Exactly. Let's have 2-3 conference games in December, and 2-3 non conference game in January/February. In the 1980s and before, it was common to have 4-5 non-conference games in January/February.
2021-2022 WBB Team
- Thread starter Cocky 45
- Start date
OOC scheduling comparison in the SEC.
We have 7 OOC games against the ESPN Way too early top 25 and 6 of those are against top 10 opponents. We also play 3 other power 5 teams and only have 3 payday home games and even one of those made the dance last year and returns all its starters
The west division teams play an egregiously soft schedule. The seven teams between themselves play 6 top 25 games with only 1 game against a top 10 team. That’s less than us!!!
The east division, excluding us, plays 13
top 25 games including 7 top 10 games.
We are UCONN!! Conference schedule is a step down from OOC and will lower our strength of schedule. We will be more than battle tested coming into January. The whole rest of the league has 8 top 10 games to our 6.
We have 7 OOC games against the ESPN Way too early top 25 and 6 of those are against top 10 opponents. We also play 3 other power 5 teams and only have 3 payday home games and even one of those made the dance last year and returns all its starters
The west division teams play an egregiously soft schedule. The seven teams between themselves play 6 top 25 games with only 1 game against a top 10 team. That’s less than us!!!
The east division, excluding us, plays 13
top 25 games including 7 top 10 games.
We are UCONN!! Conference schedule is a step down from OOC and will lower our strength of schedule. We will be more than battle tested coming into January. The whole rest of the league has 8 top 10 games to our 6.
I don’t know how you took my post which explained why we will not be able to play the taters in Jan/Feb and made into a path to OOC games during that period.
Because the ACC has an odd number of teams, one team a bye every time the conference plays.
Unless they schedule a Dec. matchup they can’t complete their schedule playing in Jan/Feb. They get one bye for two months they aren’t going to use it to play OOC. They want the rest, coaching, recruiting, prep time it affords.
Conference play gets you into the tourney, no one wants those games early when you are still working personnel and style kinks out.
You can want those games but it ain’t happening except in very rare cases. Our series with UCONN will probably be forced to Dec. when UT & OU enter the conference. Schedule in all probability will expand from 16 to 18 conference games.
Top 10 OOC scheduling
This might be the best year ever for the Top 10 teams scheduling games vs top 25 opponents.
Iowa #9 has none scheduled but the rest of the top 10 has 36 matchups
UConn 8 4 vs top 10
USC 7 6 vs top 10
Stanford 4 3 vs top 10
UMD 4 4 vs top 10
NCSU 3 3 vs top 10
L’ville 3 1 vs top 10
Ind 3 2 vs top 10
Ore 2 2 vs top 10
Baylor 2 1 vs top 10
This might be the best year ever for the Top 10 teams scheduling games vs top 25 opponents.
Iowa #9 has none scheduled but the rest of the top 10 has 36 matchups
UConn 8 4 vs top 10
USC 7 6 vs top 10
Stanford 4 3 vs top 10
UMD 4 4 vs top 10
NCSU 3 3 vs top 10
L’ville 3 1 vs top 10
Ind 3 2 vs top 10
Ore 2 2 vs top 10
Baylor 2 1 vs top 10
Nikki McCray-Penson is stepping down from her head-coaching position at Mississippi State. It's due to health reasons - there hasn't been any official statement that her cancer has recurred, but by her official announcement, it pretty much paints the picture that it has, which is terrible. Many prayers for her family and for her full recovery......
Looking at Centers in the league
Besides Boston and Cardoso there are only 5 starting centers in the league 6’5” or better
Staiti UGA SENIOR
Aifuwa LSU SENIOR
Austin OM SENIOR
Carter Miss st SENIOR
Key UT Junior
Mizzou and A&M also start seniors
Hollingshead Fr UGA and Gusters at LSU are the only other highly recruited 6’5” Centers in the league and Gusters did basically nothing last year at Baylor.
Davenport UGA and Dauda Ark are 6’4” both were highly recruited Davenport barely played last year and avg 1.7ppg Dauda is Fr. Redshirting with a torn ACL
Even more zones next year
Besides Boston and Cardoso there are only 5 starting centers in the league 6’5” or better
Staiti UGA SENIOR
Aifuwa LSU SENIOR
Austin OM SENIOR
Carter Miss st SENIOR
Key UT Junior
Mizzou and A&M also start seniors
Hollingshead Fr UGA and Gusters at LSU are the only other highly recruited 6’5” Centers in the league and Gusters did basically nothing last year at Baylor.
