Breaking Down the Big Ten with Wyatt Crosher

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome you to turn of the episode that they've got now.
I'm excited to be joined again by returning guests. One
of my favorite people to have on and to talk
basketball with. That's why At Crozier, also known as Hoopla
wyatt Over on Twitter, runs a phenomenal website covering the
Big Ten. Wyatt first and foremost.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
How you doing, man, I'm doing great, Mark, I'm glad
to be back. Thank you for the lovely intro. I'm
happy to talk hoops as always.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Oh of course, man, We've got so much to dive
into as well, because the Big Ten has been nuts,
especially you know now that we're out to having eight
thousand teams in the Big Ten. There's a lot to
keep up with, a lot to keep track of, and
it's interesting. So like doing bracketology, I think I had
twelve teams for the Big Ten in this this just today,

(00:58):
I guess, And that looks like where we're headed as
the season goes on. But also that leaves the door
open for a lot of craziness to happen right in
the middle, because I'd say half those teams are like
squarely right around the bubble, which makes it interesting. But
the thing I want to start with today because I

(01:18):
feel like it's so easy to like lead off with
other things going on, But like UCLA is nineteen to zero.
They are the best team in the country. They have
in my opinion, until they lose a game, they're the
best team in the country. You can argue that other
teams are playing better. They're nineteen to ozho beat the
reigning defending national champions and have just dominated the game.

(01:38):
Can make whatever case you want about strength the schedule.
I'd argue so that their strength the schedule has been
really strong and wrote about that in The Athletic this
morning for those who haven't read it. But like we
look top to bottom, they have great wins over a
lot of tournament level teams in the Big Ten have
absolutely housed quite a few teams like Nebraska felt the

(01:59):
brunt that one, and I just I think that we
just keep let we can't let it keep going by
the wayside, because this team has been so good before
even like getting into individual things about it, like how
would you kind of describe the season for UCLA? Have
they kind of met expectations? Feels like unfair to say, but.

Speaker 3 (02:19):
Like what have you thought of them? So far.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
How have you thought of them as they've gone into
the Big Ten season.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
It's like as soon as they beat South Carolina early
in the season and like took that number one spot,
it's like it feels like you've everyone's been kind of
looking for a reason to like drop them from one,
and they've just never given anyone a real reason to,
Like they have yet to have a single digit margin
since then. Like they started against Louisville and that was
a battle, and like they've had some definite tests along

(02:46):
the way, like at Indiana was kind of tough, like
at Washington, Like they've definitely been challenged, but they just
look so solid, Like when every time I see them,
like their whole roster, they're so deep, Like they're so
filled with talent, and they have I think is I
would call a star in Lauren Betts for sure, like
one of the best players in the country. So like
the fact that they have like a top player like that,

(03:07):
along with such incredible depth, Like it's just hard to
pick like major flaws in like anything they're really doing
right now.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
No, absolutely, I think what has stood out a ton
is the way they've been able to close games, Like
you mentioned I think that Washington game Washington is like,
we're gonna talk about Washington later, But I love Washington. Yeah, yeah,
they're so they're tough for me. I like them a lot,
but also they're there. They are a tough team in
some way. Yeah, but that's a game that I think
they might they might have struggled with last year because

(03:36):
you sail. It's the biggest issue last year, My opinion
was crunch time and closing minutes, like how do we
put the right rent lineup on the floor, are we
getting a good shot? What does this look like? Do
we take care of the ball? And I think they've
been phenomenal with that this season, even as they're I mean,
they shot the ball really well outside of conference play.
It's killed off a little bit in conference, but it's

(03:56):
still been like kind of where I expected. This team
feasts on the interior, being able to attack the paint,
and then they've been one of the very best defenses
in the country. I think they're second in the conference
only to USC, their other crosstown rival, who will out
of course talk about shortly. But you hit the nail

(04:17):
on the head right away talking about Lauren Betts, because
I just want to list off a couple of things
really quick, because number one, this is not me saying
that she should win National Player of the Year, but
I just think that any kind of national player of
the year talk in the country should probably be leading
off with her. I think she's been that dominant. She's
averaging just raw numbers twenty points, ten rebounds, just about

(04:37):
two and a half assists and three blacks per contest.
But to dive in a little bit deeper, because I
was doing that this morning while I was prepping for this,
Opponents are shooting forty four point four percent at the
rim this season against UCLA when Lauren Bess is at
the floor. That's not even just primary defender when she's
on the floor, And that is the lowest number in
the country for college basketball analytics, And that's so much

(05:00):
of it to me. That is like such a big
crux of this. Like you watch, I think she had
twenty one blocks in the last three games combined, particularly
against Baylor, Like Baylor just had nothing to counteract what
she brought in the paint. And it's not just that
she's in the paint. She's so mobile for somebody her size,
she doesn't get into foul trouble. She's a lead at
maintaining verticality like she.

Speaker 3 (05:22):
Does all the like.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
It's already difficult to play against a player six foot seven,
but when you have a player six foot seven that
understands all those nuances of like how to be good
at being six foot seven on the basketball court, that's
just even harder. To add some more to that, she
currently leads the country in paint points for forty minutes,
So I use for forty as a sample just to like, obviously,
everyone when somebody's playing thirty minutes per game, their number

(05:46):
is going to be high already, so like you want
to try and sample that out to include a bench players.
And yeah, she leads the country in paint points for
forty minutes well, also being arguably the most efficient player
in the Big Ten. She has a twenty nine point
seven percent usage rate, which is just so for reference.
Usually watching is at thirty two percent and not using

(06:06):
this is just a comparison thing, but just for reference,
because it can look different because she's in the post
compared down the wing.

Speaker 3 (06:11):
But she's shooting sixty two.

Speaker 1 (06:12):
Point five percent true shooting right now, which accounts for
free throws. And just overall efficiency, which when you sort
the entire Big Ten for usage and true shooting like
that basically puts her at the mountaintop. Right. So you're
looking at like a a chart that goes, you know,
from bottom up up this way, kind of showcasing like,

(06:33):
all right, who is who's got the highest usage will
also being efficient? She and jud your neck and neck.
But it's like she is by far well what you consider,
it's like two percentage points. That is a pretty decent
amount when we're considering where we're at at this point
in the season.

Speaker 3 (06:48):
I also want to add, I know I'm throwing a
lot out, but it's just me. She like it deserves it,
though I gues yeah.

Speaker 1 (06:54):
I think sometimes people will look at turnovers. I hate
the way turnovers get discussed because number one, all turnovers
are not created. Equal number two again, more and best
playing like thirty minutes per game, I think she's turned
the ball over about two times per game. But again,
when he sorted it out, she's only turning the ball
over on thirteen point eight percent of her possessions, which
is like right around the ninetieth percentile for players in

(07:16):
the Big Ten. That's good when you consider the position
she plays, how high her usage is, and what that
usage looks like. That's a good rate to be to
be collecting turnovers considering and I mean turnovers includes like travels,
anything like that. So point being like, there just really
is not a hole in more Bets's game right now.

(07:37):
And more importantly, she takes out a lot of the
best aspects that other players have playing against her. And
to me, that's why ucl has been the best play
the best team in the country. Obviously they have a
ton of depth, which we can talk about too, but
like like we're saying, I think just to sell this
as a it's a really deep team under sells how
incredibly good.

Speaker 2 (07:56):
War Yes, I think that's the most important point because yeah,
despite how good like seven or eight other players on
the UCLA roster have been, like they can go deep,
like Lauren Bett's being as incredible as she has been
at the top is the main reason why they've been
so consistently solid like all year and haven't had a
loss or even a double digit a single digit win

(08:17):
since November. I was looking at some of the stats
with like the only other name that came up with
like usage plus true shooting is Gracie Merkle at Penn State,
which is kind of an interesting one because like the
way they're using her, like she is like everything in
Penn State's offense when she's out there, but like obviously
it's when you add everything you said, and then also
the defense, which is like she might be one of
the best defensive she's probably the best defensive post player

(08:39):
in the country or one of them. Like there's just
like such she's such a well rounded player outside of
her ever needing to shoot a three, which I you know,
probably not needed.

Speaker 3 (08:49):
She didn't.

Speaker 1 (08:50):
It was I think she made one last year. I'm
trying to remember. I know she took one last year.
I can't remember she actually I'm correct, she's never taken
it three. It feels like she has. I'm thinking, you
know what I'm thinking of. It's the she hit the
high post fade away against Oregon State send into overtime
last year.

Speaker 3 (09:07):
That's what Maybe she'll.

Speaker 2 (09:08):
Get a Camilla Cardoso buzzer beater opportunity. Yeah, like that
one she had.

Speaker 1 (09:13):
I forget it was against But Tennessee can't forget that,
trust me, though.

Speaker 3 (09:17):
They will let you know if you forget that one
than you. But yeah, I uh, it's interesting.

Speaker 1 (09:24):
I think looking at Synergy, Lauren BET's only taking six
jump shots this year, which it I know she has it,
which is the interesting part, but like they don't need
it in a lot of ways. So good at She's
gotten so good at like picking a part double teams,
Like it's really hard to double team her. And then
you look around, Okay, this team is really athletic, like
Gabrielle Hawks, awesome cutter, always moving, can really attack the basket. Actually, ironically,

(09:49):
she is shooting better on two pointers this season than
Lauren Bett's. A lot of that's because so many of
her biscuits are assisted, but yeah, I mean sixty does
a wing is pretty crazy on top of that too, Like,
I think Keiki Rice's growth this season has really impressed me.
I think she has really just taken a step to

(10:10):
become a consistent defender in a way that I didn't
always feel from her last year and in her freshman season.
And there have been games where like she legitimately can
just take players out of the game because she's been
that level on defense, Like she's she's playing with a
lot of strength both with the ball in her hands
and when she's playing as a defender, and just again

(10:30):
the efficiency has been really impressive for me.

Speaker 2 (10:33):
What she's been able to do with Keiki Rice, Like
I was anticipating like this leap. I think we talked
about it when we when we were doing our preview
for the season of like it felt like because of
the losses they had, Like I felt like keky Rice
had an opportunity to kind of maybe just like take
some extra steps needed to take them from excellent team
to one of the best in the country. And like

(10:53):
her efficiency from three has gone up, her assist has
stayed the same, but her her turnovers have gone down,
and her defense has taken a lead. Like she just
looks like a really solid player, Like she always been
a good player for UCLA, but like is like doing
the role that they really like needed her to do,
like so well I think this season.

Speaker 1 (11:09):
Yeah, And that's I think I was really interested to
see how that would play out, just knowing that they
were gonna have some more players capable of like kind
of playing lead. And I've always felt like he used
more of a combo guard to me, probably somebody who
will end up being more of a two guard and
She's done such a good job just playing in that role,
like obviously thriving in an early offense, still able to go

(11:31):
out and get a blocket whenever you need it. But
like Aleonar, Nasalah is one of my favorite players in
the country, like one of the best freshmen in the
country in terms of just pure impact and ability to
create things. Obviously, her role has decreased a little bit
as they've gotten fully healthy again, but I still just
think her ability to kind of set the table and
slow things down has been so big for this team,

(11:53):
just having another player who can do that, and I
mean somebody who has played professional basketball already, who who
has a ton of experience already in spite of being
a freshman obviously, and I've just really enjoyed what she's brought.

Speaker 3 (12:07):
I agree.

Speaker 2 (12:07):
I feel like that was like a freshman under the
radar for me, like one that I maybe didn't ping
as it's going to be as significant as she was.
But she's been so four point six asss per game,
Like I know, like you said, like Kiki Rice is
kind of taken some of those minutes. I know that
she started the season with ten starts, but like her
and then you have like doogal Leach who we haven't
even brought up yet, or like, to me, a Gardner

(12:28):
off the bench is shooting thirty nine percent from three. Like,
I know they're not a heavy three point shooting team,
but I think having so many players shooting in those
mid to high thirties to help spacing for Lauren Betts.
I think, like it's just such a well crafted roster
for like a college team like it. It feels like
you couldn't like make it better than they have so far.

Speaker 1 (12:47):
Yeah, Well, it's interesting because we brought up that Washington
game and I think the Washington game to me, like
that's a game they lose last year. Because you mentioned
the shooting, I think it's fun because this team has
it's I wouldn't I would like exactly, it's not aqute
UNUOE shoting team is just a good team that that
moves the ball around, has a lot of Yeah, and
like part of why they won the Washington game is

(13:08):
they were able to like really transition and say, Okay,
they're packing the pan on us playing double big. We
need to find ways to mix this up. I want
to say to me, I played really well in that
game hit quite a few threes. I'm trying to look
off the top of my head because I didn't think
about it until right now. But point being like they
have the ability to like really mix and match and
put together lineups. That makes sense regardless, you know, regardless

(13:30):
of what game it is, Like they just kind of
find ways to put the right ones out, and that's
a matter a ton I think. Uh, you know, do
you see games where they really use their size and
find ways to take advantage of that, like how they
close the game in its Michigan. You know, you look
at their game against Baylor, where again, excuse me, I
think they just did a great job staying down guarding

(13:50):
and letting Lauren be the center of everything. Is Moose
decides he wants to be the center of everything too,
So yeah, exactly. I think there's just so much like
about this group, and you, like you mentioned having to me,
like having that core of force, having Angela google Issho
is just so good in every faster of the game,
like smart facilitator has hit her shots, can can do

(14:15):
a ducking in the post first tile. Defensively, you have
to be a guard who brings a lot of the
same particularly more as a shooter and being able to
stretch and do things like that. And then Jania Barker
I've been really impressed with. I'll be completely honest and
say that I was definitely like interested to see how
things would go with Jania coming in. I think she's
always been somebody with an immense amount of talent, like

(14:36):
there's no question to that, but like slotting in and
being more of a role player, I was interested to
see what that would look like. And I think she's
done an incredible job with that, you know, especially into
Big ten play, like really just figuring out how to
get the most out of her game, you know, kind
of playing with energy, especially as a defender. I think
she's cleaned up a ton of stuff compared to where
she was at with Texas A and M like just

(14:57):
getting a lot more comfortable playing a role. And I
think sometimes people will look at stuff and be like, oh, well,
you know, she should be a star, she should be
doing this, And I'm like, I think, to me, a
lot of unlocking your ability to be a star is
getting so consistently good at the fundamental stuff that keeps
you on the floor. And I don't know, I'm just
so interested to see how this keeps going for her.

