This wasn’t about earning playing time, it would’ve been about MM selfishly planning for the future and getting the young players more PT whenever she could.

Teams don’t lose their entire starting five all at once that often.

Unless you are there. However, MM generally favors a short bench so I think it's just going to be how it is. However, I do think an opportunity was lost not to develop Nixon more. There were plenty of comfortable wins this year where she could have seen more meaningful time.

MM is a great coach. Over 900 wins and 2 NC's proves that.

...However, there is some things I wish she would change. Sometimes the
way she recruits can make fans nervous. Recruit to the limit and so what
if that causes a transfer. Worry about that when the time comes. Be up
front with all your recruits on your style and use of the bench and why
recruiting to the limit. If you recruit TEAM players, you still will
not have as many transfers. You could also have almost two full groups
to rotate.

...She is very particular the way she uses a bench or not use a bench.
I think that may have hurt her this year. Dani, Mik and Danielle should
have gotten more playing time, and I do not mean garbage time either.
There has been a lot negative comments about Dani over her first 2 years.
Thinks to much, not quick enough, does not know the offense. How is
she going to learn if she does not get quality time during the game and
not just at the end. Danielle never got any quality time at all. There are
many times Mik did not get the quality time she needed.

...Knowing we were losing all our starting post this year. Those 3 players
should have received more playing time to develop their skills. It is not
like we did not have any game in control by half time.

...I have been very clear on this board on my feelings of NY and Philly
players. They are tough and full of pride and determination. They will
not quit or give in. Along with Jordan, I think the best is yet to come
with those 3 players. There are times this year that all 3 showed us why
they were recruited.

...I would not be surprised if these 4 players did not spend a lot of
the off season together in making themselves better. I have confidence
and faith in these 4 players. They were all in tough situations and all
fighting injuries.

...Do not give up on these players. They deserve our loyalty just like
their loyalty to the school and us.

...A couple good grad transfers will again make this a tough team to
beat. That is the approach the coaching staff will take.

Thanks

SEG/Chief

I agree this could be a interesting year coming up. However, we all need to be realistic. 19-20 wins might be the best this team can do. With no seniors to lead the young players will have to find their way. If this team makes the sweet 16 it will be a major accomplishment with what is coming back. If you get some good transfers that might change somewhat.
Next year is the definition of a rebuild.

Just once (18 wins in 2005-06) and has had just 20 wins 2 more times (2001-02 and 2006-07). The last time she didn't have 30 wins was 2009-10 (29 wins that season, but 22 the year before that). In her ND career she's failed to hit 20 wins 3 times and had 3 seasons with exactly 20 wins.

Breakdown, number of times for number of wins in a season:

37: 1
36: 1
35: 4
34: 1
33: 2
21: 2
29: 1
27: 2
29: 1
27: 2
26: 1
25: 1
23: 3
22: 3
21: 4
20: 3
18: 1
15: 1
14: 1

I am a big fan. Have been all my 62 on this planet. My reality every year
and every team I follow is we can and will win it all. Until the record
and schedule shows there is no chance. I will not change.

...I stand by the current team that they will have a great season. They
will win. They do need their fans to support and believe in them. What
do we as fans have to lose in believing that this is the best team on
on the planet. Will we go to jail - No, will we be fined - no, will
be banished from the university for ever - no, will we cause the team -
to lose- no. So why not believe this team will win it all?

...I have been a big fan of my favorite teams all my life win or lose.
Even when I transferred around the world. I never changed who my
favorite teams were and are. My favorite teams are the same ones I had
back in the early 60's. I always felt they would all win the title.

...I was a fan of the 76ers when they only won 9 games. A fan of the
flyers when they came into hockey. A fan of the Jets when they were
the Titans. A fan of the Phillies when they could not find theit way
out of last place, even if the league never showed up to play. I also
was a fan of the Irish even though I grew up in Nittany Lion Country.

...My reality is this team will win and make us proud. Hopefully we
can get some good transfers to augment this very young team.

...Trust me on this last point. A leader will show up out of the blue.
Always happens when everything is against a team. That special person
is willing to step forward and be the leader. I have faith in this
process and this team.

SEG/Chief

for you to be this wonderfully devoted. I think most people are just as big a fan as you are on this blog. However, dealing in reality is not being a bad fan. Sometimes its fun to watch a group develop as these girls will. The fact is the talent is not the same and expectations should not be unrealistic.

My big sport was football. A sport is a sport in many ways. Losing for
example. I know what it is like to lose 50-10. I also know what it feels
like when you lose the way our girls did in the championship game. We were
losing with seconds to go and time for one play. Our QB hit our WR in the
end zone for the winning score, we thought. We were jumping and screaming
and having a good time. Until one of the officials (not the primary on
that call), ruled the pass incomplete. Said his foot was out. We all saw his
foot in bounds. No video replay in 1973. So we lost.

...The point of the story is similar what Arike and the ND BB team went
through. You will not feel a more harsh pain in sports than losing a game
you thought you won. Arike and the women to me are still champs. They won
the game. Just did not have the highest score.

...They did not lose 4 games. There were 4 games that the other team
scored more points. That does not make them the best or better team.

...This team were pure warriors and champions. I would take them any
time to compete for a title.

...We will be a better team next year because of this game. First of
all. We always have to have a revenge game. It is written in our
rules book. But most important. The players coming back next year are
not going to want and go through this type of pain again.

SEG/Chief

But I think she had so many nagging little injuries, including a larger concussion, that kept keeping her out, and that moved Abby up ahead of her. Hopefully that will change with practice over the summer and fall.