Notre Dame 2021-2022

[JellyBean]

Notre Dame is going to be a problem for a few years. Wow! With Olivia Miles asserting herself as the season progressed. I swear as she got more comfortable and got more confident, her game just took off! Same with Sonia Citron. Those two are going to be a problem, provided they stay. Same with Maddy Westbled. Those three are the foundation of Coach Ivey's squad, the future looks really bright for Notre Dame.

 

[UConnCat]

Notre Dame should have won. They outplayed NCST for most of the game.

Westbeld's two errant passes at the top of the key were just brutal. Telegraphed and lazy passes that were easily picked off by Crutchfield.

 

[Geew1992]

Is Dodson definitely eligible for a sixth year? She didn't play at all during the covid year, opting out (I thought) to preserve eligibility. But maybe that plus using a medical redshirt for the prior year when she only played 9 games was sufficient? (or was the medical redshirt year the covid year she also opted out of)?

I guess I'm confused because she's now played 5 seasons of basketball, so there must be a medical redshirt involved somewhere.

Either way, glad she's really found her way in North Bend.

Although she shouldn’t be, she applied for a waver

 

[my2cents]

Almost winning and almost losing are not part of reality. ND lost because they had 7 turnovers and scored only 10 points in the 4th qtr.
They do have some nice pieces moving forward.
As a UConn fan, I do not believe we should be playing them anymore. Too much bad blood between the programs, and since their former coach believes Uconn gets too much exposure, then lets schedule someone who would appreciate the opportunity to play us on National TV.

 

[UConnCat]

Is Dodson definitely eligible for a sixth year? She didn't play at all during the covid year, opting out (I thought) to preserve eligibility. But maybe that plus using a medical redshirt for the prior year when she only played 9 games was sufficient? (or was the medical redshirt year the covid year she also opted out of)?

I guess I'm confused because she's now played 5 seasons of basketball, so there must be a medical redshirt involved somewhere.

Either way, glad she's really found her way in North Bend.

Actually she's played 4 seasons of basketball (2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2021-2022). Because she opted out of last season, that should be all she gets. The NCAA's Covid rule gave her 6 years to play those 4 years but she didn't need it.

However, and I posted about this earlier in this thread, she must be arguing to the NCAA that the 9 games she played at the end of the 2019-2020 season should not count as one of her 4 years of eligibility. Why not? We can only surmise, but she may argue the following: The NCAA's medical hardship rule requires that "[t]he injury or illness occurs prior to the first competition of the second half of the playing season that concludes with the NCAA championship in that sport . . . and results in incapacity to compete for the remainder of that playing season" Perhaps she'll argue that even though she played in the final 9 games of Stanford's season (i.e., her injury was not season-ending), the entire 2019-2020 season was not "a playing season" under the hardship rule because it did not conclude with the NCAA championship. The counter of course is that the reference to the NCAA championship is for purposes of calculating the first half and second half of the season which is a moot point since Maya only played the final 9 games of the season (including the PAC-12 tourney).

The waiver request should be denied but we've already seen an unusual waiver ruling when Notre Dame was in need of a post player.

 

[UcMiami]

Perhaps she'll argue that even though she played in the final 9 games of Stanford's season (i.e., her injury was not season-ending), the entire 2019-2020 season was not "a playing season" under the hardship rule because it did not conclude with the NCAA championship.

Yeah - that could sure open a can of worms for the NCAA as they would need to give everyone who played in 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons a 6th season - talk about a nightmare!

 

[Rocket009]

Almost winning and almost losing are not part of reality. ND lost because they had 7 turnovers and scored only 10 points in the 4th qtr.
They do have some nice pieces moving forward.
As a UConn fan, I do not believe we should be playing them anymore. Too much bad blood between the programs, and since their former coach believes Uconn gets too much exposure, then lets schedule someone who would appreciate the opportunity to play us on National TV.

We should replace them on the schedule with Stanford

 

[Orangutan]

So, on your opinion and to put you on the spot, who wins Monday night?

