Tenn Putting Westbrook Behind Them

[RockyMTblue2]

Less than classey title :
Evina Westbrook is reminder Lady Vols often fall short of UConn at point guard




The freshman messiah complex is alive and well in Tenn WCBB. Now it's Horston.

"But don’t assume Westbrook’s departure will exacerbate the problem. In fact, Tennessee could be better off at the position if star recruit Jordan Horston makes a smooth transition from high school to college.

Horston, who was the MVP of the McDonald’s All-American game, might not match Westbrook’s 14.9-point scoring average in 2018-19, but she was a spectacular passer in high school. She has the potential to make everyone else on the team better. As talented as Westbrook is, she didn’t consistently elevate the play of her teammates at UT."

Evina Westbrook is reminder Lady Vols often fall short of UConn at point guard


Be interesting to see how Evina does on a team that actally knows what it is doing out there on the court.

 

[Alibi Ike]

Horston may very well be a better overall player than Westbrook.

 

[CBear01]

"But unless Horston excels right away, UConn’s biggest advantage against Tennessee next season could be at point guard. Nothing new about that."

It's ok...the author summarizes everything in his last line...

 

[EricLA]

Betty Bitterman... party of 1...

Side note - UCONN will be better at pretty much every position except for forward - Rennia Davis. I mean come on - who does Tennessee have that can match up with Dangerfield, Williams, and Westbrook (who won't play PG probably EVER at UCONN)? ONO will hold her own against their center. But if Walker matches up against Davis, that might be the only spot Tenn has an advantage...

 

[oldude]

Betty Bitterman... party of 1...

Side note - UCONN will be better at pretty much every position except for forward - Rennia Davis. I mean come on - who does Tennessee have that can match up with Dangerfield, Williams, and Westbrook (who won't play PG probably EVER at UCONN)? ONO will hold her own against their center. But if Walker matches up against Davis, that might be the only spot Tenn has an advantage...

IMO, Walker is every bit as talented as Davis, and unlike Davis, Walker plays hard the whole game.

Also, a couple thousand posts on VolNation, many of which are bitter and angry diatribes directed at Evina as well as UConn leads me to believe that some LV fans will never put this latest “slight” behind them.

 

[oldude]

Horston may very well be a better overall player than Westbrook.

Horston is a great athlete. But she’s not a particularly great shooter and if she’s thrown into the fire as TN’s pg as a freshman, it’s going to be one tough learning curve.

 

[j66kicker]

IMO, Walker is every bit as talented as Davis, and unlike Davis, Walker plays hard the whole game.

Also, a couple thousand posts on VolNation, many of which are bitter and angry diatribes directed at Evina as well as UConn leads me to believe that some LV fans will never put this latest “slight” behind them.

I don't really blame them. Evina "did it on purpose" to spite them, you know...

 

[oldude]

I don't really blame them. Evina "did it on purpose" to spite them, you know...

I know you’re being facetious, but it’s absolutely true that a number of LV fans believe the only reason that Evina is at UConn is to spite them.

It never occurred to these folks that a young lady desperate to be coached, might actually seek out the best coaching staff in the history of WBB, with a very good opportunity to be part of a championship team.

 

[Triad]

Horston may very well be a better overall player than Westbrook.

There is ALWAYS some one better in some regard. One upmanship does not take into account all the factors. Whether Westbrook is better at this point, it matters not one iota. What matter is what they (either of them) are like in Dec January. I suspect by then Geno will get her to play the game she can--or she may find pine needles in her--well, you know.

 

[j66kicker]

I know you’re being facetious, but it’s absolutely true that a number of LV fans believe the only reason that Evina is at UConn is to spite them.

It never occurred to these folks that a young lady desperate to be coached, might actually seek out the best coaching staff in the history of WBB, with a very good opportunity to be part of a championship team.

I know. "She did it on purpose" is an exact quote from one (or more) of them.

Actually I do see how they would take it personally. UConn is their "hated rival" in the truest sense of the word. Can you imagine the reaction here if our starting point guard and best player left after her sophomore year and transferred to TN? OMG

 

[Triad]

I know you’re being facetious, but it’s absolutely true that a number of LV fans believe the only reason that Evina is at UConn is to spite them.

It never occurred to these folks that a young lady desperate to be coached, might actually seek out the best coaching staff in the history of WBB, with a very good opportunity to be part of a championship team.

Kids leave for all reasons and the worst reasons a usually kept to their inner circle. She could just hold some anger about what transpired on that team. It doesn't matter she now is a UConn kid.

 

[DEpup]

Whatever they need to tell themselves to get through the day.....

 

[Triad]

IMO, Walker is every bit as talented as Davis, and unlike Davis, Walker plays hard the whole game.

Also, a couple thousand posts on VolNation, many of which are bitter and angry diatribes directed at Evina as well as UConn leads me to believe that some LV fans will never put this latest “slight” behind them.

Walker is a UConn by that and that alone, we must consider her better. She after all has been coached 2 plus years by GENO not Holly--nuf sed.

 

[Triad]

Horston may very well be a better overall player than Westbrook.

