What's got into Tennessee?

[cockhrnleghrn]

It's interesting that USC and UT will be in Sioux Falls. I'm sure their businesses are salivating and seeing dollar signs in their eyes, lol.

 

[j66kicker]

Just heard a radio interview with an ASU assistant coach on my drive home. She got asked the, "Why didn't you play zone?" question. Said they had practiced it, but during the game decided not to use it because they had bad rebounding matchups and didn't feel it would give them enough rebounding advantage, also they wanted to trap DD off ball screens, and overall just didn't think it would make enough difference. ??

 

[UcMiami]

Nuyoika - 'Because we do one thing and one thing only' is the standard of coaching 'Plan B? We don't need no stinking plan B!'

 

[bballnut90]

This was easily Tennessee's best win all season. I agree that ASU is overhyped as a #2 seed, but Tennessee played really solid basketball tonight. The team put up 75 points, DeShields was under control and turnover free, and the posts were aggressive tonight. After a season long struggle, things seem to be clicking well for Tennessee (solid showing in the SEC Tournament, comeback win against Green Bay, double digit road win at #2 seed ASU). Ohio State should prove to be a more difficult matchup with better offensive firepower, but I think it should prove to be a very good game.

 

[UcMiami]

This is exactly what they did to Oregon State. You have a team that struggles to make shots longer than 15' but has very good athletes that can drive to the basket, and bigs who are actually not bad. So you insist on playing man to man with defenders who may be better basketball players but are not as good athletes. And you insist on playing in as TN proves over and over again that they can get to the basket. 'We practiced zone, but we figured we could lose the game better if we stuck to our man to man defense' is what I call brilliant coaching. I'm not overly impressed by MsSt but at least their coach figured out when the man to man defense had led to a 17 point deficit in the fourth quarter, that what the heck, lets throw a zone out their for a few minutes and low and behold TN folded up.

 

[TroyHouse66]

Choc
<<Tennessee has been playing possum all season>>

Up on Cedar Swamp Rd, back about 1969, Bill Douglass had a bumper sticker on his '32 Ford pickup...
I believe it came from a Bluegrass festival down in the Borough of Stonington....

EMP*


[*Eat 'mo possum]

 

[Wbbfan1]

Good Win by the Lady Vols. They played under control and let Diamond be Diamond. Diamond in turn played under control and led her team to victory.

Now we get the Kelsey vs Diamond show (OSU vs Lady Vols) on Firday. Won't miss that game. Have a feeling the Lady Vols might just win the game as OSU doesn't play great defense.

 

[tomcat]

Just got home from the game. This was a case where what I was afraid might happen actually did happen. Tennessee's size and an actual, honest-to-God game plan paid off tonight.

As much fun as that hard-pressing man-to-man defense of ASU's can be to watch, if you have the big players, and TN certainly does, attacking ASU actually is fairly simple. First, do not let Katie Hempen, their wonderful three-point shooter, get a clear look. She got one, at the start, and that was it.

Second, run some plays so ASU realizes just how big Mercedes Russell is. Them when the few bigs that ASU has are focused on that, set up some plays for Nared and DeShields to do some mid-range shooting. Bingo!

The sads truth is that until ASU can recruit some more bigs and some guards that do not resemble a pack of terriers as they chase around after the opponent, they will be good but not great. I honestly do not know whether Turner Thorne could coach a great team, and we may never find out if she can.

 

[iri10]

For one reason or another, Tennessee has been less than the sum of its parts this season, as someone else said.

Thing about a team like that is that sometimes they intermittently resemble the sum of their parts, in which case they can do a lot more damage that you'd expect.

Every time I see Tennessee, even in these lean years, they look like they should be monsters. They're mostly speedy, athletic, and some of them have good or even great individual skills. Holly simply has not been able to build those parts into a team that lives up to its potential. I'm sure she's earnest and means well, but she's a bit out of her depth as a head coach of a storied program. I still think that she was the right choice to succeed Pat Summitt, but even with this unexpected success it might be time for Tennessee to move on to the next team leader.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Tenn exposed ASU tonight... Diamond was on fire, this is what I was expecting all season!

 

[DaddyChoc]

 

[malevocalist#]

???

Just having some mercy for all they've been through that's all. Because i would love to see them get better so the LV & Uconn can at least have an opportunity to play each other again.

With that said I know where I stand 100% a Uconn fan.

And I understand some don't care much for the rivalry but I would love to see it renewed.

It is a shame that a school can hold a grudge for so long over something so tedious...Especially when a they as a program is suppose to elevate themselves to the same standards they expect from their students. (I'm speaking of the Tennessee Grudge) against Uconn.

