Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2024-25

[Volfan2012]

Thought we'd see a close game. This was a beatdown for USC at home. Much deserved for them and their coach.

 

[ttharp]

Niele Ivey is HER. She looks ready for the moment. Has Hannah and Olivia working well together. Has 4 key players out and STILL getting it done. CROWN HER!

 

[VolBall09]

I'd take Miles over Iriafen if I were the Sparks.

That’s what I said. I truly think she’s a better prospect than Bueckers too. Total floor general, commands the game and makes the right read almost every time. Too much hero ball form PaperClip.

She and Arike would be a nightmare on the same team lol. And not in a good way.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Watch the film of Jaida Civil she plays like Olivia Miles. That’s what college coaches raved about this summer. That’s why her top 11 included teams like Oregon, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida State, and South Carolina!
As CKC said she’s a great talent and instant spark plug. LV got a steal folks!
The LA Sparks should sprint to the podium on draft night and select Olivia Miles with the #2 pick.
GBO!

 

[VolBall09]

Gottlieb had one of the best forwards ever in Kristine Anigwe but never developed her a bit. Same player for 4 years and had no pro career to speak of. She has no idea what to do with a player like Iriafen. She killed her draft stock going to USC. Should have stayed at Stanford.

 

[Volfan2012]

JuJu Watkins Career Stats - NCAAW - ESPN

Complete career NCAAW stats for the USC Trojans Guard JuJu Watkins on ESPN. Includes points, rebounds, and assists.

www.espn.com

Sometimes the shooter don't match the hype. Look at those stats 40.3 percent overall and 30.9 from the three. Just another example where a player that takes thirty shots and averages 20 points is considered a star. To this point in her career a lot of shooting has been how she has average so many points. Her efficiency is rather low.

 

[VolBall09]

JuJu Watkins Career Stats - NCAAW - ESPN

Complete career NCAAW stats for the USC Trojans Guard JuJu Watkins on ESPN. Includes points, rebounds, and assists.

www.espn.com

Sometimes the shooter don't match the hype. Look at those states 40.3 percent overall and 30.9 from the three. Just another example where a player that takes thirty shots and averages 20 points is considered a star. To this point in her career a lot of shooting has been how she has average so many points. Her efficiency is rather low.

High volume, low efficiency. I don’t get it. She’s all hype for me. ND totally exposed her today. She’s really not a good ball handler either.

 

[Volfan2012]

Gottlieb had one of the best forward ever in Kristine Anigwe but never developed her a bit. Same player for 4 years and had no pro career to speak of. She has no idea what to do with a player like Iriafen. She killed her draft stock going to USC. Should have stayed at Stanford.

Haven't seen a team that looked worse with this kind of talent this season. Seems every player gets the ball in their hand and it never leaves. They are going to put up some kind of shot or turn it over.

 

[volforlife10]

someone check on dark phoenix please….

 

[Volfan2012]

Watch the film of Jaida Civil she plays like Olivia Miles. That’s what college coaches raved about this summer. That’s why her top 11 included teams like Oregon, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida State, and South Carolina!
As CKC said she’s a great talent and instant spark plug. LV got a steal folks!
The LA Sparks should sprint to the podium on draft night and select Olivia Miles with the #2 pick.
GBO!

I knew that from watching her film and videos. She is talented player. She is going to be big for us next season along with Prawl and the twins. They can all play and all are top 20 players.

 

[ttharp]

Watch the film of Jaida Civil she plays like Olivia Miles. That’s what college coaches raved about this summer. That’s why her top 11 included teams like Oregon, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida State, and South Carolina!
As CKC said she’s a great talent and instant spark plug. LV got a steal folks!
The LA Sparks should sprint to the podium on draft night and select Olivia Miles with the #2 pick.
GBO!

I also think Mia Pauldo has some Hannah Hildago in her game. We need it!

 

[VolBall09]

I knew that from watching her film and videos. She is talented player. She is going to be big for us next season along with Prawl and the twins. They can all play and all are top 20 players.

I’m hoping the twins play a similar game to Hidalgo. She is a monster out there 5’6” and has no fear. Total menace on defense. Never lets the other teams ball handler get comfortable.

