Photo by Mark Humphrey
Mark Humphrey/Associated Press Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt, second from left, watches the Lady Vols' 93-79 loss at Vanderbilt with her staff on Thursday night in Nashville.
The defense has been spotty since before Christmas.
Rebounding suddenly qualifies as unreliable.
When these two disturbing trends merged into a 93-79 SEC women's basketball loss at Vanderbilt on Thursday night, there wasn't much Tennessee left in Tennessee — at least not in the traditional sense.
"Our program was built on defense and rebounding,'' UT associate head coach Holly Warlick said. "Tonight we didn't play defense and we didn't rebound. It's not our philosophy. It's not what our program is built on.
"Until these young ladies understand the importance of those two things, we're going to continue going down that road of going up and down."
Heading into Monday's game with first-place Kentucky at Thompson-Boling Arena, No. 11 Tennessee (17-7, 8-3 SEC) stands just one game ahead of four teams (Arkansas, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Georgia) in the conference standings. The Lady Vols already have more losses than in any season but one in the last 15. Any correlation with that one season — the 11-loss 2008-09 campaign
— was unthinkable less than a month ago. It's now become at least plausible, considering what happened to UT on Thursday night against a team it had beaten 87-64 in Knoxville on Jan. 15.
Even a relatively strong offensive showing that featured 46 percent field goal shooting, seven 3-pointers and 18 assists was eclipsed by UT's glaring weaknesses.
"It absolutely wasn't there; they let us down,'' UT head coach Pat Summitt said afterward. "As coaches, we're not happy and they're not happy or at least they better not be happy. We have more basketball to play. This one hurts. It really does."
Vanderbilt parlayed 24 layups into a 52-28 edge in paint points. The Commodores also amassed a 41-27 edge in rebounds, dominating UT in a manner unsurpassed by an opponent.
The layup drill was the continuation of a problem that first became glaring when Notre Dame converted 14 of the shots in the second half a 72-44 victory over UT on Jan. 23. Despite losing 82-61 last Sunday, Auburn got to the rim for 13 layups against Tennessee.
The rebounding issues have been less conspicuous but accumulating nonetheless. Tennessee was outrebounded by Notre Dame. Georgia and South Carolina led in second-chance points, thanks to their offensive rebounding. Auburn trailed by one in the statistical category.
If anything, Vanderbilt broke new ground with the manner in which its two post players — Stephanie Holzer and Tiffany Clarke — set up shop and scored from the low block consistently, combining for 42 points.
"I don't know if it surprised me,'' Tennessee assistant Mickie DeMoss said. "I've seen some other post players manhandle our post in there. They just kept getting deep (position). They had us pinned under the rim and they were just turning and shooting a layup on us."
Lest the road to which Warlick referred lead to nowhere, a glum Glory Johnson said that the Lady Vols best get back to the gym.
"It's something we've been working on,'' said Johnson, referring to UT's defense. "We've struggled with it for several games. We go back to work. There's nothing else we can do."
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 » 46
halloffamebowler writes:
They have said all year that they had to get back in the Gym and work on their defense. They have also said that they would learn from their losses. Seems that they have done neither ,at least to date.
They have given up 37 lay ups the past two games and no telling how many wide open 3's. This team is not being coached on defense or they simply can not play defense regardless of coaching.
It is likely too late in the season to see improvement.This team needs coaching in the worst way.
There is no Pat Summitt in their face.No Pat working the refs. No Pat giving her in your face stare that has been her trademark. There will be no SEC championship. There will be no NCAA past the second round. There won't be a head Coach named Pat Summitt next year.
newportvol writes:
Hate that This is the end for pat
kiffinsux writes:
Would Lyssie Brewer have helped this team.
Pat's scorched earth against Bjorkland and Stricklen after the ND loss last March along with running off 4 players from last year destroyed this fragile teams psyche.
Why did she make Manning and Spani Captains to embarrass the only All-American and pre-season SEC player of the year, Stricklen.
Naming Massengale a starter while still in high school without even attending one practice.
