SEC Tournament Game Thread: (3) Lady Vols vs. (2) South Carolina

[VolBall09]

At least the team kept playing and working hard all forty minutes. We didn't do that the last few years Holly was coach.

I did think they gave up a little offensively today. We couldn’t get the looks we wanted and got really frustrated. Defensively we were pretty solid except the first quarter.

 

[Orange Maniac]

"Hope is a good thing, and no good thing ever dies." I am hoping we get a good coach one day. With Foolmer gone Kellie's days are limited..

 

[JCP201]

Suarez was good--why she got ALL freshman. She doesn't even seem like the same player. My favorites are Davis, Burrell, KK, Keys and Horston. I think we can win anything when they are all playing well.

 

[Coffy73]

Just stop with the blaming the refs and the one-sided crowd. SC came to play and was full of energy from the get-go. Tenn., as usual, just seem so lackadaisical and slow. The crowd matched SC's energy and play.

 

[UT Challenger]

Tuff game last. Took a lot out of our starters. We don't have enough depth to compete in the sec tournament yet. That will come with recruiting.

 

[Chipperbones]

Don’t forget to go vote for Rennia! She still needs our support!

 

[Rickster]

They really come out of the woodwork when we lose. Sad we lost. Not going to play the blame game. That's for children. We just didn't play well enough to win. It sucks but is what it is. We can still make a deep run and with competent officiating, go deep into the tourney.

Go Lady Vols.

 

[JohnnyPayne]

1. SC is better than the LVs, and it’s not really close. Not saying we couldn’t have won this game.
2. The LVs could not make open shots and had some bad turnovers. Anyone know what the shot percentage was?
3. SC played very well on both ends. They looked very good tonight. Surprised the score wasn’t more lopsided.
4. The refs were bad. But hard to tell on the tv.
5. The LVs are in very good hands with CKH and looking at the season, we have improved so much compared to the past several years.

 

[VolBall09]

We could have used McCoy these last two games—she could go in and play physical, even fouling, helping to set the tone without getting our key players in foul trouble. We can’t afford for our starters to make a statement because the bench isn’t strong enough. She would have had that bully mentality and given us a few minutes of physical play. Last night at times I thought I was watching rugby...

Doubtful. She’s never been productive in the past. Would except that she suddenly would have been so tonight.

 

[Orange Maniac]

1. SC is better than the LVs, and it’s not really close. Not saying we couldn’t have won this game.
2. The LVs could not make open shots and had some bad turnovers. Anyone know what the shot percentage was?
3. SC played very well on both ends. They looked very good tonight. Surprised the score wasn’t more lopsided.
4. The refs were bad. But hard to tell on the tv.
5. The LVs are in very good hands with CKH and looking at the season, we have improved so much compared to the past several years.

If they are so much better than us then how on earth did we beat them earlier in the season? We can play with anybody out there. Tonight just wasn't our night. The good thing is in the NCAA tourney, the teams we will play don't play this rugby style basketball. We will be O.K.

 

[sisaq]

No negative comments pls. Kellie and this staffs, I give them credit. Yes we lost big, and we've won big also. Learning process. I thank all the players for their hard work eventhough we didn't reach our goal. Can't lov u guys enough. Bless u all..

 

[Voluble2]

Davis was very well defended. She has given us everything and been on an absolute terror for weeks now. This was her first tough game in a long time and it came on the heels of an incredible performance to even get us there. All you hating on her can get lost.

Like I mentioned yesterday, rolled ankles tend to stiffen up the next day so I didn't expect her to have a big game today. And if we were to have a chance she would have to carry most of the load.

This streak here at the end of the year has been the best ball she has played. Kellie has them all improving. But the talent level is dwindling so it is a race to see if we can turn the corner enough to attract better talent before it becomes impossible to win with what we have.

 

[Lurker]

Think these announcers can be any ire in love w dawn Staley and Joanne from GA ? Enough already .

