Into the locker room went one Tennessee team at halftime Tuesday night and out came another.
Although turning a tie score into a quick 10-point lead out of the break against Miami (Fla.) didn't duplicate Sunday's scoring surge against Pepperdine, the sudden burst reaffirmed the Lady Vols' knack for being quick-change artists.
Suddenly they were playing with more resolve. Ultimately they were rewarded with a hard-fought 92-76 women's basketball victory in the State Farm Tipoff Classic before 12,151 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Lady Vols associate head coach Holly Warlick passed the first bit of credit for UT's renewed effort to a familiar source.
"If you ever doubt if Pat Summitt is still coaching," said Warlick, referring to Tennessee's head coach, "look at how our team responds coming out in the second half. She got on them pretty hard.
"We all did as a staff about our rebounding effort, our hustle plays that weren't there. So we challenged them. We challenged them for 20 minutes, and I think they responded."
Junior guard Taber Spani led the response for No. 3 Tennessee (2-0) with 20 points. Her step-back 3-pointer over Miami's Morgan Stroman with 6:32 left and the shot clock winding down was a welcome boost to UT's dwindling five-point lead. Spani's clutch basket followed the miss of a wide-open trey attempt by Riquna Williams, who led No. 7 Miami (1-1) with 24 points.
"I thought that was a huge turning point,'' Miami coach Katie Meier said.
Four other Lady Vols also scored in double figures. Meighan Simmons came off the bench to score 18 points. Glory Johnson had 16 and Shekinna Stricklen added 15 points. Freshman point guard Ariel Massengale just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine assists.
Overall, Tennessee achieved a favorable balance between assists (19) and turnovers (13) against the ball-hawking Hurricanes.
Johnson and Stricklen, meanwhile, combined for 16 rebounds to help whittle a shocking double-figure rebounding deficit to five (44-39) in the end.
"I think it was once again us picking up our defense and just really focusing on crashing the boards,'' Johnson said. "They were hitting shots, and they weren't missing really in the first half. We were hitting shots. So something's got to change."
Miami established its ambitious intentions in the first half, playing Tennessee to a 42-all standstill.
Despite foul trouble that shelved their pressure tactics, the Hurricanes stole UT's trademark with a 28-15 rebounding advantage. Led by 6-foot-6 reserve center Shawnice Wilson, who finished with a game-high 11 rebounds, the Hurricanes forged an early 9-2 edge in second-chance points.
The Lady Vols' first halftime adjustment resulted in All-American Stricklen playing the role of spectator.
"I think the power of the bench says a lot,'' Warlick said. " We need more out of Shekinna Stricklen. She's our All-American."
The Lady Vols got more, as evidenced by Stricklen's 12 second-half points on 5-for-7 shooting once she returned.
The other strategic move that paid huge dividends was UT using a 3-2 zone defense. With post players stationed across the top of the alignment, the Hurricanes couldn't find the range from long range, missing all nine of their second-half 3-point attempts.
"I don't know what position Glory Johnson plays,'' said Miami All-American guard Shenise Johnson, who scored 17 points but was 1-for-5 from long range. "She's a beast; she's a monster. We are a lot smaller than them, and we wanted to try and squeeze it in there and get inside the lane and we weren't able to do that with the size and length they had."
In the second half, the Lady Vols weren't just bigger, they were better.
Dan Fleser may be reached at 865-342-6288. Follow him at http://twitter.com/FleserKNS and http://blogs.knoxnews.com/fleser
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Comments » 50
ACWLY writes:
Excellent learning game for the Vols, when Miami turned up the Defense in the 2nd half UT folded just a little, but the coaches quicky figured it out and the Vols came back strong. So nice to see a team well coached!
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
Way to go ladies!!
Still WAY TOO MANY turnovers and offensive rebounding needs to improve.
Spani is deadly from the 3-point line and Massengale is the PG that we needed and she is living up to the hype.
Smokey says still not too bad against the #7 team..
orangecountyvols writes:
Prowlin/Smokey,
Exactly. If the football team could just come out to start the 2nd half this way it would be nice.
Anyway, great hard fought game by both teams.
