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Let's see . . . The team is playing evening games after spending the entire day touring. They are not holding organized practices during this tour. They do not have scouting reports for the teams they are playing. They are more or less just showing up and playing a game with a team they know little to nothing about. Two starters are not playing at all; in fact, significant minutes appear to be going to bench players. I'm not sure about today's game, but Friday's game was played in a sweltering gym with no air conditioning. And Holly is allowing her assistants to act in the capacity of head coach during these games. I'd say they're having an excellent showing, all things considered. Many players appear to be noticeably improved.
Unless the program tanks (and that isn't going to even come close to happening), Holly will be there as long as she wants to be. And that's a very good thing.
You are free to disagree. I couldn't care less what you think UConn would do (or what you think about anything, for that matter); I don't think UConn would perform much better under the circumstances. Stick Stewart and Nurse on the bench in place of Graves and DeShields, have them play a team they know nothing about in a sweltering gym after walking around sightseeing all day, and let Shea Ralph do the coaching and I guarantee they wouldn't win by 50; they'd be lucky to win by much more than the Lady Vols did. You want to compare the Lady Vols at reduced capacity in non-optimal playing conditions to UConn at full strength in prime playing conditions, and then blame Holly (who apparently didn't even coach) not because they lost, but because double digit wins in such conditions just aren't enough. That is neither logical nor fair, but given that it's you who's complaining, I'm not surprised at the lack of logic or fairness.
What you see as "excuses," I see as the reality of the situation. Even when the team wins, if it's not by enough, the world is about to end and Holly is doing a terrible job, according to some irrational "fans." The fact is, Holly is a very, very good coach and is continually getting better, but some simply refuse to acknowledge it. If the team has a perfect season and wins the national championship in 2016, you'd still likely not be satisfied, nor would you give Holly one bit of credit. Some "fans" seem to have some sort of personal animus against her that has absolutely nothing with her coaching style or ability.
Grow up and enjoy the team you claim to support. Barring injury, this team is on track to be a force this year.
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By 50? For real? The rest of the world is catching up to USA in basketball. Just ask UConn stars Stewart and Jefferson why they didn't win gold this summer, plus they were playing with others that are more talented then their UConn teammates.
I want our Lady Vols to improve their play, and UConn is the standard for now, but they wouldn't beat these teams by 50. The gap isn't that large.
I want our Lady Vols to improve their play, and UConn is the standard for now, but they wouldn't beat these teams by 50. The gap isn't that large.
Ladyvol777
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Uconn may have won by 50, Geno would have horse whip his starters all game and the subs would have played the last 10 seconds.
Happy holly lets all the girls play, beside Assistant Coach Kyra Elzy coached this game, and Dean Lockwood coach the last game and Jolette Law will coach the next game, they are having fun. Go Lady Vols.
j'adorevol89
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This is not about Uconn this is about Tennessee. This is just a tour pretty much to get the girls in flow for when practice starts... As for Holly am I disappointed in her performance as coach no not really.. Since taking over Tennessee has remained a force and factor in the SEC and respected nationally because Holly has been getting 1,2 seeds, we just have this elite 8 hump which we need to get over and soon, it's going to take hell and hot water for Tennessee to ever become an Old Dominion or a La tech... Our day at the top will come again nets will be cut down another banner will be hanging in Knoxville.. So what we haven't been to a FF since 2008, at least when we go we usually come back with a title "All Pun Intended" ...
What many don't seem to understand is, the games being played on this tour are not typical game situations. Nothing about this is typical. The type of preparation that goes into games played during basketball season isn't really possible with these games, and it isn't meant to be. More than anything, this is something fun for the players and staff that can be used to boost team morale and chemistry. Of course, everyone wants the team to win, but at the end of the day, the games don't count for anything; they will neither boost nor blemish the team's record. That said, DeShields and Graves are not playing. Non-starters are getting significant playing time. Players are coming into these games after having spent all day touring the cities they are visiting. Coaches and players are adjusting on the fly because the teams that they are playing have not been scouted. Assistants are coaching the games. And, despite the atypical situation, the team has won both games by double digits. I am firmly convinced some people complain just because they can; they don't know how to do anything else. It's ridiculous. Most actual fans would be very, very excited about the team's performance in Italy. I certainly am.
j'adorevol89
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BengalHuskie
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Yes the rest of the world is catching up (barely) to USA basketball COLLEGE athletes. Given so little time to prepare, they did fairly well against other countries senior national teams, who were together for months before the games.
A big reason (33 pts) why they didn't win gold was because of a UCONN teammate, who would have easily taken a guard spot if she wasn't Canadian. Also, I'm sure if Tuck would not have turned down an invite to rest(knee), she would have been the 2nd best forward on the team. That's two players I'd take over the "more talented" players.
However, I do not disagree with you about the MOV.
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I don't think so. However, based on reports, Jones, Moore, and Cooper all had very good games yesterday and were the top scorers. None are projected starters, at least not at the beginning of the season (although I could see Jones and perhaps even Cooper starting at some point during the season, or at least garnering significant minutes). Jones, especially, was reportedly playing very aggressively and she and Moore were rebounding like crazy. Russell is also playing extremely well. In fact, based on reports, noticeable improvements have pretty much been seen across the board. These are good things to see, especially in such atypical game situations. I think once the actual season starts and Graves and DeShields are back on the court and the team is playing in regular game situations, this team is going to be exceptional.
