A couple of nice portal pick ups could help bridge that gap.
Illini Women's Basketball 2024-2025
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Let's not forget 6'7 Letty and 6'6" Hayven
Dolan should get a redshirt which would make her a redshirt soph. next year. We'll also have 6' guard Erica Finney, the sharpshooter from Down Under.
Women's basketball, but I'm sorry. USC and UCLA in the Big 10 Tournament Title game.
www.espn.com
UCLA avenges losses to USC in Big Ten title game
Lauren Betts scored 13 of her 17 points in the second half Sunday and No. 4 UCLA allowed only four baskets over the final 12 minutes as the Bruins rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat No. 2 USC 72-67 in the Big Ten Tournament championship game.
Champaign Toast
Fan since Kiwane Garris
Transfer portal season is upon us and we have a week until Selection Sunday.
Coach Green and the staff are no doubt doing their diligence by scouting rosters and the portal as players enter.
I compiled a short list of some veteran point guards who just MIGHT, IN MY IMAGINATION, make the bold decision to enter and might fit our program*. These are point guards from non-P6 teams in college basketball right now that have played 3 years of college basketball and are averaging at least 4 assists this season**. For fun, I added Florida State’s Ta’Niya Latson, D1’s leading scorer and a player who will command a premium of NIL dollars if she chooses to enter the portal.
*Destiny Jackson is our incoming first-year point guard with a top 25 recruit honorific and the player I hope will be the lead guard that over the next 3+ years takes our program to higher heights. But we will need a second strong ballhandler on the roster, and I hope it will be one with at least a sliver of Genesis Bryant’s cold-as-steel nerves and veteran guile, cool, IQ, leadership, and comfort in big moments. There has been speculation that Makira Cook may seek another year of eligibility via medical exception, but also that she could play it out at another school. Also, Jasmine Hagger-Brown was put into the role of running the offense at times this year when Bryant was on the bench.
**No way do we discount the possibility that players who are on P6 teams now and/or average fewer than 4 assists who could be good fits or the transfer addition we end up making (if a guard transfers in at all). But I suspect some of the players named below are considering making a jump up to a bigger program for their last season of eligibility either for the competition or the NIL opportunities.
This an exercise that I enjoy, which brings another fun element to following March Madness and portal season. I hope someone else enjoys it as well.
Name - School - Pts/Ast 3p%/FT%
Nunez and Asensio are from Spain. Asensio looks like a true point guard and came through the same academy that Illini Irene Noya-Catoira did. Konig is from the Toronto area, like Illini Cearah Parchment.
Haven Ford has excellent stats leading a team that looks destined for a tourney berth. And her poise at the press conference is terrific.
Ny’Ceara Pryor’s shooting percentages aren’t great and she stands 5’3”, but she’s a leader and a scorer with a good handle and averages a whopping 4 steals per game!
Versteeg likewise doesn’t have great shooting percentages, but she’s second in D1 in assists per game and has decent length and athleticism.
Coach Green and the staff are no doubt doing their diligence by scouting rosters and the portal as players enter.
I compiled a short list of some veteran point guards who just MIGHT, IN MY IMAGINATION, make the bold decision to enter and might fit our program*. These are point guards from non-P6 teams in college basketball right now that have played 3 years of college basketball and are averaging at least 4 assists this season**. For fun, I added Florida State’s Ta’Niya Latson, D1’s leading scorer and a player who will command a premium of NIL dollars if she chooses to enter the portal.
*Destiny Jackson is our incoming first-year point guard with a top 25 recruit honorific and the player I hope will be the lead guard that over the next 3+ years takes our program to higher heights. But we will need a second strong ballhandler on the roster, and I hope it will be one with at least a sliver of Genesis Bryant’s cold-as-steel nerves and veteran guile, cool, IQ, leadership, and comfort in big moments. There has been speculation that Makira Cook may seek another year of eligibility via medical exception, but also that she could play it out at another school. Also, Jasmine Hagger-Brown was put into the role of running the offense at times this year when Bryant was on the bench.
**No way do we discount the possibility that players who are on P6 teams now and/or average fewer than 4 assists who could be good fits or the transfer addition we end up making (if a guard transfers in at all). But I suspect some of the players named below are considering making a jump up to a bigger program for their last season of eligibility either for the competition or the NIL opportunities.
This an exercise that I enjoy, which brings another fun element to following March Madness and portal season. I hope someone else enjoys it as well.
Name - School - Pts/Ast 3p%/FT%
| Gemma Nunez | Campbell/Spain | 8/6 15%/71% |
| Benthe Versteeg | Sacramento State/Netherlands | 12/6 22%/69% |
| Noelani Cornfield | Buffalo | 11/6 25%/78% |
| Kaitlyn Flanagan | Holy Cross | 10/5 32%/66% |
| Haven Ford (so.) | Murray State | 15/5 39%/84% |
| Dionna Gray | Kent State | 8/5 24%/89% |
| Kamy Peppler | Milwaukee | 9/5 28%/79% |
| Mack Konig | Montana | 10/5 26%/69% |
| Marina Asensio | Western Michigan/Spain | 14/5 35%/79% |
| Ashlyn Traylor-Walker | Steven F Austin | 14/5 27%/75% |
| Grace Arnolie | Brown | 15/4 31%/87% |
| Ny’Ceara Pryor | Sacred Heart | 20/4 27%/66% |
| Ta’Niya Latson | Florida State | 25/5 36%/82% |
Nunez and Asensio are from Spain. Asensio looks like a true point guard and came through the same academy that Illini Irene Noya-Catoira did. Konig is from the Toronto area, like Illini Cearah Parchment.
