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2021-2022 WBB Team

They must be just saving Zia for max State bc she is walking fine with no brace. They seem to be hitting their groove now. Benedict just kept throwing up threes and they were going in early but our D could have definitely been better. Bright spots so far are Johnson and Rivers.
 
They must be just saving Zia for max State bc she is walking fine with no brace. They seem to be hitting their groove now. Benedict just kept throwing up threes and they were going in early but our D could have definitely been better. Bright spots so far are Johnson and Rivers.
Cordosa is great but should be more aggressive in my opinion.
 
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Just shy of a 100 pts and the bench scored 64 points. There appears to be a good bit to still work on, but there's a lot of promise on what this team can be. Looks like our veterans having been working on expanding their games and newbies are unafraid to make an impact. Hopefully we have a strong showing next week and that propels us to another National Championship.
 
Glad to see Beal shooting and making the mid range shots. You can tell she's put in the time. Cardosa with 18 points 13 rebounds and 3 blocks. Inside it seems she can almost score at will. Love Rivers smooth game and Johnson's passing. The scrimmage was like a real game with lots of fans from Benedict and a battle of the pep bands. Started slow out of the gates which happens too often but towards the end of the first half our team started to impose their will. Defense wasn't great but got better as the game went on. Final score was 98-41 and Dawn stopped them from reaching 100.
 
Clearing house of comments, links and a question

Postgame DS said
JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING YALL HAVE COMMENTED ON!!! I love this thread

If we were playing State tonight Zia plays
Said Cardoso needed to be more aggressive on O. For three reasons 1. Force D to double, 2 needs to draw fouls 3 Don’t care if she misses, she opens up the offensive glass
REALLY high on Raven
Breezy Hall is a lock down defender, we don’t need her to score but we need her D
Called Rivers special on O
Said Poor Sania Feagin, she is a great player but has 4 players that have years on her in knowing the system, playing college and in the weight room.
Many other great thoughts video is on
Gamecocksonline


Question

I love this thread 17 pages 30k views. It seems to have developed its own ethos. It’s intelligent, brings a ton of info from many different sources, RARELY gets sidetrack into the BS and sniping(of which I can be the chief sinner) Shuts down assholes quickly.

Do we want to make this thread season long? Or go back to the board?

I would like to continue this thread as a place to give news, recruiting updates, scouting reports for games and as the in game thread ALL SEASON LONG! Y’all already did that with Benedict. If something is really big we could double post. Thank you for all contributions, you have made me a smarter Gamecock WBB fan.

Lastly, here are the top 25 transfers, half the dang list is either coming in or leaving the SEC, more are coming in


 
She did say that but added we can teach that.

Rivers brings something that I don’t remember us having, maybe Mitchell, a dominant pure scorer. Spot up 3, midrange jumper, strong finisher on the break, effective slasher to the hoop, very good FT shooter AND DS loves how she passes. Think Rhyne Howard but not a black hole with the ball plus she is 6’1”. Oh and she dunks

Does she seem to have the kind of talent to take over a game? In Bueckers, that was clearly the difference between us and UCONN last year.
 
Does she seem to have the kind of talent to take over a game? In Bueckers, that was clearly the difference between us and UCONN last year.
Yes! She averaged 37 in HS and DS never talks about her without talking about her court vision and presence. Says she makes passes other don’t even know are open.
Azzi Fudd got all the ink of being the generational SG out of this class and she great. BUT she played on a team stocked with power 5 recruits at one of the elite BB factories in the country. Her parents played college ball and been press seeking and friendly. And she is BFF with Bueckers.

Rivers is the real deal and Bueckers can’t dunk
 
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All right guys, need a quick refresher with the season starting. Boston is the superstar -- who are the other main stars? Dawn recruited so many good players I can't figure out who to focus on. I'll hang up and listen.
 
Yes! She averaged 37 in HS and DS never talks about her without talking about her court vision and presence. Says she makes passes other don’t even know are open.
Azzi Fudd got all the ink of being the generational SG out of this class and she great. BUT she played on a team stocked with power 5 recruits at one of the elite BB factories in the country. Her parents played college ball and been press seeking and friendly. And she is BFF with Bueckers.

Rivers is the real deal and Bueckers can’t dunk

By take over a game, I don't mean a streaky player who sometimes goes off and helps us win an occasional game, but someone who *knows* they are the best player on the court and will impose her will against another national power. Obviously, Aja was that for us during our national championship. (She refused to let us lose that championship game.) Not quite in that caliber was Kiki, who made herself into a much better offensive player by her senior year... What a regret to see if that team could have won the championship outright. As great at Dawn has recruited, it seems like Geno still wins that ethereal player. Breanna Stewart for instance. Bueckers is just the latest.
 
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I know a lot of UNC fans would like it as well, at least for WBB. Maybe it'll happen soon now that Hatchell is no longer their head coach. It wouldn't surprise me if both programs' head coaches had a talk about it on Saturday....
Within the past 20 years, WBB played regular season scheduled games vs the Holes in late December in Myrtle Beach.
 
