"What? Us Worry?" To Paraphrase Mad Magazine

If one was to look at our update for 2020, you'd see a lot of "COMMITTED TO someone else." And a lot of times, that name is Oregon.

- As Orangutan has pointed out, Ionescu, Graves & Company have made Eugene a fun, exciting place to come play and watch offense-oriented hoops. Plus, Graves has a reputation as a player-friendly coach (not that he's soft, but we're not talking MM or Geno.)

- So is it time to panic? Well, we've got two darn good players in Alli Campbell and Nat Marshall. Let's not forget that Nat is 6'5" and will only get stronger. And Alli is a 6' guard....nice.

- We've got a lot of young guards on the roster: Anaya Peoples, Katlyn Gilbert, Abby Prohaska, Jordan Nixon and two vets to help them out.

- And Nixon, who admittedly had a tough frosh year, is still good enough to have overcome really tough competition and make the U.S. National Team, as did -- cymbal please -- Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. Someone thinks she's got talent.

- So, while I'd still love to get Caitlin Clark, we'll hopefully see Jordan improve markedly this season, helped by Marta Sniezek. And hopefully, either Deja Kelly or Caitlin Clark will be coming in 2020.

- But, if Jordan improves, she's got two more years after that. Anaya and Katlyn could spell her in 2020-21. And there's a heck of a lot of good point guards in that class, too: Olivia Miles (another Philly Belle product) and Ari Wiggins (from Heritage Christian).

- My biggest concern right now is hoping we've got some bigs lined up, now that Watson is left-coast bound, too. Maybe the staff will look at Jayla Kelly, the 6'3" post from St. Louis. Not highly rated, but supposed to be a banger.

- So, let's split the difference and go hard after Maddy Westbeld. Even though she's more of a wing than her sister, she's 6'2" and will assuredly do what it takes.

Not to be a downer, but

has anyone seen any evidence that either we are after Westbeld or Westbeld is interested?

Westbeld

I was thinking the same thing. We are making the same mistakes in
recruiting we did a few years ago when we ended up getting Mik and Dani.
As greagt as MM is. We need to make adjustments to stay where we are. If we
do not get another post until next year in recruiting. That will be 1 post
player inn 3 years. That is not going to work.

Without question, we have to get Fudd next year.

SEG/Chief

She did visit ND with her parents for a game In December and

wore an ND sweatshirt that evening. We know that Kathryn had a positive experience at ND.

During that visit

Kat and Maddy's mom seemed to applaud enthusiastically when the ND coaches entered the arena. Hopefully the parents have a good feeling about ND and value the education their daughter received.

Also Posted/transcribed an interview...

..in which she listed a number of schools that interested her and she noted that, "of course," ND is among them.

Yes, it's been under the radar, but it possibly can afford to be.
My only concern is that Maddy might be part of some plan related to Clark and/or Kelly. I sometimes get that, but she strikes me as the "right" kind of player and person to get in the program.

Who ever expected Kat to have such a long tenure in the starting lineup? Once she was in, it became apparent we played better with her....all the way to a national championship.

I kind of did...

That is "expected Kat to have a long tenure in the starting lineup."

I remember her freshman year when everyone was talking about Turner (rightfully so) and I thought "Yeah, but I notice that Westbeld is not playing like a freshman either. She has a lot of basketball smarts."

Westbeld

If we do not get Maddy this will be real bad. I do not think we are in on
many other 2020 recruits. This we have to change.

or

...Break out the passports. I believe this is a good time to go
international. We are still very popular and well known. So it cost us a
couple extra thousand dollars. It is not like ND can not afford it. We have
to change with the times. Geno is.

SEG/Chief

Your post makes me feel better

Would sure like to get Clark though

Do you know if we are in on Amari DeBerry? *

DeBerry

I thought I read on this board she maybe a heavy UCONN lean.

...If we do not get another post this year. 21 and 22 seem loaded. I believe
a couple are even in our back yard. Frequent flyers to NDWBB games.

...Plus do not forget Fudd is the following year 2021. Do not think Oregon
will have room for her.

...Plus we can not forget about transfers especially grad transfers. I am
also hoping MM will get on the international band wagon. With so many
catholic and private schools in Europe. We should do okay.

...I just hope this year is a wakeup call to ND and change the way they
recruit a little. Need to be stronger on the Posts.

SEG/Chief

Thanks. *

I think we will see a much more aggessive, confident

and stronger Jordan this year. Muffet and Niele know a point guard when the see one. They wouldn't have recruited Jordan unless the were certain they were getting the point guard they wanted.

Jordan didn't shoot much last year, but she hit 42.9% of her field goals, 37.5% of her threes, and 84.2% of her free throws. And every so often we saw first-rate quickness. She's is going to be just fine.

Jordan

As fans, we need to remember she fought injuries all year including a
concussion. You just do not have an a game after a concussion. We are lucky
we had her at all.

SEG/Chief