Europe Trip



Oh my! Did I just see a Lady Vol (Zany Green) shoot a layup with her left hand on the left side?????? Be still my heart! I needed that.

On second (closer) look at the video, there were SEVERAL left-handed shots under the left side of the basket by several players. That seriously made my day. Also, Jess Rennie hit some threes!!!

I loved this video. I saw a level of smoothness in several players that bodes well for the future against better competition. I say that because no-one looked like she had a thick layer of rust caked all over her game. They've clearly been running and practicing on their own time to have that kind of in-game posture -- even if it WAS against inferior competition. Anyone else feeling this positive vibe?
 
Last edited:
Oh my! Did I just see a Lady Vol (Zany Green) shoot a layup with her left hand on the left side?????? Be still my heart! I needed that.

On second (closer) look at the video, there were SEVERAL left-handed shots under the left side of the basket by several players. That seriously made my day. Also, Jess Rennie hit some threes!!!

I loved this video. I saw a level of smoothness in several players that bodes well for the future against better competition. I say that because no-one looked like she had a thick layer of rust caked all over her game. They've clearly been running and practicing on their own time to have that kind of in-game posture -- even if it WAS against inferior competition. Anyone else feeling this positive vibe?

I felt the positive vibe as soon as Holly was canned and Kellie named as her replacement.
 
This trip has been an excellent elixir for our girls...The team "is learning" how to play together as a team...From what I saw there was a lot of sharing of the ball on offense....

The competition was weak, but our girls were strong...That's the way I like it....Aha...Aha..
 
Oh my! Did I just see a Lady Vol (Zany Green) shoot a layup with her left hand on the left side?????? Be still my heart! I needed that.

On second (closer) look at the video, there were SEVERAL left-handed shots under the left side of the basket by several players. That seriously made my day. Also, Jess Rennie hit some threes!!!

I loved this video. I saw a level of smoothness in several players that bodes well for the future against better competition. I say that because no-one looked like she had a thick layer of rust caked all over her game. They've clearly been running and practicing on their own time to have that kind of in-game posture -- even if it WAS against inferior competition. Anyone else feeling this positive vibe?
Yes, from the day Kellie was hired as the new coach, I felt that way. I know Holly, she was always nice to me, don't want to say anything bad about her. I'll sure sing about Kellie coaching.
 
Oh my! Did I just see a Lady Vol (Zany Green) shoot a layup with her left hand on the left side?????? Be still my heart! I needed that.

On second (closer) look at the video, there were SEVERAL left-handed shots under the left side of the basket by several players. That seriously made my day. Also, Jess Rennie hit some threes!!!

I loved this video. I saw a level of smoothness in several players that bodes well for the future against better competition. I say that because no-one looked like she had a thick layer of rust caked all over her game. They've clearly been running and practicing on their own time to have that kind of in-game posture -- even if it WAS against inferior competition. Anyone else feeling this positive vibe?

Not quite. Kellie is a coach not a magician.

These Euro games are like when people get very excited at the Carson-Newman exhibition game (WHOOO, are you feeling it too? If we play LIKE that we can win an NC!).

The excitable fans comes back to earth pretty quickly when the regular season starts. When the comp. is this mismatched as in this Euro tour and the speed of play is so sloooow, it is easy too look good.

These games are about building team chemistry; and Kellie having time to start working on the little fundamentals that were not being addressed in the past.

This team is a work in progress and I don't expect them to really start looking like a contender till mid season (and that is an OPTIMISTIC scenario).

Folks who are not prepared for major bumps in the road in the early to mid season-- given the high number of new and/or relatively inexperienced players that will have key roles--are setting themselves up for disappointment.
 
Not quite. Kellie is a coach not a magician.

These Euro games are like when people get very excited at the Carson-Newman exhibition game (WHOOO, are you feeling it too? If we play LIKE that we can win an NC!).

The excitable fans comes back to earth pretty quickly when the regular season starts. When the comp. is this mismatched as in this Euro tour and the speed of play is so sloooow, it is easy too look good.

