Was Penn State's Collapse Expected?

[Wbbfan1]

What happened this Year? Currently with a 6-19 record and 3-11 in the Big 10.

Their coach Coquese Washington had the program back to the heights prior to the controversy Rene Portland went through which led to the programs downturn. Is this year an aberration or is Penn State now in a rebuilding mode ? I did notice they signed no new recruits last year and only added Brianna Banks as a transfer from UConn. They do have 4 recruits coming in next year, one of them Teniya Page a highly regard PG ( http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/school/_/id/213/class/2015 )

I did expect Maryland to win the B10, but thought Penn State would continue to be one of the upper tier teams in the B10. Now it looks like they're behind Maryland, Rutgers, Nebraska and Ohio State.

I guess related questions are were Purdue and Michigan States collapse expected as well?

 

[DobbsRover2]

Well, to graduation they lost three of their top four scorers from last year and the core of their rebounding with the departures of Maggie Lucas, Ariel Edwards, and Talia East. That's 45 of 75 ppg gone. Not much of anybody came in, though the RS frosh Lindsey Spann is leading the team in scoring though she doesn't shoot that well. Not hard to understand why they're struggling with their stats. The preseason AP poll had them at #27 in the voting, but likely that was all based on reputation and not on any understanding of what had happened to the team.

 

[Mike144]

Brianna Banks--despite hating to lose is enjoying Penn State. Old story below. Didn't see it posted previously.

http://www.centredaily.com/2015/01/24/4570341_penn-state-womens-basketball-banks.html?rh=1

 

[Icebear]

Yes, it was expected but not expected to be this bad.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Yeah, losing Maggie was huge. She did so many things for the Bears.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Yeah, losing Maggie was huge. She did so many things for the Bears.

Bears? Did Icebear get a Central PA hoops franchise?

 

[DobbsRover2]

Bears? Did Icebear get a Central PA hoops franchise?

They're his team (along with the Huskies). Maybe LionBears, or NittanyPolarCubs.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Michigan State was picked to finish 2nd in the B1G pre-season coaches poll, behind Maryland and ahead of Iowa. They were also ranked #14 nationally, although as noted above, that means less. So, at a guess, no the collapse was probably unexpected.

I have no idea on Purdue, except I know I for one didn't expect it.

 

[Vowelguy]

Mich st was definitely not expected. They were ranked top 15 early in tte year.
I believe there has been some internal turmoil, with a player transferring mid season.

 

[uconnever]

Obviously geno knows more than me, but banks could have helped a lot this year. Better than Chong on defense and as good on offense. Chong is awesome so we could have both of them and Stokes as really useful Bench players. I think the coaches expected more from Edwards and Ekmark.

 

[Icebear]

Obviously geno knows more than me, but banks could have helped a lot this year. Better than Chong on defense and as good on offense. Chong is awesome so we could have both of them and Stokes as really useful Bench players. I think the coaches expected more from Edwards and Ekmark.

Banks is not anywhere near as good as Chong on offense. I doubt Geno expected all four freshmen would make major contributions and he likely expected both Nurse and Williams would be the two most likely to contribute.

 

[Vowelguy]

Mich st was definitely not expected. They were ranked top 15 early in tte year.
I believe there has been some internal turmoil, with a player transferring mid season.

WOW, just heard that they are down to only FIVE scholarship players. That would explain a lot.

 

[rocky rococo]

I didn't really have any facts to base it on, but my assumption was that the conference would be fought out among traditional B1G powers Maryland, Rutgers and Nebraska.