Players overseas usually play in their pro leagues at an earlier age, so it isn't like those girls got beat by WNBA players.
Canada plays for Geno and I'm sure got the same amount of time to go practice with her team. You think she is the only one on that team to do the same?
We will agree to disagree, but I stand by my opinion that UConn wouldn't be beating these teams by 30, let alone 50.
Volfan2012
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If you played them without Stewart and another starter doubt you would win by 30. Since we played without Deshields and Graves two probable starters I like that we won by ten. I expect with those two in we win by at least 20 to 25. So let us take that into consideration plus the fact that Holly is letting the young players and subs that didn't play a lot last year play most of the minutes.
A win is a win I don't think were exactly trying to lay the hammer down on these teams. I suspect Geno would and Stewart would play forty minutes.
A win is a win I don't think were exactly trying to lay the hammer down on these teams. I suspect Geno would and Stewart would play forty minutes.
These games are little more than glorified scrimmages. Take them seriously to some extent, but they aren't meant to be taken TOO seriously. I think this trip is about team bonding, building chemistry, watching for individual player improvement, and letting the coaches get a very early look at the team in action. They won one game by 17 points and the other by 10, with two key players sitting on the bench and a significant amount of minutes going to players who will likely not start once the season begins. There is absolutely nothing to be worried about; instead, there is a great deal to be excited about.
armchair
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We can't take too much from these games--they are off-season exhibitions played in another country without two starters.
However, this year for me is ABSOLUTELY the acid test for Warlick. I do not think she's a good coach; in fact, I think she's a mediocre coach--a nice person but a mediocre coach. Hart gave the game's premier program to a lifelong assistant in her 50s with zero head-coaching experience who was noticeably nervous in the job for two years. We've basically had an apprentice head coach for three years, and this program is too good for an apprentice. We have had some talent and injury issues, to be sure, but we've also had two pretty good chances to go to the Final Four and utterly collapsed in both games (Louisville and Maryland). Well-coached teams do not panic and collapse in big games; they might get beat, but they don't collapse. We did a fast choke against Louisville--fell into a complete panic before the game was 12 minutes old-- and did a slow choke against Maryland. Defenders cite our injuries--but each was a winnable game had we played with confidence instead of playing scared. This is what is alarming--not losing but playing scared in big games. That's not acceptable, and I defy anyone to dispute that idea that we played scared. We have won most/nearly all of the games we should be expected to win over the last three years--but we haven't won any big games; haven't beaten any good teams. That has to change. This year there can be no excuses. We have a lot of talent, a lot of pieces, and so we should expect to see Warlick and her staff put a championship-caliber team on the floor this year--one that plays with confidence and toughness. If we don't see that, it would be pointless to keep HW and co. around, unless Hart likes having a second-tier program.
However, this year for me is ABSOLUTELY the acid test for Warlick. I do not think she's a good coach; in fact, I think she's a mediocre coach--a nice person but a mediocre coach. Hart gave the game's premier program to a lifelong assistant in her 50s with zero head-coaching experience who was noticeably nervous in the job for two years. We've basically had an apprentice head coach for three years, and this program is too good for an apprentice. We have had some talent and injury issues, to be sure, but we've also had two pretty good chances to go to the Final Four and utterly collapsed in both games (Louisville and Maryland). Well-coached teams do not panic and collapse in big games; they might get beat, but they don't collapse. We did a fast choke against Louisville--fell into a complete panic before the game was 12 minutes old-- and did a slow choke against Maryland. Defenders cite our injuries--but each was a winnable game had we played with confidence instead of playing scared. This is what is alarming--not losing but playing scared in big games. That's not acceptable, and I defy anyone to dispute that idea that we played scared. We have won most/nearly all of the games we should be expected to win over the last three years--but we haven't won any big games; haven't beaten any good teams. That has to change. This year there can be no excuses. We have a lot of talent, a lot of pieces, and so we should expect to see Warlick and her staff put a championship-caliber team on the floor this year--one that plays with confidence and toughness. If we don't see that, it would be pointless to keep HW and co. around, unless Hart likes having a second-tier program.
BengalHuskie
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Who do these players have the opportunity to play with/ against in their pro leagues? WNBA players. Let's be real, just because they aren't playing in the W does not mean they can't. The pay just isn't good enough to leave their pro leagues. So WNBA status doesn't really matter.
No, not exactly. Right after the semester was over before the summer session started, Kia was already playing in a tournament in Spain against formidable opponents such as Spain, France, Turkey and a few others.
My point is give these talented players more than two weeks together, and they would win.
I somewhat agree with you. I do think we play scared in big games and yes I think we should have beaten Louisville and Maryland despite injuries. Izzy's injury was a huge lost for us. I think we have beat some good teams since Holly has been coach tho. We've beaten South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and UNC just to name a few.
BengalHuskie
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Ladyvol777
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Ladyvol777
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