Not a knock on Tess, and I saw what she did against Auburn. But they were also sending multiple defenders at Horston/Jackson and Tess had more room to operate. She had a defender staying with her all game yesterday, and she will never have sustained success scoring against someone like Cooke or Beal. The threes she missed weren’t that open and she rushed her shots. Even that pump fake was short lived because even though she got free she hurriedly put up an ugly shot because it looked like she was worried that she’d get blocked from behind.It was a bad night for Tess no question. She actually missed two open 3's that could have been momentum changers. She just missed open shots. SC defense had zilch to do with it. There also was one play where she made a ball fake, beat her defender and created a wide open shot at the FT line (but sadly she air-balled it).
But, as the season has gone on, Tess has been scoring more from mid range and getting to the rim, Her game is improving and she is clearly working on being more than a spot-up shooter. She still has a ways to go but lets not forget that she was coming off of a fantastic 17 pt (5 for 6 from 3) game against Auburn.
The LVs don't win that game without her. So, let's not disparage her unfairly.
I think the key thing in your statement is stronger bench and better talent than the LVs. When you look at the two teams, I am not seeing one where X and O coaching is the differentiator. SC's offensive schemes look whole lot like what the LVs run. As I believe PHS once said, you can't coach height. The LVs actually did a decent job on Boston (holding her to 11 pts) but got killed on the boards (which is usually the LVs modus operandi). The LVs TO's were close to a season low. So, on many coaching dimensions, things looked pretty good. But 2nd chance points; making the LVs miss at the rim; and SC hitting some timely 3 sealed our doom.
SC is a mirror image of the great LV teams and they are what Kellie seems to be aspiring to. But, she really does not have the right kind of players for this system (and Key's absence magnifies that problem). Since it is clear that Kellie ain't changing her system, she has got to find the right kind of players. I don't think it is an objective talent shortfall so as much not having the right kind of talent.
If Tess was in the game, Beal was really the only one she could match up with defensively. She wouldn't stand a chance against Cooke who is in constant motion. Beal doesn't look to score, but I predicted that she'd change her stance on that once she saw Darby was on her, and she was a lot more aggressive than normal on offense.
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Just a little color to add to the game.
My daughter was in the student section near the bench and said she saw one of our guards motion to be subbed for. When she came out she headed straight for the trash can and threw up in it.
In benchmark games/ranked teams. For us to have a chance she needs to be 12+ a game against this level. All but one was a loss as well. Miss St second game she had 10 points.It was a bad night for Tess no question. She actually missed two open 3's that could have been momentum changers. She just missed open shots. SC defense had zilch to do with it. There also was one play where she made a ball fake, beat her defender and created a wide open shot at the FT line (but sadly she air-balled it).
But, as the season has gone on, Tess has been scoring more from mid range and getting to the rim, Her game is improving and she is clearly working on being more than a spot-up shooter. She still has a ways to go but lets not forget that she was coming off of a fantastic 17 pt (5 for 6 from 3) game against Auburn.
The LVs don't win that game without her. So, let's not disparage her unfairly.
In benchmark games/ranked teams. For us to have a chance she needs to be 12+ a game against this level. All losses as well. Miss St second game she had 10 points.
SC - 2 points
LSU- 6 points
Stanford- 5 points
UConn- 6 points
UCLA- 3 points
VT- 2 points
Colorado- 0 points
Gonzaga - 6 points
It is interesting to note that had Key been healthy, her past production would likely have been duplicated, which was North of something like 10 PPG and close to that in rebounds. Now, her substitutes certainly make up for some of that, but not all. And that doesn’t even address any growth in her game which may have occurred. Offensively, the difference may not be huge, but defensively it is much bigger. Her presence on defense was far more productive than her replacements combine to result. As for the rest of the players combining to contribute say 26 more points (30- the diff in 5 spot production from replacements), that seems like an easy number tbh, given 2 other starters plus the bench.Absolutely. The supporting cast to RJ and JH must score 30+.
UT needs to simply recruit better players, because those numbers actually seem rather low to achieve. The Walker, Darby, Puckett, Miles and Gwynn types need to be upgraded imo, and when that happens 26-30 PPG from the lot would be expected easily. I don’t place Holl or Strip in that group, I think they both have much higher ceilings and may well (esp Holl) soon be much bigger contributors. It seems like the guards and forwards are the issue, because if Key is back next season the post position will more than pull its weight.
Yes, having better players would make for a better team. If Kellie could bring a set of All-American candidates through the portal and could completely upgrade the team at every position, I for one, would support that move (as controversial as that statement might be, I will stand by it!!!)
