Gamecocks 2024-25 Season: Part One

[Alydar]

Big difference. We needed some players with height. Your roster didn't need anything.

Since all Duke grads are all rich just collect 100K each from them and buy one. Players can transfer and play at any point of the season or the off-season.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Since all Duke grads are all rich

 

[hoophuskee]

Some around the program suggest Tac is actually closer to 6’6 - she has good hands that can catch the ball & has nice touch around the basketball. Dawn has compared Tac’s level of understanding of the game (at least from the defensive side of the ball) at this point in her career to Boston’s high BB IQ. She is very high on her potential to be the next great big at SC . Dauda is a very nice player. Glad to have her - an unexpected but welcome addition for more depth and post options . She ensures Tac can be brought along slowly from her knee injury last year (she is expected to fully participate in offseason workouts) . However, she (Dauda) seems a little thin so I worry about her getting moved around by bulkier 5s & 4s down low. I still expect Feagin & Watson to play the majority of minutes at the 5 for SC next season

IMO Geno and Dawn are two peas in a pod. They were friendly before she was at SC, They coached together at Olympics. Years ago she held out her center just a few days before facing UCONN during the Wilson era. She claimed about her effort blah blah blah. Geno is known for doing this and he did it the same game only he benched Stewart and Tuck.

In regard to Tac - this sounds like a Geno exaggeration. Geno said last year that if Jana was in USA she would have been rated the #1 recruit from this past year. Boston was a super special player. But Dawn is one helluva coach - maybe she is right but Tac also looks skinny and this past year those bulky centers gave SC some trouble anyway but Dauda could be a help defender rather than guard the bulky player. She did have 3 times more blocks tan Feagin. But I didn't realize Feagin was as big as she was. Damn SC is loaded.

Just a quick point in regard to our 1st back-and-forth- Azzi has been hurt end of her soph year during summer, out her jr year I believe. Sr year was Covid. Was hurt in-and-out her frosh year, then hurt for most the season's the last two

 

[hoophuskee]

I think all coaches have their individual coaching style and should stick to what has always worked for them. I can't recall Geno ever being a coach that went very deep, even when he had a bench of very talented players. In contrast, bench depth has always been a part of Dawn's program. She's always played her bench, even when she didn't have the same talent on her bench as her starters (Go back to the early Wilson and Coates years for proof of this). The difference the last few years has been the depth of talent has improved, so she has a starting 5 and a next 5-7 that's also just as talented, so now you see games where the bench outscores the starters. And because of her coaching style of developing her bench in game, young players grow up quick.

Now, Dawn has a culture in place where players can expect to contribute regardless of how much talent is on the roster, and for the most part you will play as long as you can defend. That's why a player like Maryam Dauda decides to join a roster with 5-6 already talented forwards, she knows she's going to get better as a player AND get playing time.

For '24-'25, I won't even begin to speculate who the starters are going to be. What I do know is that Dawn has a bevy of very talented forwards, regardless of whether they are considered superstars or not, they can all hoop and will give anybody buckets. I also know that our backcourt is scrappy and equally talented, and Fulwiley and Johnson will push Pao and Raven for playing time.. but they will all play and create one of the best backcourts in the country.

Developing your bench in real games during the season (and not just in practice) is how you can lose 5 starters on a Final Four team and come back to win the championship the following year with 5 new starters.

They are different in some ways but the same in others. Throughout the reg season I noticed that in tight or somewhat close games (NC, Utah, LSU and Tenn twice and Ga.) Raven and Paopao averaged 33 and 34 minutes respectively. How come not more minutes for Fulwiley and Tess?

Dawn has some big time magic. Whether Tac comes through or not, SC potential has 5 centers (4 are upperclassmen), 6 PF.s 4 SF's, and 4 guards maybe a 5th if the frosh comes through too.

You have to be super excited of the possibilities for you team this year.

.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

That’s great. Dawn has done a terrific job of keeping everyone reasonably happy. Winning certainly helps. But I see Dauda as a starter for the next 2 seasons, essentially as the replacement for Cardoso. The 20+ minutes of PT she will get, will come from some combination of Tac, Watkins, Edwards, Walker (if she returns for a 5th season), Feagin and/or Kitts.

Walker only played mop up duty in 23-24 and will probably have the same if she comes back for 24-25.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

They are different in some ways but the same in others. Throughout the reg season I noticed that in tight or somewhat close games (NC, Utah, LSU and Tenn twice and Ga.) Raven and Paopao averaged 33 and 34 minutes respectively. How come not more minutes for Fulwiley and Tess?

Dawn has some big time magic. Whether Tac comes through or not, SC potential has 5 centers (4 are upperclassmen), 6 PF.s 4 SF's, and 4 guards maybe a 5th if the frosh comes through too.

You have to be super excited of the possibilities for you team this year.

.

Because Dawn leans on experience in tight games.

 

[hoophuskee]

Because Dawn leans on experience in tight games.

Therefore, its not the bench that is the cause for extending leads as a general rule (ofc some exceptions for exampel a soph like Tess could really come into her own so you play her more than the general rule once she shows a certain strong play), it's the more experienced players; then once the lead is extended to a point then she will use her bench more freely?

 

[Alydar]

Everyone knows the value of a Duke degree. It gets you a job in a *** restaurant ... waiting tables.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Therefore, its not the bench that is the cause for extending leads as a general rule (ofc some exceptions for exampel a soph like Tess could really come into her own so you play her more than the general rule once she shows a certain strong play), it's the more experienced players; then once the lead is extended to a point then she will use her bench more freely?

Each game is different. She will often use her bench early, but in the 4th quarter she will lean on experience, even if that experience didn't start.

 

[GCKSFN4L]

Therefore, its not the bench that is the cause for extending leads as a general rule (ofc some exceptions for exampel a soph like Tess could really come into her own so you play her more than the general rule once she shows a certain strong play), it's the more experienced players; then once the lead is extended to a point then she will use her bench more freely?

That's not true, in recent years and definitely last year the bench has generally extended the lead and brought the momentum for team. The starters are usually more consistent and predictable which is likely why they start but the bench has often been the real difference.

 

[hoophuskee]

That's not true, in recent years and definitely last year the bench has generally extended the lead and brought the momentum for team. The starters are usually more consistent and predictable which is likely why they start but the bench has often been the real difference.

Then why did she play in the closer games on average Paoapao 34 mintes and Raven 33 in the reg season?

 

[GamecockFam]

Then why did she play in the closer games on average Paoapao 34 mintes and Raven 33 in the reg season?

I think it has more to do with Dawns trust in the upperclassmen understanding what to do when the game is on the line. Those players are more predictable. So even though a younger player may have a higher ceiling than the starters, they also have more bone-headed plays that can ruin games if they happen at the wrong moments.

Dawn also likes defensive unity and upperclassmen tend to play as one unit and communicate with each other unlike freshmen.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I would suggest that this past year it was more about the hot hand than seniority.

Kitts barely played in semi, because Watkins was grabbing everything.

Tessa got large and decisive minutes in the title game.

Fulwiley finished some games I think and barely played in others.