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huskerwbbfan23



Joined: 07 Aug 2011
Posts: 415



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PostPosted: 10/25/14 10:08 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

For Nebraska...

I agree a lot with what NoDakSt said, but I wouldn't underestimate what Cady and Sample bring to the table. Cady has been steady for us for three seasons and she's one of those does-all-the-little-things-right kinds of players. Sample is our best wing defender, and started to score more consistently last year. And here's the big thing: Cady and Sample have started all 100 games of their careers together. They've played in 3 NCAA tourneys and have the chance to be the first seniors in Husker history to play in 4 straight NCAA tourneys.

And then of course we have Theriot at the point, and Laudermill who finally developed a 3-pt shot last season.

I think Havers starts, but she's a question mark for me. From what I hear, she's really bulked up in the off-season. That should help considering she was a twig last season and got pushed around in the post. If the Michigan St game in the conference tourney is any indication of what she can do, then she should have a break-out season.

Obviously you don't replace someone like Jordan Hooper, but by returning 4 starters and Havers - who was the first off the bench last year - I don't think we take a huge step down.

Weaknesses: Bench depth. This is supposed to be the best recruiting class in the history of the program, but you never know until the freshman arrive on campus. There are going to be growing pains with 7 newcomers. The hope is that some combo of Kaylee Page, Chandler Smith, Natalie Romeo will figure it out and contribute. Then we have the JUCO transfer Kalenta so she at least has some college experience. Apparently the staff really likes Darrien Washington who provides another big body in the post. We also recruited Jasmine Cincore whose build is very similar to Dominque Kelley.


Schedule Sure there are some cupcakes on this schedule but honestly, we wouldn't be the first top-25 team who scheduled 'easy' games every season. Someone pointed out this might be intentional since we have so many newbies.

That being said...we play Washington State on the road and last year we lost to them at home so we can't overlook them. We play UCLA on the road and they have a good recruiting class. Duke will be our toughest game and Creighton is usually a close game.

In B1G play, 3 of our first 4 games are on the road and the only home game is against Maryland. I think we'll be happy if we go 2-2 during that stretch. After those first four games, we get Penn State and Purdue at home. Ideally you would like to win both but I wouldn't be surprised if we started conference play 3-3 or even 2-4. Hell, we might have a better record than that but I think it all depends on how Havers and the newbies play.

myrtle wrote:
NoDakSt wrote:
Nebraska:

Connie Yori just this past week stated that her Cornhusker team is in no way as far along as last year's team at the opening of Fall practice.


I kind of wondered if this was a real opinion or if she was just trying to lower expectations and/or motivate players. It seems like a weird thing for a coach to say.


It's a pretty typical thing for her to say. I think the only time she didn't say something along the lines of "we aren't that good" to start the year was the 09-10 season, which was Griffin's senior year and the team that went 30-0 in the regular season.

[


huskerwbbfan23



Joined: 07 Aug 2011
Posts: 415



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PostPosted: 10/25/14 10:10 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

double post
whoops Embarassed


beknighted



Joined: 11 Nov 2004
Posts: 11050
Location: Lost in D.C.


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PostPosted: 10/25/14 12:23 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Rutgers

Strengths: Everyone significant is back, plus 2 JUCO transfers and 2 frosh. The JUCOs were brought in specifically to address 3-point shooting issues, and word is that the other players were working on that as well. (There probably wasn't a team in the women's game last year that had better mid-range shooting, but they just hardly ever took 3s - just one player averaged more than one a game.) Defense, of course - last year opponents were held to .356 shooting. Tyler Scaife and Kahleah Copper both are capable of taking over a game; Rachel Hollivay, who averaged better than 3 blocks a game, is a huge inside presence.

Weaknesses: 3-point shooting, even with the help. Scoring in general continues to be something of an issue, although it improved last year. The posts often run into foul trouble. Maybe some issues with playing time, as this is the biggest roster CVS has had in years.

Neither a strength or a weakness is that CVS already is working on the chip on the shoulder for not getting an NCAA bid last year. She mentioned it on media day, and I'm sure the team has been hearing about it, too. (Presumably, the way she's done it before, which is to tell them they have to make sure the tournament committee has no choice about taking them.) She's pretty good at this kind of psychology.

And, of course, the big imponderable is how the team will do in the B1G. There are no UConns (or, for that matter, Notre Dames or Louisvilles), but there's also not a diet of SMUs and Memphises either. I'm seeing a lot of predictions that RU finishes in the middle, which seem sensible to me in the context of nobody really knowing, but don't really seem to be real predictions.


dtrain34



Joined: 17 Aug 2010
Posts: 409
Location: Lacey, Washington


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PostPosted: 10/26/14 5:14 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

New Mexico State (11-20, 7-9 in the WAC last season)

Not returning:

Danesia Williamson (First team All-WAC guard). Only played half the season a year ago because of ineligibility and fell off the squad for good at the end of the season for the same reason. Intense, aggressive, scored in big spurts but tended to dominate the ball and the flow.

Starters back:

Sasha Weber (6' JR plays point thru 4 at various times). "Glue" player the last two seasons behind Williamson and Stefanie Gilbreath was first team pre-season All-WAC trailing only MVP Tyonna Outland of Bakersfield in the coaches and media voting after scoring 13.7 points per game last season and moving into the top 10 in all-time three pointers made at NMSU. Only Aggie to start all 31 games in '13-'14 is a capable rebounder and defender, too.
Abby Scott (6'1" JR wing). One of the best streak shooters in the country can get on scary rolls, as in her 11-for-20 three-point performance against Chicago State last year that set a WAC record and left her one short of the NCAA single game three mark of 12. Averaged 10.8 as a soph and was a second-team All-WAC preseason choice, an apparently sixth place finisher in both the coaches and media voting.
Moriah Mack (5'8" SO G). Lightning quick, good hands on defense, can get to the basket on offense. Averaged 7.2 ppg and was second on the team in steals, third in 3-pt percentage. Will only get better.
Briana Freeman (6'1" SO 4) Second on the squad in rebounding last season, averaged 6.4 points per game. All-Academic player.

Key newcomers:

Shanice Davis (5'6" JR PG) Transfer from McLennan JC has stepped in to run the show with -- reportedly -- good court vision and passing skills on display in closed scrimmages with a JC and a D1. All-Region and Honorable Mention All-America after scoring 13.9 points and dishing out 6.9 assists per game.
Kassandra Harris (5'9" SO F) Scored 15.1 points and grabbed 6.4 rebounds for a championship New Mexico JC team last season as a freshman.

Others:

Tyler Ellis (6'2" SO Post) is mobile, doesn't miss inside and let the team in rebounds while coming off the bench a year ago.... Bradley Nash (6' JR Post) is a volleyball star who will join the basketball team at the end of the v-ball season; added inside presence and poise last season....Jasmine Rutledge (6' SR G) returns after missing all of last season with an injury.... Brandee Walton (5'11" SO F) and Tamera William (5'9" SO G) give coach Mark Trakh some athletic options off the bench.... Zaire Williams (5'6" FR G) will likely be the back-up to starting PG Davis. Jasmine Cooper (5'11" FR F) will add depth to the front court and Emily Hardin (5'4 F G) shot the lights out in high school.

Strengths:

Deep, athletic roster. Speed to run the break, quickness to play great defense. The Aggies can and will shoot it and make it from long range.

Weakness:

They're small. Inside post scoring mainly came via putbacks or passes dimed to wide open players last year. No one can overpower the opponent with deliberate inside moves. Rebounding is an issue with some players tasked with rebounding while also being the primary 3-point scorers.


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