But with the group of players we have now, yes Darby has her limits and has not produced in the bigger games as one would like. On the flipside, her improvement curve is impressive and she is by far the team's best 3-point shooter. Kellie offensive scheme does not help her cause because the LVs just don't run plays to free-up outside shooters. So, she is going to have improve her off the ball movement but I see evidence that such a change can happen in her remaining two seasons.
Sara "Bucketts" was an all SEC freshman player who seems to have hit the dreaded sophomore slump. Part of the problem has to be that, with line-up changes, her role on the team is not clear and she is over thinking things. I think that is correctable problem (for next season).
Wynn seems like a player with a big upside but she also needs some role clarity and playing time (and overall improvement in her offensive game), all things that can happen next year.
Holllingshead looks like she could become a beast. Her game has all the facets you want in a big but she is not consistent yet but that will come.
And Justine is waiting in the wings.....
Mad,
I was once high on Puckett, but two things I noticed this year, no speed and no jump in her game. So probably a role player, maybe a good role player but l don’t see a difference maker in her, hope I am wrong. I don’t particularly like her demeanor in games this year either, which is weird. She does not show the fire that Stripling shows as an example. She looks unattached.
Miles and Wynn to me are both role players. Too many holes in their games to fix in college to become above average starters. I like Darby also, but she has one tool in her box and it doesn’t work against teams with good defense. She still does not have the ability to put the ball on the court to drive to the basket or create space for her own shot. And defensively, you are always going to be challenged with her. Her role is hitting open 3’s, that is her wrench in the tool box. It’s a situational skill, meaning it can be taken away or denied to her. Then what? She doesn’t even get to the free throw line with that skill set.
Mad,
I was once high on Puckett, but two things I noticed this year, no speed and no jump in her game. So probably a role player, maybe a good role player but l don’t see a difference maker in her, hope I am wrong. I don’t particularly like her demeanor in games this year either, which is weird. She does not show the fire that Stripling shows as an example. She looks unattached.
Miles and Wynn to me are both role players. Too many holes in their games to fix in college to become above average starters. I like Darby also, but she has one tool in her box and it doesn’t work against teams with good defense. She still does not have the ability to put the ball on the court to drive to the basket or create space for her own shot. And defensively, you are always going to be challenged with her. Her role is hitting open 3’s, that is her wrench in the tool box. It’s a situational skill, meaning it can be taken away or denied to her. Then what? She doesn’t even get to the free throw line with that skill set.
Puckett's game is limited, but she has shown that she can play within herself and focus on what she does best: spot up shooter, posting up smaller defenders and crashing the boards. I don't see her trying to do things that are just not in her wheelhouse., so she's pretty smart about her on-court decisions. She'll never be an All-SEC type player, but she can be a reliable cog on both sides of the ball as long as she has other big-time players around her to carry the scoring load (and attract the opposing team's best defenders) Expecting her to be a go-to scorer or focal point of the offense is just not realistic. She simply doesn't have the tools for that, and the same is true for Darby, who is even more limited in what she can do offensively, and she is much easier to exploit defensively than someone like Sara.Mad,
I was once high on Puckett, but two things I noticed this year, no speed and no jump in her game. So probably a role player, maybe a good role player but l don’t see a difference maker in her, hope I am wrong. I don’t particularly like her demeanor in games this year either, which is weird. She does not show the fire that Stripling shows as an example. She looks unattached.
Miles and Wynn to me are both role players. Too many holes in their games to fix in college to become above average starters. I like Darby also, but she has one tool in her box and it doesn’t work against teams with good defense. She still does not have the ability to put the ball on the court to drive to the basket or create space for her own shot. And defensively, you are always going to be challenged with her. Her role is hitting open 3’s, that is her wrench in the tool box. It’s a situational skill, meaning it can be taken away or denied to her. Then what? She doesn’t even get to the free throw line with that skill set.
Puckett's game is limited, but she has shown that she can play within herself and focus on what she does best: spot up shooter, posting up smaller defenders and crashing the boards. I don't see her trying to do things that are just not in her wheelhouse., so she's pretty smart about her on-court decisions. She'll never be an All-SEC type player, but she can be a reliable cog on both sides of the ball as long as she has other big-time players around her to carry the scoring load (and attract the opposing team's best defenders) Expecting her to be a go-to scorer or focal point of the offense is just not realistic. She simply doesn't have the tools for that, and the same is true for Darby, who is even more limited in what she can do offensively, and she is much easier to exploit defensively than someone like Sara.
