Pac 12 Preview: Arizona
Last Season:
The Arizona Wildcats went 10-20 overall and 3-15 in Pac 12 play. Of course they did beat Stanford.
The Coaches:
Niya Butts returns for her 8th season as the Head Coach. She is averaging 11 wins a season.
EC Hill returns for her 5th season. Calamity McEntire returns for her 4th season. Sean LaBeauf returns for his 3nd season.
Losses:
Only two loses although leading scorer Candice Warthen is one of them. Candice led the team in scoring, steals and assists, averaging 13 points per game. She was close to being the leading rebounder also.
Alli Gloyd started every game and averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds.
Additions:
A’Shanti Coleman is a 6-2 Post player from San Francisco. Coleman averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds for a very good Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep team.
Destiny Graham is a 6-3 Post player from East Palo Alto. Graham averaged 16 points and 14 rebounds for another good Bay Area team, Eastside Prep.
Eugenie Simonet-Keller is a 6-8 Post player from France. Yes 6-8 and the tallest French woman of her generation. She has played on three French National teams at various ages. She actually attended High School in Florida.
Michal Miller is a 5-7 Guard from Michigan City, Indiana. Miller averaged 25 points and 4 assists last year.
The four High School recruits could be the best class Butts has recruited.
But there are more:
Lauren Evans is a 5-11 Sr Guard who transferred from VA Tech and sat out last season. As a Soph at Va Tech Evans started all but two games averaging 5 points. As a Jr at Va Tech Lauren was reduced to no starts and 2 points per game.
Taryn Griffey is a 5-7 redshirt Frosh who missed not just last year but her Jr and Sr years in HS with injuries. Still a highly recruited player for the Butts era at Arizona.
Ferrin Bell is a 6-0 RS Jr Guard who transferred from SMU two years ago but sat out again last year except for 2 games. As a Frosh at SMU she started 9 games and averaged 3.4 points.
So while this incoming frosh class is ranked # 46 the additions of Evans, Griffey and Bell make the newcomers class very good.
The Schedule:
The Wildcats will play 12 non league games with the toughest being Kansas and University of San Diego. Thus not a tough schedule. Last year the Wildcats were 7-5 in non- league games.
The Team:
The Wildcats return after Warthen their top four scorers, however they averaged a total of just 27 points per game. The Wildcats scored only 58 points per game so scoring improvement is a must.
LaBrittany Jones is a 6-1 Jr Forward who averaged 9 points and 6 rebounds per game.
Malena Washington is a 5-6 Jr Guard who averaged 7 points per game and was 2nd on the team in assists, but just 2 per game.
Charise Holloway is a 5-9 Soph Guard who averaged 7 points per game and is their top returning three point shooter, but she made only 26 at 25%.
Keyahndra Cannon is a 5-9 Sr Guard who averaged 5 points per game.
JaLea Bennett is a 6-0 Soph wing who averaged 4 points per game.
Breanna Workman is a 6-1 Jr Forward who averaged 4 points and 4 rebounds per game.
Dejza James is a 6-1 Jr Forward who averaged 4 points and 3 rebounds per game.
Cherice Harris is a 5-8 Soph Guard who played just a few games last season.
It’s very possible much of the playing time will go to newcomers. Butts has a full squad of 15 and no one transferred out, a rarity recently.
Predictions:
With so many newcomers it’s hard to predict but the incoming players could be good right off the bat. Still it looks look the Wildcats will remain a last four in the Pac 12 team.
2016 Recruiting:
No commits yet but 15 on the team and only 2 SRs therefore only 2 openings.
August 27, 2015
August 20, 2015
Well it’s getting closer to the season. School has started at several Pac 12 schools and with 11 teams to preview it’s time to start.
Pac 12 Preview: Colorado
Last Season:
15-17 overall and 6-12 in Pac 12 Play
The Coaches:
Linda Lappe is in her 6th season as the Head Coach and last year was her first to miss post season. Colorado went to 3 WNITs and one NCAA in her first 4 years. Lappe is a former Colorado Team Captain.
Julian Assibey is in his first year as an assistant, but 2nd year on the staff.
Former Stanford and Texas great Jamie Carey is in her 2nd year as an assistant.
Kelly Rae Finley is in her 4th year as an assistant after 4 years at Harvard.
Losses:
Arielle Roberson missed last season with a knee injury but decided not to play her 5th year at Colorado and instead will play her Grad year at West Virginia. Two years ago Roberson averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds.
Lexy Kresl was the # 3 scorer at 12 points per game and led the team in assists. Lexy also led the team in three pointers.
Jen Reese averaged 13 points and 7 rebounds both 2nd on the team. A big loss.
Jasmine Sborov started every game and averaged 6 points.
The loss of 3 starters plus a presumed 4th if healthy is huge.
Additions:
Monica Burich is a 6-2 Frosh Forward who averaged 19 points and 9 rebounds last season for her HS. Burich was ranked # 117 in HS.
Makenzie Ellis is a 6-2 Frosh Forward who averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds as a HS Jr but missed last season with a knee injury. Ellis was born in San Mateo.
Ariana Freeman is 5-9 Soph transfer from Louisville, who will redshirt this season. Freeman scored 18 points per game her last two years in HS and saw minimal play at Louisville. She was ranked # 15 in the US as a HS Soph.
