IUWBB vs #10/12 Iowa State – Sunday, 11.30.25 at 1:30 ET on FloHoops

[WayneFleekHoosier 52,377]

Severely outmatched at the 5.  Seems like we competed really hard just absolutely outgunned with no answer for Crooks.  Z Woulda got cooked too and fouled out but at least it would have given us a chance, maybe. I think we’ve got a borderline top 25 team. Should be able to compete near that level this season. Ceiling isn’t much higher than that though.  

[TTT 1,578]

It wasn’t a 30 point blowout but in games like this 50% plus needed on 3 ball.  8 for 25 was aided with game determined and not anything to think about accept shoot the ball without as much pressure.

[HoosierHoopster 9,536]

It’s a different game without Soka

[LamarCheeks 23,515]

My God -- just saw this. Who watched the game? Yeah, Crooks' play in the paint is unfair -- especially when she can get away with this sh-t.

Did she do this the entire afternoon? 

There are three officials on the floor and NO ONE saw that? Even Stevie Wonder would've blown the whistle. She's walkin'. Yes indeed -- she's walkin'. 

https://x.com/NaismithTrophy/status/1995216780755890302?s=20

[mamasa 16,339]

18 minutes ago, LamarCheeks said:

My God -- just saw this. Who watched the game? Yeah, Crooks' play in the paint is unfair -- especially when she can get away with this sh-t.

Did she do this the entire afternoon? 

There are three officials on the floor and NO ONE saw that? Even Stevie Wonder would've blown the whistle. 

https://x.com/NaismithTrophy/status/1995216780755890302?s=20

She definitely played like that all afternoon (judging from Render's radio analysis)- she just hacked her way

[Aaron 4,705]

This team will be fine. Playing against one of the two best centers in the country in Crooks yesterday (Lauren Betts is the other on UCLA) without your post player and you hung in the game tells me team will be solid. 

Also, most importantly Ciezki is thriving in the second year in this system as a transfer similar to Scalia's trajectory. This tells me Big Z and Phoenix while solid this year, will really thrive next year. These two players are the legit transfers of this class and just need to mature into their role here. The other transfers were last minute fill in's I don't see much more coming of.

Team will finish similar to last year as back end tourney squad this season. They should really make hay up the Big Ten in 2026-2027 with Beaumont, Big Z, Phoenix, Caffey, Makalusky, and the two stud freshman coming in Gigi Battle and Addy Nyemchek who will be even more game ready than Caffey and Makalusky are now with more athleticism. That's a nice core along with any transfers to really hit another peak in 2026-2027 and beyond.   

[Stuhoo 93,552]

31 minutes ago, Aaron said:

This team will be fine. Playing against one of the two best centers in the country in Crooks yesterday (Lauren Betts is the other on UCLA) without your post player and you hung in the game tells me team will be solid. 

Also, most importantly Ciezki is thriving in the second year in this system as a transfer similar to Scalia's trajectory. This tells me Big Z and Phoenix while solid this year, will really thrive next year. These two players are the legit transfers of this class and just need to mature into their role here. The other transfers were last minute fill in's I don't see much more coming of.

Team will finish similar to last year as back end tourney squad this season. They should really make hay up the Big Ten in 2026-2027 with Beaumont, Big Z, Phoenix, Caffey, Makalusky, and the two stud freshman coming in Gigi Battle and Addy Nyemchek who will be even more game ready than Caffey and Makalusky are now with more athleticism. That's a nice core along with any transfers to really hit another peak in 2026-2027 and beyond.   

Two years from now with a senior Beaumont and Zania, junior Caffey and Makalusky, and two big time sophomores?

That reads like a national championship contender to me.

[TTT 1,578]

On 12/1/2025 at 11:08 AM, Stuhoo said:

Two years from now with a senior Beaumont and Zania, junior Caffey and Makalusky, and two big time sophomores?

That reads like a national championship contender to me.

Nah, not even close.    Maybe make march madness and peak at sweet sixteen and stretch to elite eight.  
More physical scorers and shot makers needed….and a break from what has become a pattern of player injuries year after year without players for replacement without significant drop in quality of play.

[Aaron 4,705]

1 hour ago, TTT said:

Nah, not even close.    Maybe make march madness and peak at sweet sixteen and stretch to elite eight.  
More physical scorers and shot makers needed….and a break from what has become a pattern of player injuries year after year without players for replacement without significant drop in quality of play.