(15:18):
I really want to see her personally stay another year
UCLA because I've loved watching this development for her. I
think that there's just so much she can continue to unlock.
But again, like having this kind of versatility and depth
on the roster has been so big for this team,
and again just having an answer for everything.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
It feels like, yeah, have you looked at their stretch
to end the season. They've got some They've got some
matchups coming up.

Speaker 1 (15:42):
Certainly, yeah, we're gonna well exactly, we're gonna learn a
lot about this team. Obviously, they play Maryland on Sunday.
I'm hoping. I don't want to guess. It could be
interesting because obviously it's gonna be at Maryland, so there's
a chance that Shy always plays. Obviously, I didn't travel
with the team to go to Columbus for this matchup
Ohio State. That happened was that yesterday?

Speaker 3 (16:02):
That was yeah, yesterday.

Speaker 1 (16:04):
It feels like days ago. But so I don't know,
we'll see regardless of the sheets healthy and right. But yeah,
they play Maryland. They play a very feisty Minnesota team
who will talk about they take on Ohio State, Oregon's tough.
Then they play at USC, then Michigan State, then Illinois,
then Iowa, and then Wisconsin. So out of their their

(16:25):
last ten games, Wisconsin is the only team that is
for sure not going to make the NCAA tournament.

Speaker 3 (16:32):
Yeah, barring ye, barring quite an end of the season.

Speaker 1 (16:35):
Unless Wisconsin wins every game, it's pretty unlikely that they
make the tournament. So yeah, we're gonna learn a lot
about this team. I think we've already seen it done.
Do I think they'll go undefeated to finish the season?
Probably not, but it's really hard all.

Speaker 2 (16:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (16:53):
I mean we literally get them against USC on the
last day of the regular season. That's pretty great. I
can't complain about that. But yeah, I don't know. I'm
just I still think having washed. Obviously, we're not going
to know for sure until February thirteenth, when when we
see the Crosstown Battle. They'll be at the Galen Center
for this one. But I still think UCLA is the

(17:17):
top team in the Big Ten, top team in the
country until decided otherwise.

Speaker 2 (17:21):
So we should also say that LSU South Carolina has
not happened as of this recording.

Speaker 3 (17:26):
I just think true, that is a very fair point. Yeah,
that some opinions, that is very fair. So we will
see on that.

Speaker 1 (17:36):
Let's talk about USC now, who is eighteen and one,
has played.

Speaker 3 (17:41):
America eighteen and one, a bigger.

Speaker 1 (17:44):
Eighteen and one. Yeah. Well, also maintaining the best defensive
rating in basketball currently which stands out well. Also, Like
it's interesting because like you see that people talk about
the offense and this and that and next is and
I'm like, I mean, this team is fifteenth in the
Truer in offense right now. They're very good. This is
a very very good team, and I think part of

(18:05):
what's been really fun, Like obviously, they tested the hell
out of themselves in non conference. There were some bumps
and bruises, which you say with the one loss against
you know, a top three team in the country. But
it feels like they're kind of starting to find some
extra things that I'm really excited about for them moving forward. Obviously,
I think we should start by talking about Juju most likely,

(18:27):
but what you know, where are you at with USC
right now at this point in the season.

Speaker 2 (18:32):
I would kind of agree with you, but it felt
like and it makes sense considering like they they brought
in such significant names that would like change how you're
gonna play compared to last year, like bringing in Kiki
aria Off and bringing in Tali van Olhoffen, like and
all the freshmen as well, Like there's so many new
faces that have to like try to coerce like work together,
Like it's not not quite as easy of a situation,

(18:52):
but like, I really do think that they're starting to
figure it out more and more. I remember that first
Ole Miss game, which they won, but like was just
an absolute meat grinder of a game that they I
don't I think they may have hit one three in
or zero like it was low, which I and then
as that continued to go on, I was like, is
this gonna be enough of a concern? Like they aren't

(19:13):
really hitting from three, like and it's still not necessarily
a strength.

Speaker 3 (19:16):
But like I think.

Speaker 2 (19:17):
Similar to UCLA, like there's so many other strengths with
this team, and the star power here is just like
so impressive. And like, I know everyone is aware of
Juju Watkins from the freshman year, and like I still
think she's certainly in talks for National Player of the Year.
But I do think it feels like people are almost
like underselling her sophomore season as like not a slump,

(19:39):
but maybe not like jumping to the heights that people thought.
But like she's averaging twenty five twenty four point eight
points per game, six point six rebounds, three point six assists,
two point four steals, and one point eight blocks, which
are the craziest numbers to me, those ones, like she
is a two way menace. Still, Like her efficiency has
been She's shooting over fifty one percent from two, She's

(20:01):
up to thirty six percent from three, Like those are
kind of the leafs I was hoping to see with
like her efficiency with all these extra stars they brought in,
and I think she's done that. Like the turnovers went down,
have gone down a little, like I think even if
the numbers are like her scoring is down from last year,
like considering who they've brought in, I've been super impressed
with how Juju has adapted and like has had a really,

(20:23):
really impressive sophomore season.

Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yeah, so let's put it like this too, because I
fully agree in everything you said, and I do want
to say too. My thing with Lauren, it was not
meant to say she's Oh no.

Speaker 3 (20:32):
I don't know who I would vte for right now
and obviously like year, but yeah, just to lay that out.

Speaker 1 (20:38):
But point being with Juju, I think, like exactly what
you're saying so much just lost, Like like I mean,
her box score numbers look similar to last She's very similar. Yeah,
but like you mentioned, the efficiency difference is huge. So
fifty eight percent true shooting right now is a fifty
one last year. That's a giant a giant jump. She's
taking more of her attempts from three. She's getting to

(21:00):
the line even more, and she earns those calls. I
don't care what anybody says, like yeah, and also I
want my players to get to the free throw line.

Speaker 3 (21:07):
Is it always perfect to watch?

Speaker 1 (21:09):
No, but that's part of winning basketball is getting free
skits and she earns it. Like I don't know, I
just debate a wall. But exactly you said, she is
just a demonstrably better basketball player this year. She's a
better decision maker, she's more patient, I think, I mean,
I want. I had McKenzie forbes on to talk about
this gosh last last month after the Yukon game, and like,

(21:33):
I think so much of seeing that game was I mean, yeah,
Juju is just so much more comfortable on the court,
which is a scary proposition considering where she was at
already and most most not even most importantly, that's the
wrong way to put it. But like most of note like,
her usage is just dramatically different this year. I don't
I feel like that continues to go under the raidar

(21:55):
Obviously in numbers, so like she was at she had
the highest usage rate in the country last year, You're
almost forty three percent. So usage rate is just how
often you're starting and finishing a play. She's a thirty
two percent this year, which is still a very high number,
but that is like a dramatic difference from last season.
Obviously it was it took some time, there were some
growing pains to kind of figure everything out. I still

(22:17):
don't think that the offense is quote unquote perfect yet,
But when you factor in how much she's being asked
to do, what the expectations got raised too from last year,
I think it's so easy forget this team started ranked
seventeenth in the country last year before that game against
Ohio State, like, the expectations just jumped so quickly because
of what she was able to do right away, and
that that's what happens when you're a great player. But

(22:39):
I think again, like remembering the timeline is so important
in this because it's not even been like four hundred
total days of live basketball.

Speaker 3 (22:50):
That that's meaningful.

Speaker 1 (22:52):
But exactly like you're saying, she just does so much
good on the court, Yeah, yeah, it's been pretty nutty
to watch, I think, particularly seeing her even when she's
quote unquote not having a great game, you know, finding
other ways to chip in and still be impactful, like

(23:12):
especially in the Indiana game, being able to get free
throws late, like that matters, Like clearly it was somebody.

Speaker 3 (23:19):
It felt like she I believe she was like sick.

Speaker 1 (23:22):
Or something for the Indiana game. It could be wrong,
wrong on that, but it felt like it at least
been watching. Yeah. So I don't know if you have
anything else to watch Poeticon with with Juju, but that's
a yeah.

Speaker 2 (23:35):
I think like when I watched Juju last year, and
I've gotten more because of the Big ten moves certainly,
but like I always, I was always impressive, like you
are such an incredible player, and I can already tell
you can be better than this, even like and I
felt like everything I felt like with the efficiency and
like with decision making, and like I've seen exactly what
I've wanted to see in year two, and so I
feel like there is still like some areas where she

(23:56):
can continue to go up the ladder even more. But
like that's like it's picking at such little things at
this point. She like she's such a special player that
like like lets them do what USC wants to do,
and like because their offense isn't as maybe as perfect
as it could be, Like I feel like she can
bail them out still, and like considering like they didn't
just bring in like a co star Kiki Erie offense.

(24:17):
It was like it's like a big, high volume type
player who I know obviously worked with Cameron Briks So
it's not like she's was coming from being a number
one necessarily, but like she averaged eighteen points a game,
thirteen point four shots a game, Like that's gonna that's
gonna hit the volume. Like you said, so I think
this is like only beneficial for Juju to learn and
adapt from an evolve from. And I think that, like

(24:40):
I've seen all those things, and I think she's gonna
keep getting better.

Speaker 1 (24:43):
Yeah, I think one thing I do want to hit
on too, because I think this often gets lost and like,
and I'm not saying you're saying this, but just in general,
I think so often people watch offense and they think
the ball has to swing seventeen times and there has
to be a ton of movement and cuts and everything
for it to be good offense.

Speaker 3 (25:00):
Is it pretty to watch? Is it effective? Yes?

Speaker 1 (25:04):
And I'm not saying that one thing is better than
the other or not, but at the point is scoring
points and doing it efficiently as what matters. USC's done
that this year, Like, I just want to point out
for because like I think I've tried to explain this
to people, but to me, like, I think you have
to take Juju in a different light in some ways
because where Juju sells is a place where honestly, the

(25:25):
WNBA is not typically like geared towards isolation basketball. And
I think, to me, what makes Juju special is she
is the kind of player who is going to be
a very good pick and roll threat and probably one
of the best isolation scores we've ever seen, because she's
already been doing that in college. So for reference, she's
like almost ninetieth percentile in the country in isolation scoring,

(25:49):
including passing, So that's like all possessions in isolation and yeah,
because who can guarder one on one pretty much nobody.
So like, if you can spread the court, have a
player in the dunker spot, three shooters or four shooters,
however you want to have it, get Juju Watkins in
isolation and then have her draw help and read it

(26:10):
like that's gonna be some of the best offense that
anybody's gonna create with her height, her burst, her touch.
Like again, we just don't see players often, I'll say,
we've never seen a player like Juju who is capable
of doing the things she does, reading the court as
well as she does. So I think in a way,
it's like you kind of have to redefine what you
think of quote unquote being good basketball, because to me,

(26:33):
there's there are there are fair gripes with a lot
of players holding the ball and taking over a possession,
but like that's what the offense is supposed to do
because Juju is so good at it. So moving on
from that, Uh, you mentioned Kiki, and I think again,
Kiki is a player who saying go on under the
radar feels ridiculous, But to me, I felt like the

(26:54):
Nebraska game was like a perfect encapsulation of this. Like
I think there have been moments where they're trying to
like getting Kiki involved all the time and like in
a rhythm I think is going to be important. It
hasn't always been perfect with that, but that Nebraska game,
she got called for some absolutely BS fouls, Like I
thought some of the early fouls and that I questioned
a little bit, and then she just promptly came out

(27:17):
and absolutely that fourth quarter I think was the best
quarter she's played this season. Was absolutely unreal in that
quarter and took that Nebraska game from somewhat close to Okay,
we're just demolishing them now. I look at the Maryland
game too, where like the Maryland game was such a
fun test for this group, where like obviously Maryland really

(27:38):
excels in playing pretty spread out, playing more switchy, a
lot of a lot of wings, Like that moment when
they go here's shy Anne Cellars at the five, let's
see what happens, and then they go, Okay, well we're
putting Keky at the five because we can't play double
big with this. I think it was like ninety seconds
in they changed lineups and put Kiki at the five,

(27:58):
and like you saw her only to dominate the game
like that, and to me again, like it's a different
kind of versatility, but it still is. And like I
just I think so much again gets understood how big
of a change it is to go from playing in
Stanford's offense to playing in this this kind of offense,
a more modern look alongside somebody who has the ball

(28:21):
a lot, Like you have to kind of figure that out.
She's still been finding her spots, but I mean she's
playing like an All American still right now.

