Game Thread Lady Vols vs. Notre Dame

#151
#151
You guys knew that this was not going to be good for our LVs. Nobody on our team can match up w/Diggins. What did she score tonight > 33 points the last I looked & a career night. We played too fast at times & turned the ball over too much against a team that's deadly when they have the ball. Let's just play out the rest of the year now & hope for the best from now on out.
 
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#152
#152
Phillips is as big as Williams, stronger and has more energy. She could have put a hurting on Diggins...
 
#153
#153
I don't think the game was poorly coached at all! It came down to players loosing their defensive assignments. In all honesty, this team performed better tonight than the teams from the past four years. Had this been the team that graduated last year, they simply would have quit when Izzy went down. They NEVER showed the fight, and will that this team has. Glory was the only one with any toughness, and that didn't come until her junior and senior years. This team is extremely young, but talented! It's a shame that Simmons allows her head to take her out of the big games when she is needed the most! Graves is sensational! My only hope is that Mercedes comes to Knoxville, and makes as big an impact as Basharra has her freshman season! Those two are going to be quite a force to be reckoned with. Senseless turnovers, and shots that normally fall are what resulted in the loss. Cierra was horribly missed tonight, and with Izzy getting hurt, that hurt our inside game tremendously. I am not embarrassed or ashamed of tonight's performance! The most important thing to take away is that these girls have the burning inside, and the will to keep on fighting. They will learn more from this loss than they would've gained from the W! Don't get me wrong, I would've much rather them have gotten the win, but I am not the least bit discouraged!
 
#154
#154
gule....phillips is not going to play much...the coaches see her in practice if they saw something they would play her..she is only at UT cause the coaches missed out on a few recruits
 
#155
#155
Like I said, a good goal for this team is to win the SEC... either regular season or tournament championship. We all knew they were not going to contend for the NCAA title so it is not surprising the number 2 team beat them.

The only thing I am really disappointed in is the way we zoned out and lost our concentration at the beginning of each half. At the start we were a little tight and after the half we were having a pity party thinking about losing Izzy.

The one thing I thought Holly did wrong was in not gathering the team to keep them focused on the game when Harrison went down. Instead they all said a little prayer together and then kind of stood around watching Izzy. Holly needed to set the tone immediately and let them know how we were going to adjust and what their roles would be.

We didn't have our best game and lost another player from an already thin lineup so being within about 4 points near the end against the second best team in the country is surprising and shows we may have a little more upside to explore if we can just get and stay healthy.

A win over ND would have been a huge confidence booster and really helped our seeding in the tournament. I just don't see us getting our first win over a top five team in the tournament. From that perspective it was a costly loss even if it was an expected one.
 
#156
#156
we'll be either a 2 or 3 seed in the ncaa tourney if we beat UK or win the SEC we're a 2 lose and a 3 seed in the opening rounds in knoxville
 
#157
#157
Frustrating game. ND was off tonight and we couldn't take advantage of it. Diggins had 33 pts, but she missed several easy shots. Achonwa in foul trouble the whole game, McBride playing like she had the flu. Graves a true bright spot. 19-22 from the foul line. Better than ND and that doesn't happen often. Seeing Izzy with the ice pack on that knee -depressing.
 
#158
#158
I'd have told Phillips that Diggins was the B***H that had kept her on the bench/ stole her lunch money/ pissed in her cornflakes and was shagging her BF. Then turned her loose with the knowledge that if Diggins got a wide open shot, Phillips would run gassers for a week. Motivation is key!
 
