AZ State - Ekmark

[shizam]

Are there any other Hoopgurlz on AZ St other than Ekmark? They sure play well as a unit.

Concerning Ekmark. Is she injured (knee?) or just limited mobility?

 

[todbo]

Today Ekmark played 31 minutes, with 6 points and 5 rebounds, as ASU beat Stanford.

 

[j66kicker]

She looked fine today - major contributor but not flashy. Leader when she needed to be. Looked about 20 lbs lighter than when she was a frosh/soph at UConn.

 

[Huskee11]

Congrats to Courtney and ASU - beat Number 10 Oregon State 57-51, advance to PAC 12 semifinal against Stanford.

Ekmark is leading scorer with 18 points including 5 threes!

This victory should secure ASU an NCAA bid.

On another front, Natalie Butler went for 27 and 12 in a tough loss to GW, her 31st consecutive double double.

 

[Centerstream]

Congrats to Courtney and ASU - beat Number 10 Oregon State 57-51, advance to PAC 12 semifinal against Stanford.

Ekmark is leading scorer with 18 points including 5 threes!

This victory should secure ASU an NCAA bid.

On another front, Natalie Butler went for 27 and 12 in a tough loss to GW, her 31st consecutive double double.

Thanks for your updates @Huskee11.

 

[JoePgh]

Who knew that Courtney has a dog named Rebound? At least that is what the announcer said.

 

[MilfordHusky]

That may have been a career game for Courtney. Congrats to her, CTT, and the team. They beat a good opponent.

 

[Rocket009]

This is the first time I've seen her play at ASU. She's improved a lot since she left UCONN. She moves a lot better, more fluid and she certainly seems to be in great shape. Played a great game last night.

Glad the move worked out so well for her.

 

[MilfordHusky]

This is the first time I've seen her play at ASU. She's improved a lot since she left UCONN. She moves a lot better, more fluid and she certainly seems to be in great shape. Played a great game last night.

Glad the move worked out so well for her.

You picked a good game to watch. She played well above her season averages last night. She’s much thinner and moves better than while at UConn.

 

[shizam]

Congrats to Courtney and ASU - beat Number 10 Oregon State 57-51, advance to PAC 12 semifinal against Stanford.

Ekmark is leading scorer with 18 points including 5 threes!

This victory should secure ASU an NCAA bid.

On another front, Natalie Butler went for 27 and 12 in a tough loss to GW, her 31st consecutive double double.

Ekmark is a great example why more players should leave top programs as early as possible. Plant life intelligence knew Ekmark was doomed the whole time she was at UConn. If you like riding the bench by all means enjoy your experience. If not, find a school you can play at and enhance WBB. She could have been playing for Az State a year earlier if she left after her frosh year. It’s tragic how many players lose years riding the bench with top programs while they could help other teams and make WBB more exciting.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Ekmark is a great example why more players should leave top programs as early as possible. Plant life intelligence knew Ekmark was doomed the whole time she was at UConn. If you like riding the bench by all means enjoy your experience. If not find a school you can play at and enhance WBB. She could have been playing for Az State a year earlier if she left after her frosh year. It’s tragic how many players lose years riding the bench with top programs while they could help other teams and make WBB more exciting.

I think Courtney is a much better player for having spent time at UConn. Whether that should have been 1 year or 2 years isn’t clear, but I think just 1 may have been better for her.

 

[shizam]

I think Courtney is a much better player for having spent time at UConn. Whether that should have been 1 year or 2 years isn’t clear, but I think just 1 may have been better for her.

WBB suffers greatly by a certain few schools getting all the talent. I don’t pretend to have the answers but it’s quite obvious the game suffers greatly because of it. The game will not grow under the current system. It’s unwatchable for too many casual fans under the current system. Too much good talent is wasted when it could be utilized elsewhere.

 

[MilfordHusky]

WBB suffers greatly by a certain few schools getting all the talent. I don’t pretend to have the answers but it’s quite obvious the game suffers greatly because of it. The game will not grow under the current system. It’s unwatchable for too many casual fans under the current system. Too much good talent is wasted when it could be utilized elsewhere.

But spreading the talent out means that no team plays all that great. Games may be more competitive, but with lower quality play.

Geno would argue that WCBB suffers from coaches setting the bar too low, partly because the players are females.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I see statements about players like Ekmark and Butler being better because they went to UConn before transferring elsewhere. That's not really provable. They certainly weren't productive during their time in Storrs. You can talk all you want about practice and developing good habits and working hard, but the whole point of all of it is to be on the court during games. Throw Edwards in there too.

 

[cbraarj]

S

Ekmark is a great example why more players should leave top programs as early as possible. Plant life intelligence knew Ekmark was doomed the whole time she was at UConn. If you like riding the bench by all means enjoy your experience. If not, find a school you can play at and enhance WBB. She could have been playing for Az State a year earlier if she left after her frosh year. It’s tragic how many players lose years riding the bench with top programs while they could help other teams and make WBB more exciting.

She has 2 NCs because of Uconn.

 

[shizam]

I think MOST highly touted recruits would definitely rather play and contribute then win a national championship with a team from the bench only playing garbage minutes. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think so.

 

[cbraarj]

I see statements about players like Ekmark and Butler being better because they went to UConn before transferring elsewhere. That's not really provable. They certainly weren't productive during their time in Storrs. You can talk all you want about practice and developing good habits and working hard, but the whole point of all of it is to be on the court during games. Throw Edwards in there too.

