Game Thread: UT @ Auburn, Sunday; 12PM, ESPN2 win 83-76

[LV renaissance]

Just came back the game. Nice crowd and atmosphere. Positives were Powell who played the most minutes she has in a long time and had a whopping 8 assists, Jordy settled down in the 2nd half so that she could help this team rather than try to force things, fantastic that we were finally able to get the ball to Rickea and she capitalized on this, and Tess's brilliant shooting and getting 5 rebounds. Negatives include regressing in regards to the turnover issue, Walker not having one of her better games, Puckett, that teams of inferior talent practically assault us for rebounds and on defense, and that we didn't win the offensive rebounds category (perhaps due to the assaults). In the end we had the biggest positive: a win!

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Really won't know until we see who gets in there. Rickea came form the portal. There may be players of her caliber in the portal. I am quite certain Rickea is not coming back. I will only know where we are for next season when the portal is over.

Yes but we already had Horston, we will have a clean slate if they both leave, so I think we will need 3 top players at a minimum from the portal to be competitive.

 

[mike099]

Is Walker or Powell coming back next year? Will Jackson be on an all American team this year? She is so consistent. Would not be surprised if we have 1 or 2 enter the portal.

 

[Volfan2012]

Is Walker or Powell coming back next year? Will Jackson be on an all American team this year? She is so consistent. Would not be surprised if we have 1 or 2 enter the portal.

Walker is out of eligibility. Powell can come back. You never know what the people that vote on this are going to do. She is certainly first team SEC and should be on the All American team never know. I think it would be beneficial to us if a couple of players left.

 

[casetopia]

Nice win ladies! Way to carry the torch for TN athletics this weekend. A big win was needed badly. Thank you!!

 

[Deebowbear]

Really won't know until we see who gets in there. Rickea came form the portal. There may be players of her caliber in the portal. I am quite certain Rickea is not coming back. I will only know where we are for next season when the portal is over.

Horston can go really need to keep RJackson if anyway possible pay the girl

 

[VolFuture]

Odds Ole Miss can beat Usc? I say 25%

 

[SGMVols]

Odds Ole Miss can beat Usc? I say 25%

More like 2.5% and that’s generous

 

[Deebowbear]

Where will she go, she’s not that good so it wouldn’t be a big loss.

I thought she would really be a contributor this year but has disappointed me in her play seems lost slow idk what happened to her

 

[glv98]

Probably the most frustrating game, and definitely the most frustrating team (and coaching) I've ever seen. And it starts with that girl with the curl, Jordan Horston. Stats only gave her 3 t.o.s? Not possible, made many more. Maybe she was ill today, I sure hope so, bc otherwise her behavior was aggresious and totally unacceptable.

Don't blame KJH for not starting her, being any minutes late for anything at this point in her career is inexcusable. And if that's what effed up her ever-volatile head once again, JH need to get the F over it!!!

Goodness, Horston’s expression coming off the court looked like I did when the local Taco Bell had the “sorry, we’re out of Mexican Pizza!” sign up for two months. Annoyed and over it.

Horston just quit on the play

Wow. I can't recall ever seeing a Lady Vol do that, not in all my years of watching.

Horston made some sort of drive at the basket, turnover, Auburn got it back, and Horston stayed on the offensive end while Tennessee played 4 on 5 on defense Tennessee got the ball back (somehow), and met her coming back across the half-court line as Harper called timeout.
Never seen that except in the NBA (which tells you a little bit about the NBA, in my opinion). Not sure if Horston was hurt, or if something happened. Just never seen Tennessee in that situation.

She actually did it twice, once giving up a runout in a close game. I'm not sure who RJ "lashed out" at to earn 2 1/2 games on the bench, but it must have been a doozey to be worse than Horston's carrying on for 3/4 of the game today. Which as far as I can tell, went unaddressed.