These games are about building team chemistry; and Kellie having time to start working on the little fundamentals that were not being addressed in the past.

This team is a work in progress and I don't expect them to really start looking like a contender till mid season (and that is an OPTIMISTIC scenario).

Folks who are not prepared for major bumps in the road in the early to mid season-- given the high number of new and/or relatively inexperienced players that will have key roles--are setting themselves up for disappointment.

Oh, I agree that these games in Europe against vastly inferior competition aren't an indicator of how the season will go. I guess what I mean is that even against this inferior talent I could see that the players weren't huffing and puffing and leaning over to hold themselves up by the bottoms of their shorts like they would have if they'd just been laying around since March. They've been active, and their posture shows it. (IMO, of course). And THAT is a positive.

Too often there have been returning players who show up so out of shape that even in a game like these over in Europe they'd have looked bone tired at the end. I'm encouraged that they didn't look that way. :)
 
Not quite. Kellie is a coach not a magician.

These Euro games are like when people get very excited at the Carson-Newman exhibition game (WHOOO, are you feeling it too? If we play LIKE that we can win an NC!).

The excitable fans comes back to earth pretty quickly when the regular season starts. When the comp. is this mismatched as in this Euro tour and the speed of play is so sloooow, it is easy too look good.

These games are about building team chemistry; and Kellie having time to start working on the little fundamentals that were not being addressed in the past.

This team is a work in progress and I don't expect them to really start looking like a contender till mid season (and that is an OPTIMISTIC scenario).

Folks who are not prepared for major bumps in the road in the early to mid season-- given the high number of new and/or relatively inexperienced players that will have key roles--are setting themselves up for disappointment.

I bet when you were a kid you told everyone there was no Santa Clause.....Have some fun my friend.

How about this scenario....This fan base has been thirsty for a long time....Let's just enjoy the cool water for now, we all know it's a long road ahead....
 
I bet when you were a kid you told everyone there was no Santa Clause.....Have some fun my friend.

How about this scenario....This fan base has been thirsty for a long time....Let's just enjoy the cool water for now, we all know it's a long road ahead....

Yeah, I'm just thrilled to finally have anything AT ALL to be optimistic about. lol
 
I bet when you were a kid you told everyone there was no Santa Clause.....Have some fun my friend.

How about this scenario....This fan base has been thirsty for a long time....Let's just enjoy the cool water for now, we all know it's a long road ahead....

I have been a perpetual optimist over the years. But a little realism right now can protect against needless concern and disappointment in the coming months.

Last season, this team was really bad. They had some positive moments but once the heart of the season kicked in, they did not match up against most anyone including crap teams like Bama.

The transition from that debacle will take some time.

On Santa Claus, well I always was a Grinch guy....
 
Last edited:
Got to admit, I am one of the excited fans. This team was not bad last year, this team is not the same team! This is some of what I saw in these videos.

Last year, it seemed to me that Rennia would set up her shot, bend her knees, then shoot. Now, she plays looser, smoother, quicker, more aggressive, and is driving to the basket and shooting baskets at ease from all over the court.

Rae, who was great on defense and fought for rebounds last year, well, now her shots are falling in, and she is becoming a very impressive part of the offense.

Jaz’s shots are falling in as well. Zaay is looking great, but I thought she was great last year.

Jordan sees the court, dishes assists, is talented, can drive to the basket, or shoot from outside as well.

Without naming names, this team does not have 2 players from last year who turned the ball over a lot.

We also now have a 3 point shooter in Jessie, and 6 taller players, Jaiden, Tamari, Emily, Lou, Kasi, and Kamera, who can fight for rebounds and score under the basket.

Then, of course, we have a really smart, talented, experienced as a player and Coach, motivated, new Coach in Coach Kellie.

To me, this team is already way better than the Coach and team from last year, and I am excited!

GO LADY VOLS!
 
No harm in being “cautiously optimistic,” right?

BTW, I agree with Madtownvol’s Back To Earth caveat, but watching those Lady Vols galloping to and fro against some rather meek (and, certainly not of the Cha, Ta, or Sa variety) opponents, well, it sure looks good on tape.

