STANFORD, Calif. — Tennessee will remember its back-to-back road trips as being one game too long.
The Lady Vols' strengths were evident in previous road victories over DePaul, Rutgers and UCLA. Their weaknesses were glaring on Tuesday night in a 97-80 loss to Stanford.
Inconsistency is their most obvious shortcoming. Or, as associate head coach Holly Warlick put it, "We played in spurts. Stanford played for 40 minutes.
"We're not at Stanford's level right now."
You can waste possessions and suffer defensive breakdowns when you are making 69.2 percent of your shots and beating UCLA by 21 points, as UT did Saturday afternoon. But it paid for every lapse against fourth-ranked Stanford.
"Tennessee is a good team," Warlick said. "Stanford is a great team."
You were reminded of that almost every time Stanford forward Nnemkadi Ogwumike touched the basketball. She scored a career-high 42 points and had 17 rebounds.
"She was a woman with girls," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "She dominated. This is one of the most incredible performances I've ever seen on our court."
Ogwumike was so
dominant, the Lady Vols probably wished Stanford would have replaced her with Baylor All-American Brittney Griner. As outstanding as Griner has been against UT, she has never made them look as inadequate as Ogwumike did.
Watching Ogwumike score with ease or difficulty brought back memories of UT's best players. When the Lady Vols had Chamique Holdsclaw, they won three national championships. When they had Candace Parker, they won two more national titles.
The Lady Vols have good players now. They don't have anyone who can take over a game the way Holdsclaw or Parker did.
Or the way Ogwumike did.
You have to offset that with exceptional team play. And the exceptional play can't come and go in spurts.
Shekinna Stricklen, who had 27 points, and Glory Johnson, who had 18, played well offensively. But Johnson had little help inside against Ogwumike or her sister, Chiney Ogwumikie, who had 14 points.
Stanford's sterling post play illuminated Vicki Baugh's lack of production. She had more fouls (four) than rebounds (three) and managed only two points in 16 minutes.
Warlick said she didn't have an explanation for how poorly Baugh competed against Stanford.
"Vicki just wasn't on her game," Warlick said. "We need Vicki Baugh to compete every game, especially in the big games like this. When she doesn't, we struggle."
The struggles extended to the perimeter. Understandably concerned about Stanford's 3-point shooting, UT didn't collapse its defense around Stanford's sister act. Yet it repeatedly and inexplicably lost Stanford's 3-point shooters, who made nine of 21 attempts. Guard Toni Kokenis made five of 10 3-pointers and scored a career-high 26 points.
That's two players who had career games against UT. So you can guess what the point of emphasis will be when the Lady Vols return to practice.
As poorly as UT performed against Stanford, it still had a successful road trip, winning three of four games and beating two top-25 teams. Moreover, it accomplished that without injured guards Kamiko Williams and Ariel Massengale.
Massengale made her return against Stanford, playing 11 minutes in the second half. Williams might be ready to play in January, when UT begins SEC play.
But they can't bolster UT's post game. Baugh will have to do that.
And the entire team will have to realize that — despite all they accomplished in winning three consecutive road trips — more is required against a team of Stanford's caliber.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com. Follow him at http://twitter.com/johnadamskns.
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Comments » 16
underthehill writes:
How did this great Stanford team do against U Conn? And no they are not as good as Baylor and Ogw is not as good as Griner. We'll see in the year end tourney...
Pullingguard writes:
Regardless of who is better, the point is that Lady Vols are not in same class with Stanford, Baylor or U.Conn.... UT seems to recruit very well, up there with the best of them, but their overall play does not match up with the better teams primarly because of their offensive game, not much movement without ball. Its one reason Conn sorta distanced themselves from the LV, its all about movement, driving and post play with the outstanding teams..
frblalack writes:
Alicia Manning has real talent. She showed it in the first half; second half she could hardly get the ball from her own teammates.
Simmons has incredible raw talent, but she is easily the most selfish player we've had in quite a while. Taber is obviously hurt; probably the truth is Miss Vicki isn't up to full speed. Maybe play Burdick and Harrison while these two rehab...for heaven's sake could we please put a "team" on the floor.
Pick and roll, dribble drive then pass for the open three, and don't rely on Stricklen every time down the floor to beat her man. She's a great player but she cannot beat a team as good as Stanford by herself; her sidekick M.S. needs to be riding the pine. IMHO
frblalack writes:
One more comment...the exchange between Spani and Simmons on national tv was an embarrassment; or I guess they were discussing Christmas recipes.
DroopyDrawers writes:
I think Simmons is the most selfish player that I have ever seen play. Bench her!!!!
