Ranking of Lady Vols Top 10 Teams...

#2
#2
For my money..... the undefeated season at the top yes, but the championships around that.... deserve to be at the top too.... i say this because the team was t5ops and Pat at the top of her game..... I don't think, for instance, that in 2008 she was as good a coach as she was 10 years earlier.... so that is why i would adjust rankings here.... but hey a win is a win
 
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#3
#3
My vote goes to the 1986/87 national championship team. It did get the monkey off the back but, Bridget Gordon was a baller hands down. That was Pat's most dominant battling team by far!
 
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#5
#5
the corn fed chicks team was my fav too. you can still watch a replay of them on youtube, or at least you could. I haven't looked lately.
 
#6
#6
Re the 1998-1999 team: The article has this statement:

"Then, out of nowhere in the Elite Eight, the No. 3 seed Duke Blue Devils came and shocked them. Although they only made the Elite Eight, Duke eventually won the national title."

Incorrect. Duke did not win the national title. Purdue did.
 
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#7
#7
LVJeff said:
Re the 1998-1999 team: The article has this statement:

"Then, out of nowhere in the Elite Eight, the No. 3 seed Duke Blue Devils came and shocked them. Although they only made the Elite Eight, Duke eventually won the national title."

Incorrect. Duke did not win the national title. Purdue did.
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Pat did not want to go to that region; Chamique did. Pat knew. IMO the team did not fold, the loss was attributable to two things:

1- one of the worst cases of reffing (home cooking) I've seen, and I've seen some! (Baylor vs Louisville in Louisville gets #1. And I don't like Griner, but geeees!)
2- Semeka being undercut on a cheap shot by a no name player from a no name school at TBA. She was nowhere near 100% when we had to play Duke. It definitely affected our team game.

Never will forget Chamiqua crying in Pat's arms. Still makes me sick and angry.
 
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#8
#8
You are right,Smallvol,that game still ranks as my top game whereby officiating was cause of a different outcome. I would think that Chamique was a walking bruise for days afterward,along with several other Lady Vols. Talk about a "karate" defense!!
 
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#9
#9
Smallvol#1 said:
Pat did not want to go to that region; Chamique did. Pat knew. IMO the team did not fold, the loss was attributable to two things:

1- one of the worst cases of reffing (home cooking) I've seen, and I've seen some! (Baylor vs Louisville in Louisville gets #1. And I don't like Griner, but geeees!)
2- Semeka being undercut on a cheap shot by a no name player from a no name school at TBA. She was nowhere near 100% when we had to play Duke. It definitely affected our team game.

Never will forget Chamiqua crying in Pat's arms. Still makes me sick and angry.
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Peppi Browne. She was the one that mugged Chamique all game long. Gail's box-and-one defense was brilliant given the LV's couldn't hit an outside shot. Tamika also had a cold too if I remember correctly. I was in the Greensboro arena for that game. It was a good game if you were a Duke fan, not so much if you were a Tennessee fan.
 
#10
#10
LVJeff said:
Peppi Browne. She was the one that mugged Chamique all game long. Gail's box-and-one defense was brilliant given the LV's couldn't hit an outside shot. Tamika also had a cold too if I remember correctly. I was in the Greensboro arena for that game. It was a good game if you were a Duke fan, not so much if you were a Tennessee fan.
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You can't blame the refs for Chamique playing the worst game of her life at the most inopportune time. And even with her struggles that was unquestionably the most loaded team Pat ever coached with more than enough firepower that they should have pulled out that game with ease. It boggles the mind that team didn't even reach the Final Four...
 
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#11
#11
Darth_Vol said:
You can't blame the refs for Chamique playing the worst game of her life at the most inopportune time. And even with her struggles that was unquestionably the most loaded team Pat ever coached with more than enough firepower that they should have pulled out that game with ease. It boggles the mind that team didn't even reach the Final Four...
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I never blamed the refs.
 
