Which team loses key players after this season?

[Moooooo]

I know we're only halfway through this season, but thought I'd aske which team will have the biggest shoes to fill.

I'm excited that Texas only loses two seniors, although both are shooting guards. Dillard is very good defensively, and has been a pleasant offensive surprise this year. Not sure we have another two-guard who can fill her shoes defensively, but CoCo Reed might do a good job. Alisha Sare hasn't played much due to injury, and hasn't been as productive as she was her freshman year. We have some very good 3-point shooters, so her loss won't be as great as Dillard. No '03 recruits at this position.

I think Tech losing Pierson will be a huge blow. Although LaToya Davis is a solid player, I'm not convinced she can fill Plenette's shoes all by herself. I haven't seen Jametra play too much, but I don't think she has the physical strength to match Plenette's productivity.

Can't say too many teams in the conference lose many seniors. Thoughts?

[Jennifer]

Off the top of my head--

ISU loses it's heart and soul in Lindsey Wilson.
Colorado loses Sabrina Scott and Linda Lappe.
Missouri loses Karensa Barr.
Oklahoma State loses Shelby Hutchens and Chantoya Hawkins.
Oklahoma loses Theresa Schuknecht and Kate Scott (former walk-on).
Baylor loses Stasha Richards.

I think that Tech's and ISU's losses will be the toughest shoes to fill, yet those coaches have lost other such players and done just fine. Still, the conference overall will be much better next year, IMHO.

[mred]

Originally posted by Jennifer:
Off the top of my head--

ISU loses it's heart and soul in Lindsey Wilson.


ISU also loses Mary Cofield. She's not a huge scorer, but she is #2 in the nation in 3pt%.

[RaiderPower1]

That's so funny how sooooo many people doubted how Pierson would perform this season after her suspension and how they thought that she wouldn't be the same old Plenette. Well, she is a great player and she has shown that she will be hard to replace, but returning four starters is actually MORE than Tech has brought back in previous years, so I don't think the coaching staff will find it too difficult to fill her shoes.

[Cyclones Rule]

Losing Lindsey does hurt, but we do have Anne O'Neil, and kriener, junod, and wilkins back. Wilkins hopefully will have a upcoming summer like Lisa did last year, and with Jane Horkey coming in Brit may be odd person out in the post. We also have a great recuriting class coming in. Losing Lindsey hurts but next years team will twice as deep and talented as this years team.

[This message has been edited by Cyclones Rule (edited 02-07-2003).]

[Guns Up!]

This should clear up where Tech's going! http://www.redraiders.com/stories/020703/wbb_0207030038.shtml

[swok34]

Thankfully,.....OU doesn't lose very much next year
http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif As we are struggling with replacing the huge class from last year.

[JohnHenry]

We lose Alisha Sare (back-up, good 3-pt. shooter), and Tai Dilliard (starter). That's it.
Stephens, Hastings, and Carey all have another year.
Schreiber, Bowers, Mercedes Williams, Jody Bell all have 2 more yars.
Plenty of guards to fill Tai and Alisha's shoes: Coco Reed, Norman, Tamra Cobbins, Steph Thiel...

3 big-time big girls coming in to shore up our inside game.


http://www.texassports.com/images/sbimages/2002_03/001/osterman_cat_340_01.jpg

[Guns Up!]

What's with a softball pic doing in a basketball forum?

[Go Buffs]

Jennifer is correct. CU loses Sabrina Scott and Linda Lappe, as well as Di Spencer, a back-up player who really hasn't played much in her 4 years.

Di is a great athlete, but for some reason, Coach Barry just doesn't play her, except in garbage time.

I am really going to miss Linda Lappe as she is such a fighter. Not too many players would come back and play as hard as she does despite having broken her knee cap, having bad ankles and shoulders that pop out of joint regularly.

[JohnHenry]

Guns Up -

that's just yet another world-class female athlete representing our fine university with her patented 'Cat Osterman Can o' Whoop-ass'...

Softball season started this week and the ladies are in very good form already. In case anybody was wondering...

[swok34]

What's with a softball pic doing in a basketball forum?

I agree, and any of us that follow softball are very, very familiar with Cat http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif

OU kicks off their season here in about an hour....thankfully, not in this 20 degree Oklahoma weather, but in Florida.


[This message has been edited by swok34 (edited 02-07-2003).]

[carolann]

Yes, Texas has a lot of young guard talent. I will miss Tai Dillard though. Someone is going to have to really step up on perimeter defense.

[ChipperF1]

did you really have to show that [expletive deleted] Cat Osterman.

That Cat is a killer man, a cold, evil heartless 15 strikeout a game killer.

I looking forward to seeing her in red, white and blue come '04

[JohnHenry]

Nice girl, too. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/ut.gif

[Bball Girl]

I'll put my girl Jennie Fench (the two time winner of the Honda Softball Award as the nation's premier player) up against Cat anyday...course Jennie graduated last year but she's already on the US National Team. Go Cats! (yes..I'm an Arizona alum)

But back to basketball. Pierson is playing and taking the leadership role that we all knew she could. We won't try to really "fill her shoes". But Clark (as the article says) is showing why the coaches and the team think so highly of her and we have her for 3 more years.

