Doesn't Bourrage have ties to Iowa, or some other school that might be hard to overcome? I feel like I've read that on here, perhaps I am commingling/conflating (Correct me you Usage Mavens! I learned a new grammatical term today, GPS) her with another player/recruit. It's late and I'm going to bed, or I'd figure it out..... ;-)
Illini Women's Basketball
She is from Davenport, Iowa which is around a hour away from Iowa City. Her high school teammate already committed to Iowa (Journey Houston). Iowa has some real good recruiting classes coming. They have around 2-3 top 100 guards in both the 2024 and 2025 classes committed.
Illinois has a few strengths as well. Immediate playing time, has visited Illinois 3-4 times since the beginning of the season and family loves Green. Bourrage is a perfect fit into Green's system and has mentioned about wanting to build a program.
Ton of power teams have reached out to Divine over the last few months. South Carolina is coming in late to the party and want her.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
HVL approves of your behavior......she will also be visiting Mississippi State tomorrow if you are in the area
I am hoping that Berry Wallace 6'1" McDonalds AA can step right into starting lineup like James Augustine did in 2003 and give us double digit rebounding. We need size and post scoring so badly.
ESPN writes of Wallace: "Berry Wallace of Ohio's Pickerington Central High School has a smooth inside-outside game. She plays the forward spot as someone who can be physical but plays with finesse in the half court. She has become consistent from the 3-point line."
ESPN writes of Wallace: "Berry Wallace of Ohio's Pickerington Central High School has a smooth inside-outside game. She plays the forward spot as someone who can be physical but plays with finesse in the half court. She has become consistent from the 3-point line."
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Shauna Green will likely transition Berry Wallace like she did with Gretchen Dolan this season. Dolan got elevated time since Peebles went down early, but she also trusted her enough to be the first one off the bench. Wallace is in a perfect spot sitting behind Bostic/McKenzie her FR year. Green wants to add a big frontcourt player that can play right away. I love Wallace but not ideal to have her starting next to Bostic when size has been an issue for years. If we ride a small frontcourt I still see Berry starting the season off the bench.
Hey yall Janae Kent jumped into the portal....Get the car running to Oak Forest NOW!!!!!! lol.
Hey since Oregon State has emptied out Timea Gardner and a few others are welcome to this seasoned veteran team...
To have a good player on the roster and make her transition into the program as easy as possible. We have 4 starters already set and Green specifically has said she wants more size in the frontcourt. She knows you need some size down low to do any damage. I have no problem if Wallace can come in right away and play. It also means Green didn't land a bigger starting 5 which is her #1 priority.
Clark, Bueckers and Watkins are also elite players who play different positions and also were ready to start and dominate from day 1. Bueckers (20 pts/gm), Clark (26 pts/gm) and Watkins (27 pts/gm) their FR seasons. You have 4 starters back on an experienced team. What are you expecting from Wallace? Listen to some interviews with Green. She has specifically stated she wants more size down low and knows the transition to the collegiate level is slower for some than others.
Last two #1 recruits were Watkins in 2023 (start every game) and 6-7 Betts in 2022 (no starts FR year). High school All-American doesn't always mean instant success or playing time.
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Well Basketball is basketball folks..The cream rises to the top..Sha WILL play because she has skills and a motor,but for example Camille was a higher ranked player coming in but she did not get on the court because competition is what it is..Shay B Bollin is a highly ranked prospect once upon a time but we can tell she needed
to be groomed into the playiing time she did get.It put Shoup Hill on the bench and i loved her 3pt shot.
to be groomed into the playiing time she did get.It put Shoup Hill on the bench and i loved her 3pt shot.
No doubt she will play. Having her in the top few players off the bench rotation is perfect. Dolan and Wallace will be ready to take over once the experienced group leaves. Green has plans to land a starting big in the portal. If she doesn't do that or if a frontcourt player gets hurt that is when Wallace would possibly step in.
