2024-25 Roster/Rotation Additions

[Cyclad]

I think too many of you are vastly underestimating Ali Tanke. I see her going for at least 15 min per game and will prob be a 2/3 hybrid. We have a good problem developing and it’s called killer depth.

I should not have an opinion since I have not seen Tanke play. I do think whoever plays the “2” needs to be a capable ball handler.
The burden cannot be shared by Ryan alone.
Not convinced Tanke is that person. I think she will get minutes - just not sure she will as a secondary ball handler.

 

[Cyforce]

I should not have an opinion since I have not seen Tanke play. I do think whoever plays the “2” needs to be a capable ball handler.
The burden cannot be shared by Ryan alone.
Not convinced Tanke is that person. I think she will get minutes - just not sure she will as a secondary ball handler.

Haven't seen her play but not convinced see can handle the ball. That's mighty CF of you.

 

[Cyforce]

I think too many of you are vastly underestimating Ali Tanke. I see her going for at least 15 min per game and will prob be a 2/3 hybrid. We have a good problem developing and it’s called killer depth.

How would you compare her to Jackson and Joens? Of the 3 how would you see PT distributed?

 

[bozclone]

I think too many of you are vastly underestimating Ali Tanke. I see her going for at least 15 min per game and will prob be a 2/3 hybrid. We have a good problem developing and it’s called killer depth.

We have a lot of guard talent. CMC does a good job with the football program in that he will find a way to play guys if they are ready to play even if there is a lot of depth. I hope Bill does the same this year. If Tanke and Wilson are good enough to play, you need to find them minutes. The same goes for Jackson and Joens. They have proven to be D1 guards, they need to play so they can continue to develop.

 

[ZorkClone]

We have a lot of guard talent. CMC does a good job with the football program in that he will find a way to play guys if they are ready to play even if there is a lot of depth. I hope Bill does the same this year. If Tanke and Wilson are good enough to play, you need to find them minutes. The same goes for Jackson and Joens. They have proven to be D1 guards, they need to play so they can continue to develop.

We could try to go small more. If these ladies are as good of shooters as people claim we could get a great inside kick to outside game going. Audi was improving on her passes nearer to the end of the year, an offseason is a good chance to work on that.

 

[Cyforce]

We have a lot of guard talent. CMC does a good job with the football program in that he will find a way to play guys if they are ready to play even if there is a lot of depth. I hope Bill does the same this year. If Tanke and Wilson are good enough to play, you need to find them minutes. The same goes for Jackson and Joens. They have proven to be D1 guards, they need to play so they can continue to develop.

There's a reason Bill brought in these 3 transfers. Hare was very productive in a power conference. Diew and Bristow are gone enter Harris and Williams. Rather than rooting for one player over a teammate to get PT. I'd rather see the best 5 on the floor. We're currently only at 10 scholarships. I'll be shocked if we don't add a couple more.

If Wilson is better than Jackson she should get the backup PG minutes. If Tanke is better than Jackson and Joens she should get backup SG/SF minutes. But I think 90% of the time you'll see some combination of Brown, Williams or Harris at the 3/4. If successful That's how this team levels up to the top of the conference.

 

[Cyclad]

Haven't seen her play but not convinced see can handle the ball. That's mighty CF of you.

Fair criticism. I should have said I only have limited observations. From what I have seen, I am not sure she is a ball handler. Hopefully she is the next Tyrese Haliburton.

 

[Cyforce]

Fair criticism. I should have said I only have limited observations. From what I have seen, I am not sure she is a ball handler. Hopefully she is the next Tyrese Haliburton.

If she is, " we're goin to the ship".

Honestly, I fully expect Jackson to get the backup PG minutes but if Wilson is better she'll play. As for the backup SG minutes and maybe SF as well those are going to be the best shooter. Tanke should be in the competition for those.

 

[Buckminster]

I do not know how this team will develop. Even though I saw her almost unbelievable hands from her high school videos, until the Drake game I did not expect that Audi Crooks would be an inside scoring threat as a freshman. Her emergence in that role changed the team dramatically.

This year we are likely to see something unlike any other Cyclone team. Audi Crooks is a center like none other in our history. A quarter-century ago, Angie Welle was great, but Audi is quite different. Audi is a true "feed it to me inside" post player and I think will be one of the best ever at passing out to the shooter when she it double/triple teamed.