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By take over a game, I don't mean a streaky player who sometimes goes off and helps us win an occasional game, but someone who *knows* they are the best player on the court and will impose her will against another national power. Obviously, Aja was that for us during our national championship. (She refused to let us lose that championship game.) Not quite in that caliber was Kiki, who made herself into a much better offensive player by her season year... What a regret to see if that team could have won the championship outright. As great at Dawn has recruited, it seems like Geno still wins that ethereal player. Breanna Stewart for instance. Bueckers is just the latest.
A’ja was that for us her jr. and sr. Years but she was a PF. Rivers will not be dominant as freshman, too much talent and low post talent.
DS wants balance, so no I don’t think Rivers will be what Bueckers is. BUT she will carry this team and eventually be the go to player in crunch time.She will be the player everybody game plans for.

The only person to hold A’ja Wilson under a 20 ppg avg is Dawn Staley. I believe when Rivers hits tha WNBA the same will be said of her

Bueckers was surrounded by talent also, but it underachieved and didn’t want to be a lead dog.I mean thank God we didn’t get Nelson - Ododa.... we would have never gotten Boston, same with Zia vs Williams.
 
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Clearing house of comments, links and a question

Postgame DS said
JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING YALL HAVE COMMENTED ON!!! I love this thread

If we were playing State tonight Zia plays
Said Cardoso needed to be more aggressive on O. For three reasons 1. Force D to double, 2 needs to draw fouls 3 Don’t care if she misses, she opens up the offensive glass
REALLY high on Raven
Breezy Hall is a lock down defender, we don’t need her to score but we need her D
Called Rivers special on O
Said Poor Sania Feagin, she is a great player but has 4 players that have years on her in knowing the system, playing college and in the weight room.
Many other great thoughts video is on
Gamecocksonline


Question

I love this thread 17 pages 30k views. It seems to have developed its own ethos. It’s intelligent, brings a ton of info from many different sources, RARELY gets sidetrack into the BS and sniping(of which I can be the chief sinner) Shuts down assholes quickly.

Do we want to make this thread season long? Or go back to the board?

I would like to continue this thread as a place to give news, recruiting updates, scouting reports for games and as the in game thread ALL SEASON LONG! Y’all already did that with Benedict. If something is really big we could double post. Thank you for all contributions, you have made me a smarter Gamecock WBB fan.

Lastly, here are the top 25 transfers, half the dang list is either coming in or leaving the SEC, more are coming in


I've been impressed with this thread as well.
 
All right guys, need a quick refresher with the season starting. Boston is the superstar -- who are the other main stars? Dawn recruited so many good players I can't figure out who to focus on. I'll hang up and listen.
Well let’s see......pick a player any Player


Starters
Boston and Cooke 1st team preseason All American
Henny 2nd team AA and probably the fastest player in the country with the ball in her hands.

Saxton and Beal I can them Mike Rowe all Americans. They will do all the dirty work; rebound on both ends, defend, set picks, pick up the garbage, block shots and never demand that an offensive set be run for them.

Bench

Cardoso there is only 1 question about her.....
Will she be an All American like McCown at Miss St who rides the pines in the WNBA or Does she become Brittney Griner 10 time all WNBA. There are a couple of 6’9” players. One at Ore. St., a stiff and string bean Nancy Mulkey. She is the strongest player in WBB.

Amihere, must cut down on TO’s, be strong at the hoop and figure out shot selection. You may laugh BUT she is faster than Henny(timed in workouts), has the highest vertical jump on the team and out lifts Boston and
Cardoso. When she figures it out, WATCH OUT

Rivers superstar in the making freshman all SEC

Hall defensive demon

Raven has better PG natural instincts than Henny, all SEC freshman and 1st Team all SEC next year

Littleton is finally in great shape and is excellent 3 pt shooter

Poor Sania Feagin, starts on EVERY SEC team except maybe UGA and is all freshmen. She is buried behind older, stronger future WNBA all stars

Russell incredible athlete who is making herself into player. DS chose her to replace Zia in exhibition
 
I think I'm most excited about seeing some offense from the 3/4. If Beal adds a consistent 3-point shot and Saxton can make plays away from the basket, the door opens wide for our offense to be practically unstoppable by 90% of our scheduled opponents.
 
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I hope our players are better prepared for the game than the NCSU players. (In addition to being better).
 
I hope our players are better prepared for the game than the NCSU players. (In addition to being better).
Well funny that you asked. Here is an update.
Appears Kayla Jones will play against us but Jada Boyd will be a no go.

Thought it was funny as he talked about their brutal OOC Schedule... 2 top 5 teams us and UMD, #8 Indiana and UGA.
Take out indiana and UGA replace with #2 UCONN x2, #3 Stanford, #10 Oregon, #25 S Dak and tourney bound Duke.

