 |
January 15, 2012
Knoxville, TN 2:00 PM EST TV: SECN / ESPN3 Internet Audio: Lady Vols Network Live Stats: GameTracker |
 |
|||
|
14-2 |
|
12-4 |
Fresh off the stinging loss at Kentucky, the Lady Vols look to return to the win column against their most familiar foe. As the only team guaranteed two games a year against the Lady Vols, Vanderbilt always has a special interest in winning and should be expected to bring their best game this afternoon.
| Position | Name | Experience | Height | PPG | RPG | APG | |
|
G | Meighan Simmons | So | 5-10 | 10.4 | 2.4 | 1.8 |
| P | Glory Johnson | Sr | 6-2 | 14.4 | 9.6 | 1.1 | |
| PG | Ariel Massengale | Fr | 5-7 | 8.4 | 2.7 | 4.9 | |
| G-F | Shekinna Stricklen | Sr | 6-2 | 15.3 | 6.6 | 1.9 | |
| F | Alicia Manning | Sr | 6-1 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 1.7 | |
|
G | Christina Foggie | So | 5-9 | 17.3 | 2.8 | 2.3 |
| PG | Jasmine Lister | So | 5-4 | 12.6 | 2.6 | 5.6 | |
| C | Stephanie Holzer | So | 6-4 | 11.3 | 6.8 | 0.9 | |
| G | Kady Schrann | Fr | 5-9 | 7.9 | 2.0 | 1.7 | |
| G | Elan Brown | Jr | 6-0 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 2.0 |
This year, the Lady Vols have set a pattern of allowing a team's showcase player to, well, showcase. If that holds true, then the Vanderbilt player to watch is Christina Foggie, a sophomore shooting guard who is the favorite target of Jasmine Lister's assists. On the year, she is at 49.7% from the field and 51.1% from three - a three-point accuracy that will likely demand a man or man-switch defense for much of the game in order to keep a defender up close. Jasmine Lister is no slouch beyond the arc either, at 43.6%.
In the interior, Vanderbilt leans on Stephanie Holzer, who was considered the highest-rated recruit in Vanderbilt's history and has really started to feel comfortable on the court this year. She only averages about 20 minutes a game is spelled by Tiffany Clarke, but those 20 minutes are productive enough that she'd probably average a double-double if she played 30 minutes a game. (She averages 3 fouls/game and has fouled out once, so it's not that easy to just extend minutes.)
It may be a bit early for this Vanderbilt team. They're very young, with only one senior and three juniors accounting for 30% of the playing minutes of the roster. They will likely be a much better team next year and the year after that, but still have a lot of talent and are capable of a surprisingly good game, buoyed by the stellar three-point shooting of Foggie and the solid interior play of Stephanie Holzer. But their schedule is only 142nd and the only notable win was against an Oklahoma team that is likewise not at their usual level.
There is one oddity with Vanderbilt: this will be their third road game of the year, and the previous two have been losses. They lost at NC State 66-59, then a conference lost to South Carolina 65-55. It's hard to pick up a trend of two games, but for a team that averages 78 points per game, two road games under 60 points is a bit telling, and the crowd may very well play a factor today. Perhaps the wackiness of Memorial Gym has played against Vanderbilt, who is not used to playing under normal basketball conditions. In any case, Tennessee is enjoying their huge home court advantage while playing a team that has underwhelmed on the road and coming off a stinging loss. That can't be a good combination for Vanderbilt.
Prediction: 82 - 63 Tennessee
BassWatch™: 3 minutes of the first half.
0 recs | 77 comments
I'll be live at the game today.
Will do the mobile commenting thing, but won’t be able to do the halftime stats.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
GameTracker appears to be working.
Also, I don’t think the ‘3 is blacked out in SEC country. Could be wrong, but I think we’re good to go.
Officials are: Cameron Inouye, Jesse Dickerson, and Maj Forsberg. I don’t recall having issues with them in the past.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
By the way, 12-4 with an RPI of 2 is for real.
The LVs have dropped a couple they shouldn’t have, but their SoS is ridiculously high – as in, waaaay above the #2 SoS high.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
Amazing thing: that won't change too much.
What with the trip to South Bend in a couple weeks.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
I know, right?
