Our next 7 conference games.

#1
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volnationnj

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#1
How many of our next 7 conference games do we, realistically, have to win, in order to put us in a good position to make the NCAAT ?
In order:
Kentucky (road)
Ole Miss. (road)
Georgia. (home)
Florida. (road)
Alabama. (home)
LSU. (home)
Vanderbilt (road)
Our conference schedule gets really tough after that:
SC (r), MSt (h), LSU (r), A & M (h),
Ark (r).
We will also probably need at least one "signature" win over a ranked team.
Of the first group of 7, we will probably have to go no worse than 5-2 (6-1 or 7-0 would give us a much better chance). These are the teams we will be competing with for the SEC spots in the NCAAT.
Our most likely signature wins will be in the Miss St, A&M and Arkansas (currently ranked #20)
games. An upset of uconn or SC could really go a long way to making the tournament.
I'm not counting the SEC tournament in this exercise.
It's the ultimate wild card. Win that and it doesn't matter what we do in conference play.
 
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#4
#4
I think they can make it through the SEC with no more than 3 or 4 losses (SC, MSST, TAMU and possibly Ark or UK). Of the three top dogs, they might be able to beat MSST if they can control the glass. They are a mediocre rebounding team without McCowan and Howard.

The UConn game will be interesting. A likely blow out on paper, but an opportunity for Davis to prove she is an elite player when she matches up with UConn's Walker. If Davis plays at a high level and controls that matchup...
 
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#7
#7
I hate to even type this, but the team I’m most concerned about beating out of the next seven is Alabama. They have beaten Tennessee, what, six consecutive times now? And I’m pretty sure they returned nearly everyone from last season. This is another game that not having Zaay Green could hurt us.

I said before the season started that of all our games this year that the Alabama game would be the most indicative of the new staff’s impact on our program, and I still believe that — even though the results will be skewed without a player (ZG) I absolutely knew would be a scoring/defensive dynamo for Kellie.

I fear that another loss to Bama would bring bad press and plant seeds of doubt about the future, whereas a win — particularly BECAUSE we are missing key pieces from last season this year and Bama comes to Knoxville fully loaded — could provide a mental boost of confidence as that gawd-awful Alabama albatross climbs off the program’s back.

I’d like to win ‘em all, of course. But Bama, IMO, is the only true MUST-win in the next seven.
 
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#8
#8
Amb3096, I’m deeply concerned that our players will be face-guarded so closely that they turn the ball over way more times than usual. I feel like Rennia will be denied touches, leaving Jaz and Jordan the bulk of the responsibility for getting the ball inside. But since Jordan will be receiving the second-strongest defense, she may rush and turn it over a lot out of frustration. I feel like CT will cheat off of Jaz unless she starts scoring a lot more than Auriemma expects her to.

Rae may end up having to lead us in scoring and energy to win, but if our posts can come through with an outstanding rebounding game on both ends, they could be the difference.

I’m pretty sure Tennessee can plan on smothering defense being played against them, and I’m not sure how we’ll handle that.
 
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#9
#9
lvocd said:
Amb3096, I’m deeply concerned that our players will be face-guarded so closely that they turn the ball over way more times than usual. I feel like Rennia will be denied touches, leaving opportunites to pass inside to Jaz and Jordan, but Jordan will be receiving the second-strongest defense so may turn it over a lot out of frustration. I feel like CT will cheat off of Jaz unless she starts scoring a lot more than Auriemma expects her to.

Rae may end up having to lead us in scoring and energy to win, but if our posts can come through with an outstanding rebounding game on both ends, they could be the difference.

Smothering defense being played against us is going to happen, and I’m not sure how we’ll handle that.
Click to expand...

Yes and UConn has a knack for playing great defense with fouling or getting charged for a foul.
 
#11
#11
Beating Kentucky on the road is going to be a handful. I would put Burrell on Howard and limit her touches. It's winnable but tough. LSU at home is also tough. Losing one on the road would be pretty good.
 
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#12
#12
Amb3096 said:
I think they can make it through the SEC with no more than 3 or 4 losses (SC, MSST, TAMU and possibly Ark or UK). Of the three top dogs, they might be able to beat MSST if they can control the glass. They are a mediocre rebounding team without McCowan and Howard.

