Lady Vols work to get back their shooting touch

Shanna Zolman didn't make a suggestion. Tennessee's senior guard didn't utter a single word.

She and fellow Lady Vol Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood were headed down to Thompson-Boling Arena earlier this month to get in some extra shooting

And several of their women's basketball teammates followed.

"I was so excited,'' Zolman said. "I've never had that. You didn't even have to say anything.''

Maybe the message has been received. If so, it's about time.

Tennessee's field-goal percentage has been dropping for two seasons. It plunged to the depths last season, bottoming out at a program-worst 41.6 percent.

The Lady Vols would've needed weeks of sizzling shooting just to reach the previous low mark of 44 percent in 1992-93.

Oddly enough, they would've needed just 50 more playing minutes of decent accuracy last season to possibly win a national championship.

They were so far off the mark and yet they were so close to the ultimate bull's-eye.

The lasting memory of the Lady Vols blowing a 16-point, second-half lead and losing a national semifinal game to Michigan State was them missing 11 of 12 shots during a crucial second-half stretch. One or two baskets might have staved off Michigan State's comeback.

One or two baskets, think about it. Better yet, do something about it.

UT assistant coach Dean Lockwood said that the coaches divvied up game video and spent the offseason reviewing virtually every shot taken last season.

Their conclusion was shot selection wasn't as big of a problem as execution.

Therefore, there's been no overhaul of the offense. For the first time in four seasons, UT essentially will start a season with the same offensive framework as the previous season.

Standing pat should help. The Lady Vols spent much of last season cobbling together an offensive plan B after the original strategy proved to be confusing.

"I was so worried doing this thing right, doing that thing right,'' guard Alexis Hornbuckle said. "I didn't get any (shooting) confidence going.''

A shooter's performance is built on repetition and self-assurance. A workable balance between effort and mindset is achieved only with time and great care -- until it's virtually instinctive.

"Shooting is mental'' Zolman said. "If you think about your shot, it's not going in. If you think about the mechanics of it, it's not going in. It's too robotic.''

Presumably, the players devoted a suitable portion of their summer to this crucial work. They entered the preseason with a nod of approval from their most demanding critic.

"I will say this,'' UT coach Pat Summitt said, "I think this group is very committed to their game and to this team.''

During a shooting drill in Thursday's basketball workout, Hornbuckle nailed 10 of 10 from about 16 feet on the right wing. On her best day last season, she couldn't have achieved such accuracy.

Obviously, she's put in some work.

Hornbuckle then moved about five feet to her left and reloaded. The same shooting sequence produced just one basket.

Obviously, she's a work in progress.

Hornbuckle and the Lady Vols still have time and repetitions to burn. They need to make the most of it.

Summitt is staying true to her word and devoting large portions of the preseason workouts to shooting.

Some of the work has been exacting. Assistant coaches Holly Warlick and Nikki Caldwell stopped a visibly frustrated Candace Parker in the middle of a drill last week and worked with her on her guiding hand, which was adversely affecting her jumper. Moments later, she was back on target.

Lockwood was creative on Thursday, fishing a small rubber ball out of a box at his home and putting it in the hands of the post players. The idea was to enhance their aggressiveness to the rim.

The drill developed a macho-like throw-down quality. Senior Tye'sha Fluker, who needs to be more forceful and more accurate, actually dunked the ball once. The gym erupted.

Nice shot.

No wonder everyone was so excited.

Training Room Update: The Lady Vols already are having to limit Wiley-Gatewood, who had offseason surgery on her left knee for patella tendinitis. She sat out both basketball workouts this week in order to do the conditioning workouts.

"She can't take both right now,'' athletic trainer Jenny Moshak said. "We have to back her off.''


Notebook: Former Lady Vol Shalon Pillow has been named director of basketball operations at South Florida. ... Middle Tennessee State will play at UT in November of 2006.