Stanford over LV

[Gate81]

To me the biggest surprise was that Maples was half full. Tennessee has had documented problems and do not appear to have the chemistry or coaching to put things together. This years Cardinal appears to be less talented than previous teams and I still think Tara gets them to Sweet 16. However, the lack of buzz around this game is an eye opener for two of the long standing programs in women's basketball. I don't think these 2 will fall like ODU or La Tech, it is apparent that Notre Dame and Baylor have surpassed them over an extended period of time and the gap is widening.

6 pm start on the West Coast is great for East Coast TV viewers but HORRIBLE for attendance.

 

[BigBird]

What a train wreck of a basketball game! So, these are ranked teams? No. These are rank teams. Bad shot selection, part-time defense, and "watch me shoot now, Mom."

Tennessee could be a big winner. In the Missouri Valley Conference. Stanford looks much weaker than a year ago.

I expected so much more from these two teams.

 

[Rocket009]

6 pm start on the West Coast is great for East Coast TV viewers but HORRIBLE for attendance.

Getting there in rush hour traffic is only for the most dedicated of fans.

 

[VAMike23]

What a train wreck of a basketball game! So, these are ranked teams? No. These are rank teams.

good one !

 

[BlueDevils]

I was very impressed with Stanford post players. Excellent iq. If Roberson starts playing at a consistent level throughout conference play ... WATCH. OUT. FOR. THIS. TEAM.

Problem with Tennessee is that they have a coach that has no idea on what she wants out of her team on offense (the irony) but unlike Duke they have some selfish guards. Tenn guards have good go to moves but you need floor spacing for those moves to flourish, which they don't.Russell is not a consistent low post presence and graves is a really good one. If I were coaching the team those two would not play together to start the game. I honestly think Holly needs to considering bringing Russell off the bench.

 

[EricLA]

God, I want UConn to play them in the tournament with Stewie, Mo and Morgan. I just feel like we deserve to see it

If they end up a 4 or 5 seed, hopefully they will be put into UCONN's bracket. Still, they'd need to make the sweet 16 in order for that to happen and I'm not sure that's possible for them at this point...

 

[HoopsFan21]

Some on the Tennessee board were complaining about the momentum or flow being broken up because of the quarters and more stoppages. I was under the impression that the quarters were better because they resulted in less stoppages? Basically every 5 minutes instead of every 4?

 

[Bonpland]

This Board's members have pretty much already said what can be said about last night's game. My reaction was not one of glee that Tennessee has fallen to this point; instead I was astonished that a team with so much given talent could appear so terribly out of sinc and seem to be playing without an offensive plan or scheme.

When we play Dayton, DePaul, and ND and win we defeat opponents who approach the game with a desire to give it their all, and it shows. Opponents contest the 50/50m balls, set screens, look for an open teammate cutting for the hoop, and try to get between us and the basket on defense.

That's just good solid coaching. Sometimes teams have the horses (ND's 7 for 9 streak against us) and sometimes they don't (almost everyone else) but by and large UCONN faces teams who want to show us their best and who most often do (even if their best has them finishing thirty points behind).

With the talent UT has and the honored tradition that they are asked to defend, last night's game was astounding not because they lost, but because they seemed unable to convince us that they care enough to try to win.

Throwing kids under the bus is sad. If a head coach accepts a paycheck (and Division I coaches are well paid, even on the women's side) then they are first and foremost responsible for the behavior of their team. If a group of highly recruited players appears unable to put up a decent fight then it's the individual looking back from the mirror in the coach's office that has some serious questions to answer.

We all know that many picked them as a Final Four team just two months ago, so presumably the raw talent is there. But before Stanford tried to give them the ball continually on turnovers in the fourth quarter, the Lady Vols had thirty points in thirty minutes. Frankly, that's hard to believe.

 

[meyers7]

Some on the Tennessee board were complaining about the momentum or flow being broken up because of the quarters and more stoppages. I was under the impression that the quarters were better because they resulted in less stoppages? Basically every 5 minutes instead of every 4?

That's the idea.

 

[toadfoot]

If they end up a 4 or 5 seed, hopefully they will be put into UCONN's bracket. Still, they'd need to make the sweet 16 in order for that to happen and I'm not sure that's possible for them at this point...

Given the way Tennessee has played thus far it seems fair say that the odds of them getting a 4 or 5 seed are no better than the odds that they won't even make it into the NCAA. I think it much more likely that they get in as a 10 or 11 if at all unless they do an incredible about face. This is hands down the least talented Tennessee team that I've seen since I started following WCBB in the early 90's.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Holly as quoted by ESPN


"Look, I think we are a very talented basketball team. .... DEMENTED
"

They are talented athletes - just not skilled, as a team or individuals.

