Tennessee Lady Vols vs. Texas Lady Longhorns Preview and Open Game Thread
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 10:00 AM EST
in Lady Vols Basketball
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December 12, 2010
Austin, Texas 1:00 EST TV: FSN |
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8-1 |
5-2 |
Today's game against the Lady Longhorns is the first in a two-stage trip through the state of Texas; after the trip to Austin, the Ladies will head to Baylor to take on the Lady Bears on Tuesday. The trip will likely be the most challenging road swing the Lady Vols face all year, and is surprisingly similar to a possible second or third weekend of NCAA tournament play. The two games present two completely different problems to the team, and with only one day of rest between the two, they won't have an opportunity to dial into each opponent individually; instead, the team must play to their best and simply see who has the better game on the night.
Details on the Baylor game will come later, but the primary challenge to playing Texas is one of mental focus. Texas loves to run the ball up and down the court; they live for the transition game, fast breaks, and a full-court press. They're 5-2 on the year so far, with the two losses coming to good Stanford and Michigan State squads on the road, so they are a team itching for a major win on their home floor. (A little revenge for last year's 78-58 blowout in Tompson-Boling wouldn't hurt Texas's feelings either.)
To beat Texas, the Lady Vols will have to keep focused; we know from Bruce's early years that a transition team lives off the mistakes of their opponents, and the Lady Vols have shown an ability to commit a lot of mistakes in a game. Tennessee has the all-around roster to beat Texas, but they'll have to avoid the easy fast-break scores by getting back on defense after every possession. They'll also have to avoid foul trouble so that they can rotate players throughout the game and keep their minds alert.
Now, the rosters:
| Position | Name | Experience | Height | PPG | RPG | APG | |
|
G | Angie Bjorklund | Sr | 6-0 | 10.8 | 3.6 | 2.7 |
| C | Kelley Cain | Jr | 6-6 | 7.1 | 4.5 | 0.9 | |
| G | Meighan Simmons | Fr | 5-9 | 16.8 | 2.9 | 2.8 | |
| G-F | Shekinna Stricklen | Jr | 6-2 | 11.2 | 6.0 | 2.2 | |
| F | Glory Johnson | Jr | 6-3 | 9.0 | 10.2 | 1.0 | |
|
G | Kathleen Nash | Sr | 6-2 | 16.7 | 9.0 | 2.0 |
| G | Ashleigh Fontenette | Jr | 5-8 | 16.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | |
| G | Chassidy Fussell | Fr | 5-10 | 15.0 | 5.8 | 2.7 | |
| G | Yvonne Anderson | Jr | 5-7 | 11.4 | 2.4 | 3.0 | |
| P | Ashley Gayle | Jr | 6-4 | 9.1 | 9.7 | 1.0 |
Texas is a team that doesn't give up a tremendous amount of size to the Lady Vols, which is a little bit surprising for a team that likes to run up and down the floor as much as they do. The two-deep is similarly structured, so the look on the floor should remain consistent, even if the quality changes. (Aside: Texas is another school that apparently believes that everybody's a guard, as only 3 of their 11 players get non-guard designations. Nash is a forward/wing, despite the media lineup they announce.) Texas also has a lot of possessions, which helps explains the high number of rebounds and assists that the team has as a collective. They want to play fast, and the Lady Vols will likely oblige them, as Tennessee has played very well at up-tempo this year.
Texas doesn't shoot as many three-pointers as you'd expect, with only 27% of their shots coming from behind the arc, but they don't shy away from it either. Their shooting percentages are 45% FG, 38% 3PT, and 71% FT. They also get a lot of assists, averaging 16 per game, which is a fantastic pace. It's a team that passes well and moves well, but can be broken down by smart interior play, which is the key to their losses against both Stanford and Michigan State.
In the halfcourt, Texas can be forced into uncomfortable decisions. They were very turnover-prone against MSU when the Lady Spartans slowed down the game pace, and they couldn't find a way to stop Stanford's interior shooting. If Tennessee can get the inside-out game flowing through Cain and Baugh, Texas is going to have a very difficult time winning this game.
