Ut-GaTech

[stwainfan]

There were almost 100 missed shots, so plenty of chances to rebound. Big deal.

If a win is a win, why do you bother to post about it?

This team hasn't played but four games. Yes could have played better. Still I there is a lot of games left. I think that the freshman are getting better. This team will get a lot better.

 

[Bestiarius]

This team hasn't played but four games. Yes could have played better. Still I there is a lot of games left. I think that the freshman are getting better. This team will get a lot better.

Will you accept, based on four games against inferior opponents, they are not playing like a top 10 team? Will you accept that frosh on other teams will also get better as the year progresses?

I agree with you, there are a lot of games left, whatever that means. What is not so certain is that TN will play better in the remaining games. Could it be that other teams will improve more than TN?

But, perhaps you are correct, you do have an AA who is also on the Wade watch list, maybe Simmons will carry TN to the final 4.

 

[doggydaddy]

Looks like Tennessee has been hit by attendance issues like everyone else.

Around 10,500 and 10,360 for their two home games.

 

[stwainfan]

Will you accept, based on four games against inferior opponents, they are not playing like a top 10 team? Will you accept that frosh on other teams will also get better as the year progresses?

I agree with you, there are a lot of games left, whatever that means. What is not so certain is that TN will play better in the remaining games. Could it be that other teams will improve more than TN?

But, perhaps you are correct, you do have an AA who is also on the Wade watch list, maybe Simmons will carry TN to the final 4.

Yes I agree the team can play better. I say this team hasn't played its best yet. A couple of post game quotes I will mention. Graves said in MTSU game she got in foul trouble then played timid at UNC. You saw what she did tonight. Holly said we got a lead then we got comfortable. For this team the thing now is when you get the lead don't let up, I think that's when you will start to see the team play it's best.

 

[EricLA]

This team hasn't played but four games. Yes could have played better. Still I there is a lot of games left. I think that the freshman are getting better. This team will get a lot better.

A "lot" better? How do you figure that? They start a senior, 3 juniors, and a sophomore. The only ranked team you played (an awful UNC team) saw Russell score 2 points. Clearly she can do just fine against over matched teams. No doubt she will improve over the season, but she will be up and down, as most freshmen post players will be.

My point is, If Tennessee is going to "get a lot better", so will every other team in WCBB. By comparison, BTW, Chong has scored 6 against Stanford, and 16 against PSU. She's contributed far more against ranked competition than Russell. Granted, they are very different players, and UCONN is down to 7 on its' roster so they really have no choice, but let's not pretend that only Tennessee will be improving as the season progresses.

Can you not even begin to acknowledge what DD pointed out - that MTSU was not impressive, being tied with Chatt potentially troublesome, and beating a very average GT team by 11 simply not impressive at all?

Let's compare to the UCONN game on the 24th vs. St Bonaventure - they were picked first in their league preseason and actually received some votes in the top 25 preseason. So they are probably roughly equivalent to GT with regards to quality of their team. If UCONN wins by less than 15, you can come on here and defend your close win over GT all you want and call UCONN out as well.

 

[Icebear]

There were almost 100 missed shots, so plenty of chances to rebound. Big deal.

If a win is a win, why do you bother to post about it?

Clearly, GA Tech received TN's game plan was dependent on rebounding and made sure that TN had ample opportunity to compete.

 

[Tonyc]

They are soon to be ranked 3rd in both polls, so I'm sure that Tony doesn't mean they aren't a top ten team.

But if he meant that they are not PLAYING like a top ten team, he has a point.

They were not very impressive in beating MTSU by 10.
Or being tied with Chattanooga at the half.
Or beating a lousy and even more undisciplined UNC.
Or beating an unranked Georgia Tech by 11.

You might not like it, but they haven't played like a top ten team yet.

They will have a shot to show it when they play Stanford and later ND.

Doggy thank you. Tenn has the talent like most years but no they haven't looked like a top 10 team and for the reasons you mentioned. Talent alone will not win out against top teams with discipline, poise, and execution.

 

[stwainfan]

I think Tennessee has improved. In the MTSU game there were a lot of fouls 33. 18 fouls in the GT game. Rebounding because of fouls in MTSU game rebounding took a hit. In GT game 65 rebounds Graves 0 fouls.

 

[Icebear]

Personally, I was surprised to find GA Tech playing Utah.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Please tell me that we are not going to have one or more Tenn threads after every one of their games.

 

[easttexastrash]

Davis is going to be the next Maya Moore. She is uber talented and scored with easy. Nothing looked difficult for her. She will learn to be more intense and maintain her effort.

