IUWBB vs Missouri S&T (Exhibition) - Monday, 10.27.25 @ 7:00 on B1G+

[Hoosierfanyuh 7,405]

Was hoping for a wisemen improvement year expected more from her in general last year too 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 94,737]

Mildly surprised Wiseman only played 9 min. and Spreen 12 min. and then considered this was an ideal game to give Caffey (23 min.) and Makalusky (20 min.) a real taste of college bball even if it was a D-2 opponent.  Wiseman and Spreen have both "been there, done that".   Also, unlike years past, CTM is going to have to rely on her freshmen far more than she historically has and can't just give them mop up minutes.  Interesting to see the starting lineup and minute distribution in our season opener next Tuesday vs. Lipscomb.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 94,737]

Post-game comments.

Shay Ciezki says Nevaeh Caffey is the team's best on-ball defender while Lenee Beaumont calls her "fearless", high praise for the true freshman

Lenee Beaumont talking about leadership after the game, said they had one teaching moment after the game...had to teach all the newcomers IU's fight song

Teri Moren: "Nevaeh (Caffey) set the table us for defensively..." she was aggressive from the jump and everything fell in place thanks to that effort and intensity on defensive end of floor.  "Nevaeh gives us something different that we've never really had..." makes ball handlers uncomfortable, just heats up the ball on defense

Teri Moren: Valentyna Kadlecova got starting nod over Maya Makalusky mainly because of her experience edge and being slightly better defender right now, said both will play a lot, was really impressed with Makalusky gave them tonight

Teri Moren: "If there was one area we have to clean up, we can't foul as much as we did..." the Hoosiers had 25 fouls, Zania Socka-Nguemen asked if she got six fouls, Moren joked, "I'm not sure if they taught her that at UCLA"

Teri Moren: "Sydney Fenn had to have another (knee) surgery, will not be playing this year"

 

[Stuhoo 92,359]

9 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Mildly surprised Wiseman only played 9 min. and Spreen 12 min. and then considered this was an ideal game to give Caffey (23 min.) and Makalusky (20 min.) a real taste of college bball even if it was a D-2 opponent.  Wiseman and Spreen have both "been there, done that".   Also, unlike years past, CTM is going to have to rely on her freshmen far more than she historically has and can't just give them mop up minutes.  Interesting to see the starting lineup and minute distribution in our season opener next Tuesday vs. Lipscomb.

Spreen looked pretty darn good out there! Assertive and quick.

Wiseman? Good grief; if she ever has to play meaningful minutes this team is kinda screwed. "Tall" is the only thing she's got going for her on the court.

We are an undersized team with Zania, but she is so big and active. But without her? We are gonna get roasted in the paint against better competition.

[Demo 25,536]

26 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Mildly surprised Wiseman only played 9 min. and Spreen 12 min. and then considered this was an ideal game to give Caffey (23 min.) and Makalusky (20 min.) a real taste of college bball even if it was a D-2 opponent.  Wiseman and Spreen have both "been there, done that".   Also, unlike years past, CTM is going to have to rely on her freshmen far more than she historically has and can't just give them mop up minutes.  Interesting to see the starting lineup and minute distribution in our season opener next Tuesday vs. Lipscomb.

Yeah, I think the freshman don’t play a bunch thing is not in the cards this year. In Caffey’s case she’s just a better athlete than anyone else CTM can put on the floor and Makalusky is clearly skilled.

[Aaron 4,665]

Based on last night looks like Fenn (injured), and Ondineme won't contribute at all. Kiaku will struggle to adjust to this level and Spreen and Noyan will play only bit minutes.

Rotation looks like Shay and Lenee as clear leaders as we expected, Caffey starting and having a Yarden like impact immediately, Big Z at the 5, and Valentyna (clearly much improved) or Phoenix taking last spot starting with other playing extensively off bench with Faith and Makalusky seeing extended back up minutes as main 8 person rotation.

Freshman in Caffey and Makalusky are real deal and even more excited for the three even higher ranked recruits next yr. This is what recruiting is supposed to look like when you are winning. Clearly new recruiting coach over coach Sayavongchanh was exactly what was needed and recruiting fell off as soon as Glenn Box left several years ago. Despite winning, coach Sy was missing on nearly everyone good and glad Moren saw it and replaced her with the new guy getting recruiting results that match the results on court.

Speaking of missing, it’s early but I have serious questions if any transfers outside Phoenix and Big Z contribute much. There is a reason they were immediate gets and had to beat everyone and their brother out for them while others were added late with little opposition later. Exactly like men, where Tucker DeVries and Lamar Wilkerson are legit players added quickly from portal against serious competition while others were later gets who look like minimal contributors at this level potentially.

