with good coaching this is a top 5 team

[VolDango]

Jasmine Jones doesn't belong at UT. Brianna Bass didn't belong.

Jasmine Phillips... UT has also taken a few JUCO players that transferred out after a year. Tennessee Lady Vols.... taking JUCO players. How many JUCO players has UCONN taken?

No recruiting isn't the problem but we've seen in women's basketball that the team who gets the star recruit wins and dominates. Tennessee hasn't had that player since Parker. UCONN gets Maya Moore from Georgia, Mosqueda-Lewis and Breanna Stewart. Directly correlates to their dominance the past 5 years. Baylor had Griner. BAYLOR! Won a championship in 2012.

If you're a women's coach and you're not getting the best player every other year, the chances aren't good that you win it all. If you're a bad coach, you'll get beat by UTC... much less win anything that matters.

 

[Orange Maniac]

Players are not the problem. Geno would have this team beating people like a drum as would Tara. There are a lot of coaches out there that would have this team looking totally different on offense.

 

[KingtUT]

I dont know much about ladies basketball but just to stir the pot a little....how bout Matthew Mitchell from KY or Baylors HC

 

[gule]

they already have jobs. Duh!

 

[therickbol]

There is tons of over-reacting in here. Holly is not a great coach but the sky is not falling. Harrison and Tucker will be playing eventually and that will make a huge difference. Replacing Burdick's minutes with Harrison's minutes will be HUGE help. She is possibly our worst player, and she is a senior. Can't score. Ball movement killer. Turnover machine. Terrible defender. Really, really need her minutes to dwindle. Harrison being back should accomplish that.

 

[VolDango]

Players are not the problem. Geno would have this team beating people like a drum as would Tara. There are a lot of coaches out there that would have this team looking totally different on offense.

I agree with that. Geno would. Holly seems to try and be their friend. She also plays favorites. Graves should come off the bench. Burdick probably shouldn't even play. She's terrible and was very overrated out of high school (#2 overall I believe).

 

[tonyc]

I watched the game yesterday. No penetration inside just Passing the ball around the perimeter and then when the clock runs down try to create a shot. Tenn has some height but they don't use it. Dribble penetrate, and if you don't have a shot kick it out, pass the ball inside, set screens, make cuts . Nothing there is no offense per say and Tenn has all that talent. I don't know what they do in practice but there is no execution. On defense imo if you don't play defense then sit the pine. To many easy layups. No boxing out and to many easy put backs for opponents. When Tenn plays ND it will be very frustrating for LV fans. The past to losses showed that this team has learned nothing as far as playing like a team. There doesn't appear to be any plays and execution is nil. They clearly don't know what to do which is lack of leadership on and off the court. If Tenn is going to win there have to be some changes. They appear to be lost and that's because they have not been instructed on what to do. Gotta wonder what MR and DD are thinking. If you think things will change when theyre healthy think again. This is a team game and Tenn already has a lot of talent. More talent isn't going to change losing to Chatty or TX. Execution is and until Tenn learns how to execute all the talent in the world isn't going to change that.

 

[mlindsay]

There is tons of over-reacting in here. Holly is not a great coach but the sky is not falling. Harrison and Tucker will be playing eventually and that will make a huge difference. Replacing Burdick's minutes with Harrison's minutes will be HUGE help. She is possibly our worst player, and she is a senior. Can't score. Ball movement killer. Turnover machine. Terrible defender. Really, really need her minutes to dwindle. Harrison being back should accomplish that.

I doubt it, when Harrison returns Burdick minutes will remain the same and Jasmine Jones minutes will increase because Harrison, Massengale, and Burdick were Pat's last recruiting class so Holly is going to give them every chance to succeed even if their time has passed (Massengale and Burdick). Izzy is the only 1 out of the 3 seniors who should be starting. Massengale should be backing up Middleton or Tucker (who should start at the two when healthy, and burdick should back up Jasmine Jones who would back up Burdick.

Holly needs to go with this lineup if she wants to be successful

Starters/Bench
PG-Reynolds/Carter/Middleton (only in a pinch)
SG-Tucker/Middleton/Massengale (only need for 3pt)
SF-Nared/Dunbar/Tucker (Can play here in small ball)
PF-Graves/Jones/Burdick (Only plays in foul trouble)
C-Harrison/Moore (Graves, Burdick, or Jones should never play at the 5 unless there is foul trouble and if there is the only person of the 3 I play there is Jones because of her Athleticism and she is the best shot blocker on the team outside of Izzy and Nia)

Playing these players in this way gets us deep in the tournament and possible final 4 but if she insist on giving Massengale and Burdick 25 minutes a game when they wont be here next year (nor will either get drafted in the WNBA draft this upcoming year) is a waste of time, lets develop the freshmen and get them ready for a chance at Multiple titles with Te'a, MeMe, Diamond, Russell being added to what we already have

 

[teacherdean]

Holly's interview, we got out worked, we got out played, we do not understand the concept of defense, we need to lose a few games before we fully understand what we need to get done, we need to get after em!!!! How about including, we got out coached. This is the same stuff we heard after the Mocs whipped our butts. Holly has no concept of what needs to get done, as I see it now, she was and is not ready for the job. Right now it appears that Holly does not know her coaching from a hole in the ground or she don't know coaching from shineola.