The UConn game will be interesting. A likely blow out on paper, but an opportunity for Davis to prove she is an elite player when she matches up with UConn's Walker. If Davis plays at a high level and controls that matchup...
Click to expand...
As you said, Amb3096, Megan Walker is an elite player. Rennia has to prove that she is an elite player. Both players have the same amount of talent. IMHO
 
#14
#14
volnationnj said:
How many of our next 7 conference games do we, realistically, have to win, in order to put us in a good position to make the NCAAT ?
In order:
Kentucky (road)
Ole Miss. (road)
Georgia. (home)
Florida. (road)
Alabama. (home)
LSU. (home)
Vanderbilt (road)
Our conference schedule gets really tough after that:
SC (r), MSt (h), LSU (r), A & M (h),
Ark (r).
We will also probably need at least one "signature" win over a ranked team.
Of the first group of 7, we will probably have to go no worse than 5-2 (6-1 or 7-0 would give us a much better chance). These are the teams we will be competing with for the SEC spots in the NCAAT.
Our most likely signature wins will be in the Miss St, A&M and Arkansas (currently ranked #20)
games. An upset of uconn or SC could really go a long way to making the tournament.
I'm not counting the SEC tournament in this exercise.
It's the ultimate wild card. Win that and it doesn't matter what we do in conference play.
Click to expand...
I think the LadyVols go 6-1 in the next 7 games with the loss being to the Kentucky Lady Wildcats
 
#16
#16
Nute Gunray said:
As you said, Amb3096, Megan Walker is an elite player. Rennia has to prove that she is an elite player. Both players have the same amount of talent. IMHO
Click to expand...
That for me is what's frustrating. Rennia has had the better career by far coming into this season, but Walker really improved in the off season, and Rennia is essentially the same player she was as a freshman. They have similar games, but Walker is executing at a much higher level this season.

I want to see Rennia really take it to her.
 
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#17
#17
Amb3096 said:
That for me is what's frustrating. Rennia has had the better career by far coming into this season, but Walker really improved in the off season, and Rennia is essentially the same player she was as a freshman. They have similar games, but Walker is executing at a much higher level this season.

I want to see Rennia really take it to her.
Click to expand...
Player development has been a sore spot for the Lady Vols the past few years. Here's hoping Coach Kellie can turn this around with players like Rennia, Rae, Jordan and Tamari.
 
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#18
#18
Amb3096 said:
That for me is what's frustrating. Rennia has had the better career by far coming into this season, but Walker really improved in the off season, and Rennia is essentially the same player she was as a freshman. They have similar games, but Walker is executing at a much higher level this season.

I want to see Rennia really take it to her.
Click to expand...

Walker has always been a better talent and a better player and it isn't that close. The difference is until this season Walker has always played on stacked rosters where she was no higher than 4th option behind older more experienced WNBA talents...
 
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#20
#20
Creme certainly doesn't have much regard for the LV at this point even though he did move them up one spot. Also for fun, he imagined them in the same bracket as Mo State (a 5-seed) although the LV would have to beat #1-seed Oregon before Kellie could face her former team.
 
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#21
#21
creekdipper said:
Creme certainly doesn't have much regard for the LV at this point even though he did move them up one spot. Also for fun, he imagined them in the same bracket as Mo State (a 5-seed) although the LV would have to beat #1-seed Oregon before Kellie could face her former team.
Click to expand...
I think the LadyVols when all is said and done will be a #6 or #7 Seed
 
#22
#22
creekdipper said:
Creme certainly doesn't have much regard for the LV at this point even though he did move them up one spot. Also for fun, he imagined them in the same bracket as Mo State (a 5-seed) although the LV would have to beat #1-seed Oregon before Kellie could face her former team.
Click to expand...

Creme will not respect us until we earn it. We have teased the top-25 and bracket-makers for many years under CHW. Our identity is to beat lions and lose to lambs...until we change that identity Creme will not take a risk and put us where we should be,,he will only put us where we have been. It is up to us, not him, as to how he considers us
 
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#23
#23
BTW,,,when you are ready to post your post/response, just hit Cntrl-Enter and it will post it without using the mouse
 
#24
#24
Coach Jumper said:
Creme will not respect us until we earn it. We have teased the top-25 and bracket-makers for many years under CHW. Our identity is to beat lions and lose to lambs...until we change that identity Creme will not take a risk and put us where we should be,,he will only put us where we have been. It is up to us, not him, as to how he considers us
Click to expand...

What lions did you beat this year or last year?
 
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