What do you REALLY EXPECT?

[madtownvol]

NAME. RANKING

Horston. #2

Rae. #43
Sarah. #43
Karoline. #45
Key. #47
Wynn. #62
Emily. #100

Green. 3 ️
Dye. 3️
Darby. 3️
Miles. 3️

Walker. NOT RANKED
MARTA. NOT RANKED
RENNIE. NOT RANKED

While I believe rankings are not accurate…. They do point to possible success ? This TEAM HAS OVERACHIEVED !

I see your point. In general, higher ranked recruits are preferred to lower ones but your list also shows that these rankings are only approximations.

Last season, there was no doubt that Rae (43) was a better player than Jordan (#2) and that Rae's potential was not captured by the ranking services. Jordan is just now starting to play up to her ranking.

Sarah 43 is way, way ahead of Striplin and Key and you have to question of evaluation system that ranks Striplin as a better prospect than Key.

I don't think Marta, as a European player, would have been considered by the ranking services but, if she had, she could have been a top 20 prospect.

It is fair to say that there probably is a talent gap between the LVs and the top 5 programs but I don't think it is as significant as the rankings would suggest.

 

[TheMississippiVol]

What were the player rankings of the 5 ranked teams Tennessee beat? You folks are focused on foolishness.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Places I would start move Jon out asst. coaching role and more volunteer/game analyst.

Why? You have evidence he's not doing a good job?

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Places I would start move Jon out asst. coaching role and more volunteer/game analyst.
Kelley takes over the backcourt/Williams help. Recruit a PG general and use Kara Lawson as everything I'm looking for. Or even a Kelley Jolly.... dont' be great but be consistent each night. More importantly command the court on both ends.
Dean Lockwood comes back to work Forwards/Centers and brings back the intensity and toughness his girls had. Dean maximized his girls.
Get back to being physical- up and down the court, diving on the floor, outhustling everyone, not getting boxed out and winning the glass on both ends. This is where you equalize lack of stars and create opportunities to score.

This is where I would start.

In other words, you'd change head coaches, because the totality of this is that you believe we must change the culture from what you see is a bunch of lazy and coddled players to a culture of a Bobby Knight type, and that would require a new head coach. Am I correct? What you really want is to fire Kellie Harper, correct?

 

[LasVegasBill23]

I see your point. In general, higher ranked recruits are preferred to lower ones but your list also shows that these rankings are only approximations.

Last season, there was no doubt that Rae (43) was a better player than Jordan (#2) and that Rae's potential was not captured by the ranking services. Jordan is just now starting to play up to her ranking.

Sarah 43 is way, way ahead of Striplin and Key and you have to question of evaluation system that ranks Striplin as a better prospect than Key.

I don't think Marta, as a European player, would have been considered by the ranking services but, if she had, she could have been a top 20 prospect.

It is fair to say that there probably is a talent gap between the LVs and the top 5 programs but I don't think it is as significant as the rankings would suggest.

Imagine if rankings were to be true,..... how far would we have gotten with #1 overall few years back Mercedes Russell.... AND Westbrook AND Diamond.... can be a disappointment as much as can be a justification someone has higher ranked players

 

[youcancallmeAl]

It is fair to say that there probably is a talent gap between the LVs and the top 5 programs but I don't think it is as significant as the rankings would suggest.

It is at point guard, and that's the big problem. As you know, PG is the quarterback of the team, and it's hard to be among the best if you don't have a PG that is among the best.

 

[turbovol]

I see your point. In general, higher ranked recruits are preferred to lower ones but your list also shows that these rankings are only approximations.

Last season, there was no doubt that Rae (43) was a better player than Jordan (#2) and that Rae's potential was not captured by the ranking services. Jordan is just now starting to play up to her ranking.

Sarah 43 is way, way ahead of Striplin and Key and you have to question of evaluation system that ranks Striplin as a better prospect than Key.

I don't think Marta, as a European player, would have been considered by the ranking services but, if she had, she could have been a top 20 prospect.

It is fair to say that there probably is a talent gap between the LVs and the top 5 programs but I don't think it is as significant as the rankings would suggest.

I don't see Marta has someone who would have been top 20. She's heady and has got some game-- but lacks quickness and for that reason is not a good defender, and that's was an issue for her in games I saw last year.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

I don't see Marta has someone who would have been top 20. She's heady and has got some game-- but lacks quickness and for that reason is not a good defender, and that's was an issue for her in games I saw last year.

That's what I saw when I watched her play for Spain this past summer.

