Game Thread: Tennessee Lady Vols (12-6, 5-1) @ Ole Miss (14-5, 4-2) ESPN 3:00PM EST 01-28-2024.

[glv98]

Defeating a Georgia team that is 1-5 in conference and 10-9 overall wil tell the tell?
Vanderbilt is overachieving and got brought back to reality at Tennessee and definitely vs South Carolina..

Losing to that Georgia team would definitely be the tell. Ditto for the Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Vandy and TAM remaining games. The Vandy game in Nashville will be huge. We are on the precipice folks. Zero margin for error left.

 

[Majors]

Georgia Vanderbilt roads games will tell the tell on Tennesse NCAA tournament fate so enough.
Kellie's Fate depends on remaining games.
Not sun shine wishes or
The pitch forks carrying /
Tar and feather crew of Kellie's bashers

Kellies fate depends on every game. Getting blown out in an expected loss isn’t a free pass to lose. I’d say for her fate, showing promise against LSU & USC weighs heavily in the decision. Get blown out and it’s obvious we are not where we need in the benchmark games.

 

[dillyo51]

And Kellie is known to not like change unless something major happens like a loss at Ole Miss and that we should have never lost had we just played a little defense and rebounded a little better. Key draws a ton of attention in the paint because of her size. That's an advantage all in itself

Key is extremely slow afoot. I never see effort to block out anyone from her. What is her vertical? Couple of inches?

 

[Coach Jumper]

Defeating a Georgia team that is 1-5 in conference and 10-9 overall wil tell the tell?
Vanderbilt is overachieving and got brought back to reality at Tennessee and definitely vs South Carolina..

Per mudcat we need to go 6 of 9
games left:
GA-away
Mizzou-home
Ala-away
Ark-home
SC-home
Vandy-away
LSU-home
TAMU-home
SC-away

GA, Mizzou, Ark, Tamu should be definite 4 wins
SC, SC, LSU are the predicted losses
Ala, Vandy are the trap games

Alabama is licking its chops at the chance to ruin our NCAA hopes
Vandy is a revenge game and a team that needs to prove their coach was the right call

In the words of the green guy

"Hold on to your lugnuts"

 

[Volfan2012]

Losing to that Georgia team would definitely be the tell. Ditto for the Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Vandy and TAM remaining games. The Vandy game in Nashville will be huge. We are on the precipice folks. Zero margin for error left.

JMO were losing to Vandy in Nashville. They played SC on their home floor to a draw on the boards and offensive rebounds 73 possessions to SC's 77. Problem was they shot 40 percent and SC shot 51. Vandy is passing Tennessee real soon they have a lot of underclassmen that are getting better and just added Blakes. If they can find a post player of two they are moving to the top of the league next season.

For us this season trying to figure where we can still get to 10 conference wins. Must beat Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas A&M at home. Road have to beat Georgia and I guess one of Vandy or Bama and that looks like a real tough task for this team.

 

[mudcat1973]

Defeating a Georgia team that is 1-5 in conference and 10-9 overall wil tell the tell?
Vanderbilt is overachieving and got brought back to reality at Tennessee and definitely vs South Carolina..

Tennessee should win their home games non LSU tigers/ Gamecocks games meaning road games to decide NCAA tournament fate.

 

[glv98]

Rewatched. Painful.

Yo couldn't have had better refs if she had ordered them up. Let em play refs were golden for them, esp when they went to the maul Rickea defense after her stellar first quarter. Unfortunately, our posts particularly were unable to match the physicality.

In light of the maul Rickea D, our offense worked exactly the way it's supposed to. That's why Jewel was brought here and she responded magnificantly on offense. And credit Rickea for not forcing her own shot, for deferring to Jewel. When asked postgame what helped her, first thing Jewel said was the attention Rickea was getting. Again unfortunately, no one else was able to contribute that little bit on O that would have put us over the top. But great offensive game for Jewel.

Early on, I said having itty bitty point guards would bite us in some games. This was one. Davis wore JP out by repeatedly going over her for shots. That may have gotten in JP's head bc she prides herself on being the D dawg. After weeks of playing at the top of her abilities, this was the day everything caught up to JP. I'm sure she'll bounce back. I'm not sure at all why Wynn only played 12 mins. Pretty sure she could have done better on D.

