A thought about Tennessee

[triaddukefan]

You sure about that? How about South Florida?

Oh yeah, they should be ranked above Duke this week, not to mention the other programs you speculated upon.

A road game at South Florida is tougher than any game the Vols have played this season.

 

[TC22]

Nobody wants to play against that style.

No they don’t because it creates chaos. But….if teams beat the press they’ll be forced to abandon it or just keep giving up easy buckets. Ohio State plays like that. Against better teams they have to play in the half court and they aren’t used to doing that for long stretches. That’s going to be the challenge. Whichever team controls the pace will win.

 

[mudcat]

The part about the foul shots was in the same sentence as calling off the full court press. Had I cut it off, would you not have accused me of not stating the full case? I’ve been watching UConn basketball since about 1991 or 1992 and it’s always been pointed out that there is a fine line between not running up the score and giving the fans what they came to see. I firmly believe that Tennessee running its full court press for the entire game goes so far past the line of decency in a blowout that there can be no question that it was wrong. Your case seems to be that Tennessee can’t be wrong because other schools have been guilty of similar actions. Mine is that it was wrong, and what anyone else has ever done is irrelevant.

I do have to disagree on one thing: TN and Caldwell are trying, like all coaches, to impart habits. She has spoken of the difficulty of getting players to not "start going back up the court after a score". In her style of play, you want your players to do the same thing every time they're on the court. It may be hard for the other team, but you are asking a coach to allow her players to do things that are "bad habits" for their style of play. They do not have an alternative style of play that wouldn't encourage bad habits for their system. I get what you're saying, and I feel for the kids on the other end of the score, but I understand why Caldwell is doing what she's doing.

 

[Darwin]

A road game at South Florida is tougher than any game the Vols have played this season.

South Florida is not as good as either Iowa or FSU, but you already knew that.

 

[Ladeeeeda]

South Florida is not as good as either Iowa or FSU, but you already knew that.

Looking forward to the Oklahoma/TN game........should provide some insight

 

[triaddukefan]

South Florida is not as good as either Iowa or FSU, but you already knew that.

A true road game. TN didn't go out and schedule F$U.. and it was played at home. Iowa was at a neutral site... and wasn't the Hawkeyes missing their PG? Weak a** schedule by the Vols.

 

[Darwin]

A true road game. TN didn't go out and schedule F$U.. and it was played at home. Iowa was at a neutral site... and wasn't the Hawkeyes missing their PG? Weak a** schedule by the Vols.

No quarrels on the UT schedule, but the point remains, both FSU and Iowa are superior to South Florida who Duke didn’t handle very well. I believe you are grossly underestimating this LV team due to their schedule, and to be fair to everyone here, we will wait and see as you suggest. My early thought is that UT ends up ranked higher than NC, NCSU and also Duke.

Perhaps we could consider a wager…..

 

[Darwin]

Let's be serious around here for a minute. Tenn wouldn't beat Duke.... probably wouldn't beat Chapel Hill and likely would not beat State. A 2 point victory over an undersized, no defense playing F$U isn't impressing anyone in my household. A victory over an athletically challenged bunch from Iowa City is fine, but they are probably the 7th or 8th best team in the Big 10. I'll check back at the end of January to see what their record is.

Filed….Tenn style knows how to routinely put up over 80 shots per game, figure out how a 64 shot per game Duke team would deal with that, esp with the 40 minute full court press UT employs by 10 players. Again, nobody wants to play against that. IMO, LSU, TX and SC will find this version of the LV’s very troublesome. I don’t think Duke would fair well at all, let alone UNC or State.
I suspect UT will be much more of a challenge for SC than Duke was.

 

[WBBTakeover]

I hadn't planned on watching next Sunday's game against Oklahoma, but now I feel that I must. I expect that one to be a battle (one that Tennessee is capable of winning given all this momentum).

 

[packwrap]

A true road game. TN didn't go out and schedule F$U.. and it was played at home. Iowa was at a neutral site... and wasn't the Hawkeyes missing their PG? Weak a** schedule by the Vols.

This is getting intriquing.

Caldwell certainly walking her talk with the 100% commitment to 'press and 3'.

There even appears to be no plan B.

Caldwell not stupid, I bet she warns other coach they plan to stay with press whole game. In year 1 it makes sense so they learn it.

Can't wait to see this against TX, SC and LSU. (and UConn).

Iowa game is a good watch. Game was close until last 2 min and Iowa, despite 30 turnovers, had a fine plan to break press. Half their turnovers were post press in half court, and the other half are pretty mind boggling, as they just bungled their press buster.
Of course give Tenn some credit, the 40min of pressure for sure can lead to these mental meltdowns. Also the Tenn press even continues in the halfcourt, where they harass and overplay the perimeter.

Next year Caldwell will have some of her own recruits and a year of learning vs top of SEC.

