Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2024-25


I don't think they can do it but wouldn't it be great if Iowa could knock off Ohio State today.

I didn’t think they would beat USC, that’s for sure. Of course the GOAT was in the house so they were extra fired up for that one.

Ohio State presents similar problems to us for Iowa. Lots of pressure. If they take care of the ball and Olsen has another good game they have a shot. If she disappears they have no chance, she finally seems to be finding some rhythm in the Big 10.
 
When we beat UConn we really took Fudd out of the game by forcing her to defend on almost every possession. We attacked her off the bounce every chance we had and she was in foul trouble for a good part of the game. That was excellent strategy by our coaching staff. Never let her get in a rhythm with her shot.
 
There’s an article on ESPN recapping the games from yesterday, particularly, the top 5 teams. Tennessee is mentioned three times as a mark on UCONNs losses this year. That alone, is huge progress for us! Tennessee is right back in the upper echelons of just being spoken about and now we have the proof to justify it.

 
Fans always make way to much out of a win or a loss. For whatever reason teams don't play well on a certain day. It is because of player performance and has no bearing on what a team will do in the next game or in the future. UConn was a better team than SC yesterday doesn't mean they would be the best team if they played again. People talking about SC might not be that great because they lost a game probably should rethink that decision.

That’s true. It’s not really complicated. WBB=Parity. People can attempt to overestimate the dominance of a handful of teams that are predicted to win it all but game announcers, coaches, and even players in general have stated multiple times it’s wide open.
There are 10-15 teams that can compete for the championship.
You can get two, three, possibly four teams in the Final 4 that not many people are giving a chance right now.
Tennessee and Connecticut final score was 80-76.
It’s impossible to discredit that as Connecticut having a bad showing. Connecticut played good enough to win that game against any team in WBB.
Tennessee played better and physically outmatched Connecticut.
Kind of the same way with Iowa beating USC and TCU beating Notre Dame.
There are plenty more games that highlight that there’s not a clear cut favorite this season no matter how many ways certain posters type it out.
GBO!
 
There’s an article on ESPN recapping the games from yesterday, particularly, the top 5 teams. Tennessee is mentioned three times as a mark on UCONNs losses this year. That alone, is huge progress for us! Tennessee is right back in the upper echelons of just being spoken about and now we have the proof to justify it.

We play the floor game she wants us to play and shoot 43 to 45 percent we can beat anybody in the country. We haven't put both of them together very often this season usually one or the other. We get 10 to 15 shots more than the opposition and shoot 35 percent or we get even shots and win by shooting over 50 percent. The way were starting to look better lately on defense I am starting to believe we can push forward to the elite 8 and maybe even the final four. I thought the defense against Ole Miss yesterday was exceptionally good. I am hoping it wasn't a fluke that were getting it now and that is the defense we will play the rest of the season.
 
What do you mean Dawn doesn't have the luxury to rest her starters? Dawn has ten All Americans on that team and has chosen to play who she is gonna play. She could play every one of her top 10 players 15-17 minutes and always have an all American in every spot. If she chooses not to develop these players and put them into the rotation that's on her and her own coaching philosophy.
Dak - You’re re right in that I misspoke as to playing time. Looking at the teams stats YTD, it’s clear that Dawn is spreading the minutes out for the starters and the first four off the bench.

But I still wonder if the point I was trying to make is valid, which is that SEC teams usually play much more physically demanding games than does CT in the Big East, and perhaps the Gamecocks came into this game with less reserve energy. Not saying that was the case - these are all incredibly gifted and well conditioned athletes. Just idle speculation on my part.
 
Dak - You’re re right in that I misspoke as to playing time. Looking at the teams stats YTD, it’s clear that Dawn is spreading the minutes out for the starters and the first four off the bench.

But I still wonder if the point I was trying to make is valid, which is that SEC teams usually play much more physically demanding games than does CT in the Big East, and perhaps the Gamecocks came into this game with less reserve energy. Not saying that was the case - these are all incredibly gifted and well conditioned athletes. Just idle speculation on my part.
Very valid you definitely get more worn down playing an SEC schedule than a Big East schedule. The loss was a combination of losing badly 19 on the boards and one player just having an exceptional shooting day. That is basketball and means nothing as to what would happen in the next meeting.
 
We play the floor game she wants us to play and shoot 43 to 45 percent we can beat anybody in the country. We haven't put both of them together very often this season usually one or the other. We get 10 to 15 shots more than the opposition and shoot 35 percent or we get even shots and win by shooting over 50 percent. The way were starting to look better lately on defense I am starting to believe we can push forward to the elite 8 and maybe even the final four. I thought the defense against Ole Miss yesterday was exceptionally good. I am hoping it wasn't a fluke that were getting it now and that is the defense we will play the rest of the season.
According to Bart Torvik's "game score" metric, 3 of our 5 "perfect" (100) game scores this season have come in the last 4 games (against UConn, Auburn, and Ole Miss). Seems like we are improving and peaking at the right time.

And agreed regarding our defense yesterday. This was our 2nd best adjusted defensive game against SEC teams (after the SC game).
 
With the chickens getting boat-raced yesterday, we have to look elsewhere for a foregone conclusion. Maybe there won't be one until the last minute? It is a long season but championship contenders don't get humiliated on their home floor. To say yesterdays events are self-inflicted is disingenuous. There were chicken feathers all over the place. They didn't pull them out on their own.

Geno was totally in his element and Dawn was not. Dawn needs better X's and O's coaching because, to me, they freelance like Holly Ball but with better talent.
 
With the chickens getting boat-raced yesterday, we have to look elsewhere for a foregone conclusion. Maybe there won't be one until the last minute? It is a long season but championship contenders don't get humiliated on their home floor. To say yesterdays events are self-inflicted is disingenuous. There were chicken feathers all over the place. They didn't pull them out on their own.

Geno was totally in his element and Dawn was not. Dawn needs better X's and O's coaching because, to me, they freelance like Holly Ball but with better talent.
Now that, is too funny! "Chicken feathers all over the place!" Just too funny! What a cute way to describe yesterday's game! And yes, if we got annihilated yesterday, I would have laughed if you wrote "dog fur all over the place!"
 
UConn up 2 spots to #5 and SCar down 2 spots to #6. UCLA also drops to #3. I’m fine with this.

No movement for TN but in my opinion they are better than NC St and UK. Hm.

You make some good points.
Tennessee is one of a few teams where a seed or ranking of a spot or two ^ wouldn’t drastically change their ability to advance deep in the SEC or NCAA tourney.
Tennesse is a hard team to beat.
No one game.. be it a win or loss has shifted this team’s season in the first year under Coach Caldwell.
This team is built to compete night in and night out.
 
Tennessee win over Ole Miss plus the games between UConn/South Carolina, Ohio State/Iowa, West Virginia/Kansas State, and North Car./NC State showed me everything I needed to see.
Tennessee controls their own path to close this season.
Tennessee is closer to a Top 5-10 team than a Top 10-15 team.
GBO!
 
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