 

[Volfan2012]

I’m hoping the twins play a similar game to Hidalgo. She is a monster out there 5’6” and has no fear. Total menace on defense. Never lets the other teams ball handler get comfortable.

She can shoot it , handle and pass so I'd say she has that kind of game.

 

[ttharp]

It’s early, but I’m penciling in ND as FF locks. Along with South Carolina.

Injuries is the only thing that’ll keep either team out, IMO.

 

[Volfan2012]

Hopefully we will see a better game tomorrow between SC and UCLA. Not much of a home court advantage for UCLA but maybe they can keep it close or win.

 

[Ladyvols4ever!]

someone check on dark phoenix please….

Found 'em.

 

[VolBall09]

It’s early, but I’m penciling in ND as FF locks. Along with South Carolina.

Injuries is the only thing that’ll keep either team out, IMO.

Same, early in the season here they are my pick to win it all. The combo of Miles/Hildalgo is just too much for most teams to deal with. Citron is a pro as well and is willing to play her role. She was excellent defensively today.

They are really the most cohesive team I’ve watched thus far. Team mindset, hyping each other and giving maximum effort every possession.

South Carolina has a crazy amount of talent but they haven’t looked synchronized yet. I’m excited for their game tomorrow. I think they’ll hammer the Bruins. Close is another one who doesn’t tick any coaching boxes for me.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Haven't seen a team that looked worse with this kind of talent this season. Seems every player gets the ball in their hand and it never leaves. They are going to put up some kind of shot or turn it over.

To be honest, ESPN scouts/ recruiting service is not consistent.
I think it’s based on who the players commits with in some cases.
I don’t know what metrics they use to rate/rank these prospects when looking at the lists.
It just makes no sense and their misses are usually really bad (with a player either way too high or too low).
No way Jaida Civil should be #32 on any 2025 prospect rankings list. She is a Top 10-15 prospect.
Some of the kids they rank are good but don’t pan out due to not finding the right fit or lacking the upside to justify their rankings.
Not that you said this but I’m telling you right now LSU does not have the number #1 recruiting class, that assistant and Coach Mulkey going to be looking confused.

 

[glv98]

I hate when a big "showcase" game is so poorly played. I know it's early but bad shooting, an embarrassing amt of t.o.s (41 btw them), and some really awful coaching on SC's part made the ND/SC game painful to watch. Bet it'll be a while before SC sells out a game again.

Obviously, at this point, Watkins is badly overhyped and Gotlieb is alarmingly out of her depth. KiKi is not currently a player who will make impact in the pros. She looks slow and a bit out of shape. The Sparks have exactly zero need for her. At this point Miles is a no brainer for the Sparks 2nd pick, but she's also a bit slow and I'm not sure she'd be an immediate impact W player. Needs to tighten her handles alot. She did shoot well today. This year's draft in very, very thin, esp compared to the incredible draft class last yr.

HH is something, incredible motor and currently a far better player than Watkins. But she still tries to do too much offensively and didn't shoot well. I hope the big game tomorrow will be much better in quality.

I never want to hear again that "the media" doesn't promote JuJu. A documentary of her life leading up to the game? They've desperately overhyped her and she's having a hell of a time living up to it. They're trying to create a second phenom and right now she's just not it.

 

[ttharp]

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

I hate when a big "showcase" game is so poorly played. I know it's early but bad shooting, an embarrassing amt of t.o.s (41 btw them), and some really awful coaching on SC's part made the ND/SC game painful to watch. Bet it'll be a while before SC sells out a game again.

Obviously, at this point, Watkins is badly overhyped and Gotlieb is alarmingly out of her depth. KiKi is not currently a player who will make impact in the pros. She looks slow and a bit out of shape. The Sparks have exactly zero need for her. At this point Miles is a no brainer for the Sparks 2nd pick, but she's also a bit slow and I'm not sure she'd be an immediate impact W player. Needs to tighten her handles alot. She did shoot well today. This year's draft in very, very thin, esp compared to the incredible draft class last yr.

