Lady Vols 2013-2014 Basketball Season Thoughts and Ideas for Next season !!!!

[HOOPNATION93]

1. We need Aja Wilson to Commit..Aja will bring that instant playmaking ability..From watching several of her game over the past 2 years, this girl basketball IQ is ridiculous…We can't lose her to UConn, if so you can automatically give UConn their National Championship trophy for the next 3-4 years!!!!!

2. This team seriously need to rethink on why they came to Tennessee. This program has been build for years and years on players who understands the preparation and commitment to excellence on WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS and NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!!

3. Who is going to step up and be that girl next season??????????????????????????????????

4. GRIND FOR NINE MY A**…My grandma also said, "Say what you mean, mean what you say, and stand firm in ya word while you walkin in your talk"….Don't talk about it, be about it!!!!

5. Holly stressed this season that defense is their first priority :/ ?????…Really Holly!!!

6. We seriously need to establish a well organized and efficient OFFENSIVE SYSTEM!!!!!!! Watching team like Stanford, UConn and Notre Dame this season, they look so smooth, coordinated, and they're just plain out SCORE.

7. Mercedes Russell its time for you to RISE UP TO THE OCCASION….It's time for you to bring your "BIG GIRL GAME NEXT SEASON"!!! There should be no reason why your not averaging 15.0ppg and 10.0rpg next season….

8. TURNOVERS need to be handled!!!!

9. Graves needs to: Develop a Mid-Range Jump Shot, Be CONSISTENT, and develop a fierce face up game, Great example "Alyssa Thomas"…
Harrison needs to: Develop a Mid-Range Jump Shot, Hit the Weight room, Stop traveling so much, work on footwork… Great Example "Chiney Ogumike
Russell needs to: Play like she was the #1 Player in the Nation, Post-Up game and moves must develop quick, Mid-Range Jumper and stop playing so timid….Great Example "Stephanie Dolson"
COACHING STAFF NEEDS TO SHOW SOME PASSION AND GET IN THESE PLAYERS BUTTS!!!!!..Great Example "GENO"

10. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK????????

 

[BigOrangeD]

Need Better Starts and better Offensive Plan. Aja Wilson would be a great get for sure.

The slow starts were a big problem all year.

 

[djtee]

1. We need Aja Wilson to Commit..Aja will bring that instant playmaking ability..From watching several of her game over the past 2 years, this girl basketball IQ is ridiculous…We can't lose her to UConn, if so you can automatically give UConn their National Championship trophy for the next 3-4 years!!!!!

2. This team seriously need to rethink on why they came to Tennessee. This program has been build for years and years on players who understands the preparation and commitment to excellence on WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS and NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!!

3. Who is going to step up and be that girl next season??????????????????????????????????

4. GRIND FOR NINE MY A**…My grandma also said, "Say what you mean, mean what you say, and stand firm in ya word while you walkin in your talk"….Don't talk about it, be about it!!!!

5. Holly stressed this season that defense is their first priority :/ ?????…Really Holly!!!

6. We seriously need to establish a well organized and efficient OFFENSIVE SYSTEM!!!!!!! Watching team like Stanford, UConn and Notre Dame this season, they look so smooth, coordinated, and they're just plain out SCORE.

7. Mercedes Russell its time for you to RISE UP TO THE OCCASION….It's time for you to bring your "BIG GIRL GAME NEXT SEASON"!!! There should be no reason why your not averaging 15.0ppg and 10.0rpg next season….

8. TURNOVERS need to be handled!!!!

9. Graves needs to: Develop a Mid-Range Jump Shot, Be CONSISTENT, and develop a fierce face up game, Great example "Alyssa Thomas"…
Harrison needs to: Develop a Mid-Range Jump Shot, Hit the Weight room, Stop traveling so much, work on footwork… Great Example "Chiney Ogumike
Russell needs to: Play like she was the #1 Player in the Nation, Post-Up game and moves must develop quick, Mid-Range Jumper and stop playing so timid….Great Example "Stephanie Dolson"
COACHING STAFF NEEDS TO SHOW SOME PASSION AND GET IN THESE PLAYERS BUTTS!!!!!..Great Example "GENO"

10. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK????????

First lets be fair as Debbie Antonelli Russell should have played much more then she did. And yes she would have made mistakes but would have been better as the season went on Holly did a bad job this department. And how do you let Burdick and Jones off the hook teams stop guarding them as the season went on as did Mayland can we say a liability ?

