Same old, same old in 2015-2016

[CBus13]

Don't forget Kalpana Beach is back as well...

I only left her off my grouping because of how little she has been able to play due to injuries. I think she could be valuable if she can stay healthy. She's fairly athletic.

 

[triaddukefan]

I would move Notre Dame up to 3rd on that list, especially considering that they will have Ali Patberg coming in, who looked quite good in somewhat limited minutes in the U19 games. I think they will beat Tennessee, since they have been doing that with great consistency over the last few years, despite arguably equal or lesser talent.

I expect Tennessee to be very talented but not very functional. Diamond Deshields may put up big numbers (except in shooting percentage), but I am not sure she will make the team better when she is on the court. She looks to me like the A-Rod of WCBB.

You gotta explain this one to me

 

[mudcat]

Iowa lost way too much. Logic, Dixon, and Doolittle are all gone, from a team that couldn't beat tOSU down the stretch or UMD on any day. I don't understand what your assessment is based on?

I think their recruiting has been good the last couple of years, and the bench last year was pretty strong. I think there will be a drop, but only a small one. I think Disterhoff (sp?), Coley, Jennings, and Peschel will see a lot more minutes and they have a good recruiting class coming in.

 

[John Glass]

I like Ohio State a lot--top 15 for sure-- maybe top ten. NO way top 5 unless they come up with a team concept that includes a 4th and 5th starter who can make a difference. Let's see what the coach can put on the floor.

Ohio State adds 5 or 6 to their roster, so they will have more talent. However, they play like an AAU team with bad shots, and below average defense.

My prediction for the Ohio State- UConn game:

 

[chrissaran]

Does anyone see Meighan Simmons in Diamond DeShields? A talented player who never seemed to make her team that much better. Also, she was a player who liked to shoot a lot. Diamond is much more talented, that I know. Their games seem similar, as mentioned above.

 

[AnotherVolFan]

Does anyone see Meighan Simmons in Diamond DeShields? A talented player who never seemed to make her team that much better. Also, she was a player who liked to shoot a lot. Diamond is much more talented, that I know. Their games seem similar, as mentioned above.

People have seen Diamond play ONE (freshman season at that) season , and are already comparing her to Simmons....that's odd to me.

 

[RPM101370]

Does anyone see Meighan Simmons in Diamond DeShields? A talented player who never seemed to make her team that much better. Also, she was a player who liked to shoot a lot. Diamond is much more talented, that I know. Their games seem similar, as mentioned above.

To me this is an urban legend. DD led her team (of mostly freshmen, minus a coach battling leukemia) to the Elite Eight and if I remember correctly lost a close game to Stanford on their home floor. Then transferred. So when exactly did she NOT make her team better? How she does and fits in at TN remains to be seen. (Note, I hope it is a complete disaster full of infighting and a ton of missed shots, followed by despair and the implosion of the Summitt.)

Meghan Simmons is not even in the conversation with DD, though I think poor coaching had MUCH to do with her misadventures.

 

[stwainfan]

Diamond also played with injuries at UNC. So being on Wooden list of top 15 players was how good she is. I wonder how good she will be fully healthy. That's a scary thought.

 

[VolFan]

Diamond is easily a much better leader and a much better team player than Meighan was.

 

[CBear01]

I can't seem to compare the two just so soon. One thing certain is that Simmons fully embodied what it meant to be a Lady Vol (IMO) and really tried to be the face of that program in her junior and senior seasons. I can still also remember thinking "oh wow, this Simmons looks like a national freshman of the year" (same freshman year as Hartley I believe) and pushes for a Tennessee team that really needed a productive player. I guess what I'm saying is I just don't see Diamond as a Lady Vol (just yet) and I'm still unclear what her ultimate intentions are for transferring there. It's still all a bit odd and I'm excited for a great season to start up where all our questions will be answered as the wonderment unravels.

 

[geneticrex]

I think that depends on the coaching really. I would wager that Muffet has much more experience with a loss and transition like that than Warlick would have. She did it when Skylar left. She has actually coached polarizing players before, has Holly?

I agree that coaching will be a key component in the progress of both teams as the year unfolds.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I can't seem to compare the two just so soon. One thing certain is that Simmons fully embodied what it meant to be a Lady Vol (IMO) and really tried to be the face of that program in her junior and senior seasons. I can still also remember thinking "oh wow, this Simmons looks like a national freshman of the year" (same freshman year as Hartley I believe) and pushes for a Tennessee team that really needed a productive player. I guess what I'm saying is I just don't see Diamond as a Lady Vol (just yet) and I'm still unclear what her ultimate intentions are for transferring there. It's still all a bit odd and I'm excited for a great season to start up where all our questions will be answered as the wonderment unravels.

who won it that year?

 

[CBear01]

who won it that year?

Odyssey?

 

[DaddyChoc]

Odyssey?

are you answering my question with a question?

 

[bballnut90]

Does anyone see Meighan Simmons in Diamond DeShields? A talented player who never seemed to make her team that much better. Also, she was a player who liked to shoot a lot. Diamond is much more talented, that I know. Their games seem similar, as mentioned above.

No....DeShields is light years better and I think will make a huge impact at Tennessee. Simmons showed potential as a freshman but was never able to be a team player. Even if DeShields takes a lot of shots, she'll make more than Simmons did and is a much tougher match up. She also has more patience on the court and is a level headed player. I see more of a player like Bianca Cuevas in Simmons, in that she's very streaky, can be emotional and has questionable decision making but can also be a huge spark plug on any given night.

 

[Nuyoika]

No....DeShields is light years better and I think will make a huge impact at Tennessee. Simmons showed potential as a freshman but was never able to be a team player. Even if DeShields takes a lot of shots, she'll make more than Simmons did and is a much tougher match up. She also has more patience on the court and is a level headed player. I see more of a player like Bianca Cuevas in Simmons, in that she's very streaky, can be emotional and has questionable decision making but can also be a huge spark plug on any given night.

