Proud of our team...

[DocRon]

After such a terrible & embarrassing game at IU they looked great this afternoon. Versyp had a good game plan and they executed it. Cannot say enough about how much Morrissette has matured as a player and leader. Congratulations.
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[illiniboiler]

Agree, Dr. Jekyll put Mr. Hyde is his place. Versyp said she told Morrisette to shoot more. Good idea. Why not as so few other can shoot consistently from outside. She had a brilliant game and whereas she was outplayed by the Indiana guard Buss, she totally outplayed Jankowska and we won handily. It was a good effort despite another bunch of bad to's and the fact that we have little interior D. Now we will probably smoke a terrible Nebraska team at home ( my have they fallen) and after losing to Maryland, the drive for a third or fourth place finish in the conference will begin. Again, I still say NIT unless we really get hot in the BTT. That is about the best this program can do and if it finishes in the NIT with a smell at the Dance, Versyp is going no where. We will miss Morrisette a lot.

 

[TC4THREE]

Hard for me to get excited at this point because even a decent win highlights so many disappointing losses this season. We are pretty much eliminated from the NCAA tournament already. We lost the rivalry game to IU. There's just not much left out there they can accomplish that would make this season successful imo.

 

[illiniboiler]

Agree, but is is all relative. We are one of the top 7 teams in the BT and possibly the top 4 and 7 others are not. That is the best there is for Purdue WBB and most of the BT now. In my opinion, only Maryland has any chance competing for national honors behind UConn. It is the nature of the game now. I am not sure what it would take to get Purdue to be one of those few national type teams. Maybe one of the top coaches who could recruit at that level, but why would they leave where they are to come to WL? So, in truth, we have what we have and it isn't necessarily mediocrity. It is just what most of the WBB is, some good games and play, some bad. I choose to enjoy them when they play well and stop watching when they don't. I guess I am a bb junkie.

 

[TC4THREE]

Agree, but is is all relative. We are one of the top 7 teams in the BT and possibly the top 4 and 7 others are not. That is the best there is for Purdue WBB and most of the BT now. In my opinion, only Maryland has any chance competing for national honors behind UConn. It is the nature of the game now. I am not sure what it would take to get Purdue to be one of those few national type teams. Maybe one of the top coaches who could recruit at that level, but why would they leave where they are to come to WL? So, in truth, we have what we have and it isn't necessarily mediocrity. It is just what most of the WBB is, some good games and play, some bad. I choose to enjoy them when they play well and stop watching when they don't. I guess I am a bb junkie.

Not so much worried about being a national elite but I'd like to head to February with a realistic opportunity to at least make the NCAA tournament. I think at this point our 2 scenarios are to win out in the regular season or win the BTT and neither possibility seems very realistic if for no other reason than we'd have to beat Maryland to do the former and likely the latter also.

 

[illiniboiler]

Never beat md. Maybe if we knocked out Michigan and got third and won two in BTT we might get a bad seed. I would not be unhappy with this fairly young team playing maybe a couple in the WNIT.

 

[TC4THREE]

Never beat md. Maybe if we knocked out Michigan and got third and won two in BTT we might get a bad seed. I would not be unhappy with this fairly young team playing maybe a couple in the WNIT.

That's the thing. I don't see this as a young team with Morrissette and Perry. Yes, we play several freshmen significantly but can we count on their improvement making up for the loss of the seniors? That's a very tall order. If I had to bet on whether we'll be better or worse next year I'd have to say worse with what we're losing.

 

[illiniboiler]

I think we are adding some interesting players next year--including that big Diagne-- and return Horrocks and Murphy who could play significant roles. We will probably have some genuine depth. I think the most pressing need is a pg to replace Morrisette, which is a big deal. Would not be surprised to see Versyp bring in a JC pg if she can. But Murphy showed some real promise I think. Perry is good but really uneven and can be replaced. I expect next year's team to again vie for the top half of the conference like this year.

 

[smalltownIL]

yes, some interesting talent coming in but I can't see Diagne having much impact unless she's improved greatly from the early season stats I saw. She's probably less developed than a project player would be. not her fault at all and you can't teach height but you also have trouble overcoming very little youth/development years skills training. Hope I'm wrong but I doubt she ever contributes much. just too far behind the competition when she gets here.

 

[illiniboiler]

Thanks, I did not know that, too bad.