If things go well for Rutgers, Kentucky and Miami, then Tennessee could have faced 3 of the #1 seeds and 3 of the #2 seeds during the regular season. (More likely it’ll be 3 #1s, and 3 #2/#3s. Still, yikes.)
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
At least it's easy to figure out where they measure up.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Right now, I'd put them on the 2/3 line.
Which doesn’t matter too much since Knoxville isn’t hosting this year.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
Er, doesn't matter too much. Period.
But Knoxville still isn’t hosting.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
Also, pre-game adding my thoughts depends on how my run goes.
So we’ll see. But long story short: what Hoop said, and we need Stricklen to go off in a bad way to feel better about LV prospects.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Yet again we face a team that cannot answer her.
But we did just that last week, too. And honestly, Baylor didn’t have an answer for her with Sims tied up against Massengale/Simmons and Griner against Johnson/Baugh.
That girl could be just as dominant as Moore was.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
Well, heading over now.
Looks like it’ll be a better-attended game than the Georgia game was. Lower level is completely sold out.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
17,000 people
roughly
falconnuke - January 15, 2012
And the actual attendance looked to be pretty closed to the announced.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
I was in the student section
so it’s always hard to tell, but if the men’s game was ~22,000, this looked fairly close to the announced 17,000
falconnuke - January 15, 2012
Ah.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
Oh, and a total aside:
Shameless curling plug. We’re having a teaching night tonight – 8:30 at the Ice Chalet, but show up a few minutes early. Ten bucks to learn to curl. I’d be happy to see some RTTers there, even if you do find out how nerdy I really am. (As if you didn’t know.)
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
Warning, this is completely off topic, and I'm about to talk about football.
The Ravens and Texans game may be an interesting one to watch, for those of you who are wondering what 3-4 defenses who bring a lot of pressure look like.
TennesseeTyrants - January 15, 2012
The Ravens' D is also a great example of what you can do with an elite safety.
Y’know, in case you forgot about Eric Berry. (in which case, what?)
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
So a team that's 10-15 points better at home against a team that's 15-20 points worse on the road?
Well, okay then. 86-58 Tennessee. BassWatch: 5 minutes in the first.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Tiffany Clarke picks up her 2nd foul early.
Vandy went on a bit of a run before then. Opened 7-3 LV, now Vandy’s up 2 at the under-16.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Vandy still up 2 at the under-12.
Game feels …unsettled. There’s some nervous energy in the arena, I think. Glory’s doing her thing, at least; 5 boards early.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Defensive intensity has stepped up a bit.
Good pressure to force the TO.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Vandy seems to excel at the moving screen.
Haven’t been called on it yet, though.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Foggie picks up her 2nd on a *dumb* foul.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Sorry, that was her first.
Still dumb, though.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Bass: 9:20(?!) first half.
Ariel’s been out of sorts, though.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
$immons!
Rim, backboard, rim, in, but $immons.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Glory might be on a double-double in the first half if she can get the ball to the basket a bit more.
9 boards, 5 points already (4 shots).
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
HEADBAND DOWN.
Baugh loses her headband on that shot. This is critical, I don’t care what the announcers say. #teamheadband
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Glory is dangerously close to being the primary offensive option when she's on the floor.
That’s a credit to her, but …man, Stricklen. What gives?
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Weird, weird lineup out there.
Bass, Massengale, Stricklen, Glory, Baugh. Baugh at the 4, Glory at the 5.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
That's 1 / 1 / 3 / 4-5 / 4-5.
Just for posterity.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
BA$S!
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
And Baugh, with a cute little hang-up shot.
Tennessee by 9 in a hurry. Meanwhile, Bass is still out there and I don’t know why. Ariel’s running the point. Just a bizarre, bizarre lineup (aurabass, any ideas here if you’re around?).
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Nobody's seen Manning, Burdick, or Harrison lately, have they?
This rotation is just so weird to me. Either everyone’s injured or they’re testing something. I just don’t get it at all. Bass has seen as much of the floor as Manning, which normally means the Ladies are up 25. Instead, they’re up 3.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Glory just got whacked in the head.
Diving for a loose ball. I’d be a bit surprised if she got concussed off that; she might be seeing stars for a couple minutes, but I think she’ll be okay.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Meanwhile, the biggest ovation so far:
CPS yelling at the refs.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
She was asking the refs to at least review for a flagrant.