Which brings me to the shooters...
Emily Ryan - career 38% from beyond the arc (40.0% since freshman year, 43.5% last year)
Addy Brown - 38.8% as a freshman
Arianna Jackson - 41.3% as a freshman
Kelsey Joens - 38.8% as a freshman
Sydney Harris - 40.0% last year at TCU
Mackenzie Hare - 42.5% last year at Marquette

With all that shooting and a post player demanding double-teams, is is reasonable to project the 2024-2025 team to shoot over 40% on 3-pointers.

Last year we were 6th in D1 at 38.3%, the best team in the nation was 39.6%

 

[StClone]

Fair criticism. I should have said I only have limited observations. From what I have seen, I am not sure she is a ball handler. Hopefully she is the next Tyrese Haliburton.

Few freshmen are ready to start, and with plenty of guards, I see both Tanke and Wilson will be eased in. Tanke was the best player in GHSBB-rich Iowa. That says something and Wilson was in the running for Indiana player of the year.

We have three proven starters and may need a tall forward and definitely a backup center. Certainly, Fen is on the hunt for those, otherwise, it is all a crap shoot until October, though the Coach will drop hints at possible starters before that.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

I do not know how this team will develop. Even though I saw her almost unbelievable hands from her high school videos, until the Drake game I did not expect that Audi Crooks would be an inside scoring threat as a freshman. Her emergence in that role changed the team dramatically.

This year we are likely to see something unlike any other Cyclone team. Audi Crooks is a center like none other in our history. A quarter-century ago, Angie Welle was great, but Audi is quite different. Audi is a true "feed it to me inside" post player and I think will be one of the best ever at passing out to the shooter when she it double/triple teamed.

Which brings me to the shooters...
Emily Ryan - career 38% from beyond the arc (40.0% since freshman year, 43.5% last year)
Addy Brown - 38.8% as a freshman
Arianna Jackson - 41.3% as a freshman
Kelsey Joens - 38.8% as a freshman
Sydney Harris - 40.0% last year at TCU
Mackenzie Hare - 42.5% last year at Marquette

With all that shooting and a post player demanding double-teams, is is reasonable to project the 2024-2025 team to shoot over 40% on 3-pointers.

Last year we were 6th in D1 at 38.3%, the best team in the nation was 39.6%

Angie was really active down low and had a variety of moves to get her own shot. For Audi to take the next step, she'll need to be able to mix up her moves. Opposing teams now have a full year of tape on her and will scout her tendencies. We saw in the tourney that when she comes across a center with length, she can become predictable and get blocked. That's not a knock on her at all. Every center is going to struggle against the ones that she struggled playing against.

In the end, Audi was simply unstoppable at times and one of my favorite Cyclones (male or female) to watch. I'm excited to see how her game progresses with each year.

 

[Cyforce]

Angie was really active down low and had a variety of moves to get her own shot. For Audi to take the next step, she'll need to be able to mix up her moves. Opposing teams now have a full year of tape on her and will scout her tendencies. We saw in the tourney that when she comes across a center with length, she can become predictable and get blocked. That's not a knock on her at all. Every center is going to struggle against the ones that she struggled playing against.

In the end, Audi was simply unstoppable at times and one of my favorite Cyclones (male or female) to watch. I'm excited to see how her game progresses with each year.

Stanford had lottery pick length upfront. Offensively I think her growth comes from working more physically to put herself in better position to receive a pass. Her strength is never going to be quickness after the pass more so positioning prior to.

 

[bozclone]

There's a reason Bill brought in these 3 transfers. Hare was very productive in a power conference. Diew and Bristow are gone enter Harris and Williams. Rather than rooting for one player over a teammate to get PT. I'd rather see the best 5 on the floor. We're currently only at 10 scholarships. I'll be shocked if we don't add a couple more.

If Wilson is better than Jackson she should get the backup PG minutes. If Tanke is better than Jackson and Joens she should get backup SG/SF minutes. But I think 90% of the time you'll see some combination of Brown, Williams or Harris at the 3/4. If successful That's how this team levels up to the top of the conference.

Bill brought in two transfers this off season so far. Hare seems like a home run based on her highlights and her stats. Harris too has proven to be a very productive D1 player. The question is if she can play the role we need from her. Can she play defense and rebound at the 4 like we need? As for Williams, she transferred in last year. None of us have seen her play any significant minutes at this level. She looked like a very skilled player in high school, but that was hard to see in her play at LSU. I think she is very much an unknown to us, but the good thing is the staff should know what kind of player she is since she has been here a year.

