NCAA Tournament Game Thread - (5) Lady Vols vs (12) USF Bulls

[krichunaka]

Rewatching the game right now, and MAN those three first-half threes by Spearman were sweet. The sound they made going through the net was even great! And Talaysia Cooper was a beast. South Florida never had a chance last night.

And how about Avery Strickland showing her speed? I am SOOOO glad she came through big on defense like she did. A while back I remember being puzzled by a couple of comments here saying Avery was too slow. I thought, "REALLY? You really think Strickland is slow?!?!" I think Coach Jumper and I have always agreed that she's a way better player than most here believe her to be. Someone recently even said she doesn't belong in P4 conference-level basketball! That is just plain ridiculous. I'm thrilled she's a Lady Vol, and the great class coming in had better not sleep on Strickland, 'cause she's gonna work hard to steal some of their minutes!

I read that post of a couple-three weeks back, and started to comment then but didn't want to get caught up in a situation that, to defend Avery would inevitably show other teammates in a negative light. I'm awkward like that. Anyhow:

That was a statement made by an otherwise Very Knowledgeable boarder, one whom I respect, and someone we often rely on for what I think is legitimate inside information. It was not only wrong, but the poster used Sara and Jewell as the comparative with something like, "much slower," or, "it isn't even close." Through naked eye observation, and the fact that I think (but I could be misremembering) she was actually a high school track star, I believe that Avery is actually one of the fastest Lady Vols basketball players, and certainly faster than the two mentioned.

The poster also made the point that Avery was blown by on several occasions. I cannot argue that, other than to point that that was a common occurrence with the "faster" players use in comparison. It's also worth mention that time on court is often helpful in remedying, or at least alleviating such flaws. All this to say, I think that there were several opportunities to get (specifically) Avery Strickland into games - within the normal rotations; You (coaches) simply cannot fairly appraise a player ...only through practice habits. You just can't. Progress will (almost) always be noticeably, measurably better when playing alongside veteran teammates. They are much less likely to "fall apart" when surrounded by talent and experience.

I don't want to start a verbal war with anyone over this, but I appreciate that you brought it up.

 

[PRG]

I read that post of a couple-three weeks back, and started to comment then but didn't want to get caught up in a situation that, to defend Avery would inevitably show other teammates in a negative light. I'm awkward like that. Anyhow:

That was a statement made by an otherwise Very Knowledgeable boarder, one whom I respect, and someone we often rely on for what I think is legitimate inside information. It was not only wrong, but the poster used Sara and Jewell as the comparative with something like, "much slower," or, "it isn't even close." Through naked eye observation, and the fact that I think (but I could be misremembering) she was actually a high school track star, I believe that Avery is actually one of the fastest Lady Vols basketball players, and certainly faster than the two mentioned.

The poster also made the point that Avery was blown by on several occasions. I cannot argue that, other than to point that that was a common occurrence with the "faster" players use in comparison. It's also worth mention that time on court is often helpful in remedying, or at least alleviating such flaws. All this to say, I think that there were several opportunities to get (specifically) Avery Strickland into games - within the normal rotations; You (coaches) simply cannot fairly appraise a player ...only through practice habits. You just can't. Progress will (almost) always be noticeably, measurably better when playing alongside veteran teammates. They are much less likely to "fall apart" when surrounded by talent and experience.

I don't want to start a verbal war with anyone over this, but I appreciate that you brought it up.

I think what the person saying she was not fast …. Might of meant something a little different? I ran track and played Basketball.
There is a difference between running fast and quickness or some use the word of (Twitch) ! Quick hands and quick feet are a difference also. Wynn is a track athlete that has speed also and on my opinion a little quicker than Ace … I love both ladies as athletes but there is a difference in them … as with all athletes! Another track player at UT that was quick also was Annie … again a different athlete but quicker than Ace or Wynn ! Just my opinion