 

[turbovol]

It is at point guard, and that's the big problem. As you know, PG is the quarterback of the team, and it's hard to be among the best if you don't have a PG that is among the best.

That's certainly one issue--we've had guard problems for many of the last 15 years--but we also lack an athletic front-court player who can score.

 

[Volfan1000]

NAME. RANKING

Horston. #2

Rae. #43
Sarah. #43
Karoline. #45
Key. #47
Wynn. #62
Emily. #100

Green. 3 ️
Dye. 3️
Darby. 3️
Miles. 3️

Walker. NOT RANKED
MARTA. NOT RANKED
RENNIE. NOT RANKED

While I believe rankings are not accurate…. They do point to possible success ? This TEAM HAS OVERACHIEVED !

Very important game against Missouri on Thursday.

 

[LV renaissance]

This did remind me of the fact that we have overachieved until the past two weeks given the talent level we have. That explains why our point guards often get dominated, our bigs sometimes don't play that way, and that shooting and passing are not skills that most of our players have at a high level. One may dispute the rankings of individuals by the recruiting services, but your overall chances for team success increases exponentially if you mostly have top 30 players than if you don't unless you have a terrible coach (you know who). It is essential for the LV to start getting many more top notch recruits to truly have a chance to be a perennial Final 4 contender.

 

[Majors]

In other words, you'd change head coaches, because the totality of this is that you believe we must change the culture from what you see is a bunch of lazy and coddled players to a culture of a Bobby Knight type, and that would require a new head coach. Am I correct? What you really want is to fire Kellie Harper, correct?

Never said change head coaches. Not sure how you came to that but somehow managed it. If fans are going to say lack of star power then you you have to maximize and tap equalizer pieces- toughness, energy, hustle things that don’t require a ranking to be justified. You asked where would I start, that’s where I’d start. I didn’t post the original stance, but I do believe that question has merit.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Never said change head coaches. Not sure how you came to that but somehow managed it. If fans are going to say lack of star power then you you have to maximize and tap equalizer pieces- toughness, energy, hustle things that don’t require a ranking to be justified. You asked where would I start, that’s where I’d start. I didn’t post the original stance, but I do believe that question has merit.

I realize you never said it, I deduced it from application of logic. To wit: Toughness, energy, and hustle are culture things. The head coach sets the culture. Either the head coach demands those things or she doesn't. If the culture does not emphasize equalizer pieces - toughness, energy, hustle, etc., then the only way to change the culture to get those things is by changing the head coach.

BTW, I strongly disagree that this team does not have toughness, energy, or hustle. Although they were crushed by Conn, they kept their composure and played hard all the way through it. When they lose, it's not for a lack of those things. They are lacking talent at the 1 and they lack talented depth at numerous positions.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Geno used that game as a statement game
that game meant more to him than his conference games ever will
for coach K, it seemed more like an interruption to our important games

 

[Coach Jumper]

x

 

[youcancallmeAl]

That's certainly one issue--we've had guard problems for many of the last 15 years--but we also lack an athletic front-court player who can score.

We have Key and Dye, but if the guards can't get them the ball inside then they can't score.

 

[Darth_Vol]

I don't see Marta has someone who would have been top 20. She's heady and has got some game-- but lacks quickness and for that reason is not a good defender, and that's was an issue for her in games I saw last year.

LOL what genius said Marta would have been a top 20 recruit???

 

[creekdipper]

Geno used that game as a statement game
that game meant more to him than his conference games ever will
for coach K, it seemed more like an interruption to our important games

He's still fighting Pat in his mind. No matter how many wins his teams accumulate, he still is chasing her in terms of overall respect.

 

[Majors]

I realize you never said it, I deduced it from application of logic. To wit: Toughness, energy, and hustle are culture things. The head coach sets the culture. Either the head coach demands those things or she doesn't. If the culture does not emphasize equalizer pieces - toughness, energy, hustle, etc., then the only way to change the culture to get those things is by changing the head coach.

BTW, I strongly disagree that this team does not have toughness, energy, or hustle. Although they were crushed by Conn, they kept their composure and played hard all the way through it. When they lose, it's not for a lack of those things. They are lacking talent at the 1 and they lack talented depth at numerous positions.

It always starts at the top. But the question was roster, not coach. If you’re going to lose to better teams they need to know they were in a battle physically until the end and it was competitive. Your 3* have to play with a chip on their shoulder if they think they belong or feel slighted in ranking. Look at Ziegler as an example of that for the mens team. Believe I commented on PG in my original post and then you commented that as a need too. But chose to run with fire the coach as the spin. Again, USC game will determine if this team can compete. Another self reflection game to the coaches on if what they are doing is working if they get blown out.

