Illini Women's Basketball 2023

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#601      

Champaign Toast

C
Fan since Kiwane Garris
Champaign Toast
Baskins Tiger said:
I love me some Adalia and Makira, but like the men's team what they are going to do has become predictable.
Adalia McKenzie passed up 4 shots at 3 to drive into a packed lane and missed the layup on more than one occasion.
It's time to swing someone over to her side so she has a place to pass back to, kinda like slim Jake was always so good at.
Gotta add something they know we love the middle and our guards play big but are little.
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Not disagreeing, but I wonder if any of that decision-making has to do with a desire to draw fouls. I thought that we gained fourth quarter momentum against the Hoosiers by drawing fouls on their front-court. I know that long distance shooting has been a big part of our success this season; at the same time, getting opposing bigs into foul trouble is one tactic to counter the size difference.
 
#603      

Konnie

K
Western Suburbs
Konnie
Baskins Tiger said:
Also to everyone who traveled up yesterday, Coach Green got a warning from the referees because it was to loud in the direction of the bench area.... twas a good day
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Amazing! I was there so I wonder what this group of officials would do if Krush had attended the game. I guess you can't cheer in a women's basketball game if these officials are calling the game.
 
#607      

BRucks

BRucks
BRucks
#610      

GILL-INOIS

G
GILL-INOIS
Thought it was tomorrow but I think the McDonald's All American Teams are announced sometime real soon. Bunch of players got nominated but know both of our commits got nominated as well whether they make it or not :illinois:
 
#615      

GILL-INOIS

G
GILL-INOIS
That Purdue game in 2 days is pretty big. We have the top 6 teams of the conference which are a few games above .500 in conference play with the rest close to .500 or below. Ladies only have Michigan and Maryland left out of the upper echelon with rest of conference schedule being below .500 teams. It won't be easy but a ton of games they have a shot to win. Keep up the great job!

https://bigten.org/standings.aspx?path=wbball
 
#616      

WyattEarp

WyattEarp
WyattEarp
The Galloping Ghost said:
A good conversation. As much as anything, though, it's just nice that this content is out there. We have a team worth talking about. And as a fan, we have a team worth investing in. As excited as I am about all this, it also makes me all the more frustrated about what we've missed out on for nearly twenty years.
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The stuff she said about hoops purists and sticklers of fundamentals liking/appreciating WELL-PLAYED woman’s hoops really is true. Or it SHOULD be appreciated for those things, rather…

It’s so true of this Woman’s team. They do sh_t right; fundamentally… (And, that combined with their grit, and togetherness are the main reasons why I love watching them.)

I don’t know about you but that’s why
Andres Feliz will always, always…always be one of my favorites. He had an old man’s game and he darn sure wasn’t doing it for style points. The other side of it was his toughness, and dogged determination that allowed him to accomplish things that were seemingly impossible for someone as undersized. But it was equal parts tenacity and equal parts just doing the right, fundamentally sound thing at the right time…much like this girls team. In particular Kendall Bostic.

It’s hard for me to picture Bostic turning a routine unguarded layup directly in front of the rim…into some weird, difficult, leaning, twisting, 3/4 quarter reverse-lay-up with the wrong hand. (Coleman Hawkins not so much…mind you there was no one within about 8-9 feet of the rack. I still like Co Hawk. I really do.
But if he had the kind of recognition/decision making skills like of a Bostic or a Feliz he’d be a guaranteed All-American and a guaranteed 1st Rounder.
 
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#617      

Gary J

G
Gary J
Co Hawk will never be an NBA player.

On the other hand, Bostic will play in the WNBA.
 
#618      

The Galloping Ghost

The Galloping Ghost
Washington, DC
The Galloping Ghost
Gary jungenberg said:
Co Hawk will never be an NBA player.

On the other hand, Bostic will play in the WNBA.
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I LOVE KB, but she would be extremely undersized in the WNBA. She's currently listed at 6'2", but is closer to 6 even. Right now, the average height for a player in the WNBA is 6', the average height for a forward is 6'2", and the average for a center is 6'5". Currently, she doesn't have the lateral quickness to cover many 4s in the league, doesn't have the size to guard many post players or effectively get off her shot, and doesn't have the shooting range from beyond the arc. In college, she's able to make up for her lack of size with good instincts, savvy play, solid fundamentals, and a ton of heart, but as has been shown when she's guarding true WNBA talent like Mackenzie Holmes from Indiana, KB isn't quite there. Holmes has put up 23 and 30 on her and, more to the point, forced KB to sit most of the second quarter in foul trouble. A similar situation happened against Czinano of Iowa.

Ultimately, I think KB will go down as a great player for us and one of the lynchpins in turning this program around, but not quite at the WNBA level. The step up from college to the WNBA is pretty massive and a ton of great players aren't able to make the transition.