There probably wasn’t a flagrant to be called, but you’d think an arm-to-head-to-floor injury would at least deserve a review for the sake of courtesy.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
Um:
Ariel / Bass / Manning / Stricklen / Harrison? That’s like 1.5 offensive threats. What is Bass doing in there?
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
She's not been shutdown on D, either.
And it’s not like she’s a rebounding threat.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Tennessee up 3 at the break.
CPS got more active as the half when on, which is a surprising development. Maybe she’ll yell at her staff for letting Bass play 9. (really, what?)
The story so far: lineup composition, apparently.
Stricklen needs to act like the best player on the court when Glory’s out, too. Every possession should run through her. It’s that simple. Meanwhile, Glory’s on 8/9. Foggie’s been daggers from downtown (4 of 6). The Ladies should be okay – they’re still better across the board, and a 10-0 run out of the gate should end it – but they need to act like it.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
So...
anyone going to the Olympic football(soccer) qualifiers at LP Field in March?
The entire USA group is based there… so 3 live team USA games in 6 days.
Caban - January 15, 2012
info
link
seriously thinking about going to all 6 games. How often do you get a major soccer tournament in your backyard?
Caban - January 15, 2012
hmmmmm.
I need to get to Memphis anyway. It’s not likely, but it’s worth thinking about.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Canada and Cuba!!!
Caban - January 15, 2012
If it was Mexico, I'd be far more likely.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Yeah...
but Cuba is like a Mexico that we should beat 5-0
Caban - January 15, 2012
It's also a flight and vacation days.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
ah...
dang
Caban - January 15, 2012
and...
it includes games vs. Canada and Cuba.
So you get a regular game vs. El Salvador
One versus our #2 soccer rival, who we almost always beat!
and one that would be the bad guy if this was a movie.
Caban - January 15, 2012
Tiffany Clarke, please make your property tax checks out to:
Glory Johnson
c/o Pat Head Summitt
Thompson-Bolling Arena
Knoxville, TN 37916
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Stricklen took a three.
Progress.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Simmons just passed up an open three.
I’m actually disappointed. Take that shot. (Probably won’t make it, but she had a better chance of making that than the wild up-and-under layup she attempted.)
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
$tricklen!
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
I've been really impressed with Holzer and Foggie.
They’ve both stepped up (Holzer especially, since Glory branded Clarke with her personal insignia).
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Right as she picks up her second.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
(er, Holzer)
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
I could be wrong, but it felt like Holzer was on Baugh a lot more than on Johnson
which might explain why she had a better first half than Clarke did. Well, that and the refs weren’t calling much.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
Tennessee stabilized a bit.
Stricklen’s attempted some outside shots and the rotation has been normal. Correlation = causation.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Here it comes. Up 12.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Oh hey Shekinna. I didn't realize you were here.
And lookit that, you’re leading the team in shots and being assertive on both ends. Fancy that. You just might be a good player.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Also, if it's not too much to ask,
can you show Simmons how you can score 15 on 11 shots instead of 7 on 9? Thanks.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Glory's picked up a double-double already, btw.
12/12, 5 steals(!), innumerable nightmares for Tiffany Clarke.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Go at Clarke. Do it.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Well, that worked.
Holzer fouled out instead.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
$$immons!
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
And Stricken is on 4 now.
Hand check!
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
We past the point of no return here?
Caban - January 15, 2012
I don't do the maths, but yes.
Well, I do the maths. But not that maths.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
Do you remember who does the maths?
Trying to find it
Caban - January 15, 2012
Bill James.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
(Point Differential - 3)^2
If the number of seconds left is less than that, it’s out of reach. That’s a really generous metric, so tifwiw. It’s really only useful for convincing yourself it’s indeed over.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
Knee-on-knee action. Stricklen down.
Possible hyperextension. That’s not good.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
big win
Caban - January 15, 2012
Eh, about what I expected.
The concern: how Stricklen’s doing.
Chris Pendley - January 15, 2012
I think we're in consensus on breadsticks for Glory.
But Ariel had a 6 A/TO day (12/2). Worth a mention, at least. Especially with her screwball first-half rotation.
David Hooper - January 15, 2012
Yup.
The revival of Stricklen is worth a mention (which: about dang time), though.
Chris Pendley - January 16, 2012
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Rocky Top Talk to post a comment.