Just how good will Tennessee be this season

[boxerpupsrcool]

Looking at the roster, they have three players who ranked number one coming out of high school by various recruiting services. On paper, this team is extremely dominant, but Holly and the coaching staff will have their work cut out for them trying to decide who starts and the substitution situation. This one factor alone could be a major factor on whether we win a NC or not. IMO Tennessee is better than UCONN this year..Diamond will prove and has already proven to be a better player than Stewart. Graves can easily be just as good as Tuck and we are certainly better in the post with Mercedes. Cooper will prove to be a better all around player than Jefferson, so I relish the opportunity to play UCONN at some point in the tournament. The only question is who Tennessee plays in the NC game? I think a team will get UCONN early this year.. Baylor or SC are talented enough to make it to the NC, so my guess would be one of those..

 

[zaqhhh]

Looking at the roster, they have three players who ranked number one coming out of high school by various recruiting services. On paper, this team is extremely dominant, but Holly and the coaching staff will have their work cut out for them trying to decide who starts and the substitution situation. This one factor alone could be a major factor on whether we win a NC or not. IMO Tennessee is better than UCONN this year..Diamond will prove and has already proven to be a better player than Stewart. Graves can easily be just as good as Tuck and we are certainly better in the post with Mercedes. Cooper will prove to be a better all around player than Jefferson, so I relish the opportunity to play UCONN at some point in the tournament. The only question is who Tennessee plays in the NC game? I think a team will get UCONN early this year.. Baylor or SC are talented enough to make it to the NC, so my guess would be one of those..

Umm not better than uconn, if our post is soild than maybe competitive with them. Overall id say 2-4 in the nation

 

[Volfan2012]

Three point shooting is suspect with this team. No one that is really consistent in hitting that shot. Dunbar is the best she never plays. Solid in the post with the projected starters don't know how we can back them up and still keep bigger players off the offensive boards. If we answer these two question final four seems quite likely.

 

[VOL720]

This team could be very special and be the first to get back to a Final Four since 2008. If we went 30-6 and made it to the Elite 8 with a very depleted roster as well as terrible offense at times, this team has the makings up a Final Four bid. They can not just stand and watch DeShields. Everyone must produce. DeShields will be the focal point of every opposing team. I'd imagine she will be double teamed and trapped to get the balls out of her hand. Other players will have to step up because of the attention to DeShields they will be wide open. I'm hoping that all the guards have been working on their shots because they will a lot of open/good looks at the rim because of DeShields roaming the perimeter and Graves and Russell battling on the blocks. I'm hoping we also continue to wreak havoc on defense like we did this past season.

 

[Ladyvol777]

This team could be very special and be the first to get back to a Final Four since 2008. If we went 30-6 and made it to the Elite 8 with a very depleted roster as well as terrible offense at times, this team has the makings up a Final Four bid. They can not just stand and watch DeShields. Everyone must produce. DeShields will be the focal point of every opposing team. I'd imagine she will be double teamed and trapped to get the balls out of her hand. Other players will have to step up because of the attention to DeShields they will be wide open. I'm hoping that all the guards have been working on their shots because they will a lot of open/good looks at the rim because of DeShields roaming the perimeter and Graves and Russell battling on the blocks. I'm hoping we also continue to wreak havoc on defense like we did this past season.

I agree with a lot of what you said, but Holly Warlick likes to go inside first and Mercedes Russell, Bashaara Graves will draw a lot of attention and this will free up Diamond DeShields and Te'a Cooper on the out side also. This team will be very difficult to guard.:dance2:

 

[armchair]

Can we make shots in big games? Will the team have the toughness and confidence to beat a strong opponent in an NCAA game? The answer in recent years as been no--maybe this year will be different. A show-us year for Warlick and her staff.

 

[YankeeVol]

I expect a Final Four this season.

 

[FlyFishnVol]

SEC Championship, #1 seed, final 4+, post and beyond the arc are areas of concern. Holly will fix the 3s, not sure of our post play......some of these girls need to eat more corn

Go Lady Vols!!!

 

[orangeluvr]

SEC Championship, #1 seed, final 4+, post and beyond the arc are areas of concern. Holly will fix the 3s, not sure of our post play......some of these girls need to eat more corn

Go Lady Vols!!!

As in cornbread hot and buttered, throw in some slow cooked pulled pork and some collards too ! :good!:

 

[Power T-Rev]

Whoopdeyass good

 

[terrypedigo]

This is the year either Holly show s that she is a elite coach or just a wanna be, at a elite program this team will have the talent to reach the final 4, not just the sweet 16 and exit with excuses.

 

[JAMESFROMCT]

Uconn is basketball country. Geno is a younger version of Pat. He has another list of top recruits coming decent foundation with 85% of the team back. I would love to see UT and Uconn be the ones to battle it out again.

UT is still a few years away of playing back at that level.

 

[Ladyvol777]

Uconn is basketball country. Geno is a younger version of Pat. He has another list of top recruits coming decent foundation with 85% of the team back. I would love to see UT and Uconn be the ones to battle it out again.

UT is still a few years away of playing back at that level.

