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

[Volfan2012]

We can compete with anyone if Jordan and Rickea can have big games at the same time.

If we don't give up 80 on defense then it comes into question even if the both have big games.

 

[ncteacher88]

Since u think he’s so great, how much did Evina get better, her number were down across the board from her last year here, even though she had more playing time.

I am just curious of your opinion of what would happen if Caitlin Clark or Maddy Seigrist transferred to UConn for next year. Do you think their numbers would go up or down?

 

[DarkPhoenix]

I am just curious of your opinion of what would happen if Caitlin Clark or Maddy Seigrist transferred to UConn for next year. Do you think their numbers would go up or down?

besides getting a lil older, do u think Evian showed great improvement from transferring?

 

[Volfaninfl2]

Cora Hall just retweeted a series of pictures of Edwards absolutely doing the dirty on the Rickea takedown. Said that's what she thought she saw live, but pics confirm and according to Hall, look really bad on Edwards. Basically grabbed around waist with both hands, flipped over, intentionally locked legs around and kicked RJ in the head when she tried to get out of the leglock.

And initially, they called this foul on Rickea! Take a look at those pics. Cora Hall calling out Edwards as dirty. Also cc to Lobo, who owes RJ an apology, as if.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

 

[Volfaninfl2]

 

[th2421]

Jordan Walker has made a pretty good transformation this season. She is definitely stronger and her knee is obviously improved. It is fair to ask what is going on with Puckett. In terms of build and strength, she had an NCAA body as a freshman but the other aspects of her game do not seem to have changed that much. And as text book as her shot looks, she is shooting less consistently than last season. I think she has a big upside but she needs to work on her game intensely this summer. She seems to have plateaued.

Tess is sort of the reverse, Her all-round game has improved but she could get to a different level with more conditioning work.

Karo needs work on her speed and mobility and explosiveness. there are some genetic limits to how much someone can improve but she has some room to get much better.

Sara's shooting numbers have actually mostly improved this year, though I hear you on consistency. Her 2pt.% is down from 52% to 47%, but her 3pt.% is up from 30% to 36% and her FT% is up from 69% to 94%. Her points-per-play is up from a so-so 0.82 to a pretty solid 0.95. She's made small improvements elsewhere, too, like A/TO ratio improving from 0.78 to 1.19, and turnover percentage decreasing from 19% to 12%. But I agree she has a big upside and we need her to make a bigger leap next year.

I actually think Tess's strength has improved but maybe there are other areas her conditioning can improve.

And 100% agree on Striplin.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

i think AD happy if we stay 3rd best in SEC

Not if she gets stuck there for a few more years.

 

[VolBall09]

Sara's shooting numbers have actually mostly improved this year, though I hear you on consistency. Her 2pt.% is down from 52% to 47%, but her 3pt.% is up from 30% to 36% and her FT% is up from 69% to 94%. Her points-per-play is up from a so-so 0.82 to a pretty solid 0.95. She's made small improvements elsewhere, too, like A/TO ratio improving from 0.78 to 1.19, and turnover percentage decreasing from 19% to 12%. But I agree she has a big upside and we need her to make a bigger leap next year.

I actually think Tess's strength has improved but maybe there are other areas her conditioning can improve.

And 100% agree on Striplin.

Imo a lot of that leap just comes with more shots. That was the result in the MIZzOU game. Sarah is a pretty tough check honestly. She can post you up, splash you from the mid range or hit it from deep.

If she improves her shooting even just a bit more she’ll really be a problem for most teams.

Right now she’s deferring a lot of shots to Jackson and Horston for obvious reasons.

Everyone is acting like it’s doomsday next season but I think we will still have a nice team. Maybe even a more consistent one than this season.

I’m guessing everyone returns, I don’t foresee any transfers, but you never know these days. Marta is a question mark.

I have a feeling Key will return and TBH depending on how the season ends I wouldn’t be shocked if Horston stayed one more year to play with her.

A solid core of Powell, Horston, Key, Darby, Puckett, Pissott, Striplin and Hollingshed would give us a really nice team. Hollingshed could be the x factor. She has Rickea like potential with even more size and more motor imo.

Pickup a quick 2 guard who can shoot from the perimeter and maybe another forward depending on Marta’s situation.

Still believe Marta has boat load of potential. She has just had rough luck up to this point. First the injury and then personal with her mothers illness. If she returns healthy and available she could contribute much more than anyone knows.

I believe Miles will be our next PG/Backup PG. I still think she had an off-season injury. Swear I saw some pictures of her with a brace at some point. She’s quick, a very good defender and I think she can mature into a quality guard for us. Seems to love the program and her coach. Hope she steps up next season.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

I can agree that she has done nothing thus far. I can't really remember any game that she played enough to really tell what she can do. She has made 35 percent of her three attempts. I could see her not getting in there if everyone were playing now was doing a fabulous job to the point that it was just not possible. That isn't true so I don't think working her in say 10 minutes in the home games could cause very much damage except maybe mentally to a few sophomores that are getting nothing as well.

Justine has played in every game, I believe. She played 20 minutes in the UCF game. Have to go back and see because it didn’t show up in the stats, but against UConn, I thought Powell passed her the ball at the end of the 3rd quarter, for a long shot which missed.

Justine Pissott Game by Game Stats and Performance | ESPN

 

[youcancallmeAl]

The swings and misses this staff have taken during the last two recruiting cycles are baffling. I'm not going to judge Harper on it, though, because I just don't know what has been going on with it. I know that the covid year kept them from making the relationships that a new staff needs to make. And I don't know if NIL played a roll in this last cycle, that is = we didn't have enough of it. Soemthing I never hear about is how well AD White is supporting this staff in the NIL arena.

