"COMPETITIVE IMMATURITY" And Other Observations On The Lady Vols

Trolling the news articles and postgame interviews after the Lady Vols loss to Ball State, a few gems turned out.  You have to give the coaching staff this much:  they don't shy away from sharing their thoughts with the fans, which is greatly appreciated.

Dean Lockwood

One of the assistant coaches - Dean Lockwood - drew the short straw and gave a postgame interview with Mickey Dearstone after the game.  (Link:  pops up in a new window.)  Some of his observations:

• "This is by far ... the most embarrassing loss in the history of the program." 
  
• "No discredit to Ball State. ... Ball State came out and played a heck of a basketball game."
• "We're not satisfied.  Our players better not be satisfied."
• "Our posts collectively were 9 for 25.  And ... Kelley was 5 of 7. ...   So now we're 4 of 18.  So again, bottom line is that the job isn't getting done."
• "I think they looked at this team and didn't feel the sense of being threatened like we felt: against a Vanderbilt; against a Florida; against an Auburn that we had in more recent games."
• ""I call it competitive immaturity. ... We're competitively immature at times.  And what happens is, in our competitive immaturity, we look at that and we say, "Oh, gosh.  They're not a Duke.  They're not a Florida.  They're not a Vanderbilt.  So consequently, maybe we can get by with a little less effort."
• "When you compromise effort and toughness, that's your first sign of destruction."

Pat Summitt

(In the immediate postgame comments.)

• "Gotta give Ball State credit.  They were a lot tougher physically - just more aggressive, made shots.  We didn't come ready to play."
• "We had a lot of people that didn't defend, and particularly in the one-on-ones."
  
• "One of the toughest losses I've ever had to deal with at Tennessee."

Angie Bjorklund

(Who played all 40 minutes and scored 14 points.)

• "If no one is motivated right now then they need to leave."

Kelley Cain

(Who left in the first half after aggravating her right knee.  She, by the way, had 10 points and 8 rebounds in 14 minutes.)

• "It's one of the hardest things I've had to do.  My heart said one thing but my body told me no."