Once Upon a Time: Lady Vols take on Lady Monarchs, 7 PM EDT
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 6:40 PM EST
in Lady Vols Basketball
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December 28, 2011
Knoxville, TN 7:00 PM EST TV: SportSouth / ESPN3* Internet Audio: Lady Vols Network Live Stats: GameTracker |
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3-9 |
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7-3 |
Remember when this game used to mean something? The Lady Monarchs weren't always so bad; heck, they have a NCAA title to their credit from way back in '85. They were nationally relevant for years, along with Louisiana Tech in the fallen powers of women's basketball yore. Regardless, the team that comes into TBA tonight isn't a shadow of the dominant Lady Monarch teams of the past, and that's for shame.
That's how it goes sometimes, though, and it's for our credit that we're going to witness ...erm, this. Which won't be pretty. At all. Your starters are Ariel Massengale (who's back after an injury that rendered her mostly ineffective against Stanford), Meighan SImmons (who gets the start over Taber Spani; color me surprised, but she earned it with her West Coast performance), Shekinna Stricklen (of course), Glory Johnson (sure), and Vicki Baugh (superfluous tonight, but go carnage!). The bench is still the usual suspects; no Kamiko Williams in sight.
I could talk about the different avenues that the Ladies could use here to win, but it's not going to matter. This is going to be ugly. There's simply too much talent in one direction and not nearly enough in another, and I'm not sure ODU has an answer for Simmons, let alone Stricklen, Glory, Baugh, or Massengale. 94-55 Ladies, and if anything that might not be harsh enough; a Lady Vol team worse than the one that'll take the court tonight won by 30 against a better ODU squad last year at Old Dominion. Briana Bass sees action before the under-8 of the first half - let's say 8:45 for completeness' sake.
Come for the carnage. Stay for the free chips and dip. (It's like an Orange Nation appreciation party in here!)
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Oh, right. ESPN3 is in blackout mode, btw.
Georgia need not apply.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
saw on twitter that Spani was on crutches
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 6:42 PM EST reply actions
Game notes have her on the bench.
Mickey will tell all, though. If she can’t go – and really, no need to force it tonight – then I get Simmons starting for sure.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 6:43 PM EST up reply actions
Well, aurabass will be happy to hear this:
Alicia Manning starts at the 4; Glory moves to the 5.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
2 of the 5 greatest women's basketball programs on display tonight.
ODU, Tennessee, Stanford, Rutgers, and Texas, right?
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
sounds right to me
might replace Texas with Louisiana Tech though
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 7:07 PM EST up reply actions
Well, 33riel.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:12 PM EST up reply actions
it's not Ma$$engale?
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 7:13 PM EST up reply actions
Up 7, but 15-4 run before everyone went cold.
Manning looks good.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:19 PM EST up reply actions
Looks like they're still a bit exuberant with the passes.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:22 PM EST up reply actions
Burdick's really had the only obviously bad one I can recall.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:23 PM EST up reply actions
Oh, you're on now?
Way to dodge the family get to a TV.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:25 PM EST up reply actions
Heh.
I’m also outside the blackout zone.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:28 PM EST up reply actions
OT:
Volquest says DeAnthony Arnett is transferring to be near his sick father
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 7:27 PM EST reply actions
Hmmm.
I get it; no complaints. Hurts depth, but family’s family.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:28 PM EST up reply actions
Who was it on the basketball team that transferred from Iowa to UT due to a sick dad?
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:29 PM EST up reply actions
Tyler Smith
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 7:30 PM EST up reply actions
Was what I thought,
but I wavered on the “Tyler”. It’s been a while and I’m bad at names.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:32 PM EST up reply actions
and we had Bullard on the football team
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 7:30 PM EST up reply actions
Don't forget Brandon Warren!
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:32 PM EST up reply actions
snip
forget Brandon Warren
I believe we are univocal here
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 7:36 PM EST up reply actions
yeah, best of luck to him and his
but it sucks for us. Especially if Hunter isn’t 100%
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 7:30 PM EST up reply actions
Bass in at around 3 minutes of the 1st half, btw.
For posterity’s sake.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
She's been in for a while.
Already has about 5 or 6 minutes of time.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:42 PM EST up reply actions
Huh, I'll have to go back and check to see when she came in.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:44 PM EST up reply actions
7:28, 1st half.
I’m gonna call that close enough.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:45 PM EST up reply actions
sass?
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 7:44 PM EST up reply actions
3ass?
errrrrrrrr
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:45 PM EST up reply actions
Probably the latter, now that I see it.
Can be read in a Fulmerizable sort of way.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:45 PM EST up reply actions
$$immons, travel, Baugh.
50-20. Break out the bodybags.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
Not sure 100 is in play, though.
There needs to be a 20-1 run or something to make that realistic.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:49 PM EST up reply actions
On a related note, the biggest run in the first half was 7-0.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:50 PM EST up reply actions
Surprising.
How often do you get 30-point leads without going on a run of any size? This is a bulldozing.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:52 PM EST up reply actions
Probably not.
With this lead, it’s mix-and-match time to give experience and to see how different combinations work.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:50 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, the press needs to go back in the shop.