 

[Amb3096]

First lets be fair as Debbie Antonelli Russell should have played much more then she did. And yes she would have made mistakes but would have been better as the season went on Holly did a bad job this department. And how do you let Burdick and Jones off the hook teams stop guarding them as the season went on as did Mayland can we say a liability ?

In fairness to Jones, she was the only player other than Simmons or Harrison who was looking to score.

Carter missed 4 point blank layups. Graves and Burdick refuse to shoot (too bad not every team is LSU or Alabama, Cierra!). Jones tried to assert herself and made shots and got to the FT line. Yeah, she's sucked all season, but she played well yesterday.

 

[djtee]

Need Better Starts and better Offensive Plan. Aja Wilson would be a great get for sure.

The slow starts were a big problem all year.

It would be nice to have Aja Wilson but we just don`t have the room and who do you sit. I don`t think Russell will sit this year and i think she will be a force when the season start. Plus Aja Wilson wants to play right away.

 

[WVU05UT09]

I think the best thing Holly can do in my opinion is hire another assistant who bring a fluid offensive system to the team. If they won't give her the $$$ then let Lockwood or Law go. The offense has to get better.

 

[orangeluvr]

UT will not compete for national championships if the staff continues to recruit the same type players every year. What is the type? Sorry to say this but uconn and nd are far above the rest of the pack when it comes to identifying impact players. Their guards are tall, quick, and can score the ball consistently. Their post players have size and are skilled around the basket (wide bodies ). And of course the PG's are effective. Tennessee is not a hard sale, so it must be the sales staff. :dunno:

 

[clkou]

In a nutshell, everyone needs to work as hard and improve as much as Izzy did last year. Above all else, I want competitive players. Players who refuse to lose. I don't think they need to put any more pressure or emphasis on the "grind for 9". Yes, the goal is to win a national championship and that should always be the emphasis, but I do think you can go too far and put too much unnecessary pressure on a team and every year we've been knocked out of the tournament, we seem to have let the pressure get to us. Last night was a classic example where the other team's star player has a marquee performance as do several role players and our team collectively chokes. We have to find a way to prevent that and play looser and not let the other team catch fire. Having competitive players without a lot of pressure on their shoulders I think would be a great step in the right direction.

 

[orangeluvr]

It would be nice to have Aja Wilson but we just don`t have the room and who do you sit. I don`t think Russell will sit this year and i think she will be a force when the season start. Plus Aja Wilson wants to play right away.

Russell has the frame to add muscle and become a wide body, right now she looks tall and gawky. The girl has the potential to be a beast! :yes:

 

[Amb3096]

It would be nice to have Aja Wilson but we just don`t have the room and who do you sit. I don`t think Russell will sit this year and i think she will be a force when the season start. Plus Aja Wilson wants to play right away.

You sit Burdick, and start Wilson. If she's as good as advertised, she'll get her minutes. Burdick can get 10-12 minutes spelling Wilson at the 3 and Harrison/Graves (whoever is starting) at the 4.

I envision rotation will look like:
PG: Massengale (backup: Carter, Middleton)
SG: Reynolds (backup: Tucker, Middleton)
SF: Wilson (backup: Burdick, Nared, Dunbar)
PF: Harrison (backup: Graves, Burdick)
C: Russell (backup: Harrison, Moore)

Dunbar is probably better off redshirting. It's unlikely she cracks the roster, even if Wilson doesn't come. Middleton will be insurance at both guard spots, but probably won't be playing double digit minutes. Moore will get even less PT than this year.

 

[1982Alum]

In a nutshell, everyone needs to work as hard and improve as much as Izzy did last year. Above all else, I want competitive players. Players who refuse to lose. I don't think they need to put any more pressure or emphasis on the "grind for 9". Yes, the goal is to win a national championship and that should always be the emphasis, but I do think you can go too far and put too much unnecessary pressure on a team and every year we've been knocked out of the tournament, we seem to have let the pressure get to us. Last night was a classic example where the other team's star player has a marquee performance as do several role players and our team collectively chokes. We have to find a way to prevent that and play looser and not let the other team catch fire. Having competitive players without a lot of pressure on their shoulders I think would be a great step in the right direction.

