Northerner13

This would be such a fun team to watch if Serah Williams commits. You can play balanced, small or big.

Jada Richard 5'7" G So 2.8 PPG | 0.6 APG
Kailyn Gilbert 5'8" G Sr. 9.1 PPG | 1.6 APG
Isabella Hines 5'9" G Fr. (#32 ESPN)
Mjracle Shepard 5'10" G Jr 3.9 PPG | 0.7 APG

Flau'jae Johnson 5'10" G Sr. 18.6 PPG | 2.5 APG
ZaKiyah Johnson 5'10" G Fr. (#10 ESPN)
Divine Bourrage 5'10" G Fr. (#24 ESPN)
Mikaylah Williams 6' 0" G Jr. 17.6 PPG | 3.6 APG
Izzy Besselman 5'10 G Sr. (DNP 24-25 Season')

Grace Knox 6'2" F Fr. (#7 ESPN)
Amiya Joyner 6'2" F Sr. (ECU) 15.0 PPG | 9.2 RPG
Kate Koval 6'5" F So. (ND) 5.3 PPG | 4.7 RPG

*Serah Williams 6'4" F Sr. (UW) 19.2 PPG | 9.8 RPG*

Likely could take another player with height for depth.

If Fulwiley wants to come, it’s hard to pass on her but you might see a currently player jump in the portal.

*MiLaysia Fulwiley 5'10" G Jr. (USc) 11.7 PPG | 2.0 APG *

Hopefully some more official good news here soon!

Still essentially 2-1 gap. Plus multiple missed calls, none bigger than out off bounds of UCLA in 4 point game with 2:30 left.

LSU shot the ball horrendously but officiating was one sided and sub par at best.

UCLA is not that good and will get smoked by UConn.

Zero confidence or conviction. Looks lost and afraid out there.

Poole to Houston
Velez to Syracuse

Agreed, looking closer, this years team is already much more complete.

Lost:
Angelica Velez, 5’7 G So (1.2ppg)
Janae Kent, 6’1 G So (1.6ppg)
Kateri Poole, 5’8 G Gr (4.5ppg 22-23) 4GP
Hailey van Lith, 5’7 G Gr (11.6ppg, 3.6apg)
Angel Reese, 6’3 F Sr (18.6ppg, 13.4rpg)

Returning:
Mikayla Williams, 6’0 G So (14.5ppg, 2.9apg)
Flau’jae Johnson, 5’10 G Jr (14.9ppg, 5.5rpg)
Last-Tear Poa, 5’11 G Sr (4.9ppg, 3.0apg)
Aneesah Morrow, 6’1 F Jr (16.4ppg, 10.0rpg)
Aalyah Del Rosario, 6’6 C So (4.7ppg, 3.5rpg)
Sa’Myah Smith, 6’2 F Jr (11.7ppg, 7.6rpg) 7GP

Amani Bartlett, 6’3 F Sr (0.8ppg)
Izzy Besselman, 5’10 G Jr (0.3ppg)

Added:
Shayeann Day-Wilson, 5’6 G Sr (11.9ppg)
Kailyn Gilbert, 5’8 G Jr (15.1ppg)
Jersey Wolfenbarger, 6’5 G/F Sr (3.9ppg 22-23)
Mjracle Sheppard, 5’10 G So (5.0ppg)
Jada Richard, 5’6 G Fr (28.2ppg) #90espnW

Rotation may look something like:
G: Day-Wilson | Poa | Sheppard | Richard
G: Williams | Gilbert
G/F: Johnson | Wolfenbarer
F: Morrow
F: Smith | Del Rosario

Bartlett | Besselman

Likely add 1-2 F as mentioned and this team is dangerous. Top of the board has to be:

Raegan Beers, 6’4 F Jr (17.5ppg, 10.3rpg)
Kiki Iriafen, 6’3 F Sr (19.4ppg, 11.0rpg)

Beers is rumored to be UConn or Oklahoma and Iriafen ends up at UCLA or USC I think, but if we could add either it would be huge. More realistic is add 1-2 of:

Amina Muhammad, 6’4 F Jr (6.1ppg, 4.3rpg)
Maryam Dauda, 6’4 F Jr (10.1ppg, 6.3rpg)
Janiah Barker, 6’4 F Jr (12.2ppg, 7.6rpg)

Also, wouldn’t mind taking a flyer on the center from Baylor:

Lety Vasconcelos, 6’7 C So (1.1ppg)

6’7 Brazilian center in the rotation for next few years and being developed by Mulkey doesn’t sound all that bad.

Regardless how the final pieces come together over next few weeks this team should be fun to watch.

Now that Velez is in the portal you likely can add 3 more transfers. 4 if Bartlett decides to move on as well.