Announcers said our bench was screaming at Jewel to foul in those last 26 secs, but Jewel appeared confused. As a vet, she should have known wo being told but they should have called time out there to make sure everyone knew what to do.

Rickea has become a very good perimeter defender which will help her greatly in the W. She allowed a bad blowby in the first half, and is never going to foul on an open layup when she's the help. She saves herself for offense lol. But she had several poke aways, near steals and outright stops. Had 4 steals in 3 qtrs against Vandy. Has really improved here.

Our lack of rebounding and loose balls looks more like lack of quickness and lack of quick reflexes to me, not lack of effort exactly. Still cost us the game tho.

 

[lvocd]

Sadly, we're just a step behind most teams in quickness, and many rebounds go to the players who are able to get to them first, or be quick enough to box out first, and we have never, nor will ever, be the team with that edge.

Ole Miss has skills that Kellie couldn't teach her players because they start with quickness.

The problem isn't coaching. Kellie is a decent coach. The problem is that while the young women on our team are amazing people and students and productive community citizens -- and I absolutely love them all and am happy they represent the university -- not enough of them have enough quickness to be championship-level players. So, as everyone well knows, the real problem with Kellie is she's not been able to land enough quick recruits so far. Maybe they're coming with the high school kids coming soon, I don't know.

But give her credit. So far, Kellie has been an absolutely outstanding Tennessee head coach as far as spotting and signing amazing young women who are dedicated to having a strong culture of success on and off the court. They can't help the fact that their genetic makeup puts them at a automatic disadvantage against those blessed with a much higher ratio of fast-twitch muscles.

No coach can alter the ratio of players' fast-twich/slow-twitch musculature. Not Dawn Staley. Not Kim Mulkey. Not Tara Van Derveer. Not Geno Auriemma. No coach, in any sport, can do that.

Somehow, some way, if she's ever going to be fully successful, Kellie has to start landing the perfect combination of outstanding student-citizen AND quick athlete, and she needs to load up on 'em. The problem is, the more games we lose, the deeper the hole she's having to climb out of.

It's frustrating and sad because I can't imagine another human being alive that would love the Tennessee Lady Vols as much or more than Kellie does. She's just in a tough spot, recruiting wise.

Still love her and all the players whom I am 100% certain are trying their hardest to do their best with the physical traits they have to work with. Don't ever doubt these players' hearts.

 

[lvocd]

Glv, we posted at the same time! Yep, lack of speed. End of story.

 

[mudcat1973]

Per mudcat we need to go 6 of 9
games left:
GA-away
Mizzou-home
Ala-away
Ark-home
SC-home
Vandy-away
LSU-home
TAMU-home
SC-away

GA, Mizzou, Ark, Tamu should be definite 4 wins
SC, SC, LSU are the predicted losses
Ala, Vandy are the trap games

Alabama is licking its chops at the chance to ruin our NCAA hopes
Vandy is a revenge game and a team that needs to prove their coach was the right call

In the words of the green guy
View attachment 615799
"Hold on to your lugnuts"

The creek should be clear easier to see rocks that might sink Kellie's boat or not.
Alabama Vanderbilt games not that far down the Tennessee river.
In this vol Navy Season.

 

[glv98]

Glv, we posted at the same time! Yep, lack of speed. End of story.

We were and I agree 100%. The last class of "tweeners" KJH recruited are some of the finest LVFLs we'll ever have. They're also the reason they went to the "only recruit elite" strategy right after, but it too has been a bust. KJH herself is a tweener, every ounce the fine person you describe but not able to do the more with less we desperately need to get out of this cycle. Sheesh, this is depressing!

 

[lvocd]

We were and I agree 100%. The last class of "tweeners" KJH recruited are some of the finest LVFLs we'll ever have. They're also the reason they went to the "only recruit elite" strategy but it too has been a bust. KJH herself is a tweener, every ounce the fine person you describe but not able to do the more with less we desperately need to get out of this cycle. Sheesh, this is depressing!

Exactly. Top to bottom, I sincerely doubt there has ever been a team of Lady Vols with more "want to" than this group, nor with as much overall brainpower or pure goodness of spirit.

It really ticks me off when people accuse this group of "not caring" when they care so, so much it hurts. They are running as fast as they can, but they have physical limits that keep them from getting to spots as quickly as a lot of their competition.