Speaker 2 (28:28):
Yeah, no, absolutely, Like the numbers like are still really
good this year as even as they've been trying to
figure it out, and like up until Purdue last game,
she's been double digits in every single game this year,
which like I have even felt where like I'm like
waiting to see more of what it can look like,
and then I look at the numbers and I'm like, oh,
I'm just I'm wrong, Like I like, she's still she

(28:49):
just does it every time, like even when I am
not sure about it, I don't know, Like her rebounding
is obviously so impressive as well, and like I knew
she was a talented player. I was curious about the
fit with her and Juju, Like I figured it would
work eventually, but like what would it look like. But
the more the more they play together, I think they're
figuring it out. And like I mean, she had twenty

(29:09):
eight points against Penn State two games ago as well,
Like she's definitely finding her rhythm. And like that game
you mentioned with Nebraska and the foul trouble, she'd fouled
out the game before as well against Michigan, so like
to have that in the back of the mind. Plus
like it was an impressed, It was impressive. It was
impressive to me that she was able to like have
the resilience to come back and have the quarter she did.

(29:30):
So I'm I've been really impressed. I think, like I've
been impressed with those two and Rya Marshall as well.
I think has had like a really good adaptation to
like how she's played, is still doing her thing even
without like the scoring volume. Yeah, usc is is good.
I'm I'm willing to say it.

Speaker 3 (29:47):
I think that they're wow A bull take.

Speaker 2 (29:50):
Yeah, I think I think what was confident was I
thought usc would be at one, but like UCLA being
at one these two teams we thought would be the
top two teams, and I think even like with the
hot starts of Ohio State and Maryland and like whatnot,
I do think that they have shown that they're the
top two teams or the teams to beat in the
Big Ten.

Speaker 3 (30:11):
I agree.

Speaker 1 (30:12):
I do just want to hit on a couple more things. So,
like you mentioned with Brea, I think she has been
so good. I understand exactly like you said her you
can look at the numbers just in that, like I
think scoring on the interior, She's always gonna have some
limitations there just in general, like, but watching her excel
in this role like they I think it's it can

(30:33):
get lost sometimes, like okay, if she's she and Kiki
are not always the best fit offensively, but again, having
the line of versatility of one of them can play
at the five, the other can be on the bench,
and then you can spread things out and then have
somebody else who's backing up there, uh coming and switshing
things up. Obviously, you know, there's still a ton of
teams that play double big in college basketball, so there's

(30:53):
a lot you can do with that. I've just been
impressed with her improvement as a pass room facilitator because
they do a ton of stuff letting her operate from
like the top of the key and the free throw line.
And I understand like just put the ball in Juju's
hands or Reguard's hands all the time, but sometimes like
just giving another look of being able to invert a defense,
put the five out and just kind of change things up,

(31:15):
gives you a lot of options. It just gives you
another look something else that you can do. And I
think it goes under soul too, Like I think if
I had to pick right now for Big Ten Defensive
Player of the Year, it's between raym Marshall and Lauren Betts.
Like I don't know where I lean right now, but
like Ray has been that fucking good. And again, like

(31:36):
we talked about, USC has the best defense in basketball
currently currently, Yeah, currently the top defensive rating basketball and
when you factor in who all they've played, Yeah, her
ability to just destroy stuff at the rim, be one
of the best help defenders in the country switch like
be really mobile on the perimeter. But also you can

(31:58):
see so much with her being a high level communicator
for this team, Like she's incredibly important for what this
group does. Like I think it's again, this team is
defense first, and she instills that every time she's on
the court. And then another player does obviously is Kennedy Smith,
who I just I love watching her play. She's got

(32:19):
such poise and savvy already as a freshman, which I
was expecting to hit right away because I haven't watched
her high school. That's who she's been. But like I mean,
just an awesome role player in this group. Fantastic defensively
and like every facet hits. Her threes brings some additional
scoring pop. I've really liked Avery Howel's punch the last
couple of games just had a career high. You saw

(32:42):
the flashes from her early on in the season, and
now I think you're starting to hear, okay, cool, I'm
becoming like a consistent bench piece. I have this figured out.
Like obviously, Kaylee Heckle I've liked since obviously since she
was at lou High. But like again, yes, there are
always gonna be some quote unquote like freshman issues that
you have with at times with these players, but like
they're very high level players who have come in and

(33:04):
been able to play a role and figure it out
a little bit, and I'm just excited for what that
those those players can continue to look like being forward.

Speaker 2 (33:13):
It's just funny, like because all their major depth pieces,
like a lot of their major death pieces being true
freshmen is like, well, they're just going to keep getting better,
like they're still like they're this good already, and these
are true freshmen, like who are playing key roles or
like you know, obviously Kenny Smith who missed what five
or six games there in the middle of the season
or towards the beginning of the season. So like all

(33:33):
of these things, like there's so much reason to believe
that USC can peak at the right time. And I
was looking at raym Marshall. According to her hoops stats,
her defensive rating this year is sixty six point three.

Speaker 1 (33:44):
It's not bad.

Speaker 3 (33:46):
It's pretty good.

Speaker 2 (33:47):
In the country, but with no minutes restrictions, So I
have no idea who's ahead of her, But like, sixty
six is nasty business.

Speaker 1 (33:53):
My assumption for who's ahead of her is is probably
low of bets, honestly.

Speaker 3 (33:58):
But yeah, let's talk about do you have anything else
on USC? No?

Speaker 2 (34:03):
I really am just so excited to see those two
teams play like both coming, but yeah.

Speaker 1 (34:08):
Yeah, no, I agree, just getting in general, like the
Big ten matchups we've gotten this season has been awesome
and like actually I think the best part about this
season though, has been like just like you kind of
hit on early, Like you know, I didn't get to
watch USC as much last year. These teams are not

(34:29):
unpacked Throls Network anymore. We get to actually watch them
play basketball. It's pretty great.

Speaker 2 (34:33):
Feels wrong watching like Juji Watkins a Big ten Plus.

Speaker 3 (34:36):
It does feel wild.

Speaker 1 (34:37):
Still, I will say to you, yeah, having to watch
it on Big ten Plus is don't even get me
started on that, because that is like the worst product
in basketball. Now, now that flow hoops season is over,
Big ten plus is getting all the burnt of the bar.

Speaker 3 (34:52):
That's what I'll get it. That's that's a low bar, dude.

Speaker 1 (34:54):
I can make like my own home production that's got
more value than flow hoops. But we just saw a
really great game last night Ohio State Maryland. Unfortunately, as
we mentioned earlier, Shy Sellers in play because she has
a knee spring I believe was the verbiage we got
suffered during that Texas game.

Speaker 3 (35:14):
I think I don't want to take too too much
away from this game.

Speaker 1 (35:17):
From a Maryland standpoint, just because obviously missing Shi who
is their best player, Missing Bree McDaniel who unfortunately suffered
Nacy eltair Well wishes out to her, hoping that she
can come back strong next season. But I think to me,
this was more just like, this was an important game
for Ohio State to win, coming off that lost to
Penn State, which dropped them from a two seed in

(35:40):
my bracket to a four. Like that was a rough
loss for them. So to be able to come back
from down double digits to just absolutely smothering with that
press and unlocking some things in the second half. I
was really impressed with both the Buckeyes did in this game.

Speaker 3 (35:57):
Where are you at with them?

Speaker 1 (35:58):
What was kind of your feeling after the Penn State game?
And then how did that alter about, you know, seventy
two hours later after they took out Maryland at home.

Speaker 2 (36:09):
Yes, Penn State like that loss to me, Like obviously
Jolanni Cambridge was out for that game with a dullness. Yes,
it still is a Penn State team that had noted
a big ten win.

Speaker 3 (36:20):
My dog wants some attention. If you can hear the winding.

Speaker 1 (36:24):
Oh, you're good.

Speaker 2 (36:26):
But even with Jolnnie Cambridge out at Penn State, like
Penn State had won a big ten game in your
undefeated Ohio State, so I can't say that, like I
give them the excuse to lose that one, but like,
no team is perfect, You're gonna have an off night whatnot.
I was surprised how significantly they were out rebounded by
Penn State. I know it's not Ohio State strength, but
that was to me, like the biggest like worry sign

(36:48):
especially going into Maryland, a team that has been so
good at rebounding, and that was kind of the story
early on to me was like, uh, they were Maryland
was dominating the glass. They just looked like they were
like getting to every loose ball. Ohio State like wasn't
turning him over at a significant rate early on, and
then like they were able to take that punch, which
they did have done so well in the past few

(37:09):
years under Kevin McGuff and like just completely turned flip
the script as soon as they found some momentum, like
that press starts going, you force some turnovers, you get
some layups and ones. Cody McMahon's going absolutely berserk with
the energy, like they just are able to flip that switch,
and when they do, it's just like it's like poetry
is like where was this the whole game? I think

(37:29):
credit to Maryland for like giving him such a scare
without Chyanne Sellers obviously, I think she's so important for
everything they do, just like just such such a special
player to lose, and I thought they handled it pretty
well all things considered. Christina Dalci had eighteen rebounds and
was just a menace on the boards all night. But
like also credit to like Jolannie Cambridge at twenty points.

(37:51):
Cody McMahon was pretty inefficient, but like found the buckets
when they needed him. So I was impressed with the
able like to take that early punch and like come
back against a still very good team, but like the reboundings,
which they were still out rebounded pretty heavily in this game.
I think that's like the area where like they really
like they got to find some sort of answer there.

Speaker 1 (38:10):
Yeah, it was interesting in that game because you know
so much of how how States stets up their offenses.
They'll often play like five out, but then they run
like a stagger action on the weak side that goes
into like sort of a twirl so in a way
to like so a way to like open up driving
lanes and just kind of play and getting some mismatches
potentially or opening up a shot. And I thought Maryland

(38:33):
did a really fascinating thing that I think we're gonna
see more teams do after watching that was cross matching.
To be fair, not every team has the kind of
player can do that, but Christina Darci played a really
good defensive game on Cody McMahon, so they crossmatched her
from the five on to Cody at the four, and
they really gummed up a lot of stuff because Cody
wasn't super comfortable outside. Some of the drives got stifled

(38:55):
because Christina did a really good job meeting her at
the point on drives. But then you mentioned that second
half when they worked in the half court and got
onto that they threw into Ohio State threw in some
really good stuff of adding in a cross screen after
that initial action happened, so that half the force a
switch or something to happen defensively, and I thought Cody
made really good plays off of that. Like I agree,

(39:16):
like not the most efficient game, but her ability to
just keep improving at reading defenses and getting more comfortable
as a ball handler has been really big this year.
Something we saw towards the back end the last year,
but again and continue to see that play out this season,
which has been good. You mentioned Jalani and like, I
just think again, like she somehow has gone so quietly

(39:37):
a sent I mean she's leading them and scoring in
the in Big Ten play. She's been unreal. I mean,
she was so key in that game yesterday. It felt
like half her points came in transition, but that was
the point. Maryland was doing a really good job defending
in the half court, but they could not keep up
with anything in early offense or off the press. Like
I don't, I mean what I think we weren't even

(39:58):
like three quarters through and I think, well, it was
like beginning of the fourth quarter, there was a scorebuck
coming up showing that you know, Marilyn had given up
eighteen points off turnovers, and I know it finished higher
than that, and so much of that was Jilanie and
Taylor And like again, I know Taylor theories, box scores
and crazy this year compared to like when her sophomore year,
that jump was huge, But like what she's done defensively,

(40:20):
particularly in the halfwart she's gotten so much better. Like
she's she was a good defender, but she's become like
an elite defender, and I'll be mad if she doesn't
make Big ten All defense this year. But like her
ability just kind of sit down and really defend. I
thought she did a really good job on Kaylene Smichael
throughout this game. But also like has continued to just

(40:41):
develop some stuff offensively, like has got a little bit
more comfortable doing things. Shout out to the step back
three and tongue out against Oregon, She's just been so
steady for them and unlocking a lot of things for them.
I agree though on the on the rebounding aspect, I
think a lot of it is like just Asia Petty
not getting into foul trouble, which I think can be

(41:01):
hard with how this team plays sometimes, particularly in the
in the pass, it puts you in a difficult spot
in the back line. But you know, when she's on
the court, it just opens up different stuff for them.

Speaker 3 (41:11):
I do have shout out to Kennedy Cambridge. Yes, she's
gotten healthy.

Speaker 1 (41:15):
She's had some big moments, like especially yesterday, she had
big moments watching her and her sister play together has
been fun just like a kind of like a nice
little like chaos chaos lineup going on. So I've really
enjoyed her the punch that she's brought.

Speaker 3 (41:29):
Also, Lamilla off the bench also with four blow.

Speaker 1 (41:32):
She always has. She doesn't play like big minutes, but
every time she plays like ah, I like her, like
she does something and I agree like just having again
like that extra player has been really nice. You see
something out of her every game that again is quality.
What do you most want to see from this team

(41:53):
moving forward? Because who do they play this weekend? I'm
pulling it up right now.

Speaker 3 (41:56):
I think they get Nebraska.