Looking at the current roster, we are very talented at guard. It would be way too easy for Bill to play Ryan, Hare, and Brown 35 minutes each. However, Jackson and Joens showed as freshman that they can play and are full of promise. Tanke was an high school elite shooter. Wilson was probably the best PG in the state of Indiana. Bill needs to find ways to get these four girls in the rotation assuming they show they are ready to play at this level. If you don't get them playing time, you likely will lose some of them in the off season. CMC does an awesome job of this on the defensive side of the ball. He plays his studs the majority of the snaps, but if the staff believes you are good enough to play they will find a way to get you on the field. They are developing depth and keeping young talent content while still having an elite defense. With the open transfer rules, you have make players feel like you have a role for them.

With the guard talent we have on this roster, I hope Bill looks at similarities to TJ's roster. Ryan like Lipsey is the starting PG and floor general, but we have others that can reduce the burden on her. Jackson, Hare, Joens, Brown, and Wilson all appear to have the skills to initiate the offense and/or play off the ball. Similar to the men's team, I think we could put pressure on opposing defenses by using multiple players to bring the ball up and initiate the offense even if Ryan does it most of the time.

 

[Cyforce]

Bill brought in two transfers this off season so far. Hare seems like a home run based on her highlights and her stats. Harris too has proven to be a very productive D1 player. The question is if she can play the role we need from her. Can she play defense and rebound at the 4 like we need? As for Williams, she transferred in last year. None of us have seen her play any significant minutes at this level. She looked like a very skilled player in high school, but that was hard to see in her play at LSU. I think she is very much an unknown to us, but the good thing is the staff should know what kind of player she is since she has been here a year.

Looking at the current roster, we are very talented at guard. It would be way too easy for Bill to play Ryan, Hare, and Brown 35 minutes each. However, Jackson and Joens showed as freshman that they can play and are full of promise. Tanke was an high school elite shooter. Wilson was probably the best PG in the state of Indiana. Bill needs to find ways to get these four girls in the rotation assuming they show they are ready to play at this level. If you don't get them playing time, you likely will lose some of them in the off season. CMC does an awesome job of this on the defensive side of the ball. He plays his studs the majority of the snaps, but if the staff believes you are good enough to play they will find a way to get you on the field. They are developing depth and keeping young talent content while still having an elite defense. With the open transfer rules, you have make players feel like you have a role for them.

With the guard talent we have on this roster, I hope Bill looks at similarities to TJ's roster. Ryan like Lipsey is the starting PG and floor general, but we have others that can reduce the burden on her. Jackson, Hare, Joens, Brown, and Wilson all appear to have the skills to initiate the offense and/or play off the ball. Similar to the men's team, I think we could put pressure on opposing defenses by using multiple players to bring the ball up and initiate the offense even if Ryan does it most of the time.

Williams is still a transfer that sat out so the count right now is in fact three. She was brought in to replace Diew. Harris basically takes Bristow spot as the other forward. Unfortunately those two were disappointments in our rotation reducing the minutes we fielded a formidable Frontline. I think we're going to find that has been corrected this time around.

I think the minutes get distributed close to this.

PG Ryan 30+ Jackson or Wilson the rest
SG Hare 30+ Jackson, Joens or Tanke the rest
SF Brown 30+ Jackson, Joens or Tanke the rest
PF Williams/ Harris split remains to be seen
C Crooks 25 transfer post 10 small ball Williams or Harris 5

That's the best case for our guards, the SF minutes could easily taken by Harris or Williams

 

[ZorkClone]

Williams is still a transfer that sat out so the count right now is in fact three. She was brought in to replace Diew. Harris basically takes Bristow spot as the other forward. Unfortunately those two were disappointments in our rotation reducing the minutes we fielded a formidable Frontline. I think we're going to find that has been corrected this time around.

I think the minutes get distributed close to this.

PG Ryan 30+ Jackson or Wilson the rest
SG Hare 30+ Jackson, Joens or Tanke the rest
SF Brown 30+ Jackson, Joens or Tanke the rest
PF Williams/ Harris split remains to be seen
C Crooks 25 transfer post 10 small ball Williams or Harris 5

That's the best case for our guards, the SF minutes could easily taken by Harris or Williams

Jeff from his "source " has mentioned rumblings of another departure. You can never stop everyone from leaving. The best you can do is develop them as best you can and distribute the minutes the way that gives you the best chance to win.

