Game Thread Lady Vols vs South Carolina in the SEC Tournament

[leejoek]

I would have had Mercedes catching it. I would have anyone except Westbrook, Davis, and Hayes inbounding. So, I think Meme was in the game at that time? She has a FULL two years extra experience and is much less likely to get rattled IMO.

Did you not see the play and who was going to the ball ? It was designed to inbound to Mercedes - she just did not look up and the pass was bad. Looks like you and Holly were on the same page :good!:

In the Knoxville 12-13-year-old recreation league, I came across such situation where we had to inbound the ball. MR was too far from the in-bounder!

 

[th2421]

Well then, what are you REALLY trying to say? We are really BETTER or the same as seeds #4, #5, and #6? Well, we lost to the #4 seed and the #6 seed and we split with the #5 seed. That #5 seed BEAT Alabama by 19 points on the road (we lost by 9 at home) and they only lost to South Carolina by 2 with Wilson playing and scoring 25 points. I'd say all those teams DO look better than us. The reason they were tied in record with those other 3 teams (4 LSU, 5 TAM, and 6 Missouri) is because we faced South Carolina TWICE without Wilson playing and won. All the teams we are tied with have a loss on their record against South Carolina when Wilson played. My guess is all those teams probably win against South Carolina if Wilson sits and we probably lose 1 or both our games if Wilson was healthy.

They don't give out 4th or 7th place trophies. You play the regular season for mostly 2 reasons: to get a good seed in the tournament and to win a regular season SEC championship. We got neither. Not sure why anyone would want to sugarcoat it. 7th place is a BAD seed for us. We had a 7th seed two years ago as well.

As a fan since 1991 I don't like seeing our program suffer and I don't like reading denials that it is suffering because it IS not performing to the standards it should be.

Like I said in my original post, I'm not happy with 4th place, either, but I think we should at least be honest and factual in our critiques and disappointments. Yeah, the Alabama loss sucked. We also should have held on to win the first TAMU game and the game at LSU. But our record is still our record, and same can be said for the other teams with whom we tied.

I also don't care that A'ja didn't play. I get what you're trying to say but it doesn't actually matter. There are always unforeseen circumstances and factors outside of teams' control.

FWIW, we were 8-8 two years ago (7th), 10-6 last year (5th) and 11-5 (T-4th) this year.

 

[Chitownvol1129]

I would have had Mercedes catching it. I would have anyone except Westbrook, Davis, and Hayes inbounding. So, I think Meme was in the game at that time? She has a FULL two years extra experience and is much less likely to get rattled IMO.

Not only did she turn it over but she got beat on defense too after the turnover. You win with upperclassman. So when you have a chance to draw up a play, it makes sense to utilize them (your Seniors and Juniors).


Well, I have to think ANYTHING except putting your hands in your head attempting to curl up in the fetal position would have been a better choice for the turnover. Similarly, acting like you've been there before when your team hits the gamer winner would have been preferable. Be a leader.

Dude, or dudet, do you watch the games? Meme Jackson is possibly the worst passer on the team, certainly on the floor! She lofts her passes. No telling how many turnovers she had already by telegraphing, or just horrible passing! The ball was thrown in to Merecedes who broke a different way...that was the turn over. The last possession was in Hayes hands with score tied 11 seconds to go. She is a magnet at getting to the line. Nared was out, good person to handle the ball. She got double teamed and passed to a wide open player that is shooting over 50 percent from 3 point range in last 8 games...since Vandy, it was a better than 50/50 play, no matter.

 

[madtownvol]

Well, I have to think ANYTHING except putting your hands in your head attempting to curl up in the fetal position would have been a better choice for the turnover. Similarly, acting like you've been there before when your team hits the gamer winner would have been preferable. Be a leader.

Dang straight! A coach's immediate reaction to a bad play determines EVERYTHING! Holly should have stood up and yelled at Evina, you bleepity bleep, a TO is BAAAAD in this situation (because as player EVINA would have no idea that her turnover was a mistake and would need to be screamed at so she could truly comprehend this nuanced aspect of the game).

If only Holly had acted appropriately, then the LVs might have been able to come down the court and hit a game winning shot at the buzzer, maybe by someone like Davis.

But alas, the LVs lost the ga....oh, wait

 

[VolBall09]

Got to get better play at point guard. We struggled because the point guards couldn't get the ball down the court or make a decent pass. I know they are freshmen but this far into the season you expect better than what was done last night.
Your talking about 11 turnovers from the point guard position and an additional five from the two guard position. Hard to win a game doing that and yet we won on a last second shot.
I don't know why Hayes and Westbrook are finding it so difficult to play their position effectively this late in the season but definitely a huge problem and the reason the game was even a contest.

Anywhere near that today and we get blown out take care of the ball girls and that would be my message for the team today.

Agreed, their attitude has to improve.

Evina was taken off the ball last night and benched for a little bit, first time I've really seen an in game adjustment all year.

She definitely got an earful from Holly too, you could see it for a change.

Tough learning curve for a freshman, but you can't turn the ball over 7 times and then pout when you get moved off the point.

