Kara Lawson said Tennessee had most impressive Championship run.

[doggydaddy]

At least that is what I heard.

Tennessee played these Realtime RPI teams

29 Vandy
33 South Carolina
21 LSU

Uconn played these Realtime RPI teams.

13 Rutgers
11 SJU
4 ND

She can't be serious.

 

[alexrgct]

I hate RPI, but yeah, UConn's run in the BET was a lot more impressive. Only the Big East has two #1 seeds, and a great deal of the rest of the league is strong too.

 

[doggydaddy]

I hate RPI, but yeah, UConn's run in the BET was a lot more impressive. Only the Big East has two #1 seeds, and a great deal of the rest of the league is strong too.

What would you use to compare the teams?

 

[pap49cba]

Who cares? She also said at half-time that ND had all the momentum (coming out of the 1st half) and would win the game. They're paid to talk and that's about where the logic stops.

 

[msf22b]

She may have meant that UT was in pretty tough shape coming into the conference championship and that their victory was the more impressive considering where they started from.

 

[alexrgct]

She may have meant that UT was in pretty tough shape coming into the conference championship and that their victory was the more impressive considering where they started from.

That's certainly possible.

DD, I tend to prefer Massey and Sagarin, though in this case, your point would be at least as favorable if not more so towards UConn.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Relative to their inconsistent play that cost then 8 losses, maybe Tennessee improved their play more than anyone. But the competiiton that they played--or Maryland played, for that mattter--was not nearly the same level as UConn's competition.

 

[alexrgct]

Just to close the loop:

Sagarin- 3,14,15 vs 22,33,34
Massey- 2,11,15 vs 21,35,36

 

[EricLA]

She may have meant that UT was in pretty tough shape coming into the conference championship and that their victory was the more impressive considering where they started from.

that's what i thought too. getting to the elite 8 this year will be a huge accomplishment for them. their average margin of victory was 12 or something over 3 unranked teams.

 

[UConnCat]

Who cares? She also said at half-time that ND had all the momentum (coming out of the 1st half) and would win the game. They're paid to talk and that's about where the logic stops.

For some historical context, she also said the same thing last year after Tenn made something like 15 three-pointers in beating Kentucky in the SEC tournament championship. I like Lawson but I thought her observation about the most impressive team was odd. One of the teams she thought was less impressive than Tenn was ND, a team that beat Tenn by 28 points earlier in the season. I know that game was in mid-Jan but is she saying Tenn has made up that much ground as compared to the Irish? And she makes this observation after watching ND lose to UConn and UConn defeat Rutgers, SJU and ND on consecutive nights? Why? Because Tenn beat Vandy, South Carolina and LSU? Tenn could very well make a run to the FF, but no way was Tenn more impressive than either UConn or ND.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

She may have meant that UT was in pretty tough shape coming into the conference championship and that their victory was the more impressive considering where they started from.

I'd like to think that is what she meant, because that is the only way it makes sense, and I think her commentary has been exceptional over the last several years. And, in that context, I think she is right. 'Course, what let UT sorta get it together and do that is the lamentable state of the conference in which they play. (putting on the Hard Hat and getting in the bunker now).

 

[doggydaddy]

Here is the link to Kara. It appears to me that she was impressed with Tennessee because they were not impressive more of the year and still won.

Whatever.

Linky thing

 

[speedoo]

Maybe Kara has been spending too much time with Peck. Or maybe the ESPN theme is going to be what a wonderful story Tennessee is, regardless of how they actually perform, with Summitt's illness, the dysfunctional coaching situation, etc.

 

[easttexastrash]

I think that Tennessee certainly put themselves into more improved position more than any other team. Had they lost in the SEC tourney they would have surely dropped out of a number 2 seed. UCONN's run through the tourney was not unexpected. I am not sure that anyone thought that UT would improve as much as they did and come through with the conference tourney title.

Didn't UT have 10 losses one year and still win the NC? However, I think that team included Holdsclaw. That is why I say you cannot count UT out just yet. They still have to very good players in Stricklen and Johnson and if they can catch fire at the right time they can pull out some wins.

 

[alexrgct]

Tennessee is one team that I'd be both excited about playing and would rather avoid playing in the tourney at the same time. On the one hand, I think it'd be great for WBB, and if they were paired up in Kingston, I'm buying a ticket and heaven help you if you try to stop me. On the other, that's going to be a weird, emotionally heavy game. Tennessee has been inconsistent and has not fared well when teams stood up to them this year, but they do have a lot of length in the frontcourt. We would have a distinct advantage in the backcourt (provided Simmons doesn't have one of those rare games where she's just on fire), but that Baugh-Johnson-Stricklen lineup is a tough matchup. And those LV players know if they beat UConn, everything said about them the past four years would be taken back. They'd be golden on Rocky Top forever.

