Sweet sixteen a success for this team?

[madtownvol]

Let's review the original question, shall we? It was: would getting to the Sweet 16 be considered a success? I replied, not really, because all we have to do is beat Belmont, a 12-seed, after beating a 13-seed, Buffalo, to get to the Sweet 16. And, so no, I wouldn't be doing somersaults after beating two very low seeds. You responded to my post by wondering if I'd be happy if we beat a mid-major to win the national title. Uh, I think that's a totally difference scenario, yes? C'mon man: Stick to the original post.

What you are complaining about is how seeding works.. The LVs as a 3 seed earned the right to play a lower seeded team. Now, the 12 seed Belmont beat a five seed which means they are now the roadblock to the LVs making the Sweet 16. It is not the LVs fault that Oregon got upset and if the LVs qualify for the sweet 16 that achievement is in no way diminished by the fact that they had to beat a 12 seed who was good enough to beat a 5 seed. All the other sweet 16s the Lvs have made (I believe 36?) generally were cases where they were 1 or 2 seed, which meant the first round was against a 16 or 15 seed and often a much lower seed in the round of the 32. Are you going to similarly discount that legacy of consistently making the Sweet 16?

 

[gule]

eggszactly wright

 

[sisaq]

I don't know, ask Oregon....

Hahaha

 

[Freak]

And Kellie has been there once as coach in her entire career, which evidently was good enough to get this job...

Twice.

 

[volbound1700]

Yes, it is a success. Look at our Men's team right now.

 

[volfaninpa]

Barring a fierce comeback by LSU, it looks like there are only going to be 2 women's teams from the SEC in the sweet 16, South Carolina and the Lady Vols.

Considering the injuries and midseason slump, I'm happy for this team. Maybe Horston is back for Louisville, maybe not. Either way, it's a tough out for the Lady Vols. Sweet 16 this year and who knows with the nucleus coming back next year if they stay healthy. GO Lady Vols!

 

[glv98]

If you've watched this team, how could you possibly dismiss the miracle of getting it to Sweet 16. They have stumbled, staggered, and crawled their way in, despite really, truly not being a very good team right now. And certainly a wildly inconsistent one. Yet they somehow find a way.

Having watched in person the last two games, its a monumental achievement.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

Wish we could have won the SEC Tournament, but I would not trade our Coach, Team, or achievements this year, for Kentucky’s, our future looks much brighter.

 

[J-Dog 1313]

If you've watched this team, how could you possibly dismiss the miracle of getting it to Sweet 16. They have stumbled, staggered, and crawled their way in, despite really, truly not being a very good team right now. And certainly a wildly inconsistent one. Yet they somehow find a way.

Having watched in person the last two games, its a monumental achievement.

I agree with the sentiment of your comment, except for your statement that the LVs "not being a very good team right now." This is a very good team right now and, if they can control turnovers, like they did against Belmont, and shoot a few percentage points higher, this team might just end up in the Final Four. GBO.

 

[sechamp2012]

The lower seeded teams are not bad like they were during the Summit era. Parity is finally coming for the Women's game and it will only help grow the game. It is a good thing. Belmont probably had more fans at TBA than they did at any home game this year. I'm just guessing but that ran through my mind as I watched them play. They gave a tremendous effort.

 

[glv98]

The lower seeded teams are not bad like they were during the Summit era. Parity is finally coming for the Women's game and it will only help grow the game. It is a good thing. Belmont probably had more fans at TBA than they did at any home game this year. I'm just guessing but that ran through my mind as I watched them play. They gave a tremendous effort.

So true. Those teams are SO much better now. Folks can dismissively say "it's Belmont!" like they're spitting a bad taste out of their mouth but that's just ignorant and out of date.

Both tournaments have been awesome because of it.

 

[Decker Moss]

I would say yes. Does anyone remember where we started in the Top 25 rankings at the beginning of the year? Seriously asking because I don’t remember. I don’t think we were in the top 16. Could be wrong. Doing something we hadn’t done in 6 years seems like a success to me. Next year I would think it might take an elite 8 or final four to be considered a success, especially if we were to some how get Jackson. I think getting Jackson would bump us up to final four or national championship level.

 

[Coach Jumper]

I would say yes. Does anyone remember where we started in the Top 25 rankings at the beginning of the year? Seriously asking because I don’t remember. I don’t think we were in the top 16. Could be wrong. Doing something we hadn’t done in 6 years seems like a success to me. Next year I would think it might take an elite 8 or final four to be considered a success, especially if we were to some how get Jackson. I think getting Jackson would bump us up to final four or national championship level.

I posted this a few days ago:

Week - rank
1 - 15
2 - 16
3 - 11
4 - 11
5 - 9
6 - 7
7 - 7
8 - 7
9 - 7
10 - 5
11 - 5
12 - 4
13 - 7
14 - 13
15 - 12
16 - 16
17 - 18
18 - 19
19 - 18

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Given what happened in the Michigan game last year, getting to the SS was definitely the goal. Now that we are there, the goal is the EE, of course. But I will be satisfied with the SS if we have to settle for it, given the season ending injuries we had to key players (Marta, Keyen, Jordy). This year has definitely been a step forward, win or lose vs the fightin waltzers. And the future looks brighter with the returners and newcomers.

 

[Dak1219]

Given what happened in the Michigan game last year, getting to the SS was definitely the goal. Now that we are there, the goal is the EE, of course. But I will be satisfied with the SS if we have to settle for it, given the season ending injuries we had to key players (Marta, Keyen, Jordy). This year has definitely been a step forward, win or lose vs the fightin waltzers. And the future looks brighter with the returners and newcomers.

Got to win 1 game to make it to the elite 8. The Lady Vols have as good of chance as anyone at this point. If they come out and play solid defense, control the pace and limit turnovers, their chance of winning is as good as anyone else's.........

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Got to win 1 game to make it to the elite 8. The Lady Vols have as good of chance as anyone at this point. If they come out and play solid defense, control the pace and limit turnovers, their chance of winning is as good as anyone else's.........

After re-watching the Belmont game, I think the key is to play better perimeter defense. Belmont was able to score mainly because of our defensive lapses.

 

[Dak1219]

After re-watching the Belmont game, I think the key is to play better perimeter defense. Belmont was able to score mainly because of our defensive lapses.

They tend to miss matching up on the perimeter in transition defense. The lady vols tend to run rim to rim and leave shooters open on the perimeter. They need to know who the three-point shooters are and find them as soon as their opponent takes possession of the ball rather than running straight to the paint and trying to recover on the perimeter after the fact.

 

[Ladyvol777]

I would love to see the Lady Vol’s win this game. The next game would probably be against Michigan, so we could get some Revenge. As always go Lady Vol’s.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

They tend to miss matching up on the perimeter in transition defense. The lady vols tend to run rim to rim and leave shooters open on the perimeter. They need to know who the three-point shooters are and find them as soon as their opponent takes possession of the ball rather than running straight to the paint and trying to recover on the perimeter after the fact.

Yep, good eye. I've noticed that too. There is a conundrum at work here: On one hand, we don't want guards dribble driving and getting into Key's body and drawing fouls, so our guards tend to protect her in the way you're noticing. And yet, if we do that, we leave their shooters open. Seems to me we have to let Key be the rim protector as she is advertised and figure out how to stay out of foul trouble and use our guards more on the defensive perimeter. otherwise, what's the point of having a rim protector like Key?