I think there is no doubt there will be an impact, whether good or bad we shall see.

 

[SCGamecock]

I see more of a player like Bianca Cuevas in Simmons, in that she's very streaky, can be emotional and has questionable decision making but can also be a huge spark plug on any given night.

Cuevas is A LOT of things on the court. Too many things at times. Emotional is not one of them. She shows zero emotion when she plays. She's very level headed on the court, which you have to be when you're the smallest player on the floor. She's constantly bumped and tossed and doesn't even break a sweat... Her court composure is actually one of the things I love about Cuevas, especially with her being a point guard. She is NOTHING like Simmons in that regard.

You're right about everything else though.

 

[CocoHusky]

To me this is an urban legend. DD led her team (of mostly freshmen, minus a coach battling leukemia) to the Elite Eight and if I remember correctly lost a close game to Stanford on their home floor. Then transferred. So when exactly did she NOT make her team better? How she does and fits in at TN remains to be seen. (Note, I hope it is a complete disaster full of infighting and a ton of missed shots, followed by despair and the implosion of the Summitt.)
Meghan Simmons is not even in the conversation with DD, though I think poor coaching had MUCH to do with her misadventures.

DD is a great talent but at her best she a volume shooter. She did not make her team better because she hoisted 250 more shots that the next closest teammate. Her shooting percentage compared to her teamates did not justify her taking that many more shots. She could have made her team better by simply taking fewer shots.

 

[CBus13]

are you answering my question with a question?

It was Odyssey Sims. She won the USBWA National Freshmen of the Year Award.

 

[Aluminny69]

Diamond also played with injuries at UNC. So being on Wooden list of top 15 players was how good she is. I wonder how good she will be fully healthy. That's a scary thought.

Didn't Diamond miss playing this summer due to injury? That would imply she is not fully recovered, yet.

 

[Volup1]

Didn't Diamond miss playing this summer due to injury? That would imply she is not fully recovered, yet.

Diamond is recuperating well from her surgery last year, but was held out for almost all of the PanAm play as a precaution after she tweaked her leg injury in the practices leading up to the games. The coaches tried to put her in for one of the early games, but she had some discomfort so they pulled her. She probably won't play on the LV trip to Italy later this month either for the same reason. She is expected to be completely healed and "full go" by the start of this coming season.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Diamond is recuperating well from her surgery last year, but was held out for almost all of the PanAm play as a precaution after she tweaked her leg injury in the practices leading up to the games. The coaches tried to put her in for one of the early games, but she had some discomfort so they pulled her. She probably won't play on the LV trip to Italy later this month either for the same reason. She is expected to be completely healed and "full go" by the start of this coming season.

Pan-Am or World Games?

 

[msf22b]

Does anyone see Meighan Simmons in Diamond DeShields? A talented player who never seemed to make her team that much better. Also, she was a player who liked to shoot a lot. Diamond is much more talented, that I know. Their games seem similar, as mentioned above.

Much, much more talented
Bigger, stronger, potentially more disciplined, do not underestimate.

 

[bballnut90]

Cuevas is A LOT of things on the court. Too many things at times. Emotional is not one of them. She shows zero emotion when she plays. She's very level headed on the court, which you have to be when you're the smallest player on the floor. She's constantly bumped and tossed and doesn't even break a sweat... Her court composure is actually one of the things I love about Cuevas, especially with her being a point guard. She is NOTHING like Simmons in that regard.

You're right about everything else though.

Valid point--I was trying to emphasize the streakiness factor which is more common in emotional players, but you're right that she is always steady. Swanier might be a better comparison, as Swanier was pretty similar to Cuevas as a freshman but not as strong of a scorer as Bianca. Swanier did make huge improvements in her consistency and decision making over the course of her career, she was a very good point guard by her senior year. I'm interested to see how Cuevas develops under Staley.

 

[Alydar]

People have seen Diamond play ONE (freshman season at that) season , and are already comparing her to Simmons....that's odd to me.

There's some basis for a comparison. Here's their offensive stats for the 2013/14 season:

Simmons - 28 min/gm
42% 2pt% 203-488
36% 3pt% 72-200


DeShields - 28 min/gm
43% 2pt% 248-582
28% 3pt% 48-172

For all the optimistic expectations some LV fans have had going into next season, I find it odd because of all the negativity those same fans dumped on Simmons. She was labelled a "gunner" who thought more about her own shot than in leading the team. Well, DeShields shot more than Simmons.

Now I think DD's size will make her a much better driver than Simmons and DeShields will be a bigger defender on the perimeter, but on the other hand Simmons never took a second off in a game while I saw DD lose her focus at UNC, to the point where she forgot about the game to whine to both officials and her bench while the other 9 players were at the other end of the court.

Diamond also played with injuries at UNC. So being on Wooden list of top 15 players was how good she is. I wonder how good she will be fully healthy. That's a scary thought.

Well, it's nearly a year and a half later and she is still "recovering" from an injury. All last season, posts were made by LV fans about how she was "healthy again" and how she was practicing so well. I never remember reading anywhere that she had had surgery. Whether or not she will be "fully healthy" this season is very much still up in the air. Right now her ankle is in a boot and there is no assurance that she will be 100% by November.

Last year UConn had two players coming back from injuries, Tuck and Williams. Both ended up being huge contributors but I don't think anyone would have been surprised if either or both had not been 100%. Tenn is counting on both Russell & DeShields to be the leaders this coming season. While I hope they both have great seasons, I also think some LV fans are whistling past the graveyard with the way they are taking it for granted.