Game Thread: MTSU v Lady Vols, Tues. Nov 12th; Home-FCC; 6:30PM; SEC+ network: win 89-75

[newladyvolfan]

It was just a tad frustrating tonight when a player would finally hit a couple of shots, block a shot, make a steal -- and then immediately go to the bench.

I trust that Kim knows what she's doing. I'm just thinking as a former athlete who remembers how debilitating the burn can be if one gets used to doing things in very short spurts than at some point has to do a longer run. It's no joke.

The season is still in its infancy, though, so I'm sure everything will come together in good time. That MTSU team beat us by double digits last year, and we just beat them by double digits. I'm thrilled with that outcome!

Kim isnt making the subs... its the girl next to her.

 

[newladyvolfan]

Some of her Glenville State teams could have beaten some SEC teams. lol... You guys act like the SEC is the hardest thing ever... Even though it's a VERY top heavy league.

Lol..

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Zee and Cooper need to learn how to not force shots and move the ball.. Several times in the last 3 games they over dribble and force shots when players are wide open... and Zee body language is horrible.. shes a energy taker.

Energy taker?

Yet every player on the team and the coaches seem to love her personality.

Seems to be a passionate player on the outside looking in to me… nothing horrible about her on-court demeanor.

 

[newladyvolfan]

SIAP

Kim is making this people mad for now reason... but she has to play nice with the Insell's since they have top players in their program every year and Ayers is one of them. He is not wrong though in his thoughts. Hopefully Kim doesnt let ego in her system take her away from winning games and staying at UT for a long time.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Suns couldnt win.. and D'Antoni did not have success after the Suns.

What that has to do with Coach Caldwell system that is similar? She has won. Everywhere she has been.

The Phoenix Suns offense led by MVP Steve Nash uptempo style of play has led to the current NBA version of “small ball” that we see thriving in today’s game in Golden State.

And before the current version of Golden State, they had Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Monte Ellis, and Matt Barnes among others that were changing the game with the “small ball” brand of basketball.

 

[lvocd]

Watch Insell’s post game presser. Count him as one who doesn’t believe the mass substitutions, 40 minute full court is going to work in the SEC. He’s a little salty, probably because he never got a call for the vacancies after Pat. I’m not concerned, the staff will adjust and I think you’ll see a blend of styles over time.

He was definitely a little salty, and he reeeeeaaaaaallllly doesn't believe Kim's system will work against SEC opponents. He let his opinion out, regretted slightly having said it and then tried to smooth it over ... only to then flat-out say she would not be able to sub like that in the SEC.

I sure hope he is wrong, but as someone with four times more experience than Kim has, his opinion is not trash.

Our hope is that as time goes on the players will steadily improve on how they play within that system. Kim has said from the start that it takes a lot of time and, fortunately, we have a little more of that to play with than usual because of a softer schedule during this crucial period.

Insell is a great, experienced coach. But maybe he, like most coaches, could never have tried something so radical because they couldn't afford to risk losing games while they try to make a system like that work. Kim has been willing and able for her teams to look rough for a while as a trade-off for having tremendous late-season success. She's bold as hell, and I love it. It scares me, too, but I love it.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

I have been expecting the rotation numbers will come down and not be 5 at a time once SEC starts but maybe not. Was thinking it was just for 'training' purposes for now.

 

[Volfan2012]

He was definitely a little salty, and he reeeeeaaaaaallllly doesn't believe Kim's system will work against SEC opponents. He let his opinion out, regretted slightly having said it and then tried to smooth it over ... only to then flat-out say she would not be able to sub like that in the SEC.

I sure hope he is wrong, but as someone with four times more experience than Kim has, his opinion is not trash.

Our hope is that as time goes on the players will steadily improve on how they play within that system. Kim has said from the start that it takes a lot of time and, fortunately, we have a little more of that to play with than usual because of a softer schedule during this crucial period.

Insell is a great, experienced coach. But maybe he, like most coaches, could never have tried something so radical because they couldn't afford to risk losing games while they try to make a system like that work. Kim has been willing and able for her teams to look rough for a while as a trade-off for having tremendous late-season success. She's bold as hell, and I love it. It scares me, too, but I love it.

It will work against any team where you have talent the same or better. Nothing works against more talented teams no system. Insell's team got the best of it last night as we were not shooting the ball well. Nothing was because of their defense we were just missing to many open shots. Were going to have a tough time winning against SC, LSU, Texas not because of a system, but because of their talent level. By the time we get to those games defense is going to be a lot better. They will be close games hopefully we win a game or two against these elite teams. I got us going 11 and 5 in the SEC think that is easily manageable this season.

Games are all about winning the offensive boards and turnovers. You don't have to force 20 as long as you don't commit 20. Some games will come down to shooting percentage for the game. As long as you don't give the other team the advantage by letting them win the boards and the turnovers you have just as good a chance to win as they do.

 

[VolBall09]

She came back to MTSU cause she wasn't playing to where she transferred. She got in a rhythm last night for sure probably not going to happen in a lot of the games.

Yeah she went to Arizona and languished there for a year. That program is a hot mess. Should have fired Barnes after last season.

 

[Volfan2012]

Yeah she went to Arizona and languished there for a year. That program is a hot mess. Should have fired Barnes after last season.

Have to wonder why players keep going there. I look for it to stop may already happening.

 

[VolBall09]

Have to wonder why players keep going there. I look for it to stop may already happening.

