Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2024-25

[JustaChicken]

I'm so over the ref whining in every single game, ours and others. I thought the refs had one of their better games in this one and had absolutely nothing to do with the outcome. It's possible for one team to have a big edge in free throws and it still be correctly called.

SCs 11 blocks and 22 pts off turnovers, plus higher fg % had alot more to do with it.

If I thought games were as highly "rigged" as some others seem to think I wouldn't watch. It's why I don't watch wrestling.

Well said.

 

[knoxvol52]

I was hoping for a meteor to hit during the game but it is what it is...

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

When they get a 26-9 edge on FTAs, yes. They will own the conference.

I agree bud. Now I honestly missed most of the SC vs LSU game but will go back to watch the replay. I don’t think SC needed the officials to beat LSU but certainly LSU had no chance if indeed the officials gave SC the benefit of the doubt.
However, it’s plain as day to see there’s a major inconsistency with officials game to game calling touch fouls in WBB on one end of the court and not both.
It’s easy for a fan to attempt to discredit it when it has no effect on them as a spectator.
I’ve played multiple sports and coached on multiple levels.
Officials do cheat. In their eyes, one way or the other they convince themselves that they’re calling a fair game. It doesn’t negate the fact they have bias towards certain coaches and teams.
I mean come on it’s the human element of supervising (officiating) the game.
Human element vs integrity doesn’t always meet in the middle.

 

[LV renaissance]

I'm so over the ref whining in every single game, ours and others. I thought the refs had one of their better games in this one and had absolutely nothing to do with the outcome. It's possible for one team to have a big edge in free throws and it still be correctly called.

SCs 11 blocks and 22 pts off turnovers, plus higher fg % had alot more to do with it.

If I thought games were as highly "rigged" as some others seem to think I wouldn't watch. It's why I don't watch wrestling.

So true. There are bad calls or no calls in every game. Some teams may get randomly poorly officiated in a particular game, but these get more fairly distributed over the year across all teams. What we do know is that all fan bases complain about how their team gets officiated for several games a year. In big games, fans boo several times. Some of these are for bad calls but many are also for good calls or for it could go either way calls per replay. There is a school of thought that the best teams and players tend to get the benefit of the doubt. While this could be true, I definitely remember UT fans upset at the officials throughout our dynasty years. There is nothing wrong with that. I just don't buy that there is some collective bias against teams even when it can feel like that is the case.(fact checker -yes, I occasionally boo officials. You may have heard me at the Vandy game ).

 

[Scotty4lvs]

I'm so over the ref whining in every single game, ours and others.

This x100. I watch these end of game situations and I see our mistakes and other teams making plays...bad calls here and there but that's part of the game and both teams are usually the recipients from time to time. Or, try not letting the game be so close that one imperfect call is all it takes to snatch the game away. The team controlling the controllables and fixing mistakes is a much better path than whining about officiating.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Will the game Monday be a sellout? When is the last time a game was sold out at Thompson Boling for the Lady Vols? It wasn't a sell out the last time these two met in Knoxville. This game should always be a sellout... geez.

The historic TBA holds over 20,000.
If TBA was the average size arena as most schools holding 16,000 to 17,000 or less than this game would be filled possibly up to capacity.
I think after seeing over 11,000 twice this season at TBA there’s a good chance this game could get 13,000 with the possibility of 14,000.
The attendance has been great this season for the LVs.
I mean on ESPN at Texas on Monday in a nationally televised game featuring two ranked teams the announcer reported the crowd was 7,500.
They said this was a good size crowd.
The Lady Vols drew better than 7,500 during the non-conference schedule for home games.
I know people like talking about sellouts but put it into context.

 

[mote843]

Good God, their arena was crazyyyyy for this game! I’m sure Edwards enjoyed that environment, it seemed electric!

I was at the game and didn't think it could get any louder, but it did!!

 

[glv98]

Will the game Monday be a sellout? When is the last time a game was sold out at Thompson Boling for the Lady Vols? It wasn't a sell out the last time these two met in Knoxville. This game should always be a sellout... geez.

