On Saturday, Lady Vols basketball will finally begin its NCAA Tournament campaign.
No. 6 seed Tennessee (19-12) will head to Raleigh, North Carolina, to challenge No. 11 seed Green Bay (27-6) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Going into the game, the Lady Vols will need to be ready to challenge the ball movement of the Phoenix.
Green Bay is led in scoring by guards Natalie McNeal, Maddy Schreiber and Cassie Schiltz. The Phoenix may lack in height, but they have strong offensive execution.
“I think when you look at a team like Green Bay, you look at advantages, but you look at disadvantages as well,” Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper said. “And so I think for us, we have to try to maximize where we have opportunities but then try to take care of the areas that maybe is in their favor because they can spread you out.”
McNeal leads Green Bay with 13.4 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game. Schreiber is not far behind with 12 points per contest.
The Phoenix have the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the country, allowing them to spread the ball around effectively. That poses a challenge for the Lady Vols, who know they need to remain strong defensively.
“They do a great job,” Harper said. “Their offensive efficiency is one of the best in the country. And it’s — I don’t want to undersell that because they — they’re not playing South Carolina every night, but they’re still doing it. And they’re doing it with — as good as anybody in the country.”
A crucial part of Tennessee’s game plan this season has been beating its opponents in the rebound game. The Lady Vols’ height advantage could position them to pull down more boards than Green Bay.
The Lady Vols have height throughout their lineup. Tamari Key leads the way at 6-foot-6, but Jillian Hollingshead and Karoline Striplin also provide height off the bench. Tennessee’s guards have also been strong rebounders throughout the season, with Jasmine Powell and Jewel Spear each averaging five rebounds per game.
The Phoenix only average 34.5 rebounds per game, a mark that puts them 255th in the country. Tennessee averages 4.9 more rebounds a game, which is an area where Tennessee could pull away.
