The Tennessee women's basketball team fought a losing battle with fatigue at the end of its weekly team workout Thursday and Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt wasn't happy about it.
In particular, she called out sophomore post player Alyssia Brewer and freshman guard Kamiko Williams for their efforts during the full-court scrimmage sessions against male practice players that concluded the two-hour practice.
"Lyssi and Kamiko really struggled to go up and down consistently,'' Summitt said. "Maybe they get extra conditioning."
Redshirt sophomore center Kelley Cain also struggled to keep pace but she's still getting back up to speed after offseason surgery on her right knee.
"One of my biggest concerns for this team is our mental toughness,'' Summitt said. "Based on what I saw today, we don't have it across the board. But we don't have to have it across the board."
The not-so-subtle implication was that playing time will be more closely tied to sheer effort this season.
On the injury front, Brewer and freshman Faith Dupree both are dealing with sprained thumbs. Dupree suffered her injury Thursday. Sophomore guard Alicia Manning has a sprained finger.
Junior forward Vicki Baugh, meanwhile, continued rehabbing from a second ACL surgery on her left knee, which took place in late February. Jenny Moshak, the Lady Vols associate athletic director for sports medicine, reiterated that there's no timetable for the 6-foot-4 forward's return.
"What everyone has to realize is in a calendar year, she's had two surgeries, major surgeries,'' Moshak said. "We're going to do this right and build the leg back up."
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Comments » 31
VOLKING writes:
I love this woman....and yet she scares me. Go Lady Vols!!
LdyVolFaninKS writes:
The Wichita State University men's team used to live and die by M.T.X.E., Mental Toughness Xtra Effort. That's what our Lady Vols need!
jr2miles writes:
Keep fighting ladies, know that you have a lot of people cheering yall on..... Go Lady Vols!!!!!
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
Vicki Baugh should redshirt this season....she is their best player and will be missed by the team, better for her to be able to maybe play a little tennis by the time she is 40
also bjorkland just demonistrated to the new recruits how she dribbles the basketball between her legs, then quickly behind her back, while doing absolutely nothing else.
xvolx writes:
other than bjorkland and strickland, none of these girls have offensive basketball skills and their too slow to play the type defense summitt wants to play. Looks like another 2008.
utfan00 writes:
Coach Summitt needs to realize these girls are not going to be like Candace Parker.It just like making a baby walk before it crawls. She should have thought about this before she recruited these girls. Do the best you can girls....Go Lady Vols
utfan00 writes:
Did you see Angie showing off her tricks to the newcomers? Laugh
utfan00 writes:
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
LADY VOLS VS UCONN HUSKIES
LADY VOLS # 1
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Seems like we heard a lot of this all last year. The gals are a year older, but they are still an AWFULLY young team. I have to think that without Baugh and Cain being healthy and productive, the LVs will struggle again this year. I hope I'm wrong, but I won't give up on them either way.
1volk-nowi-tall writes:
Have wanted to tell Pat this for 7-8 months. She was just too agressive with this group of freshmen last year. You could see that she was so frustrated with the loses that she actually just sat on the bench a few times after excessively berating the young ladies and let Holly have the team. Coach we all love you but as you say so often, it is the young ladies that get the wins. They need your encouragement through tough times. This is not army or marine basic training. Get out of their face a little and encourage them. You know it as much or more than I do, you don't handle young ladies like you do soldiers. Help by encouraging them and they will perform much better in time....
BigRMan writes:
You have to be tough to build character. Back to the basics, Bobby Knight style. (And Pat Summit style)- This is why society is now producing a generation of soft self-entitled spoiled brats. No one has the guts to be tough on them and constantly raise the bar of excellence expectations. Like cream of the crop, keep rising to the top. However, one poster predicts Lady Vols vs. UCON in the NCAA Finals this season. That's a bit too ambitious at this point. Too much uncertainty and too many variables with this team as it currently exists.
BigRMan writes:
Excellent idea for Baugh to Red Shirt. No need to rush her back and risk further damage with an accelerated rehab program. The only thing it does is delay the start of her pro career. With proper rehab, she will eventually be able to showcase the skills and game she displayed that peeked Tennessee's interest in her initially.