How many other judgement mistakes were made by this coaching staff?
The players have failed this team except Glory, but the coaches are ultimately responsible for this train wreck!
Only Glory has played to her potential.
Maybe Pat was ill last season and some of these flawed decisions were due to her illness?
kiffinsux writes:
The million dollar question is now that the Lady Vols have given the SEC regular season to Kentucky and the Monday night game is now only important to not fall into 4th to 6th place in the SEC,
will the players show up with pride or have they now officially quit?
underthehill writes:
When teams are shooting lay ups and uncontested 3's consistently it is more of a coaching problem than a player problem. When coaches do not know which players need to be on the floor it is a coaching problem. This is what happened when Bass was taken out of the game at Vandy when she was playing better defense than any player on the floor.
VOLunTEAR writes:
"Our program was built on defense and rebounding." Yes. Some of us are old enough to remember.
StateofEastTN writes:
Sadly, the beginning of the end. DeMoss has proven she is not head coach or assistant coach material (Kentucky and Texas). Warlick will never be a Pat Summitt. She can't even explain things to the camera but you'd think she could after all these years. Pat is missing from the games even though she is there. Pat was always the fire and brimstone under their feet at the games. Now, without her actively participating, watching the Lady Vols play is like watching your favorite pet struggle to stand, run and play.
volaholic45 writes:
Everybody gives up the baseline like they haven't been taught not to.
Nobody seems to crash the offensive glass.
Simmons, ever heard of following your shot? I'll bet you have. Try it sometime.
It is obvious from the games that poor, dear Pat is no longer the leader of this team, but I wonder if her continued presence is keeping anyone else from emerging as the leader. Tough situation, which I hope is clarified after this season.
The LVs are a little like the men with their shooting - a few players who can get on a streak sometimes, but who are normally average to sub-par shooters.
There also is something of a heart-and-soul problem. The whole TN sports program seems light on on-the-court, on-the-field leaders. Too many phone-it-in performances in all the sports that are on TV, anyway.
jt45 writes:
How about leaving the same 5 players on the floor for more than five minutes. Its a wonder these girls even get the plays they do considering how often the lineup gets shuffled. Giving the starters a breather or putting in a sub is understandable now and then but benching players constantly shows a bigger lack of confidence by the coaches/assistants and completely destroys any chance these girls have to work as a team.Imagine how bad a company's production line would be if they constantly brought in a new guy every few minutes, the same principle applies in the teamwork required and used by the any good sports team. Holly Warlick needs to look at the basics she is missing, not the players, they need a decisive leader, not 3 or 4 indecisive assistants who are sending mixed messages and looking to blame someone. The breakdowns are happening at the top and you can see that easily when a player goes into the game and doesn't know who to cover. Makes me wonder what they are doing during practice,light scrimmage maybe ?
kazoo writes:
Yes, Brewer would have helped. She had an ankle/foot injury--and something else was up with her; not sure what. Cain was hobbled by injuries. Your other points are off the mark. PS didn't make Stricklin captain because she's not a leader, and that's a problem. Stricklin has a lot of talent--but she doesn't play for 40 minutes and she's lazy on defense a lot.
As for Massengale, PS named her point guard coming in because 1) she's good; and 2) we don't have another PG except for Bass, so it was an easy call. Bass plays better defense than Massengale, who like Stricklin is hurting the team with lazy play when the other team has the ball. The program has had a lot of issues the last five years--injuries, players quitting or transferring, spotty recruiting, no real leaders, and questionable coaching. A lot of instability for a program that was like a rock for a long time.
Pullingguard writes:
It's obvious that Pat is not involved with the team...The players are not meeting the expectations of what a healthy Pat would be expecting.. One can also assume she is not involved with practice or game plans because of her illness, which just might be worse than what we see and presently expect it to be. Firmly believe Pat will not be involved next year and if that is her plan it would be best if she announces that soon as possible for the next coach surely, or hopefully, is not on campus..
