#22 Arizona State @ Arkansas (8pm ET, SEC Network)

[Plebe]

Brenda VanLengen and Christy Thomaskutty on the call. Both of them very strong commentators.

Link: Arizona State vs. Arkansas

Let's see how the Sun Devils bounce back from the Baylor loss.

 

[triaddukefan]

Lets go Pigs

 

[Plebe]

Lets go Pigs

 

[EricLA]

A good chance to see Ekmark in action. Glad she's doing well at ASU.

I generally wonder about kids who left because of perceived future playing time. Given UCONN's thin roster, over the years, players like Banks, Johnson, and Ekmark could have been key reserves off the bench for UCONN - earning solid (if not starter's) minutes. I know they made the best decision for themselves at the time, but I wonder what would have happened if they'd stayed...

 

[Plebe]

Arkansas is vastly improved over last year. Arkansas trailed early but came back and tied the game. Down 46-42 at the half.

Neighbors has the Razorbacks playing a very up-tempo style, quite the change from what they were under the former coach.

 

[ochoopsfan]

The best thing about this game is that it is on a Sunday night, when no other games are being played.

 

[BigBird]

The best thing about this game is that it is on a Sunday night, when no other games are being played.

Bears vs. Vikings isn’t too shabby.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Bears vs. Vikings isn’t too shabby.

I have that on the other tv. Now the ASU v Ark game is over switched the other tv to Avalance v Ducks

 

[JellyBean]

Arkansas is vastly improved over last year. Arkansas trailed early but came back and tied the game. Down 46-42 at the half.

Neighbors has the Razorbacks playing a very up-tempo style, quite the change from what they were under the former coach.

Coach Neighbors is so underrated as a coach & recruiter.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

Coach Neighbors is so underrated as a coach & recruiter.

The fans at UW might question the recruiter part.

 

[nwhoopfan]

The fans at UW might question the recruiter part.

Bingo. He left the cupboard nearly bare after he bolted for Arkansas. After he got Plum and Osahor in the fold, he didn't bring in much. His last class was pretty good but 1 left after 1 season (and she's just been killin' it at Arizona so far this season, averaging 29.5 points thru 4 games and shooting a high FG%) and 1 will probably never play due to injuries. The 2 classes after Plum netted almost nothing. You can't whiff 2 years in a row on the recruiting front.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Coach Neighbors is so underrated as a coach & recruiter.

He did a good job at UW. I was curious to see what he would do at Arkansas without having a player like Plum to lean on. Sounds like they are rapidly improving in year 2.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

And Aarion McDonald disliked him so much that she wanted to transfer mid-season.

He perhaps got Plum2 in transfer Amber Ramirez.

 

[nwhoopfan]

And Aarion McDonald disliked him so much that she wanted to transfer mid-season.

He perhaps got Plum2 in transfer Amber Ramirez.

I didn't know that about McDonald. I assumed she left because of the coaching change. She did end up with the coach that was probably the lead recruiter that got her to Seattle in the first place.

Maybe the change of scenery will do Ramirez good. I remember she was a hotshot recruit but she wasn't all that productive in her two years at TCU.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Ekmark is still in college? She's gotta be 25 by now.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

Ramirez was considered a rival to Ionescu in the HS All star game but she floundered at TCU. I think she needs a coach like Neighbors who will likely take the handcuffs off and give her free reign. It might not be good for the team but it will be her showcase. It should be interesting.

McDonald did say that Barnes was the reason she ended up at Arizona.

 

[JordyG]

Ramirez was considered a rival to Ionescu in the HS All star game but she floundered at TCU. I think she needs a coach like Neighbors who will likely take the handcuffs off and give her free reign. It might not be good for the team but it will be her showcase. It should be interesting.

McDonald did say that Barnes was the reason she ended up at Arizona.

She had that free reign at TCU. all she wanted to was stand outside and shoot, and on a team with little talent. She also failed to develop her game and/or work on her weaknesses. She rarely attempted to dribble, penetrate and dish, shoot the mid range jumper, make the nice pass, move without the ball, finish at the basket with either hand from either side, show she has a pull up, work off a screen, look as if she knew were the weight room was etc. She was also a liability on defense. Things only go worse when the team did get some talent and she spent long minutes on the bench. She has talent, but Neighbors has a lot of coaching up to do.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

She had that free reign at TCU. all she wanted to was stand outside and shoot, and on a team with little talent She also failed to develop her game and/or work on her weaknesses. She rarely attempted to dribble, penetrate and dish, shoot the mid range jumper, make the nice pass, move without the ball, finish at the basket with either hand from either side, show she has a pull up, work off a screen, look as if she knew were the weight room was etc. She was also a liability on defense. Things only go worse when the team did get some talent and she spent long minutes on the bench. She has talent, but Neighbors has a lot of coaching up to do.

Interesting that she always played matador defense but it was overlooked. Because she was so highly ranked and did so well at the high school all star games and competitions, it was something of a surprise she ended up at TCU but there were some of the same concerns you brought up about her college game.

I will be watching because I loved the swagger she played with but also to see how Neighbors' approach will work with her, especially since Arkansas is also starting to get some talent.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Ekmark is still in college? She's gotta be 25 by now.

Courtney is in law school.