Game Thread: 2023 Women's NCAA Tournament...Round of 16: Lady Vols v Va. Tech...Sat @ 6:30 ESPN2

[Nute Gunray]

Blackberry jam.

No, strawberry.

 

[Rooster1]

All the teams left in Lady Vols Region beat us in regular season ......Ohio State (87-75 );Va Tech ( 59-56 ) and Uconn ( 84-67 ).Lile someone posted earlier this is a revenge tour.

My hope is Ohio State takes it to Uconn and we beat Va Tech......if we can contain Va Tech center ang great guard we can beat Va Tech ,,,,especially with Jackson back in lineup ( she did not play in 1st game ) ...Key shut down their center so that needs to be considered in the equation.

Spot on

 

[chuckiepoo]

Please don't say likely match with UConn. VA Tech is ranked higher than UConn. LVs must play their "A" game to beat them.

Couldn’t agree more. One at a time, plenty for one day. I certainly would hate for the Ladies to get caught in that trap.

 

[Rooster1]

UT will beat VT by 10 or more, I don’t have any doubt, probably much worse tbh. LV’s peaking at the right time and VT won’t be able to hang. I believe UT out-rebound them significantly, Kitley is soft in that department. Finesse players don’t usually get it done vs SEC defenses.

 

[madtownvol]

She was five of thirteen from the field, 0 of 1 from 3. 38.5% certainly isn't bad, but I agree, not up to her typical shooting. She filled up the stat line, however, with 6 rebounds, 2 of 2 FT's (she usually gets to the line more than that), assists and a block. I think she just started feeding the 3 point shooters who were hot. Threes are better than twos if you can make em.

I hold her to higher standard: 10 for 13 is the minimum I will accept. Why, if this board starts accepting 5-13 shooting, then pretty soon Rickea will just stay on the sidelines eating Krispy Kreme donuts.

 

[madtownvol]

No, strawberry.

OMG, this conflict may tear this board apart!!!! Its raspberry jam and don't you cherry jam people dare bring that trash to this board.

I have some sympathy for the orange marmalade crowd but they need to tread lightly.

 

[37620VOL]

Please don't say likely match with UConn. VA Tech is ranked higher than UConn. LVs must play their "A" game to beat them.

The media rankings are dumb. UConn is a measurably better basketball team than VT.

 

[Rooster1]

The media rankings are dumb. UConn is a measurably better basketball team than VT.

Truth. And in the VT/UT game I think VT plays 6 or 7 at most, no bench to speak of, UT is built now to come in waves. It will be close until middle of 3rd likely, then I see LV’s taking the game over. Jackson will go off.

.

 

[lvocd]

Truth. And in the VT/UT game I think VT plays 6 or 7 at most, no bench to speak of, UT is built now to come in waves. It will be close until middle of 3rd likely, then I see LV’s taking the game over. Jackson will go off.

.

Oh please, Please, PLEASE let that be the case! Of course, I would prefer Tennessee come out and beat them like they were red-headed step-children from tip-off, but given how the Lady Vols seem to need a while to get their bearings, that won't likely happen. We don't care HOW they win, just THAT they win. Amiright?!

 

[youcancallmeAl]

I gotta say I was wrong in the early part of the season to be so critical of Harper's coaching. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to integrate new players into the culture and the basketball style of play as it apparently is. About mid-season, I began to realize the start of the season really didn't matter, it was how we were gonna finish. Because recruits are gonna look mostly at how we do in the ncaa tourney, not the SEC or the win/loss columns. Sure enough, Kellie brought this team around, and they improved so much they beat LSU and have dominated their bracket in the first two rounds. As I watched them dispatch St Louis and especially Toledo, I was impressed by how far they have come this season and how much some of the players have improved. I'm very confident we will defeat VT and give UConn everything they will not want. A season plan well played, Kellie.

 

[lvocd]

I gotta say I was wrong in the early part of the season to be so critical of Harper's coaching. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to integrate new players into the culture and the basketball style of play as it apparently is. About mid-season, I began to realize the start of the season really didn't matter, it was how we were gonna finish. Because recruits are gonna look mostly at how we do in the ncaa tourney, not the SEC or the win/loss columns. Sure enough, Kellie brought this team around, and they improved so much they beat LSU and have dominated their bracket in the first two rounds. As I watched them dispatch St Louis and especially Toledo, I was impressed by how far they have come this season and how much some of the players have improved. I'm very confident we will defeat VT and give UConn everything they will not want. A season plan well played, Kellie.

Post of the day! Good on ya, Al.