You are assuming this is the end of the recruiting, and they won't get more elite players in the portal and recruiting. I would agree if those are the only players IU was getting and this was the end of the roster, but let's see what else they have. This is a great start.

Declaring them a national title contender with just this is indeed a bit much but a great start.

[ronzo4IU 481]

7 hours ago, Aaron said:

You are assuming this is the end of the recruiting, and they won't get more elite players in the portal and recruiting. I would agree if those are the only players IU was getting and this was the end of the roster, but let's see what else they have. This is a great start.

Declaring them a national title contender with just this is indeed a bit much but a great start.

Seems very late in the game to just be "getting a great start".  Unfortunately we still have a team that if one starter goes down we fall off big time. 

[Aaron 4,705]

3 minutes ago, ronzo4IU said:

Seems very late in the game to just be "getting a great start".  Unfortunately we still have a team that if one starter goes down we fall off big time. 

The comment was for two years down the road. I would hope the portal class for 2026 and 2027 has not been finished, nor has the 2027 recruiting class. The 2026 recruiting class is indeed finished, but it is the best in program history and sixth nationally, with the two highest-ranked recruits in program history. 

It is indeed very early for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, with a lot of great pieces, but still roster spots to fill, just as I said.

[TTT 1,578]

7 hours ago, Aaron said:

The comment was for two years down the road. I would hope the portal class for 2026 and 2027 has not been finished, nor has the 2027 recruiting class. The 2026 recruiting class is indeed finished, but it is the best in program history and sixth nationally, with the two highest-ranked recruits in program history. 

It is indeed very early for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, with a lot of great pieces, but still roster spots to fill, just as I said.

Sixth nationally recruiting class is blindly mis-directed/misleading.  

Teams like UCONN, South Carolina, LSU and several now/some others may have only one or two recruits in class.  They are already loaded teams.  Therefore, there classes are not rated as high…..

And those teams/programs among others (even in big ten….big ten expansion has even made things much tougher) get the best players from transfer portal as well…..

SEVERAL physical scorers, shooters, rebounders that can pass, handle the ball and play some defense needed for IU Ladies to play at the level they desire.  (This and next year’s class is a solid/good start.  However, not quite great but good/solid for sure….see what is built from there).

Winning 20 games seasons by scheduling at least 8 low level opponents (should be easy wins) and playing appropriately 30 games is just ok but not that impressive…..especially without any significant tournament run….

[HoosierHoopster 9,536]

5 hours ago, TTT said:

Sixth nationally recruiting class is blindly mis-directed/misleading.  

Teams like UCONN, South Carolina, LSU and several now/some others may have only one or two recruits in class.  They are already loaded teams.  Therefore, there classes are not rated as high…..

And those teams/programs among others (even in big ten….big ten expansion has even made things much tougher) get the best players from transfer portal as well…..

SEVERAL physical scorers, shooters, rebounders that can pass, handle the ball and play some defense needed for IU Ladies to play at the level they desire.  (This and next year’s class is a solid/good start.  However, not quite great but good/solid for sure….see what is built from there).

Winning 20 games seasons by scheduling at least 8 low level opponents (should be easy wins) and playing appropriately 30 games is just ok but not that impressive…..especially without any significant tournament run….

That ranking is no misdirected or misleading -- it's the ranking of that class, which is of course always the case. Yes the program absolutely needs to keep building with bigger and more athletic players, but that has now begun, which to me is the point. We have players on the current team that are already at the level needed to continue the program's rise to compete with the elite, the incoming frosh are outstanding, and that should signal what future recruiting will look like. Next year's team should be better, and so on and so on.

[ronzo4IU 481]

20 hours ago, Aaron said:

The comment was for two years down the road. I would hope the portal class for 2026 and 2027 has not been finished, nor has the 2027 recruiting class. The 2026 recruiting class is indeed finished, but it is the best in program history and sixth nationally, with the two highest-ranked recruits in program history. 

It is indeed very early for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, with a lot of great pieces, but still roster spots to fill, just as I said.

To late in the the game to be feeling like we are just now in 2026 starting to build a deep tournament roster.

[ronzo4IU 481]

For whatever reason, TM has not been able to add all the pieces to the puzzle. Fingers crossed as usual though.