12 Preview: Colorado
Last Season: Colorado went 7-23 last season and 2-16 in the conference which caused the dismissal of the coaching staff.
The Coaches: Head Coach JR Payne will be in her first year at Colorado after two seasons at Santa Clara. Last season Payne led Santa Clara to its first winning season in 8 seasons and finished 23-9. JR, no periods, and real name Ali-Marie, is a graduate of St Mary’s where she played for now Oregon coach Kelly Graves. Her first coaching job was at age 23 for Graves when he started at Gonzaga.
Shandrika Lee is in her first season as an assistant at Colorado after coaching for Payne at Santa Clara. Lee is a graduate of Pepperdine and has coached at Oregon.
Toriano Towns is also in his first year and also coached with Payne at Santa Clara. Towns coached at Gonzaga with Payne and later at Arizona where he was the Post coach for the great, late Polk.
Jeff Cammon is in his first year at Colorado. Jeff coached at Cal the past two seasons and before that Long Beach State.
Alex Earl is the new Director of Player Development, a new position. Alex was an assistant with Payne this past season at Santa Clara and played for years at ASU graduating in 2013. Alex was a HS teammate of JJ Hones on a team where all five starters player Division 1 basketball.
Losses: Jamie Swan graduated as the leading scorer and rebounding averaging 13 points and 7 rebounds, so a big loss. But that’s the only loss for the Buffs.
Additions: Quinessa Caylao-Do is a 5-8 Frosh Guard from Tacoma.
Monica Burich is a 6-2 Redshirt Frosh Forward from Roseville, MN. Monica was ranked just outside the top 100 out of HS.
Eleanor Jones is a 6-2 Frosh Post player from England, ranked as the # 9 foreign recruit for this class.
The Schedule: Non-conference games include only Kentucky and North Dakota State and others less formidable. Also all the pre-season games are at home except for three and one of those is within Colorado. Of course given a new coach and a team that won just 7 games last season, this is appropriate. The Buffs play USC and UCLA only in LA, and ASU and Arizona only at home.
The Team:
Kennedy Leonard is a 5-8 Soph Guard who averaged 12 points and almost 5 assists per game last season. Kennedy started all but one game for the Buffs and hit 43 threes although at 31%.
Alexis Robinson is a 5-10 Soph Guard who averaged 7 points and started most games.
Haley Smith is a 6-1 Sr Wing who started all but one game averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds, 2nd on the team in both stats. Haley shot 46% from the floor.
Lauren Huggins is a 6-2 Sr Forward who is one of four returnees like the others mentioned above who averaged at least 26 minutes per game. Huggins averaged 7 points and made 49 threes at 36%. However she only got to the free throw line 8 times.
Zoe Beard-Falls is a 6-1 Sr Forward who averaged 4 points in 12 minutes.
Zoe Correll is a 6-4 Jr Post form San Francisco who averaged 2 points and had 3 rebounds in 15 minutes per game.
Bri Watts is a 6-2 Sr Post who didn’t play much but could add depth at the Post position.
Becca Thomas is a 5-5 Jr Guard who averaged 3 points in 19 minutes.
Makenzie Ellis is a 6-2 Soph Forward who averaged 3 points in 16 minutes.
Ariana Freeman is 5-9 redshirt Soph who played as a Frosh at Louisville and then sat out last season after transferring. Freeman didn’t play much at Louisville but was a top 100-120 player out of HS.
Newcomers Monica Burich and Eleanor Jones listed under additions will be counted on to provide rebounding and height.
Predictions: Two excellent young Guards and two tall wings that can score however after that not much depth. Rebounding and Defense are weaknesses as they start play. Payne is an excellent coach however so Colorado will be a team that improves.
2017 Recruiting: Annika Jank is a 6-3 three star Post from MN
August 29, 2016
August 22, 2016
Pac 12 Preview: UCLA
Pac 12 Preview: UCLA
Last Season: UCLA was 26-9 last season and 14-4 in conference play. The Bruins lost in the Pac 12 Tournament final after winning their first two games. Then they won their first two NCAA games before losing in the Sweet 16 to Texas.
The Coaches: Cori Close is in her 6th season as the Head Coach. Close has 98 wins in her 5 seasons. She went to HS in the San Jose area.
Jenny Huth joined the Bruins with Close, so now in her 6th year also.
Shannon Perry is in her 6th year like Close and Huth and coached at Duke for 5 seasons.
Tony Newnan like the others is in his 6th season. Thus the entire staff together from the first season Close coached at UCLA.
Losses:
Nirra Fields averaged 15 points per game # 2 on the team.
Kacy Swain was the # 5 scorer at almost 7 points per game and the # 2 rebounder at 7 per game.
Additions:
Nicole Kornet is a 6-1, 5th year guard who transferred a year ago from Oklahoma and can now play. At Oklahoma she had 22 starts over her 3 years and averaged about 5 points per game. Nicole is a good three point shooter and was ranked as high as 19 out of HS.
Lindsey Corsaro is a 6-1 Frosh Wing ranked # 15 out of HS. Lindsey originally committed to Kentucky, then de committed when players transferred from Kentucky.
Ali Rosenblum is a 6-4 Frosh Post ranked # 47 out of HS. Ali is from the great Mater Dei program in Southern California.
The Schedule: The Bruins play only at Stanford and Cal and play Colorado and Utah only at home. Their non-conference schedule includes games at Baylor and at South Carolina. Two very tough games for sure. However the rest of schedule is easier with Iowa and Michigan at home being the toughest.
The Team: Jordan Canada is a 5-6 Jr Point Guard who led the team in scoring at 16 points per game. Canada averaged 5.7 assists per game with a 1.8:1 assist to turnover ratio. Canada is one of the top players in the country.
