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February 19, 2012
Oxford, MS (Ox Vegas, MS? Nah, that doesn't sound right) 2:00 PM EST TV: SECN / ESPN3 Internet Audio: Lady Vols Network Live Stats: GameTracker |
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19-7 (10-3 SEC) |
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12-14 (2-11 SEC) |
Just in case the snoozer of a 57-41 victory in Starkville wasn't enough of a potential mismatch, the Lady Vols continue the All-Dregs Tour of the greater Mississippi schools with a visit to scenic Oxford. Incidentally, this is the second visit in a row to the Tad Pad; through a couple of scheduling quirks, Tennessee's second game against the Lady Rebels was in Oxford last year, and this is the only match-up between these two teams.
And yes, that is one of the more interesting points of this game. Otherwise? This game is going to be a massacre. Ole Miss has had a habit of getting run off the court in the first half against average teams before their opponents have pity on them and let off the gas a bit. This bodes well for a team like Tennessee, who needs experience not letting off the gas against overmatched opponents. As much as I'd love to talk up the dangers of facing a conference opponent on the road, there's challenges and then there's this. Case in point: last year's Ole Miss team scored 87 points total against the Lady Vols in two games; the Ladies scored 86 in their home game alone. This isn't going to be much of a contest, but if you want blood, this will work.
| Position | Name | Experience | Height | PPG | RPG | APG | |
|
G | Meighan Simmons | So | 5-10 | 11.3 | 2.2 | 1.6 |
| P | Glory Johnson | Sr | 6-2 | 13.3 | 9.4 | 1.2 | |
| PG | Ariel Massengale | Fr | 5-7 | 7.7 | 2.6 | 5.2 | |
| G-F | Shekinna Stricklen | Sr | 6-2 | 15.3 | 6.6 | 1.9 | |
| G | Taber Spani | Jr | 6-1 | 8.9 | 3.4 | 1.6 | |
|
PG | Valencia McFarland | So | 5-4 | 13.3 | 3.6 | 4.9 |
| F | Monique Jackson | Fr | 6-1 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 0.3 | |
| G/F | Tia Faleru | Fr | 6-0 | 4.7 | 3.3 | 1.0 | |
| F | Danielle McCray | Fr | 6-1 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 0.3 | |
| G | Amber Singletary | Fr | 5-9 | 3.7 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
Nikki Byrd could also start; she's a 6'4" senior who's give Ole Miss a bit of an edge inside. However, from what I remember she's not terribly mobile; last year Glory Johnson knocked her down, stole her lunch money, took her bike, and snaked her boyfriend. (Metaphorically speaking, mind you.) Incidentally, this is also the second season in a row the Lady Rebels have rolled out an incredibly young lineup against the Lady Vols; last year had 1 junior (Byrd), 2 sophomores, and 2 freshmen. There's an argument to be made on allowing your youngsters some experience against an elite opponent, and then there's lambs to the slaughter. It's left as an exercise to the reader which one this is.
It may not come as a surprise that this Rebel team launches a lot of threes; both McFarland and senior Whitney Hameth - another potential starter (it shouldn't be surprising that the Rebels have spent some time this year searching for their best starting lineup) - both average over 4 threes a game, and Singletary (along with junior Maggie McFerrin) put up over two threes a game. That being said, McFerrin's their best outside threat at 35.5 percent. After that? McFarland is shooting 30.5% from beyond the arc.
At this point, we know the Lady Vol gameplan: shut down on defense (shoudn't be hard), get boards (again, shouldn't be hard), and be effective enough on offense to put the game out of reach early. It's another opportunity for Stricklen to exert control, but I'd put my bets on Glory Johnson having a dominant game - provided Dee Kantner isn't on the whistle. (Yeah, I'm still annoyed.)
Even if the Lady Vols sleepwalk through this game, I'd expect a double-digit victory. With that in mind, let's go to Cleverbot for the score prediction!
User: Hi, Cleverbot!
Cleverbot: See?
User: So the Lady Vols play the Ole Miss Lady Rebels tomorrow. What do you think the final score will be? The game's in Oxford.