Sad for the sport of the women's game giving the hurdles and mountains WBB have made over the years. And yet there are many more hurdles to leap and much more to accomplish.

 

[JoePgh]

Do you think Ohio State will play a zone against Tennessee? It isn't their natural style, and I will be somewhat surprised if they do. But if they don't, then I think Tennessee will have the edge.

Tennessee showed against ASU that it can play an effective 3-2 zone. That is exactly what UConn did back in November, and it shut down the Ohio State guards. Maybe they have progressed since then -- I certainly hope so.

 

[Sonny44]

I just wish they were in our bracket so we could be the ones to end their season.

 

[Ctpaul0825]

They are finally playing to play without the whole History stigma hanging over them. So far Diamond has been a non-factor when speaking about AA type players, maybe she is waking up.

 

[cbraarj]

I am setting the over/under at 61.5 shots between Mitchell and Deshields.Any takers!

 

[meyers7]

As a Uconn fan though I'm not going to hate on the LV tonight.

Then you're not a UCONN fan.

The only good that can come out of this is that TN will probably keep Warlick around for a few more years.

 

[xHunt3r]

Sorry, but I find it funny that they made the sweet 16... guaranteed to be stuck with Holly for a couple more years now and they still have zero recruits coming in next year.

 

[Blueconn]

Just having some mercy for all they've been through that's all. Because i would love to see them get better so the LV & Uconn can at least have an opportunity to play each other again.

With that said I know where I stand 100% a Uconn fan.

And I understand some don't care much for the rivalry but I would love to see it renewed.

It is a shame that a school can hold a grudge for so long over something so tedious...Especially when a they as a program is suppose to elevate themselves to the same standards they expect from their students. (I'm speaking of the Tennessee Grudge) against Uconn.

Sad for the sport of the women's game giving the hurdles and mountains WBB have made over the years. And yet there are many more hurdles to leap and much more to accomplish.

Until the day Tennessee apologizes for its despicable, ludricrous, petty, and dishonest attempts to destroy the Connecticut program they get no feelings of "mercy" from this old Husky. And obviously no "love" from this quarter if/when they get better.

 

[HGN]

I watched them last night against ASU..............I don't know what's gotten into them but I know Holly must love it.

Good for the LadyVols. And good for Holly.

 

[Ozimoto]

My take on this is that ASU and their style of play was a horrible match up with Tennessee. The game was played at Tennessee's pace so they dictated the flow of play. Their athletes were able to take advantage of their one on one skills against the ASU man to man defense that did not have the size or speed to keep up with the Lady Vols. Gave up to many layups and mid range shots. Tennessee also shot an uncharacteristically high percentage from the field and played good defense. The stake has not been applied to the heart yet.

Early in the game, ASU moved the ball well against the Tennessee Zone and got some good looks on ball reversals but once Tennessee got a lead of about five points, it seemed to me ASU started to have a "crisis of confidence" and started to panic a little bit. Passing and ball movement suffered as a result and they couldn't seem to make any adjustments in their style of play on either end of the floor to get the confidence back.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I am setting the over/under at 61.5 shots between Mitchell and Deshields.Any takers!

That's a very high number. It may depend on foul trouble and Alston's health. The pace of the game will also be a factor. I think FGAs will be over 50, but 61.5 seems high. However, if the pace is fast and DD gets into a personal duel, it could go to 60+.

 

[Padutch5]

Playing competent BB on both sides of the ball
Using their big post Mercedes Russel effectively
Defending well
Ahead
But a long way to go.
they've had leads n the 1st quarter before

I think we have all acknowledged all. Year that they have the talent to be a top 10 team. They have played better the last couple of games but I still don't see a lot of teamwork.. A lot of individual play, yes. Quite a bit of dribbling around the perimeter with out passing.

 

[cbraarj]

That's a very high number. It may depend on foul trouble and Alston's health. The pace of the game will also be a factor. I think FGAs will be over 50, but 61.5 seems high. However, if the pace is fast and DD gets into a personal duel, it could go to 60+.

It is high Mitchell was 11 for 31 yesterday but dont know about Diamond.I was thinking it would be fun to see if they tried to out do each other.Volume shooters they both are.So lets go with 54.5 shots combined sounds better.Vegas is giving 2 options bet 100 to make 600 for the under or bet 900 to make a 100 for the over,LOL.

 

[Monte]

Tenn exposed ASU tonight... Diamond was on fire, this is what I was expecting all season!

Correct, but where are all the "experts" who said that Tenn should not even be in the tourney, and would finish near the bottom in the AAC??