Davenport UGA and Dauda Ark are 6’4” both were highly recruited Davenport barely played last year and avg 1.7ppg Dauda is Fr. Redshirting with a torn ACL
Even more zones next year
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If Kiki can put in the work shooting from the perimeter while pregnant, then hopefully our forwards and guards are doing the same.
Who remembers how out of shape Kiki was her first couple of years? She would drag getting back on defense after 5 minutes on the court. I can think of only a few Gamecock athletes who improved during their playing career as much as Kiki. Hard work pays off.
Putting this out here, I don’t think this guy is top of the line. However he puts forth the premise that UConn has the most talent of anybody in the country.
We are in the SC bubble and believe we have the most talented roster in the country hands down. MOST of the country disagrees and it’s not just UConn bias. Always good to know your opponent
We are in the SC bubble and believe we have the most talented roster in the country hands down. MOST of the country disagrees and it’s not just UConn bias. Always good to know your opponent
That guy is a UConn homer or bias towards Uconn. Look at most of his videos.
probably works better that people underestimate us, pride comes before the fall everything will have to be earned nothing will be given, on paper we are stacked but you don't win championships on paper. It is important to stay humble and show respect to others even if they show none to us.
Well, we have some good reason for our position, with a 2019 #1 class that at the time was called perhaps the most talented class in the history of WCBB, and they are all still on the team - PLUS we added to that another #1 class for the 2021 cycle. Thus far those two classes have gone 58-6 and reached a Final Four.
Connecticut fans also have good reason for their position, with three (3) former overall Hoopgurlz #1 rated players on their roster, plus a 2021 class that some have argued is as talented as our 2021 class. CT has gone 57-5 over the last two seasons and reached a Final Four.
Between the two teams head-to-head, Connecticut clearly has the advantage. Over the last two seasons we are 1-1 against them, with an 18-pt win at home and a 4-pt. overtime loss on their court.
As far as top-10 rated prep talent on each team:
CT:
#1 Azzi Fudd (2021)
#1 Paige Bueckers (2020)
#1 Christyn Williams (2018)
#2 Evina Westbrook (2017)
#5 Caroline Ducharme (2021)
#5 Olivia Nelson-Ododa (2018)
USC:
#2 Raven Johnson (2021)
#3 Saniya Rivers (2021)
#3 Aliyah Boston (2019)
#4 Sania Feagin (2021)
#4 Zia Cooke (2018)
#5 Kamilla Cardoso (2020)
#6 Destanni Henderson (2018)
#10 Laeticia Amihere (2019)
Both teams have six (6) top 5 former rated players on their rosters: CT has three former overall #1 players to none for USC, but USC also have eight (8) former overall top 10 players, to just those six for CT.
It's basically a tomayto - tomahto debate. Going back on the series history CT has clearly owned us, but that has little to do with comparing the 2021-22 teams.....
To me, this is an odd response. You played the we get no respect card. We didn’t get underestimated or disrespected.
Many of our fans believe we are invincible and that anything less than 38-0 will be a disappointment. Some even said we have the greatest collection of talent on a college team ever, knowing nothing of UT or UCONN past teams
We play UCONN(possibly twice), Stanford, Maryland, NCSU, and Oregon. All of those teams are capable of beating us. In fact 3 did last year. And all 3 improved their roster from last year.
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South Carolina has the best roster in the country, IMO. 10 years from now we'll look back and marvel at al the professional players that were on this team But, really, who cares which team has the best roster?
The challenge for Coach Staley is finding her "Crunch Time 5" as Bill Simmons calls it. Against most teams, she'll be able to play a ton of players and win. But to win the tournament, she'll need a cohesive unit of 5 to 7 players. Of course, depth will give her option if injuries and foul trouble are an issue and she needs more than 7.
This will be a bigger challenge than most people think, in no small part due to Dawn's loyalty to her veterans. So, yeah, it's not a given this team will roll to a national title, even with a great roster. It's a great "problem" to have, though, isn't it?
The challenge for Coach Staley is finding her "Crunch Time 5" as Bill Simmons calls it. Against most teams, she'll be able to play a ton of players and win. But to win the tournament, she'll need a cohesive unit of 5 to 7 players. Of course, depth will give her option if injuries and foul trouble are an issue and she needs more than 7.