Tenn prior to Holly had some excellent teams, competitive teams with top level talent--they were really good. No disrespect to those teams but the time for Tenn is now and they must prove against UConn whether they are again in that mode. Geno has exceeded his Peter principle with all the new guys on this team.

 

[meyers7]

Horston may very well be a better overall player than Westbrook.

Possibly, but not next year.

Well that is if Westbrook gets a waiver.

 

[meyers7]

Horston is a great athlete. But she’s not a particularly great shooter and if she’s thrown into the fire as TN’s pg as a freshman, it’s going to be one tough learning curve.

Well at least she probably doesn't have an offense to learn.

 

[soxfan23]

I would like nothing more than for Westbrook to drop 20+ on Tennessee in a 30+ point win for UConn!

 

[meyers7]

I know you’re being facetious, but it’s absolutely true that a number of LV fans believe the only reason that Evina is at UConn is to spite them.

It never occurred to these folks that a young lady desperate to be coached, might actually seek out the best coaching staff in the history of WBB, with a very good opportunity to be part of a championship team.

And at a place where her good friend is.

 

[Carnac]

"But unless Horston excels right away, UConn’s biggest advantage against Tennessee next season could be at point guard. Nothing new about that."

It's ok...the author summarizes everything in his last line...

Do they have a Choice? Westbrook is gone. Are they looking forward or backward? She was there 2 years, it didn’t work, move on.

 

[oldude]

Do they have a Choice? Westbrook is gone. Are they looking forward or backward? She was there 2 years, it didn’t work, move on.

The 5 stages of grief are:

1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

LV fans are experiencing all of the stages with the exception of #5.

 

[Alydar]

Horston may very well be a better overall player than Westbrook.

Possibly, but a winning program needs multiple great players. Those LV fans are just scrambling for something to positive to say.

Tenn fans have substituted whining for winning.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I remember when they were better off without DeShields. Probably happens every time somebody departs. Maybe they'll be correct eventually?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Maybe Michelle Voepel can write an article explaining how Carolina settled for Banghart and Tennessee went all out and got the originator of the motion and stuff it in the middle offense? I do wish Harper good luck, but I wish she had the sense to deflect the what are you going to run questions with we are going into practice and we'll see, rather than the mosh up she tossed out.

"We’re going to be aggressive getting the ball into the paint," she said.

"The Lady Vols will have a three-pronged approach on offense.

They’ll look to score in transition. In the half court, they’ll emphasize a free-flowing motion “where the players don’t have to be so robotic,” Harper said. But there also will be structured set pieces.

“I think that style of play is fun for our team,” Harper said. “They get to do some things on their own. They get to see the court. … I can rein them in when I need to.”

Oh, so it's Holly's offense. That worked well.

 

[DefenseBB]

Betty Bitterman... party of 1...

Side note - UCONN will be better at pretty much every position except for forward - Rennia Davis. I mean come on - who does Tennessee have that can match up with Dangerfield, Williams, and Westbrook (who won't play PG probably EVER at UCONN)? ONO will hold her own against their center. But if Walker matches up against Davis, that might be the only spot Tenn has an advantage...

Where is EricLA and what have you done with him? This is not a thread the fine colleague I know would post especially given Megatrons ascension this past year and Rennia Davis disappearing acts in big games and big spots last year. Meg will be more of a focal point on offense and will shine in my estimation making her #1 HG rating more than justified. Don’t make me have @MilfordHusky call you for dissing his player. Then again we do have a case of someone claiming to be EricLA...

 

[EricLA]

Where is EricLA and what have you done with him? This is not a thread the fine colleague I know would post especially given Megatrons ascension this past year and Rennia Davis disappearing acts in big games and big spots last year. Meg will be more of a focal point on offense and will shine in my estimation making her #1 HG rating more than justified. Don’t make me have @MilfordHusky call you for dissing his player. Then again we do have a case of someone claiming to be EricLA...

I didn't say there was a huge difference between Davis or Walker, but I would give a slight edge to Davis. She's bigger, quicker, more athletic, but I agree she does disappear a lot during games. Will new coaching change that? Not sure.

I have no idea what the starting lineup will be for Tennessee - many think Horston will start from day 1 as the PG. I would not be surprised to see Massengill start and Horston play the 2. But either way... If Tenn starts Horston, Massengill, Green, Davis and Kuskituah...

Dangerfield will run circles around Horston. Danger will struggle with defending the much larger Horston, but she's way too experienced.

Westbrook is much better than Massengill. It's a pretty large gap.

Green is good, but Williams is better. Simple as that.

Walker vs. Davis is the only matchup I'd give Tennessee a slight edge on. VERY slight. Then again I have no idea how much better Walker will be next year. I HOPE you are right about her!

ONO - based on her improvement, I'd say she's slightly better than Kushkituah. I thought Kasi got bumped off the starting lineup cuz Collins was better, but IIRC Kasi was injured and never quite came back 100% by the end of the season.

Then look at our bench - Griffin, Adebayo, Makurat, Bent and Irwin vs. Harris, Burrell, Brown, Key and Suanders - Tennessee has MUCH more size than we do. But none of them are as good as ONO and unless she gets into foul trouble, I could see her playing 30-35 minutes in a game like this.

Geno vs. Kelli - need I say more?