Sunday Games 01/12

[mrmojack]

Harrison got her 4th foul + a tech to foul out with LV's leading by 4 pts.
It was all down hill after that. Big win for the 'Dors program.

 

[HuskyNan]

KY has beaten Louisville and was within 10 of Duke.

I'm not sure what the win over Louisville means. The Cards were up only 2 to a mediocre USF team in the second half today and did not look good for the stretch of game I watched.

 

[sarals24]

This was very typical Simmons game for UTenn, and they still could have been in the running to win this game except that she got 1 FTA, which she missed. Shooting less than 40% for the game was not good, but you can't blame this one one on Meighan who led the team with 19 points. Massengale was the disaster, and she's usually pretty good.

She scores, but it takes a lot of shots to get there. The last five minutes of the game she made bad decision after bad decision. I'm certainly not blaming the loss on her, but as a senior (and 2013 SEC Player of the Year) I would hope Tennessee fans expect a little more.

 

[DobbsRover2]

1.25

Lady Vols probably win this game if Izzy Harrison doesn't foul out. She only played approx 10 minutes and this year she's been their best player. As the announcer said, didn't understand why Lady Vols don't use their superior size more.

1.25 points per minute sounds pretty good. But Harrison also had 5 PFs and 4 TOs in 10 minutes, which is less stellar. With those stats, if she continues in the game, UTenn loses by 30.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Woot! Woot!

Always nice to see the Lady Vols go down!!!

Go Vandy!!

 

[DobbsRover2]

She scores, but it takes a lot of shots to get there. The last five minutes of the game she made bad decision after bad decision. I'm certainly not blaming the loss on her, but as a senior (and 2013 SEC Player of the Year) I would hope Tennessee fans expect a little more.

Definitely, and certainly not supporting Simmons, whose stats weren't great. But UTenn has won many games this year on her worse stats. This one is on her teammates.

 

[HuskyNan]

I hope we don't resort to name calling like Other Boards.

 

[alexrgct]

Beating Louisville was ok for UK, but that game was a pillow fight in glorified form. As for coming within single digits of Duke, I don't give credit for moral victories. UK isn't a legit top 10 team to me , though they're probably better than Tennessee.

 

[pap49cba]

I can't wait to see the Lady Vol''s YouTubber (Margo???) let loose....

 

[Tonyc]

I watched the entire game. If Tenn learned to play with the poise and discipline of Vandy they would be a top 5 team. I watched the game and Tenn could not execute. Was out of control on to many plays. Got into foul trouble a little early and yes they were fouls. It was compounding mistakes after mistakes after mistakes. Russell start and didn't play in the second half. Harrison fouled out on a foul and a T. It was a lot of one on one play and when they got stuck they threw up a lot of out of control shots. A complete mess. With all that talent they lose by 11. What doomed Tenn. 19 turnovers and poor foul shooting especially on the front end of one and ones. They're out of the top 10 and still have to face ND. As of right now the only way Tenn makes the FF is if some UConn fan buys them tickets.

Tenn fans raved about Russell where was she in the second half. Graves is a great player she's not starting and proved it on team USA. Any team with good shooting guards has a very good chance of beating Tenn. Its almost always been that way. I watched Vandy take it to the hole one on one a bunch of times and no weak side help. Vandys guards controlled the game.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Louisville - Shoni Shimmel

Except when you've helped taken your team to an NC appearance, you have to recognize that she has some decently talented teammates around her, and maybe a sister to help out. Still don't get the Louisville sneers. Let it play out.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Beating Louisville was ok for UK, but that game was a pillow fight in glorified form. As for coming within single digits of Duke, I don't give credit for moral victories. UK isn't a legit top 10 team to me , though they're probably better than Tennessee.

I think there are only about 5-6 legit top 10 teams. The others get it by default. I'm most impressed with ND, Duke, Stanford, Baylor, and Maryland, but no one else, other than us.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Beating Louisville was ok for UK, but that game was a pillow fight in glorified form. As for coming within single digits of Duke, I don't give credit for moral victories. UK isn't a legit top 10 team to me , though they're probably better than Tennessee.

Yeah, yeah, we know. Keep flinging your usual Cards crap. Tell me Alex, how many of your "any good" teams have beaten 2 top ten teams? Who are you going to prop up up ahead of Louisville? Are you going to laud Baylor, or MD, even Duke, Stanford, or ND. The standard test of whether you are a good team is whether you can beat the top 10 teams. Louisville has done that, whether you want to pooh-pooh it. Sounds to me like both Louisville and KY are up there, because even if you win "pillow fights" against L-ville and Baylor, point is, you won them. Today, for instance UTenn did not.

 

[Phil]

Time to seriously reconsider the #8 ranking for Tenn. They beat a ranked team early in the year (UNC) but what other signature win do they have? Their fans will try to argue they beat a ranked Georgia team, but we've seen today what a joke they are.

I get that they should be ranked, with a single win over a team that will still be ranked on Monday, (although not every team that has a win over a ranked team is ranked) but why are they in single digits, instead of the 20's?

 

[Phil]

TN had nine assists on 27 made baskets.

UConn averages 21 assists a game. Our opponents (some of whom are dreadful) average 9.4 assists per game.

 

[pap49cba]

Time to seriously reconsider the #8 ranking for Tenn. They beat a ranked team early in the year (UNC) but what other signature win do they have? Their fans will try to argue they beat a ranked Georgia team, but we've seen today what a joke they are.