Expect a similar record to last year as comfortable back end NCAA Tourney team who finishes mid-pack in league. When Caffey and Makalusky are combined with the even better recruits (+portal) and Lenee next year, look out.  

Outside of Valentyna's improvement, pretty much what I expected player wise and always thought Caffey was an instant stud with athleticism team has lacked as I posted many times last year. 

[Stuhoo 92,359]

7 minutes ago, Aaron said:

Based on last night looks like Fenn (injured), and Ondineme won't contribute at all. Kiaku will struggle to adjust to this level and Spreen and Noyan will play only bit minutes.

Rotation looks like Shay and Lenee as clear leaders as we expected, Caffey starting and having a Yarden like impact immediately, Big Z at the 5, and Valentyna (clearly much improved) or Phoenix taking last spot starting with other playing extensively off bench with Faith and Makalusky seeing extended back up minutes as main 8 person rotation.

Freshman in Caffey and Makalusky are real deal and even more excited for the three even higher ranked recruits next yr. This is what recruiting is supposed to look like when you are winning. Clearly new recruiting coach over coach Sayavongchanh was exactly what was needed and recruiting fell off as soon as Glenn Box left several years ago. Despite winning, coach Sy was missing on nearly everyone good and glad Moren saw it and replaced her with the new guy getting recruiting results that match the results on court.

Speaking of missing, it’s early but I have serious questions if any transfers outside Phoenix and Big Z contribute much. There is a reason they were immediate gets and had to beat everyone and their brother out for them while others were added late with little opposition later. Exactly like men, where Tucker DeVries and Lamar Wilkerson are legit players added quickly from portal against serious competition while others were later gets who look like minimal contributors at this level potentially.

Expect a similar record to last year as comfortable back end NCAA Tourney team who finishes mid-pack in league. When Caffey and Makalusky are combined with the even better recruits (+portal) and Lenee next year, look out.  

Outside of Valentyna's improvement, pretty much what I expected player wise and always thought Caffey was an instant stud with athleticism team has lacked as I posted many times last year. 

Noyan looked considerably better than Wiseman to me.

Neither looked great, but Wiseman was getting completely pushed around by a mid-DII school's bigs.

[Aaron 4,665]

8 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Noyan looked considerably better than Wiseman to me.

Neither looked great, but Wiseman was getting completely pushed around by a mid-DII school's bigs.

The evidence of Faith holding her own against Oregon last year in Big Ten Tourney is far more compelling case for her then anything Noyan did last night. That is what I am going on more than what I watched last night, even though you are completely right based on yesterday alone.

[Stuhoo 92,359]

12 minutes ago, Aaron said:

The evidence of Faith holding her own against Oregon last year in Big Ten Tourney is far more compelling case for her then anything Noyan did last night. That is what I am going on more than what I watched last night, even though you are completely right based on yesterday alone.

Agree! For me Wiseman was better than expected last year in spot minutes, yet last night she looked overmatched against inferior competition. I think it's notable that Noyan was the first true big off the bench and played in with the starters - she looks to be clearly ahead of Wiseman in the rotation currently.

[ronzo4IU 461]

I thought we looked better than we have in a long while last night.

[HoosierHoopster 9,126]

1 hour ago, ronzo4IU said:

I thought we looked better than we have in a long while last night.

Love Caffey's game, and we're faster as hoped for, playing more aggressively (which contributed to the foul count) and still shooting well from outside. Man we should be really good next season with the incoming frosh (plus portal) assuming Moren keeps the key players. 

[TTT 1,531]

Makalusky will work her way into starting lineup or 6th Lady because she has offense and is 6’3.” regardless of what T. Moren is talking about.  She is currently using motivation tatics to challenge her (defensively and physically/rebounding mainly).

The time IU plays Maryland Makalusky will probably be guarding Garzon.

[WayneFleekHoosier 52,124]

11 minutes ago, TTT said:

Makalusky will work her way into starting lineup or 6th Lady because she has offense and is 6’3.” regardless of what T. Moren is talking about.  She is currently using motivation tatics to challenge her (defensively and physically/rebounding mainly).

The time IU plays Maryland Makalusky will probably be guarding Garzon.

Pretty much agree but Kadlecova looked solid in that spot as well. 

[TTT 1,531]

8 minutes ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Pretty much agree but Kadlecova looked solid in that spot as well. 

And then Kadlecova will be playing right behind her or wherever she is needed (she will play a lot) but Makalusky can provide much needed inside help along with outside game as she gets adjusted.

Currently, inside game is behind last year/C.S.

T. Moren is going to challenge Makalusky to get the most out of her and get her to grow up swiftly.

 

[TTT 1,531]

In today’s game instead of the 20 wins as a bench mark for success…. it should be changed to a 9 or lower losses as a bench mark for success.