It’s been baffling to me as well. The had the one really good run in the back of McDonald and it’s been all downhill since. Toxic culture, tons of players leaving with a lot to say and very poor basketball. It surely isn’t sustainable.

 

[Volfan2012]

I’m not convinced. She’s a talented kid but I think she’s just too small and too slight. We haven’t seen that translate well from mid-major to P4 with the portal. Have seen several guards who were very successful at that level try to transfer up and just could not compete.

She was 9 of 28 going into last night and made 11 of 17 good for her. I think the 9 for 28 will be more her style though.

 

[Lucy]

I’m not sure what a few folks may have dreamed of as revenge because the win last night by the Lady Vols is one of the most quality wins of the early season featuring two NCAA tourney teams.

In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say that the Lady Vols win over MTSU by double digits is a better win than USC over Ole Miss and South Carolina over Michigan with the LVs winning by a wider margin. MTSU is as good as Michigan or Ole Miss.

I’m not sure any of the top SEC schools right now on a neutral court, home court, or the road would beat MTSU by a wider margin than 10-15 points.

This early in the season Coach Caldwell could not have asked for a better measuring stick game while still building her team and implementing a new system with so many new players.

The newcomers transitioning to this program are laying an incredible foundation for the future. And with her elite recruiting and returnees MTSU only got a taste of what is to come against this Coach Caldwell era Lady Vols.

Well living in Nashville and having MTSU crow about being the state champions last year put me in the mood for a behind whipping. Perhaps it was just me but I doubt it.

 

[Mafiaboss]

I’m not convinced. She’s a talented kid but I think she’s just too small and too slight. We haven’t seen that translate well from mid-major to P4 with the portal. Have seen several guards who were very successful at that level try to transfer up and just could not compete.

Yeah, she looked good against us because we’re still learning the ropes of Kim’s system.

 

[Lucy]

Britannica Dictionary definition of TINHORN. [count] US, informal + disapproving. : a person who talks and acts like someone who is strong and powerful but who is really weak, unimportant, etc. — usually used before another noun. a tinhorn dictator/tyrant.

Oh how very timely!

 

[Mafiaboss]

Kim is making this people mad for now reason... but she has to play nice with the Insell's since they have top players in their program every year and Ayers is one of them. He is not wrong though in his thoughts. Hopefully Kim doesnt let ego in her system take her away from winning games and staying at UT for a long time.

Why? Where is she going?

 

[Mafiaboss]

Kim is making this people mad for now reason... but she has to play nice with the Insell's since they have top players in their program every year and Ayers is one of them. He is not wrong though in his thoughts. Hopefully Kim doesnt let ego in her system take her away from winning games and staying at UT for a long time.

Playing “their” gym? Ha ha. Home court advantage didn’t win the game for us.

 

[Mafiaboss]

SIAP

His idea about not reinventing the game is narrow minded.

 

[Mafiaboss]

Watch Insell’s post game presser. Count him as one who doesn’t believe the mass substitutions, 40 minute full court is going to work in the SEC. He’s a little salty, probably because he never got a call for the vacancies after Pat. I’m not concerned, the staff will adjust and I think you’ll see a blend of styles over time.

He said his team missed matchups several times because of our substituting. The game is all about matchups, but MTSU doesn’t have the talent to consistently match up against us. He’s trying to save face.

 

[Mafiaboss]

Energy taker?

Yet every player on the team and the coaches seem to love her personality.

Seems to be a passionate player on the outside looking in to me… nothing horrible about her on-court demeanor.

Yeah, I agree. Projecting onto other people is not reliable.

 

[lvocd]

Well living in Nashville and having MTSU crow about being the state champions last year put me in the mood for a behind whipping. Perhaps it was just me but I doubt it.

Yeah. That they were THAT obnoxious about beating us and then claiming "state champs" status only served to expose their longtime envy of the Lady Vols program. Maybe beat us at least more than ONE time in the history of sports and then make that claim.

Thanksgiving is coming up just in time to send Middle back to the kids' table,

 

[Mafiaboss]

She was 9 of 28 going into last night and made 11 of 17 good for her. I think the 9 for 28 will be more her style though.

Yeah. Kim’s system relies in part on points off turnovers. When we miss the turnover, the other team has more opportunity to get down the floor and shoot uncontested. We’ll get better.

 

[Mafiaboss]

It will work against any team where you have talent the same or better. Nothing works against more talented teams no system. Insell's team got the best of it last night as we were not shooting the ball well. Nothing was because of their defense we were just missing to many open shots. Were going to have a tough time winning against SC, LSU, Texas not because of a system, but because of their talent level. By the time we get to those games defense is going to be a lot better. They will be close games hopefully we win a game or two against these elite teams. I got us going 11 and 5 in the SEC think that is easily manageable this season.

Games are all about winning the offensive boards and turnovers. You don't have to force 20 as long as you don't commit 20. Some games will come down to shooting percentage for the game. As long as you don't give the other team the advantage by letting them win the boards and the turnovers you have just as good a chance to win as they do.

I thought we looked tense in the first half. Also, although we are passing well, we’re not quite cohesive yet:

 

[VolBall09]

She was 9 of 28 going into last night and made 11 of 17 good for her. I think the 9 for 28 will be more her style though.

Yes, MTSU always gets up for this game too. Outside of the NCAA tourney game this is like their Super Bowl every year. It means a lot to them to compete with Tennessee and you know they were pumped when they beat us last season.

Their players had obviously been crying and were still near tears in the presser last night. That’s how much this game means to them.

Glad our team didn’t underestimate that and finished the job.

 

[RebKell]