Yes, it is depressing. I love these young women and hate it for them that none of this is their fault.

 

[glv98]

Exactly. Top to bottom, I sincerely doubt there has ever been a team of Lady Vols with more "want to" than this group, nor with as much overall brainpower or pure goodness of spirit.

It really ticks me off when people accuse this group of "not caring" when they care so, so much it hurts. They are running as fast as they can, but they have physical limits that keep them from getting to spots as quickly as a lot of their competition.

Yes, it is depressing. I love these young women and hate it for them that none of this is their fault.

You only have to look at Sara Puckett's face sometimes to see the agony. They are hyper-aware of every bit of this. Not to dismiss their contributions at all. Sara in particular is a very good "role player" and seems to have more improvement in her.

Just to keep it dark, it looks like some quicks are on the way in Boyd and Cooper, but unfortunately they may be tweeners in the other direction - offensively challenged (see Kaiya Wynn). Looks like the first one that has both is Nyla Brooks, and she's two years away. Then there's that child prodigy that demanded a meet with the AD, but I'll probably be dead by the time she gets here.

The portal this spring is huge. Espec for posts. But part of our sad cycle is that underperforming this season makes that a much tougher task.

 

[Volfan2012]

Bracketology | NCAA Women's Basketball | Her Hoop Stats

NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Bracketology from Her Hoop Stats

herhoopstats.com

After the Ole Miss loss were the very last team in. The very last one. No room for error going forward think we need 10 conference wins to be safe could get in with nine. Anything less looks like a no no unless we won some SEC tourney games.

 

[glv98]

Bracketology | NCAA Women's Basketball | Her Hoop Stats

NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Bracketology from Her Hoop Stats

herhoopstats.com

After the Ole Miss loss were the very last team in. The very last one. No room for error going forward think we need 10 conference wins to be safe could get in with nine. Anything less looks like a no no unless we won some SEC tourney games.

Excuse me while I go bash my head in repeatedly.

 

[LadyVol1908]

Bracketology | NCAA Women's Basketball | Her Hoop Stats

NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Bracketology from Her Hoop Stats

herhoopstats.com

After the Ole Miss loss were the very last team in. The very last one. No room for error going forward think we need 10 conference wins to be safe could get in with nine. Anything less looks like a no no unless we won some SEC tourney games.

I’m getting a little nervous now. For some reason, I feel like this may be the year we won’t make it.

 

[knoxvol52]

Bracketology | NCAA Women's Basketball | Her Hoop Stats

NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Bracketology from Her Hoop Stats

herhoopstats.com

After the Ole Miss loss were the very last team in. The very last one. No room for error going forward think we need 10 conference wins to be safe could get in with nine. Anything less looks like a no no unless we won some SEC tourney games.

Got to have a victory over LSU or South Carolina.

Plus Semifinals of SEC Tournament..

 

[Coach Jumper]

...Announcers said our bench was screaming at Jewel to foul in those last 26 secs, but Jewel appeared confused. As a vet, she should have known wo being told but they should have called time out there to make sure everyone knew what to do.

At 48 seconds it was a 3 pt game
THEN,, is when we needed to foul
at 22 seconds it was a two possession game

 

[creekdipper]

I’m getting a little nervous now. For some reason, I feel like this may be the year we won’t make it.

Well, might as well say something controversial and say that the Tournament streak isn't all that important to me any more. It's,s a nice conversation piece, but it mostly was emblematic of the longevity and consistency of the program. And we haven,'t been consistently elite for a while now.

I'd gladly trade the streak for a return to the top ranks on a yearly basis. Having both would be ideal, but you can't always get what you want...you know the rest.

 

[VolBall09]

I’m getting a little nervous now. For some reason, I feel like this may be the year we won’t make it.

Pretty sure it is. It’s killing me inside a little. I feel like the players and coaches can sense it also. Based on how the season started we really had to have an almost perfect SEC slate. Which for us essentially meant winning all games outside of SC and LSU.

We could have absorbed one other loss. The loss to A&M was really the one that killed us. We were never in that game and just looked blah all night. At least we had a shot and kept it close against a decent Ole Miss team.

 

[djtee]

Got to have a victory over LSU or South Carolina.

Plus Semifinals of SEC Tournament..

