Will the Lady Vols be Improved next Season?

[glv98]

I disagree the SEC isn't that tough. Mississippi State and Texas A&M have also reloaded in the portal, and they have the #21 and #20 high school recruiting classes, respectively. Alabama has the #14 recruiting class, bringing in 3 top-100 high school recruits. Arkansas (#17 class) and Missouri both bring in 2 top-100 recruits. Florida has a top-20 high school recruit. Vanderbilt loses quite a bit but brings in Pissott and Jordyn Oliver and the #63 high school recruit. Georgia should be tough again.

Auburn and Kentucky are looking rough.

Remind me who MSU, Ole Miss, and TAMU got via the portal. Seems like MSU and TAMU lost a few and gained a few, not much impactful. Not sure about Ole Miss. Did they get a game changer?

IMO Missouri and Alabama held ground at best and Georgia is an unknown. Did they get anyone or lose anyone? They were playing much better by the end of last yr. Safe to say Arkansas, Florida, Auburn, KY and Vandy will be bottom feeders again.

Overall, SEC looks super loaded at the top, dangerous in the middle, and really bad at the bottom.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Looks like college recruiting, especially BB, has decided the portal is way to go for instant reloading. Maybe add a few HS recruits for depth until they get experience if you can get them to stay. Some had doubts about Kellie not recruiting HS kids but looks like she has bought in to the portal system as the way to go along with Dawn and Mulkey. The way of the future I think.

 

[glv98]

As far as the top of the SEC, if I learned anything last year it's that we don't know nothing from what's on paper. Ask sure bet national champs So Car or us as a top 5 pick.

Top of SEC definitely cleaned up in the portal, but if you think about it, pretty much all of it is unproven, espec in the SEC. Some of the prized pick ups are from lesser schools or leagues and will be asked to play a very different role on their new teams. Blending teams is a thing, ask KJH about last yr. Add that the consensus pick, LSU, is the most blended and also the most likely to implode in the process and I don't think anything is a given.

However much So Car poor mouths about "rebuilding", I don't count them out for a second.

As far as the LVs, it looks good for at least matching last yr, but we never, ever know. Lots to prove. I plan to just relax (right!) and enjoy what should be a really, really entertaining season.

 

[VolFuture]

That’s crazy! Kellie definitely appreciates the 3 ball and seems to give her players the green light. There’s no overthinking it when they are open- which had been a problem for years.

I almost didn’t believe it. A new age in Rocky Top. 3 girls hit more threes than 16 CRAZY!!

 

[chuckiepoo]

I almost didn’t believe it. A new age in Rocky Top. 3 girls hit more threes than 16 CRAZY!!

More than one way to win a game!

 

[Vol67]

lol, with wells, spear, rickea, hollingshed, and key starting, we’re most definitely on par and even with LSU and most definitely SC after what they’ve lost.

Hahahahahaha you have officially lost it.

 

[stllvf]

Perhaps not the correct thread, but winning a championship frequently requires a little bit of luck. One of the LVs required a last second putback in an earlier round against LSU. And this last year a Utah player missed two free throws which enabled LSU to squeek that win. declaring winners is only for boarders.

 

[VOLPAT]

Looks like college recruiting, especially BB, has decided the portal is way to go for instant reloading. Maybe add a few HS recruits for depth until they get experience if you can get them to stay. Some had doubts about Kellie not recruiting HS kids but looks like she has bought in to the portal system as the way to go along with Dawn and Mulkey. The way of the future I think.

The Portal linked heavily to NIL.

 

[turbovol]

The Portal linked heavily to NIL.

Bribing college students to sign with you. College athletics---football and basketball in particular--has become a rather disgracefully corrupt
cesspool. There should be no NIL deals for anyone until they've spent one full year at their school. This would be a way to eliminate using NIL
bribes for recruiting--which should be illegal.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Bribing college students to sign with you. College athletics---football and basketball in particular--has become a rather disgracefully corrupt
cesspool. There should be no NIL deals for anyone until they've spent one full year at their school. This would be a way to eliminate using NIL
bribes for recruiting--which should be illegal.

I’d take that up with the Supreme Court.

 

[madtownvol]

I’d take that up with the Supreme Court.

And schools should also stop "bribing" coaches to come to their program. So, terrible the way that LSU "bribed" Mulkey to coach there but of course she was being "bribed" by Baylor.....

 

[LUVMESUMVOL]

Bribing college students to sign with you. College athletics---football and basketball in particular--has become a rather disgracefully corrupt
cesspool. There should be no NIL deals for anyone until they've spent one full year at their school. This would be a way to eliminate using NIL
bribes for recruiting--which should be illegal.

