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

[HerdLVol]

I'm so sick of seeing non-existent walks called in the women's game. It is absolutely ridiculous. The idiot refs think they're supposed to call one every few minutes regardless of whether it's warranted or not. Compared to what the men get away with it's a travesty. It definitely impacts the game greatly and the NCAA needs to put a stop to it immediately, especially before the tournament starts.

I agree with you and Rickster on this. For the life of me I saw a walk called last night that was invisible to me.

 

[madtownvol]

I remember a 10 loss LV team that got their act together at the right time one season, around 96-97.

Always hopeful for the Lady Vols.

That team also had Chamique Holdsclaw who went full Jordan during the tournament. I don't think a player has ever dominated the women's NCAA tournament the way she did that season.

 

[Rons1989]

I think its clear they want to win badly and as said by several posters, they try too hard sometimes. I believe this is a good sign of a team and the coaches just have to keep working with them to convince them its consistency and all the little things that the really good teams do that wins games.

We can see they are making progress just with baby steps. We fans just have to try to have a little patience, which is hard for us.

Facts...i think its getting to them a bit especially because we have lost the same way everytime they need to get back to basics and just have fun they are more than good enough are they on the same level as south carolina or ucla NO but everybody else they can beat.....just learn from this....i was fustrated but im more intrigued with how we do in this tough stretch cuz its going to mean something going forward...

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Talaysia Cooper will be the difference.

Truth.

 

[lvocd]

That team also had Chamique Holdsclaw who went full Jordan during the tournament. I don't think a player has ever dominated the women's NCAA tournament the way she did that season.

Also, let's not forget the truly heroic (and in hindsight, probably premature) return from ACL replacement that Kellie Jolly made. I felt at the time, and still do, that Chamique having her bestie back at point guard probably gave Mique an extra gear. Holdsclaw was transcendent.

And that Kellie Jolly had worked so hard because she so desperately wanted to play was what forever seared a placed of honor for her on my Tennessee heart. I will forever love Kellie for that.

 

[Coach Jumper]

I'm so sick of seeing non-existent walks called in the women's game. It is absolutely ridiculous. The idiot refs think they're supposed to call one every few minutes regardless of whether it's warranted or not. Compared to what the men get away with it's a travesty. It definitely impacts the game greatly and the NCAA needs to put a stop to it immediately, especially before the tournament starts.

100%

It's like the zebra's think there are a different set of standards and rules for the women's gender,,,I see walks in the men's game where they traveled so far they should have been carrying a suitcase

 

[th2421]

South Carolina 8 -0
LSU ------------------6-1
Texas ---------------6-1
Kentucky -----------6-1
Alabama ------------4-3
Vanderbilt ----------4-3
Oklahoma -----------4-3
Old Miss --------------4-3
Texas A&M ---------3-4
Tennessee ----------3-5
Mississippi state 3-5
Florida -----------------2-6
If this was a horse race.
The Tennessee walking horse is not going to finish show/top3
Eight games played out sixteen schedule.
Tennessee isn't finishing top four.
Tied for 10 with Mississippi state 3-5
Tennessee volunteers can not afford to lose to anybody in 11-16 place.
Not if they don't want to be first team to miss the NCAA tournament rocky top.
Ten place means bubble team.
Tennessee needs to finish top eight to be safe.
If this was a track race -across country it's time to go if Tennessee volunteers has anything in the tank!!

Warren Nolan projects us losing at LSU but winning out after that and finishing in a tie for 5th with Vanderbilt: Predicted Conference Standings - 2025 SEC Women's Basketball | WarrenNolan.com

Vanderbilt would get the tie-breaker with the H2H so that would put us at the 6 seed in the SEC tournament. In that scenario, we'd play the winner of #11/#14 (TAMU vs. Florida), followed by #3 (having to play LSU a 3rd time).

To avoid a tie with Vanderbilt in this scenario, we'd need them to drop one more game, maybe Ole Miss at home (as long as we beat Ole Miss, then we'd have the tie-breaker with them).

Passing Oklahoma to get a top 4 finish is trickier, because they own the tie-breaker, so they'd need to lose two more games than what Warren Nolan projects. That could mean something like losing two out of three to Kentucky, Alabama, and Vanderbilt, but those are all home games for Oklahoma (and we don't want Vanderbilt to win either - and we'd need to ensure we beat Kentucky and Alabama to own those tie-breakers).

