I think Nikki McCray is gonna be our coach

[SimpleDawg]

ends the Jeff Walz rumor.

Eh.....

 

[UConnCat]

 

[msupinebelt]

Yes, Nikki McCray-Penson will be MIssissippi State University next women’s basketball coach.

unless something crazy happens between her putting it on paper.

 

[HailHoops]

I really hope so. This was my pick (unless Neile Ivey would leave the Timberwolves) from jump. I know Walz is great/would have been great. Nikki has the best chance to keep Rikea and Madison Hays in the boat. She is so widely respected in women’s basketball. 2 time Olympian. 8 years in WNBA. Was Dawn’s right hand A’ja Wilson’s primary recruiter. Turned Old Dominion around in 2 seasons. And I feel like she’ll “get us” better than he would have.

 

[triaddukefan]

Good for her... Good for Louisville, and good for the ACC. Though I had a pic waiting in the queue just in case Walz decided to leave...

 

[Plebe]

Not good for Old Dominion. I feel really sorry for the Old Dominion players, who bought into NikkI McCray as their coach. Once again a power 5 team poaches a promising coach from an up-and-coming mid-major.

 

[UConnCat]

Have to chuckle a little bit about this. After all the breathless speculation coming out of Starkville -- $2 million offer, going big, etc -- the next head coach comes from Old Dominion. I mean no disrespect to McCray as I think she's a really good hire but, as is often the case, the outcome doesn't match the hype. Solid hire.

 

[DefenseBB]

If I may ask, why do you seem a tad distraught about this fact? It’s a fact of life to seek more money, more esteem and better competition. EVERYONE does this so what am I missing?

 

[Plebe]

If I may ask, why do you seem a tad distraught about this fact? It’s a fact of life to seek more money, more esteem and better competition. EVERYONE does this so what am I missing?

Just trying to bring in the other perspective. Old Dominion players have feelings too.

 

[SECbbfan24]

Off topic, but I was binge watching old games since the quarantine has started.



A lot of familiar faces in this game. ODU use to have some really good teams. Its tough for them in this day and age to get back to that level unfortunately.

 

[bballnut90]

Off topic, but I was binge watching old games since the quarantine has started.



A lot of familiar faces in this game. ODU use to have some really good teams. Its tough for them in this day and age to get back to that level unfortunately.

Loved that tournament. On the year you had an undefeated team and two others who had just 1 loss, and they all eventually went down while a 10 loss team who finished 5th in their conference won the national title. Probably wont ever see anything like that again.

 

[TTrams]

Have to chuckle a little bit about this. After all the breathless speculation coming out of Starkville -- $2 million offer, going big, etc -- the next head coach comes from Old Dominion. I mean no disrespect to McCray as I think she's a really good hire but, as is often the case, the outcome doesn't match the hype. Solid hire.

I'm thrilled. #HailState

 

[bballnut90]

What are people's thoughts on McCray? From ODU stats it looks like they're a very strong defensive team but don't exactly play pretty basketball. Low points per game, low percentages, and negative A/TO. Good ol' SEC basketball. Looks like they had a particularly good sophomore class that Nikki brought in who helped turn the program around.

 

[Plebe]

ODU use to have some really good teams. Its tough for them in this day and age to get back to that level unfortunately.

This is partly what I'm getting at. ODU's "reward" for making a great WBB hire is to get raided a few years later by a school with deep pockets. So it's next to impossible for a school in ODU's position to sustain a rebuilding effort.

 

[SECbbfan24]

What are people's thoughts on McCray? From ODU stats it looks like they're a very strong defensive team but don't exactly play pretty basketball. Low points per game, low percentages, and negative A/TO. Good ol' SEC basketball. Looks like they had a particularly good sophomore class that Nikki brought in who helped turn the program around.

Like every other Summitt disciple, they live by defense, rebounding and hustle. I did not watch enough ODU during her time to understand the offense truly ran. Granted McCray should have much better athletes to work with at State. If she can continue to bring in national caliber players like Vic and Company has done the last few years, I think they can be really good under her. She's young, well respected and known in the basketball community with a lot of connections. The players seemed to improve under her. I hope she does well.

 

[militarydog]

Like every other Summitt disciple, they live by defense, rebounding and hustle. I did not watch enough ODU during her time to understand the offense truly ran. Granted McCray should have much better athletes to work with at State. If she can continue to bring in national caliber players like Vic and Company has done the last two years, I think they can be really good under her. She's young, well respected and known in the basketball community with a lot of connections. The players seemed to improve under her. I hope she does well.

