Okay Bluder...

Lauren Betts is headed to UCLA. The former top-ranked recruit announced Tuesday on Instagram that she has committed to transfer to UCLA.

Aneesah Morrow come on down!
 
Understand anything is possible but it just doesn’t seem Iowa is taking advantage of the NC game appearance and having CC.
No really good players from the porthole
No top high school recruits.
 
CP87 said:
Crazy thought here...

Iowa's best returning front court player, by far, is Stuelke. She was rough around the edges this year, but has legitimate potential to be a star with her size and athleticism. However, she is probably not going to morph into an effective, high-volume 3-pt shooter (ala Warnock, Krei, Ausdemore, etc.).

Iowa prefers to play 4-out. They have occasionally played double-post offense (Morgan Johnson and Doolittle; Gustafson and Stewart/Coley), but it doesn't seem to be Bluder's preference. I also think it would hamper Clark's effectiveness by muddying up driving and passing lanes.

I do not think Iowa is going to find an all-conference post-weapon in the portal. I think their best bet might be to commit to Stuelke at the 5, and then emulate the Warrior's "Death Lineup." The Warriors chose to play 6'5" Draymond at center and Harrison Barnes (or later KD) at the 4, knowing they would give up something on defense, but banking on being able to make up for it on the offensive end.

Stuelke at 5 (with O'Grady playing 15-20 min off the bench), Martin at the 4, and a Clark/Davis/Marshall backcourt. McCabe, Affolter, Fuerback off the bench.

My biggest concern would be defensive rebounding, something we have always struggled with. The ability of Clark to rebound helps, but they might need a bit more length and toughness to hang in there. A rangy 4 with 3-pt range would be great, but those aren't growing on trees. If they were to really commit to playing positionless basketball, someone like the 6'1" James Madison guard could be a huge get. The Lehigh girl (6'1", MN native) is also intriguing; not a great 3-pt shooter, but that can change in a hurry once you are getting open spot-up looks from Clark.

Just my crazy ramblings.
Click to expand...

Portal help does not appear to be on the way. With the loss of Czinano and Warnock, I don't think there is any way we can go toe-to-toe with the nation's best playing straight up. O'Grady is a pretty sizable step back (even banking on improvement), and Stuelke has potential, but with her lack of shooting at the 4, Iowa can't maximize Clark.

Time to go all-in on small ball. Stuelke is the 5, O'Grady off the bench. We play 4 perimeter players around her. We will get mauled inside, but of the top 20 B1G scorers last year, only 3 are posts, and all 3 are graduating. There aren't that many teams out there that can hurt you inside. And for the ones that can, you are going to have to bet on outscoring them by trading 3s for 2s. Bulk up Martin and Clark a bit, play hyperspeed, jack 3s, and embrace being an iconoclastic team. If nothing else, it would make for great entertainment.
 
CP87 said:
Portal help does not appear to be on the way. With the loss of Czinano and Warnock, I don't think there is any way we can go toe-to-toe with the nation's best playing straight up. O'Grady is a pretty sizable step back (even banking on improvement), and Stuelke has potential, but with her lack of shooting at the 4, Iowa can't maximize Clark.

Time to go all-in on small ball. Stuelke is the 5, O'Grady off the bench. We play 4 perimeter players around her. We will get mauled inside, but of the top 20 B1G scorers last year, only 3 are posts, and all 3 are graduating. There aren't that many teams out there that can hurt you inside. And for the ones that can, you are going to have to bet on outscoring them by trading 3s for 2s. Bulk up Martin and Clark a bit, play hyperspeed, jack 3s, and embrace being an iconoclastic team. If nothing else, it would make for great entertainment.
Click to expand...

This sounds like an interesting strategy, I think they should try it.
 
Stil haven't made it as far as last year yet...

But still must admit it's been a bit of a miracle with the talent gap we have against so many teams.
 
Bigtenchamp said:
No more fucking up the transfer portal game...

We got the michael Jordan of women's basketball on our team who can get open shots for all positions.

People going to want to come here and play.

Gotta make this happen.
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You do realize Iowa has the best recruiting class coming in, in program history, right. Like a 5* and four 4* players coming. They are 5 ESPN top 100 players with the last 5* Deal coming from CA.

Just sayin'.

Oops, just saw that your thread was started in April 2023.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
You do realize Iowa has the best recruiting class coming in, in program history, right. Like a 5* and four 4* players coming. They are 5 ESPN top 100 players with the last 5* Deal coming from CA.

Just sayin'.

Oops, just saw that your thread was started in April 2023.
Click to expand...
The portal makes HUGE SENSE...1 established power forward, and 1 PG. The girl from Virginia Tech is available...with her we are still a top B1G team and a national powerhouse.
 
