Game Thread: Lady Vols Vs So. Car. ; Mon Jan 27th ; Home game; 7 PM Eastern; ESPN2

[KnoxLikeUs]

There’s very little to no in game adjustments on the offensive side of the ball. Once the defense pick up, that’s when the offense comes for a consistent stretch. It’s on the players they have to want it more the entire game.

The coaches made in game adjustments on offense the shots just weren’t falling.
Spencer and Spear were uncomfortable offensively tonight and that was from SC defense. I still maintain that the injury in the Memphis game has limited Spencer.
She just isn’t moving laterally or probing the court to facilitate like before her injury.
I can say one thing though, no players have ever decided they will get down double digits and then play their best to cut the deficit in an attempt to earn a comeback win.
This team is still learning to play together and building chemistry.
I know you’ll disagree we don’t need to go back and forth.

 

[NOLACHUCKEYTOM]

Girls do need to put a little more pop on their passes and I think we need to work inside out for shots more than we do. I would also like to see them change up the press several times a game to show a different look so that the press break offense would have to find different places to throw the ball. You can tell opponents have practiced for our press and maybe we could change the look occasionally.

 

[lfvol]

What makes you think South Carolina defenders wouldn't do to Johnson or Fulwiley what they did to Cooper and Spear tonight? Taking away what opponents do best is what South Carolinas defense does. You notice every three was well contested tonight. Tennessee didn't just go out and take crappy shots, every shot was contested, especially the threes.

Spear is physically incapable of freeing herself, go by people or defend. Neither of the SC players have that issue. Cooper had a horrific game and seldom had the skill to get her feet under her to shoot rather than hurl shots. Neither the SC players lack that ability and not sure if you noticed but tonight Cooper‘s “shooting” was painfully bad. So yeah, switch either tonight, we win.

 

[glv98]

Samara Spencer, Ruby Whitehorn, and Jewel Spear all have the same move.

Disagree. IMO Ruby's moves are on a different level from the other two. I think we should use Ruby more on offense.

Coop is our engine. If she’s hitting we’re on a roll. Mostly because she is defense to offense. Her steal score possessions really energize this team. She has to take pride in that and do it consistently. Scary how many steals she could have if she does it 100% of the time.

Coops D to O is incredible. She is our engine, but she sometimes doesn't hit on all cylinders. She needs extensive film study focused on shot selection and not forcing her offense. It's a really hard skill to learn but I believe she will. She's also quite an emotional player (shades of JH) and that needs some fine tuning.

 

[BowlBrother85]

I don't think Dawn took her foot off the pedal. But I am not familiar enough with her lineup to say for sure. But the announcers kept emphasizing that their top 5 subs outscore their starters. I think she intended to leave a mark. Because that's competition. I think our rally was psychologically important.

I wouldn't belittle the comeback as just "South Carolina taking their foot off the gas." That's not really what Staley does, and it's not as though their lead was ever insurmountable.

 

[sgacock]

View attachment 717706

This is my Chloe Kitts chain....

Oops

 

[Namorto1]

At times she settles a lot but Tay Coop is by far our best player by a wide margin. She has to do entirely too much because this team lacks players who can break down defenders. Next season, Mia & Mya Pauldo & Deniya Prawl will make Tay Coop even better. You can't name one player on this team who can consistently beat their player off the dribble. Samara Spencer, Ruby Whitehorn, and Jewel Spear all have the same move.

Cooper is talented to be sure, but she was certainly not our best player tonight, nor against Texas. She hurt the team more today than helped. Her shot selection is pathetic and she plays selfish. She can be elite defensively but doesn't have to force things in the halfcourt offense, early in the shot clock, repeatedly without passing the ball. It's as good as a turnover. She has ability to draw attention and kick the ball to others, who are primarily perimeter shooters but she rarely does it. Doesn't matter how talented she is, it is just bad basketball.

 

[glv98]

I wouldn't belittle the comeback as just "South Carolina taking their foot off the gas." That's not really what Staley does, and it's not as though their lead was ever insurmountable.

