University of Tennessee Athletics
@LadyVol_Hoops Report (11/19/14)
November 19, 2014 | Women's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Head coach Holly Warlick and guards Ariel Massengale and Jordan Reynolds visited with the media Wednesday in advance of Friday's 7 p.m. contest vs. Winthrop. The contest will be streamed live on SEC Network+, with Bob Kesling, Brittany Jackson and Whitney Haworth providing coverage.
The Lady Vols, who are ranked No. 4/5 this week, will try to begin their season with a 3-0 record for the second straight year. Winthrop, which won the Big South Conference Tournament and was an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament a year ago, returns four starters. The Golden Eagles enter the contest with the Big Orange possessing a 1-1 record and looking to extend a series win streak.
While UT leads the series, 2-1, Winthrop won the last meeting between these teams in 1974, knocking Tennessee out of the AIAW Region II Championships in the semifinals by a count of 55-53. That season-ending loss on March 9, 1974, put the wraps on a 25-2 campaign by the Big Orange.
WARLICK SEEKING DEFENSIVE CONSISTENCY, MORE BOARDS FROM GUARDS
For the 2014-15 Tennessee Lady Vols to get the most out of their potential, Warlick is looking for more even play on the defensive end of the floor. There's little doubt that Pat Summitt, who replaced Margaret Hutson (who opted to take a sabbatical after forging a 60-18 record over four years) as head coach the season following that loss to Winthrop, instilled that desire for great defense and rebounding in Warlick. It shows in her comments following UT's 97-52 and 91-39 wins over Penn and Oral Roberts, respectively.
"Consistency on the defensive end," Warlick shared when asked about what she sees that her team needs to work on after the first two blowout wins. "I think we're getting beat too much on the drive. That's just a process we have to do every day. Our guards need to rebound a little bit better on the offensive end. We'll continue to work on that as well."
"Overall, I like how we're in shape. I like how we're pushing the ball. Our offensive could probably get a little better, but that's just us working more on the defensive end than offense. We'll just continue to practice and hopefully get those things better."
THE MORE GUARDS THE MERRIER
Warlick currently has six active players in her arsenal listed as options at guard, and her decision to play a four-guard lineup at times in the first two games answered any preseason speculation of how she was going to use all of her talent at the guard position.
Warlick was able to experiment with a four-guard lineup in the opening weekend routs of Penn and Oral Roberts.
Setting the tone early by imposing an up-tempo style is one of Warlick's goals for the Lady Vols, and the four-guard lineup increase the ability to play at a faster pace.
"I like it when we can match up with the other team," Warlick said. "I thought we got out and pushed the ball a little bit more, she said about the Oral Roberts game. [We] had a little bit more energy...the four guard rotation is kind of fun. It's different for us, really."
The guards have bought in to the aspirations of Warlick, and this new set for the Lady Vols. Senior point guard Ariel Massengale realizes the benefits of playing a four-guard lineup.
"I think it's been huge, just with the depth," Massengale said. "Whatever kind of look the coaches are trying to go for in a certain game, we can do that. Just makes it easier because it doesn't matter who gets the rebound, it's just whichever guard is closest to the ball can push it, and the rest of us can get out and run."
Sophomore guard Jordan Reynolds sees that the four-guard lineup can help defensively as well. She recounted a time in the Oral Roberts game in which she, Alexa Middleton, Andraya Carter and Ariel Massengale were all on the floor.
"We were playing four [guards] on one end, and it was a very up-tempo game," Reynolds said. "We got a lot of steals out of those five people that were in. We were pushing the ball. We were cutting hard. Like I said, it was up-tempo, and I thought it would be great for our team this year just because we have lot of guards."
Coach Warlick's push for an up-tempo style has worked well thus far, and part of that can be credited to Tennessee's collection of guards.
A-MASS PICKED UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF
For the first time since Jan. 23, 2014, Ariel Massengale was back on the court at Thompson-Boling Arena playing in a basketball game. After missing the final 16 games of the 2013-14 season due to injury, she made her senior debut by leading the team with 21 points in the victory over Oral Roberts. It marked the fourth time in her career she scored 20 or more points.
"I was just excited," Massengale said. "I think I was running on a lot of adrenaline that night, but my body has had a long time to rest. I'm feeling good. I'm excited. I'm looking forward to the season."
Massengale was forced to sit out the rest of the 2013-14 season after sustaining a head injury in the home contest against Florida.
"It was very difficult," Massengale said about sitting out during the spring. "I think the first couple of weeks after the concussion I realized that my season was probably over and that I wasn't going to be able to play again. Once I finally realized that, I changed my mindset and thought about how I could help the team win not being on the court. I think my leadership skills stepped up, encouraging and being a great teammate."
Sophomore Jordan Reynolds appreciates having a playmaker back on the court, especially with Massengale being a senior.
"It's always great having a senior come along and to lead the way, tell you what you should do, what you need to do and just giving you compliments on what you've done so far," Reynolds said. "I think she's been an awesome leader so far."
REYNOLDS OFF AND RUNNING
With a season under her belt, sophomore Jordan Reynolds already has proven herself as an explosive player this year. To begin the year, Reynolds has started both games and has already broken her career highs in rebounds (8) and steals (7).
In both games, Reynolds has led the Lady Vols in steals both times and has racked up at least five assists in each. She also has committed only two turnovers in 59 minutes of play.
"Just to be a leader for my team," Reynolds said on what coaches expected of her leading into this season. "They told me to do whatever I needed to do to help my team win. I think that meant scoring, rebounds, assists or just telling people where to go."
Warlick is pleased with what the sophomore has been able to do thus far. Even with the return of Carter and Massengale, Warlick's confidence in Reynolds has not waned.
"Jordan is pushing the ball down the floor more than I've seen from a guard in a long time," Warlick said. "Jordan has had great games. It's hard to take someone out of the lineup when they're playing exceptionally well.
"I think Jordan is playing well. I have a lot of confidence in her. Jordan has been steady, and she's been our leader. We're going to go with her. She's started all the games, and we're going to continue to do that right now."
HARRISON AND JONES ARE DAY-TO-DAY
In the season opener senior Isabelle Harrison and junior Jasmine Jones suffered injuries that kept them from playing against Oral Roberts on Monday night.
"It's kind of day to day," head coach Holly Warlick said on the two injured Lady Vols. "I can't pinpoint a certain day. Each day they're feeling a lot better."
"I don't think they're ready. Jasmine, maybe, but I don't think Izzy will. We're not going to push, and we're really not going to push it for both of them. When they get cleared we'll go with it. "
Harrison suffered a mild sprain in her right knee and Jones is overcoming a mild concussion.