Now on to Virginia. I may just go to that one
( just 20 miles away ! )
SoddyVol writes:
Good win. I couldn't enjoy the game as much as I should have been able to because they were a little too inconsistent. There was some really great play but not consistent. Massengale played like the freshman she is at times but she did have 9 assists. Glad they had Simmons to come in off the bench. She did a great job along with Spani, Johnson, and Stricklen. Good shooting and rebounding against a good team.
xvolx writes:
Strickland was gone fishing the first half. She came out played as a team player in the second half. Spani and Simmons played no fear. Baugh is not as good as I thought she could be, but she has a big role on this team. Manning was solid. Massingil plays older than her years. Johnson played a good second half. Harrison settled down and played good. Terrible defense in first half. Second half they played defense like they wanted to cut down some nets. Leave Meghan alone. She's the fuse that brings the explosion. I was impressed.
la_Madrina writes:
Great test and great win for the lady vols! With two top ten teams, we will see a little inconsistent play! Miami is no pushover team. Our lady vols sealed the deal tonight!
Ariel Massengale is the real deal! She lead this team tonight like the true point guard she is. Not only that, she scored when needed! She was fatigued in the final minutes of the game according to the coaches, that is why they took her out and let Simmons finish the game. Simmons did a fine job!
Ariel is the missing piece! She handled herself and the team really well tonight. Glory Johnson, I have to commend! She looks really good this year. Taber Spani, I can't say enough about her. She is Miss Big Shot!
The lady vols look good! We should be proud! WNBA scouts were treated to a good game tonight by both teams!
butch31 writes:
Vicki 6 points, 4 rebs...won't get it! Shekinna nominated for POY? LOL...wow! Those come out like that against Baylor, we will be for a world of trouble! I see why Stricklen was benched the 2nd half, in fact if coach Summit were smart, she'd continue to bring her off the bench. I don't see her doing well in the WNBA playing the way she does.
Vicki, needs to get in basketball shape! I like Isabelle playing over her. The coaches need to play Bri, she could of taken some charges out there, we needed her speed and senior leadership. Cierra, should of played...Taber, Meighan, and Shekinna need to look in the post every once in a while LOL! Glory, is wide open. Alicia, needed more minutes on the floor. Too many cooks in the kitcheb, coaches! The defense needs to get better, Shekinna and Meighan getting burned one too many times!
Vicki, is just not there mentally! Glory, Taber, and Ariel saved this game for the team. U can tell who puts work in the gym. It's obvious!!! I'm not sure what's going on in practice, but its being carried out on the floor come game time! I hope coach Summit, never gives this look again, there is talent on the bench!
jt45 writes:
Good game for the Lady vols, I think their in it to win it this year, Miami was tough on the press. Great job by Spani once again knocking down those 3s, she is becoming a great clutch player and seems much better this year. Im impressed by all the freshmen this year. This team is getting better every game.
SummittsCourt writes:
Way too much criticism on this board. Second and everyone expects perfection. Hey, Pat could be like Geno and schedule a bunch division 2 teams to tune up on. But how is that going to help come tourney time.
This was a great win, enjoy it! Geesh!
Vols68 writes:
Please chill! Its the beginning of November! Miami has THE BEST BACK COURT IN THE COUNTRY! Last season Riquna Williams and Sheniese Johnson would've had field day penetrating against our team! Ariel played exceptionally well against TWO ELITE TOP 5 WNBA DRAFT PICKS! She had 11 points 9 Assists! Meighan simmons played GREAT off the bench! Give Vicki some time! I agree Shekinna needs to show she is POY candidate worthy! We showed great mental toughness especially only having ONE DAY to prepare for the best backcourt in the country and a tough well-rounded Miami team. The game Sunday against UVA will NOT be a cupcake, but we will still win by a good Margin... We most certainely played better than we did Sunday against Peperdine..This team is really showing that they are getting better, and not just going through the motions!
ladyvolsfan789 writes:
Baugh only played for 19 minutes and for only playing that much she had a good stat line. I think the coaches are being cautious with her because she's such an emotional leader for this team and she won't have the same impact if she's sidelined with another injury. Harrison played like a freshmen for a while, but she did make some nice plays later on in the game. Masssengale is the real deal.
volpreacher writes:
Next thing you know, these idiots will want to fire Summitt because she didn't beat people bad enough. They are never happy. they don't know squat about basketball or football. Go Vols and Lady Vols.
richvol writes:
That was a damn good team the LadyVols beat tonight. Spani is impressive...she has gotten herself into great shape and is a lights out shooter. Smart ballhandler too. Glory is such a force and Ariel is a terrific addition. Baugh needs to step it up as she turns the ball over if defended and is a step slow on defense.