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
twittering twits
wigmeister writes:
Well. If the program was built on D and rebounding, the coaches certainly don't have them doing it this year. I have said it before, you cannot coach by committee and that is what you have. Each assistant thinks it is their team. Only have to listen to the sound bites. It is not their team. It is Pat's team. She, unfortunately, cannot captain the ship. So you have assistants that are not head coaches. They may be good assistants, but they do not have it to be head coaches. What has happened has proven that. There is no defense, which means poor coaching. Offense is spotty, which means poor coaching. Substitutions are weird, which means poor coaching. It is too late in the season to expect much, anymore. I thought we might be able to hang on, but with each loss, I am more pessimistic about that. The players can't turn it around, because they don't or can't do it. Hart better not blow the transition back into respectability. Changes need to be made quickly, as soon as the season is over. If not, recruiting is over! It is painful to see the cameras continually pan to CPS sitting on the bench with that blank stare.
carmine writes:
I dont think these tall girls ever try to consistently block shots. Even when the players get the rebound, all they do most of the time is hold their long arms up in the air. Any true player knows how to shoot over long arms, hahaha. I dont think V Baugh has one blocked shot in her stats, they need to take notes from Griner of Baylor. Most of the players have been doing that since the 80's and 90's, just standing there, arms upraised and hope that makes the shooter miss. what a sad defensive technique to teach.
carmine writes:
well, if your players dont play defense, then the opponent is going to make their shots, therefore, nothing to rebound. So, what else do you come up with in order to win a basketball game???? Coaches still stuck on that early PS philosophy of 1970. You better come up with some offensive plays. These girls are finesse players, scared to get some hard fouls while trying to score. These girls would rather stand outside the 3 point line and hoist up shots, scared to mix it up underneath the basket from what I see.
butch31 writes:
Obviously Coach Summit can't say much to this bunch. Someone has complained to the administration about her. I am thinking Shekinna, Vicki & Alicia are leading the spearhead.
Unfortunately, the seniors will get the short end of the stick. I see why coach Summit has said much *(She can't)* or they will complain. I see why they're using the terminology of we go back to practice and we fix it. *(FAKE IT)* LOL! This team is divided by sides, and there are players not getting along with other players. When we took that 54-52 lead against Vanderbilt, Shekinna was scoring, then all of sudden she disappeared again...LOL! This team had the same problem in 2008-09 when they were freshmen. I feel really bad for Glory Johnson, because she's trying her hardest, and others aren't. I never thought I would say this, but if the rest of season is going to be like this, we need to give up our spot in the NCAA's Tourney. Let someone else who wants to be there, play in it. I would hate to see us lose to Princeton or Yale 1st round.
PANCHO writes:
If you watched the Vanderbilt game you would see that as soon as a Lady Vol would make an outside shot, the ones under the basket would leave and run to the other end of the court. They would not even wait to see if the outside shot was good or not. No wonder that Vanderbilt almost had double the number of rebounds. There were almost no offensive rebounds by the LV. This is a coaches problem. They have been told to head down the court as soon as the shot goes in the air and not wait so see if it is good.
xvolx writes:
Defense and rebounding is one thing. Can't shoot or pass is another. Warlick is an ok asst., but is out of her league as a head coach.
judymont66 writes:
agree with you 100%.....isn't Holly the defensive coach?....think Mickie is offensive?
you can tell Pat cannot coach,because if she could it would be a different team....like you said this team needs coaching in the worst way
boomer65 writes:
This team's problem is not defense or rebounding, it's not being able to make baskets. The offensive strategy can be boiled down to " Bring the ball down court and through up a brick." Megan Simmons is bring the ball down court yourself and through up a brick from the three point line. Get the ball into the paint and through up a brick. Through up a brick from the free through line, and what's with all the ball spinning? These girls need to practice layups, shots inside the free throw lines and be able to shoot at least 75% from the line.
wagee12 writes:
Holly Warlick needs to go. She has obviously been the lead coach this year. The program is headed for also-ran status if she is made HC when Pat officially retires at the end of the season. Bring Nikki or Kellie home!