Cleverbot: Ummm, I thought you were going to tell me your name.
User: No, but I can tell you my favorite color is orange.
Cleverbot: So tell me then.
User: Anyway, what's your score prediction? The internet must know!
Cleverbot: Most of the internet.
So Cleverbot's going with a final score of most of the internet-the rest of the internet. I'm going to go with something more realistic, say 78-46. Bass comes in around the 9-minute mark of the first half.
0 recs | 96 comments
Poppycock
EVERYTHING is a trap in Oxford. /s/Admiral Ackbar
Craig T - February 19, 2012 via mobile
Ah, but to the contrary, Admiral Ackbar is not the Ole Miss mascot.
It’s their own fault, really.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
My prediction: 85 - 52
BassWatch™: under-8 timeout of the first half
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
ahem
Caban - February 19, 2012
hmm
Hey, it passed the Turing test for a whole sentence
Caban - February 19, 2012
Also...
The best SMBC in months
http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2524#comic
Caban - February 19, 2012
Is ESPN3 actually opening games for anyone else?
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
seems broken to me too
but here’s the actual link
http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player?id=380642#
Caban - February 19, 2012
which also isn't loading for me.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
It seems to be broken for everything.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
To the audio I go.
I’d like to take this moment to note Gametracker is working and ESPN is not.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
Gametracker only shows pregame for me.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
There goes Gametracker.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
The Mickey audio
http://www.utladyvols.com/allaccess/?media=275265
Not sure if it’s working either, but there you go.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
It was, at least earlier.
Commercial break.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
No Dee Kantner.
Hooray.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
$pani!
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
Success!
http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/source/espn3/id/380654/gameId/320500145/size/condensed/
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Wish they would shoot to get the stream up ten minutes before tip-off as opposed to gametime.
chuckiepoo - February 19, 2012
Or 5 minutes after gametime.
I think it’s just ESPN tanking.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
I think it was a server-side error.
Even their 1 PM games weren’t loading up at 2 PM
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
True that. I also tried to load the 'Cuse game to no avail.
chuckiepoo - February 19, 2012
No video was playing...
I was reading ESPN for the past ten minutes and my video started playing at 2:11, same as you apparently.
Caban - February 19, 2012
Is Ariel going to guard that kid or not?
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Another incredible shooting performance
aurabass - February 19, 2012
At least there's plenty of rebounding practice.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
ALL. THE. BRICKS.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
I guess we are building a wall somewhere
aurabass - February 19, 2012
That happens when you can't hit 3's, short jumpers, layups or FTs
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Not getting many of the hustle balls.
chuckiepoo - February 19, 2012
Another 3 over Ariel
aurabass - February 19, 2012
.errrr...'gin.
chuckiepoo - February 19, 2012
To be fair, zone defense leaves space for threes.
But an occasional man would be a nice switch, I think.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Takin' it to the rim...good stuff.
chuckiepoo - February 19, 2012
Okay, that was a nice outlet.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
These idiot refs spend more time counting to 3
than calling the obvious holding
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Good Grief Manning
aurabass - February 19, 2012
I almost would've wanted Manning to go up with that.
Byrd would’ve gotten her second guaranteed.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
Bass in a little late today
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Yeah, but this is probably where I'd want her coming in most of the time.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
Well, that should settle that at least.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
No call, baddddd, no call.
chuckiepoo - February 19, 2012
Thought it was pretty obvious, but I guess Stricklen hadn't been in the paint for 3 seconds yet.
;-)
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
The ref didn't want to lose count
aurabass - February 19, 2012
FWIW, they've been letting 'em play.
5 combined fouls so far.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
As long as they don't cross the lane
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Yeah, kinda surprised at that.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
Katy Perry is a very Ole Miss choice.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Hard not to notice that, eh?
;- )
chuckiepoo - February 19, 2012
Burdick is a really good shooter.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
So at least it's an 11-point lead.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
/sigh
yes, that.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Feels like it should be in the 15-20 range.