Hoping they come out tonight ready to play with their head in the right space. Even with Wilson I think they can beat SC if they play as a unit, Harris got really frustrated last time with their denial defense.

 

[leejoek]

People keep saying we finished 7th in the SEC. We didn't. We finished in a 4-way tie for 4th, and we are the 7th seed due to tie-breakers.

Not that I'm super happy with 4th, but can we at least try to base our critiques on facts?

As we had trouble beating the bottom feeders, we are actually near the bottom.

By contrast, our men are picked to be near the bottom, because they are deemed to be near the bottom, talent-wise.

 

[Pappy]

I hope all of Holly's yelling when she was mic'ed up last night finally shut up the whiners who keep complaining she doesn't do any in-game coaching.

i think a key word is missing here: 'effective' in-game coaching

 

[VolBall09]

Like I said in my original post, I'm not happy with 4th place, either, but I think we should at least be honest and factual in our critiques and disappointments. Yeah, the Alabama loss sucked. We also should have held on to win the first TAMU game and the game at LSU. But our record is still our record, and same can be said for the other teams with whom we tied.

I also don't care that A'ja didn't play. I get what you're trying to say but it doesn't actually matter. There are always unforeseen circumstances and factors outside of teams' control.

FWIW, we were 8-8 two years ago (7th), 10-6 last year (5th) and 11-5 (T-4th) this year.

Agree with you 100% about the first two games without A'Ja, not really a factor for me looking at the big picture. Tennessee has no control over who plays or doesn't play.

South Carolina also didn't come out and play like a team missing their star should play. That's when you come together and play hard for your teammate that carries you every other game. They got embarrassed twice.

 

[1985Vols]

Yes, we want to build a wall against South Carolina to prevent them from pounding it in. If pounding it in is the only thing Holly wants to do, then we play into South Carolina's hand.

Can Holly shoot? Does Holly believe in dribbling and shooting? Do fans pay to see a bunch of girls who can't shoot open jumpers?

Watch Geno grin when his girls hit the 3S!

Geno grins because he coaches his team and their offense is in sync and runs like a well- oiled machine. Holly's offense looks like they are missing a couple of gears. And that's with 7 McDonald All Americans. It's all about coaching. Look what Rick Barnes has done with a team of 3 * players?

 

[clkou]

Dude, or dudet, do you watch the games? Meme Jackson is possibly the worst passer on the team, certainly on the floor! She lofts her passes. No telling how many turnovers she had already by telegraphing, or just horrible passing! The ball was thrown in to Merecedes who broke a different way...that was the turn over. The last possession was in Hayes hands with score tied 11 seconds to go. She is a magnet at getting to the line. Nared was out, good person to handle the ball. She got double teamed and passed to a wide open player that is shooting over 50 percent from 3 point range in last 8 games...since Vandy, it was a better than 50/50 play, no matter.

You're entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts. The facts are that Meme turns the ball over less than everyone on the team, on average, except Dunbar, Russell, and Nared. Meme performs better than ALL the Freshman in terms of NOT turning the ball over.



It's also a fact that Meme is a Junior and has 2 full years more experience than our Freshman and she is less likely to be rattled.

Does Meme have problems with turnovers? YES. EVERYONE on the team has problems with turnovers to a degree except Dunbar. But to attack Meme and pretend that our Freshman don't have worse issues is disingenuous and just factually incorrect.

And, by the way, I'm glad Davis hit the winning shot, but keep in mind, she banked it in, which is a strong indicator that it was a lucky shot, and the team should have had been trying to get a layup or short jump shot, not a 3 or low percentage shot. Just because we ended up winning doesn't mean the ending wasn't botched and the ends don't justify the means. BOTH of our last possessions were POORLY drawn up and executed and they were DAMN lucky to win. You keep making bad coaching and playing decisions and your luck will run out sooner rather than later. It almost ran out last night.

 

[madtownvol]

BOTH of our last possessions were POORLY drawn up and executed and they were DAMN lucky to win. You keep making bad coaching and playing decisions and your luck will run out sooner rather than later. It almost ran out last night.

I put this comment in the same cluster as announcers who keep yelling "get the ball to the big girl" even though teams like Auburn sag their zone around Mercedes so that she is effectively tripled team.

And in this game, MR did exactly what she needs to keep doing for the rest of the season, Getting the ball and touches by attacking the offensive glass rather than being taken out of the game when the entry pass is denied.

Also, contra to TV announcer wisdom, WIDE OPEN UNCONTESTED THREES are not BAD shots. When a team sags the zone, the perimeter is the exploitable gap. So, pounding the ball into a triple teamed MR or driving into the lane, where Auburn had been (I think through uncalled fouls) generating a lot of steals, is not necessarily better than a wide open 3 (from a player who is shooting 40% from beyond the arc). And Hayes did a great job in working through the trap defense and finding Davis.

And yes, the bank shot was some good fortune but teams make their own luck.

 

[37620VOL]

clkou, agree with your post. Jackson is severely underrated by a lot of out posters. She plays solid defense, shoots respectably from 3/2/FT, rebounds, low TOs, passes and runs well. She's not a superstar, but she's a cog, and machines run on cogs, not superstars.