RashaadSalabeb writes:
We don't have that big, physical girl inside. This looks like a down year. Learn, improve and get back on track.
Go Lady Vols!
AHOUSE writes:
You are suppose to learn all of this in grade school!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Afraid I have to disagree on several points. First, Vicki Baugh IS a pretty good shot-blocker; her numbers of blocks are low mostly because of all the playing time she has missed. Second, it not as easy as just jumping up to block shots. The first thing is that you have to be SURE the shooter is in fact putting it up; otherwise, it is easy to "lift" you with a shot-fake and either duck under for the "and-1" chance or drive it straight to the basket. Then you have to get up QUICK. Some players have to gather themselves before they jump, dropping their arms down and swinging them up to get the most lift. That is too slow. The best shot-blockers are what some call "toe-jumpers"; they START with their arms high and spring mostly from their ankles with no necessity to gather for the leap.
In any case, the conventional wisdom on post defense has ALWAYS been more about positioning and raising the arms than shot-blocking. Contesting from that position makes it easier to block out the shooter and get to the defensive rebound quicker than anyone else chasing it.
Griner is indeed a fine example of a great shot-blocker in the women's game today, but she nearly always executes the fundamentals I outlined. She is also long and tall enough to BOTHER shots just by raising her arms. Even the great Bill Russell, who virtually invented modern shot-blocking, said he was more concerned about ALTERING shots than he was about blocking them. He also thought it was VITAL to secure the possession in any case. A player who constantly leaves her feet and swings the arm down from the shoulder on a block is both more vulnerable to fakes and fouls and often swats the ball out of bounds, which only gives the opponent another opportunity to score. Great shot-blockers REACH UP to catch the ball up high after the release and then at most flick their wrists at it. The big sweeping downward motion with the arm is a foul magnet for refs, even if you get the ball cleanly.
BigOrange_supporter writes:
So many coaches out there, hope all of you guys put in a resume when Pat retires. I don't think it is so much coaching, I think the rest of the nation just has better talent,UCONN, NOTRE DAME, BAYLOR, Etc., used to be all the good talen went to UT,UConn, Duke and NC, now it nation wide, programs have caught up to UT, actually a few years ago. Really do you think Kim Mulkey is that good a coach, she has one superstar player, player of the year I'm guessing , we will see when Britney graduates after next year.....hang tough Lady Vols, better days ahead.
budd#207344 writes:
Pat Summitt and her coaches do not play the game. These so called "Lady Vols" are just not up to the task. Everyone acts like this just happened this year. Bull . This team has been like this for three years and all the stares and screaming in the world have not and will not change it. These players just do not have it. The only exception is GJ and she has just shown it this year. Stop blaming coaching. It's lack of "want to" by this team.
rdberry#654521 writes:
Something is seriously wrong with the program, this team execution, heart, desire, motivation, fundamentals, you name it parts of all these areas. Nikki Caldwell, Kelley Harper, Dawn Staly, or Cynthis Cooper would be the most likely successors to Coach Summitt. With the next year's recruiting class of McDonald's High School All Americans heavily committed to UCONN, Mike will make us all throw up with his comments over the next four years if a dynamic knowledgeable coach isn't brought in to save the day. The new coach needs to be a charismatic recruiter to keep the Southern players from migrating North.
jack_2222#231746 writes:
God bless Glory Johnson. If Pat rememebers anything positive from this season,, it will be Glory's effort. They both deserve better.
itsgolden writes:
defense has been spotty since before Christmas because for some reason this team is no longer switching on defense, but trying to go through screens. don't the coaches recognize that this team is slow on defense; therefore, you have to switch on everything. everybody has the lady vols number because they play the same thing every game. it's old style and won't get any better. the best teams are pushing the ball, while the lady vols walk the ball up and down the floor. earlier in the season, massengale was moving the ball quickly and people knew to run with her. now she just casually brings the ball to the top of the key, right pass, left pass, dribble around the top of the key and pass back to either wing. every other team knows this already. it's the way they played in high school. vandy utilized the pump fake against the lady vols, after seeing south carolina do it. now wouldn't this team have learned from mistakes that occurred only a week prior? i'm concerned as i have been all season, or for the last four seasons, about this team's basketball IQ. i have come short of calling them mentally slow or challenged, but OMG the mistakes they make repeatedly, even high school teams could correct.
volted writes:
I agree with rd berry when he talks about our teams execution. I am in favor of it. Seriously all these coaches have to go. PS is the icon of Girls basketball and UT's. She will retire and god bless her for all she did.
