All Things 2015 Gopher Women's Basketball Off-Season Thread


Two commitments

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5 star from Hopkins deciding Thursday between Minnesota and Michigan State.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tune in to Channel 5 news at 6 p.m. or 10 p.m. on Thursday(20th) to hear me announce my college decision! ��������
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blessedandhumble?src=hash">#blessedandhumble</a></p>— Nia Hollie (@1Holliewood2) <a href="https://twitter.com/1Holliewood2/status/633722017729105920">August 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
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And she picks Michigan St.
 

And she picks Michigan St.

She started following all the Spartans on Twitter earlier in the week so no surprise.

I get why recruits do the TV thing - more power to you - but when no one outside of two fanbases cares, why go on a Minnesota TV station to tell Minnesota fans you aren't going to play for Minnesota?
 

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She started following all the Spartans on Twitter earlier in the week so no surprise.

I get why recruits do the TV thing - more power to you - but when no one outside of two fanbases cares, why go on a Minnesota TV station to tell Minnesota fans you aren't going to play for Minnesota?

This is why I thought she was picking Minnesota...kind of a slap in the face.
 

She started following all the Spartans on Twitter earlier in the week so no surprise.

I get why recruits do the TV thing - more power to you - but when no one outside of two fanbases cares, why go on a Minnesota TV station to tell Minnesota fans you aren't going to play for Minnesota?

Sorry, I don't get the TV part. Then again with 19,000 TV channels I guess everything is supposed to be on TV.:rolleyes:
 




Taiye Bello was the third-leading scorer for the Chargers, at 10.6 points per game, and the team’s leading rebounder (9.0 rpg) and shot-blocker (1.8 bpg). She shot 54 percent from the floor, and had 10 double-doubles. She earned honorable mention Class A all-state honors from the Associated Press, first-team all-Oakland Activities Association Red Division honors, and second-team all-Oakland County honors.

Kehinde Bello averaged 2.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game as a junior.


Not knocking anyone, but I don't think I have ever seen a player, male or female, average 2.9 ppg and be offered a scholarship, much less to a P5 school. Wonder if this was a package deal to get her sister?
 

Taiye Bello was the third-leading scorer for the Chargers, at 10.6 points per game, and the team’s leading rebounder (9.0 rpg) and shot-blocker (1.8 bpg). She shot 54 percent from the floor, and had 10 double-doubles. She earned honorable mention Class A all-state honors from the Associated Press, first-team all-Oakland Activities Association Red Division honors, and second-team all-Oakland County honors.

Kehinde Bello averaged 2.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game as a junior.


Not knocking anyone, but I don't think I have ever seen a player, male or female, average 2.9 ppg and be offered a scholarship, much less to a P5 school. Wonder if this was a package deal to get her sister?

Didn't this happen during Borton's tenure too? I can't remember their names, but the one twin played often and the other was on the bench basically her whole college career.
 

Didn't this happen during Borton's tenure too? I can't remember their names, but the one twin played often and the other was on the bench basically her whole college career.

Yeah it did with the Mastey twins from Becker. Brianna was the prized target and Nicole sat on the bench. I heard rumors they were being recruited by Tennessee at the time too but neither of them stood out to be anything great.
 



Yeah it did with the Mastey twins from Becker. Brianna was the prized target and Nicole sat on the bench. I heard rumors they were being recruited by Tennessee at the time too but neither of them stood out to be anything great.

The 2 scholarship difference in men's & women's basketball (13 for men & 15 for women) makes it easier to do something like this.
 

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Senior Spotlight: Rachel Banham

Rachel Banham passed the career 2,000-point mark last year and was on track to break Lindsay Whalen’s program record, before an injury cut her season short. She received a medical hardship waiver and decided to return for a fifth year with the Gophers. Banham chatted with GopherSports.com during Minnesota’s first week of fall classes.

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/091315aaa.html

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http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2015/37/brunsonhoops_2015_09_11_q.html

More on Jasmine Brunson:

Jasmine Brunson showed apprehensive college coaches what they had been asking for all along this summer, and the scholarship offers came rolling in.

There were questions about the Mary Louis senior guard’s mid-range jumper and her ability to use her left hand. Coaches wanted to see that she could be more than just a volume scorer who can get to the basket at will.


Brunson proved she could do all of that and more playing for her Positive Direction travel team at the Run for the Roses event in Kentucky and Battle in the Boro in Tennessee in mid-July.

It was there that the 5-foot-7 Brunson showed off her physical skills, as well as her toughness and leadership when her team struggled
 

http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2015/39/webbrunsonminn-tl-2016-09-17-q.html

And a little more on Brunson:

“It’s a huge stage,” Brunson said. “I feel like I worked hard enough to be playing on that big stage that they can offer.”

It was exactly what she thought about while wearing a Minnesota jersey at center court of Williams Arena. As she and her mother and the Gophers’ coaching staff talked before heading back to airport, Brunson made her decision before announcing it last week. She chose Minnesota over Hofstra, Providence and North Carolina A&T.

