BabHorn
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Number 3 Tennessee hosts Texas (in the also receiving votes category) this Sunday. Horns will be looking to snap a four game losing streak to the Lady Vols and get the first win over Tennessee for the Texas players.
The Lady Vols have some excellent post players in 6-2 Jr. F Cierra Burdick, 6-2 Soph. F Basharra Graves, 6-3 Jr. C Isabelle Harrison and 6-6 Fr. C Mercedes Russell. They also have 6-3 Soph. C Nia Moore that has averaged 9 mpg in the four games she has played in. Meighan Simmons, 5-9 Sr. G, is the shooter for the Lady Vols. She has taken 30 more shots than any other Lady Vol. Ariel Massengale, 5-7 Jr. PG, is the leading scorer at 13.7 ppg. Simmons is second at 13.4 ppg. Graves (11.1 ppg) and Harrison (10.0 ppg) complete the quartet of Lady Vols averaging double figures in ppg. Russell just misses making that a quintet with an average of 9.3 ppg.
Their balance is going to provide a challenge for the Texas defense. Texas will need to close out on the 3 ball as, except for Simmons, the Lady Vols’ main 3pt shooters average 47% (Massengale) and 59% (Andraya Carter, 5-9 RS Fr. G). Simmons has taken 52 of Tenn’s 120 treys and connected on 15 (28.8%). But it seems that she always has an excellent shooting game against Texas. Her best shooting game was two games ago against Virginia when she connected on 8-17 treys (11-20 overall). Simmons can be extremely explosive when her shot is falling. Graves has been an exceptional offensive rebounder. Her 37 offensive boards would rank fourth on her team (counting her total). Nneka thrives on the defensive boards and is likely to have first call on defending Graves in man to man defense.
The ability of Brady, Krystel, Empress and Celina to continue to hit their outside shots will help keep Tennessee from helping out on Chassidy. It will also help to open up things inside for the Texas posts, making the Tenn. posts play them straight up without the guards providing help. If the double teams happen, Texas will need to find the open shooters quickly.
For Texas, Imani will be the x-factor. Even shooting as poorly as she has recently, she is averaging 9.3 ppg. She is the second leading rebounder at 7.8 rpg. If she can find her stroke, she will be difficult to stop inside. An interesting matchup will be Imani playing against Mercedes Russell, Tenn’s 6-6 Fr. C, one of the top ranked HS players last season.
Both teams have a solid rotation with Texas playing 8 players in all games. All eight average in double digit minutes, ranging from 14 to 26 mpg. Tenn counters with nine players that average between 14 and 32 mpg. Texas has four other players they can call on while Tenn counts Moore as the player that has gotten into some games.
This should be a close game. Tenn shoots a little better overall while Texas holds opponents to a lessor shooting percentage. Tenn has a higher scoring average. Texas allows opponents less points per game. Both teams are strong rebounding teams with double digit rebounding margins. Both also tend to have the ball stolen more than they steal it. Both have the same number of blocks with Tenn depending on four players to provide that while Texas primarily has Imani and Kelsey blocking shots.
The game will this Sunday at noon and will be televised on Fox Sports South. I am looking forward to watching the Horns beat the Lady Vols.
texassports.com game preview
Lady Vols Gameday Central
The Lady Vols have some excellent post players in 6-2 Jr. F Cierra Burdick, 6-2 Soph. F Basharra Graves, 6-3 Jr. C Isabelle Harrison and 6-6 Fr. C Mercedes Russell. They also have 6-3 Soph. C Nia Moore that has averaged 9 mpg in the four games she has played in. Meighan Simmons, 5-9 Sr. G, is the shooter for the Lady Vols. She has taken 30 more shots than any other Lady Vol. Ariel Massengale, 5-7 Jr. PG, is the leading scorer at 13.7 ppg. Simmons is second at 13.4 ppg. Graves (11.1 ppg) and Harrison (10.0 ppg) complete the quartet of Lady Vols averaging double figures in ppg. Russell just misses making that a quintet with an average of 9.3 ppg.
Their balance is going to provide a challenge for the Texas defense. Texas will need to close out on the 3 ball as, except for Simmons, the Lady Vols’ main 3pt shooters average 47% (Massengale) and 59% (Andraya Carter, 5-9 RS Fr. G). Simmons has taken 52 of Tenn’s 120 treys and connected on 15 (28.8%). But it seems that she always has an excellent shooting game against Texas. Her best shooting game was two games ago against Virginia when she connected on 8-17 treys (11-20 overall). Simmons can be extremely explosive when her shot is falling. Graves has been an exceptional offensive rebounder. Her 37 offensive boards would rank fourth on her team (counting her total). Nneka thrives on the defensive boards and is likely to have first call on defending Graves in man to man defense.
The ability of Brady, Krystel, Empress and Celina to continue to hit their outside shots will help keep Tennessee from helping out on Chassidy. It will also help to open up things inside for the Texas posts, making the Tenn. posts play them straight up without the guards providing help. If the double teams happen, Texas will need to find the open shooters quickly.
For Texas, Imani will be the x-factor. Even shooting as poorly as she has recently, she is averaging 9.3 ppg. She is the second leading rebounder at 7.8 rpg. If she can find her stroke, she will be difficult to stop inside. An interesting matchup will be Imani playing against Mercedes Russell, Tenn’s 6-6 Fr. C, one of the top ranked HS players last season.
Both teams have a solid rotation with Texas playing 8 players in all games. All eight average in double digit minutes, ranging from 14 to 26 mpg. Tenn counters with nine players that average between 14 and 32 mpg. Texas has four other players they can call on while Tenn counts Moore as the player that has gotten into some games.
This should be a close game. Tenn shoots a little better overall while Texas holds opponents to a lessor shooting percentage. Tenn has a higher scoring average. Texas allows opponents less points per game. Both teams are strong rebounding teams with double digit rebounding margins. Both also tend to have the ball stolen more than they steal it. Both have the same number of blocks with Tenn depending on four players to provide that while Texas primarily has Imani and Kelsey blocking shots.
The game will this Sunday at noon and will be televised on Fox Sports South. I am looking forward to watching the Horns beat the Lady Vols.
texassports.com game preview
Lady Vols Gameday Central