Speaker 1 (41:58):
Oh yeah, they play at Nebraska Sunday, and then they
play wash ooh and then in a six day stretch
they play Washington, Ucla, and USC.

Speaker 3 (42:06):
That's tough a road trip one or is it? Are
so well?

Speaker 1 (42:11):
They they take Washington at home first, and then they
go to UCLA and USC, which.

Speaker 3 (42:17):
Is they could win one of those. That's obviously huge,
but that's a big ask. I like, I think, like
it's hard to say.

Speaker 2 (42:25):
With Ohio State, like I chance Gray had such as
great starts to the season and like one bad game
doesn't change that, but she had she went over seven
against Maryland. I think when she's on and like her
three point shooting is hitting. That's a significant thing for
Ohio State because like they were three for nineteen from
three in this game like that without J. C. Sheldon now,
like it feels like it could be a weakness if

(42:46):
Chance Grays is off. And like Taylor Theory is like
you know, like do you know the Moneyball meme where
it's like, hey, Billy, this is whatever, except they have
one fail flaw. It's like Taylor Theory is good at everything,
but just will not ever be high volume. Yeah, Like
I was like, and I know you have Cody McMahon,
Jolhnnie Camber's like it's gonna happen. But like she's just

(43:06):
so steady and solid at everything. She can shoot the three,
she's like very efficient. But I just want that volume
to go up a little bit.

Speaker 3 (43:13):
No, I agree.

Speaker 1 (43:14):
I wish you would take ten shots again.

Speaker 2 (43:16):
She's so dynamic as a player and she's so good
on defense. Like I just would love to see it
go up to like ten shots a game, Like I
would love that just to see. I don't know if
it would actually like open things up, but I just
gotta know because she's just so good at like every
little thing in the on the floor, it feels like
except she's just never gonna She has not been high
volume at any point in her career.

Speaker 1 (43:36):
Yeah, no, absolutely, And i'd like you mentioned with Chance,
I agree, definitely want to see you numbers continue to
tick back up. But I think the big thing for her,
and this is not meant as like a slight like
past players, but I think part of what like really
has set Chance apart is you know, she can hit
those shots, and she's good enough at them, you have
to guard her, so she's getting I mean, she's never
at least in my watch, I haven't felt that she's

(43:58):
ever been like quote unquote sagged off of. You always
have to worry about her. And I think part of
what's been tough sometimes for ohose date is like even
last year, I think they had moments where it's like, Okay,
well we don't want, we don't really care about guarding this.
Guard on threes are more comfortable, just like having to
you know, do a screaming close out or something. And
I think with Chance you always have to be stable
to her obviously want to see her continue to bounce back,

(44:20):
but she's still been playing really well. So yeah, that's sorry,
I've lost my train of thought, but yeah, exactly, so
I agree with you. I want to see that continue
to bounce up.

Speaker 2 (44:31):
Or if Cody can keep because she had a Cody
had a solid start from three this year and she's
like got thirty five percent on the season, it started
to like dip back down, but like it was in
the midle love twenties her first two years, so like
being a minor threat from from three would be huge
for everything she can do.

Speaker 1 (44:45):
Absolutely well, let's transition to talking about Maryland now off
bag game, I think and again, like I said, I
don't want to use yesterday as like necessarily an example
for them, but it was in a way a sort
of indicative of how this year has been. Like I
think that this Maryland team, like we talked about before
the year, I think this Maryland team has the potential

(45:07):
to be close to that same level, if not on
the same level as USC and UCLA.

Speaker 3 (45:12):
The issue has just been they have a five to.

Speaker 1 (45:16):
Ten minute stretch every game where they just kind of
lose the plot a little bit.

Speaker 3 (45:21):
And I don't.

Speaker 1 (45:22):
It's been a little bit frustrating because I can't always
pinpoint why. It's just it happens. A lot of it too,
is like this team is when this team runs offense,
Like when they just run their offense, they play in
the flow. It looks great when they start just saying, okay,
let's play like, obviously, you want to take some stuff
early offense. You don't want to just like leave that

(45:43):
on the table. You can get easy points doing that,
that matters. But I think where I struggle most with
this team is when they decide to play a little
bit random instead of doing what they do well. That's
when I feel like they've made They make typically their
worst decisions with the basketball and take horse shots. Obviously, again,
you don't want to just take away all freedom from

(46:04):
your players to be able to do stuff, and I
think they have players who can really excel in playing
some of the randomness of the game, but especially with
free out like, I just think it gets even harder
to do that. In my opinion, as good as this
team is getting to the free throw line and attacking
the paint, they are not a great finishing team like
that has been one of the biggest issues for this

(46:24):
team this year is like they're finishing on the interior,
particularly on drives. Like they have players. They have some
players you really can but there's also been like often
this team can be like more resigned to like taking
along too or forced to take that because they don't
they don't have a ton of blow by speed, Like
this is not a team that is like dusting you
off the dribble. It's a lot of we need to
work our sets to get into something or work our

(46:46):
actions to get into something. And again that's not meant
as like a slight to this team, but I do
think in general that's kind of what the difference is
between them and USC and UCLA. Like USC and UCLA
can generate a high value shot instantaneously, I think the
seam has to work for it a little bit more.
And to me, when they stop working for it or

(47:07):
when they just kind of like let the offense devolve
a little bit, that's where you kind of feel it
when that five to ten minute stretch hits. Do you
agree with that or where you at with that?

Speaker 2 (47:18):
Yeah, I think that's fair. Also, do you see me
battling like this moody lighting that dude, I was doing
the same thing like twenty minutes ago, and if you
got a move I live in I'm living it. It's
not hitting my eyes, but I can I can see
it there. Either way, I would agree with that. I think,
like I like in these past couple of games, specifically
the USC loss and Ohio State loss, because like both

(47:40):
of those games were ones, they've had leads in various ways,
and like we're really competing with some of like these
top teams in the Big Ten, and against Ohio State
without two of their best players. Like those spans of time,
you're like, oh my gosh, Like I really, I can
fully I totally see the Maryland, Like this is like
the Maryland that I was hoping for, and like it's
sometimes does just fall apart. I think for the various

(48:01):
reasons you laid out, Like they they are very like
they're very lanky, They've got so much of like athleticism
in different ways, but it's not necessarily in speed. Like
they're very versatile, they can defend all the positions, and
like I think the additions in that sense were really strong.
But I agree like that blow by speed I think
is lacking. Even though I don't I think her numbers
weren't anything incredible yesterday. I really like Sarah Tebiasu as

(48:25):
like someone who can like add a little bit, and
like obviously she'd be begin getting minutes all year. But
like if Sellers is going to miss more time than
just the one game, I think, like I would, I
really want to see a lot of her and see
like what they can do with her kind of controlling
a little bit more, especially Bree McDaniel, who I wanted
to touch on as well, Like isn't a Chyenne Sellers
necessarily as far as like top top player, but like

(48:48):
she is such an important piece for like everything she
does for Maryland.

Speaker 3 (48:51):
Yeah, the energy changes everything when she's out there.

Speaker 2 (48:54):
It just feels like a different like there's like a
spark that like lights no matter what is happening, Like
she has such like an energy, and like I think
the team it's just something that the team can feed
off of, even if they're like in a cold spell
or whatnot. And I think that's just hard to replicate,
Like it's just I don't know if they're gonna have
to find a different way or like she'll like speak
me on the bench or whatnot. But I think like

(49:16):
finding that spark is huge for Maryland and like Shian
Sellers may do that when she comes back, I'm going
I'm under that assumption that she'll be back soon ish
based on the report, but we don't know. This stretch
was always gonna be hard, and I wish I could
have seen Maryland at full strength to like to face it,
because I do think that at their best they can

(49:36):
be up there and win a couple of these games.
Like I know their schedule was easier in the non
conference this year than it has been, but I was
really like impressed with what I think kaylen Andsmichael has
been fantastic, like bringing in Dalcy and Sailor Poffenbarger for
rebounding has been huge. Like all the pieces that they
think they needed they brought in, and like the season
is not lost by any means, but it's just a

(49:57):
bummer that like this pivotal stretch, like they lost like
a huge spark plug who like can shoot and us
so much, and then you lose your star point guard
everything guard. So I'm just like I'm bummed in that
sense of like I just I wanted to see it.

Speaker 1 (50:12):
You know, No I agree, I mean totally because it's
I mean, it goes without saying it's a different game
last night if you have either Bree or Shy or
both of.

Speaker 3 (50:21):
Them, Texas game's a little different. Like I know when
Seller's left they were down big, but like still.

Speaker 1 (50:26):
Yeah, no, definitely, and I mean even just mentioning Shy too,
like her big ten play has been unreal and seven
games aging nineteen points, five boards, four assists, but also
I mean just shooting the leather off the ball from everywhere,
not taking a ton of threes, but shooting almost seven
sixty seven percent from three fifty four percent from the field,

(50:49):
getting to the line seven times a game like she
has been. Like I think it was interesting because early
on in the year, I think I was actually almost like, hey,
I need Chian Sellers to take more shot. But now
I'm like, oh, okay, this is awesome. Like you get
the kind of the full blend of everything a little bit, like,
particularly in that USC game, they really just could not

(51:12):
guard her in the USC game, which I think that's
what was what made the game tough to you, because
so much of why they lost the USC game was
like just some awful rimats that happened, like happens you
have a bad bunny, and like, I think that's one
of the issues with this team, and in on their
defense is like how often they are playing on the
back foot because of they like to play an early

(51:33):
offense and do stuff out of transition, and I think
that really bit them in the USC game because you
go from being like just about tied to like down
three possessions and that can happen fast. Same thing with
Ohio State, like wanting to play fast and then you
kind of play into the press a little bit and oof,
that's tough. But I mean, point blank, I still think

(51:55):
this team is like on track very much so to
host in the NCAA turn. I think they have the
potential to do even more, like we're both saying, and
I just want to keep continuing to see that. I
do have to shout out too real quick. I've really
enjoyed Ali Kubeck's play. She has like continued to stretch
her game out, been really efficient. I thought she could

(52:16):
really well yesterday against the ways I agree, I agree,
So I just, uh yeah, I'm excited to see more
of that moving forward and just kind of how they
kind of fill in some stuff with this. But let's
transition to a couple more teams. We talked about Nebraska
briefly earlier. Nebraska has been like, again, a team that
is kind of I don't I don't even like saying

(52:38):
under the radar necessarily, but like they lost that game
in in really difficult fashion to UCLA. I think they
lost by almost twenty it was like seventy four to
fifty five. I believe.

Speaker 3 (52:49):
Oh wow, okay, I was underselling it. Wow, yeah they would.
They did the UCLA USC trip back to back.

Speaker 1 (52:56):
Ah, yeah, that's right. They yeah, okay, but they have
won five straight games since then, Penn State, Michigan State, Rutgers, Iowa,
and Wisconsin. So most importantly beating Michigan State in Iowa
was big in this and obviously, like I just don't
think you'd be under sold beating the teams that are
quote unquote ranked below you like, just do it and

(53:18):
get it done with because then you don't have to
worry about it at the end of the year. Obviously,
it's sucked because this team has just dealt with a
bunch of season unders already, particularly with Natalie Potts. Like
Natalie Potts was looking awesome to start the year, but
you know, now it feels like you're kind of seeing
some stuff out of this team that has been fun. Obviously,
Alexis Markowski is always there, just it's wild to think

(53:42):
this is her last season. But I wanted to talk
about Britt Prince really quick. I'm glad you very underrated
freshman like has just been a really steady two way
presence for this team. Plays with a ton of composure,
a big reason why they won that Michigan State game,
and just as a whole, like looking at what they've

(54:02):
been able to do this year, I think having that
player who obviously she's not Jazz Shelley, but being her
own player who can kind of fill in in a
similar way of like being somebody who can create for herself,
create for others. I've been so impressed with her, even
when she has games where she's maybe not shooting the
ball the best, Like just the ability to be a
consistent threat has been so impressive to me.

Speaker 2 (54:26):
Yeah, I think like Nebraska because I'm like now having
to focus on eighteen teams. Like sometimes I think if
a team is like just meeting expectations for what they're
I feel like Nebraska for a while was like winning
the games they were supposed to, but like they were
avoiding me, like having a major thought about them, and
just in the sense of like they're doing well and
like there where I thought they would be, and so

(54:47):
I felt bad. I feel like I haven't covered them
much in Hoopla. And then like that Iowa game that
never missed, the Nebraska Iowa game I would say has.

Speaker 1 (54:54):
Three or a Nebraska Creighton game, never miss Nebraska Creton
the brask Creaton's always insane.