 

[UCMiami]

Just some visitors thoughts - Hart really did not have much choice in hiring Holly. Holly was hired as Pat's choice and out of respect for Pat (as it should have been.) Any other hire would at the time have been pretty unthinkable. And the job she was handed was very tough - that transition year was impossible, and the next few years were going to be a constant comparison to a living legend, and not the previous few years that were not great but to the Parker years and the even more impressive 'Meke' years of the late 1990s.
For the purpose of that transition, Holly has done well - the recruiting is still solid and the teams have won the SEC and maintained top 10 rankings. Is she the answer long term? Honestly, I don't think so. I have no idea what her practices are like or how she works the team and the dynamic between coaching staff and players, but her press conferences and the way the team actually plays, and her substitution patterns ... they leave something to be desired. We fans talk about players having a 'high basketball IQ' but seldom if ever use those terms with coaches, but I think that is what I would use to critique Holly ... she does not have a high basketball IQ. She recognizes when things look right and when they look wrong, but she doesn't know either how to get from wrong to right or how to coach the practices to get 'right' more often than 'wrong' on the court.
So ... I do think TN needs to be looking for a new coach, and they do not need someone that has 'Pat's bloodlines' but rather someone with a proven track record as a head coach with high WBB IQ. While I understand the emotional appeal of Tyler, either 'waiting for him' or hiring him now would be a big mistake. Holly has provided a transition period and the next coach should provide a new beginning, not another homage to Pat.
(As a Uconn fan, I dread the transition that will be coming in a few years and we have the same mixture of sentimental desire for a Geno 'bloodline' replacement vs. just a really good high IQ coach.)

 

[golf437]

I dont know much about ladies basketball but just to stir the pot a little....how bout Matthew Mitchell from KY or Baylors HC

Now that is laughable.

 

[VolDango]

There is tons of over-reacting in here. Holly is not a great coach but the sky is not falling. Harrison and Tucker will be playing eventually and that will make a huge difference. Replacing Burdick's minutes with Harrison's minutes will be HUGE help. She is possibly our worst player, and she is a senior. Can't score. Ball movement killer. Turnover machine. Terrible defender. Really, really need her minutes to dwindle. Harrison being back should accomplish that.

Doubtful. Warlick will play Burdick because she likes her. Burdick is terrible.

But to reply to your point of over reacting, yeah maybe Harrison helps. Maybe Tucker helps. But we shouldn't need them to beat UTC. Warlick looks lost during the game and throws her arms up when things go badly. Pat jerked people out and tongue lashed them. Or if the refs made a bad call shed tongue lash them too. Warlick looks like an assistant, not a head coach. And she plays players based on favoritism instead of ability or production (ie taking Moore out in 5 minutes and playing Burdick).

Maybe when they lose 6 or 7 more games, you'll see that it's not over reaction. It's foresight into a situation that will never get better because Warlick simply doesn't know how to make it better.

 

[VolDango]

Just some visitors thoughts - Hart really did not have much choice in hiring Holly. Holly was hired as Pat's choice and out of respect for Pat (as it should have been.) Any other hire would at the time have been pretty unthinkable. And the job she was handed was very tough - that transition year was impossible, and the next few years were going to be a constant comparison to a living legend, and not the previous few years that were not great but to the Parker years and the even more impressive 'Meke' years of the late 1990s.
For the purpose of that transition, Holly has done well - the recruiting is still solid and the teams have won the SEC and maintained top 10 rankings. Is she the answer long term? Honestly, I don't think so. I have no idea what her practices are like or how she works the team and the dynamic between coaching staff and players, but her press conferences and the way the team actually plays, and her substitution patterns ... they leave something to be desired. We fans talk about players having a 'high basketball IQ' but seldom if ever use those terms with coaches, but I think that is what I would use to critique Holly ... she does not have a high basketball IQ. She recognizes when things look right and when they look wrong, but she doesn't know either how to get from wrong to right or how to coach the practices to get 'right' more often than 'wrong' on the court.
So ... I do think TN needs to be looking for a new coach, and they do not need someone that has 'Pat's bloodlines' but rather someone with a proven track record as a head coach with high WBB IQ. While I understand the emotional appeal of Tyler, either 'waiting for him' or hiring him now would be a big mistake. Holly has provided a transition period and the next coach should provide a new beginning, not another homage to Pat.
(As a Uconn fan, I dread the transition that will be coming in a few years and we have the same mixture of sentimental desire for a Geno 'bloodline' replacement vs. just a really good high IQ coach.)

I agree with most of this.