 

[J-Dog 1313]

rpi has us losing 69-66
Massey has us winning 69-68

I predict it at : TN 80-62

LVs 86--VT 59. GBO.

 

[VOLPAT]

I gotta say I was wrong in the early part of the season to be so critical of Harper's coaching. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to integrate new players into the culture and the basketball style of play as it apparently is. About mid-season, I began to realize the start of the season really didn't matter, it was how we were gonna finish. Because recruits are gonna look mostly at how we do in the ncaa tourney, not the SEC or the win/loss columns. Sure enough, Kellie brought this team around, and they improved so much they beat LSU and have dominated their bracket in the first two rounds. As I watched them dispatch St Louis and especially Toledo, I was impressed by how far they have come this season and how much some of the players have improved. I'm very confident we will defeat VT and give UConn everything they will not want. A season plan well played, Kellie.

You are 100% correct. They wore Toledo out with the bench players letting starters rest. There were 52 points from the bench players. Jordan Walker seems to know where the ball will land and she gets the rebound. She had a great game. Several players have shown significant improvement and they seem to be playing for each other and more than one of them played their best game. So happy for the team and the coaches, especially Coach Kellie. She has done an amazing job to get this team playing so well.

 

[VolBall09]

Don’t like getting ahead of myself (lies) but if, IF, the Lady Vols somehow make the Final Four there isn’t a team left in LSU’s bracket we can’t beat. We already know we can beat them and have. I suspect they will beat Utah and likely Villanova en route to the Final Four.

Biggest hang-up for us would be in the Elite Eight against UCONN if we beat VaTech like I know we can.

UCONN may get their monies worth from Ohio State if Ohio State can find ways to score and set that press. It’s so frustrating for teams. If we played them for some reason we would have the advantage of having seen it already.

That’s about the only way you can beat UCONN most of the time, you have to turn them over to get easy scores, hit threes and keep them out of their offense. If Ohio State can get hot from 3 early and turn them over a few times it will be interesting. If they’re cold and can not get in their press they will be cooked.

 

[Rons1989]

Oh please, Please, PLEASE let that be the case! Of course, I would prefer Tennessee come out and beat them like they were red-headed step-children from tip-off, but given how the Lady Vols seem to need a while to get their bearings, that won't likely happen. We don't care HOW they win, just THAT they win. Amiright?!

I can most def deal with another beating we dnt have time for any close games we will let the rest of the tournament do close games give me a 20 point plus victory lol

 

[Orange_Mamba]

I feel like the refs are going to call a tight game. Especially, with how aggressive we’ve been playing D these last two games might end up with a couple players in foul trouble.

 

[VolBall09]

I feel like the reds are going to call a tight game. Especially, with how aggressive we’ve been playing D these last two games might end up with a couple players in foul trouble.

One of the seasons I’m glad the bench had such a good showing in the first two rounds. We are deeper than they are at every position.

If we can get Amoore in a little foul trouble they would be in trouble. She runs the team about 95% of the time.

 

[sisaq]

Lady vols 2023

 

[Rooster1]

UT is going to beat VT y’all. Won’t be that close in the end. And yes, I’ll hang my hat on that statement. Hold me to it. Jordan and Jax too much for them. Strip and Holl are going to collect a bunch of fouls against Kitley Likely but it won’t matter. Hell, combined they may outplay her.

The key is Walker and Powell need to just be solid in the backcourt, know they will be.

 

[madtownvol]

I gotta say I was wrong in the early part of the season to be so critical of Harper's coaching. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to integrate new players into the culture and the basketball style of play as it apparently is. About mid-season, I began to realize the start of the season really didn't matter, it was how we were gonna finish. Because recruits are gonna look mostly at how we do in the ncaa tourney, not the SEC or the win/loss columns. Sure enough, Kellie brought this team around, and they improved so much they beat LSU and have dominated their bracket in the first two rounds. As I watched them dispatch St Louis and especially Toledo, I was impressed by how far they have come this season and how much some of the players have improved. I'm very confident we will defeat VT and give UConn everything they will not want. A season plan well played, Kellie.

You know, Volfan2012 called it early that it would take time for the new players to get integrated. At the time, that prediction made sense to me, particularly given that Franklin was coming off an ACL. So, I never sweated the early season struggles, particularly since some of the losses were really close (a play here and there and its win) and some were without Jackson due to her suspension (I was very critical of that coaching move which is one of my many bad reads this season). I also did not worry too much about Powell. I made the analogy of PG being like a QB learning a new system and the real question was if she could figure it out in time (and she seems to have done that!).