My prediction is that by year 3, she no longer exclusively presses.

This year Tenn will lose 6 conference games, but will get a signature win against some power caught napping; perhaps LSU.

On to Oklahoma.

 

[sivad40]

Filed….Tenn style knows how to routinely put up over 80 shots per game, figure out how a 64 shot per game Duke team would deal with that, esp with the 40 minute full court press UT employs by 10 players. Again, nobody wants to play against that. IMO, LSU, TX and SC will find this version of the LV’s very troublesome. I don’t think Duke would fair well at all, let alone UNC or State.
I suspect UT will be much more of a challenge for SC than Duke was.

Duke and Tenn has common opponents in Fla St., SC and Oklahoma. Are you confident that Tenn will beat Oklahoma by larger margin that Duke did (10 points) and will keep the game SC game within less than 11 point margin than Duke did. Both those games are home games for Tennessee. Tennessee beat Fla St. by two points and Duke do better than that
margin.

 

[Darwin]

Duke and Tenn has common opponents in Fla St., SC and Oklahoma. Are you confident that Tenn will beat Oklahoma by larger margin that Duke did (10 points) and will keep the game SC game within less than 11 point margin than Duke did. Both those games are home games for Tennessee. Tennessee beat Fla St. by two points and Duke do better than that
margin.

I don’t know, but FSU is a way better team than South Florida.

 

[Baller29]

This is getting intriquing.

Caldwell certainly walking her talk with the 100% commitment to 'press and 3'.

There even appears to be no plan B.

Caldwell not stupid, I bet she warns other coach they plan to stay with press whole game. In year 1 it makes sense so they learn it.

Can't wait to see this against TX, SC and LSU. (and UConn).

Iowa game is a good watch. Game was close until last 2 min and Iowa, despite 30 turnovers, had a fine plan to break press. Half their turnovers were post press in half court, and the other half are pretty mind boggling, as they just bungled their press buster.
Of course give Tenn some credit, the 40min of pressure for sure can lead to these mental meltdowns. Also the Tenn press even continues in the halfcourt, where they harass and overplay the perimeter.

Next year Caldwell will have some of her own recruits and a year of learning vs top of SEC.

My prediction is that by year 3, she no longer exclusively presses.

This year Tenn will lose 6 conference games, but will get a signature win against some power caught napping; perhaps LSU.

On to Oklahoma.

TN will run LSU out the building. OU game could go either way, I don’t anticipate much defense being played, lot of points

 

[Darwin]

TN will run LSU out the building. OU game could go either way, I don’t anticipate much defense being played, lot of points

I call it 85-79 UT over Okie at home. There will be a few stretches of defensive push back on both sides. They both find some success offensively at times. LV’s win with depth, they have closely mimicked the SC ten player rotation, just faster.

They are playing more like SC than any other team in the SEC as far as minutes spread amongst 10+ players during a game. And most importantly, they are equals in athleticism to anyone this season…..If you have not been paying attention the past 10-12 years, SC has made its bed with athleticism and playing 10 per game. They have one diff from the UT team, they prioritize defense over offense, and the LV’s are complete opposites in philosophy there.

Will be fascinating to watch the inevitable chess match.

 

[JellyBean]

I am picking the Lady Vols over Oklahoma just based on the depth and if they are running and gunning. That pace of play is going to be too much if Oklahoma tries to run with Tennessee. Now if Oklahoma can slow the game down, it could play in their favor. I can't wait to watch this game because I just envision a local game at the YMCA, running and gunning.

 

[Darwin]

I am picking the Lady Vols over Oklahoma just based on the depth and if they are running and gunning. That pace of play is going to be too much if Oklahoma tries to run with Tennessee. Now if Oklahoma can slow the game down, it could play in their favor. I can't wait to watch this game because I just envision a local game at the YMCA, running and gunning.

Will be a test of the two coaches….each has the quality to win with the right plan. I think Caldwell wins this one.

 

[WBBTakeover]

I don’t know, but FSU is a way better team than South Florida.

I don't know about way better, but they are better. They are, however, more talented than South Florida. I would favor USF's coach over FSU's.

 

[triaddukefan]

Congratulations to the Boomer Sooners. Even though y'all tried to give the game away

 

[Plebe]

Is Tennessee gonna play ANY road games this year? The season is like halfway over.

 

[donalddoowop]

Congratulations to the Boomer Sooners. Even though y'all tried to give the game away

Oklahoma's guard play was very shaky. Also, she made substitutions when the ones in the game were playing well and almost waited too late to put them back in.

 

[UConnCat]

Is Tennessee gonna play ANY road games this year? The season is like halfway over.

The only non-conference games played on the road was against Memphis. They didn't leave the state of Tennessee but the game was in Memphis's arena. The first conference game game was at aTm and Thursday's game will be at LSU.

