol]

Yes! Per Her Hoop Stats, UConn has the #2 defense and offense in the country. LSU has the #5 offense and #4 defense. Stanford has the #3 offense and defense and we almost pulled off the upset on their homecourt...so why not pull it off against LSU?

 

[Ladyvolfan45]

Not a LSU fan but good on them for selling the game out. WBB needs more of this. Excited to see how the team does in this environment.

We have to take care of the ball

 

[Volfan2012]

Darby against ranked teams:

• Ohio State: 9 points, 3-5 from 3
• Indiana: 9 points, 3-7 from 3
• UCLA: 3 points, 1-2 from 3
• Gonzaga: 6 points, 2-2 from 3
• Colorado: 0 points, 0-2 from 3
• Virginia Tech: 2 points, 0-3 from 3
• Stanford: 5 points, 1-3 from 3
• UConn: 6 points, 2-4 from 3

Puckett against ranked teams:

• Ohio State: 0 points, 0-1 from 3
• Indiana: 0 points, 0-0 from 3
• UCLA: 2 points, 0-2 from 3
• Gonzaga: 0 points, 0-1 from 3
• Colorado: 4 points, 0-2 from 3
• Virginia Tech: 2 points, 0-0 from 3
• Stanford: 11 points, 3-6 from 3
• UConn: 5 points, 1-6 from 3

Yeah, Puckett has struggled against the better competition (4-18 from 3), though to be fair to her, she was barely playing in that first brutal stretch of the schedule when we still had Tamari and Marta. Darby's scoring is definitely down against tougher competition, but going 12-26 from 3 against that schedule? That's pretty elite. If anything, we should be doing more to get her more looks against better defenses.

You're right that Darby is towards the bottom of the roster when it comes to defensive rating and defensive win-shares per 40 minutes, and Puckett is kind of in the lower-middle tier. You know who's second to last in both (just above Pissott)? Rickea Jackson. (that actually really surprises me) And Striplin is actually second only to Horston in both!

It would be fine for either to be in there if they could get enough shots in games. They do well percentage wise but either needs about 10 attempts and they need to make at least four. Looking at the Stanford game they made 4 of 9 as a duo which helped us be at least in position to win. 3 of 9 against UConn which is ok also but wow they could not guard in that game. Indiana was a good game for Darby but with no Horston were not going to beat anyone good. Va Tech was more of the type players they can defend and no Jackson cost us that one for sure. Looking to see what happens tomorrow. It is all about defense for us if we can't hold teams to 70 or less looks like against the better teams that is a loss. I hope I can finally see them play 40 minutes tough defense so I can know they have the ability and the understanding how to do it.

 

[Raebo]

I am not going to predict any more wins vs top 25 teams until they actually do it. (Hopefully they do it Monday.)

LSU-73
UT-65

 

[Rooster1]

Kellie has a clear sartorial pattern. She dresses up for home games and goes casual (usually wearing a LV pull over) for away games.

On this roadtrip, Kellie needs to bring the look and match Mulkey's trailer park fashion intensity blow for blow, rhinestone for rhinestone. And that response will probably need to be a black leather Catwoman suit with a rhinestone studded mask and sky high stilettos. That may be the only chance the LVs have to win.

Priceless

 

[glv98]

Oh hell yeah I'm hoping for a moral victory. As opposed to another soul crushing moral beatdown? Yes please. I pray we keep it close.

Ya'll can sneer and" tut tut ain't it awful" and say "Pat woulda never . . ." all you want, but the last thing this team needs is another dose of whup arse.

Not happy that's where we are, hope it's not where we stay, but there you go.

 

[madtownvol]

Oh hell yeah I'm hoping for a moral victory. As opposed to another soul crushing moral beatdown? Yes please. I pray we keep it close.

Ya'll can sneer and" tut tut ain't it awful" and say "Pat woulda never . . ." all you want, but the last thing this team needs is another dose of whup arse.

Not happy that's where we are, hope it's not where we stay, but there you go.

100%. If the Uconn loss was a kind of one off in the midst of a good SEC run, we will enter the tournament in a decent spot. A win against LSU would be huge but, a competitive, we could have won if only (ala Standford) would be a confidence builder

If the lvs only losses are to LSU (away) and SC, they finish 3rd maybe tied for 2nd in the SEC, which is about where they were predicted to be. A bad loss against LSU could possibly have more negative ramifications, but this team does seem resilient and pretty good at moving on.

My take on this season is that the bottom line, line in the sand outcome is that they have to find a way back to the Sweet 16. Anything less is going to be seen as a major step back, even with the absence of Key. And so they need some wins to pull up (and a good SEC tournament run) to avoid being down in 7th or 8th see slot, where advancing gets really challenging.

