So are we in a few early publications..That was before we got our portal additions..
Illini Women's Basketball
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That was before a bunch of teams added players. I don't see a big difference between the #20 ranked team vs #45 ranked team. It gives the fanbase something fun to chat about.
I see a huge difference in our team.It’s the one with a postseason string of wins along with the along with South Carolina..Remember we beat all of the one seeds. We bring back the Mo with more experience than most teams with some decent amount of shooting ..Tough losing that we shook off..5th year experience in abundance..Those are big differences..This is the last year of 5 year players too..Covid players are gone..
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We played Stoneybrook instead of 1 seed Miami.
I see a huge difference in our team.It’s the one with a postseason string of wins along with the along with South Carolina..Remember we beat all of the one seeds. We bring back the Mo with more experience than most teams with some decent amount of shooting ..Tough losing that we shook off..5th year experience in abundance..Those are big differences..
We played Villanova Washington St..We won every game put in front of us.The team that won four,the teams that won 3 also.Kinda like a pre preseason.Im not shortchanging the team nor am I unrealistic. I do think we need one more Surefire bucket with size and moxie to challenge for the title though..
Illinois also was one of the few teams that had all of our starters play all of those games. Majority of the teams we played were missing players due to injury or transfer portal. Not taking away from our ladies but we beat teams that were on our level.
I only evaluate at the current state of our roster. I see us being a middle of the pack team at this time. Tenin Magassa flipped from Illinois to Oklahoma State. We added a 2nd guard off the bench from the transfer portal. The pre-season ranking is coming off our 4 starters experience.
I only evaluate at the current state of our roster. I see us being a middle of the pack team at this time. Tenin Magassa flipped from Illinois to Oklahoma State. We added a 2nd guard off the bench from the transfer portal. The pre-season ranking is coming off our 4 starters experience.
IIRC, I believe that Miami bowed out because they would not have been able to field the same team that they had used all season, and decided not to participate in the tourney. We would have beaten their leftovers anyway.
That sucks…That changes a lot for me.. I’m looking at things like we had better support at our thin spots…
I didn’t think we were USC or UCLA or O State but we’re above 8 in this conference..I’m not thinking final four.But I think we can win 2 games in the B1G tournament.Bye the way was Indiana on our level?
I’m betting they’re lacking in NIL money for the women..
More realistically we have Brandon, DJ, Joseph, and Nnanna. Bolin can be McLaurin, and Dolan or Wallace have to be Tyler.
We’d be in the NCAA Tourney.
I think we are closer to 8 level than being right behind USC and UCLA. I have stated before I am waiting for official rosters before I dig in deeper. Ton of conference teams added talent in transfer portal. Illinois is adding talent but relying on the same core for 3 straight years.
That’s true…Well hopefully we’re not done adding size..I’m more than 50 percent sure we’re not getting two freshmen ready to step up..Even though we have a 6 ft 1 burger girl,I’m hoping Hayven plays like a giant…Hmm..I wonder if they could still teach a hook shot…lol.Right now it would probably be as effective as that stinking Euro step crap..
Fan Since '70
- OBS, Florida
That sounds about right, between 6th tops down to 8th, barring injuries to key players.
They have other bigs they are working on. We were working them even after Magassa committed.
That’s good to know! I was beginning to fear we were out of options.
Champaign Toast
Fan since Kiwane Garris
I had been quite happy having Magassa on board. Bummer.
Very curious to know who we’re after from the portal to fill the post/center position role, and eager to see who we land. Could it be that there is a ready-to-go, club-experienced foreign player (a la Tomislav Ivisic) being recruited?
The list of uncommitted bigs in the portal gets smaller and smaller. Janiah Barker and Maryam Dauda seem like such reaches for us. Ramani Parker, formerly of Mississippi State, is the only other player that seems as decent a plug and play fit as Magassa, based on Parker having played moderate minutes and made moderate contributions in 24 games in the SEC. Parker sat out most of last season due to injury. Lety Vasconcelos might have upside, having been high-ranked recruit out of high school and playing last year at Baylor; though, I don't know if she is truly "plug and play".
I could be missing others of note in the portal.
Below are some bigs who remain in the portal, per The Next:
(Name...Height...2023-4 college and '23-'24 class year...Stat averages...Notes)
*Janiah Barker - 6’4” Texas A&M (SO) 12pts/8rebs/0.7blks. Athletic inside/outside game. Listed in first round of 2025 mock WNBA drafts. Played with Cori Allen at Montverde Academy.
*Maryam Dauda - 6’4” Arkansas (SO) 10/6/2.2
*Ramani Parker - 6’4” Mississippi State (SR) 5/4/0.7 in ‘22-’23. Might have 2 years of eligibility after missing most of the 2023-24 season due to injury.
*Lety Vasconcelos - 6’7” Baylor (FR) 1/2/0.4 from Brazil. Played with Cori Allen at Montverde Academy.
