B1G 25-26

[JellyBean]

And your niece had some key plays to help seal the victory. Congrats!

That she did. Thank you. I had to tease her about those free-throws. But I was happy for her and the team. Great win.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Lost was one post about Indiana getting clobbered by Minn. Does anyone know what is going on? It appeared to be at Indiana, no less.

 

[cancontent]

Lost was one post about Indiana getting clobbered by Minn. Does anyone know what is going on? It appeared to be at Indiana, no less.

Haven't seen much of Indiana but my understanding is that they're not deep when it comes to posts/forwards. This could be an area they're going to struggle with throughout conference play.

 

[Floridaduck]

Read the Massey updates this morning. Maryland and Michigan jumped 3 spots each to 5th and 6th over two Big 12 teams, TCU and Iowa State. Maryland’s jump comes after a 40 point beat down of Wisconsin and Michigan’s comes after squeaking by Oregon in double OT.

U$C didn’t move 11th from after beating previously unbeaten Nebraska at home who plummeted 8 spots to 23rd.

SEC and Big now have Massey 2-8 spots and the human polls. Same for NET ( which drops Oklahoma down but elevates Kentucky. Big Money? Is it bad?

Ducks dropped 3 in Massey despite “overachieving” against #6 Michigan. Oh well. Graves mentioned that anlthough Oregon was #25 in NET (going in) they were the NINTH Big 10 team in the NET ratings. Tough league.

 

[GoChips20]

Michigan is really impressive defensively. That last possession where Oregon didn’t get a shot off was really well-covered. I think Kim Barnes-Arico has to in the Coach of the Year conversation so far.

 

[YoDore]

Lost was one post about Indiana getting clobbered by Minn. Does anyone know what is going on? It appeared to be at Indiana, no less.

I think it’s going to be tough for Indiana in league play. Like Notre Dame, they were pretty much decimated by portal defections. Notre Dame has Hidalgo to buffer the effects. Indiana does not. Maybe I’m the only one, but those are two programs that I never imagined struggling to keep players.

 

[GoChips20]

I think it’s going to be tough for Indiana in league play. Like Notre Dame, they were pretty much decimated by portal defections. Notre Dame has Hidalgo to buffer the effects. Indiana does not. Maybe I’m the only one, but those are two programs that I never imagined struggling to keep players.

Indiana does have Shay Ciezki who is either the most improved player in the country or in the midst of a Chelsea Gray Finals-level hot streak through 14 games:

2024-25: 11.8 ppg, 46% FG, 39% 3FG
2025-26: 23.7 ppg, 56% FG, 47% 3FG

Agree with your point overall though.

 

[GoChips20]

I really like Michigan’s roster. Nice PG in Mia Holloway, two stars in Olson and Swords, and some really nice role players in Ashley Sofilkanich, Kendall Dudley, and Te’Yala Delfosse, who had an incredible 4 consecutive offensive rebounds amongst an Oregon crowd.

The Michigan-USC game will be really fun to watch. Both teams are powered by big 6’0, 6’1” guard-forward type players. Davidson will likely be the most talented player on the floor; Michigan looks like a much better team.

 

[cancontent]

I really like Michigan’s roster. Nice PG in Mia Holloway, two stars in Olson and Swords, and some really nice role players in Ashley Sofilkanich, Kendall Dudley, and Te’Yala Delfosse, who had an incredible 4 consecutive offensive rebounds amongst an Oregon crowd.

The Michigan-USC game will be really fun to watch. Both teams are powered by big 6’0, 6’1” guard-forward type players. Davidson will likely be the most talented player on the floor; Michigan looks like a much better team.

Her improvement from last season doesn't get enough attention. Saw a post on Twitter noting the increases in scoring and rebounds. Averaging 11 points a game, compared to 3 last year is impressive, coming off the bench. That one series of 4 offensive boards during the Oregon game was just insane, in a good way.

On a seperate note, there are several players in the BIG10 who have made significant strides from last season. Shey Ciezki, from Indiana is one example as noted in an earlier post. Kennedy Blair from Michigan State is another. Averaged 8 minutes a game last season. Now she's a starter averaging 12 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists a game. It will take some time, but I'm going to try to compile a list to see if this feeling has any merit.