Anyhow, I keep thinking about a conversation that several of you had a few weeks back, about a Lady Vol freshman, Miss Rae Burrell; the (paraphrased) essence of which was, “She has a beautiful shot, but she plays too fast;” she plays hard, but she’s very inconsistent; she needs more playing time,” etc. So, having sat out the past several seasons, I meandered over to youtube to see what all the fuss was about. The only fair representation I could find was the Alabama game. Lots of playing time, a raw talent with a prototypically excellent stroke, and a glimmer of promise; but a little out of sorts, to be fair.
The player that I’ve watched in these three exhibitions (and granted, in highlight form) simply does not resemble who I had previously seen. IMO, somebody has injected a huge dose of self-confidence, and she has responded, and Worked Her Game!
Where does she ...where do we go from here? God only knows.
But, those ladies we’re now seeing surely are more akin to Thoroughbreds, than donkeys.
 
BRETIGNY-SUR-ORGE, France – Sophomore guard/forward Rae Burrell scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Tennessee women's basketball team to a 93-43 victory over AK Select on Tuesday evening at Gymnase Joliot Curie.

Burrell scored 17 of her points in the second half, hitting eight of 17 shots from the field for the game. She also pulled down seven rebounds and added five steals, three assists and a block as UT topped its toughest opponent of the tour to finish with a 3-0 record while in Europe. The Lady Vols improved to 24-7 all-time on foreign soil, including 17-7 vs. non-NCAA teams.

Freshman guard Jordan Horston and sophomore guard Zaay Green also hit double figures, tallying 13 and 10 points, respectively. Freshman center Tamari Key finished with nine points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks, while junior guard/forward Rennia Davis and junior center Kasiyahna Kushkituah chipped in eight points each. Davis added eight assists and seven rebounds, while Kushkituah pulled down nine boards.

"We improved over the course of these three games," head coach Kellie Harper said. "Today, our team appeared much more comfortable on the court with our execution and overall objectives."

Tennessee started its third different lineup of the trip and continued to get looks at every player and with numerous lineup combinations. Harper sent Burrell, Green, Horston, senior forward Kamera Harris and freshman center Emily Saunders out on the floor for tip-off vs. AK Select.

The Lady Vols fell behind initially at 2-0 and 4-2 during the early going and moved ahead 5-4 with 5:00 to go in the opening stanza. After a timeout by the home team, freshman guard Jessie Rennie wasted little time in making an impact, draining a pair of threes to help push UT to a 12-4 lead and on to a 20-10 cushion by the end of the first period.

The Big Orange women outscored the hosts 21-6 in the second frame to take a 41-16 lead into the locker room. Sophomore guard Jazmine Massengill had five in the quarter, while Davis added four. Davis dished out two assists in the period to finish with six in the opening half.

Burrell fired in nine points in the third frame to pace UT to a 24-11 advantage in the period and head into the fourth quarter leading 65-27. Horston, meanwhile, caught fire in the fourth, tossing in eight points to help the Lady Vols outscore AK Select, 28-16, over the final 10 minutes of the contest.

UT finished with 17 steals and generated 24 turnovers vs. their opponent while committing 14 of their own. Several miscues occurred when players stepped out of bounds while possessing the ball near the tighter sideline outside the longer three-point arc dictated by FIBA rules. The Lady Vols also have played with a smaller FIBA basketball and adapted to a 24-second shot clock and wider lanes during the tour.

Tennessee shot 42 percent for the game and held AK Select to 22 percent shooting. UT also out-rebounded the hosts, 66-38, pulling down 32 offensive boards.

The Lady Vols will spend Wednesday sightseeing in Paris before flying back to the U.S. on Thursday

Lots of interesting info in this article. What a great trip!
 
Yes, from the day Kellie was hired as the new coach, I felt that way. I know Holly, she was always nice to me, don't want to say anything bad about her. I'll sure sing about Kellie coaching.