This is either a troll or just plain internet rudeness of not bothering to review a few posts back before posting. BC we had this exact discussion w Rooster1 recently and he apologized.

As I suspect you already know, full sell outs of TBA for the LVs happened, but were uncommon even in the Pat days. I remember it happening just a handful of times, mostly around the UConn rivalry.

Surprisingly, attendance (actual, not announced tix sales which mean nothing) hasn't changed much at all the last few years and stays at the same level this year. They'll get about 7-8K actual butts in seats for a week night SEC game, around 9ish for a weekend SEC game, and around 12-15 for a "big game". I suspect that's exactly what they'll get for SC Monday evening.

No that's not near a sell out, and yes those #s will amp up a few thousand when the LVs start to be championship contenders again. While it's not what SC gets, if you look at the near empty arenas around the SEC, lucky to get a thousand friends and family, it's pretty dang good, esp considering the struggles of the last decade.

Oddly, one thing that hurts LV attendance (and conversely helps SC women's) is the men's team. SC's women easily out draw their meh men's team, but the men Vols sell out TBA for the most rouutine mid week SEC games. And those tix are super expensive. I think alot of Vol fans make a choice - one but not both.

 

[glv98]

So true. There are bad calls or no calls in every game. Some teams may get randomly poorly officiated in a particular game, but these get more fairly distributed over the year across all teams. What we do know is that all fan bases complain about how their team gets officiated for several games a year. In big games, fans boo several times. Some of these are for bad calls but many are also for good calls or for it could go either way calls per replay. There is a school of thought that the best teams and players tend to get the benefit of the doubt. While this could be true, I definitely remember UT fans upset at the officials throughout our dynasty years. There is nothing wrong with that. I just don't buy that there is some collective bias against teams even when it can feel like that is the case.(fact checker -yes, I occasionally boo officials. You may have heard me at the Vandy game ).

Refs, who are still human I believe, definitely have some unconscious bias which does favor the better teams and coaches. They just believe those players can do things without fouling that others can't do. That influences a few calls. Also I've said often refs in general are struggling to keep up with a much faster game with much bigger, stronger players.

It's the conspiracy theories I'm sick of, both in sports and in life. Just sick to death of them. In this life, there simply are no secrets. Think about how many people would have to be in on a conspiracy to job the Vols, or any particular team. And no one, not one, wants to be the guy to blow the whistle, write the book, do the talk show circuit for calling it out? If more than one person knows about a "conspiracy" it's over. Quit attributing to ill will what is easily caused by incompetence.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

You are delusional if you think attendance isn’t up this season.
Every single local journalist/analyst even the one you praise for simple articles have posted videos and photos of how much larger the crowds at TBA have been this year even during non-conference games.

 

[glv98]

You are delusional if you think attendance isn’t up this season.
Every single local journalist/analyst even the one you praise for simple articles have posted videos and photos of how much larger the crowds at TBA have been this year even during non-conference games.

Been there, have you? Overall, it's simply not true. Actual attendance hasn't changed in years. Moving games away from Sunday afternoons this year is a move I just can't understand. It's by far the biggest draw day.

They occassional pump attendance with large tix giveaways and I wish they'd do it more. Give to youth teams, boys and girls clubs, etc. Use to do that all the time. Also, wish they'd seat everyone in the bottom bowl until/unless it fills up.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

The officiating needs to improve.
The point being missed is it’s not simply a bad call here or there.
It is inconsistent officiating for four quarters that is impacting the outcome of games.
Also, poor officiating leads to injury (which nearly happen to Talaysia Cooper) where the referees clearly ignored a blocking foul letting teams play on as the LVs got whistled for most of the game repeatedly for touch fouls.
There’s no such thing as teams taking officials out of the game. Only the referees can dictate them being taken out of the game.
Even then trust me it’ll certainly then still benefit one team over the other in most cases. Sort of how at the end of the Vandy game; Ruby took a charge by textbook of the rule and they held their whistle.
I’m pretty sure if a Tennessee player makes the same play under the same circumstances that game it would’ve been called a charge. I’ll go one step further and say if a Vandy player had made that same play against LSU a week prior on the road for the game winning attempt it would’ve been called a charge.
Just call it the same no matter where and who is playing then people wouldn’t have a reason to speak the truth about officiating.