Not sure if it was apparent on TV, but JH actually left the court for a while with no one's knowledge or permission. I moved up today, was just a couple of rows behind the bench. When she got taken out in the first half, she just kept walking right off the floor. Couple of mins later KJH turned around to put her back in and said "Where's Jordan?" Couple of managers just pointed toward the locker room. KJH sent them back there, they came back empty handed. Couple of mins later the trainer went back, she came back empty handed. Then Coach Joy, and yep, no luck for her either. Finally JH strolled back in and KJH put her back in. Maybe she was sick, but it seemed like everyone was mystified.

I alternate btw wanting to choke JH and feeling sorry for her bc in 4 yrs, she has never been able to consistently get out of her own head. She did make a good comeback at the end, but come on. This is just unacceptable and her inconsistency is completely maddening. And so, so damaging to this team. Never seen a player so good, yet so in need of a really good sports psychologist. I sincerely hope the WNBA is a good, clean reset for her.

 

[glv98]

Tess! The bright side. Completely carried us the first half. Her release is SO much quicker. She's smart, steady, even tempered. Lord knows what would happen if we actually worked to get her more shots. And she's no worse on D than the rest LOL.

Walker had a rough outing, I haven't seen the replay yet, not sure what happened on the intentional but she cannot lose her cool in close games, done it a couple of times now. I thought Powell had a pretty good game, except the usual end of quarter antics. She had 8 assists. However, our guard play is just not good enough to come close to So Car I'm afraid.

Powell makes he laugh w her unique take on the shorts tuck - left leg only!

Poor, poor Sara. It is just painful to see her when she comes out. Girl is hurting, feeling every bit of that awful play. Her regression this year has been alarming and I'm not sure why no one can help her.

 

[Voltopia]

Probably the most frustrating game, and definitely the most frustrating team (and coaching) I've ever seen. And it starts with that girl with the curl, Jordan Horston. Stats only gave her 3 t.o.s? Not possible, made many more. Maybe she was ill today, I sure hope so, bc otherwise her behavior was aggresious and totally unacceptable.

Yeah, just to be clear, I don't know what the situation was or why Horston might have been reacting to. But I know how my face looks when a Taco Bell can't sell me a Mexican Pizza, and that's not too dissimilar from the look Horston had coming out of the game. RAAAAGE. Or something. Grr. Anyway, maybe she was frustrated at her own play, maybe she was frustrated at someone or something else. Maybe she was genuinely sick or having trouble outside of the game itself. I do not know. I'm not judging her on that. But I do know you could read _something_ on her face when she came off the court. Whatever it is, I hope she can figure it out and work through it.

 

[glv98]

Jackson gotta touch it on every possession the rest of the season.

Jackson gets down the floor well. Nice transition game.

That it took 2 full quarters to realize no two Auburn players could guard RJ in the post is just coaching malpractice. Only 5 shots in the first half? BC they had her far out on the wing or way out front. Then finally, second half, oh yeah, get her closer to the basket and GET HER THE EFFING BALL! I realize she had to come out with fouls the first half, but she should have had many more shots before that. She is obviously a generational offensive player and you can't run plays for her for an entire half? How does this happen?

If we'd posted her up earlier, she'd have had 40 pts today. Also, she.s almost always the first down the floor and wide open in transition. I've been saying that all season. But we almost never find her.

Rickea came form the portal. There may be players of her caliber in the portal.

Don't count on it. There aren't many offensive players of RJ's caliber on the planet, much less in the portal.

I will say, RJ needs to hit fts better, espec in close games. After going 13-13 at Miss St, she's been about 50/50. Also, scoring in the post won't work for her against SC but fortunately her mid range game is equally sweet. The coaching staff MUST find a way to use that against SC.

 

[VolFuture]

More like 2.5% and that’s generous

One point game at the half

 

[Volfan2012]

That it took 2 full quarters to realize no two Auburn players could guard RJ in the post is just coaching malpractice. Only 5 shots in the first half? BC they had her far out on the wing or way out front. Then finally, second half, oh yeah, get her closer to the basket and GET HER THE EFFING BALL! I realize she had to come out with fouls the first half, but she should have had many more shots before that. She is obviously a generational offensive player and you can't run plays for her for an entire half? How does this happen?