Kennedy Leonard is a 5-8 Frosh Guard, ranked 42th in the US last year in HS.
Alexis Robinson is a 5-10 Frosh Guard who averaged 15 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists last season in HS. Robinson was ranked # 91 in the US.
The Schedule:
The Buffs play at Kentucky and play Missouri at home. In a tournament at home they could play Florida. The other games are more mid majors. Colorado plays the LA schools at home and the Arizona schools in Arizona
The Team:
Zoe Correal is a 6-4 Soph Post who played 9 minutes a game averaging 2 points and 2 rebounds. She will get a lot more action this season.
Jamee Swan is a 6-2 Sr Post who will start and my guess with Correal. Swan averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds and led the team in both those categories. Swan was Honorable Mention All Pac 12 last season.
Haley Smith is a 6-1 Jr Wing who started every game last season averaging 9 points and 5 rebounds.
Lauren Huggins is a 6-2 Jr Wing who played every game averaging 19 minutes and 5 points per game. Huggins had 43 threes, 2nd on the team and shot 38 % from three.
Becca Thomas is a 5-5 Soph Point Guard who played in every game averaging 3 points.
Zoe Beard-Falls is a 6-1 Jr Forward who averaged 3.5 points and 3 rebounds last season.
Alina Hartmann is a 6-0 Soph Wing who averaged 2.5 points last season. Hartmann is from Germany
Bri Watts is a 6-2 Jr Post who didn’t play much last season and sat out her Frosh year.
With only three players returning with much playing time in their careers look for the four frosh to contribute early and often.
Predictions:
It will be hard to duplicate last year’s Pac 12 record. I see Colorado as a last four team in the league. But if the Frosh and young players develop, the team will improve and with Swan the only Sr the outlook is better.
2016 Recruiting:
Bria Rice a 5-8 Guard from Washington, not top 100
Anika Jank a 6-3 Post from Minnesota also not top 100.
Pac 12 Preview: Colorado
Last Season:
15-17 overall and 6-12 in Pac 12 Play
The Coaches:
Linda Lappe is in her 6th season as the Head Coach and last year was her first to miss post season. Colorado went to 3 WNITs and one NCAA in her first 4 years. Lappe is a former Colorado Team Captain.
Julian Assibey is in his first year as an assistant, but 2nd year on the staff.
Former Stanford and Texas great Jamie Carey is in her 2nd year as an assistant.
Kelly Rae Finley is in her 4th year as an assistant after 4 years at Harvard.
Losses:
Arielle Roberson missed last season with a knee injury but decided not to play her 5th year at Colorado and instead will play her Grad year at West Virginia. Two years ago Roberson averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds.
Lexy Kresl was the # 3 scorer at 12 points per game and led the team in assists. Lexy also led the team in three pointers.
Jen Reese averaged 13 points and 7 rebounds both 2nd on the team. A big loss.
Jasmine Sborov started every game and averaged 6 points.
The loss of 3 starters plus a presumed 4th if healthy is huge.
Additions:
Monica Burich is a 6-2 Frosh Forward who averaged 19 points and 9 rebounds last season for her HS. Burich was ranked # 117 in HS.
Makenzie Ellis is a 6-2 Frosh Forward who averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds as a HS Jr but missed last season with a knee injury. Ellis was born in San Mateo.
Ariana Freeman is 5-9 Soph transfer from Louisville, who will redshirt this season. Freeman scored 18 points per game her last two years in HS and saw minimal play at Louisville. She was ranked # 15 in the US as a HS Soph.
Kennedy Leonard is a 5-8 Frosh Guard, ranked 42th in the US last year in HS.
Alexis Robinson is a 5-10 Frosh Guard who averaged 15 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists last season in HS. Robinson was ranked # 91 in the US.
The Schedule:
The Buffs play at Kentucky and play Missouri at home. In a tournament at home they could play Florida. The other games are more mid majors. Colorado plays the LA schools at home and the Arizona schools in Arizona
The Team:
Zoe Correal is a 6-4 Soph Post who played 9 minutes a game averaging 2 points and 2 rebounds. She will get a lot more action this season.
Jamee Swan is a 6-2 Sr Post who will start and my guess with Correal. Swan averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds and led the team in both those categories. Swan was Honorable Mention All Pac 12 last season.
Haley Smith is a 6-1 Jr Wing who started every game last season averaging 9 points and 5 rebounds.
Lauren Huggins is a 6-2 Jr Wing who played every game averaging 19 minutes and 5 points per game. Huggins had 43 threes, 2nd on the team and shot 38 % from three.
Becca Thomas is a 5-5 Soph Point Guard who played in every game averaging 3 points.
Zoe Beard-Falls is a 6-1 Jr Forward who averaged 3.5 points and 3 rebounds last season.
Alina Hartmann is a 6-0 Soph Wing who averaged 2.5 points last season. Hartmann is from Germany
Bri Watts is a 6-2 Jr Post who didn’t play much last season and sat out her Frosh year.
With only three players returning with much playing time in their careers look for the four frosh to contribute early and often.
Predictions:
It will be hard to duplicate last year’s Pac 12 record. I see Colorado as a last four team in the league. But if the Frosh and young players develop, the team will improve and with Swan the only Sr the outlook is better.
2016 Recruiting:
Bria Rice a 5-8 Guard from Washington, not top 100
Anika Jank a 6-3 Post from Minnesota also not top 100.
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