That’s a dream speech.now to reality the NIL is gonna get more corrupt and become a bigger bribery for coaches and players so my attitude is this and I’m fine with this thinking even if no one else is.whatever the game is you play it and if you have to cheat some do it because nobody is going to give you credit for doing it the right way if you are not winning

 

[lvocd]

Not having Horston will definitely hurt -- she has so many valuable skills and tremendous heart -- but I have to admit that with the players coming in and assuming Key will be back and healthy, if Tennessee doesn't improve I will likely become a silent member of the Worried About The Abilities of the Coaching Staff Club. I will never, ever further hurt the program by constantly putting it out into the ether that the program is in trouble, but I will definitely be worried in private.

Unless there are several key players who miss the season due to injury, there really should be no reason whatsoever for the team to fall short of fairly high expectations. Now, I'm not saying I expect a Final Four or else it won't be considered an improvement, but assuming Kellie tones the schedule down a tad from last season I will be shocked, and probably kinda ticked at the staff, if we repeated last season's run of early losses which put us on our heels for most of the rest of the season.

Even though the team will take time to gel, like I said, a toned-down schedule should allow for them to work out the kinks and STILL get the wins -- unlike last season.

Yes, the Tennessee Lady Vols will improve over last season. And, hopefully, this offseason will be one for the staff to find ways for them to improve as well. Time for EVERYone to take another step forward.

 

[VOLPAT]

And schools should also stop "bribing" coaches to come to their program. So, terrible the way that LSU "bribed" Mulkey to coach there but of course she was being "bribed" by Baylor.....

Good point Mad, coaches are paid ridiculously over the top salaries.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

No doubt TK is in great, experienced medical hands. We've discussed that before. But we'll still opine and speculate I'm sure since this is an opine and speculate site and bc TK can be such a big addition for our upcoming season.

That said, one of the good things is now that the roster has been boosted, what we need from TK is a bit simplier, especially offensively. Five or so rebounds, 6 or so pts, and however many blocks she can get in will help us greatly. Along with just her defensive presence, it's big for us, no pun intended. Also it allows Jill and Karo to play the 4 where I think both are best.

Hope we see on court activities for TK leading up to the Europe trip.

TK will likely average 20 to 25 minutes per game. Who plays the five the rest of the time?

 

[glv98]

assuming Kellie tones the schedule down a tad from last season I will be shocked, and probably kinda ticked at the staff, if we repeated last season's run of early losses which put us on our heels for most of the rest of the season.

Even though the team will take time to gel, like I said, a toned-down schedule should allow for them to work out the kinks and STILL get the wins -- unlike last season.

No doubt the preseason sched will be toned down, but the SEC sched, which KJH has no control over, will be much harder. We do get LSU at home (also known as the night I probably go to jail) but we have So Car, Ole Miss, Georgia, Alabama away. Not sure who the teams we'll play twice will be.

TK will likely average 20 to 25 minutes per game. Who plays the five the rest of the time?

Combo of Karo and Jill, just like last year. We'll be playing smaller, but probably a little faster.

 

[Advol]

Ohhhh theY will be "slightly improved" YAWN............................

 

[chuckiepoo]

Ohhhh theY will be "slightly improved" YAWN............................

Howdy, sock puppet.

 

[Dak1219]

It depends on how well Key can score and protect the lane without fouling.

So basically your thinking she will not be as good as she was two years ago as a sophomore at protecting the lane? I guess beating the best shot blocker in Lady Vol History may be tough, but I think Tamari will be up to that challenge. She began conditioning near the end of last basketball season and continued to practice daily with the team; I would assume doing non-contact offensive skills work. Most likely will be improved on both ends.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

So basically your thinking she will not be as good as she was two years ago as a sophomore at protecting the lane? I guess beating the best shot blocker in Lady Vol History may be tough, but I think Tamari will be up to that challenge. She began conditioning near the end of last basketball season and continued to practice daily with the team; I would assume doing non-contact offensive skills work. Most likely will be improved on both ends.

No. That is not what I said. Her best asset is her ability to block shots 3-5 feet from the basket. That is why she played so deep in their set defense. She still had problems fouling and often had to leave their game because of her fouls. when she defends at the top of the lane, players are able to drive to the bucket for wide open layups. One has to believet it was because of her medical condition . I certainly hope that is the case, but we will have to see what happens. I do think she will be more of an offensive threat because she will have more help on both ends of the court. Do I think she will be better this Fall? Yes and I believe we will be a better team next year,. I think we see a marked improvement in the backcourt which should free he up to improve at both ends of the court. Fact is, we really do not know how good she can be, but I hope the problems last years were entirely a result of her medical condition.