University of Tennessee Athletics
@LadyVol_Hoops Report (2/11/15)
February 11, 2015 | Women's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Head coach Holly Warlick, sophomore Jordan Reynolds and freshman Jaime Nared visited with the media about #6/6 Tennessee's SEC road game at Ole Miss on Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern/6 Central. The broadcast will be shown online via SEC Network +, and the game will be carried on the radio by the Lady Vol Network.
UT and Ole Miss will meet for the 50th time in women's basketball. The Lady Vols head to Oxford with a 17-game winning streak vs. SEC teams, and they'll be trying to extend their run of wins vs. the Rebels to 27 straight. UT will also try to improve on its mark of 18-3 in games played at C.M. "Tad" Smith Coliseum.
TENNESSEE VISITS THE "TAD PAD"
On the heels of a grind-it-out road win over Florida, No. 6 Tennessee looks to add another road win to the résumé when it travels to Oxford, Miss., for a matchup with Ole Miss Thursday evening.
The Lady Vols currently ride a five-game win streak and still maintain an undefeated mark in SEC play at 10-0, a feat shared only with South Carolina. The Rebels, on the other hand, look to break their five-game losing streak when Tennessee comes to town.
Despite the difference in the team's records, guard Jordan Reynolds realizes that her team has to play to its potential in order to win.
"We have had a lot of film so far, and Ole Miss is a good team," Reynolds said. "We never try to underestimate a team going into their place, especially. That's a hard place to play. I know everyone is going to try and give us their best games, so we really have to come in focused."
Focus, or lack of it, has been a theme that Head Coach Holly Warlick has seen out of her players when Tennessee is away from home. She wants her squad to give continued effort for 40 minutes against Ole Miss, something she believes has not been the case in previous road games.
"I think we have [the consistent effort] in us, I just think that we have to make sure it doesn't get put on the shelf for a couple of minutes, then come back," Warlick said. "It has to stay out, up and foremost all the time."
The Lady Vols have had tremendous success against Ole Miss, winning the last 26 games. Tennessee boasts an 18-3 record in Oxford, Miss., last losing there on February 4, 1996.
UT's strong record against Ole Miss in the past does not impact this season's game, according to Warlick. She understands that Ole Miss has talent and that anything can happen. "I think they are a dangerous team," Warlick said. "I think they play hard. They are guard-oriented. [Tia] Faleru is outstanding inside, very athletic. For us, they are a dangerous team because I think they are a much-improved team. They are very athletic and well-coached. We don't need to go in and underestimate anybody, really."
Warlick wants to change the play of her team on the road.
She plans on reminding her team beforehand that the team's foundation--defense and rebounding--must be on display to win. If not, it may take a long time to return to Knoxville.
"Tomorrow night, I'm going to give a really stern speech," Warlick said. "[If there is no effort], you're going to walk home!"
NARED'S FRESHMAN EXPERIENCE MOLDING HER INTO IMPACT PLAYER
Freshman Jaime Nared has found her fit. With more playing time, boosted confidence and extra time spent in the film room with members of the coaching staff, Nared has become more comfortable with her role off the bench.
"We've watched a lot of tape with her. I have personally and talked to her about how she can contribute and what she needs to focus on," head coach Holly Warlick said. "The freshmen tend to worry about a lot of things. I just try to clear their mind and say go out there and play each possession. Just play the game. Just play basketball. That's what I'm trying to get her to do.
"She's gone out there and has gotten great opportunities and she's taken advantage of them. She's playing hard. She's attacking the basket with the dribble. She's rebounding. She's solid on the defensive end. I think when she focuses on those types of things you'll see her game continue to improve."
In the last three games, Nared is averaging 6.7 points and three rebounds per game. Against Florida, she played the most minutes (24) since the second game of the season vs. Oral Roberts.
Warlick believes the best is yet to come for the 6'2" freshman.
"I want her to be a threat," Warlick said. "I want to post her up. I want her to be a threat off the penetration because she can do those things. I want her to be a complete player, and that's what we signed her for. She's a complete player and she plays hard. Getting that fear factor out and just her playing has helped her."
Her teammates have seen her growth since then, crediting her experience playing in every game thus far as one of the contributing factors to her success.
"I think as a freshman, when you come in the SEC you're kind of nervous," teammate Jordan Reynolds said. "You're kind of all over the place. I think now she is very confident. She's had some exposure to it. She has been playing well lately. She's going to get more playing time because she's been very consistent. As you saw in the Florida game, she's getting better day by day."
Nared herself agrees with Reynolds. She realizes that what she is able to do on the court has come by trial and error and learning from those around her.
"I think it's a lot of learning coming in as a freshman and just learning everything from the college game and the people that have come ahead of you," Nared explained.
With a boost of confidence at just the right time, Nared points out that all she wants to do is give her all every time she steps on the court. Nared is the epitome of this year's motto `All In.'.
"Every time you step on the court you just want to give everything you have," Nared said. "That's really my only thing. To give 100 percent effort every time I play. It's not wanting to do more or less. It's giving everything I have and to win."