At least there’s incentive to play the second half.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
Just got in from traveling this weekend
how is the game going?
falconnuke - February 19, 2012
Yawn - somewhat as somnambulant as MSU
there’s something in the air in MS that is stuplifying
aurabass - February 19, 2012
stats
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Ole Miss shooting:
3-PT: 5-9
2-PT: 3-18
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Also, UT is 55% OReb%.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Strick plus the bench went 8 of 13
Strick plus the starters went 8 of 26
aurabass - February 19, 2012
UGH - I see we got it together at halftime
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Lot's of standing around hoping some defender
will fall down inside
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Man, they're not calling anything.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
This is simply stupid and the coaches won't call time out
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Insane lack of activity by the staff
just standing or sitting there watching.
and then they replace the one player who is actually active even if she can’t hit.
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Where is Vicki - Holly?
are you watching this?
What does it take to get you to make a decision?
aurabass - February 19, 2012
is it the same refs
as the game against kentucky?
falconnuke - February 19, 2012
Nope. Way fewer foul calls.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
And no Dee Kantner.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
so they're the inverse of Dee Kantner?
instead of calling far too many, they call absolutely zero?
falconnuke - February 19, 2012
Basically. But it's been consistent.
Their odd fascination with three-second calls aside, I haven’t had any complaints.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
That seems to be the new gotcha call for Glory.
Since she’s gotten her elbows under control, the only thing left for officials to level the field is the three second call.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
I think it's because 3 second calls
used to be treated as only a penalty when the player just stood there for 5+ seconds
falconnuke - February 19, 2012
Dumb Burdick
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Lady Vols softball...
Just got out of a bases loaded and no outs jam via a double play and a throwout from centerfield to home.
1-1 at Texas in the bottom of the 8th
Caban - February 19, 2012
and Lady Vols plate one in the top of the 9th
2-1
Caban - February 19, 2012
d'oh
Texas wins with a walk-off inside the park home run with two outs and two strikes
Caban - February 19, 2012
good line up now
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Early progress across the SEC:
Arky over MSU. Meh
LSU over Auburn. This is good for Tennessee.
SoCar over Alabama. This is good for Kentucky.
Georgia leading Florida (just started): UGA win good for Tennessee.
Vandy/Kentucky tomorrow night. Vandy losing helps UT, if even a UK loss would be better. zugzwang for UK
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
sandstorm being played over the loudspeakers
so… original
falconnuke - February 19, 2012
Burdick was far and away the most prolific scorer in terms of time played.
18 minutes and 10 points.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Well, a win's a win.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Our predictions were off.
Just a hair.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
It should have been a 30 point win by any measure
except our ability to play or coach to our potential
aurabass - February 19, 2012
We made McFarland look All SEC in this one
maybe she should get the breadsticks
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Heh.
In all seriousness, it should either be Johnson or Burdick. Johnson had the better overall stats, but Burdick was more efficient.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Both made some boneheaded plays
I think Kinna is the better choice
aurabass - February 19, 2012
She had 4 turnovers, though.
And she wasn’t the force that she should be.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
Micky chose Burdick
aurabass - February 19, 2012
but she pretty much launched that Ol Miss mini run
of 6 points on one possession that got her benched
aurabass - February 19, 2012
She's still awkward.
I’m really looking forward to her offseason improvement.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
The difference in her stat line to Vicki's
is basically the two fouls and turnovers
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Vicki didn't have a bad game either
with 4 for 6 10 pts and 7 rebounds
aurabass - February 19, 2012
It was odd, really.
Nobody stood out. There was a lot of decent-ish out there, but nothing strong. Maybe the bit about a long road trip had some impact, but even then they should have found somebody who was on their game.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
2nd half rebounding: 13 UT, 17 Mississippi.
That can’t happen.
David Hooper - February 19, 2012
And given the orange in the crowd this was like a home game
aurabass - February 19, 2012
Postgame is up
here. The link looks weird because my router bit it with 5 minutes to go and I just needed to get something up.
Chris Pendley - February 19, 2012
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