Now we have to go and find a fiery coach and assistants who can go out and recruit. All girls want to go out and play for a winning program. Ex. Conn. who I hate but the guy gets the best talent in the country. Last year a number one. This coming year a number 1, 2, and 15. He keeps on reloading year after year. We have a number 5,. 20, and 39. Our top recruit, Kaelka Davis just dropped out, and she committed 19 months ago. Her mon said it was P.S. illness, but she probably seen our program get worse and worse.
We need to recruit two tall girls 6ft4 and over like Parker and Aniseki, Griner turned Baylor around this girl Bella Donne a 6ft 5 girl is averaging 28 pts a game for some ham and egg college on the east coast. Players make the coaches. Here in Tampa Bay the owners fired the head coach to the water boy. We were a horrible team. Each game got worse and worse just like the lady vols.
donjn
RLL59 writes:
Simply stating something doesn't make it true. The Lady Vols recruiting over the past 4 years clearly ranked ahead of the schools you mentioned. Last year their recruiting was ranked #1 with the #1 point guard and #1 forward. The 2008 class was also rated #1. Unless you subscribe to the theory that Coach Summitt and the analysts are all poor judges of high school players, the Lady Vols have the talent. There's been nearly a complete lack of player and team development over that time. The question is 'why'?
I don't know enough about Kim Mulkey to conclude whether she's a good coach or not, but she did win a National Championship before Griner arrived.
We agree that there are better days ahead...but probably not this year.
rdberry#654521 writes:
Kim Mulkey coached Baylor to the title in 2005. Her marquis player was Sophia Young, now with the San Antonio Silver Stars
dewey0022 writes:
Coach Warlick says that this program has been built on defense and rebounding and that is true. I would like to point out that this coaching staff can't decide the defense they want to use or develope it and perfect it. At the beginning of the season, it was made know that this team would be a pressing up tempo team to exploit the athletic abilities of the team. This was working nicely until they decided to switch to a defense to merely slow other teams down which is their 3/4 press defense. Now we hardly see that defense being used. If the coaching staff would committ to what they were saying rather than going in 18 different directions, maybe this team would be at a much higher level then it currently is. Why do the coaches feel that the defense should regularly shift to adapt to the teams that the lady vols are playing? It makes no sense. They have recently gone back to that old school defense they played 20 years ago and that is obviously not working. To me it seems as though there are "too many cooks in the kitchen" and the consistency of the coaching staff just stinks. Tennessee has the personal that teams should be adjusting to us and not the other way around other than maybe the Baylor team with Brittney Griner. It is just aweful that these coaches can't get a plan, stick with it, and allow the players to perfect it. These assistants are constantly second guessing themselves and it is hurting the team. This team looked pretty good starting off the season, but now it seems as though the players don't know what direction they are going and this I have to believe is inconsistency within coaching methods. Pat Summitt said this team let the coaches down in the Vanderbelt game. As I see it, it is the total opposite. The coaches inability to stick to a plan and a vision is the dagger. Shame on Pat Summitt for saying that. Also, if that is the way Coach Summitt feels, she needs to get up and coach the rest of this season out. No pun intended, but she has forgot more than this group of assistants has ever learned and she is still filled with a ton of Basketball knowledge. Another thing, the use of personel during games has been deplorable. I am still questioning why simmons was benched in the second half of the Vandy game. She was one of the only players producing. And to go 11 deep when there was a chance to win. You have got to be kidding me. This team will never build any chemisty with this crazy mindset. One more thing, Spani needs to get into shape before she returns to the floor. The vanderbelt game proved that. I don't know, maybe Coach summitt sees herself in her but the girl is slow and cannot defend on the perimeter and her shooting has been suspect since her return. I am just in awe of what is happening to this team. Aweful!!!!