If this year team don't make the NC game, then Tennessee never will, this is a very good team an by tournament time they will be a great team. :fireworks:

 

[Smallvol#1]

Uconn is basketball country. Geno is a younger version of Pat. He has another list of top recruits coming decent foundation with 85% of the team back. I would love to see UT and Uconn be the ones to battle it out again.

UT is still a few years away of playing back at that level.

Ummmm - you do realize he is less than two years younger than Pat?

 

[stubbs9]

If this year team don't make the NC game, then Tennessee never will, this is a very good team an by tournament time they will be a great team. :fireworks:

I wouldnt say all of that. They are a good team on paper. We havent seen them play together and i dont think thats a true statement about if we dont make it this year, we never will.

 

[Sandvol]

I wouldnt say all of that. They are a good team on paper. We havent seen them play together and i dont think thats a true statement about if we dont make it this year, we never will.

Holly needs to get to a FF. She has the talent now.

 

[Linda Lee]

I loved reading all the posts about our Lady Vols team. I agree that we will have a super year. I just hope we can stay healthy and play very smart basketball. Would love to see the swagger come back.

We also have a great bench. I saw Middleton play in high school and she is a gamer!! I think you will see her play a lot of minutes and make a difference this year. I also think we will see Dunbar make a difference.

Great year coming up!! Final Four here we come!

 

[Sandvol]

I loved reading all the posts about our Lady Vols team. I agree that we will have a super year. I just hope we can stay healthy and play very smart basketball. Would love to see the swagger come back.

We also have a great bench. I saw Middleton play in high school and she is a gamer!! I think you will see her play a lot of minutes and make a difference this year. I also think we will see Dunbar make a difference.

Great year coming up!! Final Four here we come!

I'd love to see Dunbar play the 4. Think that is a better position for her. Too slow to guard guards.

 

[armchair]

Let's be candid: If we had a coach as good as geno or mcgraw, we'd be a serious contender to win the national championship this coming year. But we don't. Where does Warlick fit on the spectrum of bad coach to very good? Somewhere in the middle, I'm afraid. This will be a very telling year for her and the staff. We simply can't afford to get to the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 and choke again.

 

[VOL720]

Let's be candid: If we had a coach as good as geno or mcgraw, we'd be a serious contender to win the national championship this coming year. But we don't. Where does Warlick fit on the spectrum of bad coach to very good? Somewhere in the middle, I'm afraid. This will be a very telling year for her and the staff. We simply can't afford to get to the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 and choke again.

I think she has improved each season as a head coach. My only concern is who on this staff will bring some new identity to the offense. Yes, defense and rebounding is key to succeeding, but with the athletes we have, we should not struggle that often on the offensive side of the ball. I want to see how much structure we have on offense this season plus knocking down shots consistently. This read and react offense is just to predictable. Can Tennessee be great on both sides of the ball?

 

[mlindsay]

I think she has improved each season as a head coach. My only concern is who on this staff will bring some new identity to the offense. Yes, defense and rebounding is key to succeeding, but with the athletes we have, we should not struggle that often on the offensive side of the ball. I want to see how much structure we have on offense this season plus knocking down shots consistently. This read and react offense is just to predictable. Can Tennessee be great on both sides of the ball?

I also see the improvements but feel she still has a lot more improving to do. I know that not every coach is a rah rah in your face type of coach but sometimes you have to get angry and fired up and yell and scream at a player or two and not just scream at the refs. We have to execute on not just the defensive end but the offensive end as well and just telling the players to throw it down low and then get to an open spot isn't getting it done. Lets find an offense and use it to our ability. I really think we would do well in the Dribble Drive (same offense that Kentucky means team uses) as it allows for you to do what holly already has them doing (read and react) but it incorporates more passing and movement and essentially when done right everyone on the floor is a threat to score. In my opinion this is a Final Four or bust season. (I want to say Championship Game or Bust but I will give her the benefit of the doubt). I truly think with the lost of Jewel Loyd at Notre Dame and the youth at other schools like Baylor, Kentucky, Louisville and lack of Guard play (Maryland losing Brown hurts them, and USC will have a hard time defending us on the perimeter) I truly feel our only competition this season is Uconn!

 

[volfanIND]

Our only competition this year will be us.

On paper, we look great.
We are bringing in an excellent freshman point guard and an elite super star who has NEVER played a game with our 'group'. I'm just as excited as everybody, but remember there will be growing pains this year. Parker didn't win a championship her 'redshirt' freshman year.

I believe we can do it, we just have to put ourselves in the position to do it.

If you don't like our coach, go cheer on another team. This is Lady Vol Basketball, you're either with us or against us

 

[GameTime]

It seems logical that after 5-7 games, we will have a very good idea how good this team will be.....Diamond, Russell, and Jones are like 3 new pieces waiting to burst forth onto the scene.....It should be fun.

 

[mlindsay]

It seems logical that after 5-7 games, we will have a very good idea how good this team will be.....Diamond, Russell, and Jones are like 3 new pieces waiting to burst forth onto the scene.....It should be fun.

I think that's what I am most excited about! Adding them to the 2 new girls (Te'a and MeMe) and The returners who should be ready and I think the entire team will be hungry and feel as though they have something to prove! And I just can't wait for it