Something else I gleened from your stats summary. How is it possible that we have one player that is 83% from the line but 24% from 3 and another player 33% from 3 but 55% from the line?

Honestly, I think Westbrook has a great shot. There's no excuse for her continued slump at the line. She appears too flat footed to me, but her upper body form looks good. Does anyone coach our girls on how to shoot?

 

[mike099]

If Nared cannot play tonight, do you feel we would play better with Hayes at the point and Westbrook at the wing?
I think Evina is a better jump shooter than Hayes.

Of course I still think Holly should start London in Jamie's spot and rotate her with Dunbar.

IF Tennessee loses tonight the seeding is probably not going to change, so why not play London, Dunbar and even KK more minutes.

 

[FrozenLVFan]

Any word on Nared's status?

 

[clkou]

If Nared cannot play tonight, do you feel we would play better with Hayes at the point and Westbrook at the wing?

If Nared can't play, I'd use Dunbar a LOT. I know people like to dog her for her defense, but I think it's GREATLY exaggerated and there are enough defensive problems to go around. Just play man and give her the weakest assignment and put an emphasis on fighting through screens and switching only as a last result. South Carolina is not a team like Mississippi State who will make astute in-game adjustments because we have a weak defender in. South Carolina has their game plan regardless if Dunbar plays 1 or 30 minutes.

Dunbar gives us an outside threat AND a player who values possessions and not turning the ball over. If she is hot, we could win. If she's not hot, at least we gave ourselves a chance. Plus she's a Senior. Let her go out with a bang.

But, truth be told, regardless of the adjustments, if Jamie is out and Wilson is in, we're likely splitting hairs no matter what.

 

[37620VOL]

I'd like to see Russell subbed out for 2 minutes in the middle of each quarter. I think a lot of the criticism she gets on here would go away if she wasn't playing gassed. Too often it seems like Holly subs her at the end of a quarter when she was about to get a breather anyway.

 

[Franklin Pierce]

I think Wilson will play and that Nared will not play or be very limited if she does play.

With revenge on their minds, will Usc-Jr Try to mug the Tennessee players?

 

[37620VOL]

If Nared can't play, I'd use Dunbar a LOT. I know people like to dog her for her defense, but I think it's GREATLY exaggerated and there are enough defensive problems to go around. Just play man and give her the weakest assignment and put an emphasis on fighting through screens and switching only as a last result. South Carolina is not a team like Mississippi State who will make astute in-game adjustments because we have a weak defender in. South Carolina has their game plan regardless if Dunbar plays 1 or 30 minutes.

Dunbar gives us an outside threat AND a player who values possessions and not turning the ball over. If she is hot, we could win. If she's not hot, at least we gave ourselves a chance. Plus she's a Senior. Let her go out with a bang.

But, truth be told, regardless of the adjustments, if Jamie is out and Wilson is in, we're likely splitting hairs no matter what.

You can't play man if Hayes and Dunbar are in the game. Both are huge liabilities. I don't think you can play man if only Hayes is in, she can't give up the height that she does and end up getting posted up.

 

[37620VOL]

I think Wilson will play and that Nared will not play or be very limited if she does play.

With revenge on their minds, will Usc-Jr Try to mug the Tennessee players?

We need to be the muggers.

 

[Nuyoika]

Agree with you 100% about the first two games without A'Ja, not really a factor for me looking at the big picture. Tennessee has no control over who plays or doesn't play.

South Carolina also didn't come out and play like a team missing their star should play. That's when you come together and play hard for your teammate that carries you every other game. They got embarrassed twice.

I wouldn't say they got embarrassed twice considering they were only down 4 with a few minutes to go the first time. The second time they were completely over matched.

 

[feathersax]

MS St just dispatched UK. 31-0 now. LSU-A&M next. Nice to see great guard play.

 

[volfanIND]

Wilson was in practice this morning and looks like she was active - looks like she will play tonight.
Twitter

 

[JCP201]

Hope SC looks as good when pressed by LV's with Aja as they did without her.

Also, hope Nared can play but if not and we lose, it's not the end of the world. We get to rest some before tournament.

 

[LadyVol1908]

I hope all of Holly's yelling when she was mic'ed up last night finally shut up the whiners who keep complaining she doesn't do any in-game coaching.

Whattttttt?!?! Don’t you dare say Holly actually did a little bit of coaching instead of folding her arms or just putting her hands on her hips!!!!

 

[volroadwarrior]

Hopefully they play better this game than they did tonight. I don't think South Carolina will let them have that many chances. If they (TN) try to let them (SC) win, they (SC) will oblige. 24 turnovers against a .500 team. Had to bank it in to win. Why are they shooting a 3 when they only need a 2? Why does Holly having a Freshman inbounding OR catching an inbounds in a pressure situation?

I hated Holly's reaction to the turnover and I hated her reaction to the banked 3.

They shot a 3 because that was the only open shot they had in the possession. Not rocket science here! I agree on why she had Evina inbounding the pass after she passed the ball to Auburn players all night. That was a real head scratcher.