VaTech 67, TN 63, final

[trb123]

Will DD jump to WNBA at the end of the season?
Or will she avail of the 5th year of eligibility and continue to benefit from Tennessee's coaching to improve her game?

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Lol. She will leave after this season. I'm interested to see if Russell does as well!

 

[Nuyoika]

Kenny Brooks after the game....

" all these mcdonalds all Americans on the floor and I'll take Hicks over all of them"

I'm paraphrasing but it made me lol

Watching her play I would've too... those steals she had.

 

[toadfoot]

 

[trb123]

All I can say is... lawd have mercy. The commentator for that game was not shy about calling players shots ugly... for both teams LOL.

Would have been more colorful if they quoted Shakespeare.
"Full of sound and fury signifying nothing."

 

[j66kicker]

I only saw the 4th quarter, but it looked to me like 1)TN had a huge talent advantage, and 2) (just like everyone's been saying) they don't play much offense. Remember 2-3 times DD was so intent on playing 1 on 1 she either continued an ill-advised drive to the basket into a double team and got stripped or run out of bounds, or had to give it up and re-start by passing all the way back out. After this 2nd bad loss don't they HAVE to drop out of top 25?

 

[OldAlum]

While some will want to fire Holly, wont that risk losing their recruits if they do?

 

[Plebe]

I only saw the 4th quarter, but it looked to me like 1)TN had a huge talent advantage, and 2) (just like everyone's been saying) they don't play much offense. Remember 2-3 times DD was so intent on playing 1 on 1 she either continued an ill-advised drive to the basket into a double team and got stripped or run out of bounds, or had to give it up and re-start by passing all the way back out. After this 2nd bad loss don't they HAVE to drop out of top 25?

Ranked teams typically drop 4 to 6 spots after a loss to an unranked team. So much of it depends on where you start out ranked. From #17 it's unlikely Tennessee would fall out completely. Probably #22 or #23.

 

[Geew1992]

While some will want to fire Holly, wont that risk losing their recruits if they do?

I don't think they are going there specifically for her. There is a lot of playing time unlike other schools. And they may like the school the team and the surroundings

 

[Charliebball]

While some will want to fire Holly, wont that risk losing their recruits if they do?

If they continue to play that way they could loose them anyway!!!!

 

[UcMiami]

While some will want to fire Holly, wont that risk losing their recruits if they do?

The recruits have already signed their LOIs, so it is unlikely - if they watch the film of these games, maybe they will join the chorus calling for a new coaching staff!

 

[cbraarj]

VT beat them last year in Tenn.

 

[Plebe]

Watching her play I would've too... those steals she had.

As ugly as this game was, Hicks deserves all the praise. Tennessee's coaches will be having nightmares about her defense and quickness.

 

[bags27]

I'm probably among the last non-Tenn-fans to continue to feel some compassion for DD. I know she's a prima donna, but Geno saw something in her. If she had gone to UConn and if (it turns out now to be a gigantic "if") she had allowed herself to be coached properly, her whole life would be different. She would today be part of a terrific UConn team and a near certainly to be a top 5 (maybe higher) draft choice. Instead, no matter where she's drafted, she just doesn't have the mental discipline or developed skills to be more than a journeyman athlete with a bit more sparkle and charisma, which will assure her of playing time but not prominence. Wasted talent is always a sad thing.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I don't understand how a team with all this talent can struggle? Is it the coach? Team?

There were admitted chemistry issues last season. Does that still exist?

Again...too talented for this.

Potential vs talent. They are not too talented. History of WCBB is littered with HS AAs who disappeared in college because they could not/did not make the big step up. Certainly it does not help that UT has a coaching staff led by someone whose constant refrain is: "I don't know."

Can't wait for Holly's presser to go up.

 

[UcMiami]

bags27 - I agree about DD if she had gone somewhere with a strong coaching staff - her raw skills are impressive, but since she has been in college I have never been impressed including her freshman year where she got all the accolades - she was the least efficient player on the UNC team by quite a bit - she has never shot more than about 40% from the field and about 30% from three and has had stretches where those percentages were a lot worse. She has never had a 1.0 A/TO ratio, usually coming in around 0.75-0.80 - and she has always dominated the ball for her teams, shooting 30% of the teams shots and usually about 40% more than her nearest teammate both from 3 and overall.

The word that they are trying to 'install' a motion offense to me is hard to believe - I have seen nothing from this TN coaching staff that suggests anyone there has more than a very rudimentary handle on defensive or offensive 'theory' - it appears they learned what 'setting a screen' means, and then went for the advanced degree on this new fangled concept called a pick and roll - they worked really hard on that and think they have it down, but didn't think they could really get through the doctorate level degree that included something called a pick and pop. At the other end they figured out what a defensive stance looks like and teach it strenuously, and they understand the idea of boxing out. This zone concept things is a little difficult, but they are working hard on it, but haven't quite figured out the difference between 2-1-2, 1-2-2, 2-3, and 3-2. They understand that it all adds up to five, but ... haven't figured out why five is a magic number.

