Just looking at the teams you have grouped with us, four of them are home games. We are going to need to take care of business at home. If we do we should be sitting pretty good. Another productive recruit would sure help.
Illini Women's Basketball
I will give us a portal grade of C+/B- so far. I think we will be a solid Big10 team as they have been the last couple of years unless something big happens in the next couple of weeks. Since the portal was not great I think it is up to Green to shake up the team with some different line-ups and better offensive sets. Some may not like this but playing Cook/Bryant together is another year of just being OK. Depending on how they play, trying one of them as first off the bench and starting either Dolan or Berry seems like something to consider.
How bout we beat UCLA or Ohio State and and come out 13-5 and 3-4 seed for adeptly handling a tough B1G schedule…This year is our springboard to becoming upper echelons mainstay
I don’t feel like this is an exaggeration.We are a senior laden team with a two year 20win average and postseason title..I think these seniors wanna go out with a bang..Maybe even a parade???Lol..oh man my orange koolaid cup is full today ..lol
I would say last year because of an early injury to Cook,an unsettled adjustment with our 4and 5 caused the shooting and defense to be kinda disjointed..Im glad we got size and most of the women have pedigree.Two of the women coming in have some extended familiarity with Coach Green(Wallace and Tenin)and the other two are Chicago gals..I think the continuity will be better early even if we take an early injury..This team thrives on going to the paint against bigger teams,He k the shortest on on the team is the ONLY ONE with a triple double (but for some reason I think we may get one out of Adailia..lol)
At least you are excited even if not realistic lol
Fan Since '70
- OBS, Florida
I was hoping for more gains from the transfer portal, preferably an elite center that can score and be a rim protector and also a big guard/wing capable of scoring on multiple levels and athletic enough of guarding opponents big guards/wings. Neither has been acquired in the portal. Yes, Illinois acquired a mid talented center but not the elite one needed to contend for a B1G championship. Illini also needed a bigger elite guard/wing to be another go to scorer and primary defender. Illini, IMO without those kind and caliber of players, Illini did not improve their roster as much as, or to truly compete with teams like USC, OSU, Maryland and Iowa (possibly Michigan State too). Those other teams really added elite talent to add to elite talent already there. Illini can be in top 3rd of new Big Ten standings but are not championship contenders, IMO. To improve on last 2 years, with current players on hand, Illini big guard/wings Dolan, Wallace, Allen and Brown-Hager will have to shine and get meaningful minutes when playing teams with more talented and positional size. Magassa will have to be the paint defender and scorer Illini have sorely needed and Hobby tried to provide but fell short. Hayven Smith will back up Magassa in likely limited minutes. Bollin and/or Shoup-Hill also have to take dramatic leap up. Then if Bostic, Cook, Bryant and McKenzie crank it up and provide high level and consistent play, Illini can be maybe finish as 4-6th best team in conference and make NCAA tournament.
Excellent assessment. I would be happy with 6th and elated with 4th. Still hoping for a difference maker from the portal. Coach McEntire said we weren’t done. I was expecting to hear something by now. Maybe a Serbian or someone from Real Madrid!!!!
Fan Since '70
- OBS, Florida
I don't know why Illinois women haven't made a big splash in the portal. Hope it is not because women side doesn't have a lot of NIL $$ to spend. Seems they did not even attempt to get an elite center and elite wing which they sorely needed to become serious contenders. Hope they still land an alpha elite or two.
Don't think Illini WBB has much NIL$. Not sure most WBB program has major NIL. Look at teams who are pulling the best portal players.
top 5 ranked USC, OK, KY, UCLA, UCLA, TX, Baylor, Uconn, USC
www.espn.com
top 5 ranked USC, OK, KY, UCLA, UCLA, TX, Baylor, Uconn, USC
Women's transfer rankings: There's a new No. 1 (and No. 2)
More than 1,300 women's college basketball players entered the transfer portal. Who are the top players looking for a new school next season?
They have 4 starters returning for their senior year, it is highly unlikely that they are going to get an elite wing. I could see them going for another center, but it would probably be someone younger that they see a future with.
