Women drop #16 in a row to Vandy!

[Mikey 16,757]

The last time our women's team beat Vandy was on January 16, 2000. Ten years, 16 games, 16 straight losses and I've had the misfortune of seeing many of them in person. I think the most disgusting loss was last year in the SEC tournament. Auburn had a vastly superior team, talent wise, and simply got out-coached and out-hustled from start to finish.

That Vandy game in the SEC tournament was a warm up for the second round NCAA game, where an equally inferior Rutgers team beat us the same way.

Oh, well.....Carolyn Jones, can't you come back and make a basket for us when we need one? Kristen Mullican! Come on back and pull your team together just one more time. Pretty please?

[all4AU 379]

Nell has done so much for Auburn during her tenure here. Unfortunately, this streak against Vandy is the worst blotch on her resume. I really don't understand it... it's like we're snake bitten against them. I watched tonight's game on TV... we've lost to them in every way possible during this streak. The sad part is that we've had significant leads in many of the games.

I really think we would've won tonight if Carrier hadn't gotten injured. Vandy was undersized and less athletic from the get-go. It's just really sad how things ended with the turnover without us even getting a shot off.

Looking on the bright side is that this team fights. It's tough to lose 4 starting seniors off an SEC championship team, much less losing one player to injury for the season (ReRe Hobbs). Nell has these girls busting their tail, and with recruiting going the way it is, it won't be long before we see more championships from this team. The same bright outlook can't be applied to the men's team so for now I can live with the women losing to Vandy.

[Mikey 16,757]

Nell has these girls busting their tail, and with recruiting going the way it is, it won't be long before we see more championships from this team.

I wish I shared your optimism.

[TitanTiger 20,530]

I don't think you can lose the kinds of key players we did last year and expect to just keep chugging. KeKe is the only senior on the squad. We'll go through some growing pains this year and I think we'll be much better next season.

[LegalEagle 22]

We were sitting pretty last night. We got back to 1 point with just enough time on the clock to set up and take the game. Keke, although injured, came in to provide height and muscle in the paint. The ball was put in play. It came to Keke just a few feet from the rim. Keke tossed it to the perimeter to make sure the last shot was there. Oops, no one on the perimeter where the ball went!! That just sucked. It looked like that was the only thing we could do to secure another consecutive loss!

I hate it for Keke. Surely she was devastated.

We did play hard and short of players. Other players stepped up. Hopefully, this will motivate them, and we'll continue to improve. The season is far from over.

Good Luck Ladies &

War Eagle!

[Mikey 16,757]

I don't think you can lose the kinds of key players we did last year and expect to just keep chugging. KeKe is the only senior on the squad. We'll go through some growing pains this year and I think we'll be much better next season.

Last year, to a large extent, exemplifys the problem. It took Fortner four years to get that very talented group of seniors to even challenge for an SEC championship.

Then they failed beat a physically inferior Vandy team in the SEC tournament. That was followed by failing to make it to the sweet 16 in the Big Dance, falling to another team with inferior talent and superior coaching in Rutgers.

When are we going to have better players than last year? Are "smart" coaches like Melanie Balkomb and Vivian Stringer going to resign so Auburn can start getting back to final fours? As stated above, I'm not encouraged about the future of our women's BB program. I can see us winning 60% of our games (40% SEC), bowing out of tournaments gracefully and nobody in authority caring enough to improve things.

[autigeremt 6,719]

I don't think you can lose the kinds of key players we did last year and expect to just keep chugging. KeKe is the only senior on the squad. We'll go through some growing pains this year and I think we'll be much better next season.

Last year, to a large extent, exemplifys the problem. It took Fortner four years to get that very talented group of seniors to even challenge for an SEC championship.

Then they failed beat a physically inferior Vandy team in the SEC tournament. That was followed by failing to make it to the sweet 16 in the Big Dance, falling to another team with inferior talent and superior coaching in Rutgers.

When are we going to have better players than last year? Are "smart" coaches like Melanie Balkomb and Vivian Stringer going to resign so Auburn can start getting back to final fours? As stated above, I'm not encouraged about the future of our women's BB program. I can see us winning 60% of our games (40% SEC), bowing out of tournaments gracefully and nobody in authority caring enough to improve things.

With all do respect.......YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?????!!!!! This staff is doing an AUsome job with this program. Unreal how you are so negative about Coach Fortner and the women.