“I was sitting there and I felt like this is where I need to be,” Brunson said. “This is where I can play at. That’s when it really hit me.”
 

http://www.twincities.com/gophers/c...mens-basketball-carlie-wagner-adjusts-go-role

A couple of items from Marcus Fuller's Carlie Wagner article:

A turning point for Wagner was hitting the game-tying three-pointer with 32 seconds left in the Big Ten opener against Maryland.

"She's wanted the ball ever since," Minnesota coach Marlene Stollings said.


And Carlie returns to a position where she exhibited some defensive confusion:

As a sophomore, Wagner will move from shooting guard to small forward with Banham's return. The Gophers are deeper in the backcourt this season with Wagner and seniors Banham, Shayne Mullaney and Mikayla Bailey.

"You win with good guard play," Stollings said. "You've got Rachel coming back. And then you've got three young ladies who started. One of those positions is going to be up for grabs."


And a blurb on Rachel:

Stollings said Banham won't be cleared for contact until October, but she's on track to play in the Nov. 13 opener against Wofford at Williams Arena.
 

Stollings also said one time last year; 'don't be surprised if you see us play 4 guards at times'.

I think we'll see some up-tempo BB this year from both the women and men.
 

I'm not minimizing the impact that Zahui B had on the Gophers, but with her out of the middle, the Gophs will (potentially) have a team that can really get out, press and run. Stollings has said she wants to really push the tempo. With Banham running the floor, and Wagner coming up on the trail and floating to the wing, Wagner is going to get a ton of open looks. I wouldn't be surprised if she gives Banham a run for leading scorer.
 

I'm not minimizing the impact that Zahui B had on the Gophers, but with her out of the middle, the Gophs will (potentially) have a team that can really get out, press and run. Stollings has said she wants to really push the tempo. With Banham running the floor, and Wagner coming up on the trail and floating to the wing, Wagner is going to get a ton of open looks. I wouldn't be surprised if she gives Banham a run for leading scorer.

Pushing the tempo is most every coaches stated desire in September. At some point reality sets in...you can't start the break until somebody on your team rebounds the ball. Then can the rebounder make the outlet pass to the right person...that part should be easy...we have a lot of good guards on the floor at the same time, not just one outlet choice. Hopefully rebounding becomes a strength. Running on steals, deflections, loose balls is clearly the easiest...will we be active enough, pressure enough to make that happen? If so, ya very fun, we got the guards.
 

http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers...ng-amanda-zahui-b-is-tall-task-for-newcomers/

The search is on:

"Stollings will look to sophomore transfer Jessie Edwards, freshman Annalese Lamke and returning sophomore Josie Buckingham to help fill the void in the middle this season.

Edwards and Lamke, both 6-foot-3, are newcomers competing for the starting center job in practice. Junior college transfer Karley Barnes, also 6-3, is battling for the power forward spot with freshman Danielle Garven and junior college transfer Kynadi Johnson.

“You look at the (power forward) and (center) position as being very competitive,” Stollings said recently. “It isn’t clear cut. They are going to have to fight for minutes and for starting position at those two spots. We lost a lot with Shae (Kelley) as well. Those two positions are up for grabs. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. I don’t think it’ll necessarily be settled at the beginning of the year."”
 


http://www.mndaily.com/sports/mens-basketball/2015/10/07/gophers-turn-tempo

Roll with the flow: the Minnesota Daily;

The Gophers mainly rolled with a three-guard lineup towards the end of last season with Banham out, utilizing senior Shayne Mullaney, sophomore Carlie Wagner and senior Mikayla Bailey.

Now with Banham back in the fold, the team may play with four guards on the court and a center at times.

Banham may also be asked to help out in the front court more, and may even see some time at power forward.

“We’ll be more guard-centered, quicker up and down,” Stollings said. “We’ll adjust to our strengths in that area, and we’ll certainly be faster up and down.”
 

Hopefully Banham finally gets to play in a NCAA Tournament in this her last go around. She deserves that for sticking with this program when the ship was sinking under Borton.

However, I think that's going to require Stollings put quite a bit more emphasis on playing on both ends of the floor. Gophers were sieve-like on the defensive end last season. Looked like they had little interest in checking anyone.
 

Hopefully Banham finally gets to play in a NCAA Tournament in this her last go around. She deserves that for sticking with this program when the ship was sinking under Borton.

However, I think that's going to require Stollings put quite a bit more emphasis on playing on both ends of the floor. Gophers were sieve-like on the defensive end last season. Looked like they had little interest in checking anyone.

Yep, it would be just a shame if Rachel never played in an NCAA tournament game.

As for defense, not sure if there can be that much of an attitude shift starting at the top. Lots of newcomers though and Banham and Mullaney seem like the type of players who could buy in, especially since this is the last go-around. The leadership has to come from them. Wagner at times last year looked either completely lost or just didn't think it was that important to play defense. Hopefully, Stollings believes it is. It really was hard to tell if she does based on last year's team. An unbelievable number of just plain uncontested shots. Nobody would move to guard or even raise her arms and still stayed in the game.
 

Last year Stollings stayed committed to a Syracuse style match-up zone. Shae played it; Amanda, because she’s Amanda, delivered havoc in the paint while everyone else piled up “Oh, Carly!” moments.

This season, I’m guessing we’ll see a bit more matching the defense to the personnel.
 




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