Ultimately, I think we'd find a way to win, but that would be a different kind of atmosphere from your typical Elite Eight game, or even typical NC game.

 

[easttexastrash]

Tennessee is one team that I'd be both excited about playing and would rather avoid playing in the tourney at the same time. On the one hand, I think it'd be great for WBB, and if they were paired up in Kingston, I'm buying a ticket and heaven help you if you try to stop me. On the other, that's going to be a weird, emotionally heavy game. Tennessee has been inconsistent and has not fared well when teams stood up to them this year, but they do have a lot of length in the frontcourt. We would have a distinct advantage in the backcourt (provided Simmons doesn't have one of those rare games where she's just on fire), but that Baugh-Johnson-Stricklen lineup is a tough matchup. And those LV players know if they beat UConn, everything said about them the past four years would be taken back. They'd be golden on Rocky Top forever.

Ultimately, I think we'd find a way to win, but that would be a different kind of atmosphere from your typical Elite Eight game, or even typical NC game.

I agree with all of this. It's as if we were thinking the same thing and typing at the same time. UT still has a lot of talent and they will be very emotional. I am not sure that I would want to face them, either. The game that Baylor played at UT this year was loaded with emotion soon after Pat's announcement and UT played one of their best games of the year.

 

[doggydaddy]

Tennessee is one team that I'd be both excited about playing and would rather avoid playing in the tourney at the same time. On the one hand, I think it'd be great for WBB, and if they were paired up in Kingston, I'm buying a ticket and heaven help you if you try to stop me. On the other, that's going to be a weird, emotionally heavy game. Tennessee has been inconsistent and has not fared well when teams stood up to them this year, but they do have a lot of length in the frontcourt. We would have a distinct advantage in the backcourt (provided Simmons doesn't have one of those rare games where she's just on fire), but that Baugh-Johnson-Stricklen lineup is a tough matchup. And those LV players know if they beat UConn, everything said about them the past four years would be taken back. They'd be golden on Rocky Top forever.

Ultimately, I think we'd find a way to win, but that would be a different kind of atmosphere from your typical Elite Eight game, or even typical NC game.

I'd love to put together an analysis of this game!

 

[HuskyNan]

Just to close the loop:

Sagarin- 3,14,15 vs 22,33,34
Massey- 2,11,15 vs 21,35,36

AP rankings: 24, 13, 3 vs NR, NR, NR
USA Today/Coach's Poll: 20, 21, 3 vs NR, NR, NR

 

[UConnCat]

She may have meant that UT was in pretty tough shape coming into the conference championship and that their victory was the more impressive considering where they started from.

Fair enough. I still disagree, though. After the way UConn ended its season, including Geno's tough words about the team, I'd say bouncing back and beating RU, SJU and ND is more impressive.

 

[easttexastrash]

I'd love to put together an analysis of this game!

Do it now...should be interesting.

 

[doggydaddy]

Do it now...should be interesting.

I'll wait for either when it happens or no longer can happen.

 

[easttexastrash]

Fair enough. I still disagree, though. After the way UConn ended its season, including Geno's tough words about the team, I'd say bouncing back and beating RU, SJU and ND is more impressive.

I agree that it was very impressive. UT's turn-around was impressive. I watched their games and they played very well and could have challenged the top 4 teams with some of their tourney performances.

 

[UConnCat]

On the other, that's going to be a weird, emotionally heavy game.

This is why I don't think the selection committee will put Tenn in Kingston. I don't think the committee wants to be seen as looking to create the matchup and putting Summitt in that very awkward circumstance given her condition. If the teams play their way to the FF and meet up, so be it. I'm planning on being in Kingston either way, but no doubt it'd be a circus if Tenn were there.

 

[doggydaddy]

I agree that it was very impressive. UT's turn-around was impressive. I watched their games and they played very well and could have challenged the top 4 teams with some of their tourney performances.

I watched their 3 games and they had their moments. But I seriously doubt that they would have challenged any of the top 4 teams.

We might find out!

 

[alexrgct]

I can promise you there will be a moment in the Selection Committee room where someone says, "So, should we send Tennessee to Kingston?," which will be followed by everyone else being sorely tempted to do it. ESPN would love it. URI would love it. If Raleigh ends up with Duke (or possibly even Maryland) as its #2, they'll be happy. Des Moines and Fresno are treks for everyone anyway.

That moment of tempatation may pass, but it's going to be tough for the Selection Committee not to jump at what may be the last opportunity to add another chapter to the Pat/Geno saga. Don't say you weren't warned if it comes to pass.