A great,great win against a quality opponent. When Miami got it down to 5 in the second half the gals responded and put them away. Excellent.
dewey0022 writes:
Connecticut played there key players 35 + minutes there during there last few championships. Why cant Tennessee. I think we have as much talent as connecticut and to be frank, I think the exceptionally long bench has hurt tennessee more than it has helped them the last few years. The cohesiveness has been very week among the top 6-7 players because of the massive substitutions that take place on this team. Just my opinion.
dwa7#337691 writes:
early predict:
L Vols 81
Virginia 70
la_Madrina writes:
Some people are just never satisfied! Bottom line is that Tennessee beat the number 7 team in the country. That in itself is an accomplishment. Some of the so called Tennessee fans seem more like undercover trolls to me.
The ladies left it all on the floor tonight! Both teams played really well! Tennessee was just victorious!
Yes, Tennessee still has work to do! But so do all of the other teams in the league. Spani, Glory, Simmons and Ariel rocked tonight! Ariel will only get better as the season goes on. She is already scary good for a freshman point guard. Go Ariel! You rock!
butch31 writes:
I am keeping it real...#1 Baylor is here next week, we can't make these same mistakes against #1 Baylor, they will make us pay for it. I do NOT want that. We have a great team this season, and little small things like playing Bri, Cierra, Isabelle and Alicia 10 minutes would only help the team. Playing Vicki in 5-7 minute spurts would helpful. I'd like to see Glory get more looks, touches, and more involved in the offense. It's frustrating seeing her WIDE OPEN, calling begging for the ball, but Shekinna, Taber, and Meighan rather launch 3 pointers...I know the coaches see it. I am NOT taking anything from Miami, it's just that I see Tennessee as the #1 team and the #3 ranked team. I'm glad the Pepperdine & Miami games were scheduled this soon. This is Tennessee, and that's what they do.
la_Madrina writes:
I wasn't referring to you! And you shouldn't care if I like what you write. I can't reward you with a Pulitzer Prize! My comment just happen to follow yours, but your comment was not the comment I was referring to.
Back to the subject at hand! Tennessee was pretty good tonight! So was Miami! I truly enjoyed the game! Maybe you will enjoy the next one!
acworthdave writes:
I am sure that is something the coaching staff has never thought about. Come on. I think they know what they are doing and how to practice players. These are 18-22 yr old kids. I never buy the "getting worn out" argument. If you are good shape, you should not get worn out at that age. I think the pressure of the moment gets to kids at this level more than simply being tired. This is why Pat has always schedules like she does. Give them plenty of opportunity to expose them to high pressure moments.
dvhill100 writes:
Good victory against a very good Miami team. 'nuff said.
adimatteo#261830 writes:
so lets see, we play the #7 ranked team, win by 16 points, and lots of critcism, concerns,...
boy, its going to be a long season.
Nice job ladies...cant please evryone
volboy81 writes:
Great win Ladies. You got tough when the going got tough. A lesser mentally tough team would have lost that game. Never really even heard about Miami's women's BB team til last year. Where did they come from? Their coach is scary acting!
springtx_vol writes:
Personally, I don't care whether we beat Baylor next week or not. UT has always played top competition early so that the players can understand what it takes to get better. Imagine what Isabella is going to say the first time Griner stuffs her turn around? I want that to happen next week so when we play Baylor in the final four (or championship game), there are no stars in the eyes.
I was impressed by Ariel. She is a freshman all-american. Harrison had a couple of very impressive plays, but had a couple of freshman moments too. Burdick didn't show much.
All in all, I really like Ariel at the point, Meagan and Spani on the wings, and Johnson and Baugh on the post. Glory was doing things that I had never seen before. Baugh needs to be more of a presence. Spani and Simmons as scorers makes it so that there is no one that can be left alone to double team down low. I see a very reasonable expectation to get to the final four and to win it all.
martinvol34 writes:
What is wrong with you people. Ariel and Angie B are not remotely good examples. Angie was hurt at the end of her freshman year and didn't tell anyone. Pat knows what she is doing and Ariel plays basketball year around. She is a game changer. Angie was a role player. Holly, Mickie, Dean and most of all Pat know what they are doing. So STHU.
maxvolfan#217855 writes:
Great win ladies! Really stepped up the offence when Mia threatened to make a run. The last 7 mins I started to see a fluid team come together. Johnson took command, Strick stepped up and Taber/Simmons shot lights out. I wish we would have took advantage of some post plays against there 6'6 post play that we will need against Griner. I'm sure we will prepare , hard to find a 6'8 practice player. Lol. I'm looking forward to a great Ariel/Odyess Sims matchup. That should be Epic!! Anyway Go Vols beat Va
Jephry writes:
I was impressed tonight with the girls finding their composure once Miami closed to within 68-62. Great mental toughness there.