RoadTrip writes:
It WAS built on defense and rebounding, Holly. It hasn't been in that mode for several years now.
For the last several years there has been a mismatch of player styles. From small and fast, to the smooth and athletc, to the slow and bruiser - with all styles in the game at the same time within an almost non-existent offensive system.
Time for a do over.
SummerfieldVol writes:
Like I have written before, defense keep you in the game and with the hope you can keep the other team from scoring more points than you can. Defense has yet to score a single point and never will. You have to put the ball in the hole to put points on the score board. We are not a offensive minded team, we do not know how to run a half court offense and probably never will under this coaching staff. Rebounding is very important especially on the offense end. This team and coaching still trying to live in the past. You have to have a great offense to win ball games. Score points score points and you win.
silvertr6 writes:
Neither DeMoss or Warlick are capable of coaching a grammer school basketball team. Sad but true.
CrankE writes:
"Until these young ladies understand the importance of those two things..." - Warlick
"It absolutely wasn't there; they let us down..." - Summitt
Okay, since nobody else has done it, I'll be that guy:
Holly, Pat; How's our coaching these days? Are these players uncoachable? Who recruited them? Are you both right on top of it? Or are you just throwing players under the bus to cover for your own coaching errors? Perhaps instead of taking their Lady Vols jerseys away, you could just put tire tracks over the back of them. I'm sure that will improve their performance.
Normally I wouldn't dare, but today, I do. Pat Summitt, Holly Warlick, I'm calling you out. Is this what legendary coaching looks like? You've been throwing the players under the bus for long enough. Stop it. Look in the mirror and get accountable for your own performance or get out.
orangevoltrain writes:
cranke,You are wrong it is not all the coaches fault. These LV senior Class Has not heard what coaches been trying to teach them ever since the stepped on the floor their freshman year. They are lazy they just act like they have never cared if they loose, they might say they do but they have not learned yet! I for One Can't wait til this bunch of seniors are gone!!!! I just hope their lack of hustle and lack of defense has not rubbed completely off on the underclassman.
orangevoltrain writes:
These seniors came in 2008 lost 11 games and lost in the first round of ncaa first time ever in LV history, they lost 3 Games and lost in the third round in 2009, lost 3 games and lost in the elite 8 in 2010.This year so far lost 7 games remember beginning of season LV team to beat for ncaa chmpionship they act like they don't care.Yes I know they have won 30 plus games for the last 2 years but they(seniors)are not consistant.
My point is this when they came in, in 2008 lot of people were saying with this group of incoming freshman(2008) that Lady Vols Could Win 2 OR 3 ncaa championships, fast foward to 4 years NO ncaa champions as of right now.
But No matter what I Love TENNESSEE VOLS AND LADY VOLS!! VOLS FAN 4 LIFE go Lady Vols Show pride
Mrlogic writes:
Couldn't have said it better myself. You hit it right on.
Mrlogic writes:
Well said.
Mrlogic writes:
I agree with you you have to get the top talent; But at the same time this team is very poorly handled.
carmine writes:
Actually, these coaches have been called out before, it is rare, I grant you that. Your post is true to the point. I have said the same things in previous posts in the past.
carmine writes:
Todays players are more than conventional, therefore you need to come up with something more than conventional!!! I have seen in games where players not 6 feet tall score over VB cause she didnt make the effort, period. I agree with your post, but great shot blockers just have that instinct to know when it is a real shot or a fake. And that comes from trying, making the effort, not just stand there with arms upraised and hope they miss. And by shot blocking, i dont mean knocking the ball into the 2nd row bleachers, you are not playing volleyball. But perhaps I expect too much from a 6'4 player.
carmine writes:
I noticed that, too. I thought it was because as a team, they think they are so good that the shot is going to be made, and there is no point in going in for a rebound. hahaha
Jephry writes:
Agreed.
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