NCAA Tournament Game Thread: (3) Lady Vols vs. (6) Michigan

[Amb3096]

This game emphasizes the need for a top point guard. I'm talking about a Clark or Bueckers type.
Someone who can make a 3 while also making the other players on the team better. Against a good defensive team, that we can't kill on the boards, we are in trouble.

Bueckers #1 in her class; Clark #4. That's why Kellie needs to win some recruiting battles for the elite players.

 

[Coffy73]

The lady vols need a big name as CEO of this program to compete with geno,Dawn and tara name recognition goes along way with this generation.

It's not just name recognition, just watch how some of those coaches go at their players...yep, just like Coach Summitt! Sometimes you have to light a fire under these players, get every ounce of passion out of them, Dawn and Mulkey are super intense on the sidelines and practices are all out tough! Let's face it, the players that are super passionate and get championships are not coming to Tenn. anymore.

 

[Amb3096]

here is too keeping hope that she comes in and dominates. she’s gonna take time to acclimate to the game, but let’s hope she can come in and atleast give us better minutes that walker.

I think people are too hard on Walker. She never lacks for effort. She's still likely better than any of the freshmen coming in next year, at least for year 1.

 

[VolBall09]

I don't disagree with anything you said relative to Tennessee over the past two years. A step in the right direction for sure, but still ultimately a disappointment...just not as big as a disappointment as the previous years.

What does sting is that with Rennia and KK leaving, next season is likely to be a true rebuilding year.

The wound is still fresh. Looking back over the season it was a net positive. Rennia and KK will be very missed.

Really think Kellie’s style lends to a much more balanced approach. I don’t think we’ll see many stars like her on Harper teams. Once she has the personnel she needs she’ll have 7-8 players who are good for 10-15 points a night, every night. With the roster we had there was no room for balance, by the end we were 6 deep due to injuries.

 

[DEEFEEZEE]

It's not just name recognition, just watch how some of those coaches go at their players...yep, just like Coach Summitt! Sometimes you have to light a fire under these players, get every ounce of passion out of them, Dawn and Mulkey are super intense on the sidelines and practices are all out tough! Let's face it, the players that are super passionate and get championships are not coming to Tenn. anymore.

I agree

 

[VisitorFromUpNorth]

Okay, I'm a UConn fan, so many of you are predisposed to hate me. But I just feel compelled to speak up. I don't understand how so many people in here can be so down on this team. I can imagine the pain you felt when the program went downhill. I'll be honest, I would come in here and enjoy your bickering. Holly wasn't a coach and she looked even worse because she had to follow the coach who literally put women's college basketball on the map. There will never be another Pat Summitt and her untimely death was a genuine tragedy on so many levels. However, you have a new coach who is doing an AMAZING job turning your program around in a short amount of time. Plus she is young and energetic and brings excitement to your game. You're in the national conversation again. And she's just started. It sucks to lose and I honestly wish you went farther and we could have played you again. But you guys should be positive and happy about the future. Okay, now you can tell me to mind my own business and stay off of your board.

 

[djtee]

In our defense Michigan has not really been a 3 point shooting team all year. On the season they are 29% and average only 5 makes a game. Have to play the numbers on that one. They didn’t shoot it very well today but just enough better than us that it was the difference.

I agree but why keep helping the post Kasi and Key like C.Peck said once Key can hold her own on the defensive end against any post post player in the country so no help is needed.

 

[westtnvoljackson]

Piss poor comment..

I edited my post so it won't be a piss poor comment anymore.

 

[Govols922]

Looking forward to next season! We have defense and rebounding down. Let’s find some shooters! We need shooters 1-5 position. We need positionless basketball at UT. That’s where the game has moved to. Now it’s time they catch up.

 

[Amb3096]

The wound is still fresh. Looking back over the season it was a net positive. Rennia and KK will be very missed.

Really think Kellie’s style lends to a much more balanced approach. I don’t think we’ll see many stars like her on Harper teams. Once she has the personnel she needs she’ll have 7-8 players who are good for 10-15 points a night, every night. With the roster we had there was no room for balance, by the end we were 6 deep due to injuries.

Worked for TAMU this season; maybe Kellie can replicate that model. Even then, Gary had 4 AAs on his team. Kellie needs to land the talent. Hopefully, '22 lands some big fish along with the transfer portal in the off season.

 

[djtee]

Looking forward to next season! We have defense and rebounding down. Let’s find some shooters! We need shooters 1-5 position. We need positionless basketball at UT. That’s where the game has moved to. Now it’s time they catch up.

Other then Key who else on defense ?

 

[Amb3096]

Other then Key who else on defense ?

Didn't show it today, but Rae is usually an excellent perimeter defender. Horston is pretty good too.

Defense at the 4 will be the biggest issue next season.

 

[glv98]

TN choice not to pick a veteran coach.. so, we need to have patience with her.

She's in her 17th season. What, exactly defines "veteran"?

idk why you continue to watch dude

And post! Amazing. Like a dog with a bone.

Plus, there isn't much room to create when you often have 3 players on the court at the same time that don't even have to be guarded at the 3 point line. If the defense had to live in fear of the kickout, then there would be fewer turnovers when your wings drive.

Our guards must have ended the season as one of the worst shooting pairs in history. I'm sure both Jordans are mid 20s at best from 3 and probably low 30s overall shooting. It really, really hurts when Re and Rae are off, and always hurts the posts. We must either develop or find thru the portal a 3 pt shooter. And I'll believe none of them until I see them on the court, in an LV uni, actually hitting 3s on a regular basis.

I was surprised by that. Burrell was a lockdown defender this season on teams' best offensive players and she did not defend Brown well today.

