B1G 25-26

[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.

 

[Bjbod]

Iowa without Kylie Feuerbach today; 6th year senior and our best defensive stopper. Injured vs UConn.

 

[azfan]

Iowa without Kylie Feuerbach today; 6th year senior and our best defensive stopper. Injured vs UConn.

Huskers without Hargrove

 

[cancontent]

YESSSSS!!!! BIG10 chaos on New Year's Day!!!! If this is what we can expect for the rest of conference play, I'm here for all of it!!!

 

[Floridaduck]

Not much mention of Illini taking down Top Ten Maryland. Thought both those road games (UM @ UW and MD @ UI) were possible stumbles for the higher ranked teams. BIG is gonna be a bloodbath before it’s all over. And I’m here for it.

 

[JellyBean]

Not much mention of Illini taking down Top Ten Maryland. Thought both those road games (UM @ UW and MD @ UI) were possible stumbles for the higher ranked teams. BIG is gonna be a bloodbath before it’s all over. And I’m here for it.

That was a fun game. The Big Ten could shape up to be super competitive. UCLA got some competition for the top spot in the Big Ten.

 

[JellyBean]

Hats off to Washington. They had Michigan's number today. Tough loss for Michigan and great win for Washington. Up next for Michigan, Minnesota, which should be pretty good.

 

[cancontent]

Not much mention of Illini taking down Top Ten Maryland. Thought both those road games (UM @ UW and MD @ UI) were possible stumbles for the higher ranked teams. BIG is gonna be a bloodbath before it’s all over. And I’m here for it.

Ah..........you need to give me time to wake up and get some coffee in my system. 😉

The fact Illinois won didn't surprise me. Maryland is still tough, even with key players out for the season, but Illinois is a lot better than what people give them credit for. Dolan is a crafty guard, Wallace picked up where she left off last season and the freshman Canadian, Parchment, continues to average double digit scoring. Their other freshman Jackson had her challenges with foul trouble but she also came up with some key plays in the game.

What did surprise me was the foul trouble Maryland had to manage, the challenges shooting from 3 for Garzon and the fact that McLean played 1 minute for the entire game. They had their chance to win late in the game, but weren't able to pull it off.

Parchment is a freshman that should get more recognition in the conference and the NCAA for how she's performing this season. She has a good all around game for a forward, including a decent outside shot from 3. Heck, she's got a better all around game than Fournier in my opinion. Another Canadian player who went under the radar because others had hype machines to promote them. Still don't know how Prawl ended being ranked higher than her on the ESPN list, especially if Laflin's crew was watching them play together on the same team.

 

[ISUnorth]

Iowa without Kylie Feuerbach today; 6th year senior and our best defensive stopper. Injured vs UConn.

And Deal only got 6 minutes and she didn't play well, 3 TO's but Wright obviously stepped up big again. Deal just seems out of it. That open three she declined to take late in the game and than dribbled into a TO is maybe why she rides the bench so much. Good win for Iowa. Man have the games with the Huskers made for great TV the last few years. Was thinking this might be another OT.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Ah..........you need to give me time to wake up and get some coffee in my system. 😉

The fact Illinois won didn't surprise me. Maryland is still tough, even with key players out for the season, but Illinois is a lot better than what people give them credit for. Dolan is a crafty guard, Wallace picked up where she left off last season and the freshman Canadian, Parchment, continues to average double digit scoring. Their other freshman Jackson had her challenges with foul trouble but she also came up with some key plays in the game.

What did surprise me was the foul trouble Maryland had to manage, the challenges shooting from 3 for Garzon and the fact that McLean played 1 minute for the entire game. They had their chance to win late in the game, but weren't able to pull it off.

Parchment is a freshman that should get more recognition in the conference and the NCAA for how she's performing this season. She has a good all around game for a forward, including a decent outside shot from 3. Heck, she's got a better all around game than Fournier in my opinion. Another Canadian player who went under the radar because others had hype machines to promote them. Still don't know how Prawl ended being ranked higher than her on the ESPN list, especially if Laflin's crew was watching them play together on the same team.

You can't win in the modern era making just one 3 pointer the entire game. I don't know why Addi Mack don't take more three pointers. She always driving and she got called for two charging calls. You mentioned McLean playing one minute. Brenda strategy for playing time was very puzzling. The lack of playing time in the 4th quarter by their post players (all of them played well) was questionable.

 

[GoChips20]

UCLA was probably going to win the B1G regardless, but their two biggest competitors in Michigan and Maryland both losing must’ve made for a nice New Year’s Day.

Neither loss is bad IMO. Both on the road and both to teams that are in or will be in the top 25 next poll. No one in the conference really has the size to contend with Betts anyway and she’s rounded into form after a quieter start.

 

[cancontent]

You can't win in the modern era making just one 3 pointer the entire game. I don't know why Addi Mack don't take more three pointers. She always driving and she got called for two charging calls. You mentioned McLean playing one minute. Brenda strategy for playing time was very puzzling. The lack of playing time in the 4th quarter by their post players (all of them played well) was questionable.

I'm with you on this point. I like Mack, but damn she's full throttle sometimes and it hurts the team when she gets into foul trouble.

 

[cancontent]

 

[cancontent]

 

[visitingcock]

Massive 4th quarter choke by U$C giving the last 15 points of the game to Oregon.

Yes, they miss Kennedy Smith but that’s not sufficient to explain only eight 4th quarter points. one has to wonder if this signals a Complete collapse is coming?

 

[BigTenGuy]

Massive 4th quarter choke by U$C giving the last 15 points of the game to Oregon.

Yes, they miss Kennedy Smith but that’s not sufficient to explain only eight 4th quarter points. one has to wonder if this signals a Complete collapse is coming?

USC is a bad offensive team, 17th in the BIG season so far in the offensive efficiency stats (EFG%, points per scoring attempt and points per play). Jazzy struggled last night, but not just last night. She is a dynamic stat-sheet stuffer who is very inefficient as a volume shooter.