Wynn...not sure what her role on the team will be especially since at present, she will have a bigger role on the team next season in the absence of some solid portal additions. Excellent athlete, but she lacks pretty much all basketball fundamentals (shooting, passing, decision-making, even defense). Miles has a bit more upside and is a solid defensive player, but that's probably not enough to overcome her complete lack of offensive production (both as a scorer and a playmaker).
In benchmark games/ranked teams. For us to have a chance she needs to be 12+ a game against this level. All but one was a loss as well. Miss St second game she had 10 points.
SC - 2 points
LSU- 6 points
Stanford- 5 points
UConn- 6 points
UCLA- 3 points
VT- 2 points
Colorado- 0 points
Gonzaga - 6 points
Very telling numbers....just no production from her when we play good opponents, and that is a problem. I mean, given her overall skill set
this isn't hugely surprising, but, as Majors suggests, we basically need about 4 threes (or 12 points however they come) from her in games against quality opponents and she's not been able to provide that. Without points from her we basically have Jackson and the erratic Horston and a few points here and there from others. IMO we should be getting the ball more to Hollingshead inside. Powell is much better at getting passes into the point than Walker....
In benchmark games/ranked teams. For us to have a chance she needs to be 12+ a game against this level. All but one was a loss as well. Miss St second game she had 10 points.
SC - 2 points
LSU- 6 points
Stanford- 5 points
UConn- 6 points
UCLA- 3 points
VT- 2 points
Colorado- 0 points
Gonzaga - 6 points
Teams put pressure on either JH or RJ to not have big games….they will take their chances that nobody else can fill the void. Walker with 19 at LSU was big for to keep it close.8 losses and Darby is under 10. Ouch that stat line is telling. Someone also said that the team doesn't work to get Tess open and that she does move/dribble drive so she only has one tool in her box. That puts pressure on others to score and do things they're not equipped at. Getting her an early bucket will help her confidence in big games and will take the pressure off her. Much like having a young QB throw a 5 yard pass to settle in.
As for the supporting cast of Puckett, etc they need to be scoring. That play where Stripling scored her 3s could easily utilise Puckett. All they have to do is get her into positions where she can be successful.
The stats don't lie to win Darby needs to be scoring at least 12 points it could help too if the bench scored about 15-20 to help out RJ and JH.
Numbers don’t lie and in big games she fades away offensively.Very telling numbers....just no production from her when we play good opponents, and that is a problem. I mean, given her overall skill set
this isn't hugely surprising, but, as Majors suggests, we basically need about 4 threes (or 12 points however they come) from her in games against quality opponents and she's not been able to provide that. Without points from her we basically have Jackson and the erratic Horston and a few points here and there from others. IMO we should be getting the ball more to Hollingshead inside. Powell is much better at getting passes into the point than Walker....
Yes, having better players would make for a better team. If Kellie could bring a set of All-American candidates through the portal and could completely upgrade the team at every position, I for one, would support that move (as controversial as that statement might be, I will stand by it!!!)
But with the group of players we have now, yes Darby has her limits and has not produced in the bigger games as one would like. On the flipside, her improvement curve is impressive and she is by far the team's best 3-point shooter. Kellie offensive scheme does not help her cause because the LVs just don't run plays to free-up outside shooters. So, she is going to have improve her off the ball movement but I see evidence that such a change can happen in her remaining two seasons.
Sara "Bucketts" was an all SEC freshman player who seems to have hit the dreaded sophomore slump. Part of the problem has to be that, with line-up changes, her role on the team is not clear and she is over thinking things. I think that is correctable problem (for next season).
Wynn seems like a player with a big upside but she also needs some role clarity and playing time (and overall improvement in her offensive game), all things that can happen next year.
Holllingshead looks like she could become a beast. Her game has all the facets you want in a big but she is not consistent yet but that will come.
And Justine is waiting in the wings.....
Tess only averages under 8 pts to begin with. Expecting her to surpass that against the better teams on the schedule is asking too much. She also happens to be 3rd leading scorer on the team, and that’s really the bigger problem: she’s not good enough to carry that responsibility against the elite teams, especially if they somehow find a way to shut down Jackson or Horston while not leaving her completely open.8 losses and Darby is under 10. Ouch that stat line is telling. Someone also said that the team doesn't work to get Tess open and that she does move/dribble drive so she only has one tool in her box. That puts pressure on others to score and do things they're not equipped at. Getting her an early bucket will help her confidence in big games and will take the pressure off her. Much like having a young QB throw a 5 yard pass to settle in.
As for the supporting cast of Puckett, etc they need to be scoring. That play where Stripling scored her 3s could easily utilise Puckett. All they have to do is get her into positions where she can be successful.
The stats don't lie to win Darby needs to be scoring at least 12 points it could help too if the bench scored about 15-20 to help out RJ and JH.