CP87 said:
Portal help does not appear to be on the way. With the loss of Czinano and Warnock, I don't think there is any way we can go toe-to-toe with the nation's best playing straight up. O'Grady is a pretty sizable step back (even banking on improvement), and Stuelke has potential, but with her lack of shooting at the 4, Iowa can't maximize Clark.

Time to go all-in on small ball. Stuelke is the 5, O'Grady off the bench. We play 4 perimeter players around her. We will get mauled inside, but of the top 20 B1G scorers last year, only 3 are posts, and all 3 are graduating. There aren't that many teams out there that can hurt you inside. And for the ones that can, you are going to have to bet on outscoring them by trading 3s for 2s. Bulk up Martin and Clark a bit, play hyperspeed, jack 3s, and embrace being an iconoclastic team. If nothing else, it would make for great entertainment.
Click to expand...
Wow, got to give credit where it's due. That was a great prediction. That's exactly what Iowa ended up doing, and it actually worked! (so far)
 
loesshillshawk said:
The portal makes HUGE SENSE...1 established power forward, and 1 PG. The girl from Virginia Tech is available...with her we are still a top B1G team and a national powerhouse.
Click to expand...

Amoore would be awesome, would patch our biggest hole for next year, and it has to be attractive that our PG has won 4 of the last 5 B1G POY awards (probably should have been 5/5).

Maybe Tory Taylor can put in a good work for us (Amoore is from Australia)?

www.espn.com

Hokies' Amoore enters portal after Brooks' exit

Virginia Tech star point guard Georgia Amoore has entered the transfer portal, the school told ESPN on Monday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
CP87 said:
Amoore would be awesome, would patch our biggest hole for next year, and it has to be attractive that our PG has won 4 of the last 5 B1G POY awards (probably should have been 5/5).

Maybe Tory Taylor can put in a good work for us (Amoore is from Australia)?

www.espn.com

Hokies' Amoore enters portal after Brooks' exit

Virginia Tech star point guard Georgia Amoore has entered the transfer portal, the school told ESPN on Monday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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Agree.

She is an outstanding player but probably borderline for the next level. My guess is she's looking for a payday just in case that doesn't come to fruition. Our supposed low NIL capability may prove too much to overcome here unless she really loves the idea of joining with Bluder.
 
#1DieHardHawk said:
Agree.

She is an outstanding player but probably borderline for the next level. My guess is she's looking for a payday just in case that doesn't come to fruition. Our supposed low NIL capability may prove too much to overcome here unless she really loves the idea of joining with Bluder.
Click to expand...

Her VT coach (Kenny Brooks, who seems like an awesome dude) went to Kentucky, and she might just be looking to follow him.

I wonder if she is in the same situation that Tory Taylor was in where he couldn't personally receive any NIL money due to his citizenship status (which is why all of his went to charity)?
 
CP87 said:
Her VT coach (Kenny Brooks, who seems like an awesome dude) went to Kentucky, and she might just be looking to follow him.

I wonder if she is in the same situation that Tory Taylor was in where he couldn't personally receive any NIL money due to his citizenship status (which is why all of his went to charity)?
Click to expand...
Interesting thought. I'm not sure if that is the case here or not. Assuming NIL is a non-factor, you would think she would just announce the transfer. I wouldn't see the benefit of putting your name out there for the bidding if her intent was to follow her coach.

And, yes, I agree. Brooks seems like a great guy in the interviews I've seen of him. Seems genuine.
 
Absolutely part of their game plan. It's why I kept saying (and posting) that they had to keep their foot on the gas. Not just figuratively, but literally. Affolter, Stuelke, and O'Grady were outright outrunning the LSU defense. Mix in the fact that they have to at least always be trying to figure out what Clark is gonna do, it just made it easier to outrun them or find open space.

I noticed a lot of hands on LSU hips by the end of the first half. It's newtonian physics. Yes, those long legs require fewer steps to get down court, but the additional height adds a lot of weight that has to be moved. The third gassed them enough that even when they tried to dig deep in the fourth, there just wasn't enough left. Especially with a solid deficit that they just couldn't eat into without fouling like you can in the last minute. They would have all fouled out.

Add this to the list....plus last year's South Carolina game, the WV game which was a modified version of the SC game, and the Iowa coaching staff starts to look awfully cunning. The miracle on ice reference is not too farfetched. Other than the fact it'd be like having Gretzky out there on the first line instead of Eruzione. And the supporting cast, while not necessarily blue chippers, are certainly nothing to sneeze at.
 
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