Miss. State WBB

[jdelta02]

Gotta have that high scoring guard as a catalyst in this offensive system, no way around it. Also, need atleast 1 additional perimeter player that can stepup as a knockdown shooter to help compliment, other perimeter roles filled as well. Based on research this ( offshoot of "functional fast") ain't no getting by type offense...need to have a minimum of 1 guard that can fill it up (walking bucket) every season. Having a talent like Madison Francis adds a MAJOR dynamic and helps give more wiggle room on both ends but at the end of the day need to bring in and/or develop a "bucket getter" guard or two.

[jdelta02]

When guard Jordan Danberry first came into Miss. State as a transfer it was around mid-season she was eligible. She came off the bench that second semester starting out playing out of control, charging into defenders, shot selection, ect. Remember Coach Schaefer addressing the media regarding her play and indicating that he was going to make a player out of her (Danberry.) Indicated that he was going to draw up specific plays for her to better help put her in position to be successful, get her to her spots, take advantage of her talent and strengths to help the team. He went on to talk about putting his players in position to be successful. By the start of the next season (her second semester being eligible) Danberry was already on a different level, and quickly getting better by the game. The coaching staff helped get her to the point where even they indicated that she could get anywhere she wanted to on the court off the dribble drive ..in control. She wasn't a good shooter from deep but was able to consistently get to her spots, finish at the rim, or get to the freethrow line seemingly at will. Coaching is HUGE including player adjustments and development He and his staff helped develop a player out of point guard Jazz Holmes as well. Was able to develop his own daughter (Blairi Schaefer) into a good player. Another guard named Bre'Amber Scott that they got a lot out of after initial adjustments. Also, another sharpshooter in Roshunda Johnson. These were mostly 3 star players or less. Fans that have been closely following the program since the Coach Schaefer era can atest to this.

[Pancho]

you just described to vast difference between Vic and Sam. Sam gets a player and she is as good then as she will be in a year or 2 under Sam. Vic is a cut above in this area as well as scheme on both sides of the ball.

[Saltydog]

He's not getting what he needs out of the portal either and I don't see a whole lotta player development. Plus, I see far too much attitude from these girls and they will walk off from him while he's talking to them. I've seen that multiple times. He might get one more year and that's it.

[jdelta02]

My opinion Coach Purcell and his staff did a really good job with Madison Francis. From arriving later for summer workouts until the last SEC game (SEC Tourney) she came a long ways...eye test. Also, remember Coach Purcell indicating that they spent extra time after practice working with her. They did a good job with Nwaedozi as well. Not to say these players don't put in a lot of extra work on their own which no doubt is a big part of it but apoears they're getting coached up. Solid player development going. As for some of the other younger players...keep in mind that some players fuse with coaching sytems and develop at faster rates than others, various other reasons, need patience.

[Saltydog]

My opinion Coach Purcell and his staff did a really good job with Madison Francis. From arriving later for summer workouts until the last SEC game (SEC Tourney) she came a long ways...eye test. Also, remember Coach Purcell indicating that they spent extra time after practice working with her. They did a good job with Nwaedozi as well. Not to say these players don't put in a lot of extra work on their own which no doubt is a big part of it but apoears they're getting coached up. Solid player development going. As for some of the other younger players...keep in mind that some players fuse with coaching sytems and develop at faster rates than others, various other reasons, need patience.

Keep justifying this and that all you want but our glory days are over. We're back to being a mediocre to bad program again and we're back to the Fanning Otis days.

[jdelta02]

I do agree that they have not been getting what they need out of the transfer portal. Also..defensive issues.

[jdelta02]

Being reported that the Miss. State women's basketball team is not accepting an alternate post season bid.

[Quaoarsking]

Being reported that the Miss. State women's basketball team is not accepting an alternate post season bid.

Shockingly, I don't think it's a 100% lock that we're not going to be in the NCAA field. Like 90%, but I've seen some mock brackets out there with us as either last team in or first team out. ESPN has us as 8th out.

[schddog72]

You can blame Schaefer for not having a national championship. He had the game against Notre Dame in the bag but he took out Jazz Holmes so his daughter could have a Kodak moment. Notre Dame comes back, we get on the wrong end of a controversial call, and then we let their best shooter get loose on an a sideline out of bounds for the game winner.

He coached perfectly 99% of the time, but he became dad first and coach second for a split second and it cost him a national championship.

Two things cost us the natty vs ND: (1) PG (name escapes me) got mugged on a breakaway one on one; got knocked down with no whistle from the zebras; (2) Big T missed a wide open layup late in the game that would have pretty well sealed the deal.

[jdelta02]

No bid to the NCAA Women's Basketball Tourney as projected. Again, reported earlier that Miss. State is not accepting an alternative post season bid.

Arkansas State has a senior guard named Mia Tarver that if she could obtain grad-transfer status could help a team with defensive issues like Miss. State. Not a big scorer but has been part of a balanced offensive attack in an offense fairly similar to Miss. State's. Also, she played at Utah State. Literally a defensive specialist and the best defender on the #1 team in the nation in forced turnovers, leads them in steals as well. Led them in knocking off Arkansas earlier in the season. She's one of the best on ball, and ball pressure defenders I see in the mid majors or any of these teams for that matter. Another really good defensive guard, on ball defender is Ebele Mbagwu out Miles CC in Calfornia. Others out there as well.

Also, Miss. State needs bucket getting guards to emerge from the current roster and/or brought in during this offseason. Need a couple of guards to step up at the point as well..whether true point or capable combo. Currently have Saniyah King...the other two are out of eligibity. Hold on to as many of these current roster players as you can...no big roster overhaul like last season unless players just want to leave.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Two things cost us the natty vs ND: (1) PG (name escapes me) got mugged on a breakaway one on one; got knocked down with no whistle from the zebras; (2) Big T missed a wide open layup late in the game that would have pretty well sealed the deal.

Schaefer let it get to that point though. He was up 16 with one of the best backcourts in the country unable to cross half court because of Holmes and, I think, Danberry’s D. He then opted to put in his daughter to have a Kodak moment and started letting that group of seniors take 28 ft heat check 3s ten seconds into the shot clock. The hay was already in the barn once McGowan missed the 2 footer wide open and William collided with the girl on the loose ball. And I did not even include his superstar defensive ace daughter losing track of the best shooter on Notre Dame’s team to let her have an uncontested 3 at the buzzer.

Like I said, Schaefer had brilliant moments. But he cost himself two national championships with his coaching. He had the players running the day after UCONN and had an intense practice and then opted for feel good instead of winning at all costs the next year.

[Goldendawg]

Can't give up my Hollywood sources, but we are in danger of losing Sam. They are going to do a remake of "Andy of Mayberry" and he is in the lead to play either Gomer or Goober. More info to follow.*******

[jdelta02]

Schaefer let it get to that point though. He was up 16 with one of the best backcourts in the country unable to cross half court because of Holmes and, I think, Danberry’s D. He then opted to put in his daughter to have a Kodak moment and started letting that group of seniors take 28 ft heat check 3s ten seconds into the shot clock. The hay was already in the barn once McGowan missed the 2 footer wide open and William collided with the girl on the loose ball. And I did not even include his superstar defensive ace daughter losing track of the best shooter on Notre Dame’s team to let her have an uncontested 3 at the buzzer.

Like I said, Schaefer had brilliant moments. But he cost himself two national championships with his coaching. He had the players running the day after UCONN and had an intense practice and then opted for feel good instead of winning at all costs the next year.

Agree, Coach Schaefer took out Holmes and Danberry...cost them the national championship. Self inflicted loss.

[BrunswickDawg]

Keep justifying this and that all you want but our glory days are over. We're back to being a mediocre to bad program again and we're back to the Fanning Otis days.

We would have fallen off with Schaefer regardless. We had maxed out the amount of WBB $ we could commit and he wanted more. And NIL would have put a huge dent in what talent was he was landing and he wouldn't have stood for that, and we'd be in a similar position with a similar coach.

[Pancho]

But we would have had a better prepared type coach?

[BrunswickDawg]

But we would have had a better prepared type coach?

Maybe? Maybe not. Women's basketball does not have a deep talent pool of players or coaches.
Regardless, we'd still have people clinging to the past and comparing them to Vic and refusing to acknowledge that we caught lightening in a bottle in a way that probably can't be replicated at MSU.
The landscape has changed, and unless all those people who PTLGD with Vic and bought $10 tickets threw a whole lot of money into the pot, we'd likely be right where we are.

And for those dunking on Sharron Fanning - considering we didn't give two shits about women's basketball before 2015 she did pretty solid over her career.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Maybe? Maybe not. Women's basketball does not have a deep talent pool of players or coaches.
Regardless, we'd still have people clinging to the past and comparing them to Vic and refusing to acknowledge that we caught lightening in a bottle in a way that probably can't be replicated at MSU.
The landscape has changed, and unless all those people who PTLGD with Vic and bought $10 tickets threw a whole lot of money into the pot, we'd likely be right where we are.

And for those dunking on Sharron Fanning - considering we didn't give two shits about women's basketball before 2015 she did pretty solid over her career.

Sharron did an incredible job considering her operational budget was barely 6 figures and she had to fundraise everything else. Look there's still a lot of animosity between Fanning and Schaefer and honestly, rightfully so. Vic came and, understandably so, wanted to do things his way. His way meant kind of thumbing his nose at everything Sharron had done and throwing those loyal supporters out in the cold. He pissed off a lot of Fanning loyalists from day 1 til his last day. There's some that Sam has won back but some still haven't come back.

As far as was Vic a better prepared coach? Ehh, debatable. I've said this a bunch, but women's basketball has very few elite preparation and floor coaches. Women's basketball is still ruled by who funds it. If you fund it at a high level then your team is going to be good because all the talent is coming to you. Dawn Staley is a below average floor coach. Kim Mulkey has lost her fastball in terms of floor coaching. Vic is above average but nowhere near elite. Geno doesn't have to really floor coach. I think one of the best floor coaches in Kristi Curry at Bama. They give her no money, very little support, and their recruiting classes don't blow anyone away but she's consistently in the NCAAT. Lisa Bluder was good for a lot of years and no one recognized her. She gets Caitlin Clark and all of a sudden she's "one of the best". She didn't miraculously learn how to coach at an elite level in her 39th year. She got a generational talent and miraculously better players and more funding showed up with that generational player.