Tom Jones

I still hope for a big. I will be hopefully optimistic on this one. The video of her skills drills and of her play (thanks Whoop) is more impressive than are her stat lines. Enthusiasm about her highlights must take into account that we don't know anything about the level of competition, but still she showed some moves, quickness, and sharp shooting. I am going to mention one aspect that concerns me a little. She is 2016 HS graduate, born Dec. 28, 1987. That will make her 22 when she arrives on campus. Assuming 3 years of eligibility, she will be 26 in her senior year competing against some players as young as 19. This is rare in college athletics, not unheard of, and I have questioned the fairness of it when our team are the young ones. I can't remember which team or which player it was, but I do recall watching a game the year in which Nicea, Hannah, and Grace were freshmen when our opponent's squad included two players with tremendous advantages in physical maturity. I looked up their ages at the time and confirmed they were way older. Way back in the Yori years when playing at Devaney I wondered about a few of the brutes on the PSU roster.

I find myself wondering what other schools were trying to recruit her.

yup!

good to know. thanks to both RedDon and Redhac for the info. So looks as tho there is plenty of room for another transfer or two if players are interested

I think that she now has 11 on scholarship along with one walk on. There seems to be potential for all three transfers, but also reasons to wait and see before getting too excited. One was honorable mention in the Big Sky Conf, one may continue to be hampered by knee problems, and one was a meaningful contributor at Texas Tech but hardly a difference maker. With only one senior and one junior (not counting status of the transfers), seems as though there is room for more transfers without limiting future recruiting. I still hope for one or two "sudden impact difference makers" with the physical maturity that developments after age 18 and who are proven performers in major conference competition. Situation looks better than it did two weeks ago.

that's encouraging! I hope on the other ends of the phone there are some long lean cat quick thoroughbreds with springs in their knees who are allergic to mountains and beaches and have spent their whole lives yearning to see cows and cornfields.

Caveman, I agree with ALL of that. I grant you the hypothetical (we can overcome the talent loss with better teamwork), But what reason is there to believe that any of that will change? What if we mired down with all those same teamwork deficits but with less talent?

As I recall, she replied "no comment" when asked if there were reasons other than being closer to home.

I agree that, given our needs, she would be a nice addition. I have long been conflicted on whether i am comfortable with the idea of 25 yo athletes competing with 19 year olds. But this one would make me happy. Funny how wishing the best for my home team can erode by objectivity!

can a GRAD transfer have three years of remaining eligibility?

That's right, but it is misleading. As I understand it, a school may not contact an athlete then on the roster of another school. BUT there are all sorts of ways to get the word out. Any friend of the "hunting" school can say to a "hunted" player "don't know if this interests you, but i have it on good authority that if you were ever thinking of leaving your present school, such and such a coach thinks you would be a good fit for his/her team". I think there are plenty of ways that an athlete could know which schools would come calling once she entered the transfer portal.

Bug, while not being privy to inside info, we DO know a little more than jack shit. In the words of Yogi Berra "sometimes you can observe a lot just by watching", and We know what can be observed. We know wins and losses, rebounds and turnovers, offensive and defensive alignment/technique/strategy, on court behavior, the recruits we get and the ones we miss, the players who stay and those who leave. And we can compare all those to teams similarly situated. What we don't know is WHY. The usual underlying factors from which the things we know derive would include, among others, recruiting, player development, player retention, and team chemistry. And from where do those derive?

That's right of course - we HAVE to move on - no choice about that. BUT ... move on to WHAT? THat's the choice now sitting on the desk of the AD. I see no basis for hope that next season will be anything other than cellar dwelling - a continuation of the descent that began middle of last season in the direction of #14. Unquestionably, the Huskers will enter next season substantially less talented than at the end of last season. To what destination other than #14 leads an attempt to execute with less talent a system that didnt work with more talent? "Moving on" means facing those facts and that prospect. So next season WILL BE laying a foundation for a near total rebuild. Will it be done in year five of a program that showed modest signs of success before hitting a wall and crumbling in year four? Or will it be year one of something new that is unburdened by all these recent disappointments and can start with a credible, marketable, sense of enthusiasm and excitement?

Thanks for that info, NewHuskerFan. i was not aware of the number of players transferring out of other Big 10 schools. I agree with 12x12 that there are explanations other than coaching staff problems that don't apply here --- our transfers were not going to lack for future playing time and it's doubtful that they were asked to leave to make room for future incoming or future recruits. The other factor in the comparative count of transfers out is the number of transfers IN to replace them, and that remains to be seen. I hope for the best and with, as been pointed out, over 200 being available, it seems imperative that some come here. The only team I pay much attention to is the Huskers and it seems clear that the loss of the three juniors to be leaves the cupboard, for the present, pretty bare.

As an additional thought .... I can't help but be disappointed with the ongoing export of homegrown talent to other other programs. I don't pretend to have any insight as to why they don't stay here. I wonder if a new staff would have any chance to persuade the Markowski girl from Pius to stay home. From watching her in the recent tourney, looks as tho a team could be built around her post presence.

I agree with points made by Karl. It's unlikely that any players of much ability will transfer in and quite conceivable that more will leave. Any of those named above have a chance to play out their careers on a winning team - or at least with teammates who play with energy and enthusiasm. Something went terribly wrong with chemistry between/among players and coaching staff this year. The prospect of next season looking like anything other than a dismal wasteland just cannot be escaping the attention of the four players named above. I am so sorry to say it, but I think this is the end of the Williams experiment. It can either end now with a new staff approaching the remaining players and searching the transfer portal with a sense of optimism and enthusiasm or end later after a season filled with embarrassing losses.

Let's hope that Brown stays. Losing her would be catastrophic. And I think that to be anywhere near competitive in conference play, it is essential that we find find a couple contributors in the portal. Just ask yourself: putting the talents of Porter, Stewart and Brown on one side of the teeter totter and Eilely, Whitish, Mitchell, Veerbeek, and Mershon on the other .... well especially when you add the experience factor, it's pretty easy to see which is the greater mass of talent. i cheer for this staff. I want them to succeed. But I see a troubled season coming

i was focusing on the RESULT and IMPACT of the blocks, not the style. I love to see her blocks. And I like the look of accomplishment on her face afterwards - especially when they result in a turnover and she turns to get to the offensive court

I believe she is an important asset to the team and I am glad we have her. But I also think she should be getting better. In addition to all that is said above, i would add getting off her feet for rebounding AND trying to get some of those blocked shots to come back out onto the court rather than going out of bounds - which is kinda like just another offensive rebound agains us.

what a shame.

I think almost every player improved from AWY#1 to AWY#2. And with the influx of freshman talent in AWY#3, I was so hopeful. Even when AWY#3 tuned out to be sub 500, I thought that with another year of maturity, skill development, and familiarity with each other, year 4 would be like the spring bloom in a field of daffodils. as of the first Iowa game, the crocuses and tulips were out. And then ...... What happened after that is a mystery to me.

perhaps because SDSU is 22-9 and in second place in their league

she does a lot of things that Kate Cain doesn't do. Has good hands, doesn't fumble, and can get off her feet

But where are my manners? I should stated by saying, "thank you, Bugeaters for taking the time to do that research and then for reporting it"

That's interesting. Their W-L records are closer than I would have guessed. One big difference tho is the outlook for Yori at the end of her 4th year - by which I mean mostly the talent that would be on hand for the next year. And that portended CY's ability to recruit in the future. Ford, Hardy, Griffith, Montgomery, Paige, and Turner, and Aubry. I don't see a crew like that playing for AW next year.