they are who we thought they were

[alexvol]

I thought Middleton got WAY to many minutes early on. She was in the game the entire time that Auburn made that comeback. Dunn also came in at the same time, so with Middleton looking clueless on offense and not wanting to shoot the ball and Nunn still looking a little shaky, its no wonder Tennessee only managed a few points for the 2nd quarter. Would things have turned out differently if Holly kept the same lineup for the entire half? Credit Auburn though for making adjustments..once that press was on, it was like blood in the water

Great gameplan by Holly with the ND WIN but she dropped the ball with the auburn loss

Middeton was a 5 star mcdonalds all american recruit, but even in the mcdonalds all star game she turned the ball over a bunch. Maybe Holly needs to reevaluate how Middleton is used.

I essentially posted the same thing.Holly's substitution at end of 1st quarter lost the game for this teamThe same thing happened in the Notre Dame Game ...the same substitution pattern and te same result in the 2nd and 3rd Qtrs.

 

[alexvol]

Diamond has kept Tennessee in a lot of games and has won games that Tennessee wouldnt have won if not for her points, so i def agree with you here. Diamond does lose focus and gets down on herself way to quickly and it just goes downhill from there.

Agree.I would add that this team has no chance against any good team without Diamond playing hard and all out.

 

[bobkitten]

I essentially posted the same thing.Holly's substitution at end of 1st quarter lost the game for this teamThe same thing happened in the Notre Dame Game ...the same substitution pattern and te same result in the 2nd and 3rd Qtrs.

When I saw the substitution, I thought, "What? is someone is bad foul trouble I missed?"
:thud:

 

[boxerpupsrcool]

I essentially posted the same thing.Holly's substitution at end of 1st quarter lost the game for this teamThe same thing happened in the Notre Dame Game ...the same substitution pattern and te same result in the 2nd and 3rd Qtrs.

I think we both saw, and many others are seeing, is the horrible and ill timed subbing. No one was in foul trouble..

 

[proVolone]

Agree .The top ranked team in the country does not have a problem with a 7 person rotation and the two subs play very little .When Holly substituted at the end of 1st quarter ( we were leading at the time by 17 points ) and Middleton was promptly beaten for a layup,all the momentum was lost and it was down hill for Auburn after that.That was a coaching decision that cost them the game imo.If they are not in shape to play 40 minutes or 35 minutes that is a coaching problem .Shorty up there in the North has his starting 5 play the entire game when it is close .I would point out that this was the same thing that happened in the Notre Dame game ....we jumped out to a lead and Holly substituted and the 2nd and 3rd quarters were all Notre Dame but fortunately they were able to come back.In this case the team threw in the towel about 4/5 minutes into the 3rd quarter.....that also is a coaching problem.This is a terrible road team and that is a coaching problem ......gird your loins because there will be many more just like this one on the road .....and maybe even at home just like the Baylor game .

Not only shorty up in the Northeast, the other Huskies in the Northwest also not afraid of playing 5 or 6 players. The last game these Washington Huskies played, exactly 6 players played against Arizona State. Three with 40 minutes, one with 39 and other starter 25 minutes. So yeah, it can be done with 6 players providing team has been acclimated to play 40 minutes.

 

[Volfan2012]

Game also reminded me of the 2010 Georgetown game where Tennessee gave up like 30 turnovers to their press..

Same coach and same system you would have thought that Holly would know what was coming since we did play this same coach in 2010 when she coached Georgetown.

 

[Amb3096]

Same coach and same system you would have thought that Holly would know what was coming since we did play this same coach in 2010 when she coached Georgetown.

She was also the coach last year when they throttled AU at home. They had a ton of turnovers, but the difference was they didn't allow AU to turn them into points.

 

[Volfan2012]

The best five we can put on the floor are Russell, Nunn, Deshields, Nared, and Reynolds. Jackson is the best sub and everyone else should be hugging pine. Jackson would have to sub out everybody and Diamond would have to take the point when Reynolds was resting. Two minutes rest should be enough couple times a game. In the Notre Dame game Russell played 37 minutes, Nared 38, Reynolds 40, Deshields 36, Jackson 19 and Nunn 11. We need to up Nunn to about 20.