#159
#159
armchair said:
McGraw schools our coaches, plain and simple. How many layups did they get off the high post screen? 20? We cut the lead to 5 or 6 with three minutes left and they ran that play and got another layup! Then Diggins hits a trey--game over. Massengale is a better player than she knows. She Could be great, with her body and skills, taking ball to the basket, but she doesn't do it! She has to be more assertive. UT is talented but lacks the coaching to win bug games.
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You ever consider how young this team is? Where do you coach? :lolabove:
 
#160
#160
i got to watch the replay,and I was mad at the poor shooting,especially in the first half,i noticed in the 2nd there were good open mid range shots,they didn't take,they would pass the ball and usually not with good results, but you could tell it really hurt when Izzy went out of the game,here is to hoping it isn't something really bad

the Lady Vols need a really strong post player,rebounding was bad,even before the injury,they also need to be working on ball control,there are way to many bad passes made,but it is a very young team and a major lack of depth

got to give credit to Jasmine Jones,she played a solid game for sure,need some work on the Offensive side,but she is doing very good
 
#161
#161
and come to think of it,a lack of depth is starting to show too,Izzy and Graves haven't been as good as they were 4 or 5 games ago,conditioning may be showing up now
 
#163
#163
gule said:
Might force Holly to remember she has a 6' 3" freshman post sitting on the bench. I think Moore has enuff toughness & ability to rebound at least with ND. And she can at least play defense.
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i thought CHW should have played her to help with the rebounding
 
#164
#164
We shouldn't be too angry. There are always 1-4 tiers in women's ball.

This year that top tier is Baylor, Stanford, Uconn, ND in any order on any given night (Baylor mostly)

After that its a group of Us, KY, Cal, and Duke (rankings don't matter, look at who we've lost to and you'll see we really lead this 2nd group for the most part and are much closer to the first than we think).

third group is the rest of the top 25 and a few outside of it.

4th is the rest.

The difference in group 1 and 2? I can name the best players on that first group, some even if you don't follow women's ball (Diggins, Griner, etc). We used to have players like that, Candace, Lawson, Holdsclaw, etc. Until we get a player like that again, we will be in the 2nd group barring miracle nights, which are possible, but not nearly as likely in women's ball as it is in men's.

We should be a 2 seed by the time its all said and done with, potentially the top 2 seed if we win out from here (and we can and probably should, including the SEC tourney). If we can get to an elite eight against ND/Uconn, I like our chances on a good night. Stanford/Baylor? might as well be happy with another EE banner at that point.
 
#165
#165
Daloth said:
We shouldn't be too angry. There are always 1-4 tiers in women's ball.

This year that top tier is Baylor, Stanford, Uconn, ND in any order on any given night (Baylor mostly)

After that its a group of Us, KY, Cal, and Duke (rankings don't matter, look at who we've lost to and you'll see we really lead this 2nd group for the most part and are much closer to the first than we think).

third group is the rest of the top 25 and a few outside of it.

4th is the rest.

The difference in group 1 and 2? I can name the best players on that first group, some even if you don't follow women's ball (Diggins, Griner, etc). We used to have players like that, Candace, Lawson, Holdsclaw, etc. Until we get a player like that again, we will be in the 2nd group barring miracle nights, which are possible, but not nearly as likely in women's ball as it is in men's.

We should be a 2 seed by the time its all said and done with, potentially the top 2 seed if we win out from here (and we can and probably should, including the SEC tourney). If we can get to an elite eight against ND/Uconn, I like our chances on a good night. Stanford/Baylor? might as well be happy with another EE banner at that point.
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I agree with all of that except think we have a better shot at ND and Stanford than Baylor or UConn. We just match up better and having played both Stanford and ND I think we know we can beat them. With UConn and Baylor I don't think we would have the same confidence.

Russell may very well be the player we are looking for next year. She, Deshields and Davis were the best in the incoming class and Deshields and Davis have gone where they will never trouble anyone ever again. Russell has the best chance of being the next dominant player to help a team to some championships out of that bunch.

But the 2014 group is deeper so we really need to reel a bunch in this year. UConn is having to reload so every player we get is one more they can't get.
 
#166
#166
governmentmule said:
and come to think of it,a lack of depth is starting to show too,Izzy and Graves haven't been as good as they were 4 or 5 games ago,conditioning may be showing up now
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That's what happens when your idiot coaches forget to use @25 percent of the available roster. You have depth problems........

I directly blame this loss on boneheaded coaches.:yes:
 
#167
#167
Warlick says that "Izzy hadn't practiced in 2 days because of knee problems". I presume that Moore had, right?

We have dolts for coaches.

