Serah Williams to LSU?

[CTBballfan243]

3 players coming off major injuries, 3 incoming freshman, inconsistent play from the post, questions at PG, loss of 25-30 ppg from the 3 departing seniors and we should just go with what we got?

Yeah, because what we have is really good!!!! We have questions a point guard??? KK ran the point really well last year. Yes, Paige’s departure is significant. However, I fully expect Strong to get better, Azzi to be better, and Shade to be better. They will fill the void. Not to mention Cheli and Ziebell will make the sophomore leap. UConn will be fine.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

I just saw that too. LSU women similar to St John's men with lots of players in and out of the portal every year.

As the article says, LSU lost 5 to the portal but now have 4 gained from the portal including Fulwiley, Williams and Koval from ND

LSU lands ex-S.C. guard Fulwiley as transfer

Former South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley is transferring to LSU, landing the Tigers one of the most coveted players in the portal.

www.espn.com

ESPN may have edited it, as here is the last paragraph that I read:

"LSU lost five players in the transfer portal, and between the portal and exhausted eligibility, it lost all five of its forwards and centers. Fulwiley is LSU's third addition from the portal, joining Kate Koval and Amiya Joyner."

I'm liking UConn to collect Serah Williams.

Anyone know when Serah is visiting this week? I hope to be celebrating the commitment at noon on the second day she is in Storrs.

Go Huskies!!!

 

[jeff30189]

If you are going for a championship pretty good may be a relative weakness compared to the other great teams, and going from pretty good to great might be the difference maker. If Ice and Jana are say a 7 and Serah would be a 9 or 10 then going after her is a no brainer

You are a wise and learned man. You get it. The only caveat (not applicable here) would be if that incoming transfer "9" was going to either inhibit the development of the incumbent "7", or cause the incumbent "7" to transfer out of frustration. But a one year starter still gives Jana another year to develop as a dominant post player and two years to start once Williams graduates.

We all have our visions of what would be ideal. Mine is Williams starting at the 5, and with Sarah consuming 60 of the 80 minutes upfront, Blanca being a star in her first year at the 3, and KK being the worst of our 5 starters, but still quite good. Then hoping that among the many candidates a few join Ashlynn as star level bench players.

Assuming no injuries of course. Williams and Jana at center. Sarah and Ice at PF. Ash and Blanca at SF/SG. Azzi and KK in the backcourt. There's going to be a scramble for playing time beyond that. Who would you bump for Caroline, Morgan or Allie? Are Morgan, Allie and Kelis a sufficiently deep group of backup guards who can handle full court pressure without cracking?

I personally see Ash as being a key to the season. Her hustle, rebounding, defensive intensity are fantastic, but she needs to be that third scorer on a nightly basis.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

The article in question was about Fulwiley. It mentioned, in passing, that she would benefit from playing alongside "Williams" (with no first name). Just a random observation by a random person that does not count as a commitment announcement by the player or school. Please do better.

again a quote from the article:
"Fulwiley now joins a guard-heavy LSU squad headlined by Mikaylah Williams and Flau'jae Johnson, but she should be able to carve out a similar role with the Tigers, perhaps with more playing time."

Go Huskies!!!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Posted 1 hour ago

LSU women's basketball transfer portal tracker: Who's leaving, joining Kim Mulkey's Tigers?

Having trouble keeping track of all the LSU women's basketball transfer portal news? We've got you covered.

www.nola.com

Just checked 15 minutes ago on ESPN, and the NOLA.com article now (16:05, 4/27/25) says that only 3 have joined from the portal: Kate Koval ; Amiya Joyner; and Fulwiley. This one [ESPN] is from Kendra Andrews, Apr 25, 2025, 03:17 PM ET, and please read for yourselves:

LSU lands ex-S.C. guard Fulwiley as transfer

Former South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley is transferring to LSU, landing the Tigers one of the most coveted players in the portal.

www.espn.com

most important parts are quoted here:
"
Fulwiley now joins a guard-heavy LSU squad headlined by Mikaylah Williams and Flau'jae Johnson, but she should be able to carve out a similar role with the Tigers, perhaps with more playing time.

LSU lost five players in the transfer portal, and between the portal and exhausted eligibility, it lost all five of its forwards and centers. Fulwiley is LSU's third addition from the portal, joining Kate Koval and Amiya Joyner."

