My thoughts on the Texas game

[alexvol]

I was surprised at how easily Russell was pushed around. She needs to assert herself more forcefully. Holly pulling her away from the rim didn’t help, but Russell was surprisingly ineffective.

Graves struggled against the Texas four-guard lineup. This was the first game this season that some of her liabilities showed up. Before the season started I toyed in my own mind with the idea of taking Graves out of the starting lineup. The way she started the season like gangbusters showed why that would have been a dumb idea, but still, she can be exposed.

The LV guards should be ashamed of themselves at how poorly they played. Texas’s guards are not going to win any major awards yet they played rings around the LV guards.

You could easily see in this game the difference in a team that practices offense (Texas) and a team that doesn’t (Tennessee). Texas’s floor spacing was perfect, their cuts were sharp and everyone moved in sync with each other and knew where each other was on the floor. It was really kind of nice to watch in a way.

Holly has put herself in a box with her adherence to the double post scheme. She insists on no quick shots and that the posts much touch the ball. To accomplish this the guards have be close to the posts or at least have a good angle for an entry pass. It is all very predictable, leads to improper floor spacing, and a congested lane. To add to this, she apparently doesn’t practice it much anyway preferring to spend most of the time on defense. This team currently has no balance. It won’t change unless Holly changes it.

Last but not least, Red Auerbach, the long-time Celtic coach once said the most important part of the game was putting the ball in the basket and defense is what separates good offensive teams from each other. I wish somebody that Holly respects would tell her that.

Insightful posts are insightful.....hit nail squarely on head.

 

[alexvol]

if you unable to get a shot in transition, you want to make the opposing team play defense, so they are able to play both sides of the ball, so if we quick shot the basketball, we play offense for 10 seconds, now we are on defense, for 60 -70% of the game, cos we didn't work to get the best shot each possession on offense. The way we are shooting, if we keep quick shooting we will lose more ball games until our players become better shooters, look at Uconn, and Notre DAme, they work to get the best shot, not he first shot or the shot the other team is giving us. No they get the shot they want from the player they want shooting it.

So when she say don't quick shoot the basketball, that a staple that all good coaches preaches, unless they have capable shooters, especially for a young team.

Why would you want a team or player who can't shoot quick shooting the basketball, when no one is in position to get a rebound?

How many times this year would you postulate that the Lady Vols have come down the court with numbers and held the ball up .....not quick shooting as you are calling it or driving the ball to the basket ? Rather they held the ball up and let the opposing team set up it's defense ,passes the ball around until they forced the ball inside resulting in a turnover.That means that there was no shot at all taken in that possession.This team is good in the transition offense only when Holly takes the handcuffs off the shooters and when there is a close game she tightens up on the shooters by prohibiting quote " do not take quick shots ".Coach Barnes encourages shooters to take shots whenever they are open because with their liabilities in the post he understands that is his best chance to win.Opposing defenses have taken our post players out of the game due to the half court offense being run by Holly.Something has to change for this very talented team to gel and become a Final Four team which it is talent wise and that thing has to be coaching otherwise this will be another season of mediocrity.....just not sure that Holly has the smarts to comprehend that.Not sure if there is assistant coaching staff talent to effect such change or if there is that Holly would allow that to take place or not but something needs to change and quickly.

 

[boxerpupsrcool]

Here's my thoughts

Once again, way to many turnovers

Mercedes the number one ranked recruit?? Ya right

Holly stomping her feet?? Check

Any discipline?? Nope

Lots of standing around?? You got that right

Any positives? Well, they finally seemed to have a bit of life with about five minutes left, but by then it was to late. if they could play with that kind of sense of urgency for a full 40 minutes, then we might have something. Diamond was awesome, even though she is playing on two gimpy legs.

 

[GameTime]

How many times this year would you postulate that the Lady Vols have come down the court with numbers and held the ball up .....not quick shooting as you are calling it or driving the ball to the basket ? Rather they held the ball up and let the opposing team set up it's defense ,passes the ball around until they forced the ball inside resulting in a turnover.That means that there was no shot at all taken in that possession.This team is good in the transition offense only when Holly takes the handcuffs off the shooters and when there is a close game she tightens up on the shooters by prohibiting quote " do not take quick shots ".Coach Barnes encourages shooters to take shots whenever they are open because with their liabilities in the post he understands that is his best chance to win.Opposing defenses have taken our post players out of the game due to the half court offense being run by Holly.Something has to change for this very talented team to gel and become a Final Four team which it is talent wise and that thing has to be coaching otherwise this will be another season of mediocrity.....just not sure that Holly has the smarts to comprehend that.Not sure if there is assistant coaching staff talent to effect such change or if there is that Holly would allow that to take place or not but something needs to change and quickly.

She doesn't have the smarts....Most of the 3's made were shot within the first 12 seconds of the shot clock....The misses were waiting until the end of the clock....Holly has like an OCD on quick shots.....So stupid to not shoot in rhythm..

 

[madtownvol]

How many times this year would you postulate that the Lady Vols have come down the court with numbers and held the ball up .....not quick shooting as you are calling it or driving the ball to the basket ? Rather they held the ball up and let the opposing team set up it's defense ,passes the ball around until they forced the ball inside resulting in a turnover.That means that there was no shot at all taken in that possession.This team is good in the transition offense only when Holly takes the handcuffs off the shooters and when there is a close game she tightens up on the shooters by prohibiting quote " do not take quick shots ".Coach Barnes encourages shooters to take shots whenever they are open because with their liabilities in the post he understands that is his best chance to win.Opposing defenses have taken our post players out of the game due to the half court offense being run by Holly.Something has to change for this very talented team to gel and become a Final Four team which it is talent wise and that thing has to be coaching otherwise this will be another season of mediocrity.....just not sure that Holly has the smarts to comprehend that.Not sure if there is assistant coaching staff talent to effect such change or if there is that Holly would allow that to take place or not but something needs to change and quickly.

There is this idea and I think Holly adheres to it, that a good possession is one where everyone touches the ball and it zips around the perimeter for 10 passes and then viola an open shot. And television coverage always highlight such plays when the occur. Here is the thing, those perfect plays are a rarity. If an offense is geared to those moments where the spacing and timing is just right to make 10 passes to find the open shooter, points are going to be hard to come by. A more sustainable offense is quick hitting such as when for example, Diamond brought the ball up the court and no one closed her down. So, she took a shot in rhythm from about 18 feet (swish!). Players have to seize openings whether it is 10 seconds in the clock or not.

You point is spot on. The LVs are making themselves easy to defend.

Here is the other side; a standard criticism of the LVs defense is that they are too slow in closing down shooters and giving up open threes; getting caught in mismatches, not controlling the driving lanes. Why do those breakdown happen? Because opponents are pushing tempo on offense and not letting the LVs get set. The logic should work in reverse; what do the LVs need to do stress the opponents defense? Holding the all until 20+ seconds in the shot clock is not going to do that.