It’s not working right now.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:51 PM EST up reply actions
What combinations can they work on?
Absent Spani, the guard rotation is really only three deep unless you put Stricklen at the 2. Ariel needs game minutes, so she should stay in for at least 10-12. I wouldn’t be against rolling with Ariel / Stricklen / Burdick / Glory / Harrison for a bit, though. I think it’s way too big and a little awkward, but I’d curious if it’s even useful.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:56 PM EST up reply actions
I wouldn't mind rolling Baugh out to the 4.
She prefers facing up anyhow. It’d be a just-for-kicks alignment, but why not?
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:56 PM EST up reply actions
She can play as a face-up 5 on offense, too.
There are an absence of true 5s in the women’s game, for that matter (absent you-know-who). She can hybrid 4/5 along with Glory, at least in theory. I haven’t seen much of it, though.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:58 PM EST up reply actions
She'd probably be a decent 4 on the WNBA.
Not sure about a 5.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:59 PM EST up reply actions
How many is this team going to put in the WNBA, anyway?
I feel kind of like a Kentucky fan, talking about pro prospects of a team that hasn’t won anything yet.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 8:00 PM EST up reply actions
Of the seniors?
I see Baugh, Johnson, and Stricklen as having honest shots. Past that, it’s too early to guess. But Spani has a chance, as does Massengale. Not sure about Simmons yet.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 8:02 PM EST up reply actions
I'm not worried about Stricklen or Glory.
Baugh’s a maybe, as is Manning, who can do exactly what she’s doing now for 15 minutes a game.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 8:03 PM EST up reply actions
Right. Manning.
Best 6th player I’ve ever seen, I think.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 8:04 PM EST up reply actions
But as to the latter half of your prose,
This team often feels like the whole is lesser than the sum of its parts. Like there’s so much talent on the floor that they get in each other’s way, despite their best efforts.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 8:05 PM EST up reply actions
The six-to-play-three problem at forward/center still hasn't been solved in a way that works yet.
Once that gets resolved, I think it’ll be better. I’m thinking about 60% of issues we’re seeing is coming from rotation.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 8:08 PM EST up reply actions
Burdick with 4 assists?
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:50 PM EST up reply actions
That's not too terribly surprising.
She’s a lot better than her ungainliness makes her look.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:51 PM EST up reply actions
More surprising:
Manning with 9 boards, or Simmons at 40% from the field?
Oh wait, I did that wrong.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:53 PM EST up reply actions
Umm...
Simmons? Manning doesn’t surprise me given her playing time.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 7:55 PM EST up reply actions
I was all excited because I thought Simmons was at 50% from the field.
Then I read it again.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 7:56 PM EST up reply actions
I was hoping Air Force would take it to overtime.
Nothing would have been so funny as a 10 OT game and watching ESPN debate between ignoring an OT game or delaying Cal/Texas for a few hours.
::goes to check stats::
…oh. Oh my. Yeah, I wasn’t kidding, was I?
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 8:01 PM EST up reply actions
Oreb%: 62%.
!!!!
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 8:02 PM EST up reply actions
Counting the missed FT.
Forget if that was the first or second one.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 8:07 PM EST up reply actions
I can't wait until the 10 second rule kicks in.
I think that Massengale and Simmons could potentially be the Ladies’ equivalent to Lofton and JaJuan.
If Simmons can get under control, yes.
But next year, we may see the Ladies break 60-point final margins thanks to the press.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 8:11 PM EST up reply actions
She's much better on defense this year.
I feel pretty good about her junior year.
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 8:12 PM EST up reply actions
Enjoy.
Not missing anything here, from the looks of things.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Dec 28, 2011 8:24 PM EST up reply actions
OT:
just saw that MTSU is up on Kentucky 30-20. UK’s ranked pretty highly, aren’t they?
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 8:48 PM EST reply actions
For a second there...
I thought you were talking about men’s basketball. MTSU is REALLY good this year in men’s basketball… their now 17 point lead, albeit at home, vs. Kentucky in WCB is inexplicable.
yeah, I noticed the men's success
every time somebody says “we lost to a Peay team that lost to friggin’ MTSU!” I had no idea how their women were doing
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Dec 28, 2011 9:19 PM EST up reply actions
And the deed is done.
Kentucky causes a lot of turnovers, but they’re prone to turnovers as well. And they don’t shoot as well as they probably should be able to. That will bump Tennessee up a spot in the rankings, for whatever it’s worth.
(Had a minute to check out the events.)
by David Hooper on Dec 28, 2011 10:07 PM EST up reply actions
Only thing anyone missed:
Burdick releasing Bass, who behind-the-backs to Burdick, who behind-the-backs to Manning, and one (hit, of course).
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
Well, that was a slaughter.
90-37. Even I didn’t think it was going to get that ugly.
Breadsticks go to Manning (9/15/5/6) in one of the better stat-stuffing nights I’ve seen. Glory had 16 and 11, Baugh had 11 and 12 off the bench, and Burdick had 9 assists. Even Bass nearly got double-digit points.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
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