 

[Amb3096]

The best five we can put on the floor are Russell, Nunn, Deshields, Nared, and Reynolds. Jackson is the best sub and everyone else should be hugging pine. Jackson would have to sub out everybody and Diamond would have to take the point when Reynolds was resting. Two minutes rest should be enough couple times a game. In the Notre Dame game Russell played 37 minutes, Nared 38, Reynolds 40, Deshields 36, Jackson 19 and Nunn 11. We need to up Nunn to about 20.

I'm surprised Holly didn't use the double post more last night, considering that move saved Tennessee against ND.

I've started to give up on Alexa. She just may not be good enough to be an SEC player.

 

[madtownvol]

I think we both saw, and many others are seeing, is the horrible and ill timed subbing. No one was in foul trouble..

Again, I have to come back to all the criticisms of Holly for not substituting in the losses to MSU. There the wisdom was that Mercedes is too big of player to play a full and Nunn need to more minutes and that the team needed the great ball skills and floor vision of Middleton.

Now, the LVs had a 25 to 10 lead. It was a perfect time to give key players a bit of a rest. Should Holly have seen the increased pressure coming. Yeah, probably but I think everybody was feeling pretty confident after the 1st quarter start.

The game showed that it did not matter who played the point against the Auburn pressure- both Jordan and Alexa melted; and with the lone exception of Mercedes, everyone got shut down. Diamond came to life in the 4th quarter but that was in the proverbial too little, too late category.

To clarify, I am not defending Holly; this team should have been better prepared for Auburn's press but those failings come down to what we don't see in practices.

Given the player options she has (and where they were at on this game day), though, there was very little Holly could have done to have altered the game by who she did or did not sub. Jordan was terrible against the press; Middleton was terrible against the press.

People have been clamoring for more Dunbar; if only Holly would..... Well Dunbar came in and had three wide open threes at a critical junctures - zilch -- and got burned badly on the defensive end. Of course, that could be said about a lot of LVs last night.

 

[Volfan2012]

She was also the coach last year when they throttled AU at home. They had a ton of turnovers, but the difference was they didn't allow AU to turn them into points.

No reason we can't beat that press you need more that one player in the backcourt and seems we were depending on Reynolds to do it all. She picked up her dribble a couple times because of the trap and had no one to throw it to. Players should have been in the backcourt helping no need to rush against the press. We rushed a few times and were caught in a trap a few times without help. You can't run down court they are leaving three back and two are going to trap the point guard she has to have an outlet player or two and nobody seemed to understand that.
On defense they were beating us off the dribble and we should have been in a matchup zone clogged the lane took our chances with the three point a few times because we could not guard their one and two who were getting easy layups. Mercedes is not Candace she cannot recover to stop those dribble dives like Candace could. A lot of those shot last night would have been blocked by a quicker center.
They ended up with 63 shots to our 50. I don't know if we could have scored enough to win with 13 more shots but you really don't want to get out shot in a game. You want to get up as many as the opponent.
Notre Dame game shots were 60 to 60.

 

[madtownvol]

I'm surprised Holly didn't use the double post more last night, considering that move saved Tennessee against ND.

I've started to give up on Alexa. She just may not be good enough to be an SEC player.

Alexa has come a long way. Right now, she is trying to play a notch about her capacity. If she keeps on her improvement curve, she can be a solid contributor next season; not great but a solid role player. Sadly, she is really needed this season.

 

[Cooperlee33]

The best five we can put on the floor are Russell, Nunn, Deshields, Nared, and Reynolds. Jackson is the best sub and everyone else should be hugging pine. Jackson would have to sub out everybody and Diamond would have to take the point when Reynolds was resting. Two minutes rest should be enough couple times a game. In the Notre Dame game Russell played 37 minutes, Nared 38, Reynolds 40, Deshields 36, Jackson 19 and Nunn 11. We need to up Nunn to about 20.

Totally Agree!!!!

