Some lessons to be learned

from the Tennessee/Baylor game tape for Baylor’s next opponents (though, it will help if Griner has another off first-half and if your guards actually hit a shot or two). A great game plan by Tennessee, but they fell just a little bit short.

The Lady Vols took numerous shots against No. 1 Baylor — 82 to be exact. They pulled the trigger from all points on the floor. Several times, they bunched several attempts into a single possession. They even channeled their inner Don Quixote, going right at Brittney Griner and shooting over the 6-foot-8 All-American.

They did just about everything but make enough shots. The Lady Vols’ 29.3 percent field goal accuracy (24 for 82), coupled with a huge rebounding effort, gave them a glimpse of their ambitious objective.

Yah, it’s the first time the Vols have lost two in a while since… well, since Flo Rida was… Low, but wasn’t it nice to see Baugh kick butt?

With LSU losing again (granted, to #19 Ohio State), I’m wondering who the challengers will be in the SEC. Will Florida make some noise? Is Vandy going to surprise folks?

Read Full Post »

Jere’ on Tennessee

Tenacious Summitt Still Driving Tennessee

A throng of callow freshmen from 2008-9 has matured into confident juniors. Tennessee became one of only two teams to defeat second-ranked Stanford and went undefeated through its 16 SEC games in the regular season.

The Lady Vols are not without flaws, lacking a true point guard and the defensive voraciousness of past championship teams. Injuries have slowed the 3-point specialist Angie Bjorklund (foot) and center Kelley Cain (hip and back). Still, Summitt will take her chances with imperfection.

“Hey, if a frog had wings, it wouldn’t bump its butt,” she said.

Read Full Post »

Pseudonimity sneaks in

some SEC links before tonight’s important tangle between Georgia and Tennessee:

Auburn doesn’t help their postseason chances, losing last week at home to Alabama
and yesterday to South Carolina.

Arkansas wins at home against LSU.

Alabama making a bit of a late season run, winning against Ole Miss.

Florida dominates Mississippi State, snapping a four game losing streak.

Read Full Post »

Chat Alert!

Pester Graham at 4pmEST, see if he can untangle the Bracketology mess the Baylor loss has made.

Also, make sure you check out EPSN2 tonight when Georgia goes after #4 Tennessee (7pm EST) followed but the Big 12 match up between #23 Iowa State and Texas.

Ryan Black says the Lady Dogsare trying to ‘shut up’ the Lady Vols (not a very lady-like headline), Carroll Rogers of the AJC says Georgia is “looking for rarity against Vols — a win streak,” and Coach Landers thinks his team is ready for the “raucous arena.”

Maria Cornelius at Inside Tennessee previews the game and Vol fans will be happy to know that Angie Bjorklund will be back in time for this SEC showdown.

Read Full Post »

Chat wrap!

(I am such a question-submitting slacker! sigh) From the chat.

steve (ann arbor): Has Pat Summitt ever had a more(evidently) aggravating 24-2 team?

Mechelle Voepel: This statement made me laugh out loud, and I’d bet a lot of Tennessee fans would acknowledge the same. The team has talent, and I think they have heart … but they lack a type of killer instinct that is usually present at Tennessee. I’m not even sure if that’s the right term, but it’s something like that. That said, they’re still unbeaten in SEC play and they’ve seemed able to scramble out of trouble. I’m sure the real worry is if they have another stink bomb of a first half as they did against Vandy last Sunday, but it’s deep into the NCAA tournament against a team that the program doesn’t emotionally “own” the way Tennessee does with Vandy. If Tennessee gets in too deep a hole in the tournament, can they climb out once they’re at the Sweet 16 or beyond level? I’m sure that’s what Summitt and her staff are trying to prevent.

Read Full Post »

It always amuses me when people say

they don’t think Pat Summitt has a sense of humor. Clearly, they haven’t been paying attention.

This gem from last night’s game against Kentucky: “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were throwing the game.”

Well, it wasn’t so much “throwing” as it was “throwing away,” as the Vols had a serious case of turnover-itis. They got it together for the second half, but their performance did raise some questions for Q: Lady Vols Beat Wildcats, 73-67, but how far can they go?

Tennessee Lady Vols point guard Meighan Simmons drives me nuts and I don’t even have a strong rooting interest in the team. She has got to be among the most maddeningly fascinating freshman talents in the country because it’s almost impossible to know whether you want someone to rein her in or just show her the ways of the Force because it’s so strong within her.

In the undercard, UNC and Duke see-sawed their way across the court until Waltiea Rolle secured the 62-60 Tarheel victory with a swat. The game shouldn’t have been that close, but I’m guessing the two teams set a combined low for free throw shooting percentage.

Check out DWHoops’ report on the game.

FWIW, I liked the ESPN broadcasting team a lot.

Read Full Post »

Just in time,

Pseudonymity shows up with the SEC links and starts by saying:

Congratulations to Andy Landers on his 850th career win as Georgia defeats Alabama handily.

I didn’t see this one coming: Mississippi State gets first SEC win against Auburn, beating them at home.

Vanderbilt gets a road win against Florida in 2nd overtime.

The first meeting between LSU and Ole Miss was a 78-43 LSU rout. The second was much the same, a 76-38 LSU victory.

South Carolina edges Arkansas in overtime on the road.

Some thoughts on tonight’s Tennessee-Kentucky game.

Read Full Post »