NC State has a good defense, but UConn should have way too much firepower for them. The performances of this UConn team seem to be quite variable but if the "good" version shows up this is a double digit win for the Huskies.

 

[Charliebball]

The performances of this UConn team seem to be quite variable but if the "good" version shows up this is a double digit win for the Huskies.

I appreciate your polite use of the term "variable".............others here have used far less charitable terms over the course of this season..........

 

[Zanzman]

We should replace them on the schedule with Stanford

Stanford backed out of playing cause they didn’t want to get whipped by Stewart and company In all set with playing them keep ND

 

[UcMiami]

(Not to seriously thread drift this, but since it's here...) BYers have oft repeated this, but does anyone have evidence to support that supposition? My two cents is that Tara's already had a running home-and-away with Tennessee, and there's generally only room for one other "back East" OOC swing outside of the Turkey Day tournament, and in most recent seasons that's been to either Texas or Baylor, I suspect since Texas is one of Stanford's most fruitful recruiting grounds (think Ogwumikes, Amber Orrange, Lili Thompson, Kiana Williams). Stanford has not traditionally recruited much from the Northeast, and there's not many other good teams to have OOC games with in the area apart from UConn.

If there's some actual evidence of this, I'll stand corrected, but since Tara has regularly scheduled OOC games against the SCAR/Tennessee/Baylor/Texas's of the world, and she's generally had a "bring on all comers" attitude, I guess it just doesn't really seem to fit with the idea that she's ducking difficult opponents.

(Also, FWIW, Stanford won the last regular season game against UConn back in 2014.)

Stanford definitely was the one to decline to extend the series, but absolutely no evidence that it was for any other reason than changing to a different east/midwest opponent. I believe for one H and H sequence ND filled the Uconn role but I might be mixed up.

Kim on the other hand was quoted as saying she wouldn't play Uconn when Baylor wasn't competitive when she broke off a series at some point.

Uconn rotates regional opponents as well as conference opponents - most schools do.

 

[undersized]

Saw Maya Dodson's name on the WNBA draft list. So was her petition for another year of NCAA eligibility denied? Or if she's still waiting for a ruling on that, might she still pull her name from draft consideration? For example, I know that Nancy Mulkey originally declared for the draft last year but then pulled her name from consideration a bit later so she could play her COVID year as a grad transfer at Washington.

 

[Orangutan]

Saw Maya Dodson's name on the WNBA draft list. So was her petition for another year of NCAA eligibility denied? Or if she's still waiting for a ruling on that, might she still pull her name from draft consideration? For example, I know that Nancy Mulkey originally declared for the draft last year but then pulled her name from consideration a bit later so she could play her COVID year as a grad transfer at Washington.

Guessing that it's the latter

 

[genzhusk]

Saw Maya Dodson's name on the WNBA draft list. So was her petition for another year of NCAA eligibility denied? Or if she's still waiting for a ruling on that, might she still pull her name from draft consideration? For example, I know that Nancy Mulkey originally declared for the draft last year but then pulled her name from consideration a bit later so she could play her COVID year as a grad transfer at Washington.

I noticed that too, Deja Church-Depaul had her name in last WNBA draft then appeared again at Depaul for a covid year. So the “must relinquish all NCAA eligibility before entering name in draft (paraphrasing here)“ must not be a regulated rule. or maybe i don’t understand how that works. but definitely precedent that dodson may still return

 

[Heytherego]

 

[Heytherego]

 

[Dillon77]

Saw Maya Dodson's name on the WNBA draft list. So was her petition for another year of NCAA eligibility denied? Or if she's still waiting for a ruling on that, might she still pull her name from draft consideration? For example, I know that Nancy Mulkey originally declared for the draft last year but then pulled her name from consideration a bit later so she could play her COVID year as a grad transfer at Washington.

This was the subject of discussion on The Bench today. Anthony Anderson, beat reporter, confirmed that Maya Dodson still has a petition into the NCAA to see if she even has a year of eligibility. So, this "opt in" to the draft is covering her professional option. Somewhat parallel tracks? Stay tuned.