I've got to wonder how teams like Iowa convince their players to not leave. I'm sure Goodman or O'Grady could find other places to get more minutes. Maybe they had Clark and wanted the experience of going deep into the tournament.

We have to find a way to keep some players that are at least 9th-10th players on the rotation.

 

[StClone]

Williams is still a transfer that sat out so the count right now is in fact three. She was brought in to replace Diew. Harris basically takes Bristow spot as the other forward. Unfortunately those two were disappointments in our rotation reducing the minutes we fielded a formidable Frontline. I think we're going to find that has been corrected this time around.

I think the minutes get distributed close to this.

PG Ryan 30+ Jackson or Wilson the rest
SG Hare 30+ Jackson, Joens or Tanke the rest
SF Brown 30+ Jackson, Joens or Tanke the rest
PF Williams/ Harris split remains to be seen
C Crooks 25 transfer post 10 small ball Williams or Harris 5

That's the best case for our guards, the SF minutes could easily taken by Harris or Williams

Jeff from his "source " has mentioned rumblings of another departure. You can never stop everyone from leaving. The best you can do is develop them as best you can and distribute the minutes the way that gives you the best chance to win.

I doubt we will have any defections until next April. We have only ten players right now. Why would one leave? Guards need to get spelled, and we need defenders, if you play good D and have an Offensive up-side, well you will play. Joens leaving soon is not worth fretting over in my opinion.

 

[cykadelic2]

With the guard talent we have on this roster, I hope Bill looks at similarities to TJ's roster. Ryan like Lipsey is the starting PG and floor general, but we have others that can reduce the burden on her. Jackson, Hare, Joens, Brown, and Wilson all appear to have the skills to initiate the offense and/or play off the ball. Similar to the men's team, I think we could put pressure on opposing defenses by using multiple players to bring the ball up and initiate the offense even if Ryan does it most of the time.

Ryan's health issues forced Bill to offload facilitator duties to Brown and Jackson this past season and it kind of became a long term blessing in disguise for the team. I am assuming Bill learned from that for the benefit of next season's team as it relates to Ryan's PT and offloading facilitator duties to others when she is on the court. Brown actually became just as good as (or better) post entry passer to Audi as Ryan was and Bill has to utilize Brown next season in that role as much as possible as matchups dictate. Barring injury to others, there is no reason next season for Bill to play Ryan excessively to the point where late game fatigue (and her over dribbling) becomes a factor with her as it did in the 21-22 & 22-23 seasons.

And as with Ryan, Bill will need to carefully manage Audi's usage, PT and diversify her game as well. She has obviously emerged as one of WBB's top low post weapons but the offense become more maxed out if she can get like 4 apg instead of the one apg she had last season.

 

[Cyforce]

I doubt we will have any defections until next April. We have only ten players right now. Why would one leave? Guards need to get spelled, and we need defenders, if you play good D and have an Offensive up-side, well you will play. Joens leaving soon is not worth fretting over in my opinion.

Ask Jeff.

 

[SolarGarlic]

Stanford had lottery pick length upfront. Offensively I think her growth comes from working more physically to put herself in better position to receive a pass. Her strength is never going to be quickness after the pass more so positioning prior to.

She has already improved in that skill. There were games last season where it was laughably easy to throw it in to her for a layup because she had already pinned her girl underneath the basket.

She needs to find a few counters when she's going over her left shoulder to on the right block. That's where she got blocked repeatedly. We saw the spin to the middle for a fadeaway, which is insane for a freshman post to be doing, but she's gifted. She still has plenty of room for improvement with her left hand, midrange, and 3 point shooting. Getting up to 75% at the free throw line would make her unstoppable.

 

[Cyforce]

She has already improved in that skill. There were games last season where it was laughably easy to throw it in to her for a layup because she had already pinned her girl underneath the basket.

She needs to find a few counters when she's going over her left shoulder to on the right block. That's where she got blocked repeatedly. We saw the spin to the middle for a fadeaway, which is insane for a freshman post to be doing, but she's gifted. She still has plenty of room for improvement with her left hand, midrange, and 3 point shooting. Getting up to 75% at the free throw line would make her unstoppable.

Way too many turnovers when she was standing with her feet together and her hand in the air.