As always, be on the lookout for the first few minutes of the game. If Cain can avoid her early foul trouble woes, Summitt will be able to set lineups to Tennessee's advantage. If Cain is on the bench, Tennessee will have to rely on hot shooting from the perimeter - something that Simmons, Bjorklund, and Stricklen can do, but something that is best used as a supplement rather than survival.
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Announced starters:
Texas:
Kathleen Nash
Ashley Gayle
Ashleigh Fontennette
Chassidy Fuselle
Yvonne Anderson
(huh, I got ’em all)
Tennessee:
Glory Johnson
Shekinna Stricklen (as a forward)
Meighan Simmons
Angie Bjorklund
Kamiko Williams
(missed Williams – three guards to match Texas’ guards)
Huh.
Kamiko’s the fourth guard? Unexpected.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 1:02 PM EST up reply actions
more info
Mickey said that she’ll spend most of her time with her back to the rim in more of a post position.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 1:04 PM EST up reply actions
I know.
Thinking about the lineup going forward, though – I’m not surprised that she is once I think about it, but she’s jumped Spani in the depth? Very strange.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 1:04 PM EST up reply actions
She's faster than Spani.
That’s gotta be the logic here. Texas is a sprinter.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 1:06 PM EST up reply actions
Really curious to see what happens when our bigs go in.
Cain is reportedly feeling better than she has in a long time. Baugh has had some time to work some kinks out, but we don’t know if she’s at full speed yet. Brewer? Who knows.
But goodness, it’s nice to have Kamiko playing well.
Texas is outrebounding Tennessee early.
Good thing they’re not shooting well yet, but the rebounding absolutely has to improve.
Texas is just bombing threes.
And missing a ton of ’em. The zone defense is shutting down the interior, which is a really good thing.
Under 12 timeout.
20-11 Tennessee leads. Storylines:
Texas is outrebounding Tennessee 13-10 (5-2 advantage on the offensive glass). This has to end.
Texas is reduced to shooting threes unless they rebound. Of 19 shots, 10 are long bombs and they’ve made one. This has to continue. Texas is a guard-heavy team, but they’re not a three-point shooting team by nature. They’re dribble-drive slashers.
And Texas is rebounding on the offensive boards like crazy.
And Nash is 3-3 from deep.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 1:26 PM EST up reply actions
Nash has 10 now. 20-16.
She and Gayle are all Texas has to offer at the moment, but they’re a handful. Would love to get them in foul trouble (they don’t have any yet).
I wish I knew.
Pregame chatter was very optimistic, but zero minutes so far.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 1:28 PM EST up reply actions
Assists are still good, though.
They’re getting wrecked on the boards, but I’m less concerned about the turnovers right now. I almost wonder if this lineup is trying too hard to counter Texas’ guard-heavy lineup.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 1:32 PM EST up reply actions
Wondering the same thing.
If UT went halfcourt with it and put Cain in, can Texas answer? I’d like to see. I don’t think so, though.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 1:34 PM EST up reply actions
Oh, Texas has someone with a last name of Bass too.
I was wondering why our Bass was getting PT with Avant back.
Simply put, playing like this will get the team killed vs. Baylor.
The rebounding is the most egregious problem, and it’s not even close.
There we go.
Friggin’ websites not liking Firefox.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 1:40 PM EST up reply actions
Fun trivia about Spani (that I can't remember if I've ever mentioned)
The banner in TBA lists her as from Lee’s Summit, Montana. She’s from Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Somebody doesn’t know their two-letter state codes.
I think she realizes the team isn't ready to roll.
Great to know she can take over.
(And now Simmons gets to respond to this.)
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
Texas is really shallow.
I wonder if Cain / Glory can force them into depth they’re not comfortable using.
You'd think that rotating the four posts through would cause nightmares for Texas.
But we really haven’t exploited it yet.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
It really doesn't feel like Tennessee's had control of this game, does it?
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 1:47 PM EST up reply actions
No, but that goes for Texas as well.
Texas has absolutely no interior presence, except for rebounding. If Tennessee can figure out the rebounding thing, this game will end in a hurry, because I don’t think Texas can solve Tennessee’s defense.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 1:49 PM EST up reply actions
Let Joel put together the game thread itself; he can use the game thread tools for that.
We can just add in some code for the LVs stats and such. Otherwise, just write a separate preview if you feel like it.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 1:51 PM EST up reply actions
That explains why we haven't seen her, at least.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 1:54 PM EST up reply actions
I'm really beginning to wonder if we'll ever have Cain back to what she was.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 1:54 PM EST up reply actions
I don't know if it's totally necessary.
Unleashing Cain like a beast for 6-8 minutes a half may be a solid option – basically, when she’s in run the offense through her, and when not rely on Simmons / Stricklen to carry.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:00 PM EST up reply actions
She might be a terrific B team option then.
If we let the A guards rest and run inside-out through her, that would alleviate some of the ‘who gets it?’ issues.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:02 PM EST up reply actions
Well, I think Stricklen can play 30-plus most nights.
I want a ballhandler who can reliably run the offense through Cain, which would be Stricklen. We need a three-point presence; I’d prefer (333333)^2jorklund over $$$$$$$$immons if it came to that. The other two matter less.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:10 PM EST up reply actions
Halftime
Nash is 4-6 from downtown and is the primary reason Texas is even close. I wish I had visual, but I think that Texas is rotating through the zone to get a favorable matchup for Nash and then greenlighting her.
Rebounding is evening up a bit. Tennessee still trails 22-18, but that’s better than the 17-10 it was earlier.
Bjorklund is having a terrific game on both ends. She started cold, but is keeping Tennessee in the lead.
We still don’t have a cohesive post game. Having Cain, Baugh, and Brewer all out/limited throughout the early games is really hurting now.
Three Texas players have played the entire first half (Nash, Gayle, Fontenette)
Like you said, Texas has no depth.
And Fuselle played 18 minutes.
Only 9 total bench minutes by them, compared to 24 for Tennessee.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 1:59 PM EST up reply actions
Wait, their interior presence played the full 20?
Bjorklund / Simmons / Stricklen / Johnson / Cain. Do it.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:01 PM EST up reply actions
Not that Nash is technically interior.
She keeps getting referred to as a forward, but she’s totally a guard on offense. I’m just guessing that she ends up defending forwards out of a lack of other options.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:05 PM EST up reply actions
Aside:
If you get a chance, rewatch (or watch) the men’s game yesterday. I haven’t seen a UT basketball team with killer instinct like that in years, on either side.
Wow, I didn't realize Goins had 19.
I was way more impressed with his defense.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:13 PM EST up reply actions
I've been planning to.
I don’t have curling tonight, so maybe that’ll work.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:13 PM EST up reply actions
Way back ......
I considered commenting after the Villanova win but decided I ‘d just have to see it again to believe it. Yesterday, against Ptt, I saw it again. This may very well be the best Tennessee basketball team I’ve ever seen.
I’m no youngster. My first game at Stokely Athletic Center in 1967 introduced me to Ron Widby and I’ve been a Volunteer ever since. During the Ernie and Bernie years, fans went into each game (home or away) knowing we had an excellent chance at victory because we simply had great TALENT. Not always a lot of “fire”, as evidenced by our early exit in the NCAA, losing to VMI——though we were short-handed in that game. This 2010-2011 edition of the Vols has both talent and FIRE——that “difficult to put your finger on” something that turns a real good team into a great one.
Who knows how this team will finally pan out? History making or heart breaking? Don’t know. But I do know that the games against ‘Nova and Pitt have shown me a Tennessee basketball team unlike any I’ve ever seen in 43 years. (I’m also a season ticket holder since day one at Thompson-Boling Arena)
Part of the question is answered: Texas is playing a zone.
We may just have to shoot them out of it since our passing isn’t strong enough to break it.
She's been way more involved on offense.
Rebounding down, points up. Interesting. I’d love to actually, y’know, be able to watch this. Thanks, Comcast.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:16 PM EST up reply actions
Either that or he's manic-depressive over Muschamp leaving.
Currently manic. (Will go depressive once Tennessee opens up a 15-point lead.)
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:17 PM EST up reply actions
They're shooting so many threes.
It’s a part of our rebounding problem; those things can spray anywhere when they’re missed.
One dominates the interior.
The other is 6’6.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:25 PM EST up reply actions
So far.