The edit, I believe is good news for the Boneyard & Geno, CD & Company.

Rejoice!!! Go Huskies!!!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

BoneYarders please remember the comments during Sarah Strong's recruitment!
Most felt she would sign with someone else, possibly NoCar!
Then lo and behold Sarah announces she's chosen UConn and that been her choice all along!
Before we cut our wrists let's wait till Serah visits UConn next week and see where she goes!
I love the UConn approach in talking about the "whole" person not just the BB player.
Nursing, success in fields other than BB, then UConn grads staring in WNBA, and overseas, and the success other Canadians have found in UConn, Kia Nurse, Aaliyah Edwards, etc.
I want her as much as anyone but I think Geno and staff and team will seal the deal!

Just so all Boneyarders know: "Cut down nets, not wrists!!!"

Go Huskies!!!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Kayleigh Heckel is the pg from USC that’s in the transfer portal. There was some initial information that there was mutual interest between UConn & Heckel. But I’m not sure that’s true.

She was from LUHI of Long Island, NY, just across the Sound! "Can you hear me now?"

Heckel would be the 15th Husky if Serah is the 14th, and thgey both end up in Storrs.

Go Huskies!!

 

[Charliebball]

Especially when you get to the NCAA tournament, you need 3 scoring options as your opponents will take out your option A and mostly your option B. UConn won the championship because no one could stop the 3 superstars of UConn playing at peak performance. At this point, UConn got only 2 proven 20 points scorers. While we can expect Shade to show an increase in scoring and hopefully Jana, Bianca and KK can average close to or more than 10 pt. each, UConn needs that 3rd threat and that is what (Hopefully) Serah can provide. Will UConn be a top 4 team without Serah? Sure (as long as there are no major injuries to any of the core players)! with Serah, UConn is a top 2 team (with SC).

If Blanca is as good as Geno says she should be contributing 10 - 15 points per game as the season progresses......if UConn adds Serah Williams that's another 15 points per game.......Shade and KK should both be contributing at least 10 points per game each.....

 

[The CDR-Ret]

If Blanca is as good as Geno says she should be contributing 10 - 15 points per game as the season progresses......if UConn adds Serah Williams that's another 15 points per game.......Shade and KK should both be contributing at least 10 points per game each.....

I believe adding in Serah will make the front court more powerful on defense and offense, which in turn will allow the PG situation to not be as important early on. The youngsters (Freshmen and Sophomores) will not need to be rushed, and will have plenty of 4th quarters (and hopefully earlier) to jell into a powerfully calm, but fast/quick unit of their own.

Fewer minutes for the starters led to a more rested team throughout the BE and NCAA tourneys this year. Hopefully that lesson is able to "stay learned." I am hoping for BOTH Serah Williams and Kayleigh Heckel, and be able to destroy Tennessee using their own strategy [line changes like the NHL] against them this year.

Go Huskies!!!

 

[tomcat]

Could UConn get by without Serah next year? Sure. Would they be measurably better with her on nthe roster? Absolutely.
I just watched a video report on the data-driven way the UConn approaches transfers (and presumably recruits) analyzing the players' strengths and weaknesses, showing how they'd fit, and explaining how the UConn system will work on their weakness and make them better players and better pro prospects. I'd not seen this before and was really impressed. No way to tell how Serah and her parents will react, but it certainly could not have hurt. Keeping my fingers crossed.....

 

[Charliebball]

I believe adding in Serah will make the front court more powerful on defense and offense, which in turn will allow the PG situation to not be as important early on. The youngsters (Freshmen and Sophomores) will not need to be rushed, and will have plenty of 4th quarters (and hopefully earlier) to jell into a powerfully calm, but fast/quick unit of their own.

Fewer minutes for the starters led to a more rested team throughout the BE and NCAA tourneys this year. Hopefully that lesson is able to "stay learned." I am hoping for BOTH Serah Williams and Kayleigh Heckel, and be able to destroy Tennessee using their own strategy [line changes like the NHL] against them this year.

Go Huskies!!!

I view Serah as close to a necessity but Heckel is more of a luxury and I have a feeling she's looking for more playing time than UConn can provide with KK and Kelis........