It's not belittling the comeback. And I don't think it was Dawn's plan. But once SC got up by 20, their intensity waned and the LVs jumped all over it. This is a very opportunistic team and that's a good thing.

 

[Rooster1]

I don't think Dawn took her foot off the pedal. But I am not familiar enough with her lineup to say for sure. But the announcers kept emphasizing that their top 5 subs outscore their starters. I think she intended to leave a mark. Because that's competition. And she may play us again. I think our rally was psychologically important.

She inserted Dauda and a few other players In hopes of giving them playing time, but she always kept 1-2 of her best on the court until the final 4 minutes when she sent the best 5 back in, but you are correct in most of that analysis and tbh, look at the past 5-6 SC-UT games, same old story. UT does not sit on that kind of stuff, never has.

 

[KrazyVolFan]

Oops

Kitts is a good player but she is the weakest link in your chain. Now take your ball and go home.

 

[Dak1219]

I wouldn't belittle the comeback as just "South Carolina taking their foot off the gas." That's not really what Staley does, and it's not as though their lead was ever insurmountable.

SC blew out Oklahoma by 40, beat Texas by about 18 and barely made by LSU by 10. They don't seem to take their foot off the gas against other ranked teams, why would they take it off for Tennessee?

 

[mudcat1973]

Mississippi state 61 60 end Three quarter

70 all less than five minutes to go

 

[Knoxville Nation]

Cooper is talented to be sure, but she was certainly not our best player tonight, nor against Texas. She hurt the team more today than helped. Her shot selection is pathetic and she plays selfish. She can be elite defensively but doesn't have to force things in the halfcourt offense, early in the shot clock, repeatedly without passing the ball. It's as good as a turnover. She has ability to draw attention and kick the ball to others, who are primarily perimeter shooters but she rarely does it. Doesn't matter how talented she is, it is just bad basketball.

Totally agree

 

[Rooster1]

Kitts is a good player but she is the weakest link in your chain. Now take your ball and go home.

Kitts is a very good player, not sure where the hate is from, she is relentless on the boards (leading rebounder for SC) and averages 10 ppg in about 20 minutes of play. Btw, she skipped her senior year of HS , joined the team in January, and is essentially a sophomore this year, she is doing fine. Starts for a top 1-5 type team.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Cooper is talented to be sure, but she was certainly not our best player tonight, nor against Texas. She hurt the team more today than helped. Her shot selection is pathetic and she plays selfish. She can be elite defensively but doesn't have to force things in the halfcourt offense, early in the shot clock, repeatedly without passing the ball. It's as good as a turnover. She has ability to draw attention and kick the ball to others, who are primarily perimeter shooters but she rarely does it. Doesn't matter how talented she is, it is just bad basketball.

I think she is still learning and adjusting to playing the most basketball that she’s played since coming out of high school as the #18 prospect and McDonald’s AA. This is a player that sat out an entire season following her transfer as a freshman.
I’ll take the ups and downs as she develops into a complete basketball player. We have the coaching to continue to mold Coop.
I also agree that although Coop is extremely talented I wouldn’t say she’s by far our best player.
Ruby Whitehorn #15 prospect and McDonald’s AA out of HS is in a similar situation as Coop.
She played and started at Clemson for two years but really hasn’t been fully developed. Whitehorn was also ranked higher out of HS than any player at Tennessee that started in the past five years other than Rickea Jackson and Jordan Horston.
It’s going to take time before they take the next step in college under a new coach and system.

 

[alexvol]

As far as winning..... better times ,,,,,they are acoming .

 

[shiverz]

She inserted Dauda and a few other players In hopes of giving them playing time, but she always kept 1-2 of her best on the court until the final 4 minutes when she sent the best 5 back in, but you are correct in most of that analysis and tbh, look at the past 5-6 SC-UT games, same old story. UT does not sit on that kind of stuff, never has.

Dauda turned the ball over 2 to 3 times in a row.

 

[LadyVol1908]

Well the first quarter was fun! Can’t wait to go back and read the game thread and see if anybody seen what I saw!

