Late Rally Not Enough In 80-77 Loss To LSU

[PineyBluff Vol]

Poor performance, Simmons is not the answer, she will cost more than she is worth in the long run. Her little hiney needs to see the pine on the bench until she can control her game. In the long run this is not going to happen. My opinion of the head coach Holly and assistant Dean has not changed...do not have the tools to get the job done in this league.

 

[gule]

Idiot,

I guess that SEC championship Holly & Dean brought back to KTOWN last year was a dream?

 

[RollerVol]

Could be a long season. Hope they can pick it up.
GO VOLS!

 

[rickyb712]

Vols need a new coach. Holly has been a good and loyal Vol for a LONG time, and she has done some good things since taking on the head job, but overall she seems over her head. She's not very good--not a bad coach, but certainly has done nothing to suggest she's a good one. This is a pretty talented squad--but I don't see her and her staff making the team better. Every time UT plays a good team, a solid competitor, it loses. The defense is not good enough. The personnel and tactical decisions are not good enough. Tonight she was plainly out-coached--Caldwell changed things up in the second half, and Warlick had no answers.

Simmons has an uncharacteristically good shooting first half and scores 15 points--and then doesn't even get a shot in the second half???? Caldwell must have been thanking the heavens. Yea, the lsu defense was one reason--but you as a coach have to get your scorer going. And Simmons is plenty quick to break down a zone. Warlick also sat her too long while lsu's lead grew to double digits. Baffling. Warlick does not know how to manage Simmons--usually shoots and misses too much, tonight shot too little! Team did not know how to attack the matchup zone effectively. Meanwhile, every time we play a solid opponent somebody on the other team has a career game. And meanwhile, another game with 20 turnovers? That's coaching.

If you gave this group of players to a good coach, the team would be 15-20 percent better. Hurts to say, hurts to hear, but I have no doubt that it would be true.

my question is if warlick was such a good coach how come some school did not scoop her up after all the yrs pat had tennessee winning championships

 

[armchair]

In all honesty the team was very low energy tonight and has started pretty much every game with low energy. Pat always said that you can't really coach effort. Yeah, there were lots of problems with how we played, but it all comes down to chemistry and desire. This team doesn't have those qualities and needs to develop them before the tournament because they will likely have a low seed.

This was a very poor effort all around. Bad effort, bad coaching, bad officiating. Holly should have known by now that Enterline likes to show his ass and decide games so she should have ridden him from the tip. Same with the players who never really got down in a defensive stance. We were outrebounded in the first half despite their bigs being in early foul trouble, and we had to put Jones in to scrap for rebounds. Those things are indicative of poor effort.

I said before the season started that this team was overrated. They have done absolutely nothing to earn their ranking. It was given to them based on potential and tradition. But they act like they have beaten a bunch of teams and can turn it on and off as needed. They can't. If you read their quotes after the game they think they gave a good effort. They need to be thoroughly disabused of that notion.

Burdick looks like she took the entire summer off because every part of her game has regressed. She lost her shot, doesn't rebound or play good defense and even her passing is iffy now. Last year she was very dependable in filling her roles and had one of the prettiest and most reliable midrange shots on the team. It would be interesting to know what is going on with her. Massengale is the only one who looks a lot better.

I am not sure why Russell did not play more. We seemed to want to match what LSU was doing instead of making them match us. But with Graves injured you would think Russell would be key.

There really isn't anything good to take away from this game. There is no shame in losing if you play well and give good effort. We did neither of those things and that is what is most concerning. I think everyone feels this team not playing to its capabilities.

The team just does not have the intensity and focus and teamwork that very good teams have. There are stretches of good play followed by stretches of sloppy, desultory play. The team does not work hard enough on defense. Good defense is hard work. This team's problems start with half-hearted defense--though Simmons is working hard on both ends.

You are right about Burdick: I was impressed with her somewhat understated game the last year or two--good shooter, seemed to make good decisions. But she has been a DISASTER this year. She is contributing nothing--see last night's stats. Does she have a well-defined role? She has been a very good spot-up shooter from 12-15 feet, but her shooting has been bad this year and I don't think the offense really takes advantage of her skill set. She ought to be able to get the ball at 12 feet and make a shot--enabling Graves and Harrison and Russell to work the boards, or get the ball and then make a good pass to a big. But she doesn't seem to be involved in a positive way. I think it's because UT never seems to run PLAYS, or doesn't run them for long. We start an offensive play and then frequently seem to give up on it and free-lance a bit. We do not have a tightly run offense. The team needs to work harder, needs more chemistry.

I don't think Warlick knows how to manage a game well. Somebody explain to me how a player who scores 15 points in the first half, shooting well, cannot even get a shot in the second. That is BIZARRE and stupid basketball--and I'm shocked that Warlick wasn't even asked about it last night, apparently. Usually she gives Simmons too much reign when Simmons is shooting poorly. Last night was the opposite! We find different ways to screw up big games.

UT needs to start looking for a new coach who can take talent and mold it into a formidable team. Warlick has not been able to do that. I don't think she is tough enough, demanding enough, doesn't get the attention of the players. We cruise through most of our schedule because we've got far better individual talent than most teams--but you need more than isolated individual performances (like Harrison last night) to win tough games.

 

[armchair]

Idiot,

I guess that SEC championship Holly & Dean brought back to KTOWN last year was a dream?

for UT. We win the SEC almost every year. The bar is the final four and national titles. We have not even been to a final four in six years.

 

[meekfan]

For whatever the reason this game was just stinko - from top to bottom. Yes, you can pick out moments when there were flashes but a championship team isn't made up of flashes. We need consistent high level play from these highly rated players and I just don't see it. The way we are playing we will be lucky to get to the sweet 16 . . .

 

[Crazy Ivan]

I'm dumbfounded. Caldwell, and Mitchell were available, and our dumbass AD hires this clown???

I didn't think Holly was the right choice either, but Caldwell pretty much stated she would not take the job over her friend Holly. But there were a lot of proven quality head coaches who I'm sure would have jumped at the opportunity.

 

[volbeast33]

Wow....tough crowd.....got a top ten team and signed the number one player in the country last yr.....will she get the job done? Who knows but give her a chance to prove whether she can get it done or not.

 

[volmania8]

The women's basketball team is nothing like the men's basketball team or the football team. You cannot say "give her time to get her recruits in", "you have to wait until she gets talent on the team", etc, etc, etc. Tennessee always has one of the top 5 recruiting classes in the country, is almost always ranked in the top 10 (but barely plays like they should be in the top 25).

Just look at how they play. There is little to no ball movement, they do not play as a team, assists are few and far between (outside of Massengill). Tennessee's offense looks like a game of pick up basketball. If you wonder why Conneticut has passed us up, just watch one of their games. It is ball movement, sharing the basketball, and very fluid offense. Until Tennessee hires a coach that can bring this type of play back to Knoxville, expect recruiting to fall off, teams being ranked barely in the top 25, and sweet 16's being a good year.

I hope I am wrong but I have seen nothing that points in that direction.

 

[jwells]

I don't see much difference in this squad and some Pat coached. I've definitely seen Pat's squads look as inept as we did to start the 2nd half last night. They played a pretty good 1st half, lost their way, fought back. They lost because they missed 9 *NINE* free throws against a top-20 team.

Holly has to get the younguns to work together and play team ball. They'll be ok.

 

[volfanhill]

I agree it was the wrong hire but if you don't think Pat pretty much dictated who her replacement would be then you are lost. Not a knock on Pat but often legendary coaches pick their successor.

 

[Convoluted]

Joe B. Hall
Didn't Joe Paterno follow Rip Engle?
Dean smith after Frank McGuire
Chuck Osborne replace Bob DeVaney

Duffy Daugherty after Biggie Munn at Michigan State.

 

[armchair]

Wow....tough crowd.....got a top ten team and signed the number one player in the country last yr.....will she get the job done? Who knows but give her a chance to prove whether she can get it done or not.

Warlick hasn't won a big game since she got the job. And make no mistake, there is a lot of talent on this team.

 

[PineyBluff Vol]

Idiot,

I guess that SEC championship Holly & Dean brought back to KTOWN last year was a dream?

Name calling is uncalled for, my opinion is mine and I stand by what I said. IMO, these two are not doing the job that is called for. We have very much become accustomed to beating every team in the SEC every year. Problem is we have reached a plateau for sometime now and the same Old Blood that is running this program, once again IMO is not getting the job done. As for bring back to Ktown, how much did that help us in the Big Dance...not much!

 

[Kev415]

I mean I have total respect for Holly Warlick and it's early on to just jump on her but at the same time I just want the Lady Vols basketball back. In your face defense, rebounding, that intensity.

After watching the game last night it made me bring out the old tapes & dvds! The Meek days was when it all started for me & I was hooked to LV!

 

[vettefool]

Duffy Daugherty after Biggie Munn at Michigan State.

the coach that followed dean smith at north Carolina, guthery I believe, is the example I site as giving a great job to a long time assistant coach just because he is a long time assistant. it took them years to recover from that hire.

 

[ChattaVoll]

The thing with Coach Warlick is can anyone give me an example of a long-time assistant head coach in either the men's or women's game who successfully succeeded a legendary head coach? She never earned her stripes as a head coach some place else. The job probably should not have been given to her.

This early into her head coaching career, it's honestly hard to say. She's done well and made it to the Elite Eight, as well as doing well overall in season play last year.

With all due respect, to replace someone of the level of Pat Summit would be a tall order for anyone. The retardedly ridiculous number of SEC regular season champs, SEC Tournament Champs, NCAA Title Appearances, and NCAA Championship wins under her belt isn't something you take over from overnight.

Holly might develop into a dominating force in the SEC and the NCAA in general, adding another few NCAA Championship trophies, or she might fizzle out long term, maybe winning the SEC regular season and/or tournament and not much beyond that

 

[Escape Goat]

Idiot,

I guess that SEC championship Holly & Dean brought back to KTOWN last year was a dream?

Lol. SEC championship? That should be a given. This program should be defined on final fours. Not "SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS". Nest year should we be happy with just winning the east? Then we should be happy with a tourney berth? After that we should be happy with a winning record? Get over yourself.

 

[Escape Goat]

Wow....tough crowd.....got a top ten team and signed the number one player in the country last yr.....will she get the job done? Who knows but give her a chance to prove whether she can get it done or not.

Top Ten doesn't cut it historically here. How the rest of the history goes depends on how long Holly is here.

 

[Escape Goat]

Holly is the university of Tennessee's version of Mike Munchak. Long time loyal assistant. Takes over, and starts an immediate decline for the program. I grew up watching this glorious program, and I for one am saddened by this decline I am seeing. I hope this can get turned around before it's too late, and before that clown at uconn wipes away our dominance.

 

[armchair]

Holly is the university of Tennessee's version of Mike Munchak. Long time loyal assistant. Takes over, and starts an immediate decline for the program. I grew up watching this glorious program, and I for one am saddened by this decline I am seeing. I hope this can get turned around before it's too late, and before that clown at uconn wipes away our dominance.

UT's decline actually started more than decade ago, under Summitt. Recruiting fell off, and it became clear that our coaching wasn't as great as everyone thought. Keep in mind that PS won at least half of her titles in the very early days of women's basketball. The game, and a lot of good coaches, caught up with her. We weren't very good for a number of years--and then PS landed Parker (and Anosike)--and their defensive dominance (and Parker's offensive talents) led us to two more titles. But we had not been great for a while before we got her--and then after Parker graduated we fell off even worse as PS's situation deteriorated and there were a lot of bad recruiting decisions.

So Warlick inherited a UT program that was floundering. She and her staff have stablized the program and actually landed some very good recruits, but they haven't shown they can put together a tough, cohesive team that can take a good opponents best shot and still win. I wish Massengale were more of a leader. She is a good player, has improved greatly--but she doesn't seem very vocal on the court. Maybe I'm wrong, but she seems too low-key. I wish she were more enthusiastic and emotional. HER play is good--but a great PG knows how to get her teammates playing well and together, too.

 

[volbeast33]

Top Ten doesn't cut it historically here. How the rest of the history goes depends on how long Holly is here.

My goodness holly has only coached one season(elite eight) and has had a decent start this yr.....give her a chance.....its really hard replacing a legend.

 

[Orange Maniac]

I must have missed all those years Pat went undefeated. I could have sworn I watched her teams lose some games or maybe I must have dreamed that from the comments I'm seeing on here. The word on here is that Holly and crew can't develop players. I wonder why Massengale is so much better this year? Did she do it all on her own. Hmmmm. I think it's a little early to pass judgement yet. I am concerned about the lack of effort at times but that probably has more to do with individual personalities than coaching. Lets see how all this plays out this year before we jump off a cliff.

 

[Convoluted]

I hope this can get turned around before it's too late, and before that clown at uconn wipes away our dominance.

Except in Knoxville, the consensus is the "clown" has already demolished Tennessee's dominance.

Looking at the two records since Candace left, Tennessee is 154-36, 81.1% while uconn is 196-11, 94.6%. This trend is showing no signs of abating. Since that time, uconn leads in National Championships 3 to 0.

Pat's book is closed while the clown's career is in top form. So, I'd say that Holly's task is to stop the slide and regain Tennessee's dominance. So far her record is 39-10, 79.6%. Can she do it?