 

[BobbyJ]

Could UConn get by without Serah next year? Sure. Would they be measurably better with her on nthe roster? Absolutely.
I just watched a video report on the data-driven way the UConn approaches transfers (and presumably recruits) analyzing the players' strengths and weaknesses, showing how they'd fit, and explaining how the UConn system will work on their weakness and make them better players and better pro prospects. I'd not seen this before and was really impressed. No way to tell how Serah and her parents will react, but it certainly could not have hurt. Keeping my fingers crossed.....

Some of that may be true but I seriously question the credibility of whoever produced that video. I can't believe Auriemma releases any of that information so I think there's AI and guesswork involved in a lot of it.

 

[Charliebball]

Some of that may be true but I seriously question the credibility of whoever produced that video. I can't believe Auriemma releases any of that information so I think there's AI and guesswork involved in a lot of it.

I agree.......Geno runs a very tight ship.........there are zero leaks when it comes to recruiting or transfers.........if one of the bball sources says a player is committing to UConn, that information is coming from the player's side not UConn's.....

 

[BobbyJ]

I agree.......Geno runs a very tight ship.........there are zero leaks when it comes to recruiting or transfers.........if one of the bball sources says a player is committing to UConn, that information is coming from the player's side not UConn's.....

As I said in another post, the strange thing to me is that the anonymous voice of the video speaks of everything in the past tense as if Williams has already committed and it's a done deal. That would mean that this all took place before she visited either LSU or NC as far as I can tell. If so, she would have to have visited UConn at the start of the NC tournament as some have claimed. And if the deal is in fact done, why would she possibly be coming back for another UConn visit this week if she is? There's something fishy about this video.

 

[PJCLaw]

Azzi, Shade, Kk, Ziebell, Ducharme,
Strong, El AlFy, Brady, Cheli, Patterson
Add Fisher, Malloy-Manuel, and Quinonez. I would suspect that Jana, Ice, Cheli and Ziebell will be looking for significantly more playing time next year. Hopefully Patterson will be finally healthy and ready to be a significant contributor. I am sure Quinonez and Fisher did come here to ride the bench either. UConn doesn’t really have room to add anyone. IMO, UConn should just dance with the girls they brought to the dance and not go looking for anyone new.

I agree, especially since the talk has been to get Serah Williams. It's almost as if everyone forgets that we just won a NC with a true FRESHMAN post player and a redshirt Freshman center. They are only going to get better, as will Ice too. Those three contributed to beating Beers, Iriafen, Betts, and Feagin, four of the best post players in the country in back-to-back-to-back-to-back games. Yeah, those teams may add more post depth, but we are also getting back Ayanna Patterson too, which gives us four post players, not to mention the 6'5" freshman Malou-Mamel. I really believe the key to No. 13 is the play of Quinonez. If she is 70% of Paige in scoring, we will be fine.

 

[Topdawg]

Kaitlyn joined the UConn team about a year ago. This may be the calendar Geno follows when he is talking to transfers. Schools that end their season earlier are probably trying to get their decisions done earlier since many of them have more spots to fill.

 

[Charliebball]

As I said in another post, the strange thing to me is that the anonymous voice of the video speaks of everything in the past tense as if Williams has already committed and it's a done deal. That would mean that this all took place before she visited either LSU or NC as far as I can tell. If so, she would have to have visited UConn at the start of the NC tournament as some have claimed. And if the deal is in fact done, why would she possibly be coming back for another UConn visit this week if she is? There's something fishy about this video.

I don't take any of those videos seriously....Skim Milkey and Goodman have solid track records but the others are highly questionable......if Williams is coming to UConn we'll know when Geno wants us to know.........until then I'm assuming the worst as I always do.....

 

[CTBballfan243]

I assume Geno/UConn keep the players currently on the Roster in the loop. Informing them what positions they intend on upgrading via the portal. It would not be fair if a current roster player found out that UConn was bringing in a player after the portal closed.

 

[PacoSwede]

maybe ms. williams is not waiting on uconn or the staff. maybe she wants to be in storrs and the coaches are on board IF she meets and gets the players' OK before the deal is completed.

just some speculation that is not negative.

