***TCU vs ISU***

[CRAZYGREG]

I guess your comments carry some interesting weight in that our expectations have risen greatly under Fennelly. What was once a powderpuff team is now one that we expect to highly compete in one of the typically toughest conferences in the country. On the national scene any team that is within one game of .500 is considered worthy of a tournament bid and yet we are now to the point that it's not good enough any more. I suppose that is a good problem to have and I support wanting to aim higher.

This is going to be the third straight year at .500 or less in the conference. That has never happened since CBF hs been here. Also, it is going to be .500 of less in 4 of the last 5 years.

I don't think anyone is expecting us to be competing for Big 12 titles year in and year out. However, this is a sustained level or mediocrity and it is concerning.

Serious Question: What has been going on since 2012 that has lead to this lowest point of the CBF era? Any thoughts?

 

[Three4Cy]

This is going to be the third straight year at .500 or less in the conference. That has never happened since CBF hs been here. Also, it is going to be .500 of less in 4 of the last 5 years.

I don't think anyone is expecting us to be competing for Big 12 titles year in and year out. However, this is a sustained level or mediocrity and it is concerning.

Serious Question: What has been going on since 2012 that has lead to this lowest point of the CBF era? Any thoughts?

A lack of recruiting for what would be this year's senior class. Our senior class was not a strong recruiting class. We are paying for it this year. We need to be a team with a junior or senior post player who has experience. Mere is doing a great job, but you are relying on two freshman to be your primary post players.

Other thing is a lack of development of our post players. I have said it before and will continue to say it, we need to find a new post coach. Our post players have not developed as they should over the past several years. After Pop and Anna left, we've had terrible development of our post players.

 

[runbikeswim]

This is going to be the third straight year at .500 or less in the conference. That has never happened since CBF hs been here. Also, it is going to be .500 of less in 4 of the last 5 years.

I don't think anyone is expecting us to be competing for Big 12 titles year in and year out. However, this is a sustained level or mediocrity and it is concerning.

Serious Question: What has been going on since 2012 that has lead to this lowest point of the CBF era? Any thoughts?

I think it all stems from recruiting. We have had no depth for quite some time. We had only one ball handler, Moody, for several years, and we haven't really had any "consistent" all game post presence since Anna and Pop. Let's not forget the year that Hallie was our "post" player.

We have had 3 of 4 of the 2014 class leave now. We had all four of the 2008 class leave.

We had a couple of junior college transfers that fled/weren't good enough.

We had a string of posts that didn't work out, Pierson, Bildeaux, Mays, Arlen, etc.

It all stems from recruiting. When we started this year, we had 12 players on scholly (if Lexi had one), so let's say 11. That means there were at least 3 open schollies. Of the 12 players, only 9 were going to see any real playing time. As we see now, and in the past (last year with Jadda going down, back to only one ball-handler), that one or two players either leave, or get injured, and we are in a pickle.

Coach says that players don't want to come here if they can't get playing time, so, he doesn't like to "over" recruit, but somehow we need a core group of players for a few years to stay to give some stability to this program and roster.

 

[CRAZYGREG]

A lack of recruiting for what would be this year's senior class. Our senior class was not a strong recruiting class. We are paying for it this year. We need to be a team with a junior or senior post player who has experience. Mere is doing a great job, but you are relying on two freshman to be your primary post players.

Other thing is a lack of development of our post players. I have said it before and will continue to say it, we need to find a new post coach. Our post players have not developed as they should over the past several years. After Pop and Anna left, we've had terrible development of our post players.

I have noticed this as well. Wasn't Jack in charge of developing our posts before he left? Maybe he had a bigger impact than I thought.

 

[runbikeswim]

A lack of recruiting for what would be this year's senior class. Our senior class was not a strong recruiting class. We are paying for it this year. We need to be a team with a junior or senior post player who has experience. Mere is doing a great job, but you are relying on two freshman to be your primary post players.