DroopyDrawers writes:
I missed the spat. Does anyone know more?
richvol writes:
It's the coaching...the coaching. UT has good athletes...the coaches have not been able to get them to play together as a team now for at least 4 years. Sad.
hcjournals#206623 writes:
Stop worrying about the Stanford game. It will be a measuring stick for the rest of the season. We have a lot of young players, and although it is painful a bit right now it will serve as a motivator for the entire season. We have the best athletes in the country now. Now. Better than Stanford. Better than Baylor. And better than UConn. We play the toughest schedule in the country for a reason. To prepare to win a national championship. The key will be in the team mentally being prepared in big games to overcome adversity and use their abilities to win in every scenario. It's that simple. Nobody plays harder than we do. If Holly is already calling us good, that's really good. We haven't even started the SEC part of the schedule. Watch for a continual improvement. And put the Stanford game in the rear view. We will see them again, unless they falter. It may be surprising how different the game will be by then. Grow and go Lady Vols. Go Big Orange. Go Big. Or Go Home...
BruisedOrange writes:
While I'm not a fan of Simmons' STYLE of play... I don't think it's accurate to say she's selfish.
I think Simmons' game is instinctive--by that, I mean she RECOGNIZES an opportunity to score, but may only have a few basic moves to SET UP those opportunities. I think her brain recognizes when a second level defender has changed position just enough for her to make a move on her primary defender--but I doubt she knows that's why she suddenly knew she could get to the basket with a crossover move on her primary defender.
Of course, from the stands, it just looks like she's dribbling back-and-forth for no reason.
Contrast her game to Hakeem Olajuwan's Big Man Camp. He shows post players how to use combinations of moves off the pivot to intentionally move the defender into an exploitable position. It's an objective way to create a scoring opportunity.
Meighan dribbles the ball like I stand over a golf shot, waggling the club and shifting my weight until it feels right. I don't know what I'm changing, or why it's suddenly right for pulling the trigger, but I recognize it.
Tennessee needs players who can create their own shots. This is the way Simmons does it. How to make the best use of her instinctive skills is a coaching challenge. But not having a quick-footed play-maker on the floor is a worse coaching challenge.
underthehill writes:
Stanford is not in a class with Baylor or U Conn. Stanford beat UT on Stanford's home floor and does not have better talent than Lady Vols. Stanford had the edge in officiating and did a better job shooting and handling the ball. Their overall team speed is not equal to TN but they did a better job using what they have. Stanford should not beat TN up the floor on breaks. Lady Vols have to work harder as a team to rebound and defend and they are capable of beating any team. Have to agree with you on U Conn..I saw the Baylor game and I have never seen a lady team handle and pass the ball better than U Conn even tho Baylor won on their home floor.
Nice to read your comment..obviously you are one of the many Lady Vol knowledgeable fans..
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Excellent post! Basketball is a game where the balance between the deliberate and the instinctive is very delicate. Every player balances those two aspects differently. In general, though, the most deliberate thought should go into things like time, score, defensive and offensive strategy, defenders' foul situation, and the like. The instinctive actions, trained through intensive individual work, are usually things like shooting, passing, positioning, rebounding, and chasing loose balls. A player like Meighan, IMHO, would benefit greatly from trying to develop the deliberate side of her game; Vicki may well need to try to be more spontaneous.
Millisa writes:
The Lady Vols have got to get better and in a hurry Need to ALL step up Play Defense and Rebound. I know they can do it.
martinvol34 writes:
missed the exchange. what happened. if Spani got in that arse for her awful defense, it needed to be done and until one of the players start getting in M.S.'s face about her getting lost, not helping and overall not giving a poop about defense, the team will not win the big games. All is not lost and I assure the fanbase that O-whatever the heck her name is will never shoot that good again. Ever. It was good to see Pat get in the officials face for a clear difference in what was a foul. It was not consistent. Can't say it cost us the game but it took Glory and Vicki out of the game early and that's when Stanford got their edge.
frblalack writes:
Since I wasn't courtside, I don't really know what was being said. But from the television it appeared to be a heated exchange at the Vol free throw line after another selfish non-pass by M. S.
I could be wrong, but from the body languange it didn't appear that they were expressing mutual admiration.
Several posters have defended Meighan and her style of play. Obviously she has enormous talent, but I don't believe she's yet mature enough to earn significant minutes on the floor. I was impressed by Cierra Burdick; (excepting the one lapse underneath their basket) she plays very mature for a freshman.
My comments are just those...comments, and I haven't ever coached a girl's basketball team. But I have been around a long time, and I know what it takes to be a winner in team sports.
Wishing the very best for ALL the Lady Vols!!!
All Vols - All the time - Vol for Life
BruisedOrange writes:
That's an intriguing insight about Vicki Baugh. When you think about it, with all the time she's spent rehabbing, only able to watch video and practices, it makes sense that she might be extra-invested in the objective aspects of the game.
Remember when she was a freshman? All hustle, desire, and raw talent! So if you're right, as she regains trust in those instincts and allows spontaneity to emerge in the flow of the game, she can only improve as we progress toward March.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
With an injury history like hers, Vicky may still lack trust in her reactions. She has had to test herself in virtually every move she makes, never quite knowing when something might "pop". Even with all the advances that have been made recently in sports medicine and rehab, every individual heals differently and perceives his or her own body differently. I'm sure she hopes along with all of us that she can regain the spontaneity that characterized her game until the injury bug struck.
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