Game Thread: Lady Vols Vs LSU ; Sun Feb 9th ; Away game; 4 PM Eastern: ESPN

Bingo

UT has never lost a football...basketball....baseball game. For many we got beat by the umps and refs.
I can’t blame the refs for bad decision making by the Lady Vols and there were several. CKC has done a lot with what she inherited and what she recruited from the portal. She has improved several players to the point they are playing a lot better than they did for Kelly. We really need to move more on offense and quit dribbling into crowds and throwing up crazy shots. However, another close lose to a top 10 team.
 
As dangerous as we'll be next season with our new recruits, we absolutely cannot keep giving up all these free throws. It has literally been the difference in most of our losses, and needs to be priority going forward.
Freshman are freshman no matter what the recruiting services say their ranking is. We watch top 10 ranked freshman sit the bench all the time all over the country. Why would one assume we are going to be dangerous with 1 top ranked recruiting class?
 
They sure as Hell helped LSU. Williams hooks on a drive late and gets the call and LSU gets 2 points . We could have won in spite of the refs if we do the little things late, I agree, but the refs were terrible the whole game. Mulkey got every call.
Officiating is part of the game. We get call, too, at home. It happens. Our bench didn’t give us any offense today.

I’m frustrated with the loss and the fact we struggle to close out games, excepting being UConn.

But I’m ecstatic with the direction of our program, and the effort of this yr’s roster. We are ahead of schedule with a top tier recruiting class coming in.

We will take our lumps (losses) this yr and maybe next, but will compete for final four in Caldwell’s 3rd or 4th yr.
 
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She has improved several players to the point they are playing a lot better than they did for Kelly
Really? Alot better? Who?

IMO they're exactly the same. Greatest kids in the world, but let's get real. They are who they are regardless of coach. Jewel will have the occassional good game or good half like she always has had, but not consistently. Sara and Tess just are who they are. Anything you get, a timely 3 now and then, is a plus. And Jill makes us happy just by being solid for small stretches.

Love them all, but they're not alot better.
 
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Tennessee kept it closer today than I thought they might after the exhausting physical and mental effort they expended a few days ago.

Until the final 8-10 seconds they never gave up against a lightning quick LSU team that hit timely shots, made most of their free throws, and were their usual highly disruptive selves on defense. They weren't 50-1 at home over the past three seasons, 25-1 this season, just because they're lucky. They are really, really tough.

The Lady Vols got a little sloppy at times, but they seemed kinda tired and I fully expected they would today. I'm not upset about this game. There's still not gonna be a lot of coaches who would be thrilled to see them in their post-season brackets. Our team is still a work in progress, and I'm confident they'll keep getting better and better.
 
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Freshman are freshman no matter what the recruiting services say their ranking is. We watch top 10 ranked freshman sit the bench all the time all over the country. Why would one assume we are going to be dangerous with 1 top ranked recruiting class?
I kind of assume we'll be dangeous bc we're so close to the top teams now and what we're bringing in is better talent (or should be) than what we're losing. They're still freshmen but they're better shooters (or should be) and that's what we so badly lack.

Also hopefully, we'll get some experienced size and shooters out of the potal.
 
I disagree. The SEC refs are corrupt and cater to the higher regarded teams. That's in ALL SPORTS!!
That was basically what I was saying, just using Alpha HC as the prime. The refs know if certain SEC teams win the Sankey's of the world will be happy because more teams will represent the conference ergo more money, the bottom line. So, with that listed sub consciously in the brain of refs it instinctively pushes them to call 50/50s a certain way to get favor from what they deem their superiors. It's a safe place for them.
 
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Officiating is part of the game. We get call, too, at home. It happens. Our bench didn’t give us any offense today.

I’m frustrated with the loss and the fact we struggle to close out games, excepting being UConn.

But I’m ecstatic with the direction of our program, and the effort of this yr’s roster. We are ahead of schedule with a top tier recruiting class coming in.

We will take our lumps (losses) this yr and maybe next, but will compete for final four. Caldwell’s 3rd or 4th yr. And
A big part of the game today, to say otherwise is just flat out lying. Could we have won in spite of it? Yes, need to do the little things better.
 
That was basically what I was saying, just using Alpha HC as the prime. The refs know if certain SEC teams win the Sankey's of the world will be happy because more teams will represent the conference ergo more money, the bottom line. So, with that listed sub consciously in the brain of refs it instinctively pushes them to call 50/50s a certain way to get favor from what they deem their superiors. It's a safe place for them.
I don't think the unconscious ref bias is about Greg Sanky's budget. I think it's bc subconsciously they think Dawn and KM's players are better and able to do more without fouling, traveling, etc. That's why better teams and Alpha coaches of better teams get calls. Pat got em all the time.
 
I kind of assume we'll be dangeous bc we're so close to the top teams now and what we're bringing in is better talent (or should be) than what we're losing. They're still freshmen but they're better shooters (or should be) and that's what we so badly lack.

Also hopefully, we'll get some experienced size and shooters out of the potal.
I stick with "or should be" until i see them playing against players their size, with their speed, athleticism, and similar skillsets. They are better shooters now playing against their current peers who have none of that and as freshman they step on the court with players who have played 2 or 3 seasons and have become basketball smart as well as a few off-seasons to get much stronger. Ready made freshman in the women's game is very rare. Of course occasionally you get a Candace, Chamique, Juju or a Sarah strong type, but we don't see that often.
 
Freshman are freshman no matter what the recruiting services say their ranking is. We watch top 10 ranked freshman sit the bench all the time all over the country. Why would one assume we are going to be dangerous with 1 top ranked recruiting class?
Because we know they're going to be able to keep up with the pace of Kim's system. All else being equal, that should give us the edge in these games against quality teams. They won't ride the bench in her system, imo.
 
I don't think the unconscious ref bias is about Greg Sanky's budget. I think it's bc subconsciously they think Dawn and KM's players are better and able to do more without fouling, traveling, etc. That's why better teams and Alpha coaches of better teams get calls. Pat got em all the time.
Yes, Pat did get them,
I brought up Sankey more in relation to football money wise there's a lot of pressure to get as many SEC teams as possible in the money games and if you are playing one of the preferred teams late in the season don't expect to get the 50/50 or the PI calls for or the holding calls for. It's all about the judgement calls there is a lot of pressure on refs.
In BBall its more down to the alpha coach getting preference but it is what it is, and I still enjoy watching the games.
 
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Not tonight. Our bench only had a combined 6 pts, only got six shots up between them. They're usually far more productive than that.
This has been recent trend against the best teams until the UCONN game. I think there is a sizeable talent and athletic gap between our first and second teams THIS YEAR. I have a feeling that the gap will diminish considerably starting next year. For this year, all we need is for each player in the second team to make a significant contribution such as a key rebound, 3-pointer, and/or steal, as well as perhaps one of them playing especially well. This didn't happen in this game.
 
Did anyone listen to LSU's postgame presser? Kaitlyn Gilbert was asked what she attributed her two great games against Tennessee was and her reply was, "They picked up the phone too late in the portal and thats where she gets her fight from when she plays Tennessee" She would have been great in this system, all 5-6 of her.
 
This has been recent trend against the best teams until the UCONN game. I think there is a sizeable talent and athletic gap between our first and second teams THIS YEAR. I have a feeling that the gap will diminish considerably starting next year. For this year, all we need is for each player in the second team to make a significant contribution such as a key rebound, 3-pointer, and/or steal, as well as perhaps one of them playing especially well. This didn't happen in this game.
We've had 14 different starting lineups. What is the first and second team?
 
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