Speaker 2 (55:00):
The last three the three times ago Iowa Nebraska, it
was Nebraska made a huge fourth quarter comeback when Caitlin
Clark was close to the record and Nebraska came back
and won. And then the Big Ten Championship that went
to overtime, that was one of the best games I
think since I've covered this conference. And then this one
also went to overtime. This one sold me like I

(55:21):
already liked Britt Prince, but the way she took over
in that late fourth quarter stretch, hit that step back three,
like drew the contact for the foul, sunk both those
free throws without any like issue at all, like just
not stuff a true freshman should be like expected to
do despite us seeing it like a million times this
year because this freshman class is insane. But like twenty

(55:43):
two points, seven rebounds, five assists, six steals in forty
one minutes at Iowa and that place was like it's
still packed. Like I was so impressed, Like I don't
know what this Nebraska's teams ceiling is necessarily because I
think Natalie pots was truly so impressive in those early
games that I thought like they might be able to

(56:04):
go to the moon with if she can like follow
this freshman of the years trajectory into like an even
better sophomore year. She's shooting, She was shooting like seventy
two percent from three, which like isn't sustainable, but yeah,
like she that's something she clearly had been working on
in the offseason and like was a new thing. So
it's a bummer there, but like they still have brit Prince,
Alexi Murkowski, Logan NISLEI I like quite a bit. I

(56:25):
think she's a great shooting option at the at least
for them, Like Jessica Peatre's another really solid forward for them,
Like they got still decent depth, Like if you look
at the roster I just think, like Natalie Potts, I
thought was gonna be like a major X factor, So
it like dropped their ceiling for me initially, but like
to go on this five game winning streak after those
couple tough losses, like Nebraska is gonna be a tournament

(56:47):
team and they're gonna be a hard out because they're
still like very solid, They're very good at what they do,
and if Britt Prince can just keep going up, then
then their ceiling might be higher than I thought.

Speaker 1 (56:56):
Yeah, And I think the hardest part is, like you
have the game plan for a real Is Smarkowski every
game as Michigan State is just like as good as
Michigan State is. That has been like their achilles heels,
like defending Alexis Markowski, which I guess that can transition
to us talking about Michigan State right now.

Speaker 3 (57:14):
I love this team.

Speaker 1 (57:16):
I think it's so interesting because they're so different from
last year but still obviously like play a very similar
style in a lot of ways where it's like I
think last year's team was so elite at creating an
open three, and this year's team is like just pace
pace pace attacking the basket, similar to Maryland. This team

(57:37):
is like right near the top and free throw attempts
per game, but also like just always attacking the rim
like NonStop. They're always there. They forced a ton of turnovers.
The only issue is that they turn over the ball
a lot themselves. There's been a lot of like I
just like, again, this team is really good, but I

(57:58):
think if they're able to kind of like rain in
a few of those things, they'd be even better. Like
and I think I mean that in the best way.
This even was sixteen and three right now, they haven't
hadn wins. Their defense has been way way better this year,
and I've been really impressed with how a lot of
players have kind of filled in, how some have taken
another step. Where are you at with where this team

(58:19):
is right now? Headed into what we're gonna talk about
Michigan next, but headed into their first rivalry meeting with
Michigan this weekend.

Speaker 3 (58:27):
That game is going to be a good one.

Speaker 1 (58:28):
I'm excited.

Speaker 3 (58:29):
Yeah, we can talk about it more when we get
to Michigan as well.

Speaker 2 (58:32):
But yeah, I think, like I my only fear with
Michigan State this year is that they'd have some sort
of sophomore slump because like that's what Illinois kind of
path has been. But Robin Freelick is just I think
she's an incredible coach and I just am so impressed
with how like it's like some of the same names certainly,
but like you said, they're playing a bit differently, Like
the fact that they're bringing Grace van Slute not the

(58:52):
bench these days is a bit remarkable and it's working,
Like her numbers are still very strong off the bench,
but it's it's so interesting to me. Like I think
Juliet ay Ral I continue to think is one of
the most underrated players, at least in the conference. I
don't cover nationally as much, but like she does everything
for them, Like she's a She's a great scorer, she

(59:13):
can shoot the three, great rebounder, very solid defender, can
guard all the positions. Like I think she's just a
game wrecord for them, and like something unlocked with her
under Robin Freelick and it's never returned. Like she's just
like you turned into an animal out there. So I'm
always impressed with her. I think Barren Hallick is such
a key piece for them. She came off the bench
last year and has been more of a starter this year,

(59:35):
even though her three hasn't fall fallen a ton this year,
Like she's so like dynamic in different ways and to
a very heski defender. I think Jocelyn Tates had a
great year. Like they're just another rock solid team like
this quote, middle part of the Big Ten that has
these like NCAA tournament teams, less bubble, but like Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska,

(59:56):
Michigan State kind of fit in there of like I
don't want to play any of them, man like they could.
They're all very solid teams that, like on their best night,
definitely like have what it takes to like move up
a notch. I think it's just finding like some of
that consistency. And with Michigan State last year, it was
like just finishing games you're you're battling in like they
were competing against Iowa last year, Indiana Ohio State, they

(01:00:19):
just like couldn't close it out. So I think, like
so far they've their losses are pretty understandable, none at
home yet, Like I think I want to see them
beat like a top top team. They like Vanderbilt even
impressed me when they came back in the fourth quarter
because I don't think this team last year could would
have done that.

Speaker 3 (01:00:39):
So I just want to see them continue to win.

Speaker 2 (01:00:41):
These close battles because I think that's gonna matter when they,
I'm assuming make the tournament.

Speaker 1 (01:00:46):
Yeah, no, absolutely, even with I mean you talk about
them playing cal earlier and there in that comeback, Yeah,
I think even like the Maryland game was really close,
I think that could have gone a different way. Again,
I think a lot of it comes down to like
just slowing down a little bit, because I mean, for reference,

(01:01:06):
this team is they are three hundred and fifty second
in the country right now in personal fouls on defense.
Granted they're like I think I'm trying to pull up
the number again, but I mean they are two hundred
and eighty eighth in the country in personal fouls drawn,
which is really good. But like I think finding part
of it too is like their style, Like they play

(01:01:27):
the press constantly, they play with a lot of speed,
they play very aggressive, and I love it four and
a half, but it is like, because that's been part
of the issue, Like they've had to bring Grace off
the bench because she's been in foul trouble so much,
which that's not necessarily just a system thing like that's
also like Grace you can't foul, Like it's been some
learning process with that, because I think foul trouble has

(01:01:49):
been one of the biggest struggles for this group. Like
as important as Jocelyn has been as like a wing defender,
somebody can really unlock lineups, like she's averaging almost four
thousand a game in Big ten play. Just dealing with
thousand as a whole is like I think if they
could tone that down a little bit, that just opens
up some different stuff for them. I do want to

(01:02:10):
add though, like em a shootmate we were both high
on before the year, has been really good, particularly sliding
it off the bench. She's just been an absolute gunner
for them. I've loved Jayden Simmons's impact, Like just the
box score doesn't captured all. She's been so key and
like helping this group become very, very good defensively compared

(01:02:30):
to where they were last year. Just I really like
what she does for them at the league guard spot too,
because she's kind of played as a de facta point guard.
A lot. Can't undersell Nyla Hampton's impact as a closer
in games like she like you mentioned that Vanderbilt game,
the cal game, like that was so much her. She's
been awesome for them. But the player that I like

(01:02:51):
have to shout out a Nasa Tello.

Speaker 3 (01:02:53):
I really liked.

Speaker 1 (01:02:54):
I loved the Nasa Tello watching her play overseas and like,
now come in and playing this like kind of spot
starting role. She's just good, man Like. There's a lot
of technical stuff that she can learn still and get
better with, like fundamentals, but she's just she just knows
how to play basketball. Like, I think that's the best
way I can put it. She's in the right places,

(01:03:15):
she's there at the right time. She may make a mistake,
but she's going to do it in the right way.
Like she's been capable of stretching the floor. She can handle,
she can attack the basket, she can face up a
little bit, she moves well defensively, like she's gonna be
a good player. Man Like, I'm really excited about her.
I love what she's brought already. But the sky's the
limit for her. That was a really good get for

(01:03:38):
MSU and like to see her. It's funny because like
before the season, I was like, I think she's somebody
could come in and you know, maybe play a little
bit right away and started off slow, but now we're
here where she's playing almost twenty minutes a game of
Big ten play. So I've really enjoyed that. It's been
very fun to watch her play.

Speaker 2 (01:03:55):
She's one of those freshmen I feel terrible about that
she's in this class because like she's.

Speaker 1 (01:04:00):
Under the radar.

Speaker 2 (01:04:00):
Yeah, right, last year probably has a case for All
Freshman team, like, but this year it's just there's so
many juggernauts that like she's not, she's gonna get like
very much under underrated. And I think like she's shooting
sixty five percent from two, like she's been a very
solid player for them. And also Michigan State spreads out
their minutes, like.

Speaker 1 (01:04:16):
So they touched down the line. Yeah. So to add
to uh I, they play Michigan, Oregon, Northwestern, Michigan again, Wisconsin,
but then they close with UCLA, USC Indiana, Ohio State, Minnesota.

Speaker 3 (01:04:34):
Oh so we lose.

Speaker 1 (01:04:35):
We learn a lot in that last five games, and
I think it's what's gonna be tough is like I
think they need to win at least two of those
last five, which is doable. I don't want to make
it seem like it's impossible. If here's my thing, I
want to see this team host in the NCAA tournament. Okay,
that's what you say need to is yeah, So when
I say need to, I think that's what you have

(01:04:56):
to happen. Obviously, it depends what happens in the conference
tournament too, because right now I think I have them
on a five seed, which feels right. They've had some
really good wins. They don't quite have like they don't
so they've beaten Cal, they I don't think they have
like a top twenty net win Vanderbilts like right.

Speaker 3 (01:05:14):
There about say they fall at this point?

Speaker 1 (01:05:17):
Yeah, yeah, but point being like, because this would be
the first time hosting in the NCAA Tournament since I
think twenty fifteen to sixteen, if they were able to
do that, and this team's capable of doing that, Like
I think if they hit some of the notes we
talked about, this team could be in line with that.
So I'm excited to just keep watching it roll out because,
like we talked about Michigan, Michigan State is about to

(01:05:38):
be elite basketball. Let's talk about Michigan, who just played
again awesome game Michigan Minnesota was awesome. That that one
was two nights ago, right, Okay, I was gonna say,
please tell them that wasn't yesterday. The Silas Swords of
Maya battle back and forth will not be forgotten. That
was literally awesome. But we're gonna talk about Missigan for

(01:06:00):
in the Minnesota. Dude, it's been sick because this team
getting that win over Minnesota was huge and like, hey,
we have that win over a top twenty five team,
and I think Minnesota has, in my opinion, cement to
themselves as that level of team with their level of
play against Maryland and Michigan here just in general. But
this Michigan team is just they've played I think, the

(01:06:22):
tough other than I want to say, other than USC.
They've played the hardest strength of schedule in the Big Ten,
and that has resulted in a lot of close losses.
But now they're starting to pull out some of those wins.
Like I love this team. I love watching the play.

(01:06:43):
I think that they have the I mean it's been
fun because like they are better than last year's Michigan team, Like, yeah,
pretty easily in my opinion, Where are you at with
this team headed into Sunday's game against NSU.

Speaker 2 (01:06:57):
I love that they've they've embraced what this season even
like if they weren't winning games, they embraced what the
season would be as far as developing, like these freshmen
and like immediately like we're starting against South Carolina, like
we don't, Like that's fine, and they were proved. I mean,
Kim Barnzrico is proven right immediately with that South Carolina game.
I know it was a loss, but like, my goodness me,
I was like I took so much away from a

(01:07:17):
moral victory standpoint from that game. And that has been
the case for most of this season at this point,
like all of their losses are like even if they
were a little more lopsided, we're against respectable like opponents
mostly like even that Oklahoma loss, Like was what about ten?
I think like I and I think like Silas Swords,
Olivia Olsen, Mile Holloway, especially Swords and Olsen immediately like

(01:07:41):
blowing me away like Swords, like it took truly one
half against South Carolina, Like Okay, yeah, I.

Speaker 3 (01:07:48):
Knew, I guess she was in.

Speaker 2 (01:07:49):
She's on the Canadian Olympic team, Like I was fully
aware of what Sila Swords was but I was still
just like, oh my goodness. And then Olivia Olsen as
the season has gone on, has like potentially matched or
some would argue surpassed depending on what you're looking at,
like her production, Like Olsen leads the team in scoring,
she averages five rebounds, two assists, and like is a

(01:08:10):
very very.

Speaker 3 (01:08:10):
Good player as well. And then Mila Holloway is.

Speaker 2 (01:08:13):
Like maybe like third out of those, but has been
an incredibly impactful player for them, Like all three of them,
I'm just so excited, and I'm like, I know the
transfer portal is like huge, and you never know and
who knows what this will be, but like if those
three stayed together for a couple of seasons, it would
be I would love to see what that team would
look like. And then like Jordan Hobbs staying and like

(01:08:35):
is being like it feels like like the veteran piece
to bring it all together, I think is huge. I
think Hobbes was really good last year for them and
has continued and kind of taken and embraced this role
of being kind of the veteran part of this starting lineup.
I think Greta Camptrader's having her best year yet. I
think she's played a really impactful role. Like they're not

(01:08:55):
as deep as some of the other teams in the
Big Ten necessarily, but like the top end talent Michigan team,
like if it all is clicking at the right time,
is just so much fun and like it should only
get better because a lot of it is true freshman.