Talk about walking into an unreal situation. No pressure but the expectations will be out the roof for her. I’ll be interested to see her staff choices.

 

[militarydog]

Just trying to bring in the other perspective. Old Dominion players have feelings too.

I’m sure my fellow Bulldog fans will be completely sympathetic to their feelings of angst. At least this will stop the Schaefer bashing for a while...well, at least until the first unexpected loss.

 

[stwainfan]

Off topic, but I was binge watching old games since the quarantine has started.



A lot of familiar faces in this game. ODU use to have some really good teams. Its tough for them in this day and age to get back to that level unfortunately.

I have that on DVD.

 

[militarydog]

Any South Carolina fans have any insights on what to expect with Coach McCray-Penson?

 

[MSUFan2003]

I’m sure my fellow Bulldog fans will be completely sympathetic to their feelings of angst. At least this will stop the Schaefer bashing for a while...well, at least until the first unexpected loss.

I'm sure our fans will be sympathetic. We should understand because we are used to programs poaching our coaches too. Mullen and now Vic. The Vic pill has been hard for fans to swallow because we know that a school like ours just doesn't have many chances to ever win a national championship. We get a coach that can, he almost gets us there twice, and then he leaves. We're used to being the stepping stone to bigger programs. In the sports world, there are the haves and the have nots. It was fun to be a have for a little while.

 

[G-Dawg]

Off topic, but I was binge watching old games since the quarantine has started.



A lot of familiar faces in this game. ODU use to have some really good teams. Its tough for them in this day and age to get back to that level unfortunately.

Kinda like my friends Brooke and Scott Stoehr at Louisiana Tech. Like ODU, they were a powerhouse back in the day. College basketball is best when those schools are making Sweet 16 runs and Elite 8 appearances.

 

[SCGamecock]

Any South Carolina fans have any insights on what to expect with Coach McCray-Penson?

Great recruiter. Very animated from the sidelines.

She’s great friends with Dawn, so this will definitely keep the rivalry intact (friends enjoy beating one another). She’s a players coach, like Dawn.

On our staff she was the good cop and Dawn was the bad cop.. but McCray has that mama bear disciplinarian in her as well. I think it’s a good hire for State.. McCray is still coming into her own as a coach but she’s been on a big stage before (at SC).

 

[militarydog]

Great recruiter. Very animated from the sidelines.

She’s great friends with Dawn, so this will definitely keep the rivalry intact (friends enjoy beating one another). She’s a players coach, like Dawn.

On our staff she was the good cop and Dawn was the bad cop.. but McCray has that mama bear disciplinarian in her as well. I think it’s a good hire for State.. McCray is still coming into her own as a coach but she’s been on a big stage before (at SC).

Thanks. I saw on Old Dominion’s website that she brought in an associate head coach who was previously a head coach. I do like that and hopes she either brings him or someone similar. The good cop to the head coach’s bad cop seems to be fairly typical. However the issue I see is if you have to then to change roles with the same team.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Good for her... Good for Louisville, and good for the ACC. Though I had a pic waiting in the queue just in case Walz decided to leave...

I knew he wasn't going; leave Louisville for Starkville? No way.

Nikki is a good hire for State; she's a good coach and recruiter and familiar with the SEC.

 

[Plebe]

Great recruiter. Very animated from the sidelines.

She’s great friends with Dawn, so this will definitely keep the rivalry intact (friends enjoy beating one another). She’s a players coach, like Dawn.

On our staff she was the good cop and Dawn was the bad cop.. but McCray has that mama bear disciplinarian in her as well. I think it’s a good hire for State.. McCray is still coming into her own as a coach but she’s been on a big stage before (at SC).

I caught two full games of Old Dominion this season, plus pieces of several other games. I can definitely vouch for the mama bear disciplinarian comment. McCray has a strong sideline presence. She leaves little doubt that she is very into holding her players accountable -- not unlike a Pat Summit or, for that matter, Vic Schaefer in that regard.

I specifically recall her energy and overall cajoling her team to victory in a back-and-forth nail-biter where ODU broke Rice's C-USA win streak.

Other than the fact that she's a Lady Vol , I have absolutely nothing bad to say about her. If Mississippi State didn't give her this chance, some other big money school was going to very soon. There's no such thing as a sure thing in coaching hires, but I like McCray's chances of being successful at the next level.