NCAAT Game Thread: Lady Vols vs Buffalo/Belmont

[VolBall09]

I believe Jordan will,Jordan defense has been good this tournament. All she needs to do is make vanlith go right. Rae will guard Smith. And I’m a little concerned with Darby this game. I believe Miles/Wynn will guard Hall.

Could see it going that way. Honestly Smith is the one that concerns me. She’s much more athletic than Van Lith IMO. They are a pretty balanced team with their starting 5. I truly feel smith has more potential to go off on us than Van Lith.

Players like Van Lith tend to struggle with our length because she is not quick enough to get around players. She reminds me of Sarah Ashley Barker but with a better BBIQ and shot selection. Barker did not score on us when we played not athletic enough to get shots against our defense.

 

[mudcat1973]

Louisville as a 1 seed I assume fully healthy, against UT without Horston alone baffles my mind the spread opened at 5.5. With Green and Horston I could see 5.5 as a point spread. Without those 2 that seems like easy money. Struggling with Buffalo and Belmont at home, playing a 1 seed next and the spread is only 7, started 5.5. What does Vegas know that I don't? I love my LV, but without Green and Horston UT is about to be spanked. UT got beat by Auburn and Alabama with those two players out. Why am I seeing some on here saying UT wins going away or if UT shoots well from the 3? UT in general doesn't shoot well from the 3. I would love to eat crow or Cardinal but UT has no chance giving Louisville a game without JH, not to mention Green. I just don't see UT being within 12 points much less 7.

if they make spreed to much they think they lose money

 

[VolBalls33]

W

What we have seen so far in the two rounds of March Madness is the penchant for the underdog to come away with the upset. Even with their injuries, I see the LVs beating Louisville. Time to select your side dishes to go along with your main course of crow. GBO.

Would gladly pick out my side dishes. However, those upsets over the favorites have been with healthy rosters. UT isn't beating Louisville. The optimism is great to see at least.

 

[creekdipper]

Oh. I was just extending the conversation!

Double OT Bull Session!!

 

[LadyOrange]

The “X” factors are the officials and luck (assuming Louisville and Tenn play a close game). This is true for most close games. Example—

Puckett really stepped up and made a big shot but she was prepared for that so that is NOT what I am referring to.
The officials missed a couple fouls on Tennessee in the last couple minutes. Calling a jump ball when to me in slow motion it looked like the Belmont player was grabbed on the arm and the obvious missed call on Dye’s moving screen at the top of the key on the Puckett play. We got lucky when Belmont missed 3 out of their last 4 foul shots including 2 in a role by their best player. Belmont had time to set up a good play at the end but made a bad pass sending the ball out of bounds.

Point being let’s get a nice little lead of 7 or 8 points with a couple minutes to play and try to take bad luck and officials out of the equation. If we are behind, don’t give up!!! But I think we have learned that lesson this year.

And they missed some holding TK’s jersey fouls.

 

[LadyOrange]

Not to get ahead of the narrative, but more out of historical curiosity:
When was the last time the Lady Vols were labeled a "cinderella" team in the tourney?

The “Cinderella Season.” We lost 10 regular season games and won the natty.

 

[LadyOrange]

I don’t see this one being close. I hope I’m wrong.

Louisville is going to attack the passing lanes and use superior speed to crush us.

We may have a shot if we use motion well and actually knock down our inside shots, not miss bunnies.

But I have this game being 70-50 range

61-60 Lady Vols win. We have held every opponent this season to at least 7 below their scoring average.

 

[madtownvol]

The beauty of this game is that the LVs get to be the underdogs with nothing to lose. I think at times they were playing tight and feeling the pressure of getting the sweet 16 monkey off their backs. So, job done there.

Now, they can be that TEAM, who has been battled tested through a tough schedule and who can create a whole lot of match-up problems. It is time to play killer bee, swarming defense and let's hope the refs are willing to swallow whistles like they did for Belmont.

There is a scene from the Watchman where the imprisoned vigilante "Rorschach" is attacked by a group of prisoners and he slaughters them. He then yells out to all the other stunned observers: "You need to realize. I am not locked in here with you. You are locked in here with ME!" Time for the LVs to go Rorschach on Louisville.

 

[LadyOrange]

Double OT Bull Session!!

🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣

 

[LadyOrange]

Would gladly pick out my side dishes. However, those upsets over the favorites have been with healthy rosters. UT isn't beating Louisville. The optimism is great to see at least.

Lady Vols win. 61-60

 

[LadyOrange]

Louisville as a 1 seed I assume fully healthy, against UT without Horston alone baffles my mind the spread opened at 5.5. With Green and Horston I could see 5.5 as a point spread. Without those 2 that seems like easy money. Struggling with Buffalo and Belmont at home, playing a 1 seed next and the spread is only 7, started 5.5. What does Vegas know that I don't? I love my LV, but without Green and Horston UT is about to be spanked. UT got beat by Auburn and Alabama with those two players out. Why am I seeing some on here saying UT wins going away or if UT shoots well from the 3? UT in general doesn't shoot well from the 3. I would love to eat crow or Cardinal but UT has no chance giving Louisville a game without JH, not to mention Green. I just don't see UT being within 12 points much less 7.