Know any good acupuncturists, masseuses, whatever-the-check-will-get-Cain-healthy-again-types?
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:26 PM EST up reply actions
Not in Knoxville, no.
I know a few up here.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:27 PM EST up reply actions
Send 'em.
I’m sure we can arrange finances later.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:28 PM EST up reply actions
32-18 points-in-paint advantage. 14-2 points-off-turnovers advantage.
And don’t look now, but Tennessee has a pretty favorable A-TO ratio going.
Yup.
They’re surviving on threes (and the oddball rebounds that result when they miss). Other than that, this is Tennessee’s to win or lose in every aspect of the game.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:30 PM EST up reply actions
We're taking care of the ball.
That’s the much, much bigger deal.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:29 PM EST up reply actions
14-7 A-TO for the Vols, 10-15 for the Longhorns.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:30 PM EST up reply actions
Scratch that.
Gametracker was only showing second-half stats on that.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:32 PM EST up reply actions
Well, also obliterating them in the interior.
But going forward, ball control is the bigger positive.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:33 PM EST up reply actions
I think so.
Also: Gayle is their best defense by far. Moar fouls, plz.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:34 PM EST up reply actions
Foul trouble won't be an issue in this game at all.
Why can’t this crew have done the game yesterday?
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:34 PM EST up reply actions
I have NO COMPLAINTS about how yesterday went.
I think the excessive fouling hurt Pitt worse. They never could regroup.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:35 PM EST up reply actions
That's because you were watching Army-Navy.
That game took as long as our game. ;-)
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:36 PM EST up reply actions
Texas is going to have foul issues - perhaps by not fouling enough.
With only 2 fouls so far, they’ll have to burn a lot of fouls to get to the bonus if they’re trailing late.
Going to be happy to see Nash leave the court.
She’s played all minutes and has zero fouls, so it’ll come at the end of the game, but Texas can’t possibly win without her.
And of course Bjorklund fouls again.
4 on her, and she’s out for the first time in the game.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:41 PM EST up reply actions
Under 8 timeout: 81-64 LVs, and Stricklen will shoot the +1 after the break.
Starting to get a feeling of comfort. Texas is beginning to run out of gas.
Depth.
Keep Bjorklund out, get Cain out of the game.
Also, how about Kamiko(!) with a 10-7-4 line (and no turnovers)?
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:47 PM EST up reply actions
So good to see her improvement.
Also, Texas desperately needs more than just Nash. We’ve shut down the other four entirely.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:48 PM EST up reply actions
Upside, though: the zone defense is excellent with or without her.
Baylor struggles the most when they can’t pass to the interior.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:53 PM EST up reply actions
POG is a tough call today.
Williams, Bjorklund, and Stricklen all have arguments for it. Honestly, so does Johnson based on her defensive effort this half.
I'm going to guess Williams.
Not as many points as Bjorklund, but more rebounds, fewer fouls, more blocks, and no turnovers.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 2:57 PM EST up reply actions
I'd give it to Stricklen were it me.
10-11-3-3 playing out of position.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 2:58 PM EST up reply actions
Oh, and they play Baylor TWICE.
Goody! /ugh
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 3:05 PM EST up reply actions
Avant with two first-half minutes.
She’s going to be a bit of project this year, thanks to that injury and arrested development.
Not that I don't already know the answer, but
if UT were to split the next two, would you rather beat Stanford or Baylor?
Baylor, but not for the reasons you think.
Getting that win, on the road, with an injured Cain means a lot more than an equally-talented Stanford at home with a theoretically-healthy Cain.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 3:06 PM EST up reply actions
Good thoughts.
Mine are twofold. First, Stanford is getting a 1 seed either way. Second, I like Stanford more than Baylor. If Tennessee doesn’t win it this year, I think I’d want to see Stanford get it.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 3:08 PM EST up reply actions
Getting a win over a 1-seed happens either way, I think.
We haven’t heard much about Stanford this year (thanks, ESPN!), but they’re equally as good.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 12, 2010 3:18 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed.
UConn, Stanford, and Baylor are likely three of the four. Tennessee and Duke are the most likely teams for the fourth #1.
by David Hooper on Dec 12, 2010 3:28 PM EST up reply actions
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