Haven Ford has excellent stats leading a team that looks destined for a tourney berth. And her poise at the press conference is terrific.
Ny’Ceara Pryor’s shooting percentages aren’t great and she stands 5’3”, but she’s a leader and a scorer with a good handle and averages a whopping 4 steals per game!
Versteeg likewise doesn’t have great shooting percentages, but she’s second in D1 in assists per game and has decent length and athleticism.
The fatigue goes to not playing the 8 you have.The players that didn't make the rotation could come in and give the effort coached into them,this gaining experience and like 5 to 7 min rest in games...To me the stamina the thing after the injuries was inevitable because this staff has shown short rotations so far..My thoughts were after the two injuries,we could play more freshmen just the rest and later on trust.Maybe they were too ill equipped to come off that bench,but when it's all you have you gotta give some trust.
I trust Coach Green knows who to trust and who not to trust. She sees them in practice everyday.
ptgrd23
- orange county CA
Shauna wants to win every game and manages playing time accordingly.
In past 3 years its clear she will not play underclassmen over better upperclassmen just to develop them.
Its hard to argue with her results. Top half B10 finishes and two NCAA bids in 3 years compared with pre Shauna 21 years without an NCAA appearance.
With the quality of 2025 incoming class one 5 star and three 4 stars she is significantly raising the ceiling of the team!
In past 3 years its clear she will not play underclassmen over better upperclassmen just to develop them.
Its hard to argue with her results. Top half B10 finishes and two NCAA bids in 3 years compared with pre Shauna 21 years without an NCAA appearance.
With the quality of 2025 incoming class one 5 star and three 4 stars she is significantly raising the ceiling of the team!
I have trust in the staff as well,but in the 3 years here so far her teams have been injured or tuckered out at the end of each season.After the weeks rest last they went onto win a title which was awesome but they did limp in from the final regular season .The first season I kinda understand,the season was a pattern..It looked like we were changing this year, unfortunately the injuries were to say the least dreadful,but you could hear in the presser they were tired.Im just thinking the freshmen could have gotten more experience.Now they might come in lost.
Curious who will stay from the current roster
ptgrd23
- orange county CA
WBB at Illinois has not gone portal like at top 10 ranked schools.
UCLA starters/top 6
Barker transfer from Texas A&M
Rice - 3 year starter
Betz transfer from Stanford
Jaquez 3rd year at UCLA
Jones 3rd year at UCLA
Dugalac transfer via Washington State and Oregon
We've had our share of transfers:
Bryant came from NC State
Cook came from Dayton
Brown Hagger came from Mississippi State
Bollin came from Duke
Shoup Hill came from Dayton
Vasconcelos came from Baylor
Bostic came from Michigan State
ptgrd23
- orange county CA
2025 starters
Bryant - year 3 at Illinois
Cook - year 3 at Illinois
Bostic - year 3 at Illinois
Shoup - year 3 at Illinois
Mackenzie year 4 at Illinois
Dolan - Sophmore year 2 at Illinois
Berry - Freshman year 1 at Illinois
Yes they were transfers but they came in with Shauna year 1, we have had great stability in our roster. Our players are used to playing with each other. Strong culture.
Agree, but players like Noya will probably transfer right?
Better than most. Yet, we still lost Dewey, Ndour, Jackson and Rhodes last year. All programs are going to have turnover with the current system. Won't surprise me if we lose some from this year's roster.
ptgrd23
- orange county CA
Dewey ->Richmond 2 ppg this season
Jackson->Miami University 3 ppg this season
Ndour ->Wichita State 3ppg this season
Rhodes-> Akron 8 ppg this season
Shauna has not lost any starters or significant bench players.
MBB could have used Dain, Coleman, Luke and Ty this season.
Dainja Memphis 14 ppg
Coleman KSU 10 ppg 7 rbg
Luke Indiana 9 ppg
Ty - redshirt
Jackson->Miami University 3 ppg this season
Ndour ->Wichita State 3ppg this season
Rhodes-> Akron 8 ppg this season
Shauna has not lost any starters or significant bench players.
MBB could have used Dain, Coleman, Luke and Ty this season.
Dainja Memphis 14 ppg
Coleman KSU 10 ppg 7 rbg
Luke Indiana 9 ppg
Ty - redshirt
I'm looking forward to who is coming in.It would be a surprise to see some transfer because there should be lots of playing time available..I think Makira may leave because I'm sure the University doesn't want to damage the student athletes, especially concussion protocols.Maybe Shay Bollin but she always looked as if she loved the team.Her injuries are tough on her and there will be plenty of competition. The freshmen I say not all can be like Berry,but honestly I didn't expect any freshmen to play besides her and Hayven. Hayven showed real promise. Once she gets up to speed in the offense and defensive rotations,I'm thinking she is going to be more than adequate.
All those players combined didn't average 2 minutes...
I think we will lose Noya.
I'm curious if anyone knows who are we recruiting for this next class.I think I saw only one potential and she was from Utah..
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