Edit: Just to put it into perspective, there are only 36 players drafted each season into the WNBA. With only 12 teams, making a roster is extremely difficult.
professionalshq.com

How Tall is the Average WNBA Player? We Did the Math | Professionals HQ

When we encounter someone exceptionally tall in public, we all get the same thought: "I wonder if they play basketball." Most of us just quietly…
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#619      

WyattEarp

WyattEarp
WyattEarp
GILL-INOIS said:
That Purdue game in 2 days is pretty big. We have the top 6 teams of the conference which are a few games above .500 in conference play with the rest close to .500 or below. Ladies only have Michigan and Maryland left out of the upper echelon with rest of conference schedule being below .500 teams. It won't be easy but a ton of games they have a shot to win. Keep up the great job!

https://bigten.org/standings.aspx?path=wbball
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I hoping we’ve got enough gas in the tank to go the distance. I hope we’re peaking at the right time but I dunno.
I’m fearful we might be starting to see some fatigue creep in from our style of play (which I love btw) and having a shorter bench then a lot of teams. I hope I’m wrong.
 
#620      

The Galloping Ghost

The Galloping Ghost
Washington, DC
The Galloping Ghost
I think the best way to illustrate just how hard it is to be a post player in the WNBA is former Hawkeye, Megan Gustafson. She was the best center in college, was a 2 x B1G player of the year, Naismith and AP player of the year, and her junior and senior year stats were ridiculous (averaged 27.8 and 13.4 her senior year). Going off of that, she would look like a sure thing in the WNBA. Instead, she's bounced around from team to team, in and out of the league, only starting 1 game in her 4-year career. The reason? She's only 6'3" and doesn't have any lateral quickness. In a league where the 6'5" Elena Delle Donne and the 6'4" Breanna Stewart play the stretch 4 and can shoot from anywhere, drive to the basket, and post you up and where the dominant 6'9" Brittany Griner can do anything and everything she wants in the interior, you better either be long as heck or extremely quick or you are going to be a massive liability on the defensive end.
 
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#621      

WyattEarp

WyattEarp
WyattEarp
The Galloping Ghost said:
I LOVE KB, but she would be extremely undersized in the WNBA. She's currently listed at 6'2", but is closer to 6 even. Right now, the average height for a player in the WNBA is 6', the average height for a forward is 6'2", and the average for a center is 6'5". Currently, she doesn't have the lateral quickness to cover many 4s in the league, doesn't have the size to guard many post players or effectively get off her shot, and doesn't have the shooting range from beyond the arc. In college, she's able to make up for her lack of size with good instincts, savvy play, solid fundamentals, and a ton of heart, but as has been shown when she's guarding true WNBA talent like Mackenzie Holmes from Indiana, KB isn't quite there. Holmes has put up 23 and 30 on her and, more to the point, forced KB to sit most of the second quarter in foul trouble. A similar situation happened against Czinano of Iowa.

Ultimately, I think KB will go down as a great player for us and one of the lynchpins in turning this program around, but not quite at the WNBA level. The step up from college to the WNBA is pretty massive and a ton of great players aren't able to make the transition.

Edit: Just to put it into perspective, there are only 36 players drafted each season into the WNBA. With only 12 teams, making a roster is extremely difficult.
professionalshq.com

How Tall is the Average WNBA Player? We Did the Math | Professionals HQ

When we encounter someone exceptionally tall in public, we all get the same thought: "I wonder if they play basketball." Most of us just quietly…
professionalshq.com professionalshq.com
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I think she could maybe play overseas somewhere for a while. (If she was so inclined.)

I’m almost positive she doesn’t need me planning her life for her. Lol But, I think she’d make a helluva coach. Just seems like she would be a good candidate for that.
 
#623      

GILL-INOIS

G
GILL-INOIS
Very impressive for Dolan! (y)

Was checking her stats out a week ago and she averaged just under 40 points a game last season and around the same so far this season. If she can get her 3 point % up she would average 50 a game which is even more scary. Think she shoots around 30% from deep between last season/this season.
 
#624      

BRucks

BRucks
BRucks
GILL-INOIS said:
Very impressive for Dolan! (y)

Was checking her stats out a week ago and she averaged just under 40 points a game last season and around the same so far this season. If she can get her 3 point % up she would average 50 a game which is even more scary. Think she shoots around 30% from deep between last season/this season.
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Those stats, for those who are interested:
www.maxpreps.com

Gretchen Dolan's High School Basketball Stats

Check out Gretchen Dolan's high school sports stats, including updates while playing basketball at Williamsville South High School (NY).
www.maxpreps.com www.maxpreps.com
 
#625      

NJJ871

N
NJJ871
BRucks said:
Those stats, for those who are interested:
www.maxpreps.com

Gretchen Dolan's High School Basketball Stats

Check out Gretchen Dolan's high school sports stats, including updates while playing basketball at Williamsville South High School (NY).
www.maxpreps.com www.maxpreps.com
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Thanks - I saw those earlier and noticed that they only list last year/this year. In a separate article, it mentions that this is her FIFTH year of playing varsity. I guess that helps in racking up 2,165 points. She must have been able to play as an 8th grader? I wouldn't think that she'd be eligible if she repeated a year of HS.
 
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