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#13
#13
Honestly, most of us complain about officiating and I guess I do too even though I try not to. But a good defensive team will push the contact as much as the officials allow. It's not a foul if the officials don't call it.
 
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#14
#14
LVJeff said:
Honestly, most of us complain about officiating and I guess I do too even though I try not to. But a good defensive team will push the contact as much as the officials allow. It's not a foul if the officials don't call it.
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Agreed. I just remember Chamique couldn't buy a bucket that night. She was even missing her free throws...
 
#15
#15
I remember that game, I can't even watch that game. It was a mugging, but we mugged teams too. Yeah, she chose the wrong time to have a bad game, and Holdsclaw had very few through her career as a Lady Vol.

Any team with Bridgette Gordon on it, would definitely be in my top three, 87 and 89, would be behind the undefeated team of 1998.
 
#16
#16
If not for an awful shooting night against Duke, the 1999 team would likely be #2 or #3 on that list.

It's worth noting the impact of both Parker and Holdsclaw at Tennessee. All four of Holdsclaw's teams are on there and she was the centerpiece of each team.

For Parker, 2007 and 2008 Tennessee are on there, but it's very likely that 2005 and 2006 Tennessee are on there as well if Tennessee wasn't so injury riddled and if SWG didn't quit midseason.

2005--they had Spencer, SWG, Parker and Fuller all out with injuries. Moore was out half of the season. That was likely Pat's worst offensive team she ever coached, and they came darn near close to winning the whole thing. If Parker plays gets Fluker's floor time they beat MSU no question and likely win the title.

2006-This team looked scary good in the first 7-8 games of the year:
-won an exhibition game by 91 points
-beat Sweet 16 team Michigan State by 28
-beat eventual champion Maryland on neutral court
-beat NCAA tournament team UT-Chat by 42
-beat Elite 8 team Stanford on the road

They also throttled Texas by 41 and La Tech by 24 with SWG in the lineup. If that lineup stays healthy, or if they absorb the SWG departure but Hornbuckle stays healthy, Tennessee likely would have had a great shot to compete for in the Final Four for a title.

Another team worth shouting out is the 2000-01 Lady Vols. Talent wise, they were right up there with some of the best UT teams. They had Catchings, Randall, Lawson, Jackson, ARob pre-ACL, and Michelle Snow. Their only loss when healthy was by 5 points at UCONN against UCONN's most talented roster ever. Even without Catchings, they managed to knock off Connecticut in Knoxville and had other non-conference wins against LaTech, Stanford, Arizona State, Wisconsin, Rutgers and Texas--all teams who made the tournament.

In conference play, the SEC was at an all time high in talent level. They beat a very good LSU team twice, won by 16 against the Miller Twins/Nolan, two wins against an Elite 8 Vandy squad, and beat #3 seed Florida by 30.

They were a 1 loss team in the regular season, 1 loss in the SEC Tournament and they just ran out of gas to finish the year. That season will always be remembered in disappointment considering the result and how talented UT's roster was, but most people forget they were a really really good team. I thought they were the best team of the 2000-2004 era even if they were the only one to not make the Final Four.
 
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#17
#17
I will bite on this one. The 1999 squad should have at least made the NC game against a very good Purdue team that had beaten them earlier in the year. However, Duke had a great game plan and no Lady Vol could hit a shot. Some nights you just don't quite have it and that was unfortunately one of them. It was sad to see the Holdsclaw/Jolly era end that way but that's why the games are played.

I do think the 1989 squad, based on what I've heard, should be number 2. Several all time greats were on that team and they were very dominant. No offense to 08, but they didn't always look like a great team even as they clawed out wins with a combination of experience, leadership and grit. I remember watching that team and shaking my head at times, yet they managed to get it done and gave Pat her last title. There will always be a degree of sentimentality for that team.
 
#18
#18
lol, I just was thinking of how Sylvia Fowles must have a pic of CP3 on a punching bag. CP has stolen her candy so many times...
 
