RebKell's Junkie Boards

[Oldfandepot2]

I introduced this thread three years ago with this preamble and ask you all to once again to provide your valued input. I ask just one thing, that you all allow the author's post on their team to stand alone without comment unless you as a fellow fan would like to add any additional information or perspective. Thanks

"I was reading the thumbnails on Collegesportsmadness about the teams and their overview for the upcoming season and was thinking (dangerous) that most of the useful insights I have gained about other teams came from this board or other boards similar to this board, but only piecemeal as part of a monographic thread.

With that in mind I would like to ask each and everyone of you if you would take the time to provide a comprehensive capsular synopsis, a succinct overview of your respective team; strengths, weaknesses, what your expectations are for the team this year and why. The players, what you expect to see of them individually in relation to last year, what about the new ones. Any other thoughts which I myopically neglected such as your toughest opponents and how will your team do against them."

I find on this board with its history and its members a wealth of WCBB knowledge that in my estimation is without peer anywhere else and it is out of respect for that knowledge I post this thread."

_________________
Cave Canem!
We must listen to each other no matter how much it hurts. Bishop Desmond Tutu.

[calbearman76]

California Golden Bears

Cal is rated 29 on College Sports Madness, 25 in the Coaches Poll and 20 in the AP. Those ratings would all put them as an NCAA team that loses in the second round, and that sounds just about right. They are athletic, strong defensively and run a rather simple offense. Kristen Anigwe is their star center and is a tremendous inside offensive force. The offense generally centers around forcing the ball inside to her and letting her finish. The problem is that Cal has failed to develop an outside shot, other than 5'4" Asha Thomas, and as a result good teams tend to collapse on Anigwe. If Cal can find an outside shooter they can beat almost anyone outside the top 5, and as a result I expect they will pull off a few upsets. Without another consistent outside threat 9-9 in the Pac 12 is a reasonable goal, which would get them into the NCAA tournament.

Penina Davidson, Mikayla Cowling and M'Cole Cayton all return so the starting 5 is the same as they had at the end of last season. (Courtney Range started most of the season, but came off the bench in March.) Center CJ West and GF Jaelyn Brown showed some talent last season and should be significant contributors off the bench as sophomores. Highly touted freshmen Kianna Smith and Alaysia Styles could also get significant minutes

Their nonconference schedule includes two games that should give an idea of how good they will be, a likely Thanksgiving weekend home game vs. Missouri and a December road game at Kentucky. They also have a loss scheduled at Connecticut.

[FrozenLVFan]

Tennessee

Both the strengths and weaknesses hinge on the newcomers.

Strengths:
--Jaime Nared--outstanding all-around player with multi-faceted offensive game, who should be on everyone’s preseason AA list, and who seems willing and able to be a real leader this year.
--Mercedes Russell--height, inside game, experience.
--Four outstanding freshmen…
…….Evina Westbrook--excellent court vision, passer, shooter, good defender particularly as a freshman.
…….Annie Hayes--very fast, good ball handler, good penetrator, needs work on defense. Together with Westbrook, will bring much needed PG skills to the team, incl taking care of the ball.
……Rennia Davis--inside and short range threat, excellent rebounder.
…..KK--much better than ranking would suggest. Good inside game for a frosh, rebounder, shot blocker, strong.

Weaknesses:
--Mercedes Russell--passive, weak, TO’s, misses bunnies, terrible FT shooter, leadership skills uncertain.
--Inexperience of freshmen.
--Depth/Bench--Roster of ten, and Meme Jackson, Kortney Dunbar, Kamera Harris unlikely to contribute much other than enthusiasm, and some leadership from Jackson.
--Conditioning--Exhibition today showed most players were out of gas after 3 quarters.

Unknowns:
--Development of freshmen.
--Cheridene Green--solid performance as JUCO but sat out last year with injury and has yet to take the court.
--May the injury gods be kind.

Ranked Opponents:
OOC--Marquette, Texas, Stanford, Notre Dame
SEC--So Carolina(2), Miss St, Texas A&M(2), Missouri

Expectations:
Growing pains initially due to the inexperience, particularly defensive lapses, with flashes of offensive brilliance. Two well-rounded guards will be a welcome addition. Departure of toxic teammates should improve chemistry and focus. I expect early losses to Texas and Marquette and later to some of the SEC rivals, probably 7-10 losses this season. This team will go as far as fast as the freshmen can develop. Top 3 recruiting class for next year.

[UK1996]

Kentucky Wildcats
Roster
PG: Taylor Murray/Kameron Roach/Jada Roper
SG: Maci Morris/Jessica Harden/Amanda Paschal/Paige Poffenberger
SF: Mckenzie Cann/Keke Mckinney
PF: Dorrie Harrison/Tatyana Wyatt/Ogechi Anyagaligbo/Lashae Halsel
C: Alyssa Rice

Strengths: Speed, 40 minutes of dread should make its return this season. Youth, if that can be considered a strength. Leadership from Alyssa Rice. Guard Depth. This team should be fun to watch. Maci Morris and Mckenzie Cann should provide consistency from deep. Morris has been solid all three year, this year she should become the go to scorer.

Weaknesses: Youth, Post depth. The team needs to establish itself early. Who will be the person to take the go ahead basket. Evelyn Akhator and Makayla Epps are irreplaceable. Rebound, someone has to step up.

This team should be a lot better towards the end of the season. The best case scenario is a 4 seed and sweet 16 trip. Likely, 5-10 seed, loss in the opening weekend. Morris needs to establish herself early. Rice needs to be more aggressive than she has been in the past. Harrison is more of a center, but I expect her to play some PF with Rice. Someone has to step up and rebound consistently.

[summertime blues]

JMU Dukes (never "Lady" anything!)

Roster

PG: Hailee Barron, Logan Reynolds
G: Kamiah Smalls, Lexie Barrier, Aneah Young, Tori Harris
F: Tasia Butler, Kelly Koshuta, Breyenne Bellerand, Devon Merritt
C: Kayla Cooper-Williams, Debra Ferguson (eligible in Jan)

Strengths: Speed and defense are key on this team. They should be a lot of fun to watch. Good passing from guards, especially Reynolds, who is also a well-known thief, as is Smalls. Much better inside game than last year, with solid play from Koshuta and also Cooper-Williams being back from injury. Scoring came from everywhere in the lone exhibition game and not from just one person, which bodes well.

Weaknesses: FT shooting and turnovers. Inconsistency, especially from Barrier. 3-point shooting. The freshmen are an unknown quantity, although they look really good, especially Harris, who is extremely quick and sees the floor well. Ferguson is also an unknown and is recovering from knee surgery. C/F Amber Porter managed to take herself off the team for her behavior.

The Dukes are projected to win the CAA. If they do, it's an automatic bid, which will either mean an early exit or maybe a Sweet 16 spot, depending on their opponents. They have a fairly punishing OOC schedule for a mid-major, with Tennessee, Rutgers, St. John's. and FSU on the docket, and if they don't wilt under that and everyone stays healthy, it should be a great year.

_________________
Don't take life so serious. It ain't nohows permanent.
It takes 3 years to build a team and 7 to build a program.--Conventional Wisdom