Game Thread: Liberty v Lady Vols, Sat. Nov 16th; Home-FCC; Noon; SEC+ network

#326
#326
OrangeBeachVol said:
The fact that she acknowledged the D needs improvement and stated the issues along with rebounding makes me feel better that it will get addressed. I would have been concerned had she not.
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Definitely. Coach Caldwell understands she is responsible for the defensive performance.
If she wants it to get fixed then play the best defensive players on this team which all have shown the ability to score at the rim and can make shots on the perimeter.
Tennessee is exactly where they need to be. Winning games and continuing to focus on making improvements.
The coaching now is in the top tier.
The talent is in the top tier.
The recruiting is elite.
GBO!
 
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#327
#327
Gotta remind ourselves, though, that defense travels... and so far all our games have been at home. We'll actually go 8 games into this season before we play our first away game on Dec. 18 in Memphis.

We then open the conference schedule on the road at College Station, TX on Jan. 2... which I guess means traveling on New Year's Day. Not the ideal way to start conference play.

We definitely need to get our defensive rotations seamlessly together soon.
 
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#328
#328
It’s only the HALF-COURT defense that is struggling to cover because of confusion about who is actually guarding whom.

We can’t make a blanket statement that “we have no defense” when they are working their tails off in the press part of it. I think that aspect of our defense has been pretty darn good. All of the players hustle, always, and are forcing more turnovers than I’ve seen a Lady Vol team force in decades.

But they are still an EARLY work in progress in the half court. I have a strong confidence they’ll get there with more experience playing with one another as they move through the schedule. I really do.

Try not to panic quite yet! This team wants to get better. Everyone should be able to see how much effort they’re putting forth. It’s just that they’re only four games in. They’ll get there. I am 100% confident our half-court defense will be much tighter in the not-too-distant future, and super tough for most teams to score 60 on by season’s end.
 
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#329
#329
Also keep in mind that players learn at different paces. And sometimes coaches need to really dig deep to find alternate ways to get information across to some players.

There has been so little time so far that I doubt the staff has enough info to know yet whether that might be the case for some.

We’ll see. Again, I am 100% confident the half-court defense will improve significantly — no, DRAMATICALLY — by season’s end, probably well before.
 
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#334
#334
BruisedOrange said:
Gotta remind ourselves, though, that defense travels... and so far all our games have been at home. We'll actually go 8 games into this season before we play our first away game on Dec. 18 in Memphis.

We then open the conference schedule on the road at College Station, TX on Jan. 2... which I guess means traveling on New Year's Day. Not the ideal way to start conference play.

We definitely need to get our defensive rotations seamlessly together soon.
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Good point, and College Station is a notorisouly hard trip. Have to fly in to somewhere then bus. Team has been delayed by weather the last two years.
lvocd said:
It’s only the HALF-COURT defense that is struggling to cover because of confusion about who is actually guarding whom.

We can’t make a blanket statement that “we have no defense” when they are working their tails off in the press part of it. I think that aspect of our defense has been pretty darn good. All of the players hustle, always, and are forcing more turnovers than I’ve seen a Lady Vol team force in decades.
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This is a good point, it's almost as if so much effort and attention is paid to the hellfire press that halfcourt D is an afterthought. Definitely have to put it together. I was a little surprised when I heard Kim blame lack of effort, I never see that. Just confusion on helpside and the same struggles across the board staying in front of driving players the LVs have had for years.
 
#337
#337
glv98 said:
I was a little surprised when I heard Kim blame lack of effort, I never see that. Just confusion on helpside and the same struggles across the board staying in front of driving players the LVs have had for years.
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They are obviously confused about coverages in half-court, and the extra-long beats they are taking to try to figure out where they need to be are just enough too long that it's too late. That can APPEAR to be "lack of effort" when it's actually not. Why would they be willing to go all-out in the press and then just suddenly not give a darn once the opponent is in their half-court offense? They are simply WAY more comfortable and confident in their assignments and movements in the pressing part of their defense. They'll suddenly look like they're giving maximum effort once the light bulbs start going off for them and they're confident enough to not have to spend so much time trying to figure out where they should be.
 
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#338
#338
KnoxLikeUs said:
Why in the world is anyone talking about this is what we have to work with this year?
Duke a Top 20 team beat Liberty 83-67.
Tennessee has scored 89 points in three quarters.
This thread is comical at the moment.
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Duke is better than Lady Vols rn… it’s comical that you guys can’t see… this defense isn’t a top 30 defense. Look at Duke, UConn, West Virginia, …. The list can go on…. We cant sit and guard a grandma with no legs .
 
#341
#341
newladyvolfan said:
Duke is better than Lady Vols rn… it’s comical that you guys can’t see… this defense isn’t a top 30 defense. Look at Duke, UConn, West Virginia, …. The list can go on…. We cant sit and guard a grandma with no legs .
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you’re delusional. in no world would duke beat the lady vols. it’s comical you think dukes offense could hang with tennesses😭😭
 
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#344
#344
lvocd said:
They are obviously confused about coverages in half-court, and the extra-long beats they are taking to try to figure out where they need to be are just enough too long that it's too late. That can APPEAR to be "lack of effort" when it's actually not. Why would they be willing to go all-out in the press and then just suddenly not give a darn once the opponent is in their half-court offense? They are simply WAY more comfortable and confident in their assignments and movements in the pressing part of their defense. They'll suddenly look like they're giving maximum effort once the light bulbs start going off for them and they're confident enough to not have to spend so much time trying to figure out where they should be.
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I think Kim is just trying to boost her tough guy brand. I think she takes a lot of pride in being hard core. Gabe too.
 
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#347
#347
newladyvolfan said:
Maybe she doesn’t know how to fix it… maybe that’s why she doesn’t call timeouts
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Coach won a national championship at a D2 mid-major school just two years ago. Won conference (22-1) and made the tourney in her first year in D1. I don't think you accomplish those things without knowing a thing or two about coaching.
 
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#348
#348
newladyvolfan said:
Duke is better than Lady Vols rn… it’s comical that you guys can’t see… this defense isn’t a top 30 defense. Look at Duke, UConn, West Virginia, …. The list can go on…. We cant sit and guard a grandma with no legs .
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Aren't you the one who was happy that Kara wasn't asked to coach at TN? Also, the one who said Duke's offense is ugly, anemic mess? (Paraphrasing)
 
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