Speaker 1 (01:09:08):
Yeah, no, I mean I couldn't agree more. I think,
especially with Hobbs, it's been so fun to watch that.
I know she's in like a little bit of a
shooting slump right now from outside, but I think it'll
come back. Like we talked a little bit with Chance Gray,
like she's just the kind of shooter that you have
to acknowledge. I think what's been really fun with her,
Like she just does so much for this team, Like

(01:09:30):
you could see that last year to a degree, but
it's gotten even higher this season. And I think you
see so much of that too, And like obviously don't
want to like make a ton out of like just
vocal leader this and that, Like we're not there, we
don't necessarily see that, but I think like you get
an impact of that and feeling of that on the court,
and obviously you know, talking to Silo too, She's mentioned that,
and so it's been cool to see that that aspect,

(01:09:52):
but that, like you mentioned, just this freshman class as
a whole. I love Olivia Olsen's game like plays like
just that mid post out game that is so hard
to defend because not a lot of players have. It
has been really fun to watch versatile defensively like Sila.

(01:10:12):
I think with her, just her like you mentioned with
that that South Carolina game, just her composure at her
age is like nuts. Man, She's such a good player.
I'm so excited to see her continue to grow and
like we say, like continue to grow. But this seems
like on track to be set. I think I have

(01:10:33):
them on as a seventh seed right now in the
NCAA tournament, possibly even go up from there. Miela Holloway,
I think, is the player who probably dealt the most
out of the three freshmen with like some handling being
a freshman. But then she's turned She's just turned that
into consistency in Big ten play and really found another
level which has been really dope to watch. You mentioned

(01:10:55):
Greta too. I keep saying you mentioned I'm sorry to listen.

Speaker 3 (01:10:58):
To that keeps happy.

Speaker 1 (01:10:59):
But Greta similar, Like we talked about with Taylor's theory,
I think credit Camshrier could take more shots, like she
just has like little spurts and games was like, oh,
Greta just scored like eight points in a quarter and
then she doesn't take a shot the rest of the game.
Like part of that is like you know, the way
things a game planned against and how defense shift. But
also like she's I think she's she's been she's been good.

(01:11:20):
It's a good team. I also have to mention I
love Brooke Corals Daniels' energy. She is really fun. Whenever
they like want to break out, we need to pressure
reguard or like put just get in somebody's face. She's
been really good at that. She fights on the glass
for way better than you would expect for somebody who's
five foot nine.

Speaker 3 (01:11:41):
Or five foot six.

Speaker 1 (01:11:41):
Streets I can't read, and then an incredibly random shots.
Speaking of the freshman too, u Teyala Delfos has like
again every game there's just like a small stretch like ah,
like there's something there, She's not quite there yet, like
readiness level. I think it's harder as a big at
times to like be fully ready to play but excited. Nonetheless,

(01:12:02):
do you have anything else on Michigan.

Speaker 3 (01:12:05):
I was with her.

Speaker 2 (01:12:05):
She's had a good run against like Rutgers when they
were able to give her some more like extended minutes,
and I thought she looked really good there. So I
feel like just continuing to find if Michigan can find
some big wins or like more opportunity to get her involved.
Like yeah, I think like they're in such a good space,
like at this moment, like you never know what the
portal is and you can't try to predict it, but
like I would love to see this team just like

(01:12:28):
stay together as much as it can. And Kim Barnto Rico,
I think is like she's proven time and time again
that she's like can take this team so far, and
like it always feels like she finds like a veteran
player like Jordan Hobbs had a good year last year obviously,
but like there they've always had someone who like started
as like a very small role player and like just
finds tie, like finds a way through. I am absolutely

(01:12:51):
blanking on the name I am thinking of as my exam.
Emily Kaiser was the example I was thinking of of
like she was there forever and like Amy Amy Dilk
was there before, like they always have someone who like
shows up. Emily Kaiser was like there forever and then
like just erupt it and was like a star forward
in the Big ten. I like as soon as nots
Holman left or maybe even a year with her, Like

(01:13:11):
it's nice to see Jordan Hobbs like show up like
this and like be rewarded for it. And I think
she's been so important because like they're so new everywhere else,
like Gretet Campshrey.

Speaker 3 (01:13:22):
I think's been there three years as well now.

Speaker 2 (01:13:24):
But I think this team, like I my hope for
them this year is to show the potential of what
they could be, and they are well past that now.
It's like, Okay, can they be a top eight seed
the NCAA tournament short like that seems like they should
do that at this point, and like the fact that
they're doing that with three starting freshmen, like I'm so impressed.
So I'm I'm just excited to see where they can

(01:13:45):
keep going.

Speaker 1 (01:13:46):
No, absolutely well hitting on Minnesota now, I was really
interested to see what would happen with this team in
the stretch that they they had to take on and
are going to continue to take on. But it's worth
noting beat Illinois, which was their first like real big win.
I think it's worth doing. Obviously, Illinois has dealt with

(01:14:08):
some injury, so I don't want to understand that. Yeah,
but especially after losing Mara, who was having a really
great start of the year. We know the level player
she's been. I was just interested to see what they
would look like, and I think they very much showed
up and showed out against Maryland and Michigan in both
those games. Obviously they would have liked to take one away,
but Amaya battle has just been awesome this year. I

(01:14:34):
have loved watching this team play. You and I were
both excited about them last year, but I think it's
been you know, again, continue to build on that, having
that group of sophomores, take that group that jump into
being upperclassmen. And Tory McKinney has been like one of
the best freshmen in the Big Ten. Has again like

(01:14:54):
gone kind of under the raider because his team, like
they play a little bit of a slower pace, so
you don't always like see like massive box scores that
are gonna pop out. But she just produces, leading them
in assist per game, creates really well at the forward spot.
So yeah, I've enjoyed this team a lot. I'm hoping

(01:15:14):
that they can kind of keep writing this and parlay
this into a tournament appearance.

Speaker 2 (01:15:19):
I feel like Tory McKinney has a lot of Taylor
theory tendencies in all the ways, which is great because
I think Terry three is an incredible player. I think
like she McKinney just seems like she's so versatile and
like various, like for a true freshman, especially such a
good defender, does get into some foul trouble, which like
is probably her biggest concern, but like, as a true freshman,

(01:15:42):
I will accept that as as your biggest concern. But
she's been shooting the three well, she's like right, her
hour averages are forty seven, thirty seven and a half
eighty nine percent for like, which is again for a
true freshman quite good. Like and like all the metrics.

Speaker 3 (01:15:56):
Love just the impact she has for this team. Looking
they went, I.

Speaker 2 (01:16:01):
Think they went one to nine after Mara Bron went
down until like postseason play hit last year, so like
when she went down again five games into this year,
I was like, I don't know, like that she's such
an she's such a significant player, like obviously as an
offense and a shot creator, but like her defense improved
so much last year. She avoids turnovers and continues to

(01:16:22):
make plays like such a such a great player, and
like I'm really hoping she can come back to this
team this year because like what they've done without her
has blown me away, like Michigan has blown me away
from like my early expectations because of like how quickly
the freshmen have been able to make an impact in Minnesota,
Like I thought they could be good with at full strength,

(01:16:43):
but when Braun went down, I definitely like thought they
just buy pure talent in this conference, that they would
struggle more than they have, and they have like completely
stepped it up.

Speaker 3 (01:16:52):
I think gray Gorlchowski.

Speaker 2 (01:16:53):
Has like been really really good as like I wouldn't
I don't even want to say primary scorer because it's
not like she's like way ahead of them, but like
willing to take on more of the volume. I think
she's done a better job this year than she did
last year. As you said, a mile, am Ia battle
like continues to be a great playmaker and is cut
down on the turnovers significantly from her first couple of years,
which has impressed me. Both Mallory High and Sophie Hart

(01:17:15):
I think are very solid in the interier. Anika Stewart,
who I've been talking about a bit on Blue Sky,
I think, is like having a quietly remarkably efficient bench
season and it's been like a sneaky, like one of
the better pickups that a team made in the transfer
portal because she's like been shooting the.

Speaker 3 (01:17:33):
Lights out off the bench for them.

Speaker 2 (01:17:35):
I think that, like, I really like how Don Plitzuway
has like brought this team like from where it was
like they have an identity. They play slower, but they're
so good defensively and very efficient and very turnover averse
second least two turnovers in the country. They just have
such a they're hard to team to beat because they
don't beat themselves type mentality, and I think that's like

(01:17:58):
exactly what they needed when when Bron went down. And
I've been really I've just been so impressed with them.

Speaker 1 (01:18:03):
Yeah, and exactly, I'm loving everything you're saying. It's been
really tough obviously because you don't want to see them
without Mara but part of what has been really fun
to watch is like I think there's always been like
the flashes of a Maya becoming this kind of player, yeah,
or like I don't I don't know, I don't know
how to phrase it properly. Bake, you mentioned, I think
she's just gotten so good at like managing a game
and playing as a league guard. But also you can

(01:18:26):
see them, Yeah, has gotten so much better as a shooter,
has clearly put in the work on that. But then
you look at the last couple of games. She scored
twenty plus, been close to so eighteen plus.

Speaker 3 (01:18:37):
For the last five games. But it's just been so aggressive.

Speaker 1 (01:18:40):
Which I've love to see because I think that there
have been times in the past where like she's been
comfortable just like Okay, I'm just gonna run the offense
and do this, where like, to me, there's a level
of like, to be a great player, you have to
kind of take that step of figuring out when it's
time to take over.

Speaker 3 (01:18:55):
And that's why I loved watching both Maryland.

Speaker 1 (01:18:58):
And Michigan games for her, because when it was late,
you know, when those games were tight, it was I'm
taking the ball and I'm attacking the basket. And she
was incredibly efficient in those games too, which is what
I loved because like there was no hesitation, it was
just going and like like again cutting down the turnovers.
As the level of playmaker she is and how much

(01:19:19):
she has to control, I've just been really impressed with her,
like really good defensively, does so much on the court.
I think somebody who should be in line for all
Big Ten this season potentially obviously there's like eight thousand
players and very few spots, but she's been I've just
loved watching this season from her.

Speaker 2 (01:19:39):
I've like the fact that they lost Braun, who was
like such a good like assist to turnover player and
like run so much of their offense, and the fact
they have a one point seven four assist to turnover
ratio without her or like primarily without her this season
like blows my mind. Like I don't know if that's
just incredible coaching or like the team has just stepped
up whatever it is. Like I didn't think Minnesota will

(01:20:01):
be able to keep that level of like playmaking and
like avoiding the turnovers without her, and like they have
and they've been, like they've been such a cool story.

Speaker 3 (01:20:10):
I think in the Big Ten.

Speaker 2 (01:20:11):
There's so many stories in this conference, but like I'm like,
really have enjoyed this run they've been on.

Speaker 1 (01:20:17):
No, absolutely annoying in the background.

Speaker 3 (01:20:22):
They also have been a very, very tough stretch after Wisconsin.
I've just seen so yeah, no, that dude.

Speaker 1 (01:20:29):
That's the hard part about this schedule, Like it gets
very it's not like evenly dispersed. You're just like getting
some games chunk together that are really difficult.

Speaker 2 (01:20:38):
They get their weekend in California where they have to
play USC and UCLA as well.

Speaker 1 (01:20:42):
Yeah, to close out, because my dog's starting to lose
his mind, let's do some quick rapid fire on Oregon, Indiana, Illinois,
and Washington and Iowa. I guess, because god man, there's
so many teams in this conference. We would obviously love
to hit on every team, but Oregon. Where are you
at with Oregon right now? Now? What's like your quick
rundown on kind of where they're at, how things have gone. Obviously,

(01:21:04):
had had a solid win over Iowa Lake clock buzzer
in that game, and they've been off almost a week now.
I think they had most of this week off and
I don't remember who they're gonna play this weekend. But yeah,
where have you been out with this team? They've gone
through a lot of change throughout the season.

Speaker 2 (01:21:21):
Yeah, I want to say it's I think, Oh, they
played Indiana such a big one, so that would be
a big one Oregon. I'm glad that they're in a
spot where we can talk about them on this because
it means that they're in the tournament picture. And I know,
like they weren't in the Big ten last year, but
last year was a disaster. Obviously, they've completely changed what
that roster looks like. But that doesn't always work. It's
not always as easy as that, so credit to them.

(01:21:44):
I think like Dejah Kelly has been very solid for them.
They are so wildly balanced in how they score, Like
they're Dejah Kelly's leading them with eleven points a game,
and then there's like nine players that also put up
some sort of solid, like consistent production. They're like I
love a me Via still like she's not gonna light
up the box score, but I think she's such an
impactful player, like on both ends. I think that I

(01:22:08):
just I just think she's great. I think like she's
one of their more valuable players. I've been impressed with
Peyton Scott. I think like she she was there last
year but didn't get to play. I think like they're
they're a good team. I think like they're a team
that's harder to beat than I thought. And they were
a hard one to read in the preseason because they
were so new and it went so poorly last year.

(01:22:29):
So I'm just glad that they're in the picture and
like are absolutely fighting like these are. They haven't really
been an easy out for anybody yet.

Speaker 1 (01:22:36):
Yeah, And I think the biggest thing to you for them,
like unless they just really struggle in the upcoming stretch,
I think they're a lot for the tournament. Having that
win over Baylor is one of the best wins. That
is their best win right now and one of the
better ones that you could have just in general, because
Baylor has been good, They're always solid. They're going to

(01:22:56):
be a top twenty five is team for most of
the season. So and that Keynan Kon, especially because Baylor
could end up hanging around that same spot, you know,
between like the eight and ten seeds, so that was key.
I think the biggest thing for this team too is,
like you mentioned, other than they're lost to Georgia Tack,
which they lost by double digits. They haven't lost the
game by double ditchits this season. They were tight with

(01:23:17):
Ohio State until like right at the end when that
sort of I don't even want to say it came apart,
but like Ohio State just put some really good possessions
together with clock management stuff. Actually they lost the USC
do that game that counts. I'm sorry that how that
that game was five weeks ago and it feels like

(01:23:37):
way longer, wild Man this.

