2023/2024 Portal News

Okay, when Madison, Abbie and Gisella become freshmen phenoms I'll be happy. Until then, I'm disappointed that Texas didn't at least get a backup PG. I guess Shaylee will be taking care of that duty and perhaps one of the up-and-comers will take her usual spot while she's spelling Rori. Hopefully, the five starters he refers to will get themselves together and become the glue that makes everything happen. Right now, I don't see anyone on the team becoming a dominant player that's in the news every other day (it's just not Vic's style). Except for Taylor Jones and Shaylee Gonzales, I think Hadi, Deyona, Shay, and even Rori need to improve from last year. And, lastly, I'd love to see Jak have a breakout sophomore season.
 
I would slightly disagree with you I think everybody need to look in the mirror and embrace the grind. The 2 you mentioned Shaylee and Tay are at the front with Rori. Rori while playing hard and running this team she great at she needs to improve from the ft line leaps and bounds and her 3pt % needs to be respectable yo open some other things up. Shaylee I get why you felt like you but she was way to inconsistent she would great games then disappear if she is going to be the go to bucket then be that and if she wants to play in the w or overseas she has to improve her ball handling. Tay has to be more than big she has to be dominant or at least have a mindset of dominant. If that’s going to be the big3 they have to be it. This season coming up is going to be about ok now back it up. Go out and make everybody respect and lost some of that from the first 2 years Vic was here and we went to elite 8’s it wasn’t about any talk it was about im prove it to you.
 
Bucksgal said:
Okay, when Madison, Abbie and Gisella become freshmen phenoms I'll be happy. Until then, I'm disappointed that Texas didn't at least get a backup PG. I guess Shaylee will be taking care of that duty and perhaps one of the up-and-comers will take her usual spot while she's spelling Rori. Hopefully, the five starters he refers to will get themselves together and become the glue that makes everything happen. Right now, I don't see anyone on the team becoming a dominant player that's in the news every other day (it's just not Vic's style). Except for Taylor Jones and Shaylee Gonzales, I think Hadi, Deyona, Shay, and even Rori need to improve from last year. And, lastly, I'd love to see Jak have a breakout sophomore season.
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I think Madison has the chance to be that especially playing in the big 12. She can shoot the 3 ball very well and has a nice midrange game. Texas was missing that baseline/free throw line player who can hit the midrange and Booker will be that person. Abbie will for sure redshirt and Maul is just an overall aggressive player who can slash and finish through contact. Not the best shooter but can knock down a 3 pointer. I still think we need another guard who can shoot the 3. We will see if a graduate transfer sparks any interest from this staff this summer.
 
Bucksgal said:
Okay, when Madison, Abbie and Gisella become freshmen phenoms I'll be happy. Until then, I'm disappointed that Texas didn't at least get a backup PG. I guess Shaylee will be taking care of that duty and perhaps one of the up-and-comers will take her usual spot while she's spelling Rori. Hopefully, the five starters he refers to will get themselves together and become the glue that makes everything happen. Right now, I don't see anyone on the team becoming a dominant player that's in the news every other day (it's just not Vic's style). Except for Taylor Jones and Shaylee Gonzales, I think Hadi, Deyona, Shay, and even Rori need to improve from last year. And, lastly, I'd love to see Jak have a breakout sophomore season.
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The biggest problem is who will be willing to transfer in with the mindset to play backup point guard, or backup anything for that matter? Good players aren't going to transfer to sit on the bench.

That said, you're probably not going to find anybody better than what you've already got on your roster to play that role. I say let's jump it up and let the freshman do their thing. Like @Sincerely hookem said... It's time to prove it with what we have.
 
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brnkj said:
The biggest problem is who will be willing to transfer in with the mindset to play backup point guard, or backup anything for that matter? Good players aren't going to transfer to sit on the bench.

That said, you're probably not going to find anybody better than what you've already got on your roster to play that role. I say let's jump it up and let the freshman do their thing. Like @Sincerely hookem said... It's time to prove it with what we have.
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That was my initial thought, but if Texas were able to get a player like Diamond Johnson she could be a starter with a 3 guard lineup. After all, Rori, Sonja and Shaylee on the court at the same time with Aliyah and Deyona was probably the best lineup Texas had last year.

Then Diamond could run the point when Rori needs a break and there would be plenty of minutes for the Freshmen, including Maddie covering both SG and SF and the others all getting plenty of minutes. It literally could be like multiple starters regardless of who is on the court when the clock reads 40:00. Vic needs to sell this and make it happen.
 
A "back up" point guard might mean different things to different posters. When your starting point guard is injured and can't play for like 8 games, you better have more than just a serviceable "back up" point (combo) guard. When your starting point guard is healthy the entire season, your "back up" point guard simply has to run the offense for 5-10 minutes a game as your starting PG sits on the bench getting a breather or due to foul trouble.

We've seen both scenarios with Rori being the starting PG the last 2 seasons. We saw Rori get into early foul trouble against Ohio State two post-seasons ago, and Joanne Allen-Taylor saved the day. You would think Vic learned a valuable lesson last November with Rori being injured.

With Lovato's junior college and international connections, I'm surprised we haven't gone that route trying to add depth at the PG position. We've all known the obstacles would be there after Chevalier left; we were lucky Allen-Taylor and Matharu helped when needed. If Vic thought Kyndall was gonna be acclimated enough to play some PG last season (and moving forward), it was a huge error in judgement.