Poa | Richard *
Williams
Johnson | Wolfenbarger | Kent
Morrow
Smith | Del Rosario

Besselman | Bartlett

IMO you take a proven PG, dominate PF, and pure 3point SG. Best available after that.

Well said. Swung for the fence and missed on Strong, Edwards, Cambridge, and Koval. It’s not the end of the world recruiting the top 2 transfers last year and 4 freshman in the top 100 ESPN rankings (2, 7, 44, 74).

Even IF HVL and Angel leave you have:

Smith | Del Rosario
Morrow
Johnson | Kent
Williams
Poa | Velez | Richard

Plus the transfer portal.

The depth concerns are overblown this year. With Poole dismissed and Smith going down having 4 true freshman exacerbated the situation. But, it’s WBB, and the top teams minus UConn and SC have maybe 3-4 legit top players. LSU is still one of the most talented teams in the nation.

Del Rosario and Poa are the key for this year and will play a huge roll + the big 5 of course on repeating.

With that said if we don’t win it again this year, I could very easily see both HVL and Angel returning next year for one last run.

The team is talented but the top players positionally overlap one another. Mulkey is finding a way to make it work. After last year confident she will. No one wants to see this team come tourney time. Remember 22-23 team played an historically easy schedule, lost by 24 to SC, and bounced by TN in SEC tourney before making their Championship run.

Team effort top to bottom. What a season. What a team. What a coaching job.

Enydia Rogers to A&M

Found it interesting that towards the end of HVLs photo shoot video Poa and Poole are right by her side. Hopefully this means they are aligned.

LINK

I think Kim takes 4 if the quality is there. Transfer Portal and NIL has completely changed the game. It’ll also be interesting if everyone stays as I could see Bartlett and A. Williams taking a step this year.

Imagine getting Van Lith or Rodgers to run the point. Johnson, M. Williams, Reese, and find a true center in the portal. You have Poa, Poole, Smith off the bench. Plus talented freshman Del Rosario, Velez, and Kent as well.

Additionally likely adding 1-2 contributors plus Bartlett and A. Williams maybe taking that step.

Exciting time for LSU WBB

Posted elsewhere but here’s an ESPN article from November about incoming recruits for those interested.

1. LSU Tigers

Highest-ranked commit: G Mikaylah Williams(No. 2)
Previous ranking: 1

Kim Mulkey had the No. 17 recruiting class for the 2022 class and then added impact transfers in the offseason. She followed that up with the No. 1 2023 class, led by superstar Mikaylah Williams. Williams has won gold medals in both 3x3 and the FIBA U17 World Cup. She is a physical guard who is arguably the best one-on-one isolation player in the class. The addition of No. 7 Aalyah Del Rosario pushed LSU to the top spot. Del Rosario is the top true post in the class. She has soft hands and a nice touch out to the top of the key. She is a physical presence inside and passes very well out of the double team. Her club teammate and No. 44 Angelica Velez is a shifty point guard with an East Coast flair to her game. She sets the table for others and runs the show. No. 73 Janae Kent is a wing/forward with nice mid-range game and the ability to knock down the 3-point shot. She gets on the glass well

Here is the current roster with freshman added and no attrition from last year. WBB you are able to have 15 players so that leaves 3 spots available.

G Last-Tear Poa 5-8 JR.
G Kateri Poole 5-8 JR
G Flaujae Johnson 5-10 SO.
G Mikaylah Williams 6-0 FR.
G Angelica Valez 5-7 FR.
G. Izzy Besselman 5-10 SO.

F Sa’Myah Smith 6-2 SO.
F Angel Reese 6-3 JR.
F Amani Bartlett 6-3 JR.
F Alisa Williams 6-2 SO.
F Aliyah Del Rosario 6-5 FR.
F Janae Kent 6-1 FR.

One transfer player not mentioned worth a look is G Lexi Donarski 6-0 SR. from Iowa State. Averaged 13.2 points per game, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Able to hit from 3 and was 2022 Big12 Defensive Player of the Year.

I think she’ll look for a 3point shooter to replace Carson as well. Kim said Carson was the 2nd best pure shooter she’s ever coached. All be it, she waited until the final game to show what she can do.

Think she had another incident with the devils lettuce too. Either way she owned it, learned from it, understood and made the most of her opportunity.

We don’t win it without her

Likely starting: Mikaylah Williams (#2 ESPN recruit 23) Poole, Johnson, Reese, Smith.

Poa, Aaliyah Del Rosario (#7 ESPN recruit 23), Amani Bartlett (#51 ESPN recruit 2021) coming off the bench.

Transfer portal also could be opportunity to again give incredible upside to the lady tigers

#justthebeginning