Game Thread: Lady Vols v UCONN; Thurs. 8PM; on ESPN

[Rixxx]

And Dorka is trash.

With all due respect, Dorka is a two-time Big 10 all conference selection. To go along with her 13 points, she had 4 of Uconn's 24 assists last night.

 

[lvocd]

Someone else already pointed out, I'll second the fact that our lack of quickness does us in. The teams that are beating Tennessee do everything with more quickness: passing, cutting, screening (which we do little of), defending, boxing out, etc. But last night the fact that we don't move well without the ball really stood out against a team that moves well without the ball. They are constantly in motion and making quick passes until someone is wide open, and then they make those wide open shots. Their constant movement was so effective against our slower defense that they had, it seemed, at least a dozen wide open layups.

On the other hand, we rarely move around quickly or precisely enough to get anyone open and everyone tends to just spread the defense and hope that Horston or Jackson will find a seam somehow. Walker driving right smack dab into double/triple teams and getting stuck while everyone else was hanging around hoping for a kick-out was not working, yet there still seemed to her no better options.

Tennessee needs to get much quicker, somehow. They need to move off-ball with speed and purpose, and they need to make smarter and sharper passes until someone gets truly open for a shot.

I truly wanted to be wrong about how CT's precision and quickness would do us in, but at least this was another game that the painful film sessions to follow will supply enough info to help them going forward. But, in reality, there's only so much that a slower-moving team can do to rise above that against a better team, and especially one capable of shooting 57% and 55%. It is what it is.

 

[Volfan2012]

Beyond X's and O's, the coach also has to bring in the right players. And that's where Kellie is falling short. Yes, Rickea was great as a transfer add, but Kellie needs to be thinking about all of the pieces not just one shiny new toy. She has too many players she recruited from high school that all have the same strengths and weaknesses, but don't add anything new to the table for a change up, so there's no need to have all of them.

Needed an elite point guard more than anything else. She wouldn't have known Key was sick. She could've also brought in another versatile two type player and we'd been ok. Key, Hollingshead were fine at the five. Then you play Horston and Jackson on the wings. A point guard that can defend and score and a two guard with similar qualities would've been fine. Some of the others could've played their five minutes or so to offer some rest. Point guard is the big problem and refusing to play some other players enough minutes and some to many are other problems that are on the coach. We need some players to transfer four or five of them really don't need to be playing here. I'll wait to see what happens rest of this season. I think she could go a long way to salvaging a respectable season by cutting the rotation and playing the right group of players most of the minutes. Next season could be her last unless she has some sort of miracle up her sleeve.

 

[kell7517]

If the lady Vols would’ve hit 50% from the field, 2’s and 3’s. They win. But we all know about “ifs”.

 

[VolBall09]

Gotta say, I’m really proud of our fans. Great crowd last night. Just wish they had a bit more to cheer for.

 

[Mr.Pivot]

UConn starts 5'10, 6'0, 6'1, 6'3 and 6'5; SC starts 5'7, 5'9, 6'1, 6'2 , 6'5. The issue is that all the SC players are super athletic and play bigger than they are...and then you blink and all of a sudden there's a 6'4 guard on the perimeter and 6'5 and 6'7 waiting in the paint.

If Lou gets her points vs. SC at an efficient clip like last night, she deserves a medal.

Yes, that’s what I was referring to the entire team, not just the starting 5. SC brings Cardoso, Amihere, Feagin, Kitts, Hall and Watkins off the bench all at least 6’1” or taller meanwhile UConn mainly plays Patterson off the bench and relies heavily on their starters. I think Lou is a gifted scorer but I’d be surprised if she scores as much or as efficiently as she did last night. Beal is probably the best one-on-one defender in the country so I highly doubt she lets her go off.

 

[Prophet1]

I wouldn't say Rickea wasn't effective. 13 pts and 7 rebs is pretty good, and just her presence on the court allows Jordy to do what she did, and vice versa when RJ goes off. That was supposed to be the beauty of this season, he said sadly. But she wasn't as effective as we're used to, missed FTs, missed shots she usually makes, foul trouble again. Would have loved to see some of those sweet pullup jumpers when the spin move wasn't working.,

Folks are definitely getting physical w RJ and are on to her fave moves. Also trying to get under her skin, like when Edwards put a scissorlock hold on her, then kicked Rickea in the head after RJ gently and politely tried to move her leg (my unbiased take). Unfortunately, the predictable double foul was her 4th. IMO it would be a great time for RJ to show the WNBA that she can play through all that and I believe she can. Also, I foolishly hold out hope we have not seen the best of RJ and JH together.

And yes, some consistent 3 ball shooting would help ease the pressure so much.