Maybe DeMoss would take over. She started what Mitchell has now at UK. Without her, UK wouldn't be where it is now. She's from Pat's coaching tree, but so is Mitchell.

Maybe Nikki Caldwell?

 

[terrypedigo]

hmy:

 

[Amb3096]

“We’re just not real good right now. We don’t look like a well-coached team. That’s on me.”

(talking about playing defense) “It’s something we’ve prided ourselves on for 30-something years. It’s not getting through our thick skulls right now.”

(on playing Nia Moore) “I thought the game was a little fast for her. Looking back and watching tape, maybe I should’ve played her more.”

I don't know if she makes it a habit to do so, but she needs to start calling out players by name. If they can't handle that, send them to the end of the bench.

 

[dillyo51]

During PS's tenure, the LVS were able to out-talent most other teams. i.e. Bridget Gordon, the "meeks", Parker etc. That is no longer the case. If you have equal or slightly less talent than your opponent, coaching must step to the forefront. With CHW and her assistants, I do not see that happening.

 

[madtownvol]

Nia Moore looked lost. She was over matched in the post. She is really more of a wing player. She is good in transition and her length should make her a good perimeter defender.

She can post up against smaller players but against a 6-5 center, its is game over. This team had a lot of failings against Texas but, without Izzy and Mercedes, Holly's options in the post were non-existent.

 

[Darth_Vol]

Players are not the problem. Geno would have this team beating people like a drum as would Tara. There are a lot of coaches out there that would have this team looking totally different on offense.

IMHO Burdick and Massengale would be completely different players (in a good way) if they had developed under Geno or another quality coach....

 

[Amb3096]

IMHO Burdick and Massengale would be completely different players (in a good way) if they had developed under Geno or another quality coach....

I haven't written off Massengale yet, but Burdick is beyond hopeless no matter who her coach is: slow, bad attitude and mentally fragile. She's not good enough to start for a Top 10. Whoever ranked her #3 in HS was clearly smoking something good.

 

[Amb3096]

Nia Moore looked lost. She was over matched in the post. She is really more of a wing player. She is good in transition and her length should make her a good perimeter defender.

She can post up against smaller players but against a 6-5 center, its is game over. This team had a lot of failings against Texas but, without Izzy and Mercedes, Holly's options in the post were non-existent.

To be a wing, you have to be able to handle the ball, drive and shoot. Nia can do none of these things.

She's best served as a relief 5 (pending reinforcements in the post) or at the high post (starter or relief) against shorter, less thickly built teams.

 

[508mikey]

I agree with that. Geno would. Holly seems to try and be their friend. She also plays favorites. Graves should come off the bench. Burdick probably shouldn't even play. She's terrible and was very overrated out of high school (#2 overall I believe).

playing favorites is middle school crap and very unprofessional

 

[Darth_Vol]

I haven't written off Massengale yet, but Burdick is beyond hopeless no matter who her coach is: slow, bad attitude and mentally fragile. She's not good enough to start for a Top 10. Whoever ranked her #3 in HS was clearly smoking something good.

I disagree, Burdick was a very good role player earlier in her career but has significantly regressed. With good coaching, I think she could have developed into a good player.

 

[volfanIND]

Nia Moore looked lost. She was over matched in the post. She is really more of a wing player. She is good in transition and her length should make her a good perimeter defender.

She can post up against smaller players but against a 6-5 center, its is game over. This team had a lot of failings against Texas but, without Izzy and Mercedes, Holly's options in the post were non-existent.

Looked lost? How can you look lost in 5 minutes?
Even if that was case for her, what ever happened to sitting on the bench, get your head in the game, and go back in like she does with the rest of her players? Oh wait, she keeps those players in.

 

[FrozenLVFan]

Maybe DeMoss would take over. She started what Mitchell has now at UK. Without her, UK wouldn't be where it is now. She's from Pat's coaching tree, but so is Mitchell.

Maybe Nikki Caldwell?

DeMoss left KY because she didn't want to be a head coach. She hated all the activities and responsibilities that went beyond actual coaching. She won't come back to Tenn as a head coach.

Caldwell is laughable. Her performance at LSU is far worse than Holly's here. Her recruiting ability has proven non-existent there.

When we finally go after a new head coach, it needs to be someone with proven head coaching experience, not another assistant coach.

 

[madtownvol]

DeMoss left KY because she didn't want to be a head coach. She hated all the activities and responsibilities that went beyond actual coaching. She won't come back to Tenn as a head coach.

Caldwell is laughable. Her performance at LSU is far worse than Holly's here. Her recruiting ability has proven non-existent there.

When we finally go after a new head coach, it needs to be someone with proven head coaching experience, not another assistant coach.

Good points. DeMoss improved Kentucky but I am not sure she was going to take them beyond being a solid mid conference performer. When she was an assistant to CPS, I really thought Caldwell would be the next great coach in women's basketball but you are right, she has not shown that much at LSU.