RUTGERS vs ILLINOIS 1/17/24

[ScarletteK80]

7PM, btn+ @ Illinois.
Well, Illinois isn't to much better than us, but....
If Smikle doesn't play, and we don't play better than the last fiasco, we know what the results will be.

 

[RUfanDNT]

Illinois has been doing better than us. 77-71 loss to IU. They destroyed Northwestern. Hopefully we can rise to the challenge. Not too sure about Smikle at this point. I think there is more to the story.

 

[MADHAT1]

Until further notice
I won't count on Smikle playing.
But, like always, want everyone to play and play well.

 

[RUcrazee]

We need to get this one. Badly!

 

[MADHAT1]

6 minutes left and turnovers are just 13.
That's the good news behind 56-81 is the bad
RU needed this game, but won't get it.

 

[bac2therac]

Shauna Green

 

[MADHAT1]

Destiny (26) and Mya (16) were the scoring in the 68-96 loss
13 turnovers for game was an improvement , but 11 less rebounds wasn't .
Taking around 20 less shots doesn't bode well if you want to win and the opponent is shooting over 50% while you are a a little over 40% with your shots.

 

[richthedentist]

Destiny (26) and Mya (16) were the scoring in the 68-96 loss
13 turnovers for game was an improvement , but 11 less rebounds wasn't .
Taking around 20 less shots doesn't bode well if you want to win and the opponent is shooting over 50% while you are a a little over 40% with your shots.

Unfortunately there is nothing positive you can spin about this game and this team may very well not win another game this year; Even with our two 5 star recruits coming next year if Smikle is gone which seems to be more apparent every game we are going to still be short girls and unless they pick up at least 4 girls in the portal we are in deep trouble again next year with no depth and this cycle will continue; I am all for giving CW another year minimum but if no improvement is shown than it may be time to move on

 

[RUBOB72]

How are you going to keep the recent 5* recruit Mc Miller ? There appears to be other personnel issues on top of being shorthanded, lacking talent . These women are Washington’s recruits? Unless she is a magician with the portal we are going to be hard pressed to see her turn this program around next season. Something is definitely off . If it were player injuries fine we get it but… something or someone is not being open about this squad.

 

[richthedentist]

How are you going to keep the recent 5* recruit Mc Miller ? There appears to be other personnel issues on top of being shorthanded, lacking talent . These women are Washington’s recruits? Unless she is a magician with the portal we are going to be hard pressed to see her turn this program around next season. Something is definitely off . If it were player injuries fine we get it but… something or someone is not being open about this squad.

And we are going to be hardpressed to field a full squad and be3 shorthanded again and that is not good going into year 3 by now we should have at least had a full squad

 

[RUBOB72]

Not sure what the issue really is other than over time we did not recruits players from New Jersey because coach Stringer wanted a specific type player. That was her prerogative and in some cases it was productive . Isolating the program from local NJ schools is still not what it needs to be . . Coach Washington appears to want to change that but it will not be easy.

 

[Knight Time Fan]

Not sure what the issue really is other than over time we did not recruits players from New Jersey because coach Stringer wanted a specific type player. That was her prerogative and in some cases it was productive . Isolating the program from local NJ schools is still not what it needs to be . . Coach Washington appears to want to change that but it will not be easy.

I agree that a better relationship with NJ schools would be a positive factor for player quantity. Not necessarily quality, that would depend on the coach. When her recruiting was first-rate, CVS never had problems getting quality players largely from elsewhere, although Heather, Matee and Kia were all fairly local IIRC, and formed the nucleus of a very good team.

We happened to have a conversation with someone from Viv's family the year after she came (we were sitting with them at a team / fan event). Their comment was that they could not believe (and Vivian could not believe) that NJ players did not seem to strongly want to go to Rutgers. At Iowa, players filled the camps she ran and they all wanted to go to Iowa or Iowa State (or maybe Drake). Various state universities have large interest from home-grown talent, and while you are never going to have the whole team recruited locally, it becomes an important asset.

 

[RUBOB72]

She followed the recruiting model
of her mentor John Chaney . She loved hard nosed city kids. Nothing wrong with that thinking but why did she go away from that? She hit the south hard but it just never could be sustained .

 

[ScarletteK80]

Shauna Green

bac, you made me LOL! What is your obsession with this lady? I remember that monster thread about the RU coaching search.
Actually would be interesting to re-read it.