Rae really, really tailed off the last part of the season in every area. Reverted to out of control Rae on offense and way less effective on D.And a veritable turnover machine. Her knees made more turnovers than the whole Michigan team. Maybe just exhausted and maybe nicked up? She and Re played a ton of mins this season.

Just calling it like it is. They exceeded expectations, but it still was at the end of the day a disappointing season.
If SC finished 3rd in the SEC and 2nd round NCAAT exit, they would consider the year a disappointment. Are Tennessee's standards.really lower than theirs?

Seriously? Yes, of course my standards for a successful season for this team are lower than those for the elite, top 3 team who has ruled the league the last few years. Not lower in that every team who rolls the balls out wants to go to the FF and be in the convro for the natty. But lower in the realm of current reality.

Reality me accepted long ago that this is going to be an incremental rebuild and for the first freaking time in a decade, it felt like this season was a positive step in that direction. As listed by other posters, they exceeded preseason predictions and had some nice wins. Never got blown out, even today.

That said, I really hate it ended this way. It was a costly loss, a lost opportunity to achieve a milestone for the program. Probably costly in recruiting as well, at least with the elite type players we need to attract. Looking all sloppy and disjointed on TV isn't good. Totally hate it ended this way for Re.

 

[Rickster]

Kellie has made a lot of improvements. For the first time in years, this team played well for long stretches. It wasn't today. Today is just the next step in the building process and there will be disappointments in the future. As the team gets better, there will be fewer days like today. We have the coaching and are recruiting the players. Can't get it done in 2 years but one can tell if there is improvement in play. I see it.

 

[Hallie]

The difference is their players are Coachable and stand and listen to correction .. our girls walk with back to KJ as she corrects .. im really surprised she puts up with that ...

 

[Rooster1]

Worked for TAMU this season; maybe Kellie can replicate that model. Even then, Gary had 4 AAs on his team. Kellie needs to land the talent. Hopefully, '22 lands some big fish along with the transfer portal in the off season.

CKH is missing only one thing, great recruiting classes. She is just starting at UT, so cannot judge that yet, esp with this covid recruiting season. But it is true, she will live or die by UT standards with the quality of recruits she can obtain going fwd, even Pat required that talent and she said so. Of the top 25 players nationally each year, she needs to land some for UT and not face the inevitable talent gap that will occur if she fails. Holly recruited the studs CKH is riding currently, she needs to make the leap in recruiting herself now.

teams like UCONN and SC and Stanford are stockpiling in these past 3 classes, you cannot wait too long or the arms race will be decided.

 

[JCP201]

They were predicted to finish 6th in the SEC. So I would say finishing 3rd wouldn’t be considered “far from success”.

That is a good point. They just got my hopes up after beating SC and they seemed to have a lot of weapons. Now, Davis/KK are leaving and I hope we can get some good recruits to replace them.

 

[Volinnooga]

Just calling it like it is. They exceeded expectations, but it still was at the end of the day a disappointing season.

If SC finished 3rd in the SEC and 2nd round NCAAT exit, they would consider the year a disappointment. Are Tennessee's standards.really lower than theirs?

At this point, yes. They have been on top fir a number of years. We haven’t.

 

[VolBall09]

How you can determine if it was a win or a loss without opening the thread lol.

 

[volnationnj]

How you can determine if it was a win or a loss without opening the thread lol.

This is true.

 

[RAVOL]

Very Simple. There big 3 played great ours didn't. It is the NCAA Tournament. Your stars have to shine to move to next round. Simple is it not. In CHRIST Alone

 

[And1]

The biggest issue with recent Lady Vol teams is that Holly recruited very good athleticism but not necessarily the best basketball IQ, discipline, fundamental skills and most importantly heart. Since they have been superior athletes most of their lives (we always hear how our team has the best talent), it has always come too easy for them, so the fire was not necessary for them to outplay their opponent. How many times have we seen our team get beat by a “lesser talented” team but had the desire to do whatever it took to win? We are still seeing the remnants of Holly’s recruiting and hopefully moving forward Kellie can improve the recruitment in some of these areas. Otherwise we will continue to see more of the same come tournament time.

 

[Coach Jumper]

I wasn't able to watch all of the game but am incredibly disappointed in the outcome. We were close in every game this year (minus SC in the SEC tourney) and to lose to Michigan like this is unacceptable for this team. Michigan controlled the game which I would not have guessed going into this. Overall, it was a decent season, but this one stings.

Be glad...I recorded it and just got to watch it, have been avoiding any radio or tv until now,,,Good Grief

 

[IndianaVol]

The difference is their players are Coachable and stand and listen to correction .. our girls walk with back to KJ as she corrects .. im really surprised she puts up with that ...

I am too, but some of these players aren't hers and as a coach you have to walk somewhat of a fine line in that situation. Push the wrong player the wrong way and you can lose the whole team.

 

[I4Vols]

Okay, I'm a UConn fan, so many of you are predisposed to hate me. But I just feel compelled to speak up. I don't understand how so many people in here can be so down on this team. I can imagine the pain you felt when the program went downhill. I'll be honest, I would come in here and enjoy your bickering. Holly wasn't a coach and she looked even worse because she had to follow the coach who literally put women's college basketball on the map. There will never be another Pat Summitt and her untimely death was a genuine tragedy on so many levels. However, you have a new coach who is doing an AMAZING job turning your program around in a short amount of time. Plus she is young and energetic and brings excitement to your game. You're in the national conversation again. And she's just started. It sucks to lose and I honestly wish you went farther and we could have played you again. But you guys should be positive and happy about the future. Okay, now you can tell me to mind my own business and stay off of your board.

Well, I will thank you for your post.
BTW, you have a knack for great empathy. Psych major or in sales?
Anyway, I think I'm going to either lay on the couch and have somebody read it to me or I'll open my Amazon account and buy something.
Either way I'll feel much better.