I 100% disagree. The UT players need to feel the pressure and learn to deal with it. Everyday. They need to be SCARED that they might lose to a lesser team. They are not challenged enough by pressure I don't think. They rollover too easy and don't have any fire. They need to get a bit more nasty. Nice guys (or girls) finish last in sports.

But to achieve this environment, the coach has to have respect from the team. I don't think this team respects Holly at all. They used to be scared of PS, they are not scared of Holly. Former LVs were scared that Pat would bench them if they didn't listen and follow her points. Hence the lack of drive today and any fire and the ultimate lack of winning any national championships. No respect=No championships.

 

[rickyb712]

You sit Burdick, and start Wilson. If she's as good as advertised, she'll get her minutes. Burdick can get 10-12 minutes spelling Wilson at the 3 and Harrison/Graves (whoever is starting) at the 4.

I envision rotation will look like:
PG: Massengale (backup: Carter, Middleton)
SG: Reynolds (backup: Tucker, Middleton)
SF: Wilson (backup: Burdick, Nared, Dunbar)
PF: Harrison (backup: Graves, Burdick)
C: Russell (backup: Harrison, Moore)

Dunbar is probably better off redshirting. It's unlikely she cracks the roster, even if Wilson doesn't come. Middleton will be insurance at both guard spots, but probably won't be playing double digit minutes. Moore will get even less PT than this year.

if you dont have a pure shooter like middleton in the line up may be the reason holly not in final 4

 

[clkou]

I 100% disagree. The UT players need to feel the pressure and learn to deal with it. Everyday. They need to be SCARED that they might lose to a lesser team. They are not challenged enough by pressure I don't think. They rollover too easy and don't have any fire. They need to get a bit more nasty. Nice guys (or girls) finish last in sports.

Ya, we disagree. I personally feel there is already enough pressure in women's college basketball at ALL colleges and especially at a program like Tennessee. Unnecessarily adding more pressure is counter productive. That's why I want competitive players because competitive players don't need to be motivated. They are self motivated. They hate to lose. They don't need to be scared of the coach or being benched. All that stuff is for players who aren't winners to begin with.

But to achieve this environment, the coach has to have respect from the team. I don't think this team respects Holly at all. They used to be scared of PS, they are not scared of Holly. Former LVs were scared that Pat would bench them if they didn't listen and follow her points. Hence the lack of drive today and any fire and the ultimate lack of winning any national championships. No respect=No championships.

I doubt any of us know any of this intimate detail between player and coach.

 

[Amb3096]

if you dont have a pure shooter like middleton in the line up may be the reason holly not in final 4

I thought that's where Massengale came in. This year, her and Simmons were the most dependable three point shooters. Carter had better percentage, but I never felt like she was a comfortable shooter.

I don't know how Middleton plays defense, so that's why I gave Reynolds the nod. In the event that Tucker is healthy, she may supplant her or Burdick at the wing. If I read my reports correctly, she is the true gunner for hire on the team.

 

[And1]

if you dont have a pure shooter like middleton in the line up may be the reason holly not in final 4

It remains to be seen how great of shooters any of the incoming freshman are, but I agree, if we have any kind of 3-point threat, we would be in the Final Four this year. Too bad.

 

[ChattyVolfan]

I pray that all the guards take one million threes this off season and develop a dependable pull up jumper. I pray that the guards and wings develop a mid-range game and learn to pass the ball into the post without throwing it away. For the posts, I hope they work hard to get stronger and develop their face up games as well as develop a mid-range jumper that's automatic. All of them need to search for that "never say die" attitude and work on ball-handling and passing. I pray that the coaching staff will go seek out help in the areas they need to grow...specifically further developing a fluid offense and a stingy, suffocating defense. I think we have the talent...both the players and the coaches just have to develop it! GO LADY VOLS!! Work hard this off season and come back HUNGRY!!

 

[Orange Maniac]

I've said it before. These girls like to win, the problem is they don't hate losing enough. That's the thing that drove Pat to be such a great coach. She despised losing.

 

[governmentmule]

It remains to be seen how great of shooters any of the incoming freshman are, but I agree, if we have any kind of 3-point threat, we would be in the Final Four this year. Too bad.

a lot of people tend to forget,they are freshmen and you just never know what will happen with them


and welcome to the board,if nobody else has said so :hi: