Mercedes Russell?

[volfanIND]

Russell played and started all 6 games this past summer with USA. She started along Stanford's center McCall. As you can see in these stats, she was the 3rd leading scorer, but leading rebounder. The stat that sticks out to me is she went to the FT line 11 times, McCall went their 27 times. That is telling a lot.
TWENTY-EIGHTH WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES -- 2015

Looking at our season now, Russell is down in scoring, and also rebounding one less a game (from this passed summer) but her and Graves have almost identical numbers this season. Russell does more good for our team than bad. I'm grateful we have her.

Her Freshman year she averaged 6.3 points and 5 rebounds. She is improving.
Russell's problem's are happening because what is happening around her.
She can't receive the ball in the post because the zone is focused on her and Bash. Their are no outside shots falling to make the zone come out. When Russell does get a pass, 50% of the time she is receiving the ball at her chest or higher, the other 50% everybody passes the ball to her at her knees. Lastly, think about all our unforced to's. If we could managed those into positive possessions, that would improve play/numbers as well.

 

[armchair]

She is not playing that bad. Its all coaching not getting her the ball. She is 1.5 rbs from averaging a double double while shooting 57% from the field. She needs way more attempts.

She's been OK--let's not say she's been bad. But she isn't getting enough shot attempts, as you say. How many did she have the other night--5? 6? She should be getting a MINIMUM of 10 shots a game--minimum. Part of that problem is that we've faced a lot of sagging zones, and we don't move and pass the ball well enough consistently to get her a little space, and part of it is that she is not yet as strong as she needs to be. Also, Russell doesn't really move all that well; both she and Graves play a bit stiff (as opposed to fluid), IMO.

Warlick always wants to get the ball inside--and that is fine, to a degree, but she seems to think that Russell and Graves can score anytime they get the ball and that is FAR from reality. We do not have an efficient, well-functioning offense, and I think this is one of the reasons DeShields starts trying to do too much and ends up making a lot of bad decisions. Every game we have a least one quarter when the team seems to fall apart--bad offense and defense. That has to stop, as one quarter is a one fourth of the game, and it's hard to beat decent teams that way. Has cost us three or four games this year.

 

[Ladyvol777]

I love her being a lady Vol., so happy she chose Tennessee, I just hope people don't run her off along with some of the other girls.

 

[gule]

run em all off and disband the sport, who cares about wimmen ballers anyway? they can't even dunk..

 

[gule]

:lolabove:

 

[Volfan2012]

I still think we will get one really great year out of her as a senior. She could be great as a junior but she has to get a lot mentally tougher and become much more aggressive on defense. She has a good offensive game now when she gets the ball she can score 55 percent of the time. If every player could do that we'd be undefeated.

 

[tonybologna]

Don't blame Mercedes play on Mercedes. The problem is lack of instruction. This is a problem all of these players have had once they start receiving instruction from our illustrious coaching staff. The buck stops at the top and the play of Mercedes is directly controlled by the coaching or lack thereof!
fyi...you do realize that Mercedes has parents who care and remarks like yours if read by these parents can not be a good thing for Mercedes or this program.

Good grief! My post was not intended to be personal towards Mercedes or her parents either. Not even personal towards the team either. If you can't understand that on these boards then you need to read up to what you would really see & call personal attacks on these forums.

I'm a Christian man. I wouldn't personally attack anybody anyhow. Good grief buddy. Lighten up a bit. Funny that all the other replies up until yours didn't see my post as personal. You need to think a bit before posting false information. :wink:

 

[PineyBluff Vol]

Is she not the worst performing top recruit ever to play at UT? I mean she's huge. She's got length. She's got the skills. But, she doesn't do much of anything. I mean with a player her size & skillset she should absolutely dominate not only under the basket but in the paint as well. She's been the most disappointing Lady Vol that I can remember coming in here as the top recruit out of high school. I know she has 2 more years to get better but I just don't see it. Your lead paragraph... Indicates that something is wrong with this youngster. Doesn't feel so good when someone is making accusations does it.

 

[tonybologna]

Is she not the worst performing top recruit ever to play at UT? I mean she's huge. She's got length. She's got the skills. But, she doesn't do much of anything. I mean with a player her size & skillset she should absolutely dominate not only under the basket but in the paint as well. She's been the most disappointing Lady Vol that I can remember coming in here as the top recruit out of high school. I know she has 2 more years to get better but I just don't see it. Your lead paragraph... Indicates that something is wrong with this youngster. Doesn't feel so good when someone is making accusations does it.

It's what you call a critique of a player. Not one single personal attack against her. It's talking about her game buddy. Please go somewhere else if you can't understand this.

People on these forums know what exactly I was doing & talking about. You're the only one that seen it differently. Post somewhere else if this is all you can see from my critique of Mercedes. hmy: