Tennessee head coach Holly Warlick reacts to being down by four points against Chattanooga in the first half of thier NCAA basketball game on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013, in Knoxville.KNOXVILLE – An hour later, University of Tennessee Lady Vols point guard Ariel Massengale could laugh it off. Chattanooga’s bid for a second straight upset of Big Sister had been averted. A 32-all halftime score had become an 80-56 revenge rout, much to the delight of most of the 10,508 gathered inside Thompson-Boling Arena on Thursday night.
But Massengale’s recollection of Lady Vols coach Holly Warlick’s halftime instructions was probably anything but funny at the moment the coach first delivered them.
Said Massengale, a grin growing on her face: “She said, ‘If you don’t come out of this game with a win, I’m going to make your life a living …’ (long pause) … well, you can fill in the rest.”
Asked to confirm her junior quarterback’s story, Warlick said, “In those exact words.”
She soon added, “I must give a heck of a locker-room halftime speech.”