Sweet 16 Bound

[Volfan2012]

Any of the other three defensive guards. Kellie has options.

I might play a matchup zone and overplay the three point line. Don't let the three point shot beat you because we don't get many ourselves.

 

[chuckiepoo]

I might play a matchup zone and overplay the three point line. Don't let the three point shot beat you because we don't get many ourselves.

If we could get T3$$, Ra3 and Puck3tt cranked up, it would be on!

 

[Volfan2012]

If we could get Tess, Ra3 and Puckett cranked up, it would be on!

I say we make 8 threes in the game we win. Making three while the other team makes 8 to 10 has been the dagger in our heart this season. Next season we need more three point consistent shooters. Justine will help wish we could add another portal effective three point shooter. Jasmine is far better than the point guard we have now shooting it.

 

[Dak1219]

Kellie also puts Key in different spots and changes the way she plays her on Defense depending on the team. With the loss of Keyan, we have seen TK be less aggressive defensively in the 1st half of games to prevent early foul trouble. She isn't going after every block in first halves of games and that may be by design to avoid foul trouble.

That’s a smart plan try everything to avoid a foul in the 1st half and play a bit more assertive in the 2nd half[/QUOTE]
I think I had just mentioned that somewhere as well. Kellie has been quoted saying that depending on the team and personnel they are playing against. We tend to see Keys "big blocks" games when she is mirroring the perimeter players and staying back in the paint. In a lot of games, we see her not go for the block, but with a 6-10 wingspan she is altering a lot of shots just being in there and can't be in foul trouble for us to be highly successful.

 

[#1LVLS MAN 4 LIFE]

GOOD POST! But here are a few thoughts:
I hope the ladies learned the lesson last night that when you have a team on the ropes (like 14-15 down late in the 1st half) that you do not take your foot off of their neck. If you do, bad things can happen.

You need to "want to" much more than the people your are playing. I think this is the big equalizer when a team you should handle with some ease has more "want to" than you. "Want to" nearly bit our ladies in the hut last night and it did the men's program.

I know Key had a good game on paper, however what is wrong with her? This game and the previous game she has seemed disinterested to me. Or maybe "in a mood" but just doesn't seem quiet right to me.

Love the take charge attitude shown by a freshman at the end. She said "they had my back". Well it is a strong back that looks to me to be the foundation of a dominate team leader on and off court.

A really GOOD POST!!!! I don't know if there is a lot of conscious focus on mental toughness, the "want to" aspect. I think were a pretty tough team, but I do think that we need to be a lot more assertive team where we learn to impose our will on our opponents, that's what separates good, great, and championship teams. As far as TK, she has such an incredibly high up side. I think her nature is somewhat relaxed, but I also think she needs to be more assertive/aggressive, and if she ever master playing at all three levels, she would be a match-up nightmare.

 

[lvocd]

I think the defense should look a lot different than it has looked in recent games. I think you cover the three point line and stay as close to your man as possible. You keep Key low in the post to contest the drives. You don't give three point open looks no matter if they get a few layups because of it. I'm shutting down the three point shot because 10 threes is 30 points and it takes a team 15 possessions to get that same amount making twos.

Agreed! We need to try our best to even deny them passes on the perimeter because we’re guarding them so tightly. That, of course, is unbelievably difficult to do without fouling, but we must try our best to do it.

Louisville just can’t be allowed to feel like they’ll be able to get off threes at will, because that would keep them feeling confident that no matter how tight it might be at the end, they know they’ll have a shot. We need to shake their confidence and make them wonder if next time they touch the ball if there will be enough room to shoot. Just gotta make their focus drift for even a half a second sometimes in order to increase the chance that they’ll alter their normal movements somehow enough to throw them off kilter.

Saturday’s game is going to be as much mental as it is physical!

 

[Volfan2012]

Agreed! We need to try our best to even deny them passes on the perimeter because we’re guarding them so tightly. That, of course, is unbelievably difficult to do without fouling, but we must try our best to do it.

Louisville just can’t be allowed to feel like they’ll be able to get off threes at will, because that would keep them feeling confident that no matter how tight it might be at the end, they know they’ll have a shot. We need to shake their confidence and make them wonder if next time they touch the ball if there will be enough room to shoot. Just gotta make their focus drift for even a half a second sometimes in order to increase the chance that they’ll alter their normal movements somehow enough to throw them off kilter.

