Wasn't going to do this this year (thus the delay in posting last Monday's show) but the first show was pretty interesting and it is hard to get any info any place else. So here are my notes.
Notes of Interest from Sharon Versyp Show for Monday 11/16/2020 (with Tim Newton)
Overall Roster:
Notes of Interest from Sharon Versyp Show for Monday 11/16/2020 (with Tim Newton)
- Shows will be recorded at the Kissel Center in Mackey this year due to the pandemic.
- Tim states they will broadcast every basketball game this year but says for the first time ever the road games will be broadcast virtually due to the pandemic.
- Tim states the games in Mackey will be broadcast live from the arena but at a different location than his usual.
- The Sharon Versyp Show will be most every Monday night during the season.
- When last season was called off the team had just finished the B1G tournament and Coach was on a flight to recruit. She immediately got back on a plane to get back to WL as soon as possible to talk to Oden & Harris as their college career was suddenly over.
- Fortunately Harris is able to play overseas and Oden is now a grad assistant for the Boilers.
- “We tried to get everyone home ASAP unless they wanted to stay. The hardest to get home was Grant because flights to London were canceling but we finally did get her there.”
- And then Diagne - to get to Senegal was impossible. She even got to New York and was in the process of boarding her flight and then it was cancelled.
- Farquhar was recovering from her ACL and decided to stay for rehab but “eventually we got everyone else home.”
- Since then it has been what coach calls “the 5 minute model” - every 5 mins stuff changes.
- Coach says it is very different having to “Zoom everything” this year including recruiting. We all have “Zoom fatigue.”
- But actually “we really enjoyed it” in some ways. You see a lot of kids and you have a long list. But seeing kids on streaming video of their games is not the same.”
- “I felt we had better conversations with kids because you were zooming and FaceTiming and seeing people. We were able to educate a lot. I felt we could get a little bit deeper.”
- But she feels the team has taken it well and now are happy to be at practice. There is a lot of laughter and smiles at practice - they are just happy to be there.
- Students should be commended that Purdue has done so well during the pandemic. A lot of people were doubtful when President Daniels announced that students would be on campus but they have done very well.
- Pulled in the 22nd ranked class with four excellent recruits even though recruiting virtually.
- Coach says she is “very excited” for the recruits.
- Sacha Washington (6’1” Forward, Georgia) - “Kind of like Lyndsay Wisdom-Hylton. She can extend her game, already shooting the 3, great shot-blocker and rebounder. Really strong & athletic. Ranked in top 50. Comes from a great family.”
- Ava Learn (6’1” Hybrid, New York) “Can really shoot the 3. Physical kid. Great passer.”
- Skye Williams (5’ 10” Guard, Ohio) “Ranked in top 100. Brings a flair to her game. Very athletic guard. Great pull-up jump shot, great moves, great handles.”
- Jayla Smith (6’0” Guard Indy Lawrence North) “Sharp shooter, long & lengthy. Helped lead her team to state championship scoring 22 pts in the finals game. Always good to get kids who have been through the fire and who have performed well on the big stage. We have watched her grow and she has been around Purdue for quite awhile. We are excited for her and her family."
- We were going to lose four seniors so we were very excited about this class along with the 2 transfers and we have three commitments for 2022. Again -“We are very excited.”
Overall Roster:
- Health of team in general: “We’ve done pretty well. We had a couple of injuries in the beginning - in September - but they should be back by the 3rd or 4th non-conference game.
- If a COVID issue comes up, you’re in shape and then with the quarantine time you’re not in shape. I think if you can have 12 players healthy all the time then you “have an opportunity.”
- Need to point out with the NCAA rules this year that even if seniors play the whole season they can come back next year if they choose to do so.
- How is Coach going to handle that to get scholarships back in balance after this next year? Coach: "Most people once they graduate will want to move on. Many have lingering injuries that they will not want to deal with for another year."
- We will need to be “pretty selective” to choose those who can stay healthy. “We will wait as we get through the season next spring. Will probably not see a ton of those situations by next year.”
- Karrisa McLaughlin - Had reconstructive ankle surgery not too long ago. “It went very well.” “During the pandemic when nothing was going on I really depended on the seniors to show leadership. She really stepped up.” She is now starting to “use the basketball. Trying to get her rhythm back and get back into shape.” “She will be back next year.”
- Tamara Farquhar - “She has recovered very, very well. A lot of kudos” because during the pandemic she stayed here to rehab. She finally did get home for a time. Right now “she is at full-go.” “She has extended her game.” She is shooting the 3 efficiently - “we are not going to have her shoot 8 or 9 a game but she has really extended her game.” “We can play her at the guard spot when we go big and that is what we want.” “She is going to be a ‘stat’ all the time whether off boards, def boards, deflections, skills, assists. She really can score the ball for us.”
- Janelle Grant - She didn’t get back to camp until August because of the border issues. Now it is just “totally trying to get her back into shape. And she had a stress fracture” so for awhile could not do anything but walk. Now she is back on the court but can only do a couple of practices in a row and then has to take one off. She has to get in shape and get her rhythm back.