Player of the game: Glory Johnson - when she was in, the LVs were a different team - and so was Miami.
A close second: Ariel Massengale - this girl is smart! Very impressive point guard.
Taber - she is playing with such confidence...she's a special player!
Stricklen - needs to pour it on from the opening tip, not just the second half buzzer. Her laid back style has got to be frustrating to the coaches. When she shows up, she's incredible!
Simmons - As she continues to learn when to shoot, she gets better and better. Love her confidence, too.
Baugh - I wish she would turn and shoot more. She tends to try to "put the moves on" her defensive player(s) too much. A simple post move would really improve her stat line. Quit freakin' dribbling. =)
Manning - looked rattled last night when she was in the game. I was surprised by that actually.
Harrison - I agree she had some good moments and some very freshman moments. To be expected, of course. Still played a good game.
Burdick - As she keeps working hard, her time will come. Hard to get in the game in front of Johnson, Strick, Manning and Baugh.
Bri - she probably could have played some excellent defense on Riquna Williams last night. I'm really liking her this year.
All in all, a great win over the #7 team in the country. Keep working hard, ladies and go for #9!!!
Volunatic writes:
Butch doesn't know the meaning of "chill". He/she/it is still bashing Kelly Cain, even.
Just take Butch's posts for what they are-- spirited comedy. Kind of like Robin Williams' old stand-up routines, but probably not based on the same "fuel".
I liked what I saw in this game. The Lady Vols took care of business. Good stuff.
GO LADY VOLS!!!
Volunatic writes:
La_Madrina was talking about that other poster.
Why do you think it always has to be about you?
Volunatic writes:
Okay, your response was better.
johnlg00 writes:
Baugh wasn't the only one who looked a step slow on defense. Man-to-man may not be the best half-court defense for them against some teams, which may be why they were playing zone as much as they did.
It may just be because they haven't played a lot of zone, but the players seemed uncertain on where they should be relative to where the ball is. Several times, the post player on one side would get beat off the dribble from the short corner and the weak-side post defender was half-way up the lane on the opposite side, looking at the perimeter players. The wing on the ball side was also slow and tentative in dropping down to help the post close the path of penetration on that side.
It is counter-intuitive to many young players, but they actually have to move MORE and move QUICKER in a good zone than they do man-to-man. When the ball moves, EVERY defensive player has to move, not just the ones on the ball side. The instinctive feel for the timing on the help-and-recover sequence is not easy to learn unless it is practiced a lot, but the zone may ultimately be this team's go-to half-court defense.
Overall, though, I saw much to love in this game, and still feel that the LVs are on track to do great things this season.
gemin555#214016 writes:
saw the second half of game on ESPN yesterday (here in Washington state) and the LADYVOLS looked AWESOME!! The freshmen looked impressive and if its any indication of what this season will be, look out Baylor & Connecticut. Go Ladyvols!!
johnlg00 writes:
Some good observations here. I especially agree about Vicki; she is tall enough and has the jumping ability to just turn and fire against most opponents. The next move to perfect is the fake-up-and-duck-under to use against taller opponents. Whatever moves she uses, she needs to be quicker and more decisive with them. Kenny Hall on the men's team needs to do the same thing. I still say that the Vicki Baugh we saw at times as a freshman could well be a MAJOR key in an LV championship run this season.
ps11824 writes:
[[[ SoddyVol writes:
Good win. I couldn't enjoy the game as much as I should have been able to because they were a little too inconsistent. There was some really great play but not consistent. Massengale played like the freshman she is at times but she did have 9 assists. Glad they had Simmons to come in off the bench. She did a great job along with Spani, Johnson, and Stricklen. Good shooting and rebounding against a good team. ]]]
Got to agree 'bout being very uncomfortable' watching the game. The turnovers were making me scream at the TV, and I hate when they hurry. To me they seem to play as if they have 15 seconds on the shot clock instead of 30. I see panic, when all they need to do is establish their position, settle & make a play.