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Fan Since '70
- OBS, Florida
The 4 starters aren't championship contenders, not even with the center they added. Illini needed to make a splash at center position and add an elite athletic wing scorer and defender type to increase their competitiveness over the last two seasons and be more realistic contenders. Plus give the younger talent, Dolan, Wallace and Allen more minutes, especially when starters aren't getting it done. IMO, Illini right now are at best 4th-6th best in new B1G '18' and then only if they hit on all cylinders consistently throughout the season and Green lets the best producing players play.
Who are the top 10 women in the NIL athlete universe?
What female athletes are making bank on NIL?
thelistwire.usatoday.com
Fan Since '70
- OBS, Florida
Three years ago, Illini were 7-20 overall and 1-13 in B1G and had been an afterthought for a long time . If Whitman and Greene are to be believed, Illini want to play with the best. But to do that you have to recruit elite players and in this era, spend the big bucks to acquire missing pieces to contend for championships.
It seemed like a perfect fit for Janae Kent and Alyssa Latham to come back home state to get glory and a NIL bag,but something about coming homeseems like it dont work for our flagship school..
Its one thing to return home to a Big Ten champion team (TSJ) or an BTT champ elite eight team (Tre White, Kylan Boswell). We have been a very successsful MBB program since 2020.
The WBB program was very bad for 15 years. Finally barely getting to post season for past 2 years average 3,700 attendance.
Janae Kent left LSU SEC to go to Texas A&M. SEC National Champions 2011. Made NCAA tourney 14 years in a row between 2006 and 2021 including two elite 8's. Attendance 3,900.
Alysa Latham left Syracuse ACC to go to Tennessee. SEC 8 national championships. Averaged 8.9k attendance last year.
It is hard sell to get a blue chip recruit or transfer to come to Illinois. Shauna needs her Ayo / Kofi to raise the program to next level. Lou did not break thru till he got Eddie Johnson.
The WBB program was very bad for 15 years. Finally barely getting to post season for past 2 years average 3,700 attendance.
Janae Kent left LSU SEC to go to Texas A&M. SEC National Champions 2011. Made NCAA tourney 14 years in a row between 2006 and 2021 including two elite 8's. Attendance 3,900.
Alysa Latham left Syracuse ACC to go to Tennessee. SEC 8 national championships. Averaged 8.9k attendance last year.
It is hard sell to get a blue chip recruit or transfer to come to Illinois. Shauna needs her Ayo / Kofi to raise the program to next level. Lou did not break thru till he got Eddie Johnson.
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uofi7477
- Silver & Gold Vandals
Thank you Oldman!
Do they have a bunch of $ to spend? No
They also have a ton of minutes that are locked up
References for this take? I know just an opinion
Every legit contender is looking for an elite center besides just elite talent.
Serious contenders for conference? Win it all? There are maybe 4-6 teams each season that have any shot of winning the National Championship. UConn hasn't won it since 2016 and they are a top notch program. We are trying to make some noise and make the NCAA Tournament every season. Baby steps....not making the Final Four next season
The realistic fans still feel this way
The Illinois fans who didn't follow Women's basketball or very casually are the most critical.....go figure
There are a few "hot take" posters on here I don't take seriously
Champaign Toast
Fan since Kiwane Garris
A player who doesn't get talked about much is Cori Allen. I was encouraged by how she played last season when she got onto the court. At a pretty good rate (to my eye), she would be in the right spot to make a defensive play or grab a rebound. She used her strength and had a nice looking three point shot. Had good poise. Didn't she hit a tough mid-range shot at one point? She may not be the quickest of players. I can't recall how well she defended on the perimeter.
I look forward to seeing more of her next year.
I look forward to seeing more of her next year.
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Top 100 recruit who mainly saw action during junk time. Hopefully the game can slow down for her and she can contribute during competitive games next season. She mainly played during double digit leads whether winning/losing. I don't see her being top few off the bench unless major injuries happen.
I agree. I like her court savvy. But I don’t see her everyday in practice like the coaches do. Maybe she’ll find her way into the rotation this year. We’re gonna need her the following year.