Thoughts on Lady Vols 2019/2020 basketball season

#1
TennFan

TennFan

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#1
How will the Lady Vols do in the SEC? There are at least 4 tough non SEC games this season. Are the Lady Vols a top 20 team this year? What teams in the SEC will give them problems?
 
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#2
#2
TennFan said:
How will the Lady Vols do in the SEC? There are at least 4 tough non SEC games this season. Are the Lady Vols a top 20 team this year? What teams in the SEC will give them problems?
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I think there are 3 SEC teams that will be better: TAMU, SC and Miss St. I don't think they are good enough to beat those 3 teams, but I would be surprised if they finished lower than 4th in the SEC. I think they can take ND this year in what is clearly a rebuilding year.

As always, they have the talent to be a too 20 team. The difference this year is that they have a coach who may be able to get them there. The good thing is that Holly set the bar so low after last season that anyone else is guaranteed to be an upgrade. This is the first season in a while I'm actually excited for.
 
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#3
#3
Amb3096 said:
I think there are 3 SEC teams that will be better: TAMU, SC and Miss St. I don't think they are good enough to beat those 3 teams, but I would be surprised if they finished lower than 4th in the SEC. I think they can take ND this year in what is clearly a rebuilding year.

As always, they have the talent to be a too 20 team. The difference this year is that they have a coach who may be able to get them there. The good thing is that Holly set the bar so low after last season that anyone else is guaranteed to be an upgrade. This is the first season in a while I'm actually excited for.
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Don’t forget KY who has gotten some good transfers that will be able to play in the SEC season but I agree a top 4 finish is not out of the question and neither is top 3 if you look at how the other teams will beat up on each other and we sort of stay out of dodge but I am thinking Kellie is building a the players with toughness and confidence. I really enjoyed her letting Massengill she was playing soft in so many words Massengill took it and stopped talking lol
 
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#5
#5
Checking out stats from previous years on Massey, if Tennessee can gets its national defensive ranking above 50 (ended last season ranked below 150, currently around 100), they should be a Sweet Sixteen contender.

Within the SEC, if they can get top 5 in both Offense *and* Defense in-conference, regardless of which stat is higher, it correlates with a top three SEC Tournament finish (which also correlates with a S16 run).
 
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#6
#6
LVsinceJV said:
Checking out stats from previous years on Massey, if Tennessee can gets its national defensive ranking above 50 (ended last season ranked below 150, currently around 100), they should be a Sweet Sixteen contender.

Within the SEC, if they can get top 5 in both Offense *and* Defense in-conference, regardless of which stat is higher, it correlates with a top three SEC Tournament finish (which also correlates with a S16 run).
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That makes sense with what my eyes have seen the last 4 years. Better defense would also contribute to better transition opportunities on offense.
 
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#7
#7
Amb3096 said:
I think there are 3 SEC teams that will be better: TAMU, SC and Miss St. I don't think they are good enough to beat those 3 teams, but I would be surprised if they finished lower than 4th in the SEC. I think they can take ND this year in what is clearly a rebuilding year.

As always, they have the talent to be a too 20 team. The difference this year is that they have a coach who may be able to get them there. The good thing is that Holly set the bar so low after last season that anyone else is guaranteed to be an upgrade. This is the first season in a while I'm actually excited for.
Click to expand...

I’m surprised to see that you think the Lady Vols can take Notre Dame this year. I love the idea of that and hope you’re right, but I’m worried about the timing of that game. It being played in the early-EARLY season may not give the staff enough time to get the team ready for a big game like that — especially on the road. But a win against one of the best-coached teams in the nation would be AMAZING, even if they ARE in a rebuilding year. (Though, I suspect, still not as much in “rebuilding mode” as Tennessee is.)

I’m excited, too!
 
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#8
#8
I like everyone's optimism but I just don't think we have elite post players atm. Now, if our Freshmen shine in that capacity, then we are in business. Otherwise, I think we finish with another middling season.
 
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#10
#10
They lost all 5 starters from last year's team.
If we are not the favorite in this game it's only because it's on their home court.
 
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#11
#11
volnationnj said:
They lost all 5 starters from last year's team.
If we are not the favorite in this game it's only because it's on their home court.
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True, but they will have two heady graduate players in Marta Sniezek and Destinee Walker who both have the skills and maturity to put the team on their backs.
 
#16
#16
lvocd said:
True, but they will have two heady graduate players in Marta Sniezek and Destinee Walker who both have the skills and maturity to put the team on their backs.
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Those are two good players but I don’t believe they are capable of putting any team on their backs. Notre Dame will take a big step back this season.
 
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#17
#17
Win the games you supposed to win and a couple your not and you are fine. I look at the SEC schedule and think we should go no worse than 12 and 4. Non conference 10 and 3. If we can do that 22 and 7 in the regular season should get you a top four finish in the SEC and first two games at home in the NCAA tourney. I hope we do better than 22 and 7 but will be disappointed if we do worse. I think losing to Bama, Vandy, Georgia, and Missouri has to stop. No reason to get beat by these teams that never have the talent we have.
 
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#18
#18
Volfan2012 said:
Win the games you supposed to win and a couple your not and you are fine. I look at the SEC schedule and think we should go no worse than 12 and 4. Non conference 10 and 3. If we can do that 22 and 7 in the regular season should get you a top four finish in the SEC and first two games at home in the NCAA tourney. I hope we do better than 22 and 7 but will be disappointed if we do worse. I think losing to Bama, Vandy, Georgia, and Missouri has to stop. No reason to get beat by these teams that never have the talent we have.
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I like these predictions. Which four games do you think we'd lose in the SEC?
 
#21
#21
LVsinceJV said:
I suspect odds on a few of those games will change as the season gets underway. Props to Tennessee for scheduling so many tough away games, in and out of conference.
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I’m pretty sure Tennessee doesn’t schedule their conference games.
 
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