Don't bash me for critiquing. I see what I see; that doesn't mean I think I know better how to coach or play. I hope we can all get along with our comments this season and not 'get on' each other too harshly. I'm reading some really good comments, and I enjoy that.
Consequently, I observe Vicki not utilizing her length & strength. She is playing bent over & off balance instead of standing straight up, extending her arms, making her look awkward and hurried way too often. I'm hoping as the season progresses she will regain confidence and be the power player she was in the '08 season pre-injuries. She has been inactive and in pain so long, it may just take a few more games. Nevertheless, she's a good team leader.
I said all that to say this; I was nervous watching the game last night. Miami is a good team. We will play better teams. Until then we will have this experience to learn from. We will improve in those areas that made me feel so uncertain.
I love my Lady Vols!
BigRMan writes:
Good win vs. a good Miami squad. The LVs showed commitment and resolve in responding to the runs the Hurricanes made. UT got up and down the court better than any time since the last title year. Spani is in better shape. Ariel fit in at the point very well. Thirteen turn overs is not bad for so early in the season. The LVS should not have been out rebounded, however. Baugh should improve as the season wears on. More to be encouraged about than in the last 3 years with this core group. In time, the freshmen will blend in nicely. This group does NOT want to be denied the Final Four trip to Denver.
dewey0022 writes:
But Uconn did win those championships sprinting the floor doing layup drills on other teams utilizing 6-7 players, most 35 + minutes or more. Don't get me wrong, I am the farthest thing from a Uconn fan. The thought of that makes me cringe, but, even look at the progression of their post Dolson last year. She played well over 30 minutes per game and was very effective doing so. Our vols are as athletic and should be able to have the same stamina as a freshman post from Uconn. The cohesivenss would be better using less players and would have probably served this team much better the past couple years if you ask me. With so many all americans who are generally high maitenance and trying to keep them all happy seems harder than getting to a final 4. Everyone should know their roles by now. I would say shorten the bench and be effective. Just my view though.
madrigal writes:
untimed_vols_ghost........if you're such a great basketball coach, why don't you have a coaching job at some great institution? Why are you sitting around here writing e-mails to some local paper?
It's early in the season. The ladies were streaky, but the good streaks were unstoppable. It will get better. And as the opposing coach said, lessons learned in November are better than those learned in March! Miami is ranked #7 and picked to win the ACC, for pete's sake! They aren't chump change.
Oh yeah....one more thing. Griner can be beat. It's been done. Or don't you remember last year's Final Four?
kazoo writes:
Nice win: good shooting and I was impressed by Massengale. Hard to believe she's the first true PG we've had in 3 years-inexcusable.
Things that need to improve--defensive blocking out and rebounding, for sure. Also, as someone mentions above, we missed /several/ opportunities to pass the ball into Johnson in the post. She established great position, called for the ball--and the winger didn't get it to her. That has to be corrected.
Also, we still don't have enough depth at guard.
johnlg00 writes:
Well, sure, you want a team that plays to its strengths according to which combo is on the floor or what the game situation calls for. As a general rule, though, I would want to play a defense that can keep Stricklen and Spani on the floor. We all know that Strick seems to drift off into space a little too often for a player of her proven ability and it remains to be seen if Spani can continue to shoot the lights out, but some of the others you mentioned seemed to have their own problems staying in front of ball-handlers.
As others have mentioned, the typical young McDonald's All-American didn't get that honor by playing great defense all the time. Although some of us have thought that Pat's constant harping on defense has helped take the spontaneity out of many players' offensive games, the fact is that most LV recruits have to be sold on the necessity of good defensive fundamentals and effort. Many of them just don't yet understand the importance of denying offensive players the spots and angles they want before they even get the ball. This causes them to be reactive on defense instead of proactive the way most great defensive players are.