 

[Dak1219]

I don't see Marta has someone who would have been top 20. She's heady and has got some game-- but lacks quickness and for that reason is not a good defender, and that's was an issue for her in games I saw last year.

How many 6-2 freshmen come into the SEC and are lockdown defenders in their first year? Asking for a friend.

 

[Dak1219]

I realize you never said it, I deduced it from application of logic. To wit: Toughness, energy, and hustle are culture things. The head coach sets the culture. Either the head coach demands those things or she doesn't. If the culture does not emphasize equalizer pieces - toughness, energy, hustle, etc., then the only way to change the culture to get those things is by changing the head coach.

BTW, I strongly disagree that this team does not have toughness, energy, or hustle. Although they were crushed by Conn, they kept their composure and played hard all the way through it. When they lose, it's not for a lack of those things. They are lacking talent at the 1 and they lack talented depth at numerous positions.

That stretch of games we lost, it looked as though the defense changed almost to protect Tamari and I think that really hurt us in those games. I think Tamari only had 1 block in that stretch which means the guards weren't playing up their person's space nor were they defending in passing lanes which normally allows people to try to drive to the lane where they are met with the long arms of Key. Against Missouri, they were back up in their opponent's face and really defending the passing lanes making them uncomfortable on offense. From what i watched that is what seemed to be missing in the losses. That and the overall aggressive defense we are used to seeing.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

That stretch of games we lost, it looked as though the defense changed almost to protect Tamari and I think that really hurt us in those games. I think Tamari only had 1 block in that stretch which means the guards weren't playing up their person's space nor were they defending in passing lanes which normally allows people to try to drive to the lane where they are met with the long arms of Key. Against Missouri, they were back up in their opponent's face and really defending the passing lanes making them uncomfortable on offense. From what i watched that is what seemed to be missing in the losses. That and the overall aggressive defense we are used to seeing.

What I saw in the losses was generally a whipping that opposing guards put on our guards, posting up both Miles and Walker, and blowing by them one on one and taking it into Key's body and drawing fouls, or dishing it to one of their bigs, who would then be fouled by Key as she attempted to score. The fouls accumulated on Key, and she did not see the floor much. While she was out, their guards feasted on ours. They also easily defended our guards and wouldn't allow them to penetrate, shoot, or make entry passes. And they forced them to turn it over in full-court presses. When we face teams with big, long, fast athletic guards we are gonna struggle. The thing that killed us mostly at UConn was their overall team speed, and especially the speed of their guards.

 

[OriginalCoach]

What I saw in the losses was generally a whipping that opposing guards put on our guards, posting up both Miles and Walker, and blowing by them one on one and taking it into Key's body and drawing fouls, or dishing it to one of their bigs, who would then be fouled by Key as she attempted to score. The fouls accumulated on Key, and she did not see the floor much. While she was out, their guards feasted on ours. They also easily defended our guards and wouldn't allow them to penetrate, shoot, or make entry passes. And they forced them to turn it over in full-court presses. When we face teams with big, long, fast athletic guards we are gonna struggle. The thing that killed us mostly at UConn was their overall team speed, and especially the speed of their guards.

So what you are saying is that our guards are slow. Can that be fixed?

 

[LUVMESUMVOL]

What I saw in the losses was generally a whipping that opposing guards put on our guards, posting up both Miles and Walker, and blowing by them one on one and taking it into Key's body and drawing fouls, or dishing it to one of their bigs, who would then be fouled by Key as she attempted to score. The fouls accumulated on Key, and she did not see the floor much. While she was out, their guards feasted on ours. They also easily defended our guards and wouldn't allow them to penetrate, shoot, or make entry passes. And they forced them to turn it over in full-court presses. When we face teams with big, long, fast athletic guards we are gonna struggle. The thing that killed us mostly at UConn was their overall team speed, and especially the speed of their guards.

Any good team with speed is going to give us a problem because we are not as athletic as some want to believe

 

[youcancallmeAl]

So what you are saying is that our guards are slow. Can that be fixed?

Walker is slower than fast guards, but Miles has good speed. There's nothing that can fix Walker's speed. She's been a college player for four years now, so I doubt she'll ever get faster. Miles is short, and there's nothing that can fix that, but she will get better in future years, and help us wiith the speed deficit. The only fix is to recruit faster guards through the portal for next year. I still want Walker to come back if she can, as she can be a depth and role playing piece on next year's team.