Why is this an issue? Staley is the best coach in the female game for the past 6-8 years. The Georgia coach is the SEC COTY for this year and her team has played way above its apparent ability. Both have established themselves as winners in the SEC and from all appearances they own Tennessee. Our coach has not established herself as a coach although she was one of my favorite players of all time. Whether she can become a championship coach is yet to be seen, but she had better recruit some horses in here if she wants to really compete for championships. Right now the Lady Vols don't have consistent competent guard play and their bigs don't play big at all when facing adversity. It's a "nice" team, but nowhere close to a championship contender.

 

[JohnnyPayne]

If they are so much better than us then how on earth did we beat them earlier in the season? We can play with anybody out there. Tonight just wasn't our night. The good thing is in the NCAA tourney, the teams we will play don't play this rugby style basketball. We will be O.K.

I agree that we CAN play with anyone. But SC has a deeper, more athletic, and better shooting team. I think we can do very well in the NCAA tourney.

 

[Memvol44]

Yes we need to up the recruiting but in games like this (even when the refs are clearly not good) you have to give it everything you got.

We are missing a few "dogs" we are far too nice. When we get a few players that's gonna put you on your ass and not tolerate the ********, that's when things will change.

The smallest player on the floor for our team (Walker) played with the most heart today. We need more like her

You are correct!!! We need a few dogs!!!

 

[mlindsay]

Our players get called for touch fouls. We actually fouled someone hard our players would get ejected from the game. I have complained about the refs in games we have won and lost.

Sometimes you gotta send a message. John Chaney once said send in "the goons". You send a player in and say put somebody on their ass and that will send a message that it wont be tolerated. We are far to nice at times. We often play "entitled" like we are supposed to get the calls or the benefit of the doubt when the truth is, many don't want us back to where we once were because of how much dominated the conference.

 

[Orange Maniac]

Average teams are,going to play average! This team lost me when they started the kneeling and not showing RESPECT for the men and women who died for the freedoms they enjoy. Hope they lose in the first round of the NCAA!

 

[Prophet1]

Did you even watch the game? She wasn’t too protective, she had no choice. KK would have fouled out in the first quarter if she left her in. They were absolutely not going to let her defend Boston the way we had planned.

Yes, I watched the game. Opinion still stand true. What do you mean by " we had planned "?
KK should have fouled out in the first quarter,
she had no more impact on the game than Emily . Should have left Emily in with Keys
beside her .

 

[Chipperbones]

Doubtful. She’s never been productive in the past. Would except that she suddenly would have been so tonight.

I didn’t mean for productivity—more for her toughness. And selective minutes only—use her for some hard fouls, without sacrificing a starter.

 

[Memvol44]

I agree that we CAN play with anyone. But SC has a deeper, more athletic, and better shooting team. I think we can do very well in the NCAA tourney.

Our lack of depth showed up. That was a tired team!

 

[sisaq]

Well, that comment gets you my Idiot of the Day Award
Congrats

Don't respond to ignorant ppl

 

[Orange_Mamba]

Hope Rae and Rennia get on the same page come tournament time. Rae was carrying the team beginning of the season while Rennia was struggling. Now Rennia has been carry the team these last few games while Rae has been struggling.

 

[Memvol44]

I don't think we beat them shooting like they did today, but the impact of allowing all kinds of contact by SC and very little from UT for MOST of the game changed the outcome. They literally shoved Key 3 times with a lot of force and then called her for a walk. NO WAY a foul is not called on SC drives, very optional at our end. Did not cost us the game, but really sorry use of the same rules for two different teams. Did you see the last call on Key when she was fronting the SC player with two hands over her head and I guess got called for allowing the SC player to push her in the back. Guessing they are afraid of the SC coach. Don't know how the game would have turned out with equal application of the rules, but sadly we can never know. I have gone back and replayed over 20 plays for sure

Did anyone notice SC's first team foul was 40 seconds left in first quarter?!

 

[mlindsay]

Hope Rae and Rennia get on the same page come tournament time. Rae was carrying the team beginning of the season while Rennia was struggling. Now Rennia has been carry the team these last few games while Rae has been struggling.

The key is Jordan Horston, when she realizes that she can score when she wants because teams are keying on the other two, we will be hard to beat. We don't need her facilitating, we need her scoring. Allow Walker to facilitate.

 

[Memvol44]

Doubtful. She’s never been productive in the past. Would except that she suddenly would have been so tonight.

Another body!!!! Fresh legs!