It begs one to ask what kind of a recruiting impact Bueckers could've made for the Gophers program if she had stayed home, especially for the local talent.
Clark effect TBD-Since Bluder resigned, Iowa has struggled to cash in on the Clark hoopla, missing on their top high school and portal targets. Jensen did keep Lucy Olsen and their one previously-committed top 25 recruit (Addie Deal). Otherwise Jensen struck out on ‘25 elite high school and portal targets, including a Davenport McDonald’s AA going to LSU.
Gophers probably would've needed to have a serious coach first instead one that gave the Gophers nothing to show for having Zahui B and Banham for that to ever happen.
DP has taken the Gophers to the WBIT in her first two years. If the Gophers continue to win more, I can see more recruiting success.
It would never have happened. UConn was Paige's dream school.
True...but that wasn't really my point. IF she had committed to the Gophers, would that have opened the floodgates for other top local prospects to follow her lead?
Minnesota is a recruiting hotbed for both men's and women's basketball. A Gopher team with the top instate recruits would have pushed Gopher WBB to unimaginable heights. I agree.
Yes---and you can also say that for men's and women's hockey. I wish our instate high school talent in those four sports equated to success for our Golden Gophers. (yes, yes, you can say the hockey teams are successful, but I expect even more from them as we are the State of Hockey)
Any update on Kussow? Saw she had recent visits to Michigan and Duke. Heading toward a decision maybe by end of June. Any Skim Milkey subscribers out there? Minnesota a finalist?
Minnesota is very much in on Kussow. I would venture to say to that it likely will come down to Minnesota or Michigan for her.
I am going to get killed for this coment but here goes. What from last years performance makes you think DP is a good coach? I do like her as a coach but last year was not a good coaching year. It just was not. They did not beat any team in the big ten that they were not favored to beat. To be a good coach you need to start upsetting some teams along the way. Their record was set up as good by their terrible preseason schedule. They had a good run at the end but none of the teams they beat were tournament teams. I hope and think DP is good but I need some proof before I make that claim.
Have you taken a look at her history, you seem to be judging based on year two in the Big Ten. She has earned her way here, you don’t do that by being a bad coach. She has been a winner at every stop. I guess the only question is this, and I loved Whalen as a player, but she was a horrible coach. She may improve but if you can’t see the difference between night and day, I’m not sure your mind is going to be changed. Dawn has earned her way from being a star point guard in the D2 ranks to winning at every stop she’s been at including a D2 title as a coach. Shes been a winner in the D1 ranks as well. She probably will be hindered some by our NIL pool but if she wins consistently that will also change. She’s a good coach and proven it at multiple stops.
I give her grace. Two post-season tournament appearances in a row. She restored confidence in the program. That is a great start. They will get better as DP attracts more players to the team.
What's Whalen got to do with this? Gopher Mac didn't mention her. I guess some people just enjoy beating a dead horse.
Okay. Can you explain why you are overlooking the fact that they did not lose to any team in quad 3 or 4 levels? Despite their best player out for all but 5 games. Do you feel Ohio State and Michigan coaches are good coaches? Ohio State lost to Penn State and Michigan Lost to Wisconsin. Dawn didn't lose to those teams despite being down 2 of their top 7.
I’m making a comparison, Whalen was terrible as a coach. That’s the comparison, if you you don’t think Dawn is a good coach, not sure what to say to you.