This will be a bigger challenge than most people think, in no small part due to Dawn's loyalty to her veterans. So, yeah, it's not a given this team will roll to a national title, even with a great roster. It's a great "problem" to have, though, isn't it?
I don't expect or care if we go undefeated during the regular season, as long as we get better and/or learn something. For instance, maybe coach decides to play the freshman late in one of those non-con games, just to give them the experience of playing under that kind of pressure. It's worth a gamble, even if it costs us a game or two. I imagine the freshman will play plenty of minutes in conference that won't be very pressure packed, minutes that won't truly prepare them for the tournament.
I think it's fair to say that we probably have the two most talented teams in the country going into the season. There a few other other team close in the mix as well like Stanford, NC State, and Maryland as well.
The biggest difference to me personally is that our talent is spread pretty well throughout the roster, whereas UConn is fairly top heavy. Also the UConn narrative is heavily reliant on a true freshman like Fudd to dominate pretty early like Paige. There's no guarantee lightning will strike twice and all this hype and pressure on one person could easily backfire on an inexperienced player. Whereas our team is pretty established as is and our talented freshman is more like icing on the cake for our national championship hopes rather than the answer.
Overall the most important thing to take into consideration is who has improved. UConn hasn't faced a red hot Cooke(see the final four), or a dominant Amihere (see the elite eight)or even Cardoso under Staley and everyone is still downplaying our guards abilities. If we can add a consistent 4th/5th scoring threat preferably from range to go along with Boston, Henderson and Cooke that would likely be the difference to get us over the hump. The million dollar question is who will it be? Did Saxton finally add a reliable midrange shot to her game, does Beal have the confidence to shoot consistently from range and/or has Amihere has finally put the pieces together after an impressive off-season. Or are the hungry freshman or veterans ready to step up. The same could be said for the other top teams. I just believe what sets us apart is the quality of our depth.
The biggest difference to me personally is that our talent is spread pretty well throughout the roster, whereas UConn is fairly top heavy. Also the UConn narrative is heavily reliant on a true freshman like Fudd to dominate pretty early like Paige. There's no guarantee lightning will strike twice and all this hype and pressure on one person could easily backfire on an inexperienced player. Whereas our team is pretty established as is and our talented freshman is more like icing on the cake for our national championship hopes rather than the answer.
Overall the most important thing to take into consideration is who has improved. UConn hasn't faced a red hot Cooke(see the final four), or a dominant Amihere (see the elite eight)or even Cardoso under Staley and everyone is still downplaying our guards abilities. If we can add a consistent 4th/5th scoring threat preferably from range to go along with Boston, Henderson and Cooke that would likely be the difference to get us over the hump. The million dollar question is who will it be? Did Saxton finally add a reliable midrange shot to her game, does Beal have the confidence to shoot consistently from range and/or has Amihere has finally put the pieces together after an impressive off-season. Or are the hungry freshman or veterans ready to step up. The same could be said for the other top teams. I just believe what sets us apart is the quality of our depth.
As always you are on target. To put a little bit finer point on depth...... we are deeper at Bigs than anybody in the country. Stanford and UCONN are 3 deep, we are four deep maybe 5 depending on how quick Feagin develops.
Every shot can be contested because we have 20-25 fouls to give down low. No winded Bigs, no foul trouble, we can tinker with matchups.
We go 12-13 deep, deeper than anybody. UConn, NCSU, Stanford, and UMD go 9-10. Depth really should not be a factor except unless their Bigs get in foul trouble. L'ville 8, Baylor, Iowa, Oregon 7ish.
Well, Massey's ranks us outside the top 4!
