Lady Vol Hoops Report (2/8/19)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee head coach Holly Warlick met with members of the media on Friday ahead of Sunday's road match-up between the Lady Vols (15-7, 4-5 SEC) and No. 6/6 Mississippi State (21-0, 9-0 SEC). Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. CT (2 ET) at Humphrey Coliseum, with the game being carried by ESPN, the Lady Vol Radio Network and SiriusXM Radio.

In the 42nd meeting between the two programs, the Lady Vols enter on a three-game SEC win streak while the Bulldogs are looking to remain undefeated in conference play. Mississippi State defeated UT in Knoxville last season, 71-52, but the Lady Vols own a 37-4 record in the series and a 17-1 mark in Starkville.

Tennessee Head Coach Holly Warlick

On the week off and how it's been different than a normal week:
"We had two days off. We were off on Monday, (practiced) Tuesday and Wednesday, off Thursday, and we'll go Friday and Saturday. It's been good, we've just been banged up. It's been good for our kids to step back a little bit and concentrate on academics. We've gotten the chance to zero in on one team for a week which has been very beneficial. It's a good opportunity for us to work on some fundamental things that we need to tune up a little bit."

On if there was a part of her that wanted to keep playing because they've won three in a row:
"I liked the break; I thought it was good. It's getting to be a grind when you're playing and traveling, so I was good with it."

On Mississippi State's team:
"(They are a) veteran team. McCowan is so strong inside. Howard is an unbelievable rebounder, great experience. The whole team, they're athletic, shoot the three. We're going to have to be spot-on with everything we do."

On Teaira McCowan's development throughout the years:
"I would say this: when a kid gets here from high school, they're going to develop. I think her body's developed; she's toned up throughout the years, she's got an opportunity. Like a typical freshman, she played some, but she really came into her own. I think Vic (Schaefer)'s done a great job with her."

On how she feels about UT's man-to-man defense:
"I think we're better. We're not there yet, but we're better. We've got more confidence in it. For us, it's one-on-one and helping, and identifying who you're guarding. Are you defending strictly a 3-point shooter? Are you defending a penetrator? Or are you defending both? For us, that's so valuable to know, and for us to act accordingly is a necessity."

On having more assists than turnovers in the last three games and how big of an achievement that is:
"It's huge. The turnovers were taking away opportunities that we had to score baskets, so we talked a lot about it. We've got to have opportunities to score the ball, and when you turn it over in high volumes, you're not going to do that. If we turn over against Mississippi State, they're going to shoot layups, and you can't do that either. You've got to make them work for every shot they get, and turning it over and giving them a layup, they don't have to work very hard to do that."

On the key to having fewer turnovers:
"Practice, and probably going over who we're looking for, what you need to do if you do pick the ball up, if you get too deep down in the baseline you can dribble back out... just those little things, and just being aware. I think our screens are better, our cutting is better, our passing is better, which makes our turnovers go down."

On how they will defend Teaira McCowan:
"For us, it's keeping a body on her. It's just keeping a body on her and trying to limit her touches and second chance points. She's an unbelievable offensive rebounder, and we have to try to limit her touches and limit her ability to get second-chance points"

On whether she likes the current status of Meme Jackson:
"I do. I thought in the Vanderbilt game she didn't settle for three-point shots. She got a couple of twos, her defense was solid, she attacked with the basketball, ran the floor and got layups. She hit a three. So, I think we need her stepping up more on the defensive end, and I thought she did better at Vanderbilt. But (she needs to) just continue to make that end of the floor a priority for her."

On Mississippi State being a challenge for this team:
"They are. Our young ladies understand what they need to do. Again, limit our turnovers, take great shots, keep them off the boards, and we have to rebound. So, I think they understand our game plan and they're focused. We've had a great week of practice; it's been really solid and focused. We've gotten right to the point, so I am excited to get the opportunity to play them."

On how Rennia Davis has gotten back to being more productive:
"Well again, Rennia's tough on herself. And when she's hard on herself, it doesn't make matters good for her. I think she refocused her mind on focusing on the things she can control: playing hard, getting rebounds, getting stops on defense. She's really focused on them, and she's not focusing on thinking, 'I've got to make the shot or not,' and she's gotten herself in good position to take great shots."

On what she's told the team about the atmosphere of playing in Starkville:
"We haven't talked that much about it. We've played in some pretty hostile environments, and I don't think one is any different. We seem to focus more when we're away, and we will talk about it when we get down there, but no. They're young; you hope they come out and bring us what we need."

On the effects of not having to play on Thursday:
"I think it came at a great time. We needed a little break, and we'll take it. We'll take it. We had a chance to just focus on Mississippi State and kind of take a little break and heal. We're just beat up a little bit and tired, so I thought it was really solid for us this week."

University of Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee Head Coach Holly Warlick

Players Mentioned

Rennia Davis

Meme Jackson

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