Other thing is a lack of development of our post players. I have said it before and will continue to say it, we need to find a new post coach. Our post players have not developed as they should over the past several years. After Pop and Anna left, we've had terrible development of our post players.

Schaben is a decent post coach, but unless I remember incorrectly, defense and post development was a primary function of Easley's. I think the problem with the posts is lack of posts more so than development.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I guess your comments carry some interesting weight in that our expectations have risen greatly under Fennelly. What was once a powderpuff team is now one that we expect to highly compete in one of the typically toughest conferences in the country. On the national scene any team that is within one game of .500 is considered worthy of a tournament bid and yet we are now to the point that it's not good enough any more. I suppose that is a good problem to have and I support wanting to aim higher.

Actually my personal expectations are a lot lower then they used to be. After Fennelly's first 10 years I was hoping for a conference title here and there and some Elite 8 and Sweet 16 runs. I thought we might have a real run (maybe like Cole actually did a little later at OU).

We have had only one shared conference title in our history so as much as I would love to have a team that could win the conference I just don't think that is going to happen again. We are not in the company of the Baylors, OU's and now Texas that is going to win the conference.

I don't think about deep NCAA runs anymore either. We are 1-5 in our last five appearances and not thinking we even play this year.

Not saying we wouldn't bounce back next year with Johnson and Carleton (really really hope we do), just sayin' I have much lower expectations then 10 years ago. I don't see much changing over the next 10 years or so cause Bill ain't going anywhere and he isn't going to change anything about the way he does things. We don't suck or anything and we are not going to suck but the program just seems "tired".

 

[acoustimac]

i'm not sure my expectations have really changed, but I am definitely much more realistic about the strength of women's basketball overall. In the early years of Fennelly's tenure, The number of very good women's teams probably numbered at less than 30 in the country. The number of pure athletes that are found on women's teams today are night and day different from those 15 years ago. The style of the game has changed along with that. Practically any team that makes the dance is good enough to beat someone in the first round. That didn't used to be the case. I too, have hope concerning next years team, especially with another good recruiting class coming in. We just can't face the same problems as we are this year with injuries and defections. Another year of experience should also help. I just plan on sticking with the ladies through thick and thin. Already have my big 12 tournament ticket order in and hotel reserved.

 

[Tornado man]

i'm not sure my expectations have really changed, but I am definitely much more realistic about the strength of women's basketball overall. In the early years of Fennelly's tenure, The number of very good women's teams probably numbered at less than 30 in the country. The number of pure athletes that are found on women's teams today are night and day different from those 15 years ago.

These are good points. However, our offensive and defensive styles have changed since the glory days too. We never did hold the "athleticism edge" against teams; we ran lots of motion and made players chase us around (Megan Taylor anyone). Now much more stationary offense and hope for a 3. We don't attack teams on D either, afraid to get into foul trouble I guess.

 

[CRAZYGREG]

These are good points. However, our offensive and defensive styles have changed since the glory days too. We never did hold the "athleticism edge" against teams; we ran lots of motion and made players chase us around (Megan Taylor anyone). Now much more stationary offense and hope for a 3. We don't attack teams on D either, afraid to get into foul trouble I guess.

The offense has changed from just a few years ago as well. Bolte and Ezell never just stood around.

 

[runbikeswim]

I think coach has tried to implement more of a Hoiberg offense because a lot of these younger players don't want to learn 150 different plays, and it is harder for Freshman to pick them all up. So, they all wait for the penetration to occur before moving, which creates a lot of dribbling and a lot of standing around.

 

[StClone]

So far the move to 4 and 5 guard play after Bry's departure has been trial and mostly error. By the way I was told Blaire Thomas Tweets Bry and is one of the few former teammates who does.

 

[cydney]

So far the move to 4 and 5 guard play after Bry's departure has been trial and mostly error. By the way I was told Blaire Thomas Tweets Bry and is one of the few former teammates who does.

Wow, what does this have to do with anything?! The team is moving on, hard as it may be to adjust when a starter is out of the picture, others should too. Billy's radio interview pretty clearly stated that Bry left without saying anything to her current teammates. That likely set the tone.