- Fatou Diagne - She really came on the last month of last season. In the B1G tournament she averaged 8 pts and 8 boards. “She was amazing.” Got her confidence & maturity and brings experience. “She should build off that.” “She will obviously be a big factor down low for us.”
- Brooke Moore - Transfer from Auburn who just recently was declared eligible to play. Was rated the 11th best guard in the country coming out of HS. She can flat-out score. She is little but a “power-pack. But can really score the basketball.”
- Rokia Doumbia - Transfer from Arkansas. Probably the “most dynamic player we have athleticism-wise - has hops and is a lefty - hard to guard. She can shoot the 3, and pull-ups.”
- The two transfers “bring a different type of energy to the team - excitement, fun, laughter and competitiveness. Both are “so easy to coach.” Both have made our team so much better chemistry-wise and energy-wise and on both sides of the ball.”
- Kayana Traylor - “She made a huge jump last year - playing with so much confidence.” Displays leadership, confidence, coaching 1 on 1 with her teammates. Her junior year needs to be this way anyway but with Karissa out “she has taken on that bigger role.” “I meet with her twice a week. She has just expanded her game. Doing the 3 ball very well.” She is doing a great job… instructing, mid-range game, and “keeping everyone accountable - along with Tam.”
- Cassidy Hardin - Has come along with her “maturity, having not just a 3 pt shot but the two dribble jump shot. We really worked with her in the off-season getting to the rim and getting to the foul line. We need people to get to the foul line” and have been emphasizing that. “Her length and size help us.”
- Nyagoa Gony - “We’ve tried her in a couple of positions. She has really worked. Obviously she is a good defensive rebounder and a good defender. But offensively she has really improved and in hitting that 15 footer.”
- Ajah Stallings - “Brings energy and brings intensity like Brooke and Ricky every day. Great communicator & knocking down the 3. She’s the one that inspires us every day. She has been amazing for us.” “She is a great ‘program kid.’” She is now in pharmacy school and shared with us when she got her coat. “She’s always positive, always happy and she brings it every day in practice. She is one of our most consistent players.”
- Rickie Woltman - Played limited minutes last year. “She can just run. She’s in great shape. She’s a great rebounder - she rebounds out of her area.” “We are trying her a little bit at the 4 spot. We can play a really big line-up. We can play a lot of different defenses with that lineup. She moves well without the basketball. We are obviously hoping she rebounds well for us.
- Roxane Makolo - “One of the toughest kids.” One of our hardest working kids. “Works on shooting, her defense, her boards. Her and Kayana have “probably grown the most in their game - exponential growth.”
- Bria Harmon - “Can shoot the 3 and pull-up jump shots and hopefully play that 1-2 spot for us.”
- A lot of people are excited to see your two freshmen since they are from Indiana and a lot of people had a chance to see them play.
- Ra Shaya Kyle - “Yeah, Shay is a true 6-6. She is a load to handle down low. She’s a good passer since she pretty much brought the ball down in HS and found the guard shooters. But she can score, both down low and the 15 ft jump shot. And she understands the game. You just never know about that until they get here but she understands it. She has a great flow on the offensive end.
- Madison Layden - “She is one of the most beautiful, pure 3 pt shooters that I have ever seen. I mean, it’s effortless… it doesn’t hit the rim… it’s just beautiful. And what she brings is that height and length” so her passing is great. “If you can be a great passer and a great shooter and at 6’ 1” you can just stretch the floor. She can play a variety of positions 1 thru 4.” Like Katie Douglas, one of the reasons she was so great was her height. “Yes, she has great court vision. So whether she is down low or breaking the press”, she can really see the whole court.
- “But they are freshmen.” So we will see how quickly they catch on.
- In past opponents would try to stop Harris, Oden or McLaughlin. But now they will have to decide who to stop because you have a lot of shooters out there.
- We have people that can score at every position.
- Because of COVID it will be a “next-person” mentality.
- Except for the 1 and 5, we will try to play position-less basketball.
- Getting everyone in shape. Will have a scrimmage on the 20th and one the next week as well. Need to get everyone in shape.
- Without an extensive preseason it will obviously be different - you don’t have much of “a tune-up.” That first game will be different.
- Still putting together a schedule. Originally were going to Florida but teams dropped out due to financial considerations. So now just have home games for our N-C schedule.
- Bowling Green had to reschedule our first game “for various reasons” so now our first game will be 11/29.
- One of the highlights will be on Dec. 9 we will host the Buffalo Bulls coached by former IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack. They have a pretty good basketball team. “Buffalo is very well coached. Three years ago they got to the Sweet 16.” They still have a great team coming back.
- The hardest thing in the B1G will be all he protocols. You have to test 3X/wk and then before each game.
- NCAA is still considering how to do the tournament whether it will be under one roof as they are deciding about the men’s tournament. No decision yet.
- First game will be Sunday evening Nov. 29th against North Alabama at 6PM.
Last edited:
