Kentucky-Tennessee (merged thread)

[mudcat]

One team plays an antiquated double post, the other plays psuedo-schoolyard ball. Two offensively (re typical SEC) challenged teams. Has anyone ever seen a 6'7" player so uncomfortable in the post? Maybe if she was 6"8"...She can't shoot outside, can't hit free throws, can't hit layups, can't rebound. I've seen mannequins with better instincts. How does anyone let Epps get off? She has a mediocre shot from 12' out. Everything is off the dribble or through fast breaks. Horrible.

I would suggest that, if Russell were at UCONN, Geno would have her playing a lot better.

 

[donalddoowop]

Kentucky had a 10 point lead and the ball, but was racing down court as if they were losing. Their guards did not play smartly the last few minutes. Every time I think the LV have turned the corner they play a game like this.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Two mediocre teams playing a mediocre game! The way to beat TN is just wait till they beat themselves! Stay close, then they'll fold like a well read newspaper! I wouldn't want DD sitting in my arena let alone wearing my teams uniform! She'll score 15 points and allow 20 with TO's and lousy Defense!
TN has as many HS AA's as any school in Div. I and not one will say, "screw you, you're not going to beat us"! They're rudderless because they have a coaching staff that couldn't coach a Middle School team!
How could Russell be the best HS player in the USA and be so terrible now?
KY is just plain mindless! They get a 10 or 12 point lead then speed their game way up so they miss easy layups or cough the ball up with sloppy TO"s, instead of just running their offense and do what got them the lead in the first place!

 

[Kibitzer]

There was lot's of talk about Tuck but Karl Ravech just took a shot at UCONN at the end: "9 College women's players of the week named so far NONE FROM UCONN"

Karl R. needs to spend one TV halftime with Swin Cash to get her root canal simulation.

 

[JordyG]

Karl R. needs to spend one TV halftime with Swin Cash to get her root canal simulation.

Was that a shot a UCONN or a shot at the idea that big offensive stats frequently bear little relationship to and on winning programs?

 

[JordyG]

I would suggest that, if Russell were at UCONN, Geno would have her playing a lot better.

Or perhaps even Geno can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. She'd be better, but not best.

 

[Alydar]

There was lot's of talk about Tuck but Karl Ravech just took a shot at UCONN at the end: "9 College women's players of the week named so far NONE FROM UCONN" Ravy let me explain something to you and your toupee: UCONN is working on POY not player of the week. Where is Kevin Negandhi? Kevin wouldn't take shots like that and he is from Philly.

Read somewhere that in her 3.5 seasons Stewart has never been good enough to win even one ESPN POW.

 

[JordyG]

Like all the Tennessee Centers before her.

(Which has always amazed me at how they've been able to get them year after year.)

I think the double post doesn't allow centers to develop a more diverse game. Their job is just to get the pass, shoot layups and grab rebounds. The guards are responsible for everything else. It seems they set few screens and never shoot even short jumpers. Stifling.

 

[Icebear]

My prediction was thousands dreading a terrible, ugly game going into overtime.

 

[Replicant]

Holly had her chance to come to SC. In hindsight, her decision to turn down SC lead to us going after Dawn. Looks pretty good to me right now.

This response is a non sequitur to my post because you missed the joke. It goes...Doris Burke critiques TN recruiting...Dawn tweets a faux defense of TN...Todbo's (very funny) post about Holly mailing out her resume after KY loss...My tongue-in-cheek response to todbo's post...see the progression?

In response to the theme of your post...it looks like you dodged a real bullet there.

 

[Kevin G]

It is so painful to watch Tennessee attempt to run offense.

 

[Replicant]

It is so painful to watch Tennessee attempt to run offense.

Yeah, but it's the good kinda pain!

 

[Tonyc]

The hardest thing to cure is a bad attitude and when you have a couple on bad attitudes on a team it ruins the team. Tenn showed they do not know how to play the game. The minute Kentucky made a comeback Tenn reverted to their comfort zone and when one on one and out of control many times. Panic set in and lack of discipline took over. The biggest difference is KU had Epps who did her thing and Tenn could not stop her.