 

[EricLA]

Given the way Tennessee has played thus far it seems fair say that the odds of them getting a 4 or 5 seed are no better than the odds that they won't even make it into the NCAA. I think it much more likely that they get in as a 10 or 11 if at all unless they do an incredible about face. This is hands down the least talented Tennessee team that I've seen since I started following WCBB in the early 90's.

Fair enough. If you go by the rankings, as it were, at this time, it's likely they would lose to Oregon State, SC, ND, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and possibly aTm. With 3 losses already, that could be as many as 9 and if they don't win the SEC, 10 losses going into the NCAA's. they'd probably be ranked outside the top 25 and I agree that would put them as an 8-10 seed. As an 8 seed, in a UCONN bracket, we'd play them in the 2nd round. I guess if not a 4-5 seed, I'd hope they'd get an 8-9 seed...

 

[Farney]

Maybe I'm crazy but I thought Diamond looked a bit slower than she was at UNC. She didn't seem to be moving so fast she was hard to stay in front of. Could still be recovering but I wasn't that thrilled with her speed. If she's lost a step she's nowhere near the player she was.

 

[Nuyoika]

I was very impressed with Stanford post players. Excellent iq. If Roberson starts playing at a consistent level throughout conference play ... WATCH. OUT. FOR. THIS. TEAM.

Problem with Tennessee is that they have a coach that has no idea on what she wants out of her team on offense (the irony) but unlike Duke they have some selfish guards. Tenn guards have good go to moves but you need floor spacing for those moves to flourish, which they don't.Russell is not a consistent low post presence and graves is a really good one. If I were coaching the team those two would not play together to start the game. I honestly think Holly needs to considering bringing Russell off the bench.

WE HAVE A WINNER LADIES AND GENTS!

 

[WestCoastFan]

"Talent" and "potential" are the most overused terms in sports...probably life as well. Don't mean a doggone thing unless realized. Don't see many good "basketball players" on Tenn. Pretty low BB IQ. Common throughout these posts...TU got no coachin'.

 

[donalddoowop]

Fair enough. If you go by the rankings, as it were, at this time, it's likely they would lose to Oregon State, SC, ND, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and possibly aTm. With 3 losses already, that could be as many as 9 and if they don't win the SEC, 10 losses going into the NCAA's. they'd probably be ranked outside the top 25 and I agree that would put them as an 8-10 seed. As an 8 seed, in a UCONN bracket, we'd play them in the 2nd round. I guess if not a 4-5 seed, I'd hope they'd get an 8-9 seed...

They are going to lose to Missouri, at least once. The Tennessee team of two years ago was better than this one and they lost to a Missouri team a lot less talented than the present one.

 

[EricLA]

They are going to lose to Missouri, at least once. The Tennessee team of two years ago was better than this one and they lost to a Missouri team a lot less talented than the present one.

You maybe right, but at 10-0, Mizzou may have one of the easiest schedules so far this year - their toughest game being possibly against Wake (Sagarin has Missouri with a SOS of 218 - pretty wretched for a team in the SEC)...

Wake by the way lost to Mizzou, Wisconsin and Belmont. Mizzou's recent win was over a Colorado team that's now 4-5, and they won by 4 points. The first ranked team they face will be Tennessee (if they are still ranked) in early January. They could have a great record, but still be an average team...

 

[EricLA]

Side note - Sagarin has Tennessee at #46 just behind Louisville, Duquesne, James Madison, Vandy and Gonzaga. SOS for them is 51. But after Oregon State, Tenn has a bit of a cream puff schedule with Stetson, Mizzou, Florida, Auburn and Arkansas before facing ND. Florida lost to (of all teams) Temple before taking out FSU. Mizzou has played no one. Arkansas was picked last in the SEC and Auburn has losses to UVA and Marquette. No idea how Tenn will fare in those games before ND but I'd love to see them lose to at least one of Florida/Mizzou (with hopefully a loss to Oregon State to help the first half of the season free fall to be complete)...

 

[cabbie191]

I thought that when TN cut the lead to seven, they had a great chance to make it a close game to the end. Stanford looked dazed and I was surprised Tara did not call a couple of timeouts to settle them down.

