KNOXVILLE – The Tennessee women have had 12 basketball games to become accustomed to not only one another but Kellie Harper in her first season as coach.
Now the 22nd-ranked Lady Volunteers (10-2) are set to host Missouri (3-10) in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams at 5 p.m. Thursday at Thompson-Boling Arena, and while Tennessee’s schedule so far this season hasn’t been the most difficult, it has provided a few opportunities to get pushed.
In December, the Lady Vols lost to top-ranked Stanford in California and at home to Texas – which later beat Stanford – but they also won in early November at Notre Dame, a victory that could look better as the season rolls on.
Tennessee’s nine other wins have come by an average of 30.1 points – that includes a season-opening 72-68 victory at East Tennessee State – in matchups haven’t really tested the Lady Vols, which is why Harper has constantly preached the importance of valuing every game and doing things the right way.
Their next 17 contests – including a Jan. 23 game at Connecticut – and whatever postseason opportunities follow will define this team much more than the initial 12.
“I think we’ve made some strides,” Harper said after the most recent game, Sunday’s 88-38 home win over Howard. “I think we’ve had some questions answered. I think we’ve got some questions still remaining, but I think we know what we’re working with. We know where we need to continue to improve.
“I think that’s one of the biggest things for us: knowing where we need to improve and being OK with that. As far as how far we’ve come, since April we’ve come miles. Now, we still may have miles to go, but we’ve come miles and I’m proud of them for that.”
The stressing of boxing out in rebounding? Now is when it will be highlighted.
The need to take care of the ball? The Lady Vols don’t force turnovers and give the ball away an average of 16.7 times a game, leading to the worst turnover margin (-2.8) in the SEC.
They also need to take good shots and make them; Texas and Stanford held the Lady Vols to 31% shooting or worse.
This group of Tennessee players, though, has developed an understanding of what Harper, a former Lady Vols point guard, wants from her team.
“I’m comfortable,” junior Rennia Davis said. “It’s just about now everybody buying in. We have at least tried to buy in to what Kellie is saying. Again, it’s a whole new system for a lot of us. We’re still trying to get that together. I mean, I’m confident in what Kellie’s doing with this program.”
The youthful team has had some positive developments, too. Davis has been solid all season. Jordan Horston has the makings of an impact player, if she can cut down her turnovers. Rae Burrell has emerged as a playmaker off the bench. The interior players have done their job in competing, and the team may have found its go-to outside shooter in freshman Jessie Rennie, who made five 3s in Sunday’s win.
Only three current Tennessee players – Davis, senior Kamera Harris and junior Kasiyahna Kushkituah – have been part of multiple seasons of SEC play, and Harris has only 13 games in league play, fewer than sophomores Burrell and Jazmine Massengill. Senior forward Lou Brown may be in her first season playing for Tennessee, but she had three years competing in the Pac-12 at Washington State.
The rest of the team is inexperienced. And now the onus is on them to be prepared.
“The tempo will be faster,” Burrell said when asked about advice she would give the younger players whose first SEC test will be soon followed by another Sunday at Kentucky. “We’ve got to prepare for that and focus on the little things in practice, because that’s what is really going to matter.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.