 

[T_Vol376]

Please stop with the 'next year' stuff. We had Cooper last year, by the way--and had a horrible season. Talent, players, need to be coached--coached well, led well. We'll just muddle along as a complete mediocrity until the next AD hires a real coach.

If you can say the same thing over and over again 10,576,432 times and make idiotic comments about Holly's attire then people can talk about "next year" all the hell they want!

 

[PRG]

It would have helped if Holly would have during the timeouts slowed the game down and used all the players to get the ball across half court. I think we needed to play Auburn in a slower game some teams you just have to play that way. Not being able to beat the press is why we lost 22 turnovers. They were about plus 15 in shots attempted. Very hard to win with those stats.

Any good coach can show average ball players how to beat a press! Even with no plays to execute against the pressure (which is what I saw) you have a 6'6" pressure relief valve that all you had to do was bring her up to get the ball .., hold it above her head and get the ball to the open player. (She is a good passer)!!!
Instead she was under our goal with no one guarding her but the ball was on the other end of the court with our mental midgets letting two players take the ball away from them or throwing the ball away!
I am tired of watching this team looking like they don't know what to do... which is exactly what is wrong with them ... no one teaching them an offensive pattern so everyone knows where to go and move without the ball! Nothing made me madder than one of my teammates down at the other end of the court waving their hands (I am open) when the person with the ball is getting trapped, slapped, kicked, bitten, mugged raped and pillaged!!!
All pressure can be beaten with a simple pattern and passing the ball BEFORE you get in trouble. We have all played keep away as children? Spacing yourself and passing the ball will make the one chasing tired and look foolish. That is if you have a plan!!!!!!!!!

 

[Volfan2012]

Any good coach can show average ball players how to beat a press! Even with no plays to execute against the pressure (which is what I saw) you have a 6'6" pressure relief valve that all you had to do was bring her up to get the ball .., hold it above her head and get the ball to the open player. (She is a good passer)!!!
Instead she was under our goal with no one guarding her but the ball was on the other end of the court with our mental midgets letting two players take the ball away from them or throwing the ball away!
I am tired of watching this team looking like they don't know what to do... which is exactly what is wrong with them ... no one teaching them an offensive pattern so everyone knows where to go and move without the ball! Nothing made me madder than one of my teammates down at the other end of the court waving their hands (I am open) when the person with the ball is getting trapped, slapped, kicked, bitten, mugged raped and pillaged!!!
All pressure can be beaten with a simple pattern and passing the ball BEFORE you get in trouble. We have all played keep away as children? Spacing yourself and passing the ball will make the one chasing tired and look foolish. That is if you have a plan!!!!!!!!!

That is who Holly is keep letting the team make the same mistake over and over again because she want or doesn't know how to make the adjustment. Evidently she thought Reynolds and Middleton were going to beat the press alone guess 22 turnovers later she had a loss and it was proven that it did not happen.

 

[Volfan2012]

Please stop with the 'next year' stuff. We had Cooper last year, by the way--and had a horrible season. Talent, players, need to be coached--coached well, led well. We'll just muddle along as a complete mediocrity until the next AD hires a real coach.

We definitely want be better coached but we will certainly have more speed and athleticism. If that helps at all is yet to be determined. I am much happier to have these players coming than not to have them. I think Davis is going to be the best perimeter shooter we've had in a while.

 

[Randmyman]

Coaching is the problem.. If Holly had U-Conn team at the first of the year they would have a record like the Lady Vols do today. Yes they are short handed... They are not coached plan and simple. Sorry Holly you said you didn't know... Step down and find somebody UT that does know. Hurting with a lot of Lady Vols family....

 

[Amb3096]

Coaching is the problem.. If Holly had U-Conn team at the first of the year they would have a record like the Lady Vols do today. Yes they are short handed... They are not coached plan and simple. Sorry Holly you said you didn't know... Step down and find somebody UT that does know. Hurting with a lot of Lady Vols family....

I said that in a previous post. Holly would have no idea what to do with them and they would probably be unranked, whereas an elite coach has made them look unstoppable.