 

[Magy Cannon]

The only non-conference games played on the road was against Memphis. They didn't leave the state of Tennessee but the game was in Memphis's arena. The first conference game game was at aTm and Thursday's game will be at LSU.

Playing Thursday at Tennessee.

 

[Baller29]

Playing Thursday at Tennessee.

I have TN winning between 15-20 points

 

[UConnCat]

Playing Thursday at Tennessee.

Correct. I misread the schedule. The game later in the season is at LSU.

 

[JellyBean]

Congrats to Oklahoma. They hung in there. Like @triaddukefan said, Oklahoma dang near gave the game away. I was expecting the Lady Vols to get the win today. They were close at the end. What a nice comeback for the Lady Vols. They have nothing to be upset about. They fought back. Another test is coming soon and that is against LSU and then Arkansas. Now if they lose to Arkansas, I will be concern.

 

[Darwin]

To be clear, I was not defending the OP, but rather responding to @darrell that Auriemma coached the same way.

Notre Dame won a championship with only six viable players, but they were all elite and they played in a way that did not wear them out. If you want to press for 40 minutes you need more than six players in the rotation and they all need to be at an elite level if you want to win a championship. The odds are working against you.

As for the OP, I do not know Caldwell, what she believes or intends, so I am not defending that sentiment. I can only claim that Auriemma coaches differently when an opponent has been thoroughly outmatched and there is a good reason for that.

Did you see the Xavier game? Sure looked like a full court press being used against an opponent who managed 27 points, for the entire game.

 

[diggerfoot]

Did you see the Xavier game? Sure looked like a full court press being used against an opponent who managed 27 points, for the entire game.

I do not get to see the games in real time, so I will take your word for now that UConn pressed with intensity throughout the game. Bear in mind again that I did not share the objection of the OP, I claimed Auriemma had a difference in strategy and not in sportsmanship. To that end perhaps you could confirm or refute a few observations.

Xavier was the first time they pressed for a full 40 minutes (assuming this happened) this season. Is this correct?

UConn did not press opponents for 40 minutes in any of their championship years. Is this correct?

They did not even press Syracuse for 40 minutes in the one game in which it was obvious that Auriemma and Moore were settling a score, with Moore scoring 40 and UConn over a hundred. Is that correct?

There is not enough of a pattern for me to hazard a guess as to why Auriemma would press 40 minutes for this particular game. However, he would have to press all teams all the time for the rest of the year … and win a championship … for my observations to be wrong. Considering that you revived this thread for the Xavier exception, I am sure you will revive it again if the exception becomes the rule and UConn wins a championship.

But if that indeed happens I will not mind being wrong.

 

[Darwin]

I do not get to see the games in real time, so I will take your word for now that UConn pressed with intensity throughout the game. Bear in mind again that I did not share the objection of the OP, I claimed Auriemma had a difference in strategy and not in sportsmanship. To that end perhaps you could confirm or refute a few observations.

Xavier was the first time they pressed for a full 40 minutes (assuming this happened) this season. Is this correct?

UConn did not press opponents for 40 minutes in any of their championship years. Is this correct?

They did not even press Syracuse for 40 minutes in the one game in which it was obvious that Auriemma and Moore were settling a score, with Moore scoring 40 and UConn over a hundred. Is that correct?

There is not enough of a pattern for me to hazard a guess as to why Auriemma would press 40 minutes for this particular game. However, he would have to press all teams all the time for the rest of the year … and win a championship … for my observations to be wrong. Considering that you revived this thread for the Xavier exception, I am sure you will revive it again if the exception becomes the rule and UConn wins a championship.

But if that indeed happens I will not mind being wrong.

I wasn’t implying UCONN pressed the entire game, I was talking about X scoring 27 points in the entire game. Sorry for the confusion. It may well be that they did, but I cannot say, I wasn’t able to watch the game. I simply read the post game articles that mentioned UCONN broke out a full press from the tipoff. I’m not sure what that means tbh. But the articles mention the effectiveness of the press in the 2nd qtr and so it was still in play at that point, when X had less than 10 points.

 

[JoePgh]

UConn used the full court press against Xavier for the entire first half, and at halftime UConn had a huge lead, had generated 21 Xavier turnovers, and had played all available players for significant minutes.

Geno called off the press in the second half but still played aggressive defense. At the end of the game, Xavier had 32 turnovers and only 28 field goal attempts, of which they made 9.

Final score was 81-27.

 

[triaddukefan]

No quarrels on the UT schedule, but the point remains, both FSU and Iowa are superior to South Florida who Duke didn’t handle very well. I believe you are grossly underestimating this LV team due to their schedule, and to be fair to everyone here, we will wait and see as you suggest. My early thought is that UT ends up ranked higher than NC, NCSU and also Duke.

Perhaps we could consider a wager…..