 

[Majors]

The bottom line is they have better overall talent, that’s why they won. The only way we can win games against teams with better players are to hit a fair amount of 3’s, and Rickea and Jordan need to have big games at the same time.

Which is the scouting report, don’t let RJ and JH be on fire at the same time and let a 3rd person pick up the slack for whichever one is off. We don’t have a 3rd. Teams know other players cannot beat them if they focus on our main two.

 

[Voltopia]

Ha ha ha, "extra physical," ha ha ha! What superior strategy!

(Don't get me wrong, it worked, I'm just mocking the tone of handwaving obvious miscalls as brilliant strategy.)

 

[glv98]

Ha ha ha, "extra physical," ha ha ha! What superior strategy!

(Don't get me wrong, it worked, I'm just mocking the tone of handwaving obvious miscalls as brilliant strategy.)

Everyone knows it's coming for sure, it will be interesting to see how RJ responds. Show those WNBA scouts how focused and tough you can be! Playing well is the best revenge.

I hope she can take the abuse physically, plus hit free throws. Rickea's basketball body is a wonderland, but she's pretty slender. Makes it easy to get her in a scissorlock apparently.

 

[Darth_Vol]

Sara's shooting numbers have actually mostly improved this year, though I hear you on consistency. Her 2pt.% is down from 52% to 47%, but her 3pt.% is up from 30% to 36% and her FT% is up from 69% to 94%. Her points-per-play is up from a so-so 0.82 to a pretty solid 0.95. She's made small improvements elsewhere, too, like A/TO ratio improving from 0.78 to 1.19, and turnover percentage decreasing from 19% to 12%. But I agree she has a big upside and we need her to make a bigger leap next year.

I actually think Tess's strength has improved but maybe there are other areas her conditioning can improve.

And 100% agree on Striplin.

Puckett and Strip are giving you around 5 points, 3 or 4 rebounds, and an assist a game. Very average SEC players, at best, and both are starting...

 

[turbovol]

Which is the scouting report, don’t let RJ and JH be on fire at the same time and let a 3rd person pick up the slack for whichever one is off. We don’t have a 3rd. Teams know other players cannot beat them if they focus on our main two.

This is partly because our offensive movement (players and ball) is slow. Complementary players can score if they have room/time to shoot, which
comes from ball/player movement, screens. We don't really have a team-oriented offense in the way UConn and others do. We have an offense that can be characterized by not a lot of movement and then get the ball to JH or RH and watch to see if they can score. That has not been enough. Every team has players like Darby/Puckett. McGraw at ND had lots of them and knew how to work her sets to get them open looks for 3s. We'd certainly want to work on making Hollingshead another scoring option going forward. She's got talent.

 

[volforlife10]

Puckett and Strip are giving you around 5 points, 3 or 4 rebounds, and an assist a game. Very average SEC players, at best, and both are starting...

i agree with you on this. i love striplin, but she does not have what it takes to start if your goal is to be elite. puckett needs to get quicker or she does not either.

 

[StorrsCentral]

Since u think he’s so great, how much did Evina get better, her number were down across the board from her last year here, even though she had more playing time.

The time to coach them up is in their freshman and sophomore years. When Evina came to UConn, she was a Junior. There were other players that was the priority, as in Bueckers, Muhl, Edwards, Fudd, DuCharme, etc. Evinas game was already set, so the coaches needed to spend most of their time teaching them. Hense, building the chemistry of these players, something that I have mentioned before.

 

[StorrsCentral]

I am just curious of your opinion of what would happen if Caitlin Clark or Maddy Seigrist transferred to UConn for next year. Do you think their numbers would go up or down?

LOL, these are great scorers no doubt, but if, and I really mean this, we escape the injury bug we have had the last few years, we will have Bueckers, Fudd, DuCharme, along with Ashlynn Shade, K K Arnold, and Muhl at the guard positions. There wouldn't be room for these players without creating bad chemistry and bad feelings among the players.

 

[StorrsCentral]

All that stuff was in the heat of trying to break from each other, but you sure can't miss RJ pushing her to the ground when she tried to get up. The entire game was full of bad calls, non calls, on both teams. These officials should be suspended.

 

[LasVegasBill23]

Not if she gets stuck there for a few more years.

yes managing of expectations

 

[Coach Jumper]

All that stuff was in the heat of trying to break from each other, but you sure can't miss RJ pushing her to the ground when she tried to get up. The entire game was full of bad calls, non calls, on both teams. These officials should be suspended.

As a coach,, I would have taken a technical and give those stripes some ear-music they would not soon be able to forget

 

[GameTime]

I saw the take down by Edwards and hated listening to Lobo, the UConn chatterbox, talking about Jackson like she started the whole thing.....

Jackson did give Edwards a good rump push, to let her know that was enough BS, but that was just a retaliation, not the cause of the original foul...

It was smart basketball by Edwards, just all part of the game....

 

[GameTime]

This whole thing started because Edwards pulled Jackson down, which is a foul in itself...Had Jackson's arm hooked...That is not deniable...Watch the tape..

The rest of the BS was all window dressing...

 

[youcancallmeAl]

This whole thing started because Edwards pulled Jackson down, which is a foul in itself...Had Jackson's arm hooked...That is not deniable...Watch the tape..

The rest of the BS was all window dressing...

GT, the most telling thing is that Lobo Does Not notice that the unconn player pulls down Rickea in an arm lock when it is absolutely and clearly visibile in the slow mo replay.