South Carolina @ Tennessee - 2/25/18

[stwainfan]

She also goes from being a role player to being a go-to leader. Big differense. I remember Byorkland as a great freshman role player who never was able to be the leader. Same with Simmons and Massengale. Nared and Russell are about 2/3's of Tenn's offense and defense in the sense that everything revolves around those two. tenn loses a lot more than their numbers next year and I hope no one thinks that freshmen are going to come close to replacing what they contributed.

Well she is very talented. Also she will be better next year. Also has a good class coming in.

 

[choochoo]

terrible basketball.

That was some seriously ugly basketball.

 

[HuskyNan]

Well she is very talented. Also she will be better next year. Also has a good class coming in.

Ah, the LV fan theme song. I hear it every year.

 

[choochoo]

Can't take my eyes off this game, like watching a train wreck.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[stwainfan]

Ah, the LV fan theme song. I hear it every year.

A couple of years ago. Harris was the only freshman. It was Tennessee can't recruit. I would say its picked up the last two years.

 

[Plebe]

I sure am glad Rennia Davis is not a senior

But then one remembers the fact that Holly is her coach.

Knoxville: where talent goes to languish.

 

[sharris952]

I just don't see who is going to step up and be a star. To be at the elite level (top 10 teams in the country) you need multiple stars or one transcendent player and some good role players. Who will be the stars going forward for SCar? Ty Harris? Te'a Cooper?

South Carolina 's back court will be more talented and potent next year. They bring back two McDonalds All Americans in Cooper and Cuevas who both can score of the bounce and also pick up Destiny Henderson who has the ability to score, make plays and provide a much more talented backup for Harris. Jackson has been very good most of the time this year, so they will most likely more resemble the tiffany Mitchell, Lakeisha Sutton years than the front court dominated years of recent pass. They will have enough talent with increased experience to continue to be one of the top 10 teams in the country. They will just be more balanced. Games like this occur because of the imbalance of the team's reliance on Aja in regular games. They will move forward.

 

[Plebe]

Gee, at the end of the game, the Coaches look like they actually like each other.

I don't know why but Dawn seems to go out of her way to play kissy-face with Tennessee. I remember she tweeted out some SEC rah-rah when Tennessee beat Texas earlier in the year. It's really weird.

 

[oldude]

Something to consider relative to Wilson is the severity of her vertigo issues. Had a bout of vertigo myself a few years ago. For me, as well as most sufferers, it lasts a day or so, and that’s the end of it. But for some people, vertigo episodes can last anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks. Some may remember pro golfer Jason Day battling vertigo issues for several months a couple years back.

If Wilson’s vertigo problem persists, SC’s run in both the SEC tournament as well as the Big Dance could end very early.

 

[stwainfan]

Tennessee will play Auburn in SECT.

 

[DefenseBB]

Tennessee will play Auburn in SECT.

...and then South Carolina WITH Wilson....

 

[Plebe]

...and then South Carolina WITH Wilson....

Are you sure about that? Maybe she'll have another bizarre one-game injury.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I can't figure out the SEC. Tennessee whipped South Carolina, Texas A&M thumped Missouri. Mississippi St. is clearly the best team, after that throw the next 5 or 6 teams in a blender and see what comes out.

 

[DefenseBB]

Are you sure about that? Maybe she'll have another bizarre one-game injury.

Fair point but short of an amputation, I think A’ja will not let anything deter her from playing in this tournament, even if she has to drive to Nashville!

 

[Plebe]

I can't figure out the SEC. Tennessee whipped South Carolina, Texas A&M thumped Missouri. Mississippi St. is clearly the best team, after that throw the next 5 or 6 teams in a blender and see what comes out.

Tennessee never played against A'ja Wilson. SC is clearly the second-best team with A'ja playing. Without her they wouldn't even make the NCAA tournament.

 

[stwainfan]

But then one remembers the fact that Holly is her coach.

Knoxville: where talent goes to languish.

Russell is one of only six players Tennessee. To have 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Tennessee never played against A'ja Wilson. SC is clearly the second-best team with A'ja playing. Without her they wouldn't even make the NCAA tournament.

Okay, I saw something about vertigo. Underscores how valuable Wilson is to her team.

 

[Plebe]

Russell is one of only six players Tennessee. To have 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds.

Meh. Stats like this are nearly meaningless. She is 6'6" and she was the #1 ranked player coming out of high school. How many other 6'6" #1 recruits at Tennessee got as much playing time as she did? I'm looking at it more from a player development perspective.

 

[Rixxx]

I agree Plebe. With her pedigree and size, MR should have scored 2500 by now.

 

[stwainfan]

Well she came in with bad feet. She has 1,542 points currently #19. Had she come in fully healthy I think she would have 2,000 plus.

 

[triaddukefan]

Meh. Stats like this are nearly meaningless. She is 6'6" and she was the #1 ranked player coming out of high school. How many other 6'6" #1 recruits at Tennessee got as much playing time as she did? I'm looking at it more from a player development perspective.

I dunno Plebe... but something about your posting history makes me think that you dont think too highly of that school in Knoxville

 

[DefenseBB]

Well she came in with bad feet. She has 1,542 points currently #19. Had she come in fully healthy I think she would have 2,000 plus.

No matter what defense of reasons you give, virtually everyone on this board will Firmly Believe that MR did not get coached up to her full potential while playing for Holly. Maybe Russell achieved all that she could have, I just know in watching today’s game and 4-5 others, she does not move across the lane to work answering get open, nor does she utilize her height as much on defense as she could have. That said, she’s a nice player, not a great player. She will be a first round pick because of her 6’6” size...

 

[Shades]

Meh. Stats like this are nearly meaningless. She is 6'6" and she was the #1 ranked player coming out of high school. How many other 6'6" #1 recruits at Tennessee got as much playing time as she did? I'm looking at it more from a player development perspective.

How about this one? One of only three Lady Vols to have over 40 career double doubles.

 

[j66kicker]

There is a fundamental law that dictates the preferred outcome in this and similar contests. The law is "Anybody but Tennessee".

Totally agree. I cannot root for Rocky Top no matter what the implications. No matter what.

 

[Plebe]

How about this one? One of only three Lady Vols to have over 40 career double doubles.

Another overrated stat. Again, how many 6'6" #1 recruits have played as many minutes per game as she has?