| Stanford Pac 12 | 0-0 0.000 | 1 9.35 | 1 67.77 | 4 99.09 | 1 33.44 | 2.78 | 1 0.00 | 1 52.58 | 20.46 | 4.54 | |
| Connecticut Big East | 0-0 0.000 | 2 9.14 | 2 65.96 | 5 98.83 | 4 31.88 | 2.78 | 1 0.00 | 13 50.21 | 24.09 | 4.91 | |
| Baylor Big 12 | 0-0 0.000 | 3 9.12 | 3 65.80 | 3 99.63 | 7 30.93 | 2.78 | 1 0.00 | 34 48.40 | 24.52 | 5.48 | |
| Maryland Big 10 | 0-0 0.000 | 4 9.11 | 4 65.71 | 1 103.80 | 28 26.67 | 2.78 | 1 0.00 | 3 51.56 | 22.76 | 7.24 | |
| South Carolina Southeastern | 0-0 0.000 | 5 8.96 | 5 64.40 | 8 97.83 | 6 31.32 | 2.78 | 1 0.00 | 2 51.95 | 20.79 | 6.21 | |
| Oregon Pac 12 | 0-0 0.000 | 6 8.71 | 6 62.25 | 18 95.03 | 3 31.97 | 2.77 | 1 0.00 | 20 49.62 | 17.19 | 5.81 | |
| Arizona Pac 12 | 0-0 0.000 | 7 8.57 | 7 61.05 | 42 92.69 | 2 33.12 | 2.78 | 1 0.00 | 40 48.06 | 12.85 | 4.15 | |
| Indiana Big 10 | 0-0 0.000 | 8 8.51 | 8 60.51 | 14 96.19 | 11 29.07 | 2.78 | 1 0.00 | 8 50.93 | 20.89 | 9.11 | |
| UCLA Pac 12 | 0-0 0.000 | 9 8.50 | 9 60.47 | 19 95.01 | 8 30.21 | 2.78 | 1 0.00 | 57 46.83 | 10.62 | 3.38 | |
| Louisville Atlantic Coast | 0-0 0.000 | 10 8.41 | 10 59.66 | 15 95.63 | 13 28.79 | 2.77 | 1 0.00 | 32 48.49 | 21.83 | 8.17 |
I have no idea what those numbers rep, so I will have to do homework. Still like our chances
I know, I know too early! But I’m ready for NCSU in 26 days
NCSU preview
A team that beat us in possibly the ugliest game of the year between top 10 teams. We played horrible, but to be fair they helped us play horrible.
NCSU is a better 3pt shooting team than Ark. Their top 5 shooters shot 42.5% from 3 point land. They play tough D and have a very talented 6’6” post player, Elissa Cunane.
They return their top 7 players and added two top notch transfers. PG Diamond Johnson, All Big10 who averaged 17ppg and shot 45% from 3 and 90% from the stripe.W Madison Hayes who 1st team all SEC freshman at Miss. St.
They have 6 players who averaged double figures and another who averaged 8ppg.
They are a very good shooting team 47%fg and killer from 3. Rebound well +7 but not dominant.
Besides Cunane they have 5 players over 6’ but none over 6’2”.Boyd 6’2” is their backup C/best PF. She WILL play in the WNBA and is a handful 12&7.
They have the length and quickness to guard us IF Cunane does not get into foul trouble
They play a 1 in, 4 out offense. Cunane forced most teams to double and that opened up kick out threes or slashes to hoop weak side.
There will be no need to double Cunane BUT it is imperative that we run their shooters off the line. Beat us with 2s is always a DS motto.
Remarkably they totally stifled our fast break offense AND made it very difficult to score in the paint in our set offense. We also went 2-12 from 3pt. Zia and Henny shot a combined 5-31 for a sizzling 16%. And just to leave no doubt in how horrible we played 4-11 from the FT line. 36% for those keeping count.
We played rushed and stupid last year. In a play that encapsulated this, Zia went 1 on 5 taking an 18 footer baseline jumper that was behind the basket! WTF, I mean WTF!
Keys to winning
NCSU preview
A team that beat us in possibly the ugliest game of the year between top 10 teams. We played horrible, but to be fair they helped us play horrible.
NCSU is a better 3pt shooting team than Ark. Their top 5 shooters shot 42.5% from 3 point land. They play tough D and have a very talented 6’6” post player, Elissa Cunane.
They return their top 7 players and added two top notch transfers. PG Diamond Johnson, All Big10 who averaged 17ppg and shot 45% from 3 and 90% from the stripe.W Madison Hayes who 1st team all SEC freshman at Miss. St.
They have 6 players who averaged double figures and another who averaged 8ppg.
They are a very good shooting team 47%fg and killer from 3. Rebound well +7 but not dominant.
Besides Cunane they have 5 players over 6’ but none over 6’2”.Boyd 6’2” is their backup C/best PF. She WILL play in the WNBA and is a handful 12&7.
They have the length and quickness to guard us IF Cunane does not get into foul trouble
They play a 1 in, 4 out offense. Cunane forced most teams to double and that opened up kick out threes or slashes to hoop weak side.