 

[UT Challenger]

Damn, LSU seems jacked for this game…calling for a white out? That place is going to be crazy. Wonder what Kim will wear?

You would think we were the #1 team in the country coming in to play. Heck we are even in top 25. Sounds like they are a scared of the LV's.

 

[Vols2015]

Villanova 51-45 under 8 to go.

 

[Nute Gunray]

Coach Kellie would win many more games, including the game with LSU, if she would abandon her player substitution philosophy. She needs to determine who are the best players by the 5 positions and let them play for 30-35 minutes. Players should only be substituted for the following reason: foul trouble, injury, sickness and so forth. She learned her present substitution philisophy from her mentor, Pat Summitt. Pat made this philisophy work because she was Pat Summitt. Coach Kellie is not Pat Summitt nor does she need to be.

 

[Coach Jumper]

100%. If the Uconn loss was a kind of one off in the midst of a good SEC run, we will enter the tournament in a decent spot. A win against LSU would be huge but, a competitive, we could have won if only (ala Standford) would be a confidence builder

If the lvs only losses are to LSU (away) and SC, they finish 3rd maybe tied for 2nd in the SEC, which is about where they were predicted to be. A bad loss against LSU could possibly have more negative ramifications, but this team does seem resilient and pretty good at moving on.

My take on this season is that the bottom line, line in the sand outcome is that they have to find a way back to the Sweet 16. Anything less is going to be seen as a major step back, even with the absence of Key. And so they need some wins to pull up (and a good SEC tournament run) to avoid being down in 7th or 8th see slot, where advancing gets really challenging.

If S16 is the mendoza line...That's much too easy a line for THIS university

talk about moving the goalposts...

 

[Vols2015]

If we can contain Angel Reese, this game should be winnable, if we don’t, it will be a loss.

TN: 72
LSU: 70

 

[VolBalls33]

LSU 83 UT 67

 

[Will83]

Coach Kellie would win many more games, including the game with LSU, if she would abandon her player substitution philosophy. She needs to determine who are the best players by the 5 positions and let them play for 30-35 minutes. Players should only be substituted for the following reason: foul trouble, injury, sickness and so forth. She learned her present substitution philisophy from her mentor, Pat Summitt. Pat made this philisophy work because she was Pat Summitt. Coach Kellie is not Pat Summitt nor does she need to be.

Pat also had a bench full of All Americans, Kellie doesn’t…

 

[madtownvol]

If S16 is the mendoza line...That's much too easy a line for THIS university

talk about moving the goalposts...

Dude, why do you always pick a fight over non-issues?

I am not moving any goal posts. I am being realistic. If Kellie does not make it to the Sweet 16, the heat under her seat is going to start rising and the clear evidence that this program is not on a steady upward trend would be another blow to recruiting.

At this point, any sane observer realizes the "the final four here we come; time for #9" talk was overly optimistic. This team lost Key to health issues; Powell (and to a lesser extent Hollingshead) have been slow to adjust); Franklin looks exactly like a good player 9 months off an ACL (with the limits that entails) and Justine is having major freshman adjustment issues. In sum, his team looked better on pre-season paper than on the court. Not too many people would say that being unranked midseason with a 16-7 record (and no wins against a ranked opponent) screams national title contender.

THIS university blah, blah.

The LVs have only made it back to the Sweet 16 ONE time since the 2015-16 season and it took a last second buzzer beater against Belmont to do it. That is making it by the skin of one's teeth. (Let's not talk about what happened in the elite 8 match-up).

So, yes if this team (not this university, not the legacy of PHS but this 2022-2023 team) gets from 16-7 to another sweet 16, that would end the season on a strong note and provide some cause for optimism for next year (if they go further so much the better).

But failing to match last season's, just "good enough Sweet 16" standard will raise serious questions as to whether Kellie Harper, for all her positive qualities, is the right person for the job. I don't think it is likely but a change could be made by the AD. A sweet 16 finish gives her a little breathing room and would likely help with recruiting, where any kind of boost is much needed.

One way or another, next season will be make or break. And that goal post is not moving (and it ain't set by Vol Nation posters either).

 

[Orange007]

Well I do support the coach. We are still tied for first place in SEC race. that said, i think she learned a valuable lesson with scheduling. it was too tough. i don't expect anyone from the staff to say that out loud or it would not be good for the current players. however, i would bet a year's salary that she never does this again. we could easily only have 2 or 3 losses at this point with the type of schedule that others do. racking up wins does matter when it comes to perception and the bracket. things are not the same as when pat scheduled. at that time, there were only a couple of great teams. AND, we were the best one. we have to change with the times on all fronts and scheduling is one of them. as for fans, if every fan who posted something bad about the program actually supported the LVs through NIL donations, etc. then we could be in a much better place. it's free to complain i guess. doesn't move the NIL needle though.