Wichita State WBB - Miscellaneous

[1972Shocker]

Are the four Illinois schools that bad? Just perusing their records and scores it seems like other than SIU they are getting clobbered on a routine basis. ISU hasn't won a game. BU's only win was against Missouri, who doesn't look bad, making that one a head-scratcher.

Then I look at Drake, who is sitting 4-0 in conference (though they've only played the aforementioned IL schools, all blowouts) and being led by two sophs and two frosh. Are they that good? If so, they're going to be beasts for the next couple of years.

Drake is missing reigning Valley POY, Kyndal Clark, who is out for the season with a knee injury sustained in the season opener. Have not heard whether she will come back for her final year of eligibility next year or not. My guess is she will.

Drake struggled for a couple of games after Clark went down but have regrouped behind Sophomore Lizzy Wendell who is a terrific player, better than Clark in my opinion, and is averaging 22 points per game. Sophomore Caitlin Ingle is also another very fine player averaging in double figures at 12.3 ppg. 6-2 Freshman Becca Jones is averaging 12.3 ppg and 7.6 rpg and has been named Valley newcomer of the week three times already this year. 5-9 Freshman Maddy Dean is averaging 11.3 ppg although only hitting 29% of her treys.

Drake has played a SOS of 185 vs a SOS of 75 for the Shocks. Also they have opened Valley play with wins over Bradley, Loyola, Illinois State and Southern Illinois. Which may end up being the 4 play-in teams this year although SIU is improved. Nevertheless, the Shocker game with Drake will be a very interesting clash of styles. A Defensive oriented Shocker team vs the high scoring Drake team.

If Drake still had Kyndal Clark they would be a very strong contender form a Valley title this year and they still might be. Wendell is good enough to carry a team.

But I think you are right. Drake looks like they could be very good for the next couple of years. Missouri State is improving as well and I think only has 1 senior on this year's team. UNI will be pretty strong next year as well. I'm thinking those will be the teams to beat next year.

[1972Shocker]

Okay, IIRC Jody said they had a goal of signing 3 players this spring, most likely JuCo players, and that they would most likely be guards. I was curious if anyone has heard anything about whether they are looking at any of the Butler County players.

Butler has a couple of players that could be possibilities. One is Ashley Gibson, a 5-10 Soph. guard out of Edmond, OK. She is averaging 20.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 2.6 Steals per game so far this year. She is shooting 59% from the field which may indicate she gets to the basket a lot. She is also shooting 76.7% from the FT line. She does not take very many 3-pointers although her bio says she hit 42.2% of her 3-pointers in high school. Not sure if Ashley and Alie know each other although they did attend different high schools in Edmond.

Another Soph. Guard at Butler is 5-8 Katie Palmer out of Wichita Heights. Katie went to Missouri State out of high school but left the program at the end of last year reportedly due to academic issues. Whether or not she would have any academic eligibility problems at this point I do not know. In fact, I am not sure how accurate the reported reason for her leaving is. Katie is averaging 11.8 PPG while shooting 42.9% from the field (40.3% on treys) and 75.0% from the FT line with 3.6 RPG and 1.5 Steals per game.

Just a couple of guards that caught my eye as potential recruits.

[1972Shocker]

Hutch Juco is something like 19-0 as well so they must have a little talent on that team is well. I wonder if @RoyalShock: has any knowledge of players that might be of interest on that Blue Dragon team.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

Hutch Juco is something like 19-0 as well so they must have a little talent on that team is well. I wonder if @RoyalShock: has any knowledge of players that might be of interest on that Blue Dragon team.

I was passing through Kansas City late summer to early fall and stopped in on a Community College showcase. Loads of teams there. I saw WSU's coach Crawford there taking notes. I'm sure they search the countryside for suitable recruits. Jody isn't keen on a big down low post player and has said so on her radio show. She likes athletes who want to play hard and learn the Shocker way. i'm confident we'll have a full team next year, but the three seniors will be hard to replace.

[RoyalShock]

Hutch Juco is something like 19-0 as well so they must have a little talent on that team is well. I wonder if @RoyalShock has any knowledge of players that might be of interest on that Blue Dragon team.

I have not seen her play, but Kalani Purcell is the star for the Blue Dragons. She's a 6'2 sophomore forward from New Zealand averaging 18.2 points, 11 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 3.5 steals, 3.0 turnovers and 1.1 blocks in just under 29 minutes per game. As you might expect from an undefeated, #1 team they have blown out a number of opponents. She averages right at two fouls per game.

She shoots nearly 60% from the field and 73.6% from the line.

HCC's average MOV in conference games is 41.1 points. If you remove the Seward game (1-point win), it's 46.1 points. They've won 10 games this season by 40+. Five games by 50+. Only two games have been decided by single digits, and one of those was by nine. It's safe to say they've dominated.

HCC season stats

[WuDrWu]

UCONN?

[RoyalShock]

Here's a piece KWCH did on Kalani in December:

http://www.kwch.com/sports/kalani-purcell-is-making-her-mark-on-the-hutchinson-blue-dragons/30421348

She originally signed to play at BYU out of high school. A quick glance at her twitter account revealed this:

Dan Nielson @Dan:_nielson · Jan 28
Love seeing future @byuwbb player @kalanipurcell hit clutch FTs to win her game tonight!! We have some special players in our future. #BYU

Dan Nielson is an assistant coach at BYU.

[1972Shocker]

Nice honor for Kelsey Jacobs.

http://www.goshockers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=209877637&DB_OEM_ID=7500

Congrats to a very, very fine young lady.

[1972Shocker]

The Valley women can now "boast" of having 3 teams with RPI's > 300. Illinois State (313), Loyola (314) and Bradley (322). I wonder if that has ever happened before.

Makes it almost impossible for any of the other Valley teams to produce an NCAA at-large worthy RPI when you have 6 games locked in against those 3 teams.

[mumdaddy316]

Heard from an assitant coach today that there are 3 lady recruits in town and are currently playing pickup with our shocker ladies. Excited to hear coach jody and staff are out trying to get more depth and remain competitive.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

Heard from an assitant coach today that there are 3 lady recruits in town and are currently playing pickup with our shocker ladies. Excited to hear coach jody and staff are out trying to get more depth and remain competitive.

Not to be a wet blanket, but if we're looking at players now, probably JUCO transfers, they have some issues, or are average players that weren't getting many looks. Hopefully I'm dead wrong. I don't think high school kids visit and play pickup in the Spring, but maybe. I believe we're in a major rebuilding time; I hope I'm totally wrong.

[mumdaddy316]

Hope thats not the case,would like to see us get some great shooters and add some bigs with size. Want to be able to stay an remain competitive.