Tennessee Lady Vols: Thanksgiving Eve Open Game Thread

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 7:00 PM EST in Lady Vols Basketball Comment 22 comments

While the rest of us* are slacking off and dreaming of tryptophan-induced comas tomorrow, the Ladies are going to be working hard to prove to Pat Summitt that she was right to return the team to their locker room.

The Lady Vols take on the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro tonight at 8 PM, EST. Coverage is:

TV: MyVLT-2

Audio: Lady Vols Radio

Stats: Blue Raiders Athletics

I'll likely be busy with final projects, but I do plan on listening and lurking.

* - 'the rest of us' naturally does not include moms (and others) who are preparing those turkey feasts. Much appreciated.

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6 minutes in, 14-9 UT.

Just tuned in.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 8:17 PM EST reply actions

18-13 and only two Blue Raiders have scored.

And one of them is hurt and has to come out of the game.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 8:19 PM EST reply actions

4 minutes left. 30-20 LVs.

6 turnovers apiece so far, though. A touch on the sloppy side. But UT has used 9 players to MTSU’s 7. This could get ugly in the second half if MTSU gets tired.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 8:41 PM EST reply actions

Lively crowd.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 8:49 PM EST reply actions

35-24 lead at the half.

UT’s shooting 61.5% compared to MTSU’s 36.0%. With such a high shooting percentage, it’s surprising that the score isn’t higher, but a lot of possessions are taking nearly the whole shotclock. And oddly slow-paced game.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 8:51 PM EST reply actions

41-26 now.

And with Cain standing at zero fouls, it’s going to be difficult for MTSU to find offense in the interior.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:12 PM EST reply actions

4 minutes in and only 10 combined points in the half.

41-28 now. An oddly slow game for 56% shooting.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:16 PM EST reply actions

2 quick fouls against Cain

That changes the equations just a touch. 13-point lead with <14 minutes left. Cain with 2 fouls.

Lots of turnovers.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:22 PM EST reply actions

< 12 minutes left

51-36 UT. 4 team fouls, but 3 on Cain. Good thing she had none in the first half.

Glory has 19 points and 8 rebounds. She’s likely going to get a double-double. Cain has 6 points and 8 rebounds. So long as she doesn’t foul out, she could very well get a double-double too.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:26 PM EST reply actions

10 minutes to go, and Manning hits a 3 for her first points.

54-38.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:31 PM EST reply actions

4 fouls on Glory (the last one away from the ball)

tough to get that double-double from the bench.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:33 PM EST reply actions

MTSU has lofted 21 three-point attempts (and made 6)

The number of attempts tells you what the interior is like with Cain holding her ground.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:37 PM EST reply actions

60-42 with under 7 to go.

15 turnovers against MTSU.

Cain has matched her all-time rebounding peak of 11 so far.

And Cain has 4 fouls now.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:40 PM EST reply actions

63-47 with 4:25 to go

and MTSU calls their last timeout immediately after they force a turnover and score. An odd time for a timeout, which probably means they’re grabbing as much rest as possible. The 4-minute timeout will come after one or two possessions.

MTSU has played 8 players, but almost exclusively their starting 5. The free-wheeling on timeouts has to be a fatigue-prevention move.

Wonder if it’ll work in the last two minutes.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:44 PM EST reply actions

And Bjorklund is coming alive at the end.

65-47 and hopeless for MTSU.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:45 PM EST reply actions

Glory Johnson: Player of the Game

11 rebounds, 21 points with three minutes to go. She’s really turned herself into a physical interior player. Summitt = happy.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:46 PM EST reply actions

Johnson-Williams-Bass-Smallbone and (I don't know) are in the lineup.

17-point lead with <3 to go.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:49 PM EST reply actions

Dearstone just noted that UT hasn't shot 50% yet this year. They're at 56% with under 2 left.

Not a bad start to the season to beat Baylor and Virginia with sub-0.500 shooting.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:50 PM EST reply actions

Game Over. 69-52 Lady Vols Win!

Clearly, Glory Johnson is POG. 12 rebounds and 21 points on 10-15 shooting.

Nice way to win after a 30-year hiatus from Murfreesboro.

Positives: better shooting; steady, consistent pace; no fall-asleep gaps in the game.

Negaitves: turnovers (and steals); lack of production from the bench.

All in all, they were very, uh … Alabama-esque in the win. Just a slow, steady grinder where they just kept building their lead. It never looked impressive, but they ended up choking the game away from MTSU. UT never lapsed. MTSU did a couple of times, and UT jumped up on the scoreboard. Love to see that.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:57 PM EST reply actions