Monique Billings is a 6-4 Jr Post. Last season Billings averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds per game. She also led the team in blocks and here’s a great stat for a post, she was 3rd on the team in steals. Billings was rated as high as # 17 out of HS.
Kari Korver is a 5-9 Sr Guard who started every game last season and averaged 8 points per game. Kori not only led the team in threes with 67 but that was almost half the team total. Kori made 36% of her three attempts. Her brother has played 11 years in the NBA.
Lajahna Drummer is a 6-1 JR Forward who averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds last season. Drummer didn’t start many games but tied for 5th in minutes per game.
Kennedy Burke is a 6-1 Soph Wing. Last season Burke averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds. Burke was ranked as high as # 16 out of HS.
The five above should be the starters, however UCLA is loaded with depth.
Kelli Hayes is a 6-0 Jr Guard who averaged 4 points in 20 minutes per game. Kelli is from Mitty HS and was ranked as high as 26.
Ashley Hearn is 6-4 Soph 4/5. She was limited by injured and didn’t play much as a Frosh. However Ashley was ranked as high as # 12 out of HS.
Paulina Hersler is a 6-3 Jr Forward. Last season Paulina averaged 2 points and almost 2 rebounds in 10 minutes per game.
The three additions will see a lot of playing time. UCLA is playing several games in Australia right now and Kornet had an excellent first game. Drummer and Corsaro are out injured, but Frosh Rosenblum also had a fine game.
Predictions: The Bruins are a talented and deep team and will contend for the Pac 12 title and expect to go deep in the NCAA tournament.
2017 Recruiting:
Alexis Morris a 5-6 PG from Texas ranked # 5 overall
Lauryn Miller a 6-2 Forward from Missouri ranked # 15 overall
Kayla Owens a 6-2 Forward from Texas ranked # 53 overall
A great class thus far, certainly tops in the Pac 12 and possibly second only to UConn at this point.
Last Season: UCLA was 26-9 last season and 14-4 in conference play. The Bruins lost in the Pac 12 Tournament final after winning their first two games. Then they won their first two NCAA games before losing in the Sweet 16 to Texas.
The Coaches: Cori Close is in her 6th season as the Head Coach. Close has 98 wins in her 5 seasons. She went to HS in the San Jose area.
Jenny Huth joined the Bruins with Close, so now in her 6th year also.
Shannon Perry is in her 6th year like Close and Huth and coached at Duke for 5 seasons.
Tony Newnan like the others is in his 6th season. Thus the entire staff together from the first season Close coached at UCLA.
Losses:
Nirra Fields averaged 15 points per game # 2 on the team.
Kacy Swain was the # 5 scorer at almost 7 points per game and the # 2 rebounder at 7 per game.
Additions:
Nicole Kornet is a 6-1, 5th year guard who transferred a year ago from Oklahoma and can now play. At Oklahoma she had 22 starts over her 3 years and averaged about 5 points per game. Nicole is a good three point shooter and was ranked as high as 19 out of HS.
Lindsey Corsaro is a 6-1 Frosh Wing ranked # 15 out of HS. Lindsey originally committed to Kentucky, then de committed when players transferred from Kentucky.
Ali Rosenblum is a 6-4 Frosh Post ranked # 47 out of HS. Ali is from the great Mater Dei program in Southern California.
The Schedule: The Bruins play only at Stanford and Cal and play Colorado and Utah only at home. Their non-conference schedule includes games at Baylor and at South Carolina. Two very tough games for sure. However the rest of schedule is easier with Iowa and Michigan at home being the toughest.
The Team: Jordan Canada is a 5-6 Jr Point Guard who led the team in scoring at 16 points per game. Canada averaged 5.7 assists per game with a 1.8:1 assist to turnover ratio. Canada is one of the top players in the country.
Monique Billings is a 6-4 Jr Post. Last season Billings averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds per game. She also led the team in blocks and here’s a great stat for a post, she was 3rd on the team in steals. Billings was rated as high as # 17 out of HS.
Kari Korver is a 5-9 Sr Guard who started every game last season and averaged 8 points per game. Kori not only led the team in threes with 67 but that was almost half the team total. Kori made 36% of her three attempts. Her brother has played 11 years in the NBA.
Lajahna Drummer is a 6-1 JR Forward who averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds last season. Drummer didn’t start many games but tied for 5th in minutes per game.
Kennedy Burke is a 6-1 Soph Wing. Last season Burke averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds. Burke was ranked as high as # 16 out of HS.
The five above should be the starters, however UCLA is loaded with depth.
Kelli Hayes is a 6-0 Jr Guard who averaged 4 points in 20 minutes per game. Kelli is from Mitty HS and was ranked as high as 26.
Ashley Hearn is 6-4 Soph 4/5. She was limited by injured and didn’t play much as a Frosh. However Ashley was ranked as high as # 12 out of HS.
Paulina Hersler is a 6-3 Jr Forward. Last season Paulina averaged 2 points and almost 2 rebounds in 10 minutes per game.
The three additions will see a lot of playing time. UCLA is playing several games in Australia right now and Kornet had an excellent first game. Drummer and Corsaro are out injured, but Frosh Rosenblum also had a fine game.
Predictions: The Bruins are a talented and deep team and will contend for the Pac 12 title and expect to go deep in the NCAA tournament.
2017 Recruiting:
Alexis Morris a 5-6 PG from Texas ranked # 5 overall
Lauryn Miller a 6-2 Forward from Missouri ranked # 15 overall
Kayla Owens a 6-2 Forward from Texas ranked # 53 overall
A great class thus far, certainly tops in the Pac 12 and possibly second only to UConn at this point.
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