The comment and logic of getting an All-American and not starting her day one is what baffles me. Wallace is a top 25 prospect, Camille Jackson top 60-70 prospect. There are some elite FR that enter every season. Majority of the time you never know how fast/slow the game is for FR until they practice and transition.
From what i noticed there are PLENTY of talent out there to be had with these openings we have but a prime center ,they are at a premium..Shoot we may need a full scale recruiting office of 13 people to get one of those...and for my dream of getting Bourrage on the roster...Please have that Quad City queen recognize that Illinois is the better side of the line for her..
I dont know if the Illini have any NIL for the women but i wonder if we could find one of those those premium centers with a package the size of say the minimum WNBA salary? Or is that too much ?
All about finding the right NIL and multiple if popular enough. Flaujae from LSU just got $180k vehicle. Top WNBA salary is north of $240k a season.
I don't feel sorry for any athletes in P5 conferences. These aren't the ramen days I remember
Fine if you feel that way about Wallace. I am not opposed to starting a McDonald's AA if they are good enough to start and have the need.
I actually believe if we would land Divine Bourrage she is ready to start Day 1(barring incoming transfer) and backcourt is open when she walks in.
NEIlliniFan
- No longer in New England
It's true Bueckers started her freshman year but that's not typically the case at UConn. Geno hates starting freshmen.
Take a look at her UConn classmate, HS All-American Mir McLean. She played in 24 of 30 games, that season,started none. That's far more typical.
What about Reagan Bass from Akron? Not really a big at 6’1” but 9.9 rpg along with 16.4 ppg. Definitely a connection with Akron. Or would taking an Akron player be a no no?
Illinois is still looking for the best player besides position of need. Paraphrasing but Green has stated before she wants and prefers Bostic at the 4 spot and wants size at the 5 through the portal. She wants at least one impact big(starter) and would love 2. Also wants a combo guard to take some pressure off of Cook/Bryant.
Plenty of free scholarships laying around to hand out......only 10 on the current roster at this moment
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Beers yesterday and Kiki Iriafen entered today. Talking about two All-American level frontcourt players entering the portal. Iriafen added the do not contact to her status. Last I heard is she was offered equivalent of 3 years max salary in the WNBA to play at new school next season. Unreal......
Champaign Toast
Fan since Kiwane Garris
I have no idea about what numbers are circulating for various players in the transfer market, but saw this...
"One college basketball source told the [San Francisco] Chronicle (Kiki Iriafen) was receiving offers upward of $700,000 in NIL money throughout the Stanford season from other collectives."
"Kiki Iriafen enters transfer portal." San Francisco Chronicle, 4/12/24.
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Kiki is really really good. That's got to be a killer for Stanford fans.
I would be more than happy with 1 impact big and another player like Bass or Latham rather than a second big like Hobby. Not knocking on Hobby she was alright this year but we need better if we're going to improve. I have never seen Bass play just going by her stats.
FYI. Oregon State affiliated with West Coast Conference for now. Only sport that is affiliated with Mountain West is football since WCC doesn’t have football. Baseball is currently independent I believe.100%
Oregon State just went to the Elite 8 (lost to South Carolina) and the team is dismantled since going to Mountain West. Prime time player 6'4 Raegan Beers (avg 17 pts, 10 rebs) the latest to enter portal today. She has her pick of the litter plus some money coming her way.
The whole thing I don't understand is there are new names every hour entering the portal in the Women's game. Majority of Women's basketball teams lose money. Must be some hidden money coming in from somewhere.
Not sure why program making money or not would have anything to do with NIL since it is paid by donors/collectives not schools.
A. All McD AAs aren’t created equal
B. So possibly the top 3 players in the game now started day 1 so all McD AAs will/should?
I’ll let you in on a little secret, very likely Wallace isn’t the next Caitlin, Paige or JuJu. I have no idea if she’ll start, but that was one of the strangest takes I’ve seen in awhile.