Now we have a real problem. Izzy is really hurt and this loss will cost us probably a return to the Baylor side of the bracket in the tourney. Experience in a big time game now for Moore & Phillips beats throwing in the towel in March. Damn Damn Damn it.
 
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#168
#168
Daloth said:
We shouldn't be too angry. There are always 1-4 tiers in women's ball.

This year that top tier is Baylor, Stanford, Uconn, ND in any order on any given night (Baylor mostly)

After that its a group of Us, KY, Cal, and Duke (rankings don't matter, look at who we've lost to and you'll see we really lead this 2nd group for the most part and are much closer to the first than we think).

third group is the rest of the top 25 and a few outside of it.

4th is the rest.

The difference in group 1 and 2? I can name the best players on that first group, some even if you don't follow women's ball (Diggins, Griner, etc). We used to have players like that, Candace, Lawson, Holdsclaw, etc. Until we get a player like that again, we will be in the 2nd group barring miracle nights, which are possible, but not nearly as likely in women's ball as it is in men's.

We should be a 2 seed by the time its all said and done with, potentially the top 2 seed if we win out from here (and we can and probably should, including the SEC tourney). If we can get to an elite eight against ND/Uconn, I like our chances on a good night. Stanford/Baylor? might as well be happy with another EE banner at that point.
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I totally agree with everything you said.
 
#169
#169
gule said:
That's what happens when your idiot coaches forget to use @25 percent of the available roster. You have depth problems........

I directly blame this loss on boneheaded coaches.:yes:
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You have no basis for this claim you're making. I've seen nothing out of the players left on the bench that would have made a difference in this game. I've watched every game and been to a few in person. This loss would have been by a larger margin if CHW would have done as you have said. That would be just like saying we would have won the SEC east if Dooley would have put Peterman in at quarterback. Simmons had a very bad game and that cost us a lot. If she had been on, this game would have been ours. We have problems but the future is bright.
 
#170
#170
I love these girls! They are not ready for the top tier in basketball. Actually, I think they were playing too hard the first half. No one on the team was letting the game come to them, everyone was pressing to make plays and that is not going to work against the upper level teams. As the old saying goes, " it's not how you start but how you finish that is important". This team is better than they showed last night! If I had to be critical of anyone, Holly and her staff did not do a good job against a high caliber team again last night.
 
#171
#171
I have every basis to say this!

Massingale couldn't handle guarding Diggins, Kamiko runs out of gas after three trips up the floor, Spani is TOO slow to guard her and Simmons was needed for offense. ERGO ya play a bigger /faster/ rested Phillips(at least for short stretches of time) and you turn UP the pressure on Diggins till her legs & shot are kaput!

Moore is at the least a rebounder & shot blocker. Where did ND score? IN the paint & rebound baskets unless it was a wide open Diggins jumper.

Why leave unused bullets in the gun when you are in a battle undermanned?

Answer: stupid coach
 
#172
#172
gule said:
I have every basis to say this!

Massingale couldn't handle guarding Diggins, Kamiko runs out of gas after three trips up the floor, Spani is TOO slow to guard her and Simmons was needed for offense. ERGO ya play a bigger /faster/ rested Phillips(at least for short stretches of time) and you turn UP the pressure on Diggins till her legs & shot are kaput!

Moore is at the least a rebounder & shot blocker. Where did ND score? IN the paint & rebound baskets unless it was a wide open Diggins jumper.

Why leave unused bullets in the gun when you are in a battle undermanned?

Answer: stupid coach
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Because the unused bullets are 22's and we need 44's. Phillips would have been schooled just like the others. Like I said, I've seen nothing and evidently the coaches have seen nothing that would support your claim.
 
#173
#173
Then why are they on schollys? You agree with wasting TAXpayer dollars just for nothing other than practice fodder? I'm sure they could find a walkon for that.
 
#174
#174
Heaven help us when March comes and Simmons or Williams turns an ankle or worse. It'll be a 1st game loss unless we have experienced backup.
 
#175
#175
I agree they need to play, just not against this competition. They need to play in the games we have in the bag in the 2nd half. They have potential. That's why they have a scholarship. They are just not there yet.
 
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