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#19
#19
bballnut90 said:
If not for an awful shooting night against Duke, the 1999 team would likely be #2 or #3 on that list...
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MsSportsGuy said:
I will bite on this one. The 1999 squad should have at least made the NC game against a very good Purdue team that had beaten them earlier in the year. However, Duke had a great game plan and no Lady Vol could hit a shot...
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My view is that the '99 team wouldn't have won the NC even if they had defeated Duke in the elite eight game.

The final four that season was Duke/Georgia and Purdue/LaTech. Tenn would probably have beaten Georgia in the semi-final game had they played. Tenn had defeated Georgia handily in both regular season games and also the SEC championship game (although the latter game saw the LV's behind at halftime).

But beating Purdue would have been another matter. Purdue had defeated a healthier Tenn squad by double-digits during the regular season, and the Tenn squad in the NCAA tournament that season was a shell of both the early season squad and the previous season's undefeated squad due to injuries.

Teresa Geter sufered an MCL sprain or a hyper-extended knee (I forget which) and was a non-factor most of the season, Semeka Randall was never the same after the serious ankle injury she suffered in the early round of the tournament (she dragged that leg around for the rest of her career at Tenn, I thought then and still think now trying to bring her back during the tournament was a mistake), Kristen Clement had an injured foot and missed time, Niya Butts had shin splints, Kyra Elzy missed the entire season with a knee injury, LaShonda Stephens gave up basketball because of knee issues, and Misty Greene and Brynae Laxton did not return to the team from the previous season.

Purdue had a senior-dominated squad that could score inside with Camille Cooper and outside with Stephanie White and Ukari Figgs (the final four MOP). Add in future WNBA star Katie Douglas and this Purdue team was dominant. They were confident and on a roll and throttled Duke in the title game by almost 20 points.

Tenn, due to early season complacency, lack of a bench, lack of outside shooting (where have I heard that before), and mid and late season injuries, would have lost a second game to Purdue had they played.

My opinion only of course.
 
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#20
#20
Bridgett Gordon had a competitive attitude that was a decade plus ahead of other women players. Perhaps it was the first NCAA wins for the LVs but the second win was truly dominating.

Lots of good memories and I am fortunate to have gone to four finals and the LVs having won three of them.
 
#21
#21
bballnut90 said:
They were a 1 loss team in the regular season, 1 loss in the SEC Tournament and they just ran out of gas to finish the year. That season will always be remembered in disappointment considering the result and how talented UT's roster was, but most people forget they were a really really good team. I thought they were the best team of the 2000-2004 era even if they were the only one to not make the Final Four.
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I think they would have been the best of that era, until Catchings' ACL injury. You simply can't replace a generational talent like that, and most fans realized any realistic chance at a title was probably gone when her career ended. Props to that team for running on guts and willpower, probably overachieving with some big wins from that point before running out of gas (as you mentioned) with disappointing postseason crashes to Vandy and Xavier. That Lady Vol team has the distinction of being the only one to beat Taurasi while she was at UConn.

IMO the 02-03 Lady Vols were the best of that era, when Lawson and Gwen Jackson were seniors and playing out of their minds in the postseason. Another quibble with that list is I would put the 94-95 team over 93-94. Of all of Pat's Finals losses to Geno, these were the two times she really should have won IMO...
 
#22
#22
LVJeff said:
My view is that the '99 team wouldn't have won the NC even if they had defeated Duke in the elite eight game.

The final four that season was Duke/Georgia and Purdue/LaTech. Tenn would probably have beaten Georgia in the semi-final game had they played. Tenn had defeated Georgia handily in both regular season games and also the SEC championship game (although the latter game saw the LV's behind at halftime).

But beating Purdue would have been another matter. Purdue had defeated a healthier Tenn squad by double-digits during the regular season, and the Tenn squad in the NCAA tournament that season was a shell of both the early season squad and the previous season's undefeated squad due to injuries.

