2024-25 ISU WBB Season Thread

Jnecker4cy

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Yes, I'm simply addressing the four discussion points posed by Acoustimac at the top of Page 24.

Having said that, I'm not as optimistic as others. We weren't a good defensive team last season and I don't see much reason to expect improvement in that area. In 30 years at the helm, our coach has shared one regular season conference title, way back in 2000. Does he have any tricks up his sleeve? Like Rulzz says about TCU being a contender, I'll need to see CBF with some creative coaching before I'll believe he can win another title.

Anyway, we have a great group of kids, play an exciting brand of basketball and ended last season on a high note, so it's impossible to not be excited for this season. I'm hoping for the best (regular season conference title) while keeping my feet on the ground. Go State!
So kind of then. You think they will be good but coaching will let us down?
 

bozclone

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Fennelly has shown lots of examples of adapting in the past decade. He does what’s needed to set his teams up for winning rather than sticking with “tried and true” like he used to. I’m not worried about the coaching at all. The team this year is MUCH different from last year. We are relatively healthy in our key players. We have more depth. More fire power. Lots to be positive about versus dwelling on the past. Has the potential to be a very fun year if we stay healthy.
I agree with ICCYFAN in that this season will be a new test for Bill. I give him a ton of credit for last year. He did an awesome job with the team and he did show a willingness to adapt. The improvement over the year was remarkable. This year will be another challenge in that he has to take a team that is expected to be very good and compete at an elite level. We are very young, so you hope we see continued improvement. For us to win the Big 12, we need to be better than last year, not equal to last year.

I personally worry about how Bill will manage the depth we have. I think we are loaded. We have more depth than I can ever remember. Will he use that depth or will that depth create chemistry issues. I was surprised to hear that it is possible that none of the transfers will be in the starting lineup day 1. Not that I doubt Jackson or Joens because I think they are both really good players, but I figured a transfer would play the 4 spot and then Jackson, Joens, and Hare would battle for the 2 spot. I am very excited for the season. I hope Bill can pull all the right strings.
 

Three4Cy

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I agree with ICCYFAN in that this season will be a new test for Bill. I give him a ton of credit for last year. He did an awesome job with the team and he did show a willingness to adapt. The improvement over the year was remarkable. This year will be another challenge in that he has to take a team that is expected to be very good and compete at an elite level. We are very young, so you hope we see continued improvement. For us to win the Big 12, we need to be better than last year, not equal to last year.

I personally worry about how Bill will manage the depth we have. I think we are loaded. We have more depth than I can ever remember. Will he use that depth or will that depth create chemistry issues. I was surprised to hear that it is possible that none of the transfers will be in the starting lineup day 1. Not that I doubt Jackson or Joens because I think they are both really good players, but I figured a transfer would play the 4 spot and then Jackson, Joens, and Hare would battle for the 2 spot. I am very excited for the season. I hope Bill can pull all the right strings.
From everything that has been published, it sounds like Hare would be the fifth starter. However, with her hip injury, they are keeping her minutes down.
 

acoustimac

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I agree with ICCYFAN in that this season will be a new test for Bill. I give him a ton of credit for last year. He did an awesome job with the team and he did show a willingness to adapt. The improvement over the year was remarkable. This year will be another challenge in that he has to take a team that is expected to be very good and compete at an elite level. We are very young, so you hope we see continued improvement. For us to win the Big 12, we need to be better than last year, not equal to last year.

I personally worry about how Bill will manage the depth we have. I think we are loaded. We have more depth than I can ever remember. Will he use that depth or will that depth create chemistry issues. I was surprised to hear that it is possible that none of the transfers will be in the starting lineup day 1. Not that I doubt Jackson or Joens because I think they are both really good players, but I figured a transfer would play the 4 spot and then Jackson, Joens, and Hare would battle for the 2 spot. I am very excited for the season. I hope Bill can pull all the right strings.
I think what you’re going to see for the first couple of weeks are different combos. I wouldn’t read into anything about who is starting and who isn’t right out of the gate.
 