There will be no need to double Cunane BUT it is imperative that we run their shooters off the line. Beat us with 2s is always a DS motto.
Remarkably they totally stifled our fast break offense AND made it very difficult to score in the paint in our set offense. We also went 2-12 from 3pt. Zia and Henny shot a combined 5-31 for a sizzling 16%. And just to leave no doubt in how horrible we played 4-11 from the FT line. 36% for those keeping count.
We played rushed and stupid last year. In a play that encapsulated this, Zia went 1 on 5 taking an 18 footer baseline jumper that was behind the basket! WTF, I mean WTF!
Keys to winning
- Pound the ball down low. Get Cunane in foul trouble.
- Run
- Rebound
- Play smart
- The D will take care of itself
Wes Moore just announced at the ACC Media Days that Jada Boyd will miss up to a month of the start of the season with a hand injury, and Kayla Jones will still be dealing with a knee injury she suffered in last season's NCAAT that required off-season surgery, and could be doubtful at the start of the season or play limited minutes. They are 2 of the Wolfpack's top 4 scorers and rebounders......
So I guess your #1 key just got much bigger.....
Thanks!! That does deplete their size and depth. Boyd did not play in our game last year but Jones was their leading scorer and rebounder 16 and 12.
As part of key number 1: “hit at least 50% of the free throws.”
we were horrible on free throw shooting in the first half of the season last year. By. The end of the season we were okay. Gotta pick up where we left off - not start over.
Boyd was coming into her own late last season - she scored 18, 18, and 18 pts in the Wolfpack's 3 NCAAT games, so she was looking to become an offensive force for them. She still most likely will be this season, but that will be a key player down for them against us to start the season, and places much more pressure on Cunane to take on our bigs single-handed, and Boyd also filled in at Jones' position as well, so with Jones being iffy to start the season, that's a concern for the Pack...
The silver lining here is with NC State's depth having been built up, and them returning so many veterans, they'll have solid options to replace these players until they are fully healthy to return, but they may be a 3-guard lineup when we take them on....
Debbie Antonelli in the NCAA’s was calling Boyd possibly the best 4 in the country, so it is a big loss for state. I think you will see them play at least 3 guards and a lot of times 4 guards.
It will probably force them to use Camille Hobby to at least give Cunane a breather. She is not big enough, talented enough or experienced enough to deal with us, so they will be forced to go zone and probably will even with Cunane.
Hayes and Brown-Turner are the next tallest players that play and they are only 6’0”. EVERYBODY but Hobby shoots the 3 well. So defend the line.
They do have a 6’5” freshman, Sophie Hart, but Lord she is thin and we would be a real welcome to college experience for her
Don't know what this chart is supposed to represent, but it can't possibly be the top 10 best teams, can it? Baylor # 3 after their transfers and losing their coach? No NC State? Four Pac 12 teams in the top 10?
Highly suspect for a top 10 list.
At the beginning of the season, I think a lot of the data for this poll comes from last season, including the tournament. So Arizona is #7 without Ari McDonald, which is ridiculous. With Arizona and Stanford in the finals, that is probably helping to prop up the rest of the PAC-12. This will be a better poll once the season starts.
Massey gives us over a 50% chance to beat every opponent, except Stanford. We are favored to beat UCONN in Columbia (the other possible matchup with the Huskies is not assumed). But UCONN is ranked ahead of probably because they play so many games in which they have a 90+% chance of winning.
We play teams like Georgia, Kentucky, A&M, Ole Miss on the road. The computer is reasoning there is a chance we could lose to at least one of those games, more so than UCONN losing to Villanova or St John's.
We play teams like Georgia, Kentucky, A&M, Ole Miss on the road. The computer is reasoning there is a chance we could lose to at least one of those games, more so than UCONN losing to Villanova or St John's.
Thanks! Assuming we play Oregon and UCONN in holiday tourney, that is 5 top 10 matchups pre conference. To win all 5 is asking a lot, which is precisely DS’s intent.
Conference play will be a step down in competition. Familiarity in some ways compensates for talent. But no SEC team has the talent we will face from those matchups.
Should/when we make the Final four I fully expect we will be playing rematches. DS is making sure this team sees as much as they can before NCAAs
Anyone have any intel on ‘22 recruit Cooper? Tennessee fans on vol nation think she has UGA and Tenn as her top 2
Intriguing! I have no info, but do have some thoughts.