 

[jake0414]

Love Cori’s anti-media tirade. She is so right.

The inexcusable absence of Nebraska-USC from at least BTN is demonstrated by what was on BTN: Southern at Illinois in MBB, a post X-mas nonconference mismatch that lived down to its billing.

With the BIG women re-starting conference play before the men, it should have been obvious to give women the BTN slots on Sunday and Monday, rather than show a series of men’s nonconference mismatches on Monday. Finally, from a ratings perspective, it was a mistake not to show Nebraska-USC. Nebraska is the second strongest WBB ratings draw on BTN (behind Iowa), and highlighting Britt Prince against USC should have been a no-brainer.

Cori isn’t anti media. She consistently says during press conferences and interviews she wants to grow interest in and viewership of wbb and thanks the media for attending and covering the game. This translates into more advertising and investment dollars for all ncaa programs and pro teams. She wants more media coverage and expressed disappointment that the only game between ranked teams that day has surprised little. She followed up on her complaint yesterday when it went viral to explain her post game comment.

 

[jake0414]

Do I have this right that Cori has no recruits committed for 2026? If that's right, UCLA will have 3 rising sophomores and one junior next season, none of them starters or even rotation players... plus whatever transfers she can shark up. I guess the store is open for business.

Two Euros committed for 2026. 5’9” Spanish guard Somto Okafor has signed and 6’1” Luxembourg forward Joyce Isi Etute has committed verbally but didn’t sign during the early period. I believe South Carolina showed interest in both.

You are right about missing out on top US HS prospects. The coaching staff went after prospects who would start but I think the NIL dollars offered by other schools led to them going elsewhere. PG Autumn Fleary’s last minute switch to Duke was the best example of that.

UCLA will have to get six or seven through the portal.

 

[jdote33]

I really like Michigan’s roster. Nice PG in Mia Holloway, two stars in Olson and Swords, and some really nice role players in Ashley Sofilkanich, Kendall Dudley, and Te’Yala Delfosse, who had an incredible 4 consecutive offensive rebounds amongst an Oregon crowd.

The Michigan-USC game will be really fun to watch. Both teams are powered by big 6’0, 6’1” guard-forward type players. Davidson will likely be the most talented player on the floor; Michigan looks like a much better team.

Ashley Sofilkanich was really the difference maker in that game. And Kim has been somewhat of a big whisperer. I'm interested to see how she develops the rest of this season and next year.

 

[Bone Dog]

The Michigan-USC game will be really fun to watch. Both teams are powered by big 6’0, 6’1” guard-forward type players. Davidson will likely be the most talented player on the floor; Michigan looks like a much better team.

I agree. Should be a really good game. Maybe the game of the season, in a conference season that shapes up to have several. I’m not sure Jazzy is the most talented in this matchup. But Jazzy and Kennedy vs Syla and Olivia is quite a pair of pairs. Michigan may have the advantage in the little guards: Holloway and Quarles-Daniels vs London and Malia.

 

[YoDore]

Ashley Sofilkanich was really the difference maker in that game. And Kim has been somewhat of a big whisperer. I'm interested to see how she develops the rest of this season and next year.

I thought so, too. Have to admit I was surprised by her, which shows my ignorance. I really hadn’t seen her very much until now. I was impressed at her toughness and hustle. Also has a nice touch.

I should have been more aware since coach Ralph showed interest in her out of the portal and also offered her little sister, who is just coming out of high school. We got rejected by the whole Sofilkanich family. Olivia Olsen, too, as far as that goes.

And, just for the record, Olsen and Syla Swords are my two favorite players not wearing a Vanderbilt uniform. I suspect they’ll break my heart when Vandy plays them January 19. It won’t be the first time for Olsen, who made an unofficial visit to Vandy the summer after her sophomore season. She was wearing a walking boot and was using her healing time to see some schools. I got all excited, but in no time at all she committed to Michigan.

 

[cancontent]

I agree. Should be a really good game. Maybe the game of the season, in a conference season that shapes up to have several. I’m not sure Jazzy is the most talented in this matchup. But Jazzy and Kennedy vs Syla and Olivia is quite a pair of pairs. Michigan may have the advantage in the little guards: Holloway and Quarles-Daniels vs London and Malia.