Jack moves are more than successful when Frank is blocking off players in the lane. Loved the Edwards scissorhand thingy. Clever and loved the movie. I was thinking Geno had Edwards to study Jack Brisco's " figure four " move from the NWA wrestling past.

 

[LUVMESUMVOL]

I love Lady Vols basketball but unlike some on here I’m not blind to the deficiency of the team the coaching and the inability to get top recruits.last night should be an eye opener for the ones with dark orange shades and refuses to see the truth I’ve seen a many of posters bring facts about the problems they have seen with our program but they get criticized and viewed as being negative by posters who just for the love and deep loyalty for the program let the heart sway the mind I’m not a Geno fan but he had that undermanned team prepared and ready I’m of the opinion I rather have an ass of a coach that has my team ready and program at elite status than any coach who isn’t no matter if he or she is a good natured

 

[VolBall09]

Lots of folks hated on my posts about losing that game in the first quarter. I stand by my take y’all.

16 point first quarter deficit, 17 point final score deficit.

We made our run and got back in it but so often that’s what happens. You dig a hole like that and you have to play the defense of your life. We did for a quarter and it wore us out and we couldn’t keep ourselves in the game.

It’s a 4 quarter game and it matters how you play in all of them. We can afford a slower start against a lot of SEC teams this season. When you hit teams like LSU and UCoNN you can’t do that. LSU is going to try the exact same thing so we have got to be ready for it Monday.

At this point I am ready to see our best 5 on the floor to start the game. Walker, Horston, Darby, Jackson and Franklin (too many Jasmines sorry) should be the go to lineup to start and end games IMO. Striplin and Puckett can give very serviceable minutes off the bench along with Hollingshed. We can’t afford to let teams jump all over us like we did last night.

 

[Rixxx]

They basically need to get replacements at the level of Jackson and Horston from the portal to remain semi competitive. Time to find the next Lopez Senechal…

I don't know if international players are in Kellie's recruiting strategy, but it could be a solution. Geno's starting five include 4 international players with one on the bench.

 

[VolBall09]

I don't know if international players are in Kellie's recruiting strategy, but it could be a solution. Geno's starting five include 4 international players with one on the bench.

it should be something we are after. Geno goes that way by no accident. They are kids who want to learn and want to get better. Very good for program culture. I think he really learned that from the USF coach. He built a really solid program almost entirely out of international players.

 

[lvocd]

Gotta say, I’m really proud of our fans. Great crowd last night. Just wish they had a bit more to cheer for.

For much of the game the crowd was great, but when it collectively realized there would be no upset, I really heard and felt that. But boy oh boy, the officials caught a lot of hell, didn't they? There was a lot of booing. A lot! And well deserved.

Speaking of officials, I couldn't help noticing that if you laid all three end-to-end on the court their total height would equal about one Tamari. lol Okay, that's an exaggeration, but wow. Both of the men and the woman all looked about 5'3. Do they work together often? Are they overcompensating? Do they shop in the boys department?

My voice is shot today, so I did MY part!

 

[Prophet1]

Lots of folks hated on my posts about losing that game in the first quarter. I stand by my take y’all.

16 point first quarter deficit, 17 point final score deficit.

We made our run and got back in it but so often that’s what happens. You dig a whole like that and you have to play the defense of your life. We did for a quarter and it wore us out and we couldn’t keep ourselves in the game.

It’s a 4 quarter game and it matters how you play in all of them. We can afford a slower start against a lot of SEC teams this season. When you hit teams like LSU and UCoNN you can’t do that. LSU is going to try the exact same thing so we have got to be ready for it Monday.

At this point I am ready to see our best 5 on the floor to start the game. Walker, Horston, Darby, Jackson and Franklin (too many Jasmines sorry) should be the go to lineup to start and end games IMO. Striplin and Puckett can give very serviceable minutes off the bench along with Hollingshed. We can’t afford to let teams jump all over us like we did last night.

Powell and Walker make for too many 'mini -me'
in together. Try Wynn instead of Powell.

 

[SGMVols]

Hollingshead looks like the starting Center going forward, quite a performance all around against Uconn in a big game….she makes a diff at that spot, she has upside also. Lotta game in that lady.

She was the only player outside the big 2 who showed up last night. She absolutely should be a starter or at least play starter’s minutes from now on.

 

[turbovol]

Needed an elite point guard more than anything else. She wouldn't have known Key was sick. She could've also brought in another versatile two type player and we'd been ok. Key, Hollingshead were fine at the five. Then you play Horston and Jackson on the wings. A point guard that can defend and score and a two guard with similar qualities would've been fine. Some of the others could've played their five minutes or so to offer some rest. Point guard is the big problem and refusing to play some other players enough minutes and some to many are other problems that are on the coach. We need some players to transfer four or five of them really don't need to be playing here. I'll wait to see what happens rest of this season. I think she could go a long way to salvaging a respectable season by cutting the rotation and playing the right group of players most of the minutes. Next season could be her last unless she has some sort of miracle up her sleeve.