Ive been saying it for years. Tenn has unbelievable talent but cant win. Hey it hasn't changed and the answer to why is coaching. Last nite when the pressure was on neither team could execute a play and Epps stepped up and that was the difference. Still neither team executed plays. No poise no chemistry no execution no nothing and that's what you got nothing. A comedy of errors that just wouldn't stop until the clock ran out. The sad thing is the announcers said the SEC will put 8 teams in the NCAA tourney. LOL you've got to be kidding. I think their are 6 teams out there that are better and they may not be in a big conference.

 

[CocoHusky]

Was that a shot a UCONN or a shot at the idea that big offensive stats frequently bear little relationship to and on winning programs?

I heard & think the former, but then again I'm easily offended.

 

[Nuyoika]

Did anyone else happen to notice that even though this game and the Miss State vs SCar game were featured on ESPN2 only 2 days apart and the games played out very similarly there seemed to be more praise heaped on the #2 and the #10 team. I found that a bit weird. Neither of the games were a great showcase for Women's basketball and none of the 4 teams played great or even good for that matter but there was a much more positive tone in the first game. Was that due to who was calling the games or more the mystique of the rankings?

 

[Huskies Rule]

I'm not sure that is the case. The ending of this game was no different than the ending of the last UCONN Stanford game. I am sure Geno had a plan and had practiced that ending also.

You may be right, Coco. Both games did end in losses. The difference is that Tennessee's loss will likely only lead to more losses, while I believe that our loss to Stanford last year led, in large part, to NC #10.

While Geno was obviously disappointed/pissed by that Stanford loss, I have long thought that deep down he was "okay" with it. Coach never wants to lose, ever. But it gave him the opportunity (pretext) to dramatically change his starting rotation and to make it clear to every player that if she could not play the game and defend his way, then she will not start, she will sit, and she may not even play one minute. That Stanford loss was significant in determining the lineup and the tone for the rest of what ultimately became yet another championship season. That Stanford loss was one of those moments Geno never wastes- the chance to teach an essential, motivational lesson. Message sent, message received.

Then later against Memphis, Geno sat Stewie and Morgan after only 5 minutes of play, and they never got off the bench the rest of the game. Geno said he was not happy with their uninspired, "slow start," as in their previous several games. The master motivator and teacher saw the moment and made his move. Geno recognized an opportunity and seized it, to once again send a message, loud and clear, to his stars and to the entire team. Play the UConn way, play his way, or don't play at all- no matter if you're the NPOY named Stewart or the AA named Tuck. The result? Next game's 87-62 pasting of #1 SCarolina.

Win or lose, Geno is a damn genius and the best coach ever in the history of WCBB.

 

[Jim R]

The hardest thing to cure is a bad attitude and when you have a couple on bad attitudes on a team it ruins the team. Tenn showed they do not know how to play the game. The minute Kentucky made a comeback Tenn reverted to their comfort zone and when one on one and out of control many times. Panic set in and lack of discipline took over. The biggest difference is KU had Epps who did her thing and Tenn could not stop her.

Ive been saying it for years. Tenn has unbelievable talent but cant win. Hey it hasn't changed and the answer to why is coaching. Last nite when the pressure was on neither team could execute a play and Epps stepped up and that was the difference. Still neither team executed plays. No poise no chemistry no execution no nothing and that's what you got nothing. A comedy of errors that just wouldn't stop until the clock ran out. The sad thing is the announcers said the SEC will put 8 teams in the NCAA tourney. LOL you've got to be kidding. I think their are 6 teams out there that are better and they may not be in a big conference.

While talent helps, there's no doubt that attitude and teamwork (passing, screening, switching on defense, etc.) are the mojo that produces success, and both these teams, but, especially Tenn, seem lacking. Most of us simply shake our heads when we hear statements like Staley's, after the Miss St. game, when she stated about the SEC, "we're the best conference, hands down". Unfortunately, they haven't been for years. It is now the ACC, and prior to its break-up, the Big East. But, similar to Creme's seedings, they seem to be stuck in the past!