That last bit may also explain why they have had such a hard time understanding any of the books and videos about playing offense against a zone - they all keep using that strange sequence of numbers with this mystical total of 5.

Sarcastic, but ...?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Tennessee is now in LAST place in the SEC.

 

[vtcwbuff]

While some will want to fire Holly, wont that risk losing their recruits if they do?

Maybe they are risking it if they don't.

 

[Intpseeker]

ut has never, never run effective offense. Throw it up and let your studs get 2nd/3rd attempts.

Accedental offense grounded in great talent.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I don't give a flying swiss cheese burger about Tennessee's players, because they had ample warning of the Holly & Co. train wreck. Wanting to be a jewel in a faded crown is hardly worthy of sympathy once it is achieved. Nor do I do anything but relish the agony of the Vol fans who go out of their way to spit on Geno and UConn with their careworn pack of lies. But the great majority of Vol fans deserve better than what they are getting out of the University.

 

[donalddoowop]

How were you all able to watch the game? On what was it shown?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Holly gets something right! "You know what, quite frankly we don't deserve to be ranked," Warlick said. "We don't deserve to be ranked."

Lady Vols fall again to Virginia Tech

 

[Fairfield Fan]

The recruits have already signed their LOIs, so it is unlikely - if they watch the film of these games, maybe they will join the chorus calling for a new coaching staff!

That was what I was wondering. HW comes up with her first decent, indeed good, recruiting year. Then she goes out and chalks up two really ugly losses. What must those recruits be thinking? They could have been told that last year was an exception, that there were injuries, new players that didn't mesh. But just wait for this year, and you'll see the Old Tennessee again. It'll be just like the Old Days.

But they have to now see that HW is a disaster of a coach. They have to wonder what will happen to them, if DD continues to be mired in mediocrity.

Can those recruits back out?

And when exactly (not "if") will Tennessee pull the plug on HW? We debated this last year. But can there still be doubt that she needs to go?

 

[bballnut90]

Didn't get to see the game, but based on results so far I don't think I'm off base saying that Tennessee might not be a tournament team this season.

Holly needs to go. Her teams at Tennessee have sorely underperformed and players do not develop under her tutelage. This year, they are struggling with lack of depth, but through 5 games they have beaten two chippies, won a close game against a mediocre James Madison team, lost by double digits to a mediocre Penn State team, and lost on the road to Virginia Tech, who as someone pointed out, is predicted to finish 12th in the ACC.

Tennessee doesn't have bad players--Russell actually looks really solid this year, DeShields is capable of being a huge performer, Nared looks improved, but the team offense has no flow, they are careless with turnovers, and nobody shoots the ball consistently. It's all coaching, and it has been the issue for the last 3 seasons. 2012-13 I thought Holly actually did a good job considering circumstances--same with 2011-12. In previous seasons, the team was under Pat and they had very good teams in 2010 and 2011 after their rough 2009 season.

Looking ahead to the rest of this season, Tennessee has a couple of chippy games against Tennessee St, Appalachian St, Troy, and UNC-W which should be gimme wins. During that stretch they also have to play Baylor at home (likely a loss), Texas on the road (loss), and Stanford at home (likely loss.)

If they go 4-3 during this stretch, Tennessee will be 7-5 entering conference play. They'll face ND at home later in the season which is pretty much a guaranteed loss, putting Tennessee at 7-6 for their OOC schedule.

In conference play, Tennessee is predicted to finish 3rd, but looking at their schedule, this is how I see it broken down:

Games they'll likely lose:
-Mississippi State home
-Mississippi State away
-South Carolina away
-Florida away
-Kentucky home


Games that are tossups:
-Florida Home
-Vanderbilt Away
-Auburn Home
-Missouri Home

Games that should be wins:
-Ole Miss away
-LSU home
-Vandy home
-Georgia away
-Texas A&M home
-Alabama away
-Arkansas home

5 games they'll lose, 4 tossups, 7 wins. I think their record will be somewhere between 7-9 to 11-5....probably 9-7 or 8-8 if we take an average. Let's say they go 9-7. They'll likely win a first round game in the SEC tournament and lose in the quarterfinals or semifinals. Say they go 1-1 there.

Their total record is 17-14 entering the NCAA tournament. Is that going to be good enough to get it? Who knows. Obviously, this is very premature and a lot can change (for good or bad), but early on all signs are pointing toward another disastrous season in Knoxville. I don't see this pattern changing a whole lot until they get rid of Holly and bring in a coach who is capable of leading a team and running an offense.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I saw parts of this game. I was quite impressed by how easily Chanette "Moses" Hicks parted the Orange Sea with her drives to the basket. Actually, the Orange Sea might have parted on its own.