Speaker 2 (01:23:40):
Season, USC just killed them in one quarter, wasah.

Speaker 1 (01:23:46):
But again winning that game over Iowa.

Speaker 3 (01:23:48):
Who Iowa?

Speaker 1 (01:23:48):
I think I just had is in a playing game
for me right now. So it's like it's in a
tough spot with again just where the big ten is.
But the player that I want to mention who has
really pot for me. She didn't play as much earlier
in the season, but has really impressed in conference play.
And that's been Nanny follow Tea, Like they've really leaned

(01:24:09):
into her as the first player off the bench. He
started a couple of games, but his primarily been coming
off the bench. Is their second leading scorer in conference play,
has been really good from behind the arc, and I
think that's I don't even want to say, like my
issue with this team, but like the thing that I'll
be interested to see is like do they find ways
to maybe balance that as the year goes on, because
they have been near the bottom of the Big ten
and threes getting up per game, threes made per game,

(01:24:32):
and just efficiency from three in general. Obviously they do
a lot of really good things outside of that, particularly defensively,
I think they've been strong. They're obviously solid on the glass.
But like, I think that's kind of what I'll be
interested to see is how they like maybe I think
that they they wouldn't have to be playing and like
I feel like if this team is not playing in
a tight game, they're gonna struggle. Because even that USC game,

(01:24:54):
like we're talking about, it was really one bad quarter
and then they were just kind of out of it
because they weren't able to make a comeback just given
how far apart things were. But regardless, like you mentioned,
I think the depth on this team, like they play
eleven every game, Dasia is the only player who plays
over thirty minutes. Like it's a lot of just balance,

(01:25:14):
a lot of different ways to kind of attack the game. So,
like you mentioned, I think I've just kind of got
I keep.

Speaker 3 (01:25:20):
Saying, like you mentioned, it's one of those things because
then when you hear it's in your hat, Yeah, I
can't unhear it.

Speaker 1 (01:25:26):
And ah, But yes, I've just appreciated getting to watch
this team be solid, because again, before the season, I
feel like it was just so up in the air.
I think we called them the biggest wild card in
the Big ten. Let's talk about their other PAC twelve

(01:25:46):
compatriot who came over Washington. We talked about it at
the beginning, like this team just being very fun. I
think I was interested just to see what this was
going to look like. I knew they were changing up
their offense before the season.

Speaker 3 (01:26:00):
I have some bumps in the road early on in
the year, but man, they.

Speaker 1 (01:26:03):
Have like really figured out how to play this new
style offense last night or two nights to go, not
withholding against Iowa, but in general, like, I think watching
this team has been really fun. It's I don't know
how much you watched them last year. Does not look
anything like last year's team. It's so different, Like just

(01:26:25):
the jump up that we've seen from El Laedan and
savious Ellers has been awesome, Like just two incredibly good
players who can make shit happen. I always love watching
Delaya Daniels play.

Speaker 3 (01:26:37):
It's not the.

Speaker 1 (01:26:38):
Deepest team, but what they can do when they have
their starting lineup together and playing out of some of
those variations has been like, uh, it's been very fun
to watch.

Speaker 2 (01:26:48):
Yeah, those three, and then I'd also say Hannah Stein's
as well, like kind of make like big four and
like those four are enough often to like I think
they can carry them to a lot of wins.

Speaker 3 (01:26:58):
Like they're a pretty veteran group.

Speaker 2 (01:26:59):
I know, so there's only a sophomore, but they those
four have really impressed me with how like solid they
have been.

Speaker 3 (01:27:06):
They are in a bit of a rough pass.

Speaker 2 (01:27:07):
They've lost three or four, so I'm curious what this
next stretch will look like for them. I'd like to
see them bounce back because they were they had won
five in a row before that and were like they
were winning handedly against the teams they were supposed to.
They went on the road and be Illinois like again,
as we said with Illinois, like they do have injuries,
but on the road it's still a big, a huge,
big ten win.

Speaker 3 (01:27:27):
Michigan State, Michigan, Iowa. Like none of these are terrible losses.

Speaker 2 (01:27:30):
The margin for the Iowa loss at home, I would argue,
is not when you don't you would want, but do
you have Washington in the moment at the moment.

Speaker 1 (01:27:38):
In or just out they're the first team out and.

Speaker 3 (01:27:43):
Has them like just in as well.

Speaker 1 (01:27:45):
Yeah, I think I debated it's hard because they lost
to the Montana and like I it's tough because like
Montana is actually good. Their records not great right now,
but they are a tough team play against. They have
a really good offense. I think Brian Hols, Brian Holt
is really good. Their guard Matt Koenig is really difficult
to play against, and she torched them in that game.

Speaker 3 (01:28:03):
I think I accredited that one.

Speaker 1 (01:28:05):
To watch them early on, like they really did not
have a great feel for the offense and how they
wanted to play lineups early on in the year, and
it took some time and I think they're again kind
of figuring that out because like to me, a lot
of the Iowa games, like they just didn't shoot the
ball well, Like I think that was a big part
of it. But then you have the game against UCLA
and Utah. Like in both those games, I would have

(01:28:26):
liked to see them win the Utah game obviously, but
should have won the LSU game, I would be honest, Like,
I think they that was a game that that that
you lose that by by poor execution, like and that's
not to be unfair, but just saying like I think
this team has a level where like I think they
really should be an NCAA tournament team. But they play

(01:28:47):
Indiana on Monday, then at Ohio State, at Penn State, Maryland, Oregon,
USC Rutgers, Nebraska, Minnesota, Oregon.

Speaker 3 (01:28:55):
It's not the worst schedule you could have. And I
will say like they're travel.

Speaker 1 (01:29:00):
Schedule is tough this year because they had the Northwestern
in Illinois, then the Michigan trip like two weeks after,
and then they'll have to come out the Columbus at
the beginning of February. Yeah, it's not like it's not
an easy stuff to do for them, but they need to,
like they really need to do well in the back

(01:29:21):
half because I think one of the things that's gonna
be tough. I do think just in general, with how
the selection committee tends to be, if you have a
really bad loss that can weigh on you. Montana right
now is a quad four loss. I think it's gonna
hold up as a quad four loss. That's why I
have them out right now and just recently, like losing
three out of the last four is and it'll probably

(01:29:42):
push you out. So I would like to, like, I
think they kind of need to win this Indiana game,
especially because Indiana I think was in my last four buys,
so like they're right on the edge of being in
the bubble themselves.

Speaker 3 (01:29:54):
So this game against Indiana is huge. That's the hard
part of the Big Ten because like.

Speaker 1 (01:29:57):
Okay, cool, you play Indiana, you play Oregon, tw you
play Minnesota. That's all teams that are like right there.
That that so there's just gonna be so much movement
within the middle of the Big Ten. Like we're talking about.

Speaker 3 (01:30:10):
Should we transition into Indiana. They keep giving us nice.

Speaker 1 (01:30:13):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's talk about Indiana. The It's so
tough for them because they have had like I was
really worried about them early on in the year, Yes,
like really worried, particularly the Butler game.

Speaker 3 (01:30:27):
Like I thought.

Speaker 1 (01:30:27):
Harvard Harvard I thought was fine, Harvard, the good team,
harmony Turner is awesome, Like, that's a hard team play
against the Butler loss. That worried me losing to UNC
by thirty points. I think UNC is a lot better
now than I. Like I thought UNC was a top
twenty five team when when they played I when they
played Indiana, But I think USC is closer to a

(01:30:49):
top ten team honestly, So that looks as good as
a thirty point loss can be. But like, I think
since big ten players hit, there's been they played better.
But I still just have questions in general, Like, and
I think the biggest thing that I come back to
is this team just really struggles to score when it
matters most because they don't have an elite post presence

(01:31:11):
like they've had the last couple of years. Yeah. Like,
even to me in the USC game when that was
coming down to the wire, I felt like a lot
of it was we don't necessarily feel comfortable getting into
anything like obviously, I think you can point the defensive
stuff as well in that game. Don't get me wrong,
I thought they did really good defensive stuff to be honest,
throughout that game. But a lot of it too, to me,

(01:31:33):
is just like how do we what are we trying
to get like can we get something easy when it
matters most? Like, where are you at with this group?

Speaker 3 (01:31:41):
I think where I'm at.

Speaker 2 (01:31:43):
I think I'm in a very similar spot to you
in the fact that like I think that like their
top end talent should be enough to at least make
the NCAA tournament with them, Like I think the Guards,
specifically with Cheskey, Moore, McNeil, Garzone and Parish, Like, I
feel very good about those four and I think they
play their roles very well. They were all they would

(01:32:03):
all be improved with having Mackenzie Holmes still here because
like she Mackenzie Holmes is very much not one of
a guy but like one of the best players in
the country when she was at her best. I know,
last game against USC they went to Caroline Striplin at
starting over Lily Meister, and I'm curious if that's going
to continue, and I would like to see it if so.

(01:32:24):
I think I've been impressed with Caroline Striplan off the bench.
It seems like when they go to her more, she's
been impressive. She's shooting sixty percent. Like I think that
Meister's been solid as a starter. But like and no
one can replace mackenzie Holmes one for one, that's just
not gonna happen. But I think this team is struggling
with depth and like they had a Parish went down

(01:32:45):
as well with injury, Like they've had their struggles there.
I was hoping for more McNeil to make more of
a leap now that they don't have McKenzie Holmes because
she's been such a solid player for them for so long.

Speaker 3 (01:32:56):
But it seems like she is still going to.

Speaker 2 (01:32:57):
Be just more of a primary facilitator and like it's
can be more Cheskey or Garzone who's gonna be there
like scorers at this point, So it just feels like
it feels like they're missing like a volume scorer because
I think Garzone would work better if she was more
of like a secondary piece, and she's been.

Speaker 3 (01:33:14):
She's so efficient, she's so good at her.

Speaker 2 (01:33:16):
Shot, but there's just not like there just hasn't been
that X, that X factor, Like like I think you
were kind of saying.

Speaker 1 (01:33:23):
Yeah, I think you put it better than I could have.
I think it was like like having somebody who balanced
things out would be awesome, Like I I think that
she is capable of taking that step and I would
love to see it. I think obviously, like having the
injury early on, maybe well she didn't even miss time
for it now I think about it. She just like
had it in the middle of the game. So never
mind on that. But like I think it's interesting because

(01:33:45):
like Yarden is the only player taken taking over ten
field goal attempts per game right now, And it's tough
because like it's been awesome watching her take more she's taken.
She's been like arguably the best volume three point shooter
in the league this year. Yeah, but again, part of
the issue is, like I think her best shot and
what she's most comfortable getting to most of the time

(01:34:05):
is a three or like doing something coming off of
a screen. She's not necessarily comfortable like I have the
ball in my hands, I'm creating like this. It just
is hard to set that stuff up late in the game,
and like I think that's been kind of the difficulty
a little bit. Like we mentioned in particularly in that
USC game, is like okay, cool, Well, when we're playing
against the team that is game plan for that that
can shut that down, how do we create off the

(01:34:27):
dribble and like make something happen here? So it's been
interesting with that, and I'm I'm hopefully that they can
continue to kind of weather that and figure it out.
I still think this team is solid and like capable
of making the tournament, but we're gonna learn a lot
about them in the upcoming schedule. Like we mentioned that
that Washington game coming up is gonna be huge because
that's two teams like right on the bubble. Losing to

(01:34:50):
Illinois was really difficult, particularly the way they did because
and I think that's where you see some of the
stuff too, Like this team is strong, but they're not
necessarily Like I think they have like some strong athletic
capabilities and like their length and being able to play
with strength, but they're not a super fast team. And
like Illinois ability to just kind of like win off
the dribble a lot in that game, even though they're smaller,

(01:35:13):
I think was an issue, uh in just kind of
winning that game or oh, sorry what you're saying your
verse your.

Speaker 2 (01:35:19):
Hand, I was gonna say, like I was gonna mention
the slow they they feel like they've slowed the pace
because of this, Like it feels like they've had to
to try like get into their sets and everything, and
like like I was. It seems like it often is
like if the they cannot score, like this is gonna
be the most dumb guy answer of all time. But
like they're games that they lost, they've scored like a
thirty nine to forty six, Like you're never gonna win

(01:35:39):
a game like that. It feels like if a team
can shut them down, like I don't know, I feels
like they just completely like they've fallen apart a few
times this season, especially for a team with like seemingly
a lot of experience, Like I was surprised to see that,
and I feel like they and I was gonna I
think what I was gonna raise my hand is they
have Washington, but they have Oregon tonight, like which I

(01:36:01):
will be out by the time this goes out whenever
that is, but that those are two massive bubble games
for Indiana, especially like considering how the like these recent stretch,
so like I feel like they those are pivotal in
like if they're going to make the NCAA tournament.