 

[Voluble2]

Where you there???
The female ref made maybe 2-3 calls our way the whole game,,,she was decidedly biased

This will keep happening until Kim proves she has the nerve to bow up and defend her team!

I pointed that exact thing out to my daughter when we were watching it. She was the one of the far side on the TV broadcast.

 

[Orange.]

I'm so sick of seeing non-existent walks called in the women's game. It is absolutely ridiculous. The idiot refs think they're supposed to call one every few minutes regardless of whether it's warranted or not. Compared to what the men get away with it's a travesty. It definitely impacts the game greatly and the NCAA needs to put a stop to it immediately, especially before the tournament starts.

The officials had called walking on USCjr earlier, iirc, which shocked but delighted me, where their player took 4 step. I almost think the absolutely nit-picky micro walking call on us was supposed to "even up the calls." Of course it did the opposite. Calls are even when the calls are made the same way for both teams when and only when the same infractions occur. NOT necessarily when the numbers are even.

I thought we got a much better game called in the paint last night than we did, for example, at Texas. In Austin I thought one-sided calls under the basket affected the outcome.

I think it is ridiculous to blame bad calls on Kim.

 

[Coach Jumper]

The officials had called walking on USCjr earlier, iirc, which shocked but delighted me, where their player took 4 step. I almost think the absolutely nit-picky micro walking call on us was supposed to "even up the calls." Of course it did the opposite. Calls are even when the calls are made the same way for both teams when and only when the same infractions occur. NOT necessarily when the numbers are even.

I thought we got a much better game called in the paint last night than we did, for example, at Texas. In Austin I thought one-sided calls under the basket affected the outcome.

I think it is ridiculous to blame bad calls on Kim.

 

[KrazyVolFan]

Will they make it? But if they don’t make it the first couple of years it’s fine in my opinion.

That's a red flag for me. No tournament should put any coach on a hot seat immediately. That being said unless the wheels fall off, and they may, we should be ok

 

[SGMVols]

Will they make it? But if they don’t make it the first couple of years it’s fine in my opinion.

No. It is not acceptable to miss the tournament, even in year 1. And Kim would be the first person to agree.

 

[TnVolsX4]

No. It is not acceptable to miss the tournament, even in year 1. And Kim would be the first person to agree.

But have you heard about our recruiting class?

 

[1reVOLver]

Spearman and Latham started in the ACC as a sophomore and freshman. They can handle anything they see in the SEC.
It’s just been an extended adjustment period playing in a new system and role.
Latham has had as good a game against a contender in Notre Dame as any Tennessee player in the last 4-5 years as a freshman at Syracuse.
This system is different. Eventually the staff will be able to incorporate the strengths of our talent into the system by developing them which we’ve already seen in 20 games.
Latham has tremendous upside. She has all the tools.
GBO!

Former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank Alan Greenspan once referred to a stock market bubble with a term that describes your comments: Irrational Exuberance.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

A day after watching the Lady Vols in a SEC battle against South Carolina and the unveiling of three future McDonald’s All-Americans the National spotlight is shining bright in Rocky Top Tennessee!
Good Morning America features Coach Caldwell’s return to the court.
Take a look Vols!

 

[glv98]

No. It is not acceptable to miss the tournament, even in year 1. And Kim would be the first person to agree.

With the recruiting class Kim has in her pocket, I don't think there's anything short of an ethics or morals violation that would put her on the hot seat this year.

And they're not missing the tourney.

 

[Orange.]

Here's one for you. The Vols (men) lost on a closing minute call at #1 Auburn on Sunday. See that obvious foul on Aubie #5. Before he throws his arms up like "I never touiched him, he just twirled around and fell all by himself." Well, that foul was NOT called. You see our player get dragged around during foul? That was called walking. On Tennessee. They Aubie scored and won the game. Would have been a road win against #1. Impacts NET rather largely.

 

[TnVolsX4]

With the recruiting class Kim has in her pocket, I don't think there's anything short of an ethics or morals violation that would put her on the hot seat this year.

And they're not missing the tourney.

Got to win 5 more conference games.

 

[glv98]

I

Got to win 5 more conference games.

will easily beat Mizzu, GA, FLA, AUB. Need to win at least one of LSU, Ala, Ole Miss, and KY.