YankeeVol writes:
The season hasn't even started yet, and I am already tired of hearing about the struggles of a young team. They haven't aged 10 years in the off-season, have they? Given the traditions of this program, if last season didn't inspire them to raise their levels of effort and dedication, what will?
utfan00 writes:
AMEN AMEN AMEN
johnlg00#206211 writes:
No doubt you will again go 0-for-the-season in classy posts. That would make at least three years in a row in my memory. Congratulations in advance!
98reax writes:
You know, if I were Pat, I would be angry if any player came in "out of shape." They know what's expected of them when they sign. There's no excuse good enough, other than injury, to be "out of shape" when practice season starts. There are girls all over the country who train everyday for the opportunity to play for a D1 school. Some take it for granted. They deserve the wrath of Pat. No excuses. NONE, to NOT be ready for the drills.
BigRMan writes:
Right on the money, john- The only thing Mike knows about class are the ones he attended in school and special education, remedial and tutorial. His posts on this forum are patently lacking in that quality
mississippi writes:
We are looking very good, Mike. Thank you for your concern about our Lady Vols bb team. Dont under estimate Stanford. North Carolina will be good also. Who's gonna replace Renee Montgomery? Do you think that Lorin Dixon is gonna replace Renee?
BigRMan writes:
Baylor coached by Kim Mulkey and Leon Barmore featuering 6'8" and still growing Brittney Griner with a crazy skill set will be a force of nature that will make Katrina look like a spring shower. Griner, a can't miss serious Supa' Star!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
As a general rule, I try to avoid pointless trash talk. However, if you have read as many of Mike's posts on here as I have, you would realize that his two relatively benign posts on this thread are MAJOR exceptions to a long-established pattern of putting down the LV's in nearly every possible way on virtually every possible occasion. I hope his performance so far this season represents a change in that, but I am not holding my breath.
BigRMan writes:
Nothing wrong with this post. The only thing this post is beneath, is the previous post in proximity!
mississippi writes:
Didn't he recently become Kellie Harper's Assistant Coach at North Carolina State?
johnlg00#206211 writes:
When you put it like that, women's bball doesn't look that strong this year. No doubt there will be a few surprise teams arise along the way, but it seems the quality is concentrated at the top, as is traditionally the case.
BigRMan writes:
I wish I were Scottish, then I'd never run out of tape(LOL)
BigRMan writes:
The NC State website does not list Leon Barmore on their staff. As close as he is with Mulkey, I couldn't envision him leaving her program especially with Griner coming on board, and multiple NCAA titles looming because of that acquisition.
BigRMan writes:
Check out columns by Graham Hays, Charlie Creme and M. Voepel on ESPN website after WNBA playoffs for in depth preview of Women's College hoops. How whacked is the WNBA for giving a drunk like Tarausi the MVP for the league over the efforts of our own Tamika Catchings who not only SHOULD be the MVP, but is a model citizen as well. GO FEVER beat the MERCURY!
BigRMan writes:
The conditioning aspect is all up to the maturity of the individual. In order to get the most out of God-given, and self refined talent the athlete must be in top physical conditioning with a razor's edge mental toughness. If you're a UT LV recruit, you know the gauntlet that you accept. Give yourself the best chance to meet all challenges
mississippi writes:
I am baffled by your 'Tough Teams" selections.
Baylor is counting on a 6'8 Freshmen to lead them. They have no other legitimate superstars on this year team.
Maryland lost BOTH their ALL-AMERICANS(Kristi Toliver & Marissa Coleman)to the WNBA.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Oh, I'm ignorant, too. As for the teams you mentioned, OK lost Courtney Parrish and her sister isn't nearly as good, seems that UGA lost a couple of seniors, LSU will again be young but maybe pretty good, and Duke is in full rebuilding mode this year. As I said, there is always a good chance that some relative unknown will spring up, like Louisville last year--which also lost its best player to graduation.
MillisaAnn writes:
Come On Lady Vols you can do it!!! :) :) :) Go getem Pat!!! ( hey get Kamiko's dad to come he'd get them in shape)
uconnfan1 writes:
I don't think that's going to happen.
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