Week 9 - Dec 29 to Jan 4

[Vowelguy]

I was interested to see how Koval would fair in the SEC. I think the center position is extremely competitive in the SEC. She is big, but kind of soft. She was too slow against KY's bigs. I'm excited to see her match up against Beers, Okot, and Cunningham/Oldacre. I know there's other great posts too. Koval just had a career high against a team where their tallest starter was 5'11". LSU's overall stats are all inflated. We will see the real LSU now. They still are Uber talented, but not tested.

Well they lost by 2 to what will be a top 10 team, so they’re not untested anymore.

 

[Conndog]

Strack is big time. Scares me way more than someone like Reagan Beers.

Her pivot & fall-away shot is incredible- never seen anything like it. Seems unguardable

 

[GoChips20]

I think Strack will become a better overall player than Liz Kitley, and might be right there already. Just won’t have the same accolades in a much more loaded conference.

 

[JellyBean]

I am not reading too much into the LSU/Kentucky game. Kentucky won. LSU players will learn from this game and build on it. Kentucky did well. Seniors and that experience was a huge plus for them. They were poised and mentally tough. The thing that got me was, Coach Mulkey did not play Milaysia much. We will see what happens when they play Vandy in a few days.

 

[Stagnant]

I think Strack will become a better overall player than Liz Kitley, and might be right there already. Just won’t have the same accolades in a much more loaded conference.

I think she moves better than Kitley. And that’s important in the wnba. It is why I have doubts about Audi and Betts.

 

[DefenseBB]

To begin with, this is a very different Syla Swords than the person who played against UCONN...
At the least, why was she not bombing away in the 4th; it was the only way that Michigan could fully have a chance to come back?

You do realize that the UConn game was Syla Swords outlier right? In that game her efficiency score was a 24.0 (by comparison, Sarah Strong averages 28.9) and that Swords season average efficiency score is 13.5.

Swords is a good player but not worthy of any AA consideration, so as @hoopsfan22 correctly noted in the UConn-Michigan post game, this IS NOT Caitlin Clark 2.0

So for @FanSince17 and @visitingcock who have posted how wonderful and worthy (or in Visitingcocks case-mightt be worthy), Swords is just simply a nice player on a good team. Her 40.8/35.2/67.9 is a far cry from 50/40/90.

I like this Michigan team but they are still a flawed (and young) bunch, prone to poor choices and silly fouls (here's looking at you Olson and Mila Holloway). They are as of 1/20/2026, possibly the 2nd best team in the Big 10 with a ceiling of an Elite 8.

 

[GamecockFam]

No it is not.
SEC+, like ESPN+, is a subscription service.

It must be different with where you live. Are you outside the US? It is not a subscription service in any of the United States as far as I am aware. In the US it is just an extension of the SEC Network and considered "free" if you have that channel in your cable package. I get it for free by having YouTube TV.

 

[Vowelguy]

It must be different with where you live. Are you outside the US? It is not a subscription service in any of the United States as far as I am aware. In the US it is just an extension of the SEC Network and considered "free" if you have that channel in your cable package. I get it for free by having YouTube TV.

I am in the US. It is an additional price on my cable system.

Apparently I may be able to get it on the ESPN app.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I think she moves better than Kitley. And that’s important in the wnba. It is why I have doubts about Audi and Betts.

Betts should be ok. Maybe not an all star.

Crooks I don't see it.

 

[triaddukefan]

Is there a point in here somewhere?

Yeah. Please re-read as you apparently missed the point.

 

[Bigboote]

Uhhh….if you have the SEC network on your tv (which most with ESPN have), SEC+ is included (even on the ESPN app). Not even comparable.

Thanks for that. Silly me, I went to sec+.com, and all I got was pay plans. I just verified that I am able to access it through my smart TV with cable login.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Seattle U actually has some potential

You know, I almost let this slide, but I just can't do it. They are 4-9, 2 wins against non-D1 and other 2 wins are against 2-11 Cal Poly and 2-12 Presbyterian. Their losses are by 47, 40, 25, 21, 5, 21, 23, 19 and 29. Only 1 of those losses is against a P4, the rest are to a smattering of Mountain West, Big West and WCC teams including beatdowns against quite poor Portland St. and Cal St. Bakersfield teams. So no, Seattle U. does not have some potential. They are absolutely terrible.

 

[Basingstoke]

You do realize that the UConn game was Syla Swords outlier right? In that game her efficiency score was a 24.0 (by comparison, Sarah Strong averages 28.9) and that Swords season average efficiency score is 13.5.

Swords is a good player but not worthy of any AA consideration, so as @hoopsfan22 correctly noted in the UConn-Michigan post game, this IS NOT Caitlin Clark 2.0

So for @FanSince17 and @visitingcock who have posted how wonderful and worthy (or in Visitingcocks case-mightt be worthy), Swords is just simply a nice player on a good team. Her 40.8/35.2/67.9 is a far cry from 50/40/90.

I like this Michigan team but they are still a flawed (and young) bunch, prone to poor choices and silly fouls (here's looking at you Olson and Mila Holloway). They are as of 1/20/2026, possibly the 2nd best team in the Big 10 with a ceiling of an Elite 8.

My point was that her efficiency vs UCONN was an anomaly, as was her mentality in taking over in the 4th quarter (vs what she did not even attempt to do vs Washington).