*Jayla Kelly - 6’3” UCF (SR) 3/4/0.3 from St. Louis
*Tara Green - 6’3” UIC (SR) 10/6/0.5
*Jorynn Ross - 6’3” Pepperdine (FR) 6/4/0.4 from Milwaukee
*Aicha Ndour - 6’6” Illinois (SR) 1/1/0.3
*Cheyenne Forney - 6’3” Arkansas State (SR) 4/3/0.4
*Wilnie Joseph - 6’5” Louisiana (JR) 1/2/0 from Indiana
*Zikeyah Carter - 6’6” Chicago State (JR) 3/3/1
*Iullia Grabovskaia - 6’5” Middle Tennessee (SO) 3/3/0.3 from Russia
*Chloe Chard Peloquin - 6’3” Canisius (SO) 5/4/1 from Columbus. Canisius is Green’s alma mater.
Very curious to know who we’re after from the portal to fill the post/center position role, and eager to see who we land. Could it be that there is a ready-to-go, club-experienced foreign player (a la Tomislav Ivisic) being recruited?
The list of uncommitted bigs in the portal gets smaller and smaller. Janiah Barker and Maryam Dauda seem like such reaches for us. Ramani Parker, formerly of Mississippi State, is the only other player that seems as decent a plug and play fit as Magassa, based on Parker having played moderate minutes and made moderate contributions in 24 games in the SEC. Parker sat out most of last season due to injury. Lety Vasconcelos might have upside, having been high-ranked recruit out of high school and playing last year at Baylor; though, I don't know if she is truly "plug and play".
I could be missing others of note in the portal.
Below are some bigs who remain in the portal, per The Next:
(Name...Height...2023-4 college and '23-'24 class year...Stat averages...Notes)
*Janiah Barker - 6’4” Texas A&M (SO) 12pts/8rebs/0.7blks. Athletic inside/outside game. Listed in first round of 2025 mock WNBA drafts. Played with Cori Allen at Montverde Academy.
*Maryam Dauda - 6’4” Arkansas (SO) 10/6/2.2
*Ramani Parker - 6’4” Mississippi State (SR) 5/4/0.7 in ‘22-’23. Might have 2 years of eligibility after missing most of the 2023-24 season due to injury.
*Lety Vasconcelos - 6’7” Baylor (FR) 1/2/0.4 from Brazil. Played with Cori Allen at Montverde Academy.
*Jayla Kelly - 6’3” UCF (SR) 3/4/0.3 from St. Louis
*Tara Green - 6’3” UIC (SR) 10/6/0.5
*Jorynn Ross - 6’3” Pepperdine (FR) 6/4/0.4 from Milwaukee
*Aicha Ndour - 6’6” Illinois (SR) 1/1/0.3
*Cheyenne Forney - 6’3” Arkansas State (SR) 4/3/0.4
*Wilnie Joseph - 6’5” Louisiana (JR) 1/2/0 from Indiana
*Zikeyah Carter - 6’6” Chicago State (JR) 3/3/1
*Iullia Grabovskaia - 6’5” Middle Tennessee (SO) 3/3/0.3 from Russia
*Chloe Chard Peloquin - 6’3” Canisius (SO) 5/4/1 from Columbus. Canisius is Green’s alma mater.
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Champaign Toast
Fan since Kiwane Garris
I wish WNBA draftees who were cut from their team rosters before the season had the option to return to college as free agents. WNBA rules limit teams to 12 roster spots and the majority of those drafted are promptly cut. No guaranteed contracts for any draftees, even those selected in the first round. Hopefully they're all securing lucrative contracts overseas right now. It would be awful waiting around hoping to sign via a medical hardship waiver.
I mention it because true center Taiyanna Jackson of the Kansas Jayhawks and East Chicago, IN, who was a 2024 second round draftee of the Connecticut Sun cut during pre-season camp, would be a great hypothetical add to our Illini roster.
I wonder--as players get paid above the table and employment status looms on the horizon of college sports--if a college athlete will challenge the "4 years of eligibility" rules on grounds that they are discriminated against in the process of gaining employment / earning wages. I believe Terrence Shannon's lawyers successfully argued in court last autumn that his suspension was unjust because it denied him a right to earn wages.
It will be great to one day see the WNBA launch a minor league, to provide opportunities for more athletes to play professionally state-side during the summer months in a WNBA pathway system.
I mention it because true center Taiyanna Jackson of the Kansas Jayhawks and East Chicago, IN, who was a 2024 second round draftee of the Connecticut Sun cut during pre-season camp, would be a great hypothetical add to our Illini roster.
I wonder--as players get paid above the table and employment status looms on the horizon of college sports--if a college athlete will challenge the "4 years of eligibility" rules on grounds that they are discriminated against in the process of gaining employment / earning wages. I believe Terrence Shannon's lawyers successfully argued in court last autumn that his suspension was unjust because it denied him a right to earn wages.
It will be great to one day see the WNBA launch a minor league, to provide opportunities for more athletes to play professionally state-side during the summer months in a WNBA pathway system.
I don't see a WNBA minor league anytime in the near future. WNBA only has 12 teams right now. Golden State joins in 2025 with Toronto in 2026. That brings the total to 14 with a goal of 16 teams by 2028. **Not associated with the WNBA but there was a Women's Minor League Basketball Association and it lasted for a few seasons and folded in 2020.
Just posting here instead of another reply. The goal was always to add two post players when the offseason started. One will be added, will see on two. The coaching staff is working a** off recruiting the '25 class.
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
Height is no longer an issue. The 6th ranked center in the class of 2023 and 36 overall. Yeah, I'll take that. Can't wait to see what Coach Cat can do with her because she clearly has the talent.
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