+ We started recruiting her in 7th grade, well before anyone else
- We are stacked and in on several PGs for ‘23 that are more highly thought of than her
+ DS has not lost an instate girl she wanted since Xylina McDaniel in 2013
- Instant playing possibly starting time at UGA &
UT
+ play for titles SEC and National and close to home
+ How can an African American young woman pass on being coached and mentored by DS?
+ We started recruiting her in 7th grade, well before anyone else
- We are stacked and in on several PGs for ‘23 that are more highly thought of than her
+ DS has not lost an instate girl she wanted since Xylina McDaniel in 2013
- Instant playing possibly starting time at UGA &
UT
+ play for titles SEC and National and close to home
+ How can an African American young woman pass on being coached and mentored by DS?
Agree. Still wondering who the birdie in the nest could be. I’m guessing Ashlyn Watkins but still strange that all these girls have gone on to take all of their visits after the birdie was announced.
As for Barker I think it’s us or Ole Miss although people think she is high on UGA too. Supposedly her old AAU coach is at Ole Miss now.
As programs I think UT, UGA, OM, and Ark. are fighting hard to be the next in line program.
UT Harper has done a good job. Nothing great, but no Mess ups like her predecessor. 3rd two years in a row. She is playing to tradition and lineage, “the good old days are coming back.” But she is yet to deliver recruiting wise.
‘20 class was a bust because of coaching change so she went portal, didn’t work out injuries and Talent had problems raising their game
21 class 3 top 100’s plus a very undervalued PG.
No program changers.
22 Pissott her first top notch recruit, gonna be tough if she doesn’t land another 1 or 2
OM HOME RUNS recruiting and portal. Should make a huge leap forward this year. Kids love her and want to play for her. I need to see more of her coaching. Make no mistake in one or two years OM will be faced with a question? How much are we willing to pay to keep her? Or will she just leave because it’s a much better destination. I bet the taters wished they had hired her
Ark. Neighbors is smart and kids love him. He has a style of play that is fun and rarely seen. Scored big this year recruiting. Does it again they are banging on the top 10 doorstep.
UGA Quietist turn around in the league. Excellent coach especially D. Solid recruiting, just need some breakout players
LSU even with Mulkey, tough rebuild. Lise 8 srs this year and help will have to come in the portal
UT Harper has done a good job. Nothing great, but no Mess ups like her predecessor. 3rd two years in a row. She is playing to tradition and lineage, “the good old days are coming back.” But she is yet to deliver recruiting wise.
‘20 class was a bust because of coaching change so she went portal, didn’t work out injuries and Talent had problems raising their game
21 class 3 top 100’s plus a very undervalued PG.
No program changers.
22 Pissott her first top notch recruit, gonna be tough if she doesn’t land another 1 or 2
OM HOME RUNS recruiting and portal. Should make a huge leap forward this year. Kids love her and want to play for her. I need to see more of her coaching. Make no mistake in one or two years OM will be faced with a question? How much are we willing to pay to keep her? Or will she just leave because it’s a much better destination. I bet the taters wished they had hired her
Ark. Neighbors is smart and kids love him. He has a style of play that is fun and rarely seen. Scored big this year recruiting. Does it again they are banging on the top 10 doorstep.
UGA Quietist turn around in the league. Excellent coach especially D. Solid recruiting, just need some breakout players
LSU even with Mulkey, tough rebuild. Lise 8 srs this year and help will have to come in the portal
If I were a gambler, I would say if none of the 3 sign with Carolina...
Cooper to UT
Barker to Ole Piss
Watkins to Kentucky
I want Barker and Watkins for SURE!!!! Cooper would be nice also, but I want Fulwiley next year as the PG of the class....
Cooper to UT
Barker to Ole Piss
Watkins to Kentucky
I want Barker and Watkins for SURE!!!! Cooper would be nice also, but I want Fulwiley next year as the PG of the class....
We have an embarrassment of riches.
I think there is a distinct possibility that we might not sign any of the three because our roster is so loaded. And there is a very strong possibility that we don’t get BOTH of Barker and Watkins.
cooper has to look at the three guards we signed last year and ask herself if she can beat them out for playing time in the future. She’s very good but all three OF THE ‘21s were ranked higher than her and will be around for three of her four years. Plus, there is a strong possibility that Fulwiley could be added next year.