Don't count on it. There aren't many players of RJ's caliber on the planet, much less in the portal.

I will say, RJ needs to hit fts better, espec in close games. After going 13-13 at Miss St, she's been about 50/50. Also, scoring in the post won't work for her against SC but fortunately her mid range game is equally sweet. The coaching staff MUST find a way to use that against SC.

Reese, Jordyn Jenkins, Rivers going to be that type of player next season, Abbie Myers, Parrish at Indiana, Senechal UConn, Taylor Jones are all at or close to her level. I would love to have all of these players next season we would be an awesome team. There are a lot more. We need guards and a post player.

 

[ttharp]

Probably the most frustrating game, and definitely the most frustrating team (and coaching) I've ever seen. And it starts with that girl with the curl, Jordan Horston. Stats only gave her 3 t.o.s? Not possible, made many more. Maybe she was ill today, I sure hope so, bc otherwise her behavior was aggresious and totally unacceptable.

Don't blame KJH for not starting her, being any minutes late for anything at this point in her career is inexcusable. And if that's what effed up her ever-volatile head once again, JH need to get the F over it!!!




She actually did it twice, once giving up a runout in a close game. I'm not sure who RJ "lashed out" at to earn 2 1/2 games on the bench, but it must have been a doozey to be worse than Horston's attitude for 3/4 of the game today. Which as far as I can tell, went unaddressed.

Not sure if it was apparent on TV, but JH actually left the court for a while with no one's knowledge or permission. I moved up today, was just a couple of rows behind the bench. When she got taken out in the first half, she just kept walking right off the floor. Couple of mins later KJH turned around to put her back in and said "Where's Jordan?" Couple of managers just pointed toward the locker room. KJH sent them back there, they came back empty handed. Couple of mins later the trainer went back, she came back empty handed. Then Coach Joy, and yep, no luck for her either. Finally JH strolled back in and KJH put her back in. Maybe she was sick, but it seemed like everyone was mystified.

I alternate wanting to choke JH and feeling sorry for her bc she has never, and still can't, been able to get out of her own head. She did make a good comeback at the end, but come on. This is just unacceptable and her inconsistency is completely maddening. And so, so damaging to this team. Never seen a player so good, yet so in need of a really good sports psychologist. I sincerely hope the WNBA is a good, clean reset for her.

I fully agree re Horston's attitude, and how it really hurt the team today. For her to be a senior and still struggle with the mental aspect of the game like she did as a freshman is disappointing. She was given a long leash today. I honestly don't think RJ would ever be able to act like that on the court.

And my intent isn't to pit two teammates (and amazing humans) against each either. It's more so a critique of how Kellie manages players.

 

[Coach Jumper]

I think for sure we have seven returning so that is eight scholarships. If Horston and Jackson were to return we don't need many players a class of four mostly guards would do just fine. It all depends on who returns right now Horston, Jackson, Key, Suarez, Walker for sure, Franklin for sure, and Rennie back to Australia cuts the roster to Powell, Puckett, Striplin, Darby, Hollingshead, Miles, and Wynn. I can make some argument that Wynn and Miles will transfer as they really need to be recruited over. So seven for sure and possibly five. If all of Horston, Jackson, and Key were to return we don't need the portal that bad just some guards and one post. I am looking for us to go portal heavy depending on who leaves I could see a couple of Grad Transfers and two or three underclassmen. It all depends on what current players decide to do.

I would say the decisions for most of the optional players will weigh heavily on the SEC and NCAA tourneys,,,we make E8 or better, we will be smilin

 

[DarkPhoenix]

That it took 2 full quarters to realize no two Auburn players could guard RJ in the post is just coaching malpractice. Only 5 shots in the first half? BC they had her far out on the wing or way out front. Then finally, second half, oh yeah, get her closer to the basket and GET HER THE EFFING BALL! I realize she had to come out with fouls the first half, but she should have had many more shots before that. She is obviously a generational offensive player and you can't run plays for her for an entire half? How does this happen?