Teresa Geter sufered an MCL sprain or a hyper-extended knee (I forget which) and was a non-factor most of the season, Semeka Randall was never the same after the serious ankle injury she suffered in the early round of the tournament (she dragged that leg around for the rest of her career at Tenn, I thought then and still think now trying to bring her back during the tournament was a mistake), Kristen Clement had an injured foot and missed time, Niya Butts had shin splints, Kyra Elzy missed the entire season with a knee injury, LaShonda Stephens gave up basketball because of knee issues, and Misty Greene and Brynae Laxton did not return to the team from the previous season.

Purdue had a senior-dominated squad that could score inside with Camille Cooper and outside with Stephanie White and Ukari Figgs (the final four MOP). Add in future WNBA star Katie Douglas and this Purdue team was dominant. They were confident and on a roll and throttled Duke in the title game by almost 20 points.

Tenn, due to early season complacency, lack of a bench, lack of outside shooting (where have I heard that before), and mid and late season injuries, would have lost a second game to Purdue had they played.

My opinion only of course.
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It would've been an epic matchup between the two teams. Purdue did win in the regular season game, but it was very early on and a hostile road game at Purdue. The team had injuries as you mentioned, but they still have Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings...not to mention Kelly Jolly, Michelle Snow, and Semeka Randall. They could have competed with anyone.

Purdue's 17 point win against Duke was far from a throttle, it actually a very hard fought win and close game the first 36 minutes. The score was 47-42 with 4 minutes to go and Duke was up by 5 at halftime. (you can watch the game here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTnfBhO27KY_

Purdue also trailed much of the Elite 8 game against Rutgers before pulling away late. They were a great team, but they weren't as dominant a championship team as their record (34-1) suggests. They had many games that were tight late and came through with a lot of squeakers, not too dissimilar from 2008 Tennessee. They were certainly a deserved champion, but I think the edge would have to go to Tennessee in a rematch for the title game with Holdsclaw being a senior going for her 4th straight.
 
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#23
#23
bballnut90 said:
It would've been an epic matchup between the two teams. Purdue did win in the regular season game, but it was very early on and a hostile road game at Purdue. The team had injuries as you mentioned, but they still have Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings...not to mention Kelly Jolly, Michelle Snow, and Semeka Randall. They could have competed with anyone.

Purdue's 17 point win against Duke was far from a throttle, it actually a very hard fought win and close game the first 36 minutes. The score was 47-42 with 4 minutes to go and Duke was up by 5 at halftime. (you can watch the game here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTnfBhO27KY_

Purdue also trailed much of the Elite 8 game against Rutgers before pulling away late. They were a great team, but they weren't as dominant a championship team as their record (34-1) suggests. They had many games that were tight late and came through with a lot of squeakers, not too dissimilar from 2008 Tennessee. They were certainly a deserved champion, but I think the edge would have to go to Tennessee in a rematch for the title game with Holdsclaw being a senior going for her 4th straight.
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It doesn't make sense to me to say that Tennessee would have beat the team (Purdue) that beat the team (Duke) that beat them (Tennessee).

But we'll never know.
 
#25
#25
LVJeff said:
It doesn't make sense to me to say that Tennessee would have beat the team (Purdue) that beat the team (Duke) that beat them (Tennessee).

But we'll never know.
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I think Baylor would have beat UCONN in the 2013 title game even though they lost to Louisville. I also think UCONN would've beat A&M in 2011 if they knocked off Notre Dame.

Teams have poor shooting nights and bad games. Duke caught Tennessee on an ice cold night and their guards were spectacular. Against Purdue, I think it would've been a great battle that could've gone either way. Both teams were immensely talented and had senior laden rosters. Both had great individual playmakers and could beat you in a variety of ways. I just think Tennessee comes through with a W in Holdsclaw's last year. Too bad we never got to see that matchup pan out.
 
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