ZorkClone

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Who is going to give Audi breathers if Taulelei is out with an ankle injury? Maybe Williams, but I don't think the 5 is the position they want her to play.
 

bozclone

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From everything that has been published, it sounds like Hare would be the fifth starter. However, with her hip injury, they are keeping her minutes down.
I heard that too. I think Hare has the potential to be really good when she gets healthy. I think I’m more surprised that Brown may play the 4 instead of the 3. I have no doubt she can do it, but it makes us pretty small and I think it hurts for rebounding specifically. Brown will likely play on the perimeter when we are on offense and match up with a big on defense. Hopefully it will create mismatches in our favor.
 

bozclone

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Who is going to give Audi breathers if Taulelei is out with an ankle injury? Maybe Williams, but I don't think the 5 is the position they want her to play.
This will be interesting too. Bill said today that Williams is the backup 5 and they will experiment with Brown at the 5 too. When Taulelei comes back, we will see how things change then.
 
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bozclone

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I think what you’re going to see for the first couple of weeks are different combos. I wouldn’t read into anything about who is starting and who isn’t right out of the gate.
Bill’s interview today was encouraging. He seems to be playing a lot of people and letting girls earn their minutes with play.
 

Three4Cy

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I heard that too. I think Hare has the potential to be really good when she gets healthy. I think I’m more surprised that Brown may play the 4 instead of the 3. I have no doubt she can do it, but it makes us pretty small and I think it hurts for rebounding specifically. Brown will likely play on the perimeter when we are on offense and match up with a big on defense. Hopefully it will create mismatches in our favor.
Addy led the team in rebounds last year. Addy is 6'2, and Audi is 6'3, which is a good size frontcourt. If you play Williams at the four, she is 6'2, so the same height as Addy, and we don't have any idea what she brings to the table.
 

DGC

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So…what are you all looking forward to the most this Wednesday? Shouldn’t be competitive in the least. Me? I want to (a) see the newbies perform and (b) see what kind of flow there is with different combos on the court.
Is basketball at Hilton and a Clone Cone a good enough answer?
 

NWICY

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I agree with ICCYFAN in that this season will be a new test for Bill. I give him a ton of credit for last year. He did an awesome job with the team and he did show a willingness to adapt. The improvement over the year was remarkable. This year will be another challenge in that he has to take a team that is expected to be very good and compete at an elite level. We are very young, so you hope we see continued improvement. For us to win the Big 12, we need to be better than last year, not equal to last year.

I personally worry about how Bill will manage the depth we have. I think we are loaded. We have more depth than I can ever remember. Will he use that depth or will that depth create chemistry issues. I was surprised to hear that it is possible that none of the transfers will be in the starting lineup day 1. Not that I doubt Jackson or Joens because I think they are both really good players, but I figured a transfer would play the 4 spot and then Jackson, Joens, and Hare would battle for the 2 spot. I am very excited for the season. I hope Bill can pull all the right strings.
I'm not really concerned at all about who starts. I agree with you that managing minutes will be the challenge. I'd like to see us go somewhere between 8-10 deep in b12 play. That would help keep everyone fresh.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see someone not hardly play 1 game then end up with 15 or so the next. The men do that pretty successfully.
 
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hiltonisheaven

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With the influx of talented players, I’d like to see a little more attention to the defensive end this year. The freshmen were really strong offensively last year but equally bad on defense. Hopefully having more bodies can mean more effort on the defensive side.
 
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acoustimac

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With the influx of talented players, I’d like to see a little more attention to the defensive end this year. The freshmen were really strong offensively last year but equally bad on defense. Hopefully having more bodies can mean more effort on the defensive side.
Well…not all freshmen were bad…Jackson was one of our top defenders. But, yes, it would be nice to see the team be pretty stingy ont hat defensive side.
 
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ISC

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With the influx of talented players, I’d like to see a little more attention to the defensive end this year. The freshmen were really strong offensively last year but equally bad on defense. Hopefully having more bodies can mean more effort on the defensive side.
What as many players as we have that are big 12 caliber players, I'd like to see more on the offensive end as well in terms of movement without the ball. We have (traditionally) not done a lot of slashing movements - it would be nice to see more slashing cuts with the wing/forward talent we have.
 

acoustimac

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What as many players as we have that are big 12 caliber players, I'd like to see more on the offensive end as well in terms of movement without the ball. We have (traditionally) not done a lot of slashing movements - it would be nice to see more slashing cuts with the wing/forward talent we have.
Shades of Creighton! I agree.
 
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