 

[armchair]

Any good coach can show average ball players how to beat a press! Even with no plays to execute against the pressure (which is what I saw) you have a 6'6" pressure relief valve that all you had to do was bring her up to get the ball .., hold it above her head and get the ball to the open player. (She is a good passer)!!!
Instead she was under our goal with no one guarding her but the ball was on the other end of the court with our mental midgets letting two players take the ball away from them or throwing the ball away!
I am tired of watching this team looking like they don't know what to do... which is exactly what is wrong with them ... no one teaching them an offensive pattern so everyone knows where to go and move without the ball! Nothing made me madder than one of my teammates down at the other end of the court waving their hands (I am open) when the person with the ball is getting trapped, slapped, kicked, bitten, mugged raped and pillaged!!!
All pressure can be beaten with a simple pattern and passing the ball BEFORE you get in trouble. We have all played keep away as children? Spacing yourself and passing the ball will make the one chasing tired and look foolish. That is if you have a plan!!!!!!!!!

You first put someone like Nared, or maybe Nunn, at the halfway point between under our basket and half court--around top of the key in our defensive half. You put two other players on her wings--and you put Russell just inside our defensive side of half court. So you've got all five players on our defensive half of the court. You PASS the ball through a press, you don't dribble--and you get the ball to open players and then to Russell, and by the time Russell gets the ball, the other four players should have moved up the court, with two past her into our offensive zone. If you know what you're doing, a press is not that hard to beat. IF you know what you're doing....

 

[PRG]

You first put someone like Nared, or maybe Nunn, at the halfway point between under our basket and half court--around top of the key in our defensive half. You put two other players on her wings--and you put Russell just inside our defensive side of half court. So you've got all five players on our defensive half of the court. You PASS the ball through a press, you don't dribble--and you get the ball to open players and then to Russell, and by the time Russell gets the ball, the other four players should have moved up the court, with two past her into our offensive zone. If you know what you're doing, a press is not that hard to beat. IF you know what you're doing....

It is as simple as you have stated!!!!! The only thing I would add.... the person bringing the ball in will always be behind the ball on which ever side of the court the ball is on... if the other team tries to trap the ball is passed back to the one who threw the ball in play and the pressure is reduced and the ball can be advanced to the other side of the court with a pass or dribble into the front court or pass to Mercedes at the half court line. Now GO ON AND PLAY THE GAME

 

[Coach Jumper]

It is as simple as you have stated!!!!! The only thing I would add.... the person bringing the ball in will always be behind the ball on which ever side of the court the ball is on... if the other team tries to trap the ball is passed back to the one who threw the ball in play and the pressure is reduced and the ball can be advanced to the other side of the court with a pass or dribble into the front court or pass to Mercedes at the half court line. Now GO ON AND PLAY THE GAME

I run a pressbreak that I time with a stopwatch... From inbound-to-glass happens in under "3" seconds, using all five players. The ball never touches the floor.

 

[PRG]

I run a pressbreak that I time with a stopwatch... From inbound-to-glass happens in under "3" seconds, using all five players. The ball never touches the floor.

I like your plan to punish the defense for trying to pressure your team... If they press then you score more quickly! I also like the slowdown version to make the defense run around while you just simply pass the ball around! Makes the defense work while you pass the ball and walk up the court. ( this tactic can be used mainly high school with no time clock)
Playing keep away from the defense is frustrating to them and makes them look foolish when done right! 😈

 

[Darth_Vol]

The fourth quarter against Notre Dame through the first quarter against Auburn.... I have no doubt that a good coach would have this group looking like THAT team far more consistently. A rare glimpse of what this team is capable of and a sad reminder of how much they are held back under this current staff....

 

[JFP]

How about Nunn's health? Must Nunn's use be so limited? If so, the situation being as it is, Harris deserves some time. If Harris shows up as dead weight as far as blocking drives to the basket and getting so few rebounds other players are loosing games in the same lack of effort. There is little to lose with her. Harris should be made to understand that she is going in the game to do the great things she did in high school. A sheet of paper should be handed to Harris to memorize as her duties in this time of need. Pat Summitt would be in her face every time she was forced to take the bench when a tired
team mate was depending on her for a rest. Somebody recruited her and should also be responsible if she becomes a spectator on the court.