I'm not saying our staff isn't trying to shore up PG depth. But, it might be time to move to Plan B if Plan A is proving futile.
 
Moooooo said:
Aaliyah Moore and Chandler Prater started following each other on Instagram.
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Prater just graduated from KU yesterday. With all of the Texas follows, it would not surprise me if she visits soon. Too much smoke here to think otherwise. Looking into her past, she was recruited as a PG out of high school (3-star recruit), but has ended up playing the 1 through 4 spots for KU - basically wherever needed. Interestingly, it looks like she was guarding Gaston when they played us just to give you an idea of her versatility. KU coach Brandon Schneider described her as the "heart and soul of the team". She appears to be a good defender and plays really hard throughout the game. I'm betting that is what Vic is looking at. Two years of eligibility left due to the covid year. Not the best 3pt shooter (27.7%), but her FG% is good @ 40.6 and she hits her FT's (78.9%).
 
Born in ATX said:
Prater just graduated from KU yesterday. With all of the Texas follows, it would not surprise me if she visits soon. Too much smoke here to think otherwise. Looking into her past, she was recruited as a PG out of high school (3-star recruit), but has ended up playing the 1 through 4 spots for KU - basically wherever needed. Interestingly, it looks like she was guarding Gaston when they played us just to give you an idea of her versatility. KU coach Brandon Schneider described her as the "heart and soul of the team". She appears to be a good defender and plays really hard throughout the game. I'm betting that is what Vic is looking at. Two years of eligibility left due to the covid year. Not the best 3pt shooter (27.7%), but her FG% is good @ 40.6 and she hits her FT's (78.9%).
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Incoming freshman, Abbie Boutilier started following Chandler Prater on Instagram.
 
Coach Lovato started following Kentucky transfer, 6'5 Tionna Herron out of DeSoto. So did walk-on, Sarah Graves.
 
Moooooo said:
I was feeling confident about Prater when I saw Abbie Boutilier following her on IG. But, today I saw Prater following players from Ole Miss and Georgia.
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Hearing Texas the leader but Louisville, Maryland in play. Possibly another Big 12 team in play now but don’t know who.
 
Born in ATX said:
"tonight or tomorrow" is pretty soon. Any of you social media sleuths see any signs that any of these prospects might have visited Austin without us knowing?
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That recruiting "quiet" period that Blair tweeted about over a week ago ran through Sunday, May 14 or so; I never found out for sure if that applied to high school recruiting and also transfers. If applies to transfers, nobody could have visited until Monday, May 15, I believe.

I did see Tionna Herron post a story on her IG of downtown buildings from a hotel room, I think. I can't tell if it's Austin (shows Hampton Inn & Suites and Marriott); don't really think it's Austin.
 
Moooooo said:
That recruiting "quiet" period that Blair tweeted about over a week ago ran through Sunday, May 14 or so; I never found out for sure if that applied to high school recruiting and also transfers. If applies to transfers, nobody could have visited until Monday, May 15, I believe.

I did see Tionna Herron post a story on her IG of downtown buildings from a hotel room, I think. I can't tell if it's Austin (shows Hampton Inn & Suites and Marriott); don't really think it's Austin.
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Looks like Austin to me.
 
Moooooo said:
That recruiting "quiet" period that Blair tweeted about over a week ago ran through Sunday, May 14 or so; I never found out for sure if that applied to high school recruiting and also transfers. If applies to transfers, nobody could have visited until Monday, May 15, I believe.

I did see Tionna Herron post a story on her IG of downtown buildings from a hotel room, I think. I can't tell if it's Austin (shows Hampton Inn & Suites and Marriott); don't really think it's Austin.
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Yeah I believe it’s Austin. Herron recently started following Lovato, walk on Sarah Graves and someone else but my page refreshed.:rolleyes1:
 
I may get some slack for this but I feel it needs to be said. Vic said he wasn’t going to take just anyone and the players he recruited had to fit what this team needs. Sorry but I don’t think Herron or Prater are what this team needs. We have Faye, Jones, and Gaston who can play the 5 and Prater is a guard/forward type player and we have that in Muhammad, and Ndjakalenga. We need guards who can shoot the ball and backup Rori. There were plenty of players in the portal who we could’ve targeted. Herron is coming off open heart surgery so who knows if she’ll be able to play this season. She’s a physical presence in the paint kinda how Ebo was but it’s going to take her a while to get in shape with everything that happened. Not mad at the pickups if they do happen but I feel we need more depth at other positions.
 
Herron just might be worth the take. She's got 4 years of eligibility (so she's basically a freshman) and we don't need her to play right away if she's not ready. That gives her plenty of time to work back into top playing shape. If I'm not mistaken Taylor Jones is gone after this coming season, and there's no guarantee we're going to pick up another true post in the 2024 class. All things considered her situation and our future needs might align perfectly.
 
Texashorns2022 said:
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Well, there it is. Anyone know how she was ranked coming out of high school? Also, not sure how this will work on scholarship distribution. Maybe they believe she’ll get a medical RS this season and be ready next season? She just had the surgery 8 mos ago. We obviously have a very different need for this upcoming season.
 
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