Tenn - Pn St

[Vowelguy]

Teniya Page is en fuego for Nittanies
Tenn outscored PSU in Q3 20-11 to cut lead, but Lions have pushed it back to 50-42.
DeShields and Mercedes not doing much. Nared leading Vols.

 

[Vowelguy]

Page with 22 and Nittanies start off Q4 by 13-2. Lead 57-42 with 6 to go.

 

[Vowelguy]

DeShields and Mercedes not doing much. Nared leading Vols.

DD & MR 6-24 for 15 pts

 

[Vowelguy]

Russell has been more assertive and scoring easily. She's up to 17 pts and gap is 9 with 3 to go.

 

[Vowelguy]

Page with 29 and Penn St wins 70-56

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Down go the Lady Vols

 

[Plebe]

Final score: Penn St 70, Tenn 56

It was almost seeming eerily quiet without the noise of the hysterical Tennessee fans freaking out and screaming for Holly to be fired. Let the good times recommence.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Read a tweet that suggested Diamond was getting taped up - any news on her health?

 

[Vowelguy]

Read a tweet that suggested Diamond was getting taped up - any news on her health?

Only caught Q4 and no indication (that I saw) of an injury. She played the whole quarter I believe.

 

[Mdoggie]

Does Tennessee need new direction? They have talent and more coming in. Sometimes change is good. Thoughts?

 

[EricLA]

I had to laugh at the Tenn fans reaction to the win over James Madison - JMU lost their top 3 scorers from last season much like UCONN. And yet it was a 1 point game entering the 4th quarter. That win was not a "solid" victory. It was a portent of problems ahead. Same old same old for Tennessee.

Desperate spastic defense when they got down big, but PSU kept their poise thru most of the 4th quarter. Impressed with no one on Tenn except Russell, who seemed to be able to score at will. Tenn fans may feel they have more talent than most teams, but their offense is so stagnant most of the time that it puts them in positions to lose games rather than win them. So happy to see them lose. An early Christmas present for sure!

 

[Checkmate]

Does Tennessee need new direction? They have talent and more coming in. Sometimes change is good. Thoughts?

I expect Tennessee to struggle this year. They lack shooters. And the "talent" is very overrated. DD keeps both teams in the game. Russell is very average.

They look lost trying to attack a 2-1-2 zone. It could be time for a new coach.

 

[CocoHusky]

Does Tennessee need new direction? They have talent and more coming in. Sometimes change is good. Thoughts?

New direction?

 

[formerlurker]

Does Tennessee need new direction? They have talent and more coming in. Sometimes change is good. Thoughts?

I enjoy the Southernly direction they've been heading. Stay the course, Vols.

 

[Vowelguy]

Vols stubborn adherence to a big front line has meant starting Winthrop grad transfer Shaquilla Nunn. I was skeptical that a player from a low-major could have an impact. She played 7 mins today even though she started. (Averaged 11 mins so far.)

Vols only dressing 9, and that includes Nunn and the non-top 100 frosh Harris.

 

[HuskyNan]

I expect Tennessee to struggle this year. They lack shooters. And the "talent" is very overrated. DD keeps both teams in the game. Russell is very average.

They look lost trying to attack a 2-1-2 zone. It could be time for a new coach.

Russell is very talented but she's lost in a system, such as it is, that has no offense but depends on players to make individual plays by creating their own offense. It's hard for a post to be effective when she doesn't have the ball.

 

[Mdoggie]

Just read the game thread on Volnation. The natives are restless! They ain't happy!

 

[Checkmate]

Russell is very talented but she's lost in a system, such as it is, that has no offense but depends on players to make individual plays by creating their own offense. It's hard for a post to be effective when she doesn't have the ball.

Russell had 15 shots, and made 7. Granted the offense is haphazard, however she could have posted up strong and made 9+ shots. PSU had no inside offense or defense. She should have been dominate in the paint.

 

[EricLA]

Russell had 15 shots, and made 7. Granted the offense is haphazard, however she could have posted up strong and had 20+ shots. PSU had no inside offense or defense. She should have been dominate in the paint.

On the surface, that seems fair. However, Baylor is much larger than UCONN and we limited the damage they did in the post...

The problem for Russell is that Tennessee does not teach team offense designed to get the best shot for the open player, nor do they teach offense that includes involving their post players. They never have. Post players succeed there only if they are tenacious on the O-boards and score with put-backs.

 

[HuskyNan]

Russell had 15 shots, and made 7. Granted the offense is haphazard, however she could have posted up strong and had 20+ shots. PSU had no inside offense or defense. She should have been dominate in the paint.

I didn't see this game but in the past the guards didn't look for her.

Russell was the #1 rated player coming out of high school. The talent was there but she was never coached up to the next level. It's not an automatic thing - think how Tina looked until she'd had a couple of years of CD and Geno's coaching, and this was in a superior offensive system.

 

[Vowelguy]

Just read the game thread on Volnation. The natives are restless! They ain't happy!

It is amusing to see derisive references to "that guy up north." Not clear if they're talking about Geno or Lincoln.

 

[JoePgh]

It is really hard for me to understand the thought process of the three Top 15 recruits who have just committed to Tennessee. One of the three is from the state, so that one is somewhat understandable. But two other players came to Knoxville from Florida and Oregon respectively -- why?

Surely they have some idea of how offensively challenged Holly's teams have been. Today's game is NOT an anomaly, and they can certainly expect to play in many similar games starting next year. That is likely to cause them to be undervalued when the WNBA draft rolls around.

For those two players, going to Tennessee just seems like an irrational decision. Why wouldn't the Oregon player choose to play for a really good coach like Scott Rueck?

 

[SCspur]

Does Tennessee need new direction? They have talent and more coming in. Sometimes change is good. Thoughts?

IDC if Tenn gets #1 classes every year they are not going to be a good team until they get a new COACHING STAFF! The fans on Vol Nation are jumping and Cheering because they have the #1 class but I expect them to be just as bad next year. I truly feel sorry for great recruits like Westbrook, Davis, and Hayes because they just signed their LOI to FAIL!!

 

[Mdoggie]

IDC if Tenn gets #1 classes every year they are not going to be a good team until they get a new COACHING STAFF! The fans on Vol Nation are jumping and Cheering because they have the #1 class but I expect them to be just as bad next year. I truly feel sorry for great recruits like Westbrook, Davis, and Hayes because they just signed their LOI to FAIL!!

Hold back why don't ya

 

[Geew1992]

Just read the game thread on Volnation. The natives are restless! They ain't happy!

Before this loss, they believed Tenn could beat Uconn