Is this team individually talented?

[37620VOL]

If you matched the two deep of this team up with other team's, but the game was played one on one, where would we be ranked? I'd say top 5, maybe top 3.

Now do the same with our coaches...

 

[voltraveler]

We have coaches?

 

[cwbytruckers]

Top 5???? Here's your sign.

 

[DonDiego]

If you matched the two deep of this team up with other team's, but the game was played one on one, where would we be ranked? I'd say top 5, maybe top 3.

Now do the same with our coaches...

Impossible.

 

[Sandvol]

Our talent isn't a problem. It will be if Holly remains the coach.

 

[cgbtn]

At her post game presser, Holly said, "I was telling them to drive, but they were shooting three's." If Pat told someone to drive and she shot a three, she would find her shapely butt sitting in a chair--for a long time. It would not matter if she was a preseason candidate for player of the year or anyone else.

 

[37620VOL]

At her post game presser, Holly said, "I was telling them to drive, but they were shooting three's." If Pat told someone to drive and she shot a three, she would find her shapely butt sitting in a chair--for a long time. It would not matter if she was a preseason candidate for player of the year or anyone else.

That is a telling quote to me. "Just drive, don't shoot 3s." That doesn't sound like much of an offense. Holly has psychologically damaged our shooters. They all seem hesitant. You have to take what the defense gives you. If they are packing in a zone, you have to make them pay with the 3. You shouldn't have to worry about your idiot coach.

At the least, Holly needs to define who can shoot 3s and in what circumstances can they shoot them. It needs to be a simple player by player rule. That alone would improve our % just by increasing confidence.

 

[Volfan2012]

The only team players I have seen are Graves and Carter. Russell is a team player but she performs way below what she should be doing on the court. She doesn't demand the ball and isn't physical enough getting position inside.
Diamond, Cooper, Reynolds, and Nared play as individuals. They seem concerned about getting enough shots or being the one to make the big play.
Russell needs more touches but she is the reason they are not coming maybe the light will go on for her sometime this season or at least by next.

 

[brassie]

Pay a visit to the NCAA Ranking Summary page. I'm sure that it will be depressing to a Lady Vol fan but it tells the story of where the team is right now. The statistical rankings are terrible - both offense and defense.

At the end of the 2012 season UT offense was 16th in D1. Defense was 15th and Rebound margin was 12th. Respectable stats but they were even better the year before. Current stats are Offense ranked 144th, defense 59th and rebound margin 100th.

As an outsider it's dumbfounding how a team with this much talent can play so poorly. Before the season started I had UT as a FF team. My opinion - all this talent is not being developed to play the modern game at this level.

If it's not feasible for Warlick to leave maybe she just needs to fire her assistants and hire people that understand the game and know how to teach team basketball.

 

[Volfan2012]

I agree I don't think the head coach does much teaching or recruiting. She needs some better Assistants to get the job done in recruiting and player development.

 

[gule]

maybe she needs to invent a time machine to go back to when you could play a more physical style of defense, all the good players wanted to be LVs and Geno was still an unheard of nobody.

 

[Amb3096]

This quote from Geno after UConn's game yesterday nicely sums up why UConn is where they are and why Tennessee is where they are:

"There's no substitute for making shots," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said.

When Holly realizes that offense is as much a part of the game as defense, then they will get better.

 

[LVJeff]

About 50 years ago Red Auerbach (Google him if you have to) said the most important part of the game was putting the ball through the hoop.