Barker and Watkins know that Boston and Amihere will be around for a year, Cordosa for two and Feagan for three. Barker, as a top five prospect, may not be willing to wait even a year for playing time. Ashlyn, as a hometown gal, might be willing to wait if she is our only signee at the big slot but may not be willing if we do get Barker.
I would hate to see us lose in-staters Cooper and Watkins. I agree that Fulwiley is an almost-must-have in the ‘23 class.
Number 1 ‘24, Joyce Edwards, is as close as it gets to being a must-have. However, I worry about Stanford who offered in the past week. Joyce (with her 4.95 gpa) has to seriously consider the value of a Stanford degree being much greater than her potential earnings as a pro basketball player.
every team we recruit against for the three ‘22s will be selling playing time.
I think the extra COVID season is doing us no favor with the 22 class. I have seen Destanni and Saxton projected as 2nd round draft picks, so they probably won't be back. But who knows? Tennessee needs a PG NOW, Kentucky needs post players NOW. No need to worry about anyone returning.
But the program is at a place that even losing out on players just presents opportunities. It will make recruiting in 23 an easier sell. I remember when we lost out on Oboda-Nelson and I said the same thing. Sure enough, Dawn landed Boston the next season.
But the program is at a place that even losing out on players just presents opportunities. It will make recruiting in 23 an easier sell. I remember when we lost out on Oboda-Nelson and I said the same thing. Sure enough, Dawn landed Boston the next season.
1. Watkins going to UK would be a DISASTER for her.
UK has 11 on scholarship and graduate 4 of their top 5 players and the 5th is a forth year junior. Treasure Hunt is the only other player on the roster that might make the playing rotation(not starting) of any of the top 6 SEC teams. They already have a commit from a top 100 P player
Elzey is an unproven promoted from interim coach.
If she goes there, they might make the NCAAs her senior year.
2. PGs mature at different rates
Believe it or not Ty Harris had almost identical stats her Jr and Sr years but she was a totally different player. Both she and Harrigan were not on the WNBA draft radar at all.
I expect to see Henny make a similar leap. Saxton is simply a consistent 15-18 footer away from making an WNBA roster
3. I would understand Cooper going elsewhere,
5 guards coming back, BUT only 1 PG. I also think you will see Rivers and maybe even Hall get time at the 3 spot. The questions are, how bad does she want to be here? How truly competitive is she? How does she weigh playing time and final fours?
4. Barker is tougher to quantify. You can’t pigeon hole her into a position. She can play 2,3, and 4, even 5 in a pinch. She will be a badass wherever. Does she want to be THE BADASS or be on a team of badasses. Also convince me Coach Yo is there in 3 years
Also it’s just tough to recruit after signing a top class, but it opens up the next year.
When we missed Ododa-Nelson and Christyn Williams several on this board really dogged DS. Wondering aloud about her ability to recruit against “Big time” programs but they will never fess up to that
UK has 11 on scholarship and graduate 4 of their top 5 players and the 5th is a forth year junior. Treasure Hunt is the only other player on the roster that might make the playing rotation(not starting) of any of the top 6 SEC teams. They already have a commit from a top 100 P player
Elzey is an unproven promoted from interim coach.
If she goes there, they might make the NCAAs her senior year.
2. PGs mature at different rates
Believe it or not Ty Harris had almost identical stats her Jr and Sr years but she was a totally different player. Both she and Harrigan were not on the WNBA draft radar at all.
I expect to see Henny make a similar leap. Saxton is simply a consistent 15-18 footer away from making an WNBA roster
3. I would understand Cooper going elsewhere,
5 guards coming back, BUT only 1 PG. I also think you will see Rivers and maybe even Hall get time at the 3 spot. The questions are, how bad does she want to be here? How truly competitive is she? How does she weigh playing time and final fours?
4. Barker is tougher to quantify. You can’t pigeon hole her into a position. She can play 2,3, and 4, even 5 in a pinch. She will be a badass wherever. Does she want to be THE BADASS or be on a team of badasses. Also convince me Coach Yo is there in 3 years
Also it’s just tough to recruit after signing a top class, but it opens up the next year.
When we missed Ododa-Nelson and Christyn Williams several on this board really dogged DS. Wondering aloud about her ability to recruit against “Big time” programs but they will never fess up to that
And let's not forget the transfer portal. Having a free scholarship or two gives coach some flexibility there.
