University of Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vol Hoops Report (2/15/17)
February 15, 2017 | Women's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. --Tennessee women's basketball head coach Holly Warlick and junior guard Alexa Middleton met with the media on Wednesday, as the team continued preparations for Thursday's SEC match-up at Alabama.
The #RV/RV Lady Vols (16-9, 7-5 SEC) and the Crimson Tide (15-10, 3-9 SEC) will meet for the 53rd time, playing in Coleman Coliseum at 7:02 p.m. CT (8:02 ET) in a game broadcast online via SECN+/WatchESPN.
Tennessee is 18-1 all-time in Tuscaloosa, but the Lady Vols saw Bama end a 42-game series win streak there a year ago. That game was played in Foster Auditorium, while Thursday's meeting will take place in the school's primary arena, Coleman Coliseum, the place UA's women now call home. UT is 16-0 all-time at Coleman, last playing there in 2010.
Here are some topics of note heading into the game.
Head Coach Holly Warlick Quotes
(On the challenges Alabama presents)
"They lead the nation in free throw attempts, they're penetrators and we struggle at times with that. They're third in the conference in offensive rebounds, and we struggle at times with boxing out. They push the ball in transition, they want to run and we struggle at times with that. We've got our hands full, and I don't think their record is any indication of what they're going to pose to us. We're going to have to bring our A game. We can't go in and be casual and think it's just another game. No, this is a team that competes and plays hard. They're a very good basketball team."
(On the Alabama game last year being a turning point)
"We just weren't very good. We weren't consistent. I think we missed 15 layups, and we missed a ton of free throws. We were not good in every aspect of the game."
(On confidence from Alexa since she has been in the starting lineup)
"I don't know if it's in the starting lineup. I think the last five or six games, since we talked about her role and what I need from her, she's really taken it to heart. She doesn't have to come in and make a spectacular play; she needs to help maintain, take it to another level, help everybody else and not worry about herself. When she was in a little slump, she was worried about her shot more than where everybody was going. When she focuses on everybody else, she worries less about what she needs to do and that makes her game so much better."
Junior Guard Alexa Middleton Quotes
(On being a mentally tough team)
"We talked about this yesterday. To be mentally tough, you have to be completely keyed in on the task at hand. We have to be focused and hold each other accountable when we see someone let fatigue get into their mind. We can't let that affect them. We have to call each other out and hold each other accountable and be able to accept that."
(On the goals for the next few games)
"Having a double-bye for the SEC tournament is still possible, so right now, we are just focusing on one game at a time. We are trying to be completely locked in for the game in front of us and not worry about anything outside of that. We have to win our games, and a lot of it has to do with how other teams finish out as well. We can't control that. We just have to make sure we are doing the best we can do."
(On getting back in the starting lineup)
"I know my role is to hit open shots. Holly has talked to me about that, so I am just trying to be more aggressive and not live on the three-point line. Teams are starting to figure out that is my go-to. I have always worked on my mid-range jump shots, so I'm trying to find the balance between those two things and staying aggressive on the board and keeping my focus."
