Game Thread: Lady Vols Vs Oklahoma; Sun Jan 5th ; Home game; 3 PM Eastern; ESPN

[LadyViking/Vol]

Not sure about the last possession and shot selection at the end either .. but these kids never gave up especially when it wasn’t their best shooting day.. love their fight and their grit to come within one and a chance to win the game ! They will just fine !! Keep fighting Lady Vols!!

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

She had space to take two steps to the free throw line where she is pretty good. We only needed 2 points.

I would have air balled from any distance in that situation. That’s somebody’s daughter.

 

[Volfan2012]

Not the play I would've called but she has made them before. Belmont and Missouri. Just to hard a little lighter we go home winners.

Sad it came down to a shot we can play defense when we want to proved it in the fourth quarter. Coach Kim talking about playing hard for forty minutes hasn't happened and it still hasn't. Another tough one thursday hopefully we will play better.

 

[I4Vols]

I’ll have to go back and watch, but to me it looked the staff drew that up for Sara.

Tell me they drew it up for Spear or Darby & I'll agree with you

 

[Golfteacher]

I am proud, yes we lost but we did not back down and we never gave up. We showed that we can play with a top-ten team even if they sub the same way we do. The Lady Vols have nothing to be ashamed of. Go Lady Vols!!

 

[VolBall09]

x

 

[volfan102455]

In perspective we did not lose because ONE player missed a wide open shot that she has been coached to take, we lost because we did not play the entire game like we played the last 4 minutes.

Had we played the entire game like that, we don't need a last second shot to take the lead.

 

[Majors]

WTF. We just needed 2 pts to win it.

You have great drivers in Coop and Ruby on the floor and you let Sara shoot it. Jewel is the only player I would’ve been OK shooting a 3 at that point because she was hot. Man.

It’s like in football, just need 8 yards for a first down but throw it 25 yards into double coverage.

 

[Volinnooga]

with 6 seconds left tho

Easy to second guess it sitting on your couch. If we miss a hotly contested shot at the buzzer, how many are questioning why we didn’t take the wide open shot with 6 seconds left since we would still have time to rebound a missed shot.

 

[VolBall09]

In perspective we did not lose because ONE player missed a wide open shot that she has been coached to take, we lost because we did not play the entire game like we played the last 4 minutes.

Had we played the entire game like that, we don't need a last second shot to take the lead.

This is correct. We did it to ourself.

 

[Volfan2012]

Bad ending, but I’ll say amazing comeback

Proud of them still

We definitely were not going undefeated and this proves we can play in the SEC with any of the teams. Just have to play better than we did today.

 

[lvocd]

It was a heartbreaking loss, but I'm proud of that fourth quarter fight. Agree about the end -- wish it had worked out differently.

There's a lot to do and learn before Thursday, but Kim will have everyone's full attention. Or else.

Hang in there, friends!

 

[RespectAPA]

Today's +/- highlights

Hollingshead: +15 on 16 minutes
Whitehorn: +11 on 23 minutes

lowlights

Jewel: -10 on 29 minutes
Puckett: -11 on 19 minutes
Spearman: -19 on 23 minutes

[okay, so maybe I was wrong about Puckett being worse than Spearman]

Cooper would be much higher, but 2 turnovers, 0 assists, 0 threes all holds her back. Ends +2.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

We definitely were not going undefeated and this proves we can play in the SEC with any of the teams. Just have to play better than we did today.

This doesn’t prove anything but a loss, good thing I didn’t have any expectations this season.

 

[mudcat1973]

She wasn’t confident in the shot either

That's not where she's likes to shot from?

 

[Putbacks]

We needed Kamilla Cardosa to take that shot!

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

Who cares. They’re essentially professional athletes at this point. They aren’t children and she is a senior. They are not immune from due criticism.

Would you say the things you’ve posted about her to her parents? You wouldn’t so maybe cut her some slack is all I’m asking.

 

[Peas29]

She is shooting 24% from 3-pt. With 6 seconds left, she should not shoot a three only down 1. Bad decision no matter how you dice it.

Could’ve taken a dribble or two and shot it at the free throw line. Happy with the fight of this team though. They’re better than what they played today.

 

[VolBall09]

Tell me they drew it up for Spear or Darby & I'll agree with you

Play was for Puckett to set a screen at the top of the key for Cooper to come off to the left with Spear spaced in the corner. Cooper has to keep the ball there but Puckett’s decision making should have been better. Seriously just turn and set the rub screen for a handoff and send Coop wide open to the hole. Sara’s BBall IQ is awful which is part of why she’s a terrible defender.

 

[BruisedOrange]

with 6 seconds left tho

Yes. I think that was desired because that allowed time for a rebound and a putback.

Also, a senior. She's been there before.

 

[volfan__18]

This doesn’t prove anything but a loss, good thing I didn’t have any expectations this season.

Oh don’t start ur bellyaching. It’s a one point loss to a top 10 team. Let’s be mature about it.

 

[Ladyvol777]

Wow, what a game. So close I thought we had it. Just missed one to many shots. We took 81 to there 63. They shot 54%, hard to beat that. What a great game by Spears. As always go Lady Vol’s.

 

[VolBall09]

x

 

[knoxvol52]

So the meltdown begins .

 

[MAD]

To add a little more on my response, let’s also keep in mind, we DID NOT know what this year would bring with the new coaching change, style of play, players, etc. We have far exceeded expectations at this point in the season. Let’s not allow one hard fought loss be our end. Sometimes a loss is needed to make our players realize how important 4 quarters of defense really is.