Although the situations are different in MANY ways, Bill Russell always said that he blocked many shots before the opponent even put it up. He meant that he usually maneuvered the offensive player into a less-advantageous position than he THOUGHT he had, so his shot was forced in some way when he DID put it up. Of course, female players generally aren't going to block shots like a Russell, but Russell said his main aim was less to BLOCK a shot than it was to SPOIL the shot. Any defender of any height or gender can be effective with that mindset.
johnlg00 writes:
With this team, I think I would prefer the matchup zone. Playing way out on outside shooters on teams that use good offensive spacing is the thing that gets most of the LVs in trouble guarding good ball-handlers on the perimeter. Maybe you try to deny the shooters the ball, and you never want to run away from a good shooter when she DOES get the ball, but most of the time I would say that the percentage play is to deny the penetration more than the outside shot. A player who beats the perimeter defense forces interior defenders to help, which all too often leads to fouls on the helpers as well as scores in the heart of the defense. Most of the LVs are tall and long enough that they should be able to close out on shooters under control with their hands up to distract the shooters without leaving themselves as vulnerable to the blow-by.
BigRMan writes:
Concerning Bill Russell more specifically he wanted the opponent to think he would block every shot. # 6 was very much into mind games, especially when he went against players like Chamberlain & Thurmond
tonyvick#213307 writes:
No pun intended but Pat has forgotten more coaching than you will ever know. So why don't you STFU!
Volinflan writes:
You mean the guy who hit 21 of 22 from the field against Memphis State in the 1972 championship game. Broke all us ole Tiger fans's hearts! I think it was maybe John Wooden's last championship.
Jephry writes:
98, I always love your comments. That being said...where is our friend, Pink Champagne???
johnlg00 writes:
Very true; the threat of the blocked shot did as much to lower an opponent's field-goal percentage as the two or three blocks a game he actually got. In one of his books, Russell said that his main objective was to force guys like Chamberlain and Thurmond just a LITTLE farther away from the basket than they liked to set up normally. If Chamberlain had to shoot his "dipper" shot just a foot or two farther out, his accuracy went way down; same with Thurmond's turn-around shot. Not many college players, and darn few pros these days, have ever even been exposed to that level of thinking about defense. That is why they are out of position and off-balance so much of the time.
johnlg00 writes:
I didn't mean to imply that I thought they weren't trying; I mostly meant that they don't understand what they SHOULD be trying on defense. They don't know how to anticipate what an opponent MIGHT do and move to cut that off before they actually get the ball and go into a move. Against good offensive players, if you wait until they are actually making a move with the ball before you start to defend them, you are already too late to do anything except foul or occasionally get lucky.
Especially on help-side defense, the defender must always be thinking, "If the ball goes there, which offensive player will be in the best position to do something with it." Then you take a subtle step toward the place that player WILL want to go. As often as not, that player will see you there and not even TRY a move that a split-second ago would have resulted in wide-open shot.
bannervol writes:
Tell me it's not just me. Every time I see Meaghan
Simmons face and that look I know something is about to happen... not always good: but always exciting. Man I love that girl.
johnlg00 writes:
No question in my mind that she is one of the most explosive players in LV history. Like you said, it may not always be the BEST thing to do, but Meighan is nearly always going to do SOMETHING, and she is fun to watch. I wish she could transfer just a bit of that energy to Shekinna; Meighan with a little less and Shekinna with a little more would make both players better.
Jephry writes:
I agree with you about Glory. When she settles down and lets the game come to her, she is almost scary good. One disadvantage about Glory is that she appears to have a reputation for being a rough player. Seems to me that she gets more fouls called on her than necessary at times.
johnlg00 writes:
Good observation. Even though she doesn't have the largest, er, posterior among post players, she could still use her lower body better in getting position and then she wouldn't need to use her hands as much. She isn't going to root people out of the post the way Anosike could. But she can at least HOLD her position and keep her hands high where she can still contest shots and be ready for rebounds without doing as much reaching and flailing as she does now. When the hands and arms are constantly outside the line of the body and move independently, that kind of motion attracts the notice of refs much more than movements of the whole body.
ps11824 writes:
So much for our savior point guard. They played today like they have been looking past Virginia. Looking too far down the road will surely blind a team for the road beneath them. They fell into a pothole today. Glory be, they turned that ball over every way imaginable. Why the heck was Baugh in waiting? What are we SAVING up for now? I thought she was healthy...
Meigan did not get much of a run today, did she? Could Manning not have helped? Freshmen were very freshy. Veterans were rather feeble; maybe looking to the holiday break. It is way too early in the season to be tired. Virginia Vols fans present at the game, please tell me what you saw.
I hate this kind of weekend. A too-close call against Vandy last evening, and a very unsavory loss today just makes me want to run & hide.
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