HH is something, incredible motor and currently a far better player than Watkins. But she still tries to do too much offensively and didn't shoot well. I hope the big game tomorrow will be much better in quality.

I’ll say this first, reading difference of opinions has become a strength of this forum. I search for opposing takes in these threads.
I completely saw this game from a different perspective.
It’s astonishing how you over analyzed the big name players featured in this game to give these sort of pros vs cons outlook in particular of Hannah and Olivia.
I don’t really buy it though.
It seems that was done to throw cold water on the many hot takes from the press and sports media as well as fans that have spoke highly of the remarkable performance of Hannah, Olivia, and Coach Ivey in the spotlight. That ND team would beat the brakes off of Oklahoma, Kentucky, Alabama, and Vanderbilt.
Teams you speak highly of and make it sound like up until this point have displayed performances that are a thing of beauty. Neither have looked any where close to as good as ND did today.
That’s something else. As they say, “if you like it I love it”. I guess.
GBO!

 

[glv98]

I’ll say this first, reading difference of opinions has become a strength of this forum. I search for opposing takes in these threads.
I completely saw this game from a different perspective.
It’s astonishing how you over analyzed the big name players featured in this game to give these sort of pros vs cons outlook in particular of Hannah and Olivia.
I don’t really buy it though.
It seems that was done to throw cold water on the many hot takes from the press and sports media as well as fans that have spoke highly of the remarkable performance of Hannah, Olivia, and Coach Ivey in the spotlight. That ND team would beat the brakes off of Oklahoma, Kentucky, Alabama, and Vanderbilt.
Teams you speak highly of and make it sound like up until this point have displayed performances that are a thing of beauty. Neither have looked any where close to as good as ND did today.
That’s something else. As they say, “if you like it I love it”. I guess.
GBO!

Exaggerate much? I’ve never said anything resembling those teams are “a thing of beauty” or that they’d beat ND. Just said they’re improved teams and programs who’ve taken the next step forward. Which they are. But had zero to do w this game.

 

[1reVOLver]

Alexa Philippou: Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles are the second pair of teammates in the last 25 years to each have 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists against a AP Top-10 opponent.They join Tennessee's Candace Parker and Alexis Hornbuckle in 2007

That is the same Ms Philippou who authored ESPN's lead story:


Why USC's JuJu Watkins is the next big thing in college hoops

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Exaggerate much? I’ve never said anything resembling those teams are “a thing of beauty” or that they’d beat ND. Just said they’re improved teams and programs who’ve taken the next step forward. Which they are. But had zero to do w this game.

You posting what you do and using the word “exaggerate” is truly a contradiction.
IYKYK. Has everything to do with it.
GBO!

 

[Scotty4lvs]

I hate when a big "showcase" game is so poorly played. I know it's early but bad shooting, an embarrassing amt of t.o.s (41 btw them), and some really awful coaching on SC's part made the ND/SC game painful to watch. Bet it'll be a while before SC sells out a game again.

Obviously, at this point, Watkins is badly overhyped and Gotlieb is alarmingly out of her depth. KiKi is not currently a player who will make impact in the pros. She looks slow and a bit out of shape. The Sparks have exactly zero need for her. At this point Miles is a no brainer for the Sparks 2nd pick, but she's also a bit slow and I'm not sure she'd be an immediate impact W player. Needs to tighten her handles alot. She did shoot well today. This year's draft in very, very thin, esp compared to the incredible draft class last yr.

HH is something, incredible motor and currently a far better player than Watkins. But she still tries to do too much offensively and didn't shoot well. I hope the big game tomorrow will be much better in quality.

I never want to hear again that "the media" doesn't promote JuJu. A documentary of her life leading up to the game? They've desperately overhyped her and she's having a hell of a time living up to it. They're trying to create a second phenom and right now she's just not it.

I agree with your analysis of the players but I enjoyed watching it despite the inefficient parts. It's a matter of opinion of course and I respect yours, but Hidalgo's motor is just plain fun to watch I think. Yes, she tries a bit too much at times but I'd take her on my team any day and am looking forward to watching ND this year. I really hope that in Caldwell's up tempo vision the Lady Vols have more players of that style in our near future.