But in the context of the overall game, was the TN spurt more reflective of their playing up to their potential for five minutes (gracious, even Warlick's demeanor improved) or did Stanford slip into a temporary come?

 

[LadyVols9]

i have voiced my displeasure over and over with the current LV team. however, i will add that they have been seriously beat up with injuries from day 1. not easy to build chemistry when everyone is hurt and can't practice.

but, for purposes of keeping good karma, if i were a UCONN fan i wouldn't pour it on so hard. when Geno leaves, everything will change on that DAY. there will be NO ONE to take over and do what he is doing. period. both geno and pat are just too big to duplicate. that's the reality. just enjoy him while you can and celebrate the big victories. that's my take on it.

 

[WestCoastFan]

i have voiced my displeasure over and over with the current LV team. however, i will add that they have been seriously beat up with injuries from day 1. not easy to build chemistry when everyone is hurt and can't practice.

but, for purposes of keeping good karma, if i were a UCONN fan i wouldn't pour it on so hard. when Geno leaves, everything will change on that DAY. there will be NO ONE to take over and do what he is doing. period. both geno and pat are just too big to duplicate. that's the reality. just enjoy him while you can and celebrate the big victories. that's my take on it.

Until then...have at it, boys and girls!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Watched the replay last night. Ouch! Really hard to watch some of that (both teams). I spent a good deal of time watching DD when she was on the floor and I simply don't see any signs she's injured. What I see is a player who's only interested in playing when she has the ball.
Warlick's postgame presser was hilarious. She's either absolutely clueless or in deep denial (or both). If Tennessee doesn't improve over the course of the season, and I see no signs that will happen, they have a legitimate chance to be on the outs come NCAA tournament time. They could easily be 18-11 or even 17-12 and in 7th or 8th place in the SEC heading into the SEC tournament. An early exit there, which could happen, would probably send them to the WNIT.

Could not agree more. I, too, spent time following the Diamond on the court and she is totally baffling in her movement and what is on her horizon.

 

[UcMiami]

Eric - it is still early to rely too heavily on rankings, but Massey has TN at #8 in the SEC and Sagarin as #9 just behind Vandy. While their talent is light years ahead of most of the SEC they are ranked behind, their coaching is the reverse. If they do not improve significantly, they will really struggle against any moderate team that can score, doesn't get destroyed on the boards, and doesn't give up 25+ turnovers. In their last eight games they have scored:
57 against Syracuse in a 2 point win
63 against Albany in an 8 point win
53 against TX in an 11 point loss
85 against ETSU in a 36 point win
43 against VT in a 14 point loss
58 against Wichita in a 7 point win
55 against Stanford in a 14 point loss
The first six of those are on their home court and the only team they were able to distance themselves from in a positive way is a pretty dreadful ETSU that Massey ranks as #220. They lost to #62 VaTech, and struggled against #162 Wichita St, #74 Albany, and #45 Syracuse

 

[RockyMTblue2]

i have voiced my displeasure over and over with the current LV team. however, i will add that they have been seriously beat up with injuries from day 1. not easy to build chemistry when everyone is hurt and can't practice.

but, for purposes of keeping good karma, if i were a UCONN fan i wouldn't pour it on so hard. when Geno leaves, everything will change on that DAY. there will be NO ONE to take over and do what he is doing. period. both geno and pat are just too big to duplicate. that's the reality. just enjoy him while you can and celebrate the big victories. that's my take on it.

On the building of chemistry - lots of it happens off the court - and this has been a nagging problem for Tenn for some years now. Holly's lament about that at thee presser - like they need more time - was pathetic. No, Holly, you put a team together that refuses to be a team. The only thing they are good at, for a quarter a game, is man on man pressing defense, because that requires not cooperation or thought.

 

[toadfoot]

i have voiced my displeasure over and over with the current LV team. however, i will add that they have been seriously beat up with injuries from day 1. not easy to build chemistry when everyone is hurt and can't practice.

but, for purposes of keeping good karma, if i were a UCONN fan i wouldn't pour it on so hard. when Geno leaves, everything will change on that DAY. there will be NO ONE to take over and do what he is doing. period. both geno and pat are just too big to duplicate. that's the reality. just enjoy him while you can and celebrate the big victories. that's my take on it.

It's undeniable that Conn's run will end eventually, but there's a huge difference between the programs. UConn, at least since Geno arrived and I started following WCBB, has never ever filed frivolous, unfounded and absurd recruiting allegations against another institution. In my mind Tennessee's demise is well deserved. UConn's eventual demise will be a sad day, but not because they deserve it.