My worse pick of the season was concluding after those early games that Hollingshead was raw and would need a season to become a key contributor. Her transformation has been remarkable. She looks like an entirely player from the early season.

Where I started to lose the faith was during that Uconn, LSU, MissST losing stretch. I thought Kellie was not adapting her system to make the most of what she had and I overreacted to her "I don't like change" comment. From the outside, it felt like the team was teetering on the brink.

I misread all of that about as poorly as possible. These last 2 games Kellie's system was firing on all cylinders and it did not require superhero level performances from Jordan H. or Rickea.

If the LVs can keep their scoring touch, this team could make good on all those lofty preseason expectation (and doing without a very "KEY" piece of the overall puzzle.

 

[lvocd]

Our bugaboo could be against a team that plays tenacious, relentless man-to-man defense. If we start turning it over because we can't get free to pass the ball, and the passing lanes are denied ...

My hope is that Kellie is adding a new wrinkle or two to the offense this week because I guarantee you from here on out Tennessee is going to see some tough deny defense. Gotta move quickly and decisively. Screens. Pick-and-rolls.

 

[glv98]

How much fun was Sara having? Just glad she didn't throw out her back or punch Justine in the face with her celebration. RJ noticed and approved. Not sure if she approved the reply about her new "Strawberry Shortcake Hair":


Also shout out to B Rice for calling it a block "into the second row". Second row of cheerleaders, but a little hyperbole is good on radio!

 

[glv98]

I'll go about half mea culpa on KJH. Happy as we are, there's still stuff to be proven.

KJH won culture to a level we couldn't have imagined. Already strong, the happy ending to the RJ saga sent the culture narrative soaring. Plus all the ongoing love from the players, which if I wasn't an LV fan I'd find cloying. But it's obviously genuine and extremely impressive. Especially to parents of future recruits. Says it all:


The other half: KJH won the portal last year, but HS recruiting was a bust. Even if she knew of possible returns, getting zilch for this class is a problem. I stand by that criticism. And I still think the schedule was too hard and think we'd actually be a better team wo 2 or 3 or those losses.

Also, KJH sub pattern still bothers me. And though it ended well, I still think she let the RJ off the bench thing go on too long.

Most of all, with every other good thing in place, I still don't think she has shown she can coach to beat elite. She beat elite for a half against LSU, which was enough, so give her the whole game. But the next, and hopefully ultimate, step for her is still to consistently compete and sometimes beat elite teams.

She's been handed a chance to do that again next year, with a season's head start on chemistry and experience. No reason not to be able to be competitive w the UConns and SCs of the world, espec if we can pick up one more guard.

She's welcome to go ahead and get a head start on elite this season. Would love to see it.

 

[madtownvol]

I'll go about half mea culpa on KJH. Happy as we are, there's still stuff to be proven.

KJH won culture to a level we couldn't have imagined. Already strong, the happy ending to the RJ saga sent the culture narrative soaring. Plus all the ongoing love from the players, which if I wasn't an LV fan I'd find cloying. But it's obviously genuine and extremely impressive. Especially to parents of future recruits. Says it all:


The other half: KJH won the portal last year, but HS recruiting was a bust. Even if she knew of possible returns, getting zilch for this class is a problem. I stand by that criticism. And I still think the schedule was too hard and think we'd actually be a better team wo 2 or 3 or those losses.

Also, KJH sub pattern still bothers me. And though it ended well, I still think she let the RJ off the bench thing go on too long.

Most of all, with every other good thing in place, I still don't think she has shown she can coach to beat elite. She beat elite for a half against LSU, which was enough, so give her the whole game. But the next, and hopefully ultimate, step for her is still to consistently compete and sometimes beat elite teams.

She's been handed a chance to do that again next year, with a season's head start on chemistry and experience. No reason not to be able to be competitive w the UConns and SCs of the world, espec if we can pick up one more guard.

She's welcome to go ahead and get a head start on elite this season. Would love to see it.

The super tough schedule is a Pat Summitt hallmark. Not saying it is right or wrong but that is where it came from and back in the day even the legend would get criticized for playing too hard of schedule in comparison to say Uconn who feasted on cupcakes for their early season.

One of those early season losses should have been a win if not for a phantom travel call on Jordan and the whole Rickea suspension episode probably cost at least one more win. In other words, it could have easily worked out better.

But, if those losses give the LVs a chip on the shoulder and they spank VT and Uconn (Or OSU) in revenge matches, Kellie would be looking pretty golden. In other words, the postmortem on this season still awaits the end results.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

In other words, the postmortem on this season still awaits the end results.

Truth.