Win two of those and possibly get the first round bye.

 

[VolBlocker]

False.
I don’t know what you’re seeing but Ruby Whitehorn creates space and drives to the basket as good as most guards in the SEC.
Kaniya Boyd can create although she’s still learning how to play at the speed and physicality of SEC basketball as a freshman.
Samara Spencer has started in the SEC for four years and has one of the top assist to turnover ratios in WBB.
So she’s not only creating for herself averaging double figures scoring but also making plays for her teammates.
I don’t know what some of you all expect to be honest.
Not many teams score 50 on South Carolina let alone 63 points and hold them to 70 points.
The LVs had good looks but the shots weren’t falling which was the difference last night.

I stand by what I said. They can't create CONSISTENTLY! Samara Spencer & Ruby Whitehorn has been really good but they are both straight line drivers. They can't really break people down though. Tay Coop has an array of moves. She can get by anybody! Crossover, crab dribble, step backs, euro, pro hop, jab, and hesi! C'mon the others don't have it.

I think Kaniya has opportunity to be really good.

Tennessee should've beat South Carolina. South Carolina didn't do anything spectacular. Tennessee just isn't top tier if Tay Coop struggling offensively.

 

[superfly]

I watched the Caldwell presser after the game. I don't care if you guys make the tournament (you will) or not, you have the right coach. She articulated everything in a way that you know, this woman knows the game and she is likeable. She is going to swoon some kids to come in and play for her based on personality and knowledge. You can tell when someone is fake and full of BS but Caldwell is neither. Tennessee's future looks very bright. The fan base needs to have patience.

 

[krichunaka]

Our SEC schedule is actually easier this year than last. We played LSU and then So Car three times all within a month last season.

It's the SEC. Lots of good teams. Schedules are hard.

Good post and good points!

I don't know, of course, and I don't know if any of us can know for at least a couple more weeks. South Carolina is premier. Absent the two additions, is the full conference opposition better this year? I'm asking because I haven't seen many inter-conference match-ups. Are we better (I think we are)?

I believe that the two high-quality additions, by simple math, make for a tougher overall challenge, especially since we will likely find ourselves matched up with one, or both of the newbies, and/or the two you mentioned in the SEC Tournament. So, from where we are now, the remainder of this season looks tough, and could play out to be tough...er than last season.

What's interesting, even fascinating, about our Enigmatic Ladies is we are going down to the wire with some of THE BEST teams in the NCAA, while often not playing very well: all those missed assignments, mental checkouts ...and of course, the occasional scoring drought. The bigger question, and what (I think) will define us is will we continue to battle like we've seen? I think we will, because they've proven to be a courageous lot.

 

[glv98]

What's interesting, even fascinating, about our Enigmatic Ladies is we are going down to the wire with some of THE BEST teams in the NCAA, while often not playing very well: all those missed assignments, mental checkouts ...and of course, the occasional scoring drought. The bigger question, and what (I think) will define us is will we continue to battle like we've seen? I think we will, because they've proven to be a courageous lot.

Well yes, this was always the question and why Kellie was fired. She came very close alot, esp last year. Through all kinds of sloppy inefficient play. But could never, ever get over the hump. For sure CKC was brought here to finally get over it and with the recruiting class she has and the grit of this team, she most likely will.

As far as if the current team will continue to battle, absolutely they will. They are fighters and know how close they are. My only question is if they have enough mental and physical energy left in the tank and esp in the legs. This is an incredibly demanding system. We'll see how it plays out esp in tourney format.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Well yes, this was always the question and why Kellie was fired. She came very close alot, esp last year. Through all kinds of sloppy inefficient play. But could never, ever get over the hump. For sure CKC was brought here to finally get over it and with the recruiting class she has and the grit of this team, she most likely will.

As far as if the current team will continue to battle, absolutely they will. They are fighters and know how close they are. My only question is if they have enough mental and physical energy left in the tank and esp in the legs. This is an incredibly demanding system. We'll see how it plays out esp in tourney format.

Kellie was in over her head,,,close or not close, she was never in control of that team...It only ran smoothly when Rickea was "on"

same thing is happening right now with Coop

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Elite coaching.
Elite talent.
Elite recruiting.