Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2023-24

#30,177
#30,177
Volfan2012 said:
Florida State didn't lose much from the team that beat NC, Va Tech, Notre Dame, NC St and Duke among others at home last season. They were 14 and 1 there and we definitely gave the game there away. We can get better make free throw, don't get technicals, better defense. If not yes we'll lose and we can pack it in again.
Click to expand...
After hearing that I do feel better about our chances.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smokey19rt, travis929 and LV renaissance
#30,179
#30,179
creekdipper said:
North Carolina struggled at home to beat Davidson, who actually led with four minutes to go. Final score was 74-70.

Four UNC starters played over 32 minutes including transfers Donarski & Gakdeng. Kayla McPherson only played 7 minutes, still recovering from another injury. Teonni Key in walking boot and didn't play.

Sort of puts the early blowout wins in perspective for those who like to compare other program results to Lady Vols. UNC beat Gardner Webb 102-49 to start the season.
Click to expand...
Davidson had beaten Wake Forest at home the day before they played UNC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smokey19rt, travis929 and creekdipper
#30,180
#30,180
Ours was the least of the upset losses this weekend. IMO,

Connecticut has plenty of great OOC opponents ahead to get back on track if they beat them, but LSU doesn't play anyone who's not just barely eligible to call themselves D1 until they play Virginia Tech on the 30th. And after that schedule anomaly, they won't have another serious challenge until well into conference play. In other words, they're lucky they only fell to #7, because their weak schedule may keep them there (or even a spot or two lower depending on others) because they won't have any opportunities to impress.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smokey19rt, chuckiepoo, travis929 and 4 others
#30,181
#30,181
Well, I see now that LSU does play Virginia before they play Tech, but Virginia hasn't been a real threat to top teams in a very long time.Maybe they're better this season, I don't know.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo
#30,184
#30,184
lvocd said:
Ours was the least of the upset losses this weekend. IMO,

Connecticut has plenty of great OOC opponents ahead to get back on track if they beat them, but LSU doesn't play anyone who's not just barely eligible to call themselves D1 until they play Virginia Tech on the 30th. And after that schedule anomaly, they won't have another serious challenge until well into conference play. In other words, they're lucky they only fell to #7, because their weak schedule may keep them there (or even a spot or two lower depending on others) because they won't have any opportunities to impress.
Click to expand...
Agree 100% with this post. LSU scheduling like they do is perplexing to me, one would think they would beef up their OOC schedule to better prepare for March but I suppose they think last season worked Out just fine so why change things. I really believe it was a good measure of luck for them last year more than anything else, both no. 1’s in their bracket went out early. They were blown out by SC last season and lost to UT in the SEC tourney. Iowa drained themselves in the SC final four game. Credit LSU for showing up big in the final but there was good fortune along the way. Uconn will get back on track imo, but PB is more comfortable at PG and Muhl is playing there, so that needs to be ironed out and they are really thin in the post.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smokey19rt, UTtoDC, chuckiepoo and 5 others
#30,188
#30,188
ttharpe said:
Generational. Program changer. USC will likely return to the FF and national prominence before Tennessee. They have a nice recruiting class coming in next year. I also expect them to get solid pieces out of the portal next April.

They could become contenders very quickly.
Click to expand...
Sadly I agree, if only we can get a talent like that from high school, I’m not sure it will happen for us anytime soon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smokey19rt, travis929 and glv98
#30,193
#30,193
DarkPhoenix said:
Sadly I agree, if only we can get a talent like that from high school, I’m not sure it will happen for us anytime soon.
Click to expand...
Yes. Boo hoo to SC fans for being nervous whether you'll stack up yet another "generational" talent. If we ever doubted the impact of truly elite players on everything, we got slapped with a big reminder last night. As Kellie said several times last night, just the presence of RJ on the court not only gives the players confidence in her, but also in themselves.

Easy to see the LVs are falling further and further behind. Look around at all the dynamic freshman and other young game changers like Rivers. We don't get those. The blessings from the portal and the occasional 20-30ish hs player will not get it done. Whether its coaching, NIL, or whatever, we're getting left in the dust. Depressing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: maple, volfan__18, Smokey19rt and 2 others
#30,194
#30,194
glv98 said:
Yes. Boo hoo to SC fans for being nervous whether you'll stack up yet another "generational" talent. If we ever doubted the impact of truly elite players on everything, we got slapped with a big reminder last night. As Kellie said several times last night, just the presence of RJ on the court not only gives the players confidence in her, but also in themselves.

Easy to see the LVs are falling further and further behind. Look around at all the dynamic freshman and other young game changers like Rivers. We don't get those. The blessings from the portal and the occasional 20-30ish hs player will not get it done. Whether its coaching, NIL, or whatever, we're getting left in the dust. Depressing.
Click to expand...
I don’t think it’s Nil, because the Nil will go where the talent is, it doesn’t matter what school they go to. I think we just need one game changing recruit to get others to follow them here. Teams look like they want to stack the deck now, u need the talent to draw them in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smokey19rt
#30,195
#30,195
DarkPhoenix said:
I don’t think it’s Nil, because the Nil will go where the talent is, it doesn’t matter what school they go to. I think we just need one game changing recruit to get others to follow them here. Teams look like they want to stack the deck now, u need the talent to draw them in.
Click to expand...
I don't really mean NIL, I mean the initial signing bonus which is different fm NIL but kind of generically gets called that. Apparenly we're lagging there.