Buffalo and Belmont are much better than their seeds.

 

[LadyOrange]

Who's guarding VanLith?

Walker. Rae has not returned to her old form yet.

 

[Voluble2]

And they missed some holding TK’s jersey fouls.

And some smacking TK's arms fouls.

 

[creekdipper]

Not worried, Waltz's jumper is really inconsistent and he can't defend to save his life.....

Boy can't even handle a razor.

 

[gule]

Sweet 16 picks

USc
OSU
MD
ISU
NST
UC
LO
SD

 

[djtee]

I suspect Burrell will mostly guard Van Lith. Which means we will see more Miles/Wynn than the last game to guard Hall/Smith with Walker.

Darby doesn’t have a very good defensive matchup for this game. Suspect she may not play quite as much.

Might even see a little bit of zone. They can shoot pretty well from 3 but Cochran is not an outside threat. We usually get burned by posts who can shoot the 3 if we try to go zone.

Also what i think is in our favor is we don`t need to worry about getting owned on the glass ? Louisville don`t rebound like South Carolina so that`s a battle we can win.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

if they make spreed to much they think they lose money

Los Vegas could care less who wins/loses and favoring one team over the other to begin with is just to start the betting. They want the $ spread as equally on both teams as they can get it, the better they do. That's why the spread moves up/down until game time to adjust when more $ are being bet on one team. They just don't want to lose money and they are very good at that.

 

[mudcat1973]

The “Cinderella Season.” We lost 10 regular season games and won the natty.

kellie was out for most of those loses with knee injury. she had a big game vs unconn ncaa turment. i think in 98 she took shotgun seat so three meeks could shine. because she shot more 97 ncaa turnment games. and ace was on that team to. they was only one ball to go around.

 

[Rickyvol77]

They definitely will need some help from refs on how they call the game. I wish they’d win but they don’t have much speed at this point

 

[madtownvol]

kellie was out for most of those loses with knee injury. she had a big game vs unconn ncaa turment. i think in 98 she took shotgun seat so three meeks could shine. because she shot more 97 ncaa turnment games. and ace was on that team to. they was only one ball to go around.

Also, Chamique Holdsclaw went "full Jordan" during that tournament. I think her stretch of games still qualifies as the greatest performance in women's tournament history. In hindsight, it was the peak of her career, though she did a lot of impressive things in the ensuing years.

 

[mudcat1973]

kellie score 19 vs unconn final 8 ncaa 97 there still

Also, Chamique Holdsclaw went "full Jordan" during that tournament. I think her stretch of games still qualifies as the greatest performance in women's tournament history. In hindsight, it was the peak of her career, though she did a lot of impressive things in the ensuing years.

Also, Chamique Holdsclaw went "full Jordan" during that tournament. I think her stretch of games still qualifies as the greatest performance in women's tournament history. In hindsight, it was the peak of her career, though she did a lot of impressive things in the ensuing years.

kellie had vs uconn 97 ncaa turnment game its still on youtube

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Louisville as a 1 seed I assume fully healthy, against UT without Horston alone baffles my mind the spread opened at 5.5. With Green and Horston I could see 5.5 as a point spread. Without those 2 that seems like easy money. Struggling with Buffalo and Belmont at home, playing a 1 seed next and the spread is only 7, started 5.5. What does Vegas know that I don't? I love my LV, but without Green and Horston UT is about to be spanked. UT got beat by Auburn and Alabama with those two players out. Why am I seeing some on here saying UT wins going away or if UT shoots well from the 3? UT in general doesn't shoot well from the 3. I would love to eat crow or Cardinal but UT has no chance giving Louisville a game without JH, not to mention Green. I just don't see UT being within 12 points much less 7.

We have been trying to learn to play without Jordy, just like we learned to play without Keyen. And we have been learning and making some progress there. People aren't just standing around waiting for Jordy to do something remarkable, instead everyone is trying to help out. I think we are a team on the rise. I see a lot of improvement in this team. Notice only 9 TO's in the Belmont game. Belmont was obviously underseeded, a much better team than advertised, not just because they came within a whisker of beating us, but also because they took down Oregon handily. I understand why we are underdogs, but I still like our chances at the upset.

 

[mudcat1973]

kelly said not looking good for horston to play youtube press today. said she doing good but runing out time

 

[lvocd]

kelly said not looking good for horston to play youtube press today. said she doing good but runing out time

Well I guess Jordan’s teammates will just have to get all the way to the championship game to give her more time. Wouldn’t that be the most amazing thing ever? 😄

 

[J-Dog 1313]

Well I guess Jordan’s teammates will just have to get all the way to the championship game to give her more time. Wouldn’t that be the most amazing thing ever? 😄

Yes, that would amazing. And I think it just might happen. GBO