NCAA Tournament Game Thread - (4) Ohio State vs (5) Lady Vols

[VOLPAT]

I’m not going to complicate it and act like Tennessee has to do something they haven’t already done this season to beat Ohio State.
Tennessee has beaten really good teams that made the NCAA tourney in South Florida (who beat Duke this year), Richmond (who just blew out a Georgia Tech team that was ranked most of the season), Liberty (who should’ve beat Kentucky yesterday but fell short 78-79), Ole Miss, Alabama, Florida State, Iowa, and UConn with 23 wins and counting currently in year 1.
Talaysia Cooper and Lazaria Spearman can take over this game.. Whitehorn, Boyd, and Latham as a trio give us all the athleticism and intangibles we need to compete with any team. Hollingshead and Darby play their roles. The difference has been when Spencer and Spear give us consistent scoring. Those are the keys to victory. Tennessee is the better team with a better resume.

You called it Knox.

 

[VOLPAT]

I don't know if we've beat a really good team on the road this year, this would be a good time to start

Ya think!!

 

[th2421]

Sounded a lot like Westbrook after Tennessee's early exit.

Agree that she probably blames Jaloni for going hero baller, especially when she went cold but kept jacking up shots. Her references to "playing team ball" and "finding the open player" seemed to be specifically aimed at certain teammates. Maybe blamed the staff for not addressing what she saw as problems contributing to the loss. Going out in the second round in consecutive years didn't help.

They did seem to rely a lot on Cambridge to break the press with relative ease.

Totally agree with this. Might have just been immediate post-game the emotions, but her talking about her love for Buckeye Nation almost felt like a farewell.

 

[Golfteacher]

I agree but I believe the LVs will not be satisfied with the Sweet 16. I see the Final Four coming around the bend. GBO.

I don't want them to just be satisfied with a Sweet 16, I want them to want it all. However, what CKC has done with this team has to be recognized as one of the best coaching jobs in women's college basketball. This team has the heart to beat Texas, or any of the top 10 teams. I will not count them out.

 

[lvocd]

SO glad Kim didn’t check her phone and take this advice! Glad Ruby woke up this game! We’re going to need her against Texas as well!

So many great things already said about this win! Super proud of the girls for not folding and playing to WIN!

Both Ruby and Spearman had great games against Texas two months ago. The Lady Vols only lost by four AT TEXAS. Tennessee can beat them!

Women's Basketball vs Texas on 1/23/2025 - Box Score - University of Tennessee Athletics

The official box score of Women's Basketball vs Texas on 1/23/2025

utsports.com

 

[ShortyMac10]

I get she’s emotional in that moment but still

 

[ShortyMac10]

What Sam said!!

 

[VOLPAT]

Nah, you pretty much speak for everyone

She coaches hard from the sideline, imho. It seemed to me that leading up to the tournament Coach was smiling a lot. I wondered if she knew something none else did. Guess she did!!!

 

[ttharp]

I don't want them to just be satisfied with a Sweet 16, I them to want it all. However, what CKC has done with this team has to be recognized as one of the best coaching jobs in women's college basketball. This team has the heart to beat Texas, or any of the top to teams. I will not count them out.

This. Feels like we’re in a win-win situation moving forward.

I also feel like we have about as good of a draw we could ask for considering our seeding.

 

[LadyVol1908]

I get she’s emotional in that moment but still

Ooooo okay, I get it now, she’s going into the portal and the outburst in the handshake line was a calling card to Kim, to reach out when she does! Got it!!! a little dramatic, but I get it!

 

[madtownvol]

Disagree, respectfully. My preseason definition of success for this season was keeping the NCAAT streak going. Beyond that it's house money for me.

Year 2 is the same; we'll be very young.

Year 3 and beyond should be Sweet 16 every year and fighting for championships.

If it is okay with you, I will take a S16 this season! Such a chaotic first half but credit to the LVs for keeping their composure when the calls weren’t going their way.

After the first quarter, their defense did not give up too many easy buckets and they shot s solid 45% from the field and excellent games from Coop, Whitehorn, and Spearman, plus Tess for hitting some big threes when they were needed to quell the home crowd.

 

[Voltopia]

Sounded a lot like Westbrook after Tennessee's early exit.

Agree that she probably blames Jaloni for going hero baller, especially when she went cold but kept jacking up shots. Her references to "playing team ball" and "finding the open player" seemed to be specifically aimed at certain teammates. Maybe blamed the staff for not addressing what she saw as problems contributing to the loss. Going out in the second round in consecutive years didn't help.

They did seem to rely a lot on Cambridge to break the press with relative ease.

I think you nailed it - well, actually, everyone nailed the post-game cursing, especially in the context of the player's remarks about playing together. I don't think her cursing in the handshake line had anything to do with Tennessee. Which makes it a little easier to laugh at in that awkward "yikes, let's just step back from this" kind of way.

