LADY VOL HOOPS CENTRAL: Winthrop

#51
#51
Were playing better than last year overall 69 assists to 36 turnovers as a team which is far better than last season even against these type opponents. We probably should be committing even less turnovers than we are less than five were forced. We'll need Harrison to beat the top teams we play were not good enough without her to beat the top five.
 
#52
#52
We didn't play as well as the score would indicate. The press and the pressure worked very well but we reverted at times to little ball movement and settled for outside shots. I thought we were over that. It makes me scratch my head when the experienced players get back and we revert to bad habits. We can't settle for jump shots and beat the good teams. Ball movement is key. I don't get why they don't get it.
 
#53
#53
Burdick 0 of 8 but she did get 10 rebounds and four assists.
Carter 3 of11 wow these two were 3 of 19 wouldn't expect that. Carter did have six steals these two girls need to get their shooting problems corrected.
 
#54
#54
Orange Maniac said:
We didn't play as well as the score would indicate. The press and the pressure worked very well but we reverted at times to little ball movement and settled for outside shots. I thought we were over that. It makes me scratch my head when the experienced players get back and we revert to bad habits. We can't settle for jump shots and beat the good teams. Ball movement is key. I don't get why they don't get it.
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That is what I don't understand. Why when our experienced players come back do we look worse? Lost on defense sometimes, missed shots, pass rather than take an open shot within their range, not consistent intensity, and I thought the freshmen looked nervous, scared, unsure, whatever for the first time. Maybe they knew they could be on the bench? Before everybody available played a lot of minutes, with only 6 to 8 players available they had to. This looked like what I expected the first of the year and was so excited about NOT seeing on the court. Hopefully this was an anomoly, but it looked just too much like last year at its worst. We NEED a WIDE body, not just tall but BIG.
 
#55
#55
Volfan2012 said:
Burdick 0 of 8 but she did get 10 rebounds and four assists.
Carter 3 of11 wow these two were 3 of 19 wouldn't expect that. Carter did have six steals these two girls need to get their shooting problems corrected.
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That's what being on the bench gets you. And I am not complaining Holly put them there. Rules are rules.
 
#57
#57
Volfan2012 said:
Probably shouldn't say this but I doubt we would miss Burdick this season.
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It's true. She doesn't make Tennessee better and she cuts into the development of Dunbar and Nared...players that will need to play bigger roles for three years after this one.

The reality is that Burdick is the worst player on the team. It's bad enough when you have to make excuses for her play against Winthrop ("But she got 10 rebounds! But she drew 2 charges'!"). Those rebounds and charges won't be as easy to come by once they go up against any decent team.

Tennessee would be a better team if Burdick was used only if Nared/Dunbar are in foul trouble, or for "Rudy" minutes in the last 3-4 minutes of a game already decided in either direction.
 
#58
#58
my 2 cents. Boxing out - body on player was a weakness after pressing the players frequently didn't match up in half-court defense.

Jones was missed - she excels in finding her shot in the soft middle spot of the zone they were playing.

Much of the passing against the zone seemed to be just passing, not to exploit a weakness.
 
#59
#59
Smallvol#1 said:
That is what I don't understand. Why when our experienced players come back do we look worse?
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I think that a healthy Harrison and Massengale make Tennessee more formidable ONLY if the rest of the players don't defer to them on every possession.

I like Carter...she's a defensive sparkplug, but until her she gets confidence in her shot, she should be coming off the bench to relieve Jordan.

Burdick...well, there's not really much more to say that wasn't already said last year. Hopefully, Holly realizes this sooner rather than later...
 
#61
#61
I think Massengale and Reynolds should start, Nared at the 3 with Graves and Moore. I wish Moore was a better rebounder. I like Carter and Middleton as sparks off the bench
 
#62
#62
stllvf said:
my 2 cents. Boxing out - body on player was a weakness after pressing the players frequently didn't match up in half-court defense.
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:salute:did you ever call it. I screamed 'Box out!' all game. There were very few bodies on bodies. There were some bad match ups, Ariel on I think it was 33, but still find a body and get on it!
 
#63
#63
Chris89128 said:
I think Massengale and Reynolds should start, Nared at the 3 with Graves and Moore. I wish Moore was a better rebounder. I like Carter and Middleton as sparks off the bench
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I like that starting lineup too, at least until Izzy is back to full strength. She will address the issues with Nia's rebounding. Graves and Izzy as starters, with Jones and Moore as their respective backups.

I think they need to find a way to get Dunbar some quality minutes this year as well. It will be easier to teach her how to play defense than it would be to teach the other options how to shoot as well as she does.
 
#65
#65
Orange Maniac said:
We didn't play as well as the score would indicate. The press and the pressure worked very well but we reverted at times to little ball movement and settled for outside shots. I thought we were over that. It makes me scratch my head when the experienced players get back and we revert to bad habits. We can't settle for jump shots and beat the good teams. Ball movement is key. I don't get why they don't get it.
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Actually it makes perfect sense to me that when we put the same old players into the lineup, we get the same old problems with ball movement.

Chris89128 said:
I think Massengale and Reynolds should start, Nared at the 3 with Graves and Moore. I wish Moore was a better rebounder. I like Carter and Middleton as sparks off the bench
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Reynolds needs to be the PG, not Ariel. Ariel is shooting well but ball movement remains a problem with her at the PG spot. And if Reynolds needs to come out, use Middleton as PG, unless/until she proves herself a liability against better teams.

And the whole team could use some drills on boxing out.
 
#66
#66
Hence why I said keep Reynolds at PG,

PG - Reynolds
SG - Massengale
SF - Nared
PF - Graves
C - Moore {until Izzy is back and fully ready}

With Middleton and Carter 1st of the bench
 
#67
#67
FrozenLVFan said:
Reynolds needs to be the PG, not Ariel. Ariel is shooting well but ball movement remains a problem with her at the PG spot. And if Reynolds needs to come out, use Middleton as PG, unless/until she proves herself a liability against better teams.
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Ariel has been the best passing PG Tennessee has had since Loree Moore. Tennessee struggles with ball movement in tight games when both Carter and Burdick are in the game at the same time. Reynolds and Massengale on the court together is IMO a good combination. If Reynolds starts shooting better, then they are a deadly combination. Carter and Middleton are a good second unit, provided no combination of Carter and Reynolds/Burdick are on the court at the same time
 
#68
#68
Starting 5:
PG: Reynolds(defense, rebounding, passing, occasional scoring)
SG: Massengale(scoring, passing, ball handling skills)
SF: Nared(best option at the three very consistent)
PF: Graves(rebounding, consistent scorer)
C: Harrison(scorer, rebounder)

2nd unit:
PG: Carter(rebounding, defense, occasional scoring)
SG: Middleton(occasional scoring, passing, solid not great defense)
SF: Dunbar(the perimeter scoring threat, rebounding)
PF: Burdick(rebounding, close enough to the basket where she should't miss)
C: Moore(scoring, a smidge of rebounding, blocks)

give Jones 7 minutes at PF and 5 minutes at SF
give Tucker once she is back 13 minutes per game

Reynolds and Massengale would make a crazy tandem as PG/SG because they both have what the other lacks then Nared can drive and dish to either one for the outside shot or make a mid-range jumper herself. the Same with the second group combo. Graves and Harrison is a no brainer. They are IMO the best post duo in WCBB this season. Burdick has always been a good rebounder so she can do the dirty work while Moore gets the points. Jones comes in as a stopper for any position. She can lock anyone down not named Stewie.

That lineup against any has a great chance of winning. I honestly believe the lady vols have every piece to win it all this year.
 
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#69
#69
I am surprised how many are writing off Burdick. She had a bad shooting night but when you look at her overall career trajectory, she has become a very solid player. Strong on the boards, an excellent passer, she has a decent mid range jumper and she has worked herself into being a competent defender.

Dunbar is going to make contributions but she is just a freshman and is likely to be vulnerable on the defensive side.

Per the guards, I think when we get to the heart of the season, Jordan, Massengale and Carter will be carrying the load. They will all get minutes and who starts is not that crucial (more important will be who finishes in the game's crunch time). And let's not forget about the 3 guard line-up option.

Harrison and Graves will obviously be the anchors (barring injuries and foul problems) in the post. So my starting five would be:

Reynolds
Massengale
Harrison
Graves
Burdick

with Carter, Moore likely being the first options off the bench.
 
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#70
#70
Burdick is not a good passer or shooter in my opinion, She is a solid rebounder. She has not become a solid player in my view at all. Especially not with how high she was rated out of high school
 
#71
#71
It's not that Burdick had a bad shooting night, her shooting has been horrible her entire time at UT. She does crash the boards I'll give her that much. But for every good assist she gives, she comes back and gives you three wth were you thinking turnovers. As for her being a decent defender she gets beat far to often.
 
#72
#72
Chris89128 said:
Burdick is not a good passer or shooter in my opinion, She is a solid rebounder. She has not become a solid player in my view at all. Especially not with how high she was rated out of high school
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Cierra Burdick Bio - UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics

In her freshman and sophomore season, Burdick's FG % was 46% and 45%, which was one of the higher ones on the team. Last year, she did fall down to 39% but her rebounds and assists went way up. 7 rebounds per game and 70 assists on the season, far more than any other of our forwards and post players. As another comparison point, PG Carter had 81 assists. And Izzy had far more TO than Burdick - 96 (Izzy) vs. 68 (Cierra).
 
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#73
#73
For me if you watch Burdick play she isn't a good shooter and a sloppy passer, it's that simple. She is extremely inconsistent, and she is the last person on the team I want shooting the ball
 
#74
#74
madtownvol said:
Cierra Burdick Bio - UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics

In her freshman and sophomore season, Burdick's FG % was 46% and 45%, which was one of the higher ones on the team. Last year, she did fall down to 39% but her rebounds and assists went way up. 7 rebounds per game and 70 assists on the season, far more than any other of our forwards and post players. As another comparison point, PG Carter had 81 assists. And Izzy had far more TO than Burdick - 96 (Izzy) vs. 68 (Cierra).
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If you need to get a senior back to their freshman/sophomore form, then it's time to move on. That ship has sailed.

Burdick is too limited offensively...she can't create her own shot, she can't drive, and she can't play with her back to the basket. The only offensive move she has going for her is her sweet looking jumper in a catch and shoot situation, which has become less and less accurate each year she's with the program and she clearly has no confidence in that shot. Her rebounding and playmaking abilities don't tip the scale in her favor either because she has low basketball IQ and makes a lot of overly complicated passes because she's trying to play for the highlight reel.

Dunbar and Nared have more upside. Cierra's time has come and gone, and if she can't demonstrate that she deserves to start because she's a better player then either of those two, then it's time for her to step aside.
 
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