 

[CocoHusky]

You may be right, Coco. Both games did end in losses. The difference is that Tennessee's loss will likely only lead to more losses, while I believe that our loss to Stanford led in large part to NC #10. While Geno was obviously disappointed/pissed by that Stanford loss, I have long thought that he was deep down "okay" with it. Coach never wants to lose, ever. But it gave him the opportunity (pretext) to dramatically change his starting rotation and to make it clear to every player that if you cannot play the game and defend his way, then you will not start, you will sit, and you may not even play. That Stanford loss was significant in determining the lineup and the tone for the rest of what ultimately became yet another championship season. That Stanford loss was one of those moments Geno never wastes- the chance to teach an essential, motivational lesson. Message sent, message received.

Then later against Memphis, Geno sat Stewie and Morgan after only 5 minutes of play, and they never left the bench the rest of the game. Geno said he was not happy with their uninspired, "slow start," as in their previous several games. Geno seized upon the opportunity to once again send a message, loud and clear, to his stars and to the entire team. Play the UConn way, play his way, or don't play at all- no matter if you're the NPOY named Stewart or the AA named Tuck. The result? Next game's 87-62 pasting of #1 SCarolina.

Win or lose, Geno is a damn genius.

Agree completely. I have infinitely more trust in Geno to handle any adverse situation than I would Holly. I was just pointing out that the ending of both game was similar-No time outs left and having to go the length of the court to get a shot attempt off. 20 years from now when they make a 30 for 30 about this current UCONN run the Stanford loss will be the defining moments.

 

[UcMiami]

Mechelle Voepel @MechelleV
Unfortunately, Kentucky-Tennessee WBB game came down to who made the last mistake. Because both made their share. Wildcats win 64-63.

More perceptive than usual from the media. Usually it is 'what great defense' to force that last pass 50 feet into the stands, when the defender was playing off.

 

[UcMiami]

Agree completely. I have infinitely more trust in Geno to handle any adverse situation than I would Holly. I was just pointing out that the ending of both game was similar-No time outs left and having to go the length of the court to get a shot attempt off. 20 years from now when they make a 30 for 30 about this current UCONN run the Stanford loss will be the defining moments.

I have infinitely more confidence in the players to know what to do in any adverse situation with or without Geno, because they have worked through it themselves practice after practice.

 

[msf22b]

Looking for a way to describe De Shields antics on National TV last night (in addition to her myriad turnovers), I harkened back to one of my favorite Christmas songs for some unsolicited advice for her.

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

 

[CocoHusky]

Even-thought they are ahead at the moment, I can't see Tenseness winning... they are shooting way above their usually percentages.... they're going to stop making shots at some point.

Good call.

 

[CocoHusky]

Looking for a way to describe De Shields childish, despicable antics on National TV last night (in addition to her myriad turnovers), I harkened back to one of my favorite Christmas songs for some unsolicited advice for her.

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

What "[mod edit for inappropriate comment by OP]" are you talking about?
She played poorly, she often plays poorly, why not stick to that?

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

The "talking suits" love the SEC and brag of the 7 or 8 teams in the TOP 25 Poll!
Truth is the SEC brand of BB is sloppiness and scores in the 50's!
It's not because of shut down D, it's because they can't score inside or outside!
I'm not impressed with the SEC style of play!
To me the BIG 12 is better than the SEC!

 

[HuskyNan]

What "[mod edit for inappropriate comment by OP]" are you talking about?
She played poorly, she often plays poorly, why not stick to that?

The poster has a history of similar comments about DD. The young woman may be a Tennessee player, but we do not trash players of other teams any more than we trash UConn players. Discussing/criticising someone's play is fine, calling her names is not.

(not talking to you, Coco, it's a general statement)