If we'd posted her up earlier, she'd have had 40 pts today. Also, she.s almost always the first down the floor and wide open in transition. I've been saying that all season. But we almost never find her.


Don't count on it. There aren't many players of RJ's caliber on the planet, much less in the portal.

I will say, RJ needs to hit fts better, espec in close games. After going 13-13 at Miss St, she's been about 50/50. Also, scoring in the post won't work for her against SC but fortunately her mid range game is equally sweet. The coaching staff MUST find a way to use that against SC.

I did like her aggressiveness, she was demanding the ball in her spots,

 

[glv98]

I fully agree re Horston's attitude, and how it really hurt the team today. For her to be a senior and still struggle with the mental aspect of the game like she did as a freshman is disappointing. She was given a long leash today. I honestly don't think RJ would ever be able to act like that on the court.

And my intent isn't to pit two teammates (and amazing humans) against each either. It's more so a critique of how Kellie manages players.

One of the most frustrating things about Jordan is she does seem to be an amazing kid and I believe she really does want to stop doing these things but so far just can't. And no one can help her not do it. I've probably seen her stay back and either argue w refs or just be frustrated half a dozen times in her career.

I once heard John McEnroe say he would be so disappointed in himself for the tantrums (and I'm def not comparing JH to his level crazy) but just couldn't and finally gave into it. There's a basketball player, maybe a pro now?, who kicks opponents when they're down and can't stop. Said he lectures himself, even slaps himself, but can't stop. Sports psychology is a strange thing.

And no, RJ would not get away with anything approaching any of this. None of them would.

 

[ttharp]

One of the most frustrating things about Jordan is she does seem to be an amazing kid and I believe she really does want to stop doing these things but so far just can't. And no one can help her not do it.

I once heard John McEnroe say he would be so disappointed in himself for the tantrums (and I'm def not comparing JH to his level crazy) but just couldn't and finally gave into it. There's a basketball player, maybe a pro now?, who kicks opponents when they're down and can't stop. Said he lectures himself, even slaps himself, but can't stop. Sports psychology is a strange thing.

And no, RJ would not get away with anything approaching any of this. None of them would.

I honestly think it comes down to coaching. We all know Kellie and Jordan are super close off the court. It just hasn't translated in a major way on the court, imo.

And yet - she's a hooper. Don't know where we'd be without her. I just think she could be sooo much better.

 

[glv98]

In my frustration forgot to add, another surprisingly good crowd today, just over 9K. Ole Miss proud of record crowd today of 6500! Said they average about 3500. Don't know how long the LVs can keep it up but so far attendance is holding.

 

[LasVegasBill23]

Horston looks disinterested for sure. And this is her senior day

the old saying people wear the face they deserve

 

[LasVegasBill23]

i said after arkansas game one game does not make a trend we have a ton of work to do

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

One of the most frustrating things about Jordan is she does seem to be an amazing kid and I believe she really does want to stop doing these things but so far just can't. And no one can help her not do it. I've probably seen her stay back and either argue w refs or just be frustrated half a dozen times in her career.

I once heard John McEnroe say he would be so disappointed in himself for the tantrums (and I'm def not comparing JH to his level crazy) but just couldn't and finally gave into it. There's a basketball player, maybe a pro now?, who kicks opponents when they're down and can't stop. Said he lectures himself, even slaps himself, but can't stop. Sports psychology is a strange thing.

And no, RJ would not get away with anything approaching any of this. None of them would.

Jordan was visibly bothered by the physicality of the game. She was hammered multiple times tonite and it got the best of her no doubt. But she is usually the one calming other players down so what she needed was someone to calm her down. Kellie did that and when she got hyped up Kellie put her on the bench twice.

I don't think her not starting was an issue and don't think that played a factor however i do think she remembered this is a team that beat them last year and she trying to hard.

She was far from perfect but she made a difference in this game and pushed us towards the win more than she hurt.

 

[VolFuture]

More like 2.5% and that’s generous

2 point game going into the fourth !!!