Speaker 1 (01:36:17):
No, absolutely, speaking of Illinois, Let's talk about Illinois. Who
I mean, I've been imprecious that they've been able to
keep going in spite of losing Makira Cook and Greshen Dolan.
Greshen Dolan was looking like that one of the potentially
like six player of the year in the Big Ten,
So losing those two, like, I've been really impressed with
Jason brown Hager stepping up. Barry Wallace has continued to

(01:36:39):
show some stuff in a bigger role as a freshman.
But I'm not I just think it's gonna be interesting
because they have two players right now playing almost forty
minutes per game in Genesis Brian Kendall Bostick, which granted,
Like I think they have like twelve years of college
experience between the two, so like I get them playing
that much, which grant. Also, Kendall Bostik has been awesome
this year.

Speaker 3 (01:36:59):
He yes, she's like.

Speaker 1 (01:37:02):
Long been a good steady starter, but she's been like
a star this season, averaging sixteen to eleven, been really efficient.

Speaker 2 (01:37:10):
I felt like she's been a player that's been good
for them, like as you said, but like I feel
like she's always been going up like every year. I've
been like kenl Watsy just getting a little bit better
every year, like and the fact she's averaging sixteen and
eleven in a block like and is asked to do
more without like losing Makhyra Cook is massive for just
like she's such a high volume, like willing to find

(01:37:32):
a shot type player, Like it just it takes a
lot out of what Illinois can do. So like I
think they have impressed me with with how they've been
able to adapt without her genesis Bryant is being asked
to do way more and like her shooting has fallen
because of that, which, like I get it, like I
really do. I think a daily and Mackenzie has consistently
been underrated as well for Illinois, and like has been

(01:37:53):
very good for them this year just kind of fills
her role thirteen points a game, like pretty efficient shooter.
And then yeah, I would love to see Barry Wallace
continue to take those leaps, Like I was super impressed
with what Gretchen Nolan was doing this year before she
got hurt, and like Wallace I think was a five
star as well. So like it just feels like I

(01:38:14):
don't think this season has lost it all for Illinois,
Like they're still a really veteran team and like those
players with a million years of experience, like do not
want to go out on a note that's not the
NCAA Tournament, so I think they're gonna have a lot
of fight, but seeing if you can get more Barry
Wallace action as well, I think that could just be
beneficial for this year and obviously moving forward.

Speaker 1 (01:38:34):
No, definitely, And it helps too because their upcoming schedule
is Purdue on Monday, Rutgers Maryland, who will of course
be tough, but then Northwestern Wisconsin, Penn State, and then
they have to close with Nebraska, UCLA, USC Michigan, which
that'll be tough. But like I think if you get yeah,
I think if they can bank some of these wins here,
that could be really helpful for them, Like having beaten

(01:38:55):
like they're they're Florida State when it is huge for them,
Like that was really big, having that early on in
the year. Having beaten Oregon that matters a ton, like
just having that head to head when they're that close.
Obviously they've beaten in Iowa too, They've beaten Indiana. That's
one of the best things for Illinois right now is
that they have beaten a lot of the teams that
are like again right there with them in the bubble

(01:39:16):
and they don't have a bad loss. So that's been
good obviously, again like margin and victory is not great
in the Michigan State loss, but that's part of the
injury aspect to happen. So I'm with you. I think
it's just I've loved everything Seana Green has done with
this team. I think, like you mentioned, part of what

(01:39:37):
was so tough with last year is I think we
had these giant expectations for what they could be instead
of remembering, hey, this is year two Illinois, Like yeah, exactly,
and again watching what they've done this year too as well,
Like I I just want to see it keep con
I mean it is growing. Seeing continue to grow to
where it's at, and in some ways maybe not having

(01:39:59):
some the pressure has been good for them. I want
to add though, a Dollllie and Mackenzie. I just I
continue to always love watching her play basketball. I think
just figuring out the consistency, like she has to be
like that level of player all the time has been
really cool to see her get to. So yeah, I've
been loving that. Do you want to close with Iowa?

Speaker 3 (01:40:22):
Yes, let's do it.

Speaker 1 (01:40:23):
Ironically, we're closing with Iowa and they have really struggled
to close games. I mean that in the nicest way
posts I have straight single digit losses is yeah, it's
on one hand, I understand fan frustration because this has
been like when you go from where it was at
last year and the year before to being in national
championship games to well, now we're thirteen and seven, I

(01:40:45):
can imagine that's really difficult. But it's interesting too because
like I have this team in the field still. They
beat Virginia Tech, they beat Kansas, beat Drake, beat Washington State,
beat Iowa State, like they've they did a lot in
non conference conference play has been rough, though what have

(01:41:05):
you like what I don't even want to say worried necessarily,
but like, what have you felt most in conference play
that's stuck out to you?

Speaker 2 (01:41:13):
It's tough, right because like I've watched, I look at
these losses and like, none of them are on their
own that bad, Like all five of these opponents are
solid teams, like all ones we've talked about already Maryland, Illinois, Indiana,
Nebraska and Oregon Nebraska is in ot I think any
of them on their own It's like we don't even
know if we're discussing it that much, but the fact

(01:41:35):
that they had five straight down the stretch, I think
they have run into some similar problems to what we
were saying with Indiana, where like I think, like not
having Kaitlin Clark, Hey, I'm going to say a big
hot take here, maybe a bit impactful, and I think
you notice it the most with this team. I think
down the stretch, not even when Kaitlin Clark could get

(01:41:56):
you a basket, but like could find Taylor like someone
on the interior, find an open shooter, like her ability
to see the floor like is huge, to find other
people open looks even when she's covered, Like Lucy Olsen
getting her in the portal was huge, a really nice
get to like be able to be as competitive they've
been this year, and I think she's been very good

(01:42:17):
and she was excellent against Washington. I don't know if
she didn't miss a shot, but like I think like
Olsen is a solid passer, but she's not have Clark's
vision and like not have like the ability to get
Hannah Stulky the ball or Addison O'Grady the ball as
well this year, like in this same way down the
stretch of games, and I think, like Stulky, I thought
would have a larger like role or year than she

(01:42:40):
has had, and it feels like it's maybe I don't
know if it's because her and no grader on the
floor at the same time a lot, and like it
feels like the rhythm isn't quite there in the same
way it was even without Caitlin Clark being the reason
for that. I think Sidney Falters also won like she's
playing her role very well again, but I wasn't sure
if she would have like a high volume increase without Clark,

(01:43:00):
and she hasn't. I'm a huge Taylor McCabe enthusiast and
think they should continue to use her off the bench
because she's like the best shooter in the Big Ten.
Every year she does this, no matter what the volume is,
She's shooting like forty five percent from three, and they're
using her more now. I feel like they're getting her
involved in the ways they should, especially in that Washington

(01:43:20):
game and whatnot. I think, like I wouldn't overreact as
an Iowa fan despite going zero to five in that
stretch because they were all close losses against solid teams
you obviously want to win them, but I do. I
think that this team like should still make the tournament
and like has a lot of room to improve and
like has a lot of good pieces. I've also liked

(01:43:42):
some of the freshmen that they've brought in, like Taylor
Stremlo has had good moments, Eva Hayden's had good moments.
Like I think there's still a lot to be happy
about with Iowa, even with this recent stretch of tough losses.

Speaker 3 (01:43:54):
Yeah, I fully agree.

Speaker 1 (01:43:55):
I think, like you said, it's tough because as good
as Lucy is, like, I just I think that's where
I struggled with some of the stuff before conference play,
was like I just don't think it's fair to expect
her to come in and be the same level player. Yes,
I because, like you said, I think again with even
with Lucy, like she's not a like she's not even

(01:44:16):
close to the same level three points you need threat
where she's not really like I mean, she's a player
that you can kind of lay off of where she
really excels as more of like being able to come
off of a screen be a screen herself, like, And
it was fun watching how I always kind of worked
that into redefining their offense a little bit. But again,
like that takes like a lot of different stuff to
make that happen in order to get the ball like that,

(01:44:38):
I think it's a lot easier to keep the ball
out of her hands per se than it is with
keeping the ball out of Caitlin's hands. And I'm like,
no shit, I mean, she was just Rookie of the Year,
she was an All WNBA player, So I'm not trying
to make it like a comparison thing.

Speaker 3 (01:44:52):
I think it's just you see the difficulty.

Speaker 1 (01:44:55):
Of like, okay, when you have a really great roster
of role players and you don't necessarily have like the
same quite tier of star that is unlocking all that together,
and it shows and I will say the quick not
even quick fix, but like I don't understand at this
point starting stock you know, gready together and yeah, a
lot of it too is like yes, like ADDIE's playing

(01:45:17):
twenty minutes. It's not like she's playing the entire game.
But I think it's tough because Hannah has done so
much good stuff defensively at the four. Like I actually
think this team has been really solid defensively. It hasn't
been perfect, but I think you've seen a step up
just given different personnel this year.

Speaker 3 (01:45:34):
But I think you just see how cramped.

Speaker 1 (01:45:37):
It can be at times with the spacing on the
floor when she is at the four, because she's not
a comfortable three point shooter. She's made tremendous strides literally
and figuratively as a as a as a ball handler,
like attacking the basket, but she's not really super comfortable
yet in finishing herself as somebody attacking the basket. In
my opinion, people can disagree with that, but like, I

(01:45:59):
think that's where you see a lot of her turnovers
is when she's driving ends up being a charge or
a turnover. It's just like I think it's it's a
tough spot because it's similar to like sort of what
Delaya Daniels has gone through this year at Washington.

Speaker 3 (01:46:13):
To me, Delay Daniels is a five.

Speaker 1 (01:46:14):
I think she should be playing the five. I think
that's where she's best at. She's playing the four. In
this year's offense, she's been a high turnover player. She's
she's cutting it down now. She's starting to figure it
out and like learning more to play the four. But
that's part of the trade off. Like just because you're
athletically capable of playing the four, can see the floor
at the four it's different, Like you just feel different things,
You get guarded a little bit differently, the angles are different.

(01:46:37):
Like Hannah was so awesome as a rim runner and
doing things at the five because she's faster than five,
she has a little bit of shake with her handle,
and like she could take advantage of that. And I
think it's been a little bit harder this year because
when you're at the four, you just get loaded up
on differently. And so I still think Hannah's been very,
very good, but it's just it's part of the difficulty
of like that role change and figuring that out. But

(01:46:58):
what's been awesome, Like she's gonna to the line seven
times a game, and that's part of the aspect of
like you see her athleticism really popping, her ability to
attack really popping. I think it's just how do they
kind of keep merging those things. And to me, like
as much as I value what Addie can do as
a post up option, I still think in general, like
this team's bread and butter is by playing smaller hand

(01:47:20):
at the five and really trying to stay spaced out,
because I think anytime that they have more than one
player on the floor that isn't going to get guarded
as a shooter. That just kind of changes the offense fundamentally.
So not that that should be the end all be
all for everything, but I do think it's a pretty
big factor.

Speaker 2 (01:47:37):
I mentioned the freshman and then forgot to mention Aleah Geiten,
so I just want to be very good.

Speaker 3 (01:47:42):
I yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:47:42):
Aleah geiton has also very much impressed me in that
Nebraska game, especially down the stretch that she had fourteen
points in that game. They were like, I think she
took the shot, which it didn't go in, but like
she took the last shot for them with a chance
to win it in regulation, which told me a lot
of what they trust in Aaleah Geiten. I'm excited to
see her continue to get a larger role as well.

Speaker 3 (01:48:03):
H I yeah, I'm.

Speaker 2 (01:48:04):
With you with I think like I think as Noo
Gray's had a very solid year.

Speaker 3 (01:48:09):
She's shooting sixty six percent.

Speaker 2 (01:48:10):
It's not like I just think the fit doesn't fully work,
and I think that it would it could. I think
that their ceiling can be reached like higher with oh
Grady coming off the bench and Stolkey going back to
the five.

Speaker 1 (01:48:22):
I agree entirely well, Wyatt. Unfortunately we're not going to
catch the last thing. Five six teams left in the
big Sorry. I'm sorry to everyone. We would love to,
but I just don't have. I didn't bank on this
being three hours. I should have because we can talk
ball all the time. Is there anything you want to
plug or mention before we get out of here.

Speaker 3 (01:48:43):
I'll just plug Hoopla one more time and I recommend
it for everyone.

Speaker 1 (01:48:47):
Yeah, like down below.

Speaker 3 (01:48:49):
Once a week every Monday, just the big ten happenings.
It's free.

Speaker 2 (01:48:52):
All you have to do is go to hooplot out
substack dot com. But it's been you know, it's been
a fun year with the extra teams. Obviously they've given
us plenty more storylines, but also there's so much happening
at all times.

Speaker 1 (01:49:04):
So yeah, it's been amazing. Yeah, and also to everyone
who is watching this, I promise my dog is fine.
He was on that.

Speaker 3 (01:49:13):
You could see him on the back howling. He just
wants to play ball.

Speaker 1 (01:49:16):
It We literally we played ball for about thirty five
minutes in the freezing weather outside before hopping on Zoom
with Wyatt. So Moose is completely fine. He is just
trying to tricky you don't worry to everyone watching and listening.
Be sure to keep up with all things women's basketball,
Go tap, like, and subscribe down below. Keep up with
everything Why It's doing over on his website, and most importantly,

(01:49:37):
enjoy the rest of your day.

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