Yes, PG is an issue--but by no means the only issue. We are not a smart and disciplined team---and it shows when we play good teams. We make bad decisions, take bad shots, turn the ball over. We had 21 turnovers last night; Jackson and Horston together had 11. That is not acceptable. Walker had 5 turnovers--played poorly. Well-coached teams compensate for their weaknesses by playing smart. We don't move the ball well enough. Watch how UConn plays offense and watch how we play. They move; we stand around and then wait for Jackson or Horston to make a move and try to score. You need players who can score on their own, yes--but you also need to create easy baskets through your sets/picks/passing, which can get players free for threes, for example. We end up forcing or rushing a lot of shots....Same problems, essentially, that we've had for 15 years. And recruiting is a major problem and really a reason to change coaches.

 

[Rixxx]

Hollingshead looks like the starting Center going forward, quite a performance all around against Uconn in a big game….she makes a diff at that spot, she has upside also. Lotta game in that lady.

I agree Rooster. I couldn't understand why she didn't play most of the third quarter. Perhaps Kellie was saving her for the fourth, where she played most of the minutes.

 

[VolBall09]

Powell and Walker make for too many 'mini -me'
in together. Try Wynn instead of Powell.

It was meant to be Franklin. A mixup of the jasmines in my brain, sorry.

 

[VolBall09]

Hollingshead looks like the starting Center going forward, quite a performance all around against Uconn in a big game….she makes a diff at that spot, she has upside also. Lotta game in that lady.

I’d love to see that. Jill had a great game. She has potential she doesn’t even realize.

 

[VolBall09]

Hollingshead looks like the starting Center going forward, quite a performance all around against Uconn in a big game….she makes a diff at that spot, she has upside also. Lotta game in that lady.

I’d love to see that. Jill had a great game. She has potential she doesn’t even realize.

 

[djtee]

It’ll be the first time this season UConn has faced a team bigger than them at all positions. Interested to see if they try to “bring the fight” to SC. Tenn actually crushed them on the boards but lack of defense and low post scoring killed them. Senechal will be guarded like she’s in a stray jacket by Beal and Amihere and Edwards will really have to work for her points against Boston. Should be a really good game.

Here is the problem for UConn dealing with Cardoso, Watkins who has been playing very and is strong, Saxton is a beast on the glass as is Feagin. Look for Deberry to play a lot in that game.

 

[Rixxx]

He has been playing no more than eight for years now. So he had eight like he always plays.

You have to understand that the three players on the bench included two freshmen and a backup center. Probably #9, #11, #12 in the normal rotation.

 

[lvocd]

it should be something we are after. Geno goes that way by no accident. They are kids who want to learn and want to get better. Very good for program culture. I think he really learned that from the USF coach. He built a really solid program almost entirely out of international players.

Geno also has numerous international connections after having coached USA basketball for so long, too. Not to mention his own personal connection to Europe. I guarantee you it's likely not him going out and "recruiting" these international players -- some of them who play professionally in their native countries -- but them, through agents, reaching out to him and asking for an opportunity to come play for him. HE is not recruiting these outstanding players. They are recruiting him based on his proven ability to win, and he is watching film sent to him and choosing wisely those players who will fit his system.

I don't know of any other coach who has such a strong international player pipeline as does Auriemma. Tennessee has had some second-tier-level success with a few players, but we are not bringing in players that are likely to one day land roster spots in the W.

 

[Amb3096]

I don't know if international players are in Kellie's recruiting strategy, but it could be a solution. Geno's starting five include 4 international players with one on the bench.

Lopez Senechal and Dorka Juhasz don't really count as "international recruiting" since he got them from Fairfield and Ohio State. Kellie has gotten 2 international students (Jessie and Suarez), but neither is what I would call an impact player.

 

[Voltopia]

Geno also has numerous international connections after having coached USA basketball for so long, too.

Every advantage. They are given - and they take - every advantage. The sport bows to them, and looks the other way when he acts in his self-interest (can't have a phenom like Parker out there repping Tennessee, now, can we? Some young girl might get the wrong idea.)

And yet for all that, a few fouls calls and suddenly he's crying like a child, throwing a tantrum about how unfair it is and how it's all rigged.

 

[Volfan2012]

You have to understand that the three players on the bench included two freshmen and a backup center. Probably #9, #11, #12 in the normal rotation.

I know not a problem if he played five players all forty minutes just pointing out he had eight available. I wish we played a lot less would be a lot better team. I think it is the intelligent thing to do play your best players as much as you can.