JJ took over a team coming off multiple 20 loss seasons and had them over .500, in overall record and in conference games, in his first year.

Holmen and Williams don't generate more stats because they don't start. They're role players. We don't rely on them for 10 points per game or 25 minutes on the floor, because nobody running the men's team took it upon themselves to spend the past two years running off everyone in sight.

They play when they're needed, and they both have critical roles. When they play, they produce.

Look, I'm not a member of the "Shanice Stephens sucks" brigade. I'm not one of the people saying she isn't cut out for the job, I'm not questioning the ability of her recruits.

But if you're trying to compare her to JJ based on freshman stats, you're out of your mind.

No, I'm just trying to make a point that in JJ's second year - he was 7-21.

None of the fanbase is riding JJ's freshman recruits the way they are so critical of SS recruits and the men don't have to produce the way SS has to rely on her freshman. And HONESTLY, the only 1 of the freshman Men recruits that has any type of production is Holmen and he is no where near Godbolt's production.

Why is this not relevant? Because - Women have to work twice as hard, to be half as good

Why is everyone so insistent that SS "ran people off"? The only credible player that left was EL. She is the only 1 that has any type of production and is at a JUCO. LMAO... Slinker is gone and so are her D2 recruits. Get over it.

The win/loss column is no indication of what this team is capable of doing. They are 18 yr olds playing against 22-23 yr old women. It's like matching Tramiel against Holmen - who do you take in that battle?

Let's see how the tide turns when MT, WKU & UALR have to face a team that has 4 yrs of game time experience playing together as a unit.

daReporta wrote:
No, I'm just trying to make a point that in JJ's second year - he was 7-21.

Why is this not relevant?

Because in his FIRST year, he was above .500.

In his first year, he didn't run off one of the all-time greatest players we've ever had just a few weeks before the SBC Tournament, and he didn't name someone else as the player of the year out of spite.

JJ wasn't hired over an experienced, proven, local commodity that even non Women's BB followers were at least vaguely familiar with, and (fair or not), JJ didn't have to coach under the cloud of comparison to what that other possible hire would/could have done in the same situation.

In his 2nd season, JJ's worst loss was by 26 points, on the road, to nationally ranked Indiana. His teams didn't set any all time records for defensive futility. He sure as hell didn't lose back-to-back conference games by 50+. His team didn't have multiple sub-45 point performances.

Again... I've got no problem with her getting a fair amount of time to try and make it work here... But until she actually does something, she ain't no JJ. They're both snappy dressers, but that doesn't make me feel any better about her prospects than JJ's 2nd season record does.

Well, we both agree on something... they both do dress well.

I don't know if you watched the WKU & MTSU games but, both teams pressed the ball even when they were winning by 60+. MTSU had their 4 Seniors & 1 Junior starter on the floor up until the last 4 minutes of the game. MTSU's All American player is 23 yrs old and has been playing college ball for 5 yrs. A very disappointing performance by our 2 leading scorers and lack of senior leadership in both games. Truly an indication that as amazing as Godbolt is, she's still a freshman when matched up against the best post players in the conference. I don't know how big losses like that can be blamed on a coach because her go-to player (BJ) failed to make an appearance in either 1 of those losses. When you depend on your leading scorers to produce at least 27 points between them and they give you less than half that - not the coach's fault. In Godbolt's case, inexperience is the blame - but what happened to BJ?

Coach Jones's first season was like salvation, it really was. We'd been sooooo bad to even have that .500 type of year was like a godsend. If I recall we got absolutely decimated by injuries in his 2nd year. After that he turned into a roughly .500 coach again until our current 20+ wins a year run started 4 seasons ago.

SS came in for Slinker, and had a rough first year. She's following it up with a horrendous 2nd year. I'm not ready to pull the plug(I wasn't even totally in the pull the plug on Dodge camp) because I really believe you need to give a coach 4 years to prove their worth. I hope some of these kids really show their potential next season. But this is beginning to remind me a bit of Trilli. Hell, Trilli even had a 75 point defeat to a natinal power on the road.

CMJ - I don't really think it's going to be bad at all. The freshman and soph's are very promising and we have a bit of an injury (illness) bug on top of all the other "what can go wrong, will go wrong" murphy's law type of year.

These young players have a great upside and being young has reared it's head on some inopportune moments.

Also, playing a very hard out of conference schedule backfired as I think the belief was that they would be competitive and prepared for the conference and it actually hurt some of the player's confidence levels (IMO).

Freshman

Godbolt - 18 yrs old. Dominant right (no left hand or ball handling skills at all). Can shoot from 15 feet in. Stays within her comfort zone (back to basket, on the block). Small for a post - but in SBC, size for position is OK. I see her as the starting 4/5 next year. Has to work on free throws because over the next 3 yrs, will be going to the line ALOT.

Cuffie - 18 yrs old. What scouts call a "big guard". Equally strong left or right. Nice stroke from behind the arc. Scores at will. Dribble drive & set shot look good. I see her fighting for the 2/3 or 4 spot next year. Needs to work on shooting off the dribble and defensive foot speed. Also needs to work on her free throws for the same reasons as Godbolt.

Brown - 18 yrs old. Solid pass-first guard that has really developed since the beginning of the season. Equally strong left of right. Good court vision and her confidence is building. I see her fighting for the 1 spot next year. Apparently (according to DRC), she has some maturity issues - I'm sure as she grows older, they can be overcome.

Hawkins - 18 yrs old. She has "the stroke". A legit shooting guard, equally strong left or right. Slow but steady. I see her as a role player until her Jr year at which point she will slide in comfortably at the 2. Foot speed and lack of "explosion" makes her too easy to guard.

Sophs
Hudson - almost 21. Explosive player that can score at will. Nice stroke, with the whole package (dribble drive, mid-range, behind the arc) a legit 2 guard. Prone to injury and foul trouble. I see her as the starting 2 next year.

Torru - 19 yrs old. Lock down defender. Has developed nicely since last year into a more confident scoring threat. Righty that is left hand dominant. Tough team-player. Has to be more consistent. I see her fighting for the 3 spot next year.

Juniors
Hughes - no age posted (I'll assume 22). Versatile player that can play comfortably inside or out. Could have been a good 4 this year, just seems to "light in the behind" to bang down low. Has to be more consistent as a contributor on the team. Hard to set a game plan when you don't know if you're starter is going to give you 19 points or 3 points. I see her fighting for the 3/4 spot next year.

Kellum - almost 21. Same as Hudson except I see the edge for the 3 spot going to Kellum (over Hughes & Torru). Has to work on consistency as well.

Burwell - 22 yrs old. Nice touch 4-8 feet from the basket. Will be a back up 5 as well next year due to lack of defense, lack of intensity and lack of aggressiveness.