 

[azfan]

They are absolutely terrible.

This is a phrase that perfectly describes the Natasha Adair 20 lost teams from 2022 to 24. Those teams had no potential. They were absolutely terrible in every sense of the word. And the key is there was no potential for improvement.

Seattle U has not come close to putting their pieces together yet. As I indicated in the game analysis in their last game against Santa Clara they hung with Loree Payne's squad through the first quarter 27-25.

Their two big played well, even allowing for the lack of defensive emphasis by the Broncos.

What's that said tonight Gonzaga is absolutely schooling Seattle U.

So by definition a team that shows potential for improving is not playing well and that's the case for Seattle U.

 

[azfan]

After a horrendous start and an injury to Sophie Glancy the Santa Clara Broncos have overcome a double digit first half deficit to tie the score going into the half.

The Broncos have only hit one three-pointer and are clearly scoring significantly below their lead leading average with a 35-point first half.

Fingers crossed that would appear to be an ankle injury to Glancy is not serious. At the time of the injury she was 6-6 from the field with 14 points.

I also see potential in LMU.

 

[nwhoopfan]

This is a phrase that perfectly describes the Natasha Adair 20 lost teams from 2022 to 24. Those teams had no potential. They were absolutely terrible in every sense of the word. And the key is there was no potential for improvement.

And yet, Seattle has no player remotely as talented as Brown and Skinner were w/ ASU last year. Look at their game by game results. They are not good.

But Gonzaga decided to go to sleep and let them back into the game.

 

[triaddukefan]

William and Mary opened up the CAA season with a trip to Greensboro to face NC A&T.... And of course the predictable happened 😞😞😞

W&M whenever they play a team from Central NC 😞

 

[cancontent]

My point was that her efficiency vs UCONN was an anomaly, as was her mentality in taking in the 4th quarter (vs what she did not even attempt to do vs Washington).

Disagree regarding mentality because if you've seen Swords play, especially during FIBA competitions she does have the mentality you're describing. During the FIBA Americas this year, she was on the court during their double OT bronze win and was the key reason they won. Canada had her and Howell playinf over several veteran pros.

Also disagree that she didn't attempt to do so during the Washington game. Even the announcers said she was the only Michigan player trying to keep the game close during the second half.

 

[Basingstoke]

In part, my observation was that she was not hoisting multiple 3's late in the game as she did vs UCONN - that was the only way to quickly bring Michigan back vs Washington (imo). I found what she did in the 4th quarter vs UCONN to be remarkable, but, despite her drives, didn't see her truly try to take over the game (admittedly a tall ask) as she did vs UCONN.
This does not mean that she isn't an extremely talented player in my eyes.

 

[Bone Dog]

I agree with the assessment of Strack in this thread. She does seeem better than Kitley and maybe has a better shot in the pros eventually, though perhaps more as a 4 than a 5. Her midrange game looks really good. But she also shares a bit with Kitley’s game — I guess a shared coaching pedigree. To me, she looks like a candidate for best big in her class.

 

[cancontent]

In part, my observation was that she was not hoisting multiple 3's late in the game as she did vs UCONN - that was the only way to quickly bring Michigan back vs Washington (imo). I found what she did in the 4th quarter vs UCONN to be remarkable, but, despite her drives, didn't see her truly try to take over the game (admittedly a tall ask) as she did vs UCONN.
This does not mean that she isn't an extremely talented player in my eyes.

While she took the most 3 point shots that night, that's not Michigan's style of play nor what Swords is especially good at. If she's in rhythm, sure but she's more about getting a score than going for 3 pointers at will.

If anything, Holloway's foul trouble and Michigan's lack of bench production hurt them more than anything else. Holloway playing 17 minutes gave players like Howell and Ladine more free reign to score. Delfosse has been averaging double digits but had 2 points off of 2 shots. Brown, who can also be counted on for 5-10 points, had zero points.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I'm gonna throw another name into the conversation for most improved player--Jenna Villa. Averaged 5.6 ppg in both of her 2 seasons at Washington St. After a 32 point explosion last night she's averaging 15.3 ppg this year for Oregon St., leading the team in that category. Also has nearly doubled her rebounding numbers from last season.

 

[visitingcock]

#25 Princeton in a battle with Penn.

I pt game with 5 minutes remaining.

 

[Baller29]

Fitting for LSU to lose here. Kim should take this into consideration when she sets up her non-con next year. Test your team a little more.

She needs to schedule better and recruit actual bigs. She has not had true bigs since 2023. In Ladazhia Williams and Angel Reese


Her recruitment failure is a big reason why they’ll continue to fall short.

Koval is another ADR

 

[DefenseBB]

I agree with the assessment of Strack in this thread. She does seeem better than Kitley and maybe has a better shot in the pros eventually, though perhaps more as a 4 than a 5. Her midrange game looks really good. But she also shares a bit with Kitley’s game — I guess a shared coaching pedigree. To me, she looks like a candidate for best big in her class.

While watching the LSU-Kentucky game, the announcers said Clara grew like 10 inches her senior year which is why she is a good ball handler and has very good footwork. That to me, tells me she will continue to improve in the front court as she gains more experience with her height and the better agility she has vs other front court players. I had noticed her last year when composing the efficiency scores and have on my top 20 watch list for WBCA team awards. The truth is I have 200+ people I’m tracking but have flags next to my favorites and Clara is a definite favorite