You can run on offense and play pressure defense. You can do it for the entire game, every game, all season long and still have something left in the tournament. Love to see that; but we need the horses to pull it off.

but I think you nailed it. "We need the horses to pull it off." Other teams, such as Syracuse, have tried without the necessary horses. The best example is North Carolina women's soccer. They have won an unheard of 21 (of 38) national championships. Somehow they get the horses—better players and more of them than anyone else. They often substitute a full 11 players half way through each half.

There are problems, however. In soccer, typically you don't receive a full scholarship like in basketball, so the players are happier with partials. Another problem that Niele has to solve is, last year in the WNBA draft, the average minutes per game of all college players' drafted was 31.5, and no one was drafted who played less than 26 min/g (in their final season). She has to convince prospects they still have a chance for the WNBA.

But even that is not enough. The good recruits want to play in the WNBA.

If we are competing against other schools for a recruit that their only goal
is do the minimum to get into the WNBA. We have little chance with them. They
have to have interests in ND for spiritual, education, and beyond for 4 plus
years. I know in FB we lost a lot of recruits because of this. That is why
the scouting, interviews and background checks are so important.

SEG/Chief

You can run on offense and play pressure defense. You can do it for the entire game, every game, all season long and still have something left in the tournament. Love to see that; but we need the horses to pull it off.