Some are becoming overly optimistic. While some act like Scrooge in August no less . I will be pleased if these players just show routine basketball principles! This alone would be improvement over the last few years. Play defense and stop throwing the ball away! We will win more games with just playing basic BB principles. JMO

And coach ...... you know what I mean 😁
 
No harm in being “cautiously optimistic,” right?

BTW, I agree with Madtownvol’s Back To Earth caveat, but watching those Lady Vols galloping to and fro against some rather meek (and, certainly not of the Cha, Ta, or Sa variety) opponents, well, it sure looks good on tape.

Anyhow, I keep thinking about a conversation that several of you had a few weeks back, about a Lady Vol freshman, Miss Rae Burrell; the (paraphrased) essence of which was, “She has a beautiful shot, but she plays too fast;” she plays hard, but she’s very inconsistent; she needs more playing time,” etc. So, having sat out the past several seasons, I meandered over to youtube to see what all the fuss was about. The only fair representation I could find was the Alabama game. Lots of playing time, a raw talent with a prototypically excellent stroke, and a glimmer of promise; but a little out of sorts, to be fair.
The player that I’ve watched in these three exhibitions (and granted, in highlight form) simply does not resemble who I had previously seen. IMO, somebody has injected a huge dose of self-confidence, and she has responded, and Worked Her Game!
Where does she ...where do we go from here? God only knows.
But, those ladies we’re now seeing surely are more akin to Thoroughbreds, than donkeys.


We have three top ten talented players! Davis , Zaay , and now Jordan .... We have inside players with experience. Jaiden (1) yr. KK (2) yr. and Brown & Harris (4) yr. with two 6’5” freshmen learning on the job! We also have players who will contribute in other ways . ( Jaz , Rennie, Rae .). I said before: Rae Burrell was the steal of that class. Once she slows down and lets the game come to her.... she will be a joy to watch ! This team may not get us to a final four but I think I will be able to watch without screaming at the TV !
 
No harm in being “cautiously optimistic,” right?

BTW, I agree with Madtownvol’s Back To Earth caveat, but watching those Lady Vols galloping to and fro against some rather meek (and, certainly not of the Cha, Ta, or Sa variety) opponents, well, it sure looks good on tape.

Anyhow, I keep thinking about a conversation that several of you had a few weeks back, about a Lady Vol freshman, Miss Rae Burrell; the (paraphrased) essence of which was, “She has a beautiful shot, but she plays too fast;” she plays hard, but she’s very inconsistent; she needs more playing time,” etc. So, having sat out the past several seasons, I meandered over to youtube to see what all the fuss was about. The only fair representation I could find was the Alabama game. Lots of playing time, a raw talent with a prototypically excellent stroke, and a glimmer of promise; but a little out of sorts, to be fair.
The player that I’ve watched in these three exhibitions (and granted, in highlight form) simply does not resemble who I had previously seen. IMO, somebody has injected a huge dose of self-confidence, and she has responded, and Worked Her Game!
Where does she ...where do we go from here? God only knows.
But, those ladies we’re now seeing surely are more akin to Thoroughbreds, than donkeys.

It is very nice seeing Rae stroking some jump shots. Last season was just weird in that respect. She had Klay Thompson shooting form but the ball kept clanking. In fairness to her and the coaching staff, she worked around the shooting struggles by making hustle and driving the ball. She was an energizer when she came into those late season games.
 
Just imagine what Kellie could have done with Diamond and Evina!

We use to say that about wat a great coach would've done with the stars we had but we get attack each time. At one point Diamond, Mercedes, Evina, Jermy.N all were in same team and we couldn't go far. Naw those fans will understand the important of a great coach.
 
Was glad to see turnovers down to 14. That's still too many versus an inferior team though. Hope Kellie can coach the players to where tos are down without making them become timid. As always, so excited about this season. Thought things would be different last year after the 15 win start. Long about late December 2018, I really did think the Lady Vols would have a better record than the year before. They beat TX and trounced schools like TN State - just like they have the European teams on this wonderful trip.

Thank goodness for a new coach. Good luck Coach Harper and TN Lady Vols. So hoping for a great season this year.
 

VN Store



Back
Top