Loss of Wiley-Gatewood will change Lady Vols' look

KNOXVILLE -- Sometimes it's just not a fit.

Sophomore Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood's announcement this week that she will not continue her college career with the Tennessee Lady Vols shouldn't be a surprise when you consider the nature of the program and the caliber of players who are recruited to join it.

One of the toughest tasks Pat Summitt faces each year is how to mesh the egos of some of the nation's top high school players and develop a chemistry that will sustain the team throughout a very tough schedule and a postseason that nearly always concludes at a Final Four.

Tennessee has lost players before -- guard April McDivitt, forward Michelle Munoz and center Teresa Jeter come to mind immediately. Summitt has also dismissed a few. But the turnover in the program is barely noticeable compared to a lot of others, which is a credit to Summitt and her coaching staff as well as to veteran players who shepherd the newcomers.

Wiley-Gatewood, one of the Super Six signing class of a year ago, said she enjoyed Knoxville and liked her teammates but was unhappy with the style of play at Tennessee, which nearly always forces players who are used to taking over a game and carrying a team on their shoulders into supporting roles.

Upon her arrival at UT, Wiley-Gatewood discovered she had a small ligament tear in one knee. On advice of the team physician, she tried to rest and rehab it so she could play while teammates Candace Parker and Alex Fuller sat out with more severe knee problems. It didn't work and ultimately she had surgery to correct the tear.

Prior to the start of this season, she admitted having been frustrated by the loss of a year of eligibility. That was compounded this fall when she felt confined by the offense she ran. Simply put, she could not adjust to the lower profile required and said goodbye.

Ironically, her sudden departure will be noticeable because she had assumed such a prominent role in the offense so quickly.

The California product was a true point guard -- a rarity in the program since the days of Kellie Jolly. In running the offense, she brought a remarkable amount of energy to the floor, something Summitt has alluded to several times in the last couple of months. With her passing skills and floor vision, Wiley-Gatewood was also a player to build an offense around.

Without her, the Lady Vols will again look to Alexis Hornbuckle as the primary floor general, and Shanna Zolman, who has been free to focus on scoring and defense, will return to more ball-handling duties. That's basically how the offense was run last season, what Summitt called a point guard by committee approach.

The loss of Wiley-Gatewood also makes it more critical for Parker to continue her adjustment to playing the three position instead of inside.

One thing is certain. With one less potential starting guard, Summitt will now have to alter the rotations she has been using, and the chemistry of the team will no doubt be affected. Fortunately, this loss comes well before the opening of the SEC season and with time to regroup and bridge the gap.