mickey one

yes, it is just somewhat mystifying as to why Coach Moren has not had more success. She coached a bunch of A-listers this past summer on the national team, but none of them chose IU for college (even though a few of them were still on the board). In college athletics, recruiting is destiny, like it or not.

P.S. also, if this is a "lost year" in terms of championships, etc., why not give people like Currie-Jelks & Kadlecova some exposure? to see how they would handle things, if the "regulars" look flat. Are they that uninspiring or incapable in practice? To stick to a tight rotation, and the tight rotation is going nowhere . . . it starts to feel like a "doom loop".

Recruiting failures are taking their toll--if you had Reagan Beers, Makayla Blakes, Syla Swords, et al., I think it would be a different story. Forget about winning anything big this year. Next year, Maya Makalusky and maybe Nevaeh Caffey can step into the starting lineup.

Think "Hannah Hidalgo"

Posted 39 minutes ago I love Geno! Incredible coach and incredible leader. Everything one should want to run a program. He will crush you, and then explain that he is unhappy, because his team made mistakes. If you're a UConn fan, it's great. UConn really needs to get out of the Big East--they have pretty much trampled everyone mercilessly. They need to be in the Big 12 or the Big 10. I don't know what the politics were in inviting Rutgers and not UConn. "Fast and Bulbous."

https://www.crimsonquarry.com/2024/9/13/24228847/indiana-womens-basketball-valentyna-kadlecova-scouting-report

We already have Nevaeh Caffey, not to mention Maya Makalusky. Caffey can do everything Beckham can do. We need to commit to the development and eventual stardom of the top players we recruit. Was there even room for Beckham at IU? I question that, and she may have questioned it, too. I know some of the top programs like UConn "stockpile" players. UConn has a "survival of the fittest" spectacle going on at guard this year, with 9 players vying for 2, or maybe 3 starting spots. The result will be a number of high school All-Americans sitting on the bench. That is sad.

(1) For what it's worth, "International names to know for WNBA draft"--lists her name: https://wbasketballblog.com/2023/12/28/international-names-to-know-for-2024-wnba-draft/ FYI: Czech teammate Dominika Paurova had good 1st year at Oregon State, and is now at Kentucky. SO, maybe this girl has some real talent. (2) Fact is that for IU women in 24-25, there are a whole bunch of people who have the potential, but they need to take the next step--that certainly includes Lamendola, Bargesser (can she get a steady 3), Currie-Jelks, Meister. Any or all of them could break out and show "All-Big 10 form". Or not. Maybe you can add Valentyna to that group. (3) Look at what Garzon has accomplished. Did anyone really predict that when she came in as an international?

Sounds like she wants to "see the world" (get away from home) and have a shot at PT (Rutgers?). However, it's nice when the recruit is not "lowering the list to 6 or 8 or 12, but really just wants to go to IU, like with Maya, Nevaeh, and Faith.

Emily McDonald has offers from Purdue, Michigan State, Princeton, amongst others.

+ doesn't she play on Sydney Fenn's AAU team? Seems like there are some connections there.

Shay Ciezki is from Lancaster, NY, no?

This girl is seriously outstanding! https://x.com/veahhoops10/status/1779708003605721384

She supposedly has 29 offers. That is insane. How could she make an intelligent and rational choice? When probably the majority of the 29 schools would be perfectly fine, what decides the matter? How can any school (IU included) explain what their program is about, get a fair hearing, and hope for a commitment? Seems like this all creates inflated egos, and many players end up in the transfer portal when things turn out as less than advertised.

I guess it will be interesting. However, how long until the West Coast teams get tired of flying across the country, and reformulate their own West Coast league? TV revenue is one thing, but not at the cost of sanity. I can't believe how college athletics has completely "sold out" to TV money. What about the "student-athlete" thing? What's next, adding some Big "10" teams in Western Europe, South America, and China? Imagine the TV market!

Is she going to start? she shoots 38% FG, with 32% from 3; and they have 6 freshmen. 4-5 stars, coming in. Southern Cal is looking like Arizona, ND, South Carolina et al., kind of a merry-go-round, with lots of people coming in and then leaving. It works for South Carolina; it doesn't work for Arizona.

I wouldn't get too ga ga over Southern Cal just yet. Or UCLA for that matter. They are going to have to deal with a pretty tough Big 10, IU included.

from oregonlive.com: Lily Hansford, jr. G Announced transfer: April 11 (story) News on potential target schools: Among schools to offer are Indiana and Miami. Transfer commitment: Awaiting

When we first played against Shay Ciezki 2 years ago, she was dynamic, and I wondered at that time how Penn State got someone that good. To have her come over to IU would be a great development. She can shoot 3's at 42%. That is Scalia's level, and could continue IU's dominance in 3-point shooting. One frustrating thing about the portal this year: if all the underclassmen step up + Faith Wiseman & Sydney Fenn play well (like Mack or Grace Berger their freshman year), then we really don't need anyone. But, based on last year, we don't know if that is going to happen or not.

Olsen shoots under 30% from 3, so don't know if she can walk in Clark's footsteps. Lex, your work is cut out for you!

Problems with the Transfer Portal: 1. instead of tracking and communicating with a prospect for 1 to 3+ years, coaches and players have a few weeks to consider, assess, communicate, and decide. Seems rushed and hectic, to say the least. 2. if a player has been in demand, after they commit how could they be “coached”, i.e. actually follow the advice or orders of anyone? Wouldn’t they have a swelled head and be beyond criticism? If they don’t play full-time, isn’t it a sure thing that they will be in the portal again? 3. don’t the rich get richer? Isn’t this all boiling down to a faceoff between South Carolina and UConn, and maybe one or two more “megateam” wannabes? You’ve got “pretenders” like USC, UCLA, or Duke, but will they just be slapped down as impudent by the true “big boys”? 4. with that said, IU has to participate. If Faith Wiseman is Freshman of the Year, and Beaumont & Lamendola step up, we'll be ok. But the portal gives you "proven performance" and "known quantities". A few thoughts.

Watching Lucy Olsen clips gives me a "Paige Bueckers vibe". Not quite as tall, but can score in different ways from all over the floor. She could step in for Sara Scalia, and might even be more of an all-around threat. But where Olsen wants to go, who knows? Where players want to play is obviously a determinative factor in the "short portal window". FYI: Olsen was a 3-star out of PA, and not an ESPN top 100 player. Gives hope to the "sleepers" out there, like Zach Edey, who can excel without the hype.

Shocking how many are in the portal, including established stars who would not merely be complaining about playing time. The Oregon State players (Gardiner, von Oelhoffen) are a particular surprise--is it due to the demise of the Pac 12? What do they figure is going to be an improvement? It would be great to get a player of that caliber . . . . but I wonder what these people are looking for? or what would make them happy?

It would be nice to have another 6' 2" athletic presence in the paint, something we could have used THIS year, let alone next year. Never really got to see Sharnecce mix it up under the basket, other than on the Greek trip. So, it's on to Liatu King, et al., and hope that something jells on that front, or hope that Faith Wiseman is All-Big 10 Rookie. Takes a special fit for someone to come in for one year, mix well with the team, and be able to contribute in the Big Ten.

South Carolina is what UConn was 5+ years ago: get the best players in the country, bring in waves of talent and don't care if some of them don't pan out and transfer, and overwhelm the "mere mortal" opposition. It's "state of the art". They do it better than anyone else right now. I suppose they could have a bad game and lose, but it seems pretty unlikely. With that said, if anyone gets to slip by them, I hope it's IU.