 

[cydney]

So far the move to 4 and 5 guard play after Bry's departure has been trial and mostly error. By the way I was told Blaire Thomas Tweets Bry and is one of the few former teammates who does.

Also, what do you mean by move to 4 and 5 guard play? It has been rare to nonexistent to have 5 guards on the floor during this stretch. If Mere is out, then other posts have usually played. Other than the post rotation, the lineup has not really changed. The team was already primarily using 4 guards (per their positions listed on the roster): Jadda, Kidd/Em, Seanna, Bridget. And one could argue that Bridget is as much forward as guard. For example, Brynn was listed as G/F.

 

[StClone]

Also, what do you mean by move to 4 and 5 guard play? It has been rare to nonexistent to have 5 guards on the floor during this stretch. If Mere is out, then other posts have usually played. Other than the post rotation, the lineup has not really changed. The team was already primarily using 4 guards (per their positions listed on the roster): Jadda, Kidd/Em, Seanna, Bridget. And one could argue that Bridget is as much forward as guard. For example, Brynn was listed as G/F.

I may rephrase that the line-ups have not proven to be as competitive no matter the positions played since B-- left.

 

[StClone]

Wow, what does this have to do with anything?! The team is moving on, hard as it may be to adjust when a starter is out of the picture, others should too. Billy's radio interview pretty clearly stated that Bry left without saying anything to her current teammates. That likely set the tone.

Evidently B-- leaving without much attachment after 18 months (seems atypical) and the one connection she has is with another player also leaving early. A thorough autopsy on why each player left is not possible but seems in order as our attrition rate seems high. I have moved on from this instance BUT am interested in the overall turnover rate causes and see (or believe I see) a few pieces of the puzzle. Does that make sense?

 

[Tornado man]

I think coach has tried to implement more of a Hoiberg offense because a lot of these younger players don't want to learn 150 different plays, and it is harder for Freshman to pick them all up. So, they all wait for the penetration to occur before moving, which creates a lot of dribbling and a lot of standing around.

When there really isn't much of a post presence, running an "efficient" offense is even more critical. "Efficient" to me means players taking shots that they're likely or at least likelier to make. It puts more of an importance on working to get mid-range shots, as each possession is more important. Instead, we jack up 3's and BF says "we just can't make shots." Huh?

 

[runbikeswim]

When there really isn't much of a post presence, running an "efficient" offense is even more critical. "Efficient" to me means players taking shots that they're likely or at least likelier to make. It puts more of an importance on working to get mid-range shots, as each possession is more important. Instead, we jack up 3's and BF says "we just can't make shots." Huh?

I'd agree with him about free throw shooting.

 

[acoustimac]

The offense has changed from just a few years ago as well. Bolte and Ezell never just stood around.

The Big EZ didn't but Bolte always camped in the corner through her first three years...frustratingly so. She added some movement as a senior.

 

[savepolarbears]

Also, what do you mean by move to 4 and 5 guard play? It has been rare to nonexistent to have 5 guards on the floor during this stretch. If Mere is out, then other posts have usually played. Other than the post rotation, the lineup has not really changed. The team was already primarily using 4 guards (per their positions listed on the roster): Jadda, Kidd/Em, Seanna, Bridget. And one could argue that Bridget is as much forward as guard. For example, Brynn was listed as G/F.

We did play some "no post" in the 2nd half against TCU. I missed Oklahoma, so I can't say if we've played any more. Sometimes Seanna was closest to the basket, sometimes Emily, maybe once Bridget.

 

[mwwbbfan]

Evidently B-- leaving without much attachment after 18 months (seems atypical) and the one connection she has is with another player also leaving early. A thorough autopsy on why each player left is not possible but seems in order as our attrition rate seems high. I have moved on from this instance BUT am interested in the overall turnover rate causes and see (or believe I see) a few pieces of the puzzle. Does that make sense?

It also speaks IMO to her love of the game - when you leave mid-year you in essence give up a year of eligibility to transfer.