But that's it...we gain a year of experience and maturity for Dabbs, Davis, Clark and Grant. We will have one heck of Sr class and we're adding 3 of the best HS players in Texas and the coaches are out trolling for a couple more inside players to add to next year's roster.

If this team has learned anything last year, they have learned that they can win without Pierson and that the sum of the parts is far greater than the parts alone. Remember...she fouled out against Purdue early in the NCAAs in 2001 and the team folded. The team struggled without her last year...but found the glue when it mattered going into the NCAAs and the Sweet 16. So, we'll certainly miss her, but losing her will NOT be a huge blow.

I think CU loses some key players in Lappe and Scott...it seems like they have been there forever...but the intangibles they bring to CU are going to be missed.

Actually, I think the Big 12 is going to be very strong next year. We have teams like Nebraska and Kansas that are only going to get better. We have teams like OU and ISU who's young teams will no longer be young teams any more. We have KSU's and UT's cluster of terrific players who will only get better. And I fully expect CU, Mizzou, OSU, and Baylor to also continue getting better and of course I think Tech will have one heck of a team. I don't know about A&M...it depends on what's happening coaching wise with them.

[ChipperF1]

Who does Nebraska lose? Three seniors, maybe four.

guard Shah Roberts...Mostly a support player and spot starter, and for most part unproductive.

center Amanda Cleveland..A career backup center seeing her first significant minutes of her career.

senior forward Laura Pilakowski..Volleyball midseason walk-on. Has played well enough to be missed next season.

senior guard Margaret Richards (if she fails to graduate in August, but its looking very good that she will graduate and regain a year lost via Prop 16 as a freshman.)

Overall we lose three bodies but with six newbodies:

Kiera Hardy 5'6" G Kansas City O'Hara HS, Mo.
Andrea Lightfoot 5'9" G Omaha Marian HS, Neb.
Heather Kephart 5'9" G Canute HS, Okla.
Jessica Gerhart 6'2" F Fenton Sentral HS, Iowa
Chelsea Aubry 6'2" F Kitchener Grand River HS, Ontario, Canada
Jamie Wendelin 5'11" (R-Fr.) G Gretna HS, Neb.

And Keisha Cannon returning, there could be a whole new team in Lincoln come next year.

If nothing else, fall camp next year will be competitive, because the entire team is roughly at the same level. Underskilled veterans and raw rookies.

[GrantFan14]

Kansas State is lucky this year!! they have no shoes they have to fill. I really think K-state has a GREAT chance at making the Final four next year if not winning it! They might make it this year!! They aren't losing ANYBODY right?

[Jimi]

Originally posted by GrantFan14:
Kansas State is lucky this year!! they have no shoes they have to fill. I really think K-state has a GREAT chance at making the Final four next year if not winning it! They might make it this year!! They aren't losing ANYBODY right?

You are correct GrantFan14. We have no seniors. Nicole Ohlde, Amy Dutmer and Kimmery Newsom are juniors. Jessica Mcfarland is a freshman. Everybody else is a sophmore.

We have five quality players coming in next year.

Tiffany Brooks is a 5-11 forward who has played the 2, 3 or 4 at Leavenworth high in Kansas. She can post up and has a good mid-range jump shot it addition to a good three point shot. Coach Patterson says she is similar to Kendra Wecker. She was ranked as the 33rd best player in the country by ASGR.

Claire Coggins is a 5-11 guard from Lee's Summit Missouri. She is very athletic and has a very good three point shot. She is also a good rebounder and a good penatrator. Deb says she will remind us of Megan Mahoney with Laurie Koehn's shot. ASGR rated her as the 14th best guard in the land.

Jetta "Twiggy" McItyre is a 5-5 Point guard from Sapulpa Oklahoma. She averaged 22 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.5 steals per game for 6-A Sapulpa High. A very good point guard with a 51% three point shot and 80% from the foul line.

Shanda Murdoch is a 6-2 F/P from the Oklahoma city area. She plays a tough competitive power game with her back to the basket or facing it. She is also a very good passer, agile has good hands and is a team leader. ASGR rated her the 5th best power forward in the country.

Natanda Smith is a 6-1 slasher type forward from Enid Oklahoma. She may be more of a "project" than the others but the coaching staff is very high on her. They belive she has not had an opportunity to develop her game for various reasons. Patterson considers her to have tremendous upside potential and calls her a classic diamond-in-the-rough. She is very quick and is a great leaper and rebounder.

Add back (hopefully) Kari Hanson at guard and a healthy (we hope) Laurie koehn and we will just have to make-do. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/wink.gif http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by Jimi (edited 02-07-2003).]

[YCN]

A list of Big 12 signees as of the end of the early signing period is located here, with brief bios (mainly awards/accolades) included:

2002-03 Big 12 Women's Basketball Signees (http://big12sports.ocsn.com/sports/w-baskbl/archive/111402aaa.html)

[TRH]

Included with the excitement in Austin over a young competitive team don’t forget that Jamie Carey can apply for an extra year of eligibility – she just can’t apply until next year.

[Jimi]

If there is any mercy and justice in the NCAA she should get the extra year back. With the small squads and schoolie limits its just more evidence that the NCAA is poorly run that she can't apply now. The uncertainty is a disadvantage for Jody Conradt in her recruiting planning. Any chance the NCAA cares?