 

[doggydaddy]

Please tell me that we are not going to have one or more Tenn threads after every one of their games.

It's inevitable that someone will start one. Once that happens, TN fans join in and it's business as usual.

 

[Zorro]

Maya played on both ends of the court.

 

[Icebear]

Davis is going to be the next Maya Moore. She is uber talented and scored with easy. Nothing looked difficult for her. She will learn to be more intense and maintain her effort.

Only when she deems it important enough to put equal effort into playing defense.

 

[EricLA]

Maya played on both ends of the court.

That's true she did. Even in high school, she had a motor on her that didn't stop. Still, she was one of the most inefficient movers on the court during her early years - running around aimlessly, but making it look like she had great purpose while she did it! Still remember the joint interview Geno did with ESPN and Maya - He imitated her running around the court with no purpose and Maya just sat there smiling.

Geno said that she's here, she's there, for no reason, and then she steps out, gets the ball, drains a 3 and the announcers are like "look at how great she moves without the ball", and Geno just shakes his head. Maya sat there smiling and said "it's true!"...

It took Maya some time to learn to move with purpose, but she always had the energy and intensity...!

 

[Goodies07]

Daily challenge: name 10 teams who have "played like a top 10 team".

 

[msf22b]

Tennessee is a top-ten team because there aren't nine teams that much better; certainly in the talent area.

Who will (could) beat them?

Louisville and Notre Dame (us of course), maybe Baylor, perhaps not Stanford.

I think they'd squeak by our weekend twosome.

That leaves Duke, whom I haven't seen play yet.

Still a tough road to the final-four for them.
I don't think they'll get there…If they lose to Stanford in the regular season, it's another wasted year.

 

[Stray Cat]

Daily challenge: name 10 teams who have "played like a top 10 team".

By default, there has to be a Top-10 ranking...some teams like the LV's get excited about their "lofty status" without really considering the fact they have little to no chance of competing with UConn. There are definitely tiers withing the ranking. Currently, it consists of UConn and then everyone else. Tier 2 include other Final Four hopefuls like Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, ND, Stanford, Tennessee and a few others...after that it's like "thanks for playing, we have some nice parting gifts for you back stage).

 

[easttexastrash]

Maya played on both ends of the court.

Hence my statement "is going to be." I didn't say that she already is. Davis has plenty of time to develop her defensive skills and intensity.

 

[VAMike23]

Davis is going to be the next Maya Moore. She is uber talented and scored with easy. Nothing looked difficult for her. She will learn to be more intense and maintain her effort.

We'll see - the biggest driver behind Maya's great success, bigger even than her great talent, is her inborn drive and intensity. That's not something that's learned - it was apparent in Storrs on Day 1. It separates her from a lot of other extreme talents and places her in very elite company with players like Tamika Catchings.

It can be developed, like Tina developed it in her JR and SR years. But IMO it's still not the same as it is with someone like Maya who has it naturally.

 

[Icebear]

Hence my statement "is going to be." I didn't say that she already is. Davis has plenty of time to develop her defensive skills and intensity.

"Is going to be" is overstatement, "might be" would seem more appropriate. The difference depends on her personal drive and what the coaching staff demands of her.

 

[easttexastrash]

We'll see - the biggest driver behind Maya's great success, bigger even than her great talent, is her inborn drive and intensity. That's not something that's learned - it was apparent in Storrs on Day 1. It separates her from a lot of other extreme talents and places her in very elite company with players like Tamika Catchings.

It can be developed, like Tina developed it in her JR and SR years. But IMO it's still not the same as it is with someone like Maya who has it naturally.

Who is to say that it is not already there but not yet been shown. Give the girl a chance to develop...she is only three games into her college career.

Once thing that is evident is that she is already one of the most gifted offensive players in WCBB. Her stats through the first three games are very impressive.

 

[ctfjr]

Tier 2 include other Final Four hopefuls like Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, ND, Stanford, Tennessee and a few others...after that it's like "thanks for playing, we have some nice parting gifts for you back stage turn off the lights when you leave the gym).

there, fixed it

 

[UConnCat]

Maya never failed to hustle back on defense even when she was a freshman. Many of us watched the play she made against Texas in the NCAAs as a freshman (see 1:24):

Then there was the play Maya made against DePaul that I witnessed in person and still can not believe happened.

As skilled as Davis is offensively, she should not be mentioned in the same breath as Maya Moore after the several times she jogged back on defense Sunday night. Maya never did that.

 

[Icebear]

Several? Cat, you have a loose definition of several.