RU vs BYU 3/22/21 Game thread

[Turtle31]

It has always been a problem and our other fab 5 recruiting class completely fizzled out; we had some bigs come in as freshman and barely saw the court; Diamond is the first freshman who has really contributed in her first year since Cappie

Oh, you mean the Fab 5 that largely came to the Banks for all the wrong reasons? I’ll debate with anyone that RU and CVS have never been the same and the program has been slowly bleeding out since. Way overdue for a coaching change.
Also, just b/c I rarely post anymore doesn’t make me less of a fan. My best memories are from the first part of the Stringer era not the Grentz era. 25+ yr season ticket holder.

 

[sammybb]

Very few freshman, at any program, contribute immediately, unless they are immensely talented (see: Diamond, Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark) or immediately needed.

For comparison, Oregon had what most considered the #1 recruiting class this past year, with 5 players ranked in top 25 (versus RU's one). Here's how they performed:

Sydney Parrish (ESPN #8): 6.5ppg, 2.7rpg, 35%FG
Tehina Paopao (ESPN #11): 10.2 ppg; 43%FG, 4.4apg, 3.2rpg
Kylee Watson (ESPN #17): 2.3ppg, 1.2rpg,
Maddie Scherr (ESPN #19): 2.6ppg, 2rpg, 1.5apg
Angela Dugalic (ESPN #22): 3.7ppg, 4.4rpg,

My point is--don't count out anyone yet.

 

[wngarbarini]

At least they played!!!

 

[RUcrazee]

Oh, you mean the Fab 5 that largely came to the Banks for all the wrong reasons? I’ll debate with anyone that RU and CVS have never been the same and the program has been slowly bleeding out since. Way overdue for a coaching change.
Also, just b/c I rarely post anymore doesn’t make me less of a fan. My best memories are from the first part of the Stringer era not the Grentz era. 25+ yr season ticket holder.

You are right about that Fab 5 class that came after the Championship game year. They signed after seeing CVS and the team speak about the Imus controversy. They did not do any HW on the coaching style and fit with RU. We've been gradually recovering from that since. Scaife and Laney teams really helped start the recovery.

You also have to think about other factors that have played a significant role in the programs slow climb to get back to greatness. The women's game has taken off since that time with more girls playing, more talent out there. Hence, more teams in the mix than just the same few from back in the day. Tenn, La Tech, Old Dominion, then Stanford, UConn, Tenn, ND the usual favorites to win. We were always in the mix. Now there are so many teams that you can predict preseason to win it all( I can think of at least 8). And then there are so many other teams that are on the upswing. There are some mid majors that have very talented players. Great players are choosing to play all over the country, not just at the powerhouse schools. Recruiting is much more competitive. We went ten years at a disadvantage(facilities) to the schools that now live in the top 20. The Louisvilles,Md, etc.

Now that we are on equal footing(facility-wise), we will see if this can help get us back to top 10 status. We've progressed recently by being a top 25 team last year and this year. Weren't we in there the last three seasons at some point in each season? If we stack a few elite players in the next few years, we'll be a constant in the top 10 also.

 

[LtCol144]

Sad thing to me, with 3 graduating seniors, this was our best chance for the next couple of years.

 

[RUcrazee]

Sad thing to me, with 3 graduating seniors, this was our best chance for the next couple of years.

I'm a lot more optimistic about the future. The seniors will be missed. A talent like Arella can't easily be replaced . Tekia's energy, toughness, and Bball IQ will be missed. Mael's determination and work ethic always set a good example for the underclassmen.

That being said, we don't really know that Tekia and Mael won't decide to come back next year. Whether they do or not, our cupboard is far from bare. Did you forget, ....we still have Diamond. The other frosh will now take over the role of winning over our hearts, just as Tekia, Mael, and Arella did. We already have another guard from Texas coming., and a wing player, Sadibe. Joiya Maddox comes back(good 3pt shooter) to help spread the floor for Diamond and Zippy. The bigs have all the potential to be very good players.

 

[sammybb]

At least they played!!!

I'm confused now--do you want them to have more minutes or to be able to contribute with those minutes? Either way, the freshmen are not the reason we lost to BYU. It was execution by the starters.

 

[bac2therac]

You are right about that Fab 5 class that came after the Championship game year. They signed after seeing CVS and the team speak about the Imus controversy. They did not do any HW on the coaching style and fit with RU. We've been gradually recovering from that since. Scaife and Laney teams really helped start the recovery.

You also have to think about other factors that have played a significant role in the programs slow climb to get back to greatness. The women's game has taken off since that time with more girls playing, more talent out there. Hence, more teams in the mix than just the same few from back in the day. Tenn, La Tech, Old Dominion, then Stanford, UConn, Tenn, ND the usual favorites to win. We were always in the mix. Now there are so many teams that you can predict preseason to win it all( I can think of at least 8). And then there are so many other teams that are on the upswing. There are some mid majors that have very talented players. Great players are choosing to play all over the country, not just at the powerhouse schools. Recruiting is much more competitive. We went ten years at a disadvantage(facilities) to the schools that now live in the top 20. The Louisvilles,Md, etc.

Now that we are on equal footing(facility-wise), we will see if this can help get us back to top 10 status. We've progressed recently by being a top 25 team last year and this year. Weren't we in there the last three seasons at some point in each season? If we stack a few elite players in the next few years, we'll be a constant in the top 10 also.