Edwards left before New Years her freshman year. She played on 3 or4 HS teams also. The day she signed the LOI for Uconn. I figured she would transfer eventually.

 

[shizam]

Edwards left before New Years her freshman year. She played on 3 or4 HS teams also. The day she signed the LOI for Uconn. I figured she would transfer eventually.

Edwards was smart. She had no future with UConn. It would have been a disaster for her. She wouldn’t have been able to handle what it took to flourish at UConn. I’m sure she is thrilled she left. It was a horrible fit. No big deal and another program got a chance at a quality player and let her play. UConn won (they needed her like a hole in the head), Edwards won and USC and the PAC 12 won.

 

[Boreifs]

WBB suffers greatly by a certain few schools getting all the talent. I don’t pretend to have the answers but it’s quite obvious the game suffers greatly because of it. The game will not grow under the current system. It’s unwatchable for too many casual fans under the current system. Too much good talent is wasted when it could be utilized elsewhere.

Your observation has no basis in fact.

1) Transfer rates are up dramatically, but not exclusively from top to middle tier programs. Ohio State would be nowhere without transfers.

2) Several years ago, UConn had to recruit two walk ons to be able to practice. Obviously, they weren’t recruiting “too much” talent.

3) Virtually every Top program right now has 6-8 players who can play and contribute, not 9-12. Whatever the pool is, it is not just going to the best schools.

4) I have seen plenty of games this season between ranked and I unranked teams that were competitive and exciting to watch. I have also sat next to “casual” fans at Gampel all season; none of them stopped watching!

 

[shizam]

But spreading the talent out means that no team plays all that great. Games may be more competitive, but with lower quality play.

Geno would argue that WCBB suffers from coaches setting the bar too low, partly because the players are females.

There aren’t enough good players to go around. It’s not coaching it’s lack of talent to go around. The talent is hoarded and doesn’t see the floor

 

[shizam]

Your observation has no basis in fact.

1) Transfer rates are up dramatically, but not exclusively from top to middle tier programs. Ohio State would be nowhere without transfers.

2) Several years ago, UConn had to recruit two walk ons to be able to practice. Obviously, they weren’t recruiting “too much” talent.

3) Virtually every Top program right now has 6-8 players who can play and contribute, not 9-12. Whatever the pool is, it is not just going to the best schools.

4) I have seen plenty of games this season between ranked and I unranked teams that were competitive and exciting to watch. I have also sat next to “casual” fans at Gampel all season; none of them stopped watching!

Very few upsets occur between ranked and unranked teams. If you look at ranked teams and count the number of losses that came from an unranked team it won’t be many.
I will agree the exception for COMPETITIVE games regardless of rank is in the PAC 12. and just recently the Big 10 due to Ohio State and MD being pretenders.

 

[CtQuip]

There aren’t enough good players to go around. It’s not coaching it’s lack of talent to go around. The talent is hoarded and doesn’t see the floor

Using that logic then all top schools should only have 5 scholarships and the rest walkons. They come to UCONN because they believe they can compete. Once they figure it out, they make the decision to leave. No big deal.

 

[Mister2]

When a player commits to UCONN, she doesn't do it JUST to be part of a NC team; she does it because she BELIEVES she can compete against the best players there are in the best program there is, and that belief is validated by the fact that UCONN recruited her. A player wants to play; what is the point of winning 4 NCs in your college career where you only get to play garbage minutes? What kind of achievement and satisfaction an athlete would have in that?

At some point you realize, perhaps to your own disappointment, that your abilities fall a bit short of the level needed to earn quality playing time at UCONN, but still more than enough to shine elsewhere (though not likely to win NCs), you decide to transfer. To me it is the most rational thing to do, and Ekmark is a prime example of this (Butler's situation was similar but not identical to Ekmark's; I don't believe Butler would have transferred without the arrival of Z).

I have read a lot of posters on this board claiming that winning NCs is everything, nothing else matters. NO, the world does not work that way. Yes, you want to win NCs, but you want to win them with your active participation.

 

[cbraarj]

When a player commits to UCONN, she doesn't do it JUST to be part of a NC team; she does it because she BELIEVES she can compete against the best players there are in the best program there is, and that belief is validated by the fact that UCONN recruited her. A player wants to play; what is the point of winning 4 NCs in your college career where you only get to play garbage minutes? What kind of achievement and satisfaction an athlete would have in that?

At some point you realize, perhaps to your own disappointment, that your abilities fall a bit short of the level needed to earn quality playing time at UCONN, but still more than enough to shine elsewhere (though not likely to win NCs), you decide to transfer. To me it is the most rational thing to do, and Ekmark is a prime example of this (Butler's situation was similar but not identical to Ekmark's; I don't believe Butler would have transferred without the arrival of Z).

I have read a lot of posters on this board claiming that winning NCs is everything, nothing else matters. NO, the world does not work that way. Yes, you want to win NCs, but you want to win them with your active participation.

This was Natalies 5th year. She transferred because of academics not because of Azura!

 

[BigBird]

This was Natalies 5th year. She transferred because of academics not because of Azura!

Correct. And she finished her BA degree work at UConn. She finished what she started, and moved on to GeoMason for her graduate work. The word “transfer” really doesn’t apply to her.