 

[madtownvol]

That was the most loquacious CKC has been all season! She even elaborated on non questions ask by reporters.

 

[madtownvol]

How can you expect your players to keep composure in the face of bad calls if you can't do it yourself?

Coach stayed calm, team stayed calm, and went on to win by 15 in a hostile environment, postseason ball on the road. Either the team adjusted or the refs adjusted, and the rest of the game was called pretty fairly, I thought.

GBO!

Bingo!!! The LVs won this game by staying composed in a very hostile environment. CKC set the example.

 

[madtownvol]

We just beat the crap out of Ohio State. They hadn't lost a game at home all season. Cooper was amazing tonight as was the entire team. I didn't think we could turn them over, but wow forced them into over 20 turnovers.

This game they found the right balance between pressure and positioning. It took a while but better late than never, if they can replicate this performance, they could get Texas!

 

[ShortyMac10]

Ooooo okay, I get it now, she’s going into the portal and the outburst in the handshake line was a calling card to Kim, to reach out when she does! Got it!!! a little dramatic, but I get it!

The way she sounding she might leave

 

[jsc1973]

i'll say this, and no shade to the many wonderful lady vol players on previous teams, but this is the most fun basketball team i have seen play since parker's days. there is no DOUBT pat would LOVE the effort we are bringing on the defensive end AND everywhere else on the court. CKC has truly remade the program into a new, exciting brand of basketball that is shining on national tv. what a turn around from just a year ago when things looked super depressing.

no matter what happens with TX, this is our best team and best coached team in many years. the scary part, we will be even better next year on many levels. the future is all orange.

Best team in a decade. Best coached team since Pat was still healthy and coaching the team. And she's done this with a team she assembled on the fly and some leftover players who bought in. Everything is gravy now, but I want to see these players be the ones to take the program back to the Final Four.

I still remember Tara VanDerveer once calling the LVs "Agent Orange." She's gone now but Agent Orange is coming back...

 

[feathersax]

View attachment 730090

The post-game "handshake" exhibited some pretty poor sportsmanship & classlessness by OSU players. Pouty-mouths.

 

[superfly]

I said you guys would make the sweet 16 at the very least.....I was right..lol....I also said you guys would do a deep run. This Tennessee team can beat Texas and Notre Dame on a neutral court. Now, will they? The fan base has to be excited even though it was not the end of the regular season you wanted; this is where it gets real. Congrats. My sister is ecstatic, and I am happy for her. Hope to meet you in the semifinal game. It could happen....or we could fall......or we could both fall. Let's plan to be there. My sister and I will be together for the final four. Time for me to spend that weekend with her in Charleston.

 

[1reVOLver]

Bingo!!! The LVs won this game by staying composed in a very hostile environment. CKC set the example.

You mean to tell me, Kind Sir/Madam, that CKC took the advice of a few Sages here,
“got in the grill of the refs”, displaying an overabundance of testosterone, copious quantities of piss and vinegar, true gritttt and so forth? I must have blinked.
Nonetheless, her calm demeanor was, happy to say, quite effective.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Our press break looked better than it has all year. Turned it over a few times but often got it up the floor pretty easily against a great pressing team! GBO

Likely the difference in the game. Shows the coaches and players have been working to get better. I really like what is going on with this team and the coaching they are getting.

 

[knoxvol52]

The young ladies looked very refreshed after getting some R&R last week or so. They got their legs back and running 120mph again.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

The post-game "handshake" exhibited some pretty poor sportsmanship & classlessness by OSU players. Pouty-mouths.

Typical Ohio State reaction. I would rather beat them than any other team this year since we have already taken down Connecticut. We have to also appreciate AD White for his ability to run our Athletic Department. Few of us ever dreamed this could happen this quickly.

 

[KTrain]

That was the most loquacious CKC has been all season! She even elaborated on non questions ask by reporters.

Yes, and she even gave a shout out to players composure. Saying she started to relay something to them in the tight huddle to only hear them discussing the same path forward. I think she was super proud of the maturity and growth of this team.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

She promised a win said no way Tennessee was winning. When you make a statement like that and can't back it up I guess your totally embarrassed. I say don't promise anything it bites a lot of players that do it.

Hope some of our “faithful supporters” can learn from this incident, and not be predicting doom every time things start badly. Go back and read this thread and get some laughs. Read their justifications down thread, even funnier.

Applying historical LOGIC to an unconditionally constructed and coached team has its risks. Bet our AD could find some chuckles if he perused our game threads. Maybe we should create a time saving montage and email it to him. Bet he could use some lighter moments. Some should learn to simply scratch, when head scratching sequences present themselves.