Rutgers hasn't been in the mix or nationally relevant for 12 years...thats a big enough sample to come to my conclusion
You're acting like CVS is energized and her 50s. Its not happening anymore

 

[MADHAT1]

Rutgers hasn't been in the mix or nationally relevant for 12 years...thats a big enough sample to come to my conclusion
You're acting like CVS is energized and her 50s. Its not happening anymore

A lot of college programs address the situation like you want it .
In the past I'd be telling you that Rutgers don't work that way and point out the MBB program as an example or what RU did when Schiano left the football program.
Rutgers refused to pay a salary to bring in quality replacements and those programs suffered for years because of the type of coaches RU hired because they were cheap.
Rutgers struck gold with Steve Pikiell , but hired him cheaply compared to what other Big Ten HCs were getting at the time and he really wasn't on the radar of the fans looking at the top most likely suspects that would be great hires.
But Pike was the start of willingness to upgrade the basketball facilities.

So for most of the 12 years you're complaining about CVS was the only reason the RUWBB
program didn't join the others in being the type that a winning season seemed unlikely.
Under Stringer RU WBB won an average of around 20 games despite the lack of support from the school and brought in top talent but usually not enough good players for depth.
On look at the facilities sent most running for cover ,But Stringer's name and respect earned over the years overcame that and brought in the type of talent that made for winning seasons but not enough talent to provide the depth that it takes to be considered a great program

Now with the funding available, the question is: will Hobbs be willing to pay Stringer's replacement the type that Vivian is earning now ( that is a major issue with the anti-CVS crowd now and it seems since the beginning of time) if so maybe you're right that RU might be able to move into a higher level of play under a new HC.
If Hobbs has to gamble by hiring on the cheap , striking gold might not happen and the proud WBB program will bring the same type of expectations that Pike overcame when he took ove the RUMBB program with the lowest salarey in the B1G MBB coaching ranks, but $1 millinon more than he made as Stony Brook's HC the tear before.

To often when coaching change is demanded the demander forgets what that coach was overcoming and the type of coaching talent the AD usually goes for and gambles on because of funds involved.
Just because Vivian is earning a good salary, doesn't mean Hobbs will be allowed to pay it or close to it on a new HC.

Or maybe the last 2 seasons have shown Rutgers WBB is improving under stringer enough to keep her because she still is a good coach and now don't have to recruit only with her name as an assert.
But for now, I'm for seeing what Stringer can do next year and if it's a one and done Tourney
I would probably agree it's time for C,Vivian Stringer should leave the bench and become Coach Emeritus .
Hoping Hobbs will be willing to pay for the type of HC that will keep the program a winner, but make it into one that's a threat to have a deep tourney run with the possibility of taking it all.

 

[RUcrazee]

Rutgers hasn't been in the mix or nationally relevant for 12 years...thats a big enough sample to come to my conclusion
You're acting like CVS is energized and her 50s. Its not happening anymore

You can choose to be pessimistic and I'll continue to be optimistic following recent seasons that the team surely seems to be trending up. If you've read my previous posts, you know I don't give general, negative or positive statements. I like to look a little deeper. Also, I recall hearing the analysts take note during the national broadcasts about "a dangerous team to look out for", referring to RU. Yes, it didn't materialize this post season and they didn't get an opportunity last postseason, but I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing this progress. We are putting that stretch of tough to watch seasons in the rear view mirror. Move on from that and enjoy our team.

 

[eso1989]

Purdue announced this week that Versyp would be retiring after next season and Katie Geralds (former player, current asst) would take the reigns with no head coaching experience. No doubt she’ll be cheaper too.

It will be interesting how it plays out especially with pandemic hitting college budgets hard. You can bet women’s sports will be the sacrificial lambs with athletic departments.

And finally, I suspect that other BIG10 coaches are recruiting against CVS by using her age. I really hope that CVS and Hobbs can get together on a mutually agreeable succession plan sooner rather than later.

 

[MADHAT1]

Purdue announced this week that Versyp would be retiring after next season and Katie Geralds (former player, current asst) would take the reigns with no head coaching experience. No doubt she’ll be cheaper too.

It will be interesting how it plays out especially with pandemic hitting college budgets hard. You can bet women’s sports will be the sacrificial lambs with athletic departments.

And finally, I suspect that other BIG10 coaches are recruiting against CVS by using her age. I really hope that CVS and Hobbs can get together on a mutually agreeable succession plan sooner rather than later.

Actually a succession plan sometimes isn't the best way to go.
Just the willingness of the AD to pay a salary that will entise the top coaching talent and the retiring HC to work with the new HC to keep the players and allay the fear of change by the talent that is being recruited.might be the way .

Rutgers might already have a succession plan in place without broadcasting that info, though I doubt it, and Assioated Head Coach Tim Eatman might be the one.

Nadine Domond might be another option, she turned the Grambling State Women's Basketball program around in her 2 years there as HC .
In 2015, Domond was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year
Nadine then resigned and joined CVS' staff

Both are longshots in my book, but if Hobbs is gonna hire on the cheap to replace Vivian , Tim & Nadine might be in the mix

 

[RUcrazee]

Here we go again with the need a new coach negativity. CVS finally gets the beautiful, state-of-the-art athletic center, and can't even enjoy it for more than a year before people are asking for her removal. Shame! Shame! Shame! I would think that anyone who respects our coach would be happy that she finally has the opportunity to coach out of such a beautiful facility before she does retire, especially knowing the meager beginnings while coaching at Cheyney St. The dues that this woman has put in have easily earned her this time and these years in the new facility.

I can understand those thoughts about succession plans. We are all aware of the health issues of last year and her new coaching style that suggest the grooming of her successor and that her time on the bench may be nearing the end. If she is physically and mentally up to the task, she definitely deserves to at-least, see this years' freshman class through, with our support and well-wishes.

It's not like we are coming off of bad seasons.

 

[RUcrazee]

Hope you had a chance to see the segment on CVS that was just aired on ABC's broadcast.
Maybe they'll replay it between later games. Gotta love Dawn Staley! Such class!