As far as recruiting a game changer, we are in a vicious dog chases tail cycle on that. We need some big wins and to compete for championships to get the top talent. But its so hard to get those wins without the talent.

That's why we were hoping so fervently that having a game changing talent this year would finally get us over that hump. We'll find out in the next month if that is actually going to happen, but right now circumstances are not lining up in our favor.
 
#30,196
#30,196
glv98 said:
I don't really mean NIL, I mean the initial signing bonus which is different fm NIL but kind of generically gets called that. Apparenly we're lagging there.

As far as recruiting a game changer, we are in a vicious dog chases tail cycle on that. We need some big wins and to compete for championships to get the top talent. But its so hard to get those wins without the talent.

That's why we were hoping so fervently that having a game changing talent this year would finally get us over that hump. We'll find out in the next month if that is actually going to happen, but right now circumstances are not lining up in our favor.
Click to expand...
Or unless the game changer is in state and decides to stay home. Juju went to USC and they haven’t won anything.
 
  • Like
Reactions: UTtoDC, maple and Smokey19rt
#30,197
#30,197
The payment arrangements for players is definitely part of the problem, whether it's called NIL or signing bonus or whatever. I don't know why people are so insistent on cramming the entirety of the blame down Harper's throat. We've had several people, who have reason and connection to know, who've flatly told us that top-25ish players who wanted to come to Tennessee got better offers to go elsewhere and did so. I don't understand this obsession with either ignoring or denying that this is happening. I'm not saying the NIL environment excuses anything having to do with coaching or with other elements of a program, but it's obvious that teams with strong NIL mechanisms have distinct advantages.

And yes, teams that were on top when NIL really kicked off, they have a lot of momentum and can stack the deck in other ways. Granted. That is true. If Pat were still around, I'm sure her presence alone could tilt the negotiations in Tennessee's favor. Tennessee would have that momentum as well. But she's not, and Tennessee's not in a position of strength to negotaite from. It's out there pitching deals alongside every other school trying to catch up to the big dogs, and some of those other schools have more tools and more free money to work with - at least, it sure sounds like it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: krichunaka, FormerLadyVolFan, Volfaninfl2 and 2 others
#30,198
#30,198
Voltopia said:
The payment arrangements for players is definitely part of the problem, whether it's called NIL or signing bonus or whatever. I don't know why people are so insistent on cramming the entirety of the blame down Harper's throat. We've had several people, who have reason and connection to know, who've flatly told us that top-25ish players who wanted to come to Tennessee got better offers to go elsewhere and did so. I don't understand this obsession with either ignoring or denying that this is happening. I'm not saying the NIL environment excuses anything having to do with coaching or with other elements of a program, but it's obvious that teams with strong NIL mechanisms have distinct advantages.

And yes, teams that were on top when NIL really kicked off, they have a lot of momentum and can stack the deck in other ways. Granted. That is true. If Pat were still around, I'm sure her presence alone could tilt the negotiations in Tennessee's favor. Tennessee would have that momentum as well. But she's not, and Tennessee's not in a position of strength to negotaite from. It's out there pitching deals alongside every other school trying to catch up to the big dogs, and some of those other schools have more tools and more free money to work with - at least, it sure sounds like it.
Click to expand...
Like most things in life, I think it's a combination of all this. And as I said above, a chicken/egg vicious cycle. Signing bonus plus proven championship level coaching equals elite recruits. Elite recruits bring the wins which bring the championships which bring the signing bonus money which brings the recruits, etc. etc
 
  • Like
Reactions: brittannica
#30,199
#30,199
glv98 said:
Yes. Boo hoo to SC fans for being nervous whether you'll stack up yet another "generational" talent. If we ever doubted the impact of truly elite players on everything, we got slapped with a big reminder last night. As Kellie said several times last night, just the presence of RJ on the court not only gives the players confidence in her, but also in themselves.

Easy to see the LVs are falling further and further behind. Look around at all the dynamic freshman and other young game changers like Rivers. We don't get those. The blessings from the portal and the occasional 20-30ish hs player will not get it done. Whether its coaching, NIL, or whatever, we're getting left in the dust. Depressing.
Click to expand...
That is actually a problem to have one player be the dominant "the team goes as she goes" person. The fact that we had 7 players in double figures shows the advantage of spreading the scoring around. Dawn has done this since the year A'Ja was a freshman. She gets all of her players quality minutes and that makes sure you don't suffer if one player has an off night. These girls want time on the court but they also want to be winners. You sacrifice time to be a winner. The quality time on the court while playing with a successful program is going to be key moving forward.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top