Saturday’s game is going to be as much mental as it is physical!

Yes it is time to sell out on defense and if Refs foul us all out I won't be upset. I want real aggressive play and see how the Refs handle it. I've seen some real physical games and some timid ones. You never know what kind of Refs your going to get. Test them early and see what you got.

 

[Dak1219]

Agreed! We need to try our best to even deny them passes on the perimeter because we’re guarding them so tightly. That, of course, is unbelievably difficult to do without fouling, but we must try our best to do it.

Louisville just can’t be allowed to feel like they’ll be able to get off threes at will, because that would keep them feeling confident that no matter how tight it might be at the end, they know they’ll have a shot. We need to shake their confidence and make them wonder if next time they touch the ball if there will be enough room to shoot. Just gotta make their focus drift for even a half a second sometimes in order to increase the chance that they’ll alter their normal movements somehow enough to throw them off kilter.

Saturday’s game is going to be as much mental as it is physical!

You are so right about the mental part of the game. With that said, TK stepped up to the line at the end of the game and was mentally tough. NO FEAR!

 

[FormerLadyVolFan]

I wonder if Coach Sam brings any additional perspective to this game? I know that it's been several years since she was at Louisville, but certainly she might know what Walz's pressure points are. (Besides his annual presence in the coaching portal )

 

[LadyOrange]

Just an observation: The ball seemed to go off of Key's hands several times in the game. Could it be because she is constantly messing with her hair?

TK has to be aware of so much at the same time. If TK catches the ball low, smaller players dive in and get their hands on the ball…..a quick whistle and there is a jump ball….or TK tries to go up with the ball and it gets stripped. If a tall player then collapses in on her, if TK goes up, the ball can blocked of stripped again.

Pass high to her so she can be above the little folk and don’t bounce the ball on the floor so she can keep momentum to the rim over a tall player.

AND make sure we hit from outside to draw the opponent out of the paint.

 

[LadyOrange]

I really think Tamari Key being so foul prone has finally got into her head now that she won’t even contest some layups in fear they will call a foul on her. I also saw that she wasnt banging the glass part of that was Belmont center completely wrapping her arms around her but there were moments where she just wasn’t rebounding

It’s a fact that she is called for ghost fouls which may have gotten into her head.

 

[creekdipper]

I wonder if Coach Sam brings any additional perspective to this game? I know that it's been several years since she was at Louisville, but certainly she might know what Walz's pressure points are. (Besides his annual presence in the coaching portal )

Now, there's a thought. Maybe we can copy some fake stationery programs from major schools and flood his email account with $3 million offers. That'll take his mind off game prep really quickly. If there's one thing Jeff loves, it's the Benjamins.

 

[stlvolsfan]

Just listened to the press conference…looks like Jordy won’t be playing this weekend.

 

[Lucy]

Key has had the same demeanor her entire career. That is just her. Given that she took over the game in the 2nd (or as much as any LV), she was far from disinterested.

The LVs did not take the foot off the pedal and I am confident they "wanted" it just as much Belmont. Unfortunately, the LVs can't shoot well enough to really put teams away on most nights. Particularly without Jordan H., they are an offensively challenged team. There were several plays where a LV missed a wide open 3 and long rebound went to Belmont which led to a transition basket. As a smaller team, they realized they could be quicker to the ball in scramble situations. Plus, the refs were letting them get away with a lot of contact. Actually, I am okay with how they called the game for the most part. They let it be physical but that an ugly game worked to the advantage of Belmont.

One thing this game showed was that Belmont beating Oregon was not a fluke.

So TK seems to me to be reserved, maybe a bit shy. When she has to do the after game press conference she will always let the other teammate take the lead if possible. The only time I saw her really take over was this last Q and A with Buckets. She was more assertive but primarily in talking about how great SP was and the other freshmen and Snoop etc. pretty much just enjoying praising her teammates. She does not like talking about herself.
But her smile in the locker room after a win is just great!! She obviously loves her teammates!!
Just a wonderful young woman. I know we will be so proud of her over the years!!