Lady Vols vs. Missouri Game Thread

[Amb3096]

Would take players such as Cunningham, Smith, and Troup all day long, eveyr day.

Added bonus: Easy on the eyes.

Sophie was the best player on the court for the 2nd year in a row. Who wouldn't want a player like her?

 

[SCspur]

I was just thinking about that, though it seems you all didn't think she would crack the rotation. Guessing her outside shooting would have come in handy for your team. Oh well...

I happened to be the one fan who thought she would be able to produce off the bench like she’s doing at Mizzou. Her shooting would’ve definitely been handy but she’ll be an afterthought once we get our freshman class next year and maybe even sooner if we beat Mizzou later this year.

 

[Orange_Mamba]

I wish there was a reporter that isn't a homer to ask Holly straight up, "why does your team(s) struggle with zone even though that's what teams typically plays against them?". Because she can't say it's the freshman and they're learning, when the bulk of the minutes goes to second yrs, a junior, and a senior. We go through this same progression year after year, only difference they don't have anyone to save them. First it was Meg, then Izzy, then Bash, Mercedes, then Diamond, then Jaime, they've all hidden the broken system that is our offense.

 

[GoVols15]

Disappointing

This from a Holly lover! Is this all you have to say or did you just post for attention?

 

[teacherdean]

I’ve kinda felt like the last few years with Pat and all the years will Holly we’ve gotten the ‘reject McD All Americans’. The ones that Baylor, Stanford, Notre Dame, and UConn look at and go “Naaaa, we’ll pass.”

Even if they are the #1 player in the nation, ex. Mercedes Russell... UConn evaluated her and said, “Naaa...”

I agree with the one poster that said we recruit the players who have never had to elevate their game because in HS they were simply physically, athletically, and talent-wise so extremely dominate. So when they get to the college scene they don’t put forth that extra effort, cause they’ve never had to in the past...

We need grit. Maybe we need to look further down the Hoopgurlz list, outside of the list, and look at those intangibles such as ‘fire’ and discipline. Consider the UT Men...That’s an example of recruiting more than just a player rating.

Many of the things, if not all, that you point out falls into the ability of a coach to recognize players' abilities and how they fit into their program. Not because we were beaten by Missouri, but I feel that in the past we have spent too much time crucifying players and not recognizing coaching ineptitude which may exist within our coaches. The bigger question is, are our coaches demanding the best from our players? In the case of Russell, she was ill prepared for the pros, however, I understand she is playing well overseas. While at Tennessee, she seldom hustled down the court, like a Kalani Brown, and she took plays off while on the court. She allowed smaller players to take the ball from her and she seldom played tough. I simply do not think it is fair to throw players under the bus while coaches are left unscathed.

 

[LA Vol]

When Nared had a bad day last year, the LVs tended to lose. Can't repeat the scenario with Meme and expect one player to carry the team game after game. This probably won't be Meme's only off day.

 

[djtee]

When Nared had a bad day last year, the LVs tended to lose. Can't repeat the scenario with Meme and expect one player to carry the team game after game. This probably won't be Meme's only off day.

That`s my point Holly is trying to make Meme the face of the team because she is a SR will not work play Rae more.

 

[Rickster]

This from a Holly lover! Is this all you have to say or did you just post for attention?

Quit whining like a twerp. Your characterization is just as flawed as you're intelligence. I am loyal to the university. Loyalty and integrity are two terms you will never understand because they do not apply to you. I don't like for the teams I cheer on to lose and I like poor losers and whiners even less.

 

[VolsFan-TX]

I’ve kinda felt like the last few years with Pat and all the years will Holly we’ve gotten the ‘reject McD All Americans’. The ones that Baylor, Stanford, Notre Dame, and UConn look at and go “Naaaa, we’ll pass.”

Even if they are the #1 player in the nation, ex. Mercedes Russell... UConn evaluated her and said, “Naaa...”

I agree with the one poster that said we recruit the players who have never had to elevate their game because in HS they were simply physically, athletically, and talent-wise so extremely dominate. So when they get to the college scene they don’t put forth that extra effort, cause they’ve never had to in the past...

We need grit. Maybe we need to look further down the Hoopgurlz list, outside of the list, and look at those intangibles such as ‘fire’ and discipline. Consider the UT Men...That’s an example of recruiting more than just a player rating.

That is an example of coaching and recruiting. If
you recruit from further down the rankings, then you better be able to coach and develop. Holly hasn’t shown the ability to further develop players.

 

[GoVols15]

Quit whining like a twerp. Your characterization is just as flawed as you're intelligence. I am loyal to the university. Loyalty and integrity are two terms you will never understand because they do not apply to you. I don't like for the teams I cheer on to lose and I like poor losers and whiners even less.

Don't even know me! However, you did confirm what I thought, real childish and looking for attention! You really told me ...

 

[Amb3096]

That is an example of coaching and recruiting. If
you recruit from further down the rankings, then you better be able to coach and develop. Holly hasn’t shown the ability to further develop players.

Tennessee hasn't had to recruit lower down. They've gotten tons of top 20 5* players in the last decade.

So far it's true that those players have not lived up to their HS accolades once they graduate. Not Burdick, Massengale, Graves, Carter, Russell, Reynolds or Nared. Maybe Evina changes this trend? Time will tell, but that has not been the trend. I doubt it's all the fault of the players, so it's clear that they are not being coached up.

 

[Orange_Mamba]

It's very fitting when we have a nationally televised game and perform awful, Lobo is right there to offer commentary.

 

[Undercovervol]

Tennessee hasn't had to recruit lower down. They've gotten tons of top 20 5* players in the last decade.

So far it's true that those players have not lived up to their HS accolades once they graduate. Not Burdick, Massengale, Graves, Carter, Russell, Reynolds or Nared. Maybe Evina changes this trend? Time will tell, but that has not been the trend. I doubt it's all the fault of the players, so it's clear that they are not being coached up.

I don’t know how a high school player can look at that list and not see it as a graveyard for talent. Graves and Russell are the two biggest let downs: I remember Graves being the most dominant freshman in the SEC. Some of her performances against USC kept us in the game. She had a unique skill set for a post player that was under utilized and under developed. Graves got WORSE as she got older, somehow.

 

[Amb3096]

I don’t know how a high school player can look at that list and not see it as a graveyard for talent. Graves and Russell are the two biggest let downs: I remember Graves being the most dominant freshman in the SEC. Some of her performances against USC kept us in the game. She had a unique skill set for a post player that was under utilized and under developed. Graves got WORSE as she got older, somehow.

Graves was never gonna be a WNBA level talent, but she should have been a collegiate all American. Agree that she got worse as her career progressed. She lost that fearlessness she had as a freshman.

Nared is the other big disappointment. Tall, athletic and skilled...and underachiever.

 

[teacherdean]

You are 100% correct. MeMe let her teammates down. She is a huge part of the LVs offense. They would have lost to
Auburn if not for her 27 points. Please, please don't blame this loss on Holly. She had no choice but to let her play. If Meme scores 6 points. which is way below her average, then the LVs win. She was 0-12 for the game. I do not know what happen to her. She is the LVs most valuable player. If not, she is close to being the most valuable player. One upside to this loss is that the LVs played good defense. I am not being apathetic.

Missouri made a great defensive commitment to take Jackson out of her game. That is going to happen, so we need to establish other options. As I said before we didn't make an effort to help Jackson out by setting picks. You could see that Jackson was frustrated. I also believe we were out coached just a little and that we took some outrageous shots as well. On several plays, we looked very youthful and made a few youthful mistakes. Though we lost by 10 to Stanford, I thought we played better in that game, than we did against Missouri. As I said before Missouri dictated how the game was played.

 

[Alex10]

Well usually I'm on here bashing Warlick but there's no use in doing that. I don't get that emotional anymore. There was a time I could name every player including the walk-on's because I loved (past tense) this game as much as the men. Not anymore. There was a time when the Lady Vols were great at fundamentals like playing hard, tough defense, FT shooting, valuing the basketball.

Now this program plays with the physicality and IQ of a high school team. Consider that a Missouri player was perceived to be jawing at the Lady Vol head coach. You would never know it by the listless, none 2nd gear attitude of the team. Players during the Pat era would've found that player and been on her like stink on dodo. Well...never mind. A player from another team wouldn't have jawed at Coach Summit.

Tough times for us vol fans both the women’s bb team and the football team are complete shells of their former glory. Oh well at least we have a bunch of jack wagons on this board telling us everyday how we are spoiled, impatient, negative fans, bunch of damn dip *****.

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

Sophie was the best player on the court for the 2nd year in a row. Who wouldn't want a player like her?

Dawn Staley ... I can appreciate her passion and drive but she borders on dirty player. Pat would have reigned her in too. I remember her always being on Shannon Bobbit and also ripping CP3 a couple of times.

All in all effective player no doubt! I just hope it pisses players like Rennia off and she becomes a little meaner! However I give Davis credit she was asked by the media if she thought Sophie was a dirty player and she gave a very respectable answer.

 

[Rickster]

Yeah that dudes a tool

Yeah, right. At least I am a real fan and not a fair weather fan pretender.

 

[Coffy73]

I’ve kinda felt like the last few years with Pat and all the years will Holly we’ve gotten the ‘reject McD All Americans’. The ones that Baylor, Stanford, Notre Dame, and UConn look at and go “Naaaa, we’ll pass.”

Even if they are the #1 player in the nation, ex. Mercedes Russell... UConn evaluated her and said, “Naaa...”

I agree with the one poster that said we recruit the players who have never had to elevate their game because in HS they were simply physically, athletically, and talent-wise so extremely dominate. So when they get to the college scene they don’t put forth that extra effort, cause they’ve never had to in the past...

We need grit. Maybe we need to look further down the Hoopgurlz list, outside of the list, and look at those intangibles such as ‘fire’ and discipline. Consider the UT Men...That’s an example of recruiting more than just a player rating.

It doesn't matter if Tenn. gets a #1 or #133 player, they won't get developed under Warlick, period. Players don't grow, they don't learn at Tenn., they stay the same. Every year, people talk about how Tenn. needs this or that type of player, it doesn't matter. It's sad, but this is the new reality of the Lady Vol's historic program.

 

[Amb3096]

Dawn Staley ... I can appreciate her passion and drive but she borders on dirty player. Pat would have reigned her in too. I remember her always being on Shannon Bobbit and also ripping CP3 a couple of times.

All in all effective player no doubt! I just hope it pisses players like Rennia off and she becomes a little meaner! However I give Davis credit she was asked by the media if she thought Sophie was a dirty player and she gave a very respectable answer.

I don't mind Sophie. If she played the exact same way as a LV, we'd all love her. I mean, Glory Johnson's elbows were deadly weapons, but we seemed to overlook it.

If I saw the quote from Davis about the elbow correctly, I'm actually disappointed. Didn't she say something about her not being surprised at who did it? I mean, you lost so it's probably better to just give a vanilla speech about great player, playing hard, hustle blah blah blah.

 

[T_Vol376]

Dawn Staley ... I can appreciate her passion and drive but she borders on dirty player. Pat would have reigned her in too. I remember her always being on Shannon Bobbit and also ripping CP3 a couple of times.

Borders?

All in all effective player no doubt! I just hope it pisses players like Rennia off and she becomes a little meaner! However I give Davis credit she was asked by the media if she thought Sophie was a dirty player and she gave a very respectable answer.

Re certainly was very gracious.

 

[volman128]

"Borders"? LOL! Sophie is known to be a dirty AF player. I've seen fans from every program in the SEC talk about her at some point. She's a great player but she's a punk and she's dirty. And comparing her to Glory, who I never saw play dirty once in her career, is a really dumb comparison. There's a difference when a player is intentionally dirty. She's basically white, blonde Erica White.

So no I'm not disappointed in what Rennia said. Saying "I'm not surprised because of who it was" should be a gimme at this point, especially since Cunningham is a senior and she's always been like this. I mean it is what it is. You're disappointed in someone speaking the obvious but you're ok with a player being dirty? Ok.

 

[T_Vol376]

I don't mind Sophie. If she played the exact same way as a LV, we'd all love her. I mean, Glory Johnson's elbows were deadly weapons, but we seemed to overlook it.

Maybe Glo Jo will give Cunningham a dose of elbow in the W if she makes a roster and they’re not on the same team.

If I saw the quote from Davis about the elbow correctly, I'm actually disappointed. Didn't she say something about her not being surprised at who did it? I mean, you lost so it's probably better to just give a vanilla speech about great player, playing hard, hustle blah blah blah.

She did, but I thought she was pretty gracious.

 

[volman128]

Quit whining like a twerp. Your characterization is just as flawed as you're intelligence. I am loyal to the university. Loyalty and integrity are two terms you will never understand because they do not apply to you. I don't like for the teams I cheer on to lose and I like poor losers and whiners even less.

It's "your". You'd think if you're going to insult someone's intelligence (literally) you'd actually get your homophones correct.

Anyway, you're a Holly stan. Nobody takes you seriously at this point. At least nobody who knows anything about the game of basketball.

 

[T_Vol376]

"Borders"? LOL! Sophie is known to be a dirty AF player. I've seen fans from every program in the SEC talk about her at some point. She's a great player but she's a punk and she's dirty. And comparing her to Glory, who I never saw play dirty once in her career, is a really dumb comparison. There's a difference when a player is intentionally dirty. She's basically white, blonde Erica White.

So no I'm not disappointed in what Rennia said. Saying "I'm not surprised because of who it was" should be a gimme at this point, especially since Cunningham is a senior and she's always been like this. I mean it is what it is. You're disappointed in someone speaking the obvious but you're ok with a player being dirty? Ok.

I was told last year by a Lady Vol mom whose daughter played in the same district or region that Cunningham was that way in high school. She said her mother actually encouraged her to hurt people.

I also heard that Cunningham’s mother threatened a Lady Vol fan in TBA today.