 

[Skeets]

Replacing Paige's scoring is the easiest part of replacing someone like Paige. She is one of those very rare players that elevates everyone around her by her words and actions. At this time I don't see anyone on the team that is ready to fill those shoes.

I want to respond to your post. Just how many points do you think that UConn is going to score next year? Less that Paige's 19.9 points? Next season, I'll give it more than a 50-50 chance. of scoring more. In the BE, it is almost a given. We go through every season when a top player moves on. Next season I think we are more than good. I'll say we'll be very good next year. Apologies to Tony, you hear it here first.. LoL.

 

[Bone Dog]

Next season could go any number of ways, and so could last season have done. When I think about it what I’m most struck by is not the big three. It’s the other five. I mean, Paige Azzi and Sarah were awesome almost as soon as their sneakers hit the floor. But the rest of the 8 player rotation took a bit longer to develop. Kaitlyn Ash KK Jana and Ice became a fierce unit — not perfect, but with a coordinated ferocity no other teams could match. That was Geno’s coaching genius at work.

Now when I try to imagine next season, I know there will be two superstars in Azzi and Sarah, and maybe a third one will emerge and amaze us the way Sarah did. Maybe Blanca, maybe Serah. But I am almost more interested in what the rest of the rotation will look like. KK and Ash and Jana and Ice already know what it takes to generate the ferocity Geno is looking for. It may take part of a season to get back up to speed but they’ll get there.

For me the question is who will become the rest of the rotation. A few candidates: Morgan, Allie, Kelis, they won’t all make the rotation this season, but some of them will. By February I expect Geno will have settled on no more than 9 players. Here’s what I think we’ll see with or without Serah.

With Serah:
Starters — Azzi Sarah Serah KK Ash
Rotation — Morgan Blanca Jana Ice
This looks like a pretty big team on the whole

Without Serah:
Starters — Azzi Sarah Jana KK Ash
Rotation — Morgan Blanca Ice Kelis
This is a slightly smaller team on the whole, but team speed will be a bit better.

By the end of February, Blanca may have cracked the starting lineup, and Allie may have earned a rotation spot.

 

[gold2323]

https://search.app/umHXqhWfu3Jkk1f17

 

[Vancat]

I'm sure multiple other people have made the joke, but all I can say is that I'd like her on the team for the puns.

"How'd we manage to beat a ranked team by 30?"
"Oh, you know. Our post duo. Que Sarah Serah."

Or KK Sarah Serah.

 

[mauconnfan]

Grab Heckel and Serah, excellent additions. Serah will help Strong and Heckel would be an underrated addition. Like her game too her and KK will create havoc on the defensive end.

 

[DEFCONN1]

Next season could go any number of ways, and so could last season have done. When I think about it what I’m most struck by is not the big three. It’s the other five. I mean, Paige Azzi and Sarah were awesome almost as soon as their sneakers hit the floor. But the rest of the 8 player rotation took a bit longer to develop. Kaitlyn Ash KK Jana and Ice became a fierce unit — not perfect, but with a coordinated ferocity no other teams could match. That was Geno’s coaching genius at work.

Now when I try to imagine next season, I know there will be two superstars in Azzi and Sarah, and maybe a third one will emerge and amaze us the way Sarah did. Maybe Blanca, maybe Serah. But I am almost more interested in what the rest of the rotation will look like. KK and Ash and Jana and Ice already know what it takes to generate the ferocity Geno is looking for. It may take part of a season to get back up to speed but they’ll get there.

For me the question is who will become the rest of the rotation. A few candidates: Morgan, Allie, Kelis, they won’t all make the rotation this season, but some of them will. By February I expect Geno will have settled on no more than 9 players. Here’s what I think we’ll see with or without Serah.

With Serah:
Starters — Azzi Sarah Serah KK Ash
Rotation — Morgan Blanca Jana Ice
This looks like a pretty big team on the whole

Without Serah:
Starters — Azzi Sarah Jana KK Ash
Rotation — Morgan Blanca Ice Kelis
This is a slightly smaller team on the whole, but team speed will be a bit better.

By the end of February, Blanca may have cracked the starting lineup, and Allie may have earned a rotation spot.

Great analogy Bone, but let’s not forget Yana. I believe she will making her presence known as the season progresses and become an important factor in Geno’s rotation.