Holloway has to be careful with how aggressive she wants to be defensively. Don't think Michigan can afford having to manage her minutes from a foul trouble perspective for this game.

 

[cancontent]

Love Cori’s anti-media tirade. She is so right.

The inexcusable absence of Nebraska-USC from at least BTN is demonstrated by what was on BTN: Southern at Illinois in MBB, a post X-mas nonconference mismatch that lived down to its billing.

With the BIG women re-starting conference play before the men, it should have been obvious to give women the BTN slots on Sunday and Monday, rather than show a series of men’s nonconference mismatches on Monday. Finally, from a ratings perspective, it was a mistake not to show Nebraska-USC. Nebraska is the second strongest WBB ratings draw on BTN (behind Iowa), and highlighting Britt Prince against USC should have been a no-brainer.

Hey, at least they didn't screw up with this match up Jan1 and have it on BTN at 2 pm. This should be a good game in a great environment.

 

[ISUnorth]

Hey, at least they didn't screw up with this match up Jan1 and have it on BTN at 2 pm. This should be a good game in a great environment.

Plus the Iowa/Nebraska games have been pretty entertaining over the past few years. Clark era was shoot outs with Huskers with a couple triple doubles IIRC. Will have to remember to tune this one in. Think Iowa bigs likely romp in the paint in this one.

 

[cancontent]

Plus the Iowa/Nebraska games have been pretty entertaining over the past few years. Clark era was shoot outs with Huskers with a couple triple doubles IIRC. Will have to remember to tune this one in. Think Iowa bigs likely romp in the paint in this one.

Maybe, maybe not. While they're missing Natalie Potts, Hargrove has been averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds a game. Petrie has been consistently scoring double digits as well and they have Maupin, who transferred in from Kansas State. Iowa will have the advantage, but I don't get the sense it will be easy for them.

 

[GamecockFam]

Two Euros committed for 2026. 5’9” Spanish guard Somto Okafor has signed and 6’1” Luxembourg forward Joyce Isi Etute has committed verbally but didn’t sign during the early period. I believe South Carolina showed interest in both.

You are right about missing out on top US HS prospects. The coaching staff went after prospects who would start but I think the NIL dollars offered by other schools led to them going elsewhere. PG Autumn Fleary’s last minute switch to Duke was the best example of that.

UCLA will have to get six or seven through the portal.

I remember the South Carolina staff scouted Okafor but I don't remember much of a buzz outside of that. I got the impression that she would get an offer if we struck out with other prospects.

 

[DRR25]

Do I have this right that Cori has no recruits committed for 2026? If that's right, UCLA will have 3 rising sophomores and one junior next season, none of them starters or even rotation players... plus whatever transfers she can shark up. I guess the store is open for business.

Close/UCLA signed 2 (international) commits for 2026, Joyce Isi Etute from Luxenbourg and Somto Okafor from Barcelona. They'll lose 8 from a roster of 12 so, yeah, Close will have some work to do. As you said, "the store is open for business."

 

[YoDore]

 

[cancontent]

Close/UCLA signed 2 (international) commits for 2026, Joyce Isi Etute from Luxenbourg and Somto Okafor from Barcelona. They'll lose 8 from a roster of 12 so, yeah, Close will have some work to do. As you said, "the store is open for business."

FYI - if you haven't read the Non-Uconn recruiting thread recently, it appears she's no longer committed to UCLA.

 

[cancontent]

Plus the Iowa/Nebraska games have been pretty entertaining over the past few years. Clark era was shoot outs with Huskers with a couple triple doubles IIRC. Will have to remember to tune this one in. Think Iowa bigs likely romp in the paint in this one.

Maybe, maybe not. While they're missing Natalie Potts, Hargrove has been averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds a game. Petrie has been consistently scoring double digits as well and they have Maupin, who transferred in from Kansas State. Iowa will have the advantage, but I don't get the sense it will be easy for them.

Nebraska loses a key piece for their game against Iowa today. The advantage for Iowa is a lot larger now.

 

[visitingcock]

Congrats to IOWA on attendance of 14,998 for todays Corn War battle - without students on campus!

 

[DRR25]

My Wolverines down to Washington 18-31 at the half. Lots of work to do in the 2nd half.