 

[glv98]

I’m pretty sure if a Tennessee player makes the same play under the same circumstances that game it would’ve been called a charge. I’ll go one step further and say if a Vandy player had made that same play against LSU a week prior on the road for the game winning attempt it would’ve been called a charge.
Just call it the same no matter where and who is playing then people wouldn’t have a reason to speak the truth about officiating.

Generally true, just call the same throughout, but if that charge call is made I guarantee just as many would say let the players decide the game, not the refs.

Refs are struggling at every level right now and it's frustrating. I'm pretty sure leagues are working to figure it out best they can. No one wants this. I just wish we wouldn't make it into a paranoid fever dream where several hundred refs, conference officials, and others are "secretly" conspiring to hurt "our" team.

 

[chuckiepoo]

I'm so over the ref whining in every single game, ours and others. I thought the refs had one of their better games in this one and had absolutely nothing to do with the outcome. It's possible for one team to have a big edge in free throws and it still be correctly called.

SCs 11 blocks and 22 pts off turnovers, 31-2 bench pt advantage, plus higher fg % had alot more to do with it.

If I thought games were as highly "rigged" as some others seem to think I wouldn't watch. It's why I don't watch wrestling.

Rigged? Hell nah. That would require competence to keep it concealed and under wraps.

You believe what your eyes tell you, I’ll believe mine.

 

[chuckiepoo]

This is either a troll or just plain internet rudeness of not bothering to review a few posts back before posting. BC we had this exact discussion w Rooster1 recently and he apologized.

As I suspect you already know, full sell outs of TBA for the LVs happened, but were uncommon even in the Pat days. I remember it happening just a handful of times, mostly around the UConn rivalry.

Surprisingly, attendance (actual, not announced tix sales which mean nothing) hasn't changed much at all the last few years and stays at the same level this year. They'll get about 7-8K actual butts in seats for a week night SEC game, around 9ish for a weekend SEC game, and around 12-15 for a "big game". I suspect that's exactly what they'll get for SC Monday evening.

No that's not near a sell out, and yes those #s will amp up a few thousand when the LVs start to be championship contenders again. While it's not what SC gets, if you look at the near empty arenas around the SEC, lucky to get a thousand friends and family, it's pretty dang good, esp considering the struggles of the last decade.

Oddly, one thing that hurts LV attendance (and conversely helps SC women's) is the men's team. SC's women easily out draw their meh men's team, but the men Vols sell out TBA for the most rouutine mid week SEC games. And those tix are super expensive. I think alot of Vol fans make a choice - one but not both.

That’s just @superfly getting in a humble brag…

…this is the non-lady vol thread, and just because you admonished @Rooster1 and he capitulated doesn’t mean others won’t demand their ounce of flesh.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Been there, have you? Overall, it's simply not true. Actual attendance hasn't changed in years. Moving games away from Sunday afternoons this year is a move I just can't understand. It's by far the biggest draw day.

They occassional pump attendance with large tix giveaways and I wish they'd do it more. Give to youth teams, boys and girls clubs, etc. Use to do that all the time. Also, wish they'd seat everyone in the bottom bowl until/unless it fills up.

Curious what the pro bono package was to fill CLA on a Friday night at 5:00 was?

 

[Rooster1]

You are delusional if you think attendance isn’t up this season.
Every single local journalist/analyst even the one you praise for simple articles have posted videos and photos of how much larger the crowds at TBA have been this year even during non-conference games.

How’s the break going?

 

[glv98]

That’s just @superfly getting in a humble brag…

…this is the non-lady vol thread, and just because you admonished @Rooster1 and he capitulated doesn’t mean others won’t demand their ounce of flesh.