TN will have a better chance against LSU they only play 6 players no bench,

 

[Volfan2012]

Got to have a victory over LSU or South Carolina.

Plus Semifinals of SEC Tournament..

We need to win of course and we have to now wish for people to lose like Miss St tonight. The Net is what is killing us with it's ridiculous formula. Were third in rpi in the SEC only behind Sc and Vandy. Were even ahead of LSU in rpi.

 

[Volfan2012]

Well, might as well say something controversial and say that the Tournament streak isn't all that important to me any more. It's,s a nice conversation piece, but it mostly was emblematic of the longevity and consistency of the program. And we haven,'t been consistently elite for a while now.

I'd gladly trade the streak for a return to the top ranks on a yearly basis. Having both would be ideal, but you can't always get what you want...you know the rest.

I agree nice to be in a club of one, but it will certainly end sometimes and this year is as good as any. I think we still have to really stink it up to not get in like end up 8 and 8 in the SEC. With five SEC teams bunched all together three will make it and two will stay home. So we play most of those teams again before the season is over.

 

[creekdipper]

Sadly, we're just a step behind most teams in quickness, and many rebounds go to the players who are able to get to them first, or be quick enough to box out first, and we have never, nor will ever, be the team with that edge.

Ole Miss has skills that Kellie couldn't teach her players because they start with quickness.

The problem isn't coaching. Kellie is a decent coach. The problem is that while the young women on our team are amazing people and students and productive community citizens -- and I absolutely love them all and am happy they represent the university -- not enough of them have enough quickness to be championship-level players. So, as everyone well knows, the real problem with Kellie is she's not been able to land enough quick recruits so far. Maybe they're coming with the high school kids coming soon, I don't know.

But give her credit. So far, Kellie has been an absolutely outstanding Tennessee head coach as far as spotting and signing amazing young women who are dedicated to having a strong culture of success on and off the court. They can't help the fact that their genetic makeup puts them at a automatic disadvantage against those blessed with a much higher ratio of fast-twitch muscles.

No coach can alter the ratio of players' fast-twich/slow-twitch musculature. Not Dawn Staley. Not Kim Mulkey. Not Tara Van Derveer. Not Geno Auriemma. No coach, in any sport, can do that.

Somehow, some way, if she's ever going to be fully successful, Kellie has to start landing the perfect combination of outstanding student-citizen AND quick athlete, and she needs to load up on 'em. The problem is, the more games we lose, the deeper the hole she's having to climb out of.

It's frustrating and sad because I can't imagine another human being alive that would love the Tennessee Lady Vols as much or more than Kellie does. She's just in a tough spot, recruiting wise.

Still love her and all the players whom I am 100% certain are trying their hardest to do their best with the physical traits they have to work with. Don't ever doubt these players' hearts.

AISI, we could overcome some of the shortcomings you mention with better preparation by the staff and by playing smarter.

Re: the latter:

Rebounding: Have to anticipate where the ball is coming off the rim and be moving to that area. Can't hesitate and watch as we did yesterday...sometimes when the ball was literally falling into open space a few feet in front of us while we were closer to the ball. Have to secure the rebound and not let it slip away or bring it down to get poked away or tied up. Have to box out on weak side.

Passing: Aside from the volumes already written about the weaknesses and poor decisions, players have to come to the ball and create separation. That especially holds true on in-bounds plays. Can't afford those turnovers, particularly when they result in breakaway layups.

Shot selection: Use the screens on the few occasions they're set instead of dribbling away. Square up instead of awkwardly slinging it toward basket. Quit with the fancy double-clutching and reverse layup attempts and take the easy alternative. Use your body to shield the layup. Use ball fakes to create space.

 

[creekdipper]

Defense:

Hedge toward your player's ball side. Don't give up on the play whenever your player gets one step away or past you. Sprint back after turnovers or made baskets. Box out. Box out. Box out.

Keep active and moving even when ball is away from you. Step up when ball comes into free throw area. Protect against the easy inbounds for wide-open five-foot jumper. Challenge the long inbounds overhead lob toward backcourt. Cover the ballhandler up when she picks up her dribble.

Ball handling:

Dribble toward middle rather than sideline against press or trap. Know where your teammates are. Don't pick up your dribble and trap yourself without open teammates as outlets. Don't dribble without a purpose (pass first). Give the ball up and move. Penetrate when the lane clears.