 

[Dillon77]

At first, seeing all thee of these names on tweet(s) was a bummer. ND had a solid season (24-9, Sweet Sixteen) and most Irish fans were hoping the core group would come back, joined by KK Bransford and perhaps someone from the portal.

But, none of these are a shocker upon closer inspection:

- Sam Brunelle and Anaya Peoples, even though they played on MM's disastrous last season, still each made the all-ACC rookie team. Under Niele Ivey, they're playing behind two of Niele's core pieces: Maddy Westbeld (Sam) and Sonia Citron (Anaya). And the ball movement system they played under with MM has been altered which does not play to their strengths.

Both have two years of eligibility and would hope to find a school where they get a chance to get lots of playing time. Anaya's from the Midwest. Will she look to stay there? Illinois has a new coach and situation. IU loses Cardano-Hillary and Ali Patberg. Can another Irish transfer land there? And Marquette is losing some key contributors.

As for Sam, will she be drawn to her hometown school, UVA, which has a new coach. Gosh knows they can use players. Horror of horrors: she was close to Beth Morgan Cunningham, her position coach at ND. Could she follow Beth to Duke?

- Abby Prohaska, the flaming redhead, got to a Final Four and a Sweet Sixteen, while going through some hellacious injuries and illnesses in between. She'll graduate this May and have two years left to play, with a medical redshirt and a Covid year. Find a school with playing opportunities and a good grad program and go get 'em, Abby.

Best of luck to all three....they represented ND well on and off the court.

Looks like I'm going to be studying the portal for more than a big and Abby Meyers. Sigh.

 

[DefenseBB]

 

[Dillon77]

Sam will get her degree by end of summer.
Will be interesting to see where she spends the next two years to play and pursue that masters.

 

[Dillon77]

Abby Prohaska will graduate on time in May as a 4-yr. senior.
Due to a medical redshirt and the Covid year, she'll have two years of eligibility.
The proverbial "heart and soul" of the team, particularly on defense, she got to attend a Final Four and a Sweet 16. Good luck to her.

 

[eebmg]

Sam will get her degree by end of summer.
Will be interesting to see where she spends the next two years to play and pursue that masters.

Brunelle definitely needed to leave ND. Just buried on the lineup.

I thought Peoples was getting more time and working her way into a significant contribution. Seemed so in the NC St game.

 

[Dillon77]

Brunelle definitely needed to leave ND. Just buried on the lineup.

I thought Peoples was getting more time and working her way into a significant contribution. Seemed so in the NC St game.

Regarding Anaya Peoples: When she was starting, Sonia Citron would come in and replace her and Peoples would rarely get back in the game. However, when she went to the bench and Prohaska suffered head injuries, Peoples got to sub for a variety of the guards, which -- you correctly noted -- gave her more PT.
In fact, the Irish played best in the NC State game with a small lineup of Westbeld-Peoples-Citron-Miles-Mabrey.

However, I think she wanted a chance to be a starter and major contributor again, which I can understand. Citron took her starting spot and it wasn't coming back.

If a team needs a hard-nosed defender and rebounding guard who is a high character persona and teammate, Anaya's a great fit. I could see she or Abby filling the Cardano-Hilary role at IU or helping Shauna Green get Illinois started (Peoples is from Illinois).

Brunelle was recruited for and best suited to Muffet's motion offense. That's not what Niele Ivey runs and Maddy Westbeld, by far, suits that approach.

 

[Dillon77]

Notre Dame should have won. They outplayed NCST for most of the game.

Westbeld's two errant passes at the top of the key were just brutal. Telegraphed and lazy passes that were easily picked off by Crutchfield.

You speak truth, Cat. The second one raised my blood pressure. Such a shame for Westbeld, who did yeoman work in the second quarter when Dodson was out in foul trouble and she guarded Cunane.

 

[my2cents]

The problem with TBD players are all the unknowns. ND is in a great conference and unless they come from another great conference you never know how they will fit in, or accept new roles.