Don’t believe I got in on that previous discussion. Someone else was the admonisher Didnt like seeing the same dig twice though

 

[glv98]

Curious what the pro bono package was to fill CLA on a Friday night at 5:00 was?

I’m going to guess it was the string of wins and championships. Nothing draws like that

 

[LV renaissance]

This is either a troll or just plain internet rudeness of not bothering to review a few posts back before posting. BC we had this exact discussion w Rooster1 recently and he apologized.

As I suspect you already know, full sell outs of TBA for the LVs happened, but were uncommon even in the Pat days. I remember it happening just a handful of times, mostly around the UConn rivalry.

Surprisingly, attendance (actual, not announced tix sales which mean nothing) hasn't changed much at all the last few years and stays at the same level this year. They'll get about 7-8K actual butts in seats for a week night SEC game, around 9ish for a weekend SEC game, and around 12-15 for a "big game". I suspect that's exactly what they'll get for SC Monday evening.

No that's not near a sell out, and yes those #s will amp up a few thousand when the LVs start to be championship contenders again. While it's not what SC gets, if you look at the near empty arenas around the SEC, lucky to get a thousand friends and family, it's pretty dang good, esp considering the struggles of the last decade.

Oddly, one thing that hurts LV attendance (and conversely helps SC women's) is the men's team. SC's women easily out draw their meh men's team, but the men Vols sell out TBA for the most rouutine mid week SEC games. And those tix are super expensive. I think alot of Vol fans make a choice - one but not both.

I mostly agree with you but reported and actual attendance are up a bit from last year and even more from 2 years ago. There still is a low percentage of ticket holders that go to those preconference games each year, but this year there were people in parts of sections and even some in the end zones in the early season games that weren't there at all last season. I do think our attendance might take a hit this year on the huge games - LSU, UCONN, as LSU game drew 4000 more last year due to it being on Sunday and the Angel hype whereas the UCONN game last year was on a week night but had a huge student turnout due it to being the start of the Spring semester (no homework and itching for something to do ). There were a bunch of students in nosebleed city for that one.

 

[Volfan2012]

Will the game Monday be a sellout? When is the last time a game was sold out at Thompson Boling for the Lady Vols? It wasn't a sell out the last time these two met in Knoxville. This game should always be a sellout... geez.

Men's games sellout almost everygame. Women not going to happen. I expect on a Monday maybe 14000 for the SC game. We'll get it on up there when they start winning more of the big games.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

I just wish we wouldn't make it into a paranoid fever dream where several hundred refs, conference officials, and others are "secretly" conspiring to hurt "our" team.

Naw that’s just you.

 

[RespectAPA]

What matters more than the number is whether the people that show up ar enjoying themselves. That's what will create year-on-year growth in fan base for this new era of Lady Vols basketball. You can't expect it all to happen in one year because, outside of those who love and care about Lady Vol basketball already, most of Volunteer Nation at large isn't aware of what Caldwell is building here, yet, not merely in terms of wins-losses, but in terms of being an entertaining basketball product out on the court.

Getting a first big win will help that. We've got both SCar and UConn at home coming up, hopefully we can nab one of those.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

What matters more than the number is whether the people that show up ar enjoying themselves. That's what will create year-on-year growth in fan base for this new era of Lady Vols basketball. You can't expect it all to happen in one year because, outside of those who love and care about Lady Vol basketball already, most of Volunteer Nation at large isn't aware of what Caldwell is building here, yet, not merely in terms of wins-losses, but in terms of being an entertaining basketball product out on the court.

Getting a first big win will help that. We've got both SCar and UConn at home coming up, hopefully we can nab one of those.

I believe they will win both games. This LV team can beat any team in WBB.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Naw that’s just you.

In the game thread? Plenty of conspiracy theorists up in there. I just wish we could get an equitably officiated game. Bad calls against both teams? I could live with that and generally am able to see it, to some degree, in most games. A favorable whistle Monday night?


…I’ll allow it.