 
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I think I'm most excited about seeing some offense from the 3/4. If Beal adds a consistent 3-point shot and Saxton can make plays away from the basket, the door opens wide for our offense to be practically unstoppable by 90% of our scheduled opponents.
Unfortunately that didn't happen last night for Saxton. She was 1-6 from the field.

We were +7 with Saxton in the game. In comparison, Feagin +14, Boston +17, Amihere +27, Cardoso +29, Beal +41.

We can get away with a "sluggish start" against Benedict or even most of SEC opponents, but in the NCAA tournament against UCONN or Stanford, that could lead to the end of the season. There's still a long way off, though. I know Dawn loves her seniors, but at some point starting Amihere, Cardoso or even Rivers might be what's best for the team.
 
Unfortunately that didn't happen last night for Saxton. She was 1-6 from the field.

We were +7 with Saxton in the game. In comparison, Feagin +14, Boston +17, Amihere +27, Cardoso +29, Beal +41.

We can get away with a "sluggish start" against Benedict or even most of SEC opponents, but in the NCAA tournament against UCONN or Stanford, that could lead to the end of the season. There's still a long way off, though. I know Dawn loves her seniors, but at some point starting Amihere, Cardoso or even Rivers might be what's best for the team.
You make a good point. I think that in typical DS Fashion she will not mess with that starting lineup. But if Beal and Saxton can’t produce offensively minutes will be reduced
 
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Well funny that you asked. Here is an update.
Appears Kayla Jones will play against us but Jada Boyd will be a no go.

Thought it was funny as he talked about their brutal OOC Schedule... 2 top 5 teams us and UMD, #8 Indiana and UGA.
Take out indiana and UGA replace with #2 UCONN x2, #3 Stanford, #10 Oregon, #25 S Dak and tourney bound Duke.

I bet Kayla Jones is being activated because of injury to Boyd. This is just me speculating, obviously, but I bet Kayla will not be 100% for our game. I think this will open the door for players like Amihere to dominate.
 
Unfortunately that didn't happen last night for Saxton. She was 1-6 from the field.

We were +7 with Saxton in the game. In comparison, Feagin +14, Boston +17, Amihere +27, Cardoso +29, Beal +41.

We can get away with a "sluggish start" against Benedict or even most of SEC opponents, but in the NCAA tournament against UCONN or Stanford, that could lead to the end of the season. There's still a long way off, though. I know Dawn loves her seniors, but at some point starting Amihere, Cardoso or even Rivers might be what's best for the team.
Dawn knows what she has with the starters from last year. They've been in pressure situations and were one bucket away from being in a National Title. They have chemistry and have earned her trust. I think you'll see Cardoso come off the bench and get plenty of minutes but Saxton has the edge with experience. No way you start a true freshmen like Rivers. Amihere has her own issues getting caught under the basket and having the ball taken away. She still has the tendency to pull the ball down and put it in jeopardy. If she could clean that up, look out. As Rivers and others get experience, the starting lineup could definitely change as the season progresses. So many weapons.
 
Attendance for the NC State game.....
Reynolds Arena holds 14,000 and State website says only 224 tickets available.

It is the ESPN National game of opening night.
5pm tip. Gonna be a helluva of an atmosphere.
Nothing like getting thrown in the deep end to start the season
 
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Attendance for the NC State game.....
Reynolds Arena holds 14,000 and State website says only 224 tickets available.

It is the ESPN National game of opening night.
5pm tip. Gonna be a helluva of an atmosphere.
Nothing like getting thrown in the deep end to start the season

Per NCSU web site, it holds 6k max for hoops these days.

Valvano Arena at Reynolds Coliseum

Unless they can and are willing to move the game to the PNC arena (which seats 19k), no 14k for this contest.
 
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Limited seating
Seating in Reynolds Coliseum was reduced as part of the building remodel a few years ago. Appears to have nothing to do with the pandemic. That's 6k seats total, not 14k total but only 6k available due to "limited seating."

Which brings up a bigger question. How many ACC/SEC schools have both basketball teams playing home games in the same arena?. What about the top 20 women's teams in general? Do they play home games in the same arenas as the men's team do? We know that amongst SEC/ACC schools, USC, UGA, & Dook do, and that Kentucky, UnCarolina, and NC State do not.
 
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Seating in Reynolds Coliseum was reduced as part of the building remodel a few years ago. Appears to have nothing to do with the pandemic. That's 6k seats total, not 14k total but only 6k available due to "limited seating."

Which brings up a bigger question. How many ACC/SEC schools have both basketball teams playing home games in the same arena?. What about the top 20 women's teams in general? Do they play home games in the same arenas as the men's team do? We know that amongst SEC/ACC schools, USC, UGA, & Dook do, and that Kentucky, UnCarolina, and NC State do not.
UF, UT, Vandy, Mizzou, Miss st same stadium. Bama different stadium.
 
They play some games at Coleman, where the men play. But there is another facility on campus where they also play. We played there recently on TV and looked like really nice gym from the 40’s had a bit of an Art Deco vibe
I know that the Kentucky women play at the old Memorial Coliseum on campus. It also has a real throwback look to it.
 
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