McBryde delivers Purdue a critical win (link)

[KODK]

That was a big one.

Assuming Purdue gets Wisconsin on Sunday, it should be in, I'd think.

Link: Win

 

[TC4THREE]

I'd still be a little nervous if they lost the first game of the BTT but the 10-8 conference record and an OOC win over Louisville would hopefully get them in.

I also saw on Twitter that we will get the six seed if we win no matter what Michigan does. Six would mean that our potential second game would not be OSU or Maryland.

 

[illiniboiler]

It would be good to avoid OSU or Md, the only two teams I don't think we can beat. We must of course pay back Wisc Sunday. They are an up and down bunch, losing to fading Illinois but giving MD a real battle. But the good D the Boilers are playing makes it seem likely they will win that one on Senior Day. The seed they get should definitely be a game we have a shot at and anyone we play after that but the big two the same holds for. Nice to get better than an 8/9 seed in the Dance, but getting to the NCAA for a team that was last place last year is a big deal for where our program is now.
Last night was a great game if you were not a fan. Really did think we blew it to Rutgers pressure. Despite having a down season for them, Stringer still has players that made them a Top 20 or better team for years. Their front line is scary as their significant rebounding margin showed. But this Boiler team is starting to show that early season grit again and are fun to watch. Horrocks improvement really mattered and what can you say about McBryde--we may have a 3 year star on the rise. Despite the loss of Wilson, who is the key player for sure on this team which usually goes as she goes (her disappearance early and re-emergence later was a big reason we won that game) next year we could be better. Will be interested to see if Coach V gets another recruit between now and next year, like a key 5th year. One thing is for sure, fans, like it or not, Versyp will be the coach next year and she has earned it.

 

[TC4THREE]

It would be good to avoid OSU or Md, the only two teams I don't think we can beat. We must of course pay back Wisc Sunday. They are an up and down bunch, losing to fading Illinois but giving MD a real battle. But the good D the Boilers are playing makes it seem likely they will win that one on Senior Day. The seed they get should definitely be a game we have a shot at and anyone we play after that but the big two the same holds for. Nice to get better than an 8/9 seed in the Dance, but getting to the NCAA for a team that was last place last year is a big deal for where our program is now.
Last night was a great game if you were not a fan. Really did think we blew it to Rutgers pressure. Despite having a down season for them, Stringer still has players that made them a Top 20 or better team for years. Their front line is scary as their significant rebounding margin showed. But this Boiler team is starting to show that early season grit again and are fun to watch. Horrocks improvement really mattered and what can you say about McBryde--we may have a 3 year star on the rise. Despite the loss of Wilson, who is the key player for sure on this team which usually goes as she goes (her disappearance early and re-emergence later was a big reason we won that game) next year we could be better. Will be interested to see if Coach V gets another recruit between now and next year, like a key 5th year. One thing is for sure, fans, like it or not, Versyp will be the coach next year and she has earned it.

Yea maybe the biggest issue this team had over the past month was learning to play as a team without relying as heavily on Wilson as it had been while she was carrying it for roughly the first half of the season. When her play was not as consistently great as it was early, the team struggled badly but it seems they are now finding better ways to compete when Wilson is off and that can only help them next season.

As far as replacing Wilson, I think Versyp had mentioned that they were still recruiting the Heritage Christian point guard. Yesterday I saw this discussing this recruit:

http://usatodayhss.com/2016/heritage-christian-back-in-familiar-spot-as-favorite-in-3-a-state-final

"Harris is on equal footing with the state’s career scoring leader, and she is still being recruited by South Carolina, Michigan State, Iowa and others."

Never like to be in the "and others" category of such statements but it should be noted that this what the writer wrote and not a quote from Harris. I hope we are still in the mix with her.

 

[illiniboiler]

We do have a couple of guards coming in, but looks like Murphy and Morissette, despite her clear 2 guard abilities, will have to be relied on, but both can do the job I think as a tandem. Great to get Heritage girl, but it seems the competition is really stiff. I understand that the forward coming in--Harris--is pretty good. Overall, I think Versyp will have the pieces to be in the top half of the conference again and that is better than it looked after last season.