TTT

IU Ladies seem to be struggling in the small market area as well.

NIL INFLATION So what I am reading, in reality IU Ladies Basketball program NIL is in limbo. This makes sense because a couple years ago T. Moren talked about fairness, limitations, equitable distribution of NIL among all NCAA programs from universities to universities but she didn’t know what it would look like. She just thought there needed to be some discussion. (it seems IU Ladies may have gotten left in the dust)…after riding several IU Ladies players into what is today’s reality.

That didn’t take long. Dudley to Michigan.

Disparities in talent levels of women college basketball….UCONN shooting horrible 3 point ball and still dominating win vs South Carolina. Several teams can win in so many different ways….and then there are the teams that have hardly any margin for error which probably more represents T. Moren era….mostly team coached well but not much room for margin of error.

Brenda F. though I agree has some parallels in comparison I think it’s really not a good comparison. B. F. has a national championship 3 final fours and dominance ….many 20+ wins seasons Maryland before joining the big ten for many years. A more fair comparison would be somewhere in the middle between Northwestern coach/Joe McKeown and Maryland coach/Brenda Frese. Agree it’s good to squeeze every last drop of juice out of roster it also could be argued that putting roster in that position equals the situation that is playing out now…even before NIL leaving roster to thin when injuries occur and falling short of a final four (good (much better than what IU had) vs elite/great)….now NIL has multiplied issues problems multiple times. sidenote: Frese even coached at Ball State early on.

So…before the NIL fiasco T. Moren was pretty stable to retire from IU. Is it still the same as a player in the range of bottom half of big ten eventually just riding it out for several years (don’t know how long until retirement) but I think she would have been good for at least another decade or does T. Moren enter the transfer portal as well. These thoughts after another 20 year win season among many consecutive 20+ win seasons. Projection forecast is or has the sky fallen that could be questionably be called a team mutiny. (among the transfers from IU (which is true of many transfers from many schools) I do not see hardly any positive love for coaching staff)….like from the successful players that finished their careers at IU.

Maybe, start at some of them. Not sure about every one of them.

Gianna Kneepkens/UTAH visits to UCLA, South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma.

That didn’t take long..:Ra Shaya Kyle/Florida (Marion HS Indiana) to Miami in Florida. Wonder how coaches and players feel after spending one, two, and three years together playing each other in games, prep, pre game, during game, and the post game lines….. and as undergraduate alumni/post grad alumni. It’s getting like pick up games in various parts of neighborhoods. You may not be on the same team from game to game.

Regarding Zania Nguemen-Socka and pictures on twitter that are at IU with IU coaches etc are from 2023 visits before committing to UCLA. After committing to UCLA Zania Nguemen-Socka said runner ups were IU and Michigan….of course things can change.

So, a year or two ago IU Ladies were heavily involved recruiting Blakes who went to Vandy……and Zania Socka-Nguemen who followed Dudley to UCLA (Dudley mother coached both I think at some point). IU Ladies were in top 5 for Socka-Nguemen and after committing to UCLA she was asked a question where she would have went if not UCLA. Nguemen-Socka stated she wasn’t sure but said probably Indiana or Michigan. (Some of these players have big ideas about how much they are going to impact their team when making transition from high school to being a freshman (or even sophomore) to college). Both, Dudley and Socka-Nguemen are in transfer portal. Not sure about any mutual interest between Nguemen-Socka and Indiana now. sidenote: Have not heard anything about Williams/Wisky, Christen Carter/Butler, Makalusky/Butler, Ra Shaya Kyle/Florida among others nor any updates on IU Ladies.

Cotie McMahon and Ole Miss visit.

I agree with the above assessments. Players are probably carful trying not to burn bridges and eliminate possible problems by harsh statements. Maybe, American Greetings or Hallmark Cards could develop a category of cards for transfer portal players. (maybe a business opportunity). Yes, I thought Sofilkanich was a possibility when she first entered.

I know it’s early and will be what it will be but some of the players in the transfer portal committed elsewhere or not sure do seem like they are emotionally connected to their school they happened to play for the previous season/s.

Currently, Shay is the best player on IU Ladies roster. Beaumont is very promising but unproven at the level that she will have to play. Depending on her recovery process and keeping healthy with no re injury will go a long way towards her success. Freshman: though promising….unproven and both, will need to play. Faith needs to take a step forward whatever that is. Spreen is a lateral move in back court from 24-25 bench…lack of experience/playing time but she may have untapped scoring and shooting ability and should be able to make fts…though Bama stats show opposite…should be able to be taught defense. Stotjin has experience maybe needs to play in right system because her stat sheet is not good. Mystifying. Fenn still in recovery. Don’t expect much. Valentyna another player. Help Wanted: High Level players needed. 1 and possibly 2 6’3”+ and taller and 2 scorers at 6’2” and 6’0 or 6’1.”

There are several 6’3,” 6’4,” even 6’5,” and 6’6” Ladies in the transfer portal. And several played sparingly. However, there are probably 3 or 4 who could be impact players and 3 or 4 more who could be solid players and the rest are probably projects of survival that maybe one might be somewhat productive. Tall players continue getting added to transfer portal…IU Ladies are going to get one or two….For IU Ladies it needs to be good.

That is my thought as well. However, 2 or 3 of those are needed.

That didn’t take long. Avery Howell to Washington. Excellent pick up for Washington. Nice considering where she went to high school Boise, Idaho. Meanwhile much needed good news (actually great news needed) for IU Ladies Basketball program…..Crickets.

It is horrible decision for/regarding T. Moren and IU Ladies basketball program. (based on dedication from T. Moren, coaches, all of basketball program and others from IU). I am just referring to Garzon wants/needs matching Maryland/coach and basketball program only. Has nothing/0 about rooting or not rooting for her.

IU Ladies 2 from the transfer portal thus far. I guess all other available IU Ladies target lists are classified information.

I suppose this could apply for both, men and Ladies…Isn’t it time to coin a new term regarding transfer portal in major college sports…… ”TEAM TRAITOR/S”

Brenda F. and Maryland will benefit…where T. Moren made it more of a focal point….Brenda F. and Maryland will not but maybe a special play or only when Garzon wants or decides to more or less on her own because Maryland has talent around her and it’s not necessary (it’s called recruiting success). So Brenda F. and Maryland can thank T. Moren for that part of her game when Garzon does use it. However, Garzon now will be able to be more comfortable and confident with her outside game that she loves without pressure to do those things which T. Moren tried to force upon her out of necessity (due to lack of recruiting enough high level talent). I actually argued on here a year and a half ago about T. Moren wanting Garzon to post up inside more and develop inside game along with outside game but whoever it was said I didn’t know what I was talking about.

She gets some elite high personality players (Holmes, Parrish) but seems don’t get to many (keep control of comfort zone) so to speak. (Holmes really developed her high level personality while at IU)

Is T. Moren afraid to coach (not USA teams players) or fill uncomfortable recruiting/coaching the more elite high personality players? Example: after IU puts effort in recruiting Ayanna Patterson….UCONN coach steps in and tells Patterson that he has coached many players of her level…..she could be back at UCONN 25-26…she has been injury prone. IU Ladies have an injury and it really has negative effects….UCONN injury UCONN still a national powerhouse.

Much respect for B.F. even before this.