We blew a great shot at ending the streak v/s Vandy last night, but to throw this program under the bus because of it is silly. Vandy plays a dirty style (there were more holds on the interior in this game than all 12 of the football games this year combined). They use borderline tactics to keep players from being able to free up when crossing through the lane. It's not an excuse per say, but that's the way they play. It's also why they won't win a National Title any time soon. Once in the Tourney, the fouls kill their chances.

[TitanTiger 20,530]

Last year, to a large extent, exemplifys the problem. It took Fortner four years to get that very talented group of seniors to even challenge for an SEC championship.

Then they failed beat a physically inferior Vandy team in the SEC tournament. That was followed by failing to make it to the sweet 16 in the Big Dance, falling to another team with inferior talent and superior coaching in Rutgers.

When are we going to have better players than last year? Are "smart" coaches like Melanie Balkomb and Vivian Stringer going to resign so Auburn can start getting back to final fours? As stated above, I'm not encouraged about the future of our women's BB program. I can see us winning 60% of our games (40% SEC), bowing out of tournaments gracefully and nobody in authority caring enough to improve things.

Well first of all, it's not like Fortner came to Auburn, taking over a program that had been competing for championships. The most games we'd won in any season since 1995 was 23, including any postseason. Mixed in there were multiple seasons of 16 or 17 wins. Nor have our struggles with Vandy been something exclusive to her tenure. We haven't beaten them for whatever reason since 2000.

Fortner's win totals have been 16, 14, 21, 20 and 30. So the trajectory seems to be favorable. And recruiting has been really good the last year or two. I think the groundwork is certainly being laid for more consistency but I guess I don't quite understand the pessimism here. Some doubts? Sure, that's reasonable. But I don't think it's time to sound the alarms either.

[vatz22au 142]

Fortner's win totals have been 16, 14, 21, 20 and 30. So the trajectory seems to be favorable. And recruiting has been really good the last year or two. I think the groundwork is certainly being laid for more consistency but I guess I don't quite understand the pessimism here.

She could take over the men's team any day in my book.

[Mikey 16,757]

With all do respect.......YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?????!!!!! This staff is doing an AUsome job with this program. Unreal how you are so negative about Coach Fortner and the women.

Maybe I got spoiled by our great run through the 80's and early 90's. It's just that last year's team was certainly one of the most talented ever at Auburn (hats off to Fortner's recruiting, she got 'em here) and we got next to nothing for it. For at least two years, that team had the talent and experience to make it to the final four, yet all we got was one SEC regular season championship and not even into the sweet 16. I found that extremely disappointing.

[TitanTiger 20,530]

While I'm disappointed last year's team didn't go further, I find it hard to be too bummed about an SEC title and a 30-4 record. Certainly not enough to say I don't feel good about the future.

[all4AU 379]

Nell has these girls busting their tail, and with recruiting going the way it is, it won't be long before we see more championships from this team.

I wish I shared your optimism.

Our 4 freshmen this year are all quality recruits. They are just forced to play key minutes in the SEC when they may not quite be ready yet. Next year's class will be even better. I look for Smalley and Greenleaf to lead a young, but highly talented team next year. We should really be a strong team when these two classes are juniors and seniors.

Maybe I got spoiled by our great run through the 80's and early 90's. It's just that last year's team was certainly one of the most talented ever at Auburn (hats off to Fortner's recruiting, she got 'em here) and we got next to nothing for it. For at least two years, that team had the talent and experience to make it to the final four, yet all we got was one SEC regular season championship and not even into the sweet 16. I found that extremely disappointing.

Nell dealt with injuries and academic issues during 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 that held the team back. What Nell did last year was put AU Women's Hoops back on the map. We just had our season cut a little short by Vandy and Rutgers, two very experienced teams with annual postseason experience.

I think she definitely has this team going in the right direction. She's already brought us much further than we were at the end of the Ciampi era. And until the men have a better season than the women, it's really hard to complain about anything Nell has done because the women are definitely the bright spot of Auburn Basketball right now. And, no, I'm not on the Lebo Bandwagon. *END RANT*

[AUballer23 0]

Not only did they lose to Vandy again, but it seems like they always lose by 1 or 2 points in that series.

[autigeremt 6,719]

We would win more of those if we held players in the paint more.