I was at the Memphis game, but not as close to the bench as I was this game. The substitutions are a lot more erratic than I thought! There seemed to be ALOT of confusion.

Also we need to start playing through Ruby!

 

[Rooster1]

I think she is still learning and adjusting to play the most basketball that she’s played since coming out of high school as the #18 prospect and McDonald’s AA. This is a player that sit out an entire season following her transferring as freshman.
I’ll take the ups and downs as she develops into a complete basketball player. We have the coaching to continue to mold Coop.
I also agree that as she’s talented I wouldn’t say she’s by far our best player. Ruby Whitehorn #15 prospect and McDonald’s AA is in a similar situation as Coop.
She played and started at Clemson for two years but really hasn’t been fully developed. Whitehorn was also ranked higher out of HS than any player at Tennessee that started in the past five years other than Rickea Jackson and Jordan Horston.
It’s going to take time to before they take the next step in college under a new coach and system.

You are correct on Coop, after she transferred to UT I made several posts here that she is very similar to Saniya Rivers in her game, with some differences. But very similar. Coop has a game that CDS recognized as explosive in HS and obviously recruited her to SC. At SC, there were too many veteran players ahead of her and she needed to find her own space, which she found at UT. Like Dawn said in her interview this week, everyone is happy for her, she found her home and her right place. SC folks pull for her, she is one of their own, and one of the best to come out of the state.

She is likely an AA in the future, just needs the rough edges polished.

 

[Rooster1]

Dauda turned the ball over 2 to 3 times in a row.

Dauda has been a failed experiment imo, it’s painful watching. She was responsible for a quick 6 point swing, eventually Dawn will move on from her. Tac is better at those minutes imo.

 

[mudcat1973]

Missouri beats Mississippi state at the buzzer
Missouri may not be as bad as some you-all said.
78 77 Missouri over Mississippi state
Just seen two quarters of them this season.

 

[glv98]

SC blew out Oklahoma by 40, beat Texas by about 18 and barely made by LSU by 10. They don't seem to take their foot off the gas against other ranked teams, why would they take it off for Tennessee?

Don't think it was intentional. SC is on short turn around fm their game Friday night and also have now played 5 straight conference games against ranked opponents. A little let down w a 20 pt lead is to be expected. I've said a hundred times it's to the LVs credit that they jumped on that so eagerly.

Also we need to start playing through Ruby!

I said the same! We're in synch again.

 

[KrazyVolFan]

Kitts is a very good player, not sure where the hate is from, she is relentless on the boards (leading rebounder for SC) and averages 10 ppg in about 20 minutes of play.

No hate she is a really good player. I believe she is your weakest link though. You shouldn't take it as a bad thing. I am not downing her in any way.

 

[AllVols3]

Flagg?

Fournier, 6'5" post , can shoot the 3 and run the floor.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

You are correct on Coop, after she transferred to UT I made several posts here that she is very similar to Saniya Rivers in her game, with some differences. But very similar. Coop has a game that CDS recognized as explosive in HS and obviously recruited her to SC. At SC, there were too many veteran players ahead of her and she needed to find her own space, which she found at UT. Like Fawn said in her interview this week, everyone is happy for her, she found her home and her right place. SC folks pull for her, she is one of their own, and one of the best to come out of the state.

I love watching Coop play. She’s a competitor and a flat out dawg. Her and Ruby are players you can build a championship team around. Boyd and Latham are still young. They have the ability to be players that can take some of the pressure off of Coop and Whitehorn.
Same with Spearman. She just wasn’t molded to her full potential at her former school.
Tennessee has the pieces but they just haven’t been fully developed due to age, having to sit out due to transfer rules, or coming from a former school that didn’t have a winning culture.
I’ll admit as loyal of a Lady Vol fan I am, I have the upmost respect for South Carolina and Coach Staley.
The Lady Vols are making a comeback and are poised to be a competitor to challenge the dominant Gamecocks of this era.
This is great for WBB and the SEC.