I was also impressed that VT flat out played harder. Holly and I are on the same page: UT shouldn't be ranked.

By the way, DD committed 10 turnovers. Ten.

 

[Plebe]

How were you all able to watch the game? On what was it shown?

It was shown on the ACC Network, and I believe the replay should be available on ESPN3.

 

[Plebe]

Didn't get to see the game, but based on results so far I don't think I'm off base saying that Tennessee might not be a tournament team this season.

Holly needs to go. Her teams at Tennessee have sorely underperformed and players do not develop under her tutelage. This year, they are struggling with lack of depth, but through 5 games they have beaten two chippies, won a close game against a mediocre James Madison team, lost by double digits to a mediocre Penn State team, and lost on the road to Virginia Tech, who as someone pointed out, is predicted to finish 12th in the ACC.

Tennessee doesn't have bad players--Russell actually looks really solid this year, DeShields is capable of being a huge performer, Nared looks improved, but the team offense has no flow, they are careless with turnovers, and nobody shoots the ball consistently. It's all coaching, and it has been the issue for the last 3 seasons. 2012-13 I thought Holly actually did a good job considering circumstances--same with 2011-12. In previous seasons, the team was under Pat and they had very good teams in 2010 and 2011 after their rough 2009 season.

Looking ahead to the rest of this season, Tennessee has a couple of chippy games against Tennessee St, Appalachian St, Troy, and UNC-W which should be gimme wins. During that stretch they also have to play Baylor at home (likely a loss), Texas on the road (loss), and Stanford at home (likely loss.)

If they go 4-3 during this stretch, Tennessee will be 7-5 entering conference play. They'll face ND at home later in the season which is pretty much a guaranteed loss, putting Tennessee at 7-6 for their OOC schedule.

In conference play, Tennessee is predicted to finish 3rd, but looking at their schedule, this is how I see it broken down:

Games they'll likely lose:
-Mississippi State home
-Mississippi State away
-South Carolina away
-Florida away
-Kentucky home


Games that are tossups:
-Florida Home
-Vanderbilt Away
-Auburn Home
-Missouri Home

Games that should be wins:
-Ole Miss away
-LSU home
-Vandy home
-Georgia away
-Texas A&M home
-Alabama away
-Arkansas home

5 games they'll lose, 4 tossups, 7 wins. I think their record will be somewhere between 7-9 to 11-5....probably 9-7 or 8-8 if we take an average. Let's say they go 9-7. They'll likely win a first round game in the SEC tournament and lose in the quarterfinals or semifinals. Say they go 1-1 there.

Their total record is 17-14 entering the NCAA tournament. Is that going to be good enough to get it? Who knows. Obviously, this is very premature and a lot can change (for good or bad), but early on all signs are pointing toward another disastrous season in Knoxville. I don't see this pattern changing a whole lot until they get rid of Holly and bring in a coach who is capable of leading a team and running an offense.

Of course it's very premature to think about tournament selection, but it will all come down to whether Tennessee can score some quality wins (defined here as wins over teams worthy of an at-large bid) to offset the bad losses. The committee rewards teams for good wins more than it penalizes for bad losses, and will sooner take a "bipolar" team like TN over a team (like NC State last year) that has almost no bad losses but no quality wins. That was how Tennessee got a #7 seed last year: the wins over the likes of Oregon State, Syracuse and Missouri more than made up for the losses to the likes of Virginia Tech, LSU and Alabama. So as long as Tennessee can score at least a couple wins over the likes of Stanford, Texas, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Florida (certainly possible), then they can withstand several of these bad losses.

 

[msf22b]

It's hard to imagine that any of next season's recruits have based their choice on their faith in the excellence of the coaching they will receive.

Why they made the choice they have, could be the subject of a fascinating study.

My guess is that a significant percentage of this generation's young woman, really don't believe that they need good coaching, having received precious little of it throughout their HS and AAU careers (goes for DD as well).

They think that their natural talent will just carry their team to triumph, like it always has.
Oh boy, are they about to be schooled.

If the class stays intact for a season and the dysfunction continues, that is the end.
The fat lady is warming up.

Of course, Holly might quit or be fired and Becky Hammon retained.
Then everyone should watch out.
The best rivalry in sports would resume.

 

[Gus Mahler]

After reading the reports on UT's recruiting class for next year, I can't help wondering if last year's whiff was a function of the (real or perceived) chemistry problems brought about by one of the current UT players. Then, for next year, that same player might be presumed to be gone, which would make the program a much more attractive place to be.

Is this cynicism? Or could there be an element of truth to this? What say you?

 

[Bestiarius]

Coach Kenny Brooks post game comments:

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