I get that they should be ranked, with a single win over a team that will still be ranked on Monday, (although not every team that has a win over a ranked team is ranked) but why are they in single digits, instead of the 20's?

Simple.... Because they are Tennessee.

 

[sarals24]

I get way too much pleasure out of watching them lose.

I do like Graves, though. Loved her last summer for USA basketball. Shame that she plays on a team that can't get her the ball.

 

[Tonyc]

Time to seriously reconsider the #8 ranking for Tenn. They beat a ranked team early in the year (UNC) but what other signature win do they have? Their fans will try to argue they beat a ranked Georgia team, but we've seen today what a joke they are.

I get that they should be ranked, with a single win over a team that will still be ranked on Monday, (although not every team that has a win over a ranked team is ranked) but why are they in single digits, instead of the 20's?

Phil very good point. Today Vandy unranked should've lost to Tenn by 20. Tenn lost by 11. That's a 31 pt difference. The Tenn fans can cry and blame everybody they want. Tenn is not a team. They are an assemblage of very talented players who play one on one basketball and have no idea how to play team basketball. They don't know how to play defense and don't know how to execute on offense.

All good teams have games where they don't play well and can still pull it out. Tenn has a lot of poor games and can't pull them out. In close games if the opponent doesn't choke Tenn in most cases will lose. When you look at how Temple played and Cinn played with less talent against UConn and you see the way their coached then you look at Tenn LSU and Tenn Vandy and you think to yourself...what are they doing. Tenn can not be fixed this late in the season. No one player is going to pull them out and make them a top 5 team. They have the athletes, they don't have the mind set, composure, or attitude to win.

Expectations were high in Tenn this season. Graves was on Team USA, Russell committed and Burdick made the comment they had the best front court in WCBB. For what ever reasons none of this has panned out.

 

[Geno-ista]

TAMU always gets better as the season progresses. I never count out Gary Blair.

That is the absolute truth- He is one of the best in women's basketball IMO----and he has a lot of raw young talent!

 

[choochoo]

Where oh where is ETT? Who are his 4 one seeds now?

 

[UcMiami]

Dobbs - I didn't think listing Louisville/Shimmel in that list was a 'sneer', some of those teams are really good but they depend on a single player for a larger portion of their success. That said, I am not sure I would include Louisville because the rest of the cast is pretty good. I also considered Thomas and MD but didn't include for the same reason. The whole issue I was bringing up, is that I think it is an odd year with some prominent teams depending so heavily on single players.

On the TN loss - yes I do enjoy that - though that rivalry has always been tough. Simmons 8/21 and Ariel 1/9 = 9/30 - the rest of the team was 18/33. TN has always been offensively challenged with lots of one on one and the scream of REBOUND. I don't remember the last time they had an inside out offensive plan and they have always relied on their bigs as rebound and put back scorers and not as part of their offensive sets. When they have had intelligent guards with initiative and who are not selfish, those guards have tried to involve the bigs seemingly on their own. Even their last star Parker had to come out to the perimeter to get the ball as she would not get an entry pass if she tried to post up in most cases. I just have not seen Holly or Pat before her run serious offense with ball movement into and out of the post. With Simmons everything seems to have gotten worse, and I am not sure if Ariel is disciplined enough herself to improve with her gone. She is certainly playing better this year (as in shooting better) but I am just not sure she doesn't want to be the next gun slinger when Simmons leaves.

On Graves - I agree with those that praise her play this summer - I was very impressed with her game and I feel sorry for her playing in current TN situation as I don't think she sees the ball unless she collects it off the boards. I do believe she has been dealing with some sort of injury this year, but she should be the best player on that roster.

Here's a question - does Simmons get drafted, and if so where and to what team.

On Edit: Who would have thought TN, KY, and Missouri would all be tied for 6th place in the SEC after 4 games!

 

[EricLA]

This is probably the only time the Vols play in Nashville this season

Best post of the month! Love it!

 

[Fightin Choke]

ND wins 79-72. We'll hear this game is about the strength of the ACC, but Virginia's 8 losses include Tulane and, most recently, Pitt.

Who would post that? I read the BY fairly frequently and don't see many apologists for the Irish here. Besides, there's no putting lipstick on this pig. That was a bad game for Notre Dame. The game against Clemson was also bad, as was the game against Oregon St. I have faith that Muffet and company will make improvements. That said, this was the first game of the year where Notre Dame only won by single digits, so the Irish have been pretty consistently good this year.

 

[Suebird10fan]

Just thinking - there seem to be more top teams that are one trick wonders this year than usual -
Stanford - CO
PSU - Lucas
Baylor - Sims
Are there others?

Was thinking the same thing today

 

[UConnCat]

Who would post that? I read the BY fairly frequently and don't see many apologists for the Irish here. Besides, there's no putting lipstick on this pig. That was a bad game for Notre Dame. The game against Clemson was also bad, as was the game against Oregon St. I have faith that Muffet and company will make improvements. That said, this was the first game of the year where Notre Dame only won by single digits, so the Irish have been pretty consistently good this year.

I wasn't talking about posters on this board; I was talking about Muffet. She didn't disappoint: "Welcome to the ACC," McGraw quipped after her team's first victory by single digits this year.