Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2025-26

#43,526
#43,526
VolBall09 said:
I do think South Carolina was the other big contender for her. Truly where I thought she’d end up. Recently we’ve missed on all those athletic forwards in favor of South Carolina.
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Same. I thought we would be a close second.

What might’ve been a separating factor for us is Dawn doesn’t play her bigs out on the perimeter like guards. Big Oh wants to play positionless ball and shoot 3s. Kim’s system is a perfect fit for that
 
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#43,527
#43,527
I got you VF, I misinterpreted the point you were making as it relates to recruiting. Tennessee 2025 class is filled with recruiting battles that Tennessee won over all these SEC and major conference schools that really weren’t close.
Tennessee and LSU could end up being about even in terms of recruiting rankings over the next one-two seasons. I think the 2025 transfer portal class and returnees are our X-factor in recruiting based on the talent, skill, and system fit.
I think Coach Kim via the portal could’ve add even more talent before her 1st season and HS recruiting class if she wanted but keeping that first senior class that she inherited together even if they didn’t all fit the system is really probably the best coaching decision made in year 1. That year 1 foundation that was built around the seniors was special and went beyond talent even X’s and O’s to be honest.

Volfan2012 said:
I wasn't really talking about the games, but yes they have been close. I was talking about recruiting as they have been running right with us looking to see if they can do it in 2026.
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#43,528
#43,528
Can I offer a different question, on the changing environment in women's basketball with the increased visibility of the WNBA fast play.

The question is which teams , like the LVols will benefit in recruiting - which known teams may not.

Louisville has already signed three players all below the rating level for them from previous years

Indiana which had five years of success lost their whole team to the portal last year

Iowa, leading the nation in attendance, hasn't been able to succeed as they hoped when the GOAT graduated

Notre Dame lost players after internal turmoil

Texas A & M all the money and ???

and then the question on which universities will make the monetary commitment needed to pay. first, and then be able to be in contention for the best players - using Missori as one example and Ole Miss and TCU on the other monetary approach.
 
#43,529
#43,529
Little less than 2 months til Basketball season, the Chickens should be hatching out of their eggs soon to make their annual appearance...
 
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#43,531
#43,531
stllvf said:
Can I offer a different question, on the changing environment in women's basketball with the increased visibility of the WNBA fast play.

The question is which teams , like the LVols will benefit in recruiting - which known teams may not.

Louisville has already signed three players all below the rating level for them from previous years

Indiana which had five years of success lost their whole team to the portal last year

Iowa, leading the nation in attendance, hasn't been able to succeed as they hoped when the GOAT graduated

Notre Dame lost players after internal turmoil

Texas A & M all the money and ???

and then the question on which universities will make the monetary commitment needed to pay. first, and then be able to be in contention for the best players - using Missori as one example and Ole Miss and TCU on the other monetary approach.
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good question

those who might not benefit from the paradigm shift in style of play

- south carolina
- lsu (though they have a hundred guards now)
- texas

all three programs believe in playing through the post first, as well as shoot the least amount of threes
as you said, modern basketball is played faster and more guard dominant than ever before

honestly i don't think these programs will totally fall off because their coaches are way too accomplished
but i do think the game is passing them by and they've yet to adjust

on the flipside, i can't think of a program that's stylistically, nil, and wnba forward thinking as tennessee
but if i had to choose a close second, based solely off of recruiting, it would be southern cal
 
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#43,532
#43,532
KingBlue said:
good question

those who might not benefit from the paradigm shift in style of play

- south carolina
- lsu (though they have a hundred guards now)
- texas

all three programs believe in playing through the post first, as well as shoot the least amount of threes
as you said, modern basketball is played faster and more guard dominant than ever before

honestly i don't think these programs will totally fall off because their coaches are way too accomplished
but i do think the game is passing them by and they've yet to adjust

on the flipside, i can't think of a program that's stylistically, nil, and wnba forward thinking as tennessee
but if i had to choose a close second, based solely off of recruiting, it would be southern cal
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Southern Cal? Haven't thought about this too long, have you.
 
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#43,543
#43,543
Volfan2012 said:
Was a great decision to sit out and get back to 100 percent health of the knee. Also she can determine if she might want to go to another program like say Tennessee where the run and gun pressing style would fit her perfectly. I wish her well and hope to see her return to play in 2026-2027.
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I won’t be a bit surprised is she transfers after this season.
 
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#43,544
#43,544
VolBall09 said:
I won’t be a bit surprised is she transfers after this season.
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I don't think transferring will really help her. She is on a team that still has F4 goals, and the coach is already bought in on her need for the ball. The top programs would not take her because they already have a plan on how their systems work, so bringing in a player that demands the ball on each play would just disrupt the chemistry that they already possess. Of course, probably Mulkey would take her, as it seems every year she has new players which she adapts to as opposed to the players adapting to her program. A school that has no other answers would take her, allowing her to do whatever she wants, plus the team would get a tremendous fan reaction and attendance would skyrocket. I think it is best for her to stay where she is, play one more season, and then enter the draft.
 
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#43,545
#43,545
StorrsCentral said:
I don't think transferring will really help her. She is on a team that still has F4 goals, and the coach is already bought in on her need for the ball. The top programs would not take her because they already have a plan on how their systems work, so bringing in a player that demands the ball on each play would just disrupt the chemistry that they already possess. Of course, probably Mulkey would take her, as it seems every year she has new players which she adapts to as opposed to the players adapting to her program. A school that has no other answers would take her, allowing her to do whatever she wants, plus the team would get a tremendous fan reaction and attendance would skyrocket. I think it is best for her to stay where she is, play one more season, and then enter the draft.
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Unfortunately for JuJu, she’s played so little and lately not all that well that I’m not sure she’d still be that much of an audience draw anymore.
 
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#43,546
#43,546
Puckett's international career started today; she had signed with a 4-14 Finnish team, ViVe and they began the year with a loss, 84-95.

Sara played 36 minutes of the game [quite a change from last season!], went 5-9 from behind the arc, but only 3-10 inside — scored 24 points in all, nabbed 14 rebounds (6 / 8). No blocks, 3 assists.

Their opponent had two different 18 year old girls who were evidently the best players on the court. Perhaps both these two teams will be improved from last season and ViVe will still hav a shot at >.500 ball.

The team that ViVe is schedule for on the 11th got blown out in their opener, so ViVe and Puckett hav a good shot at bouncing back.
 
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#43,547
#43,547
StorrsCentral said:
I don't think transferring will really help her. She is on a team that still has F4 goals, and the coach is already bought in on her need for the ball. The top programs would not take her because they already have a plan on how their systems work, so bringing in a player that demands the ball on each play would just disrupt the chemistry that they already possess. Of course, probably Mulkey would take her, as it seems every year she has new players which she adapts to as opposed to the players adapting to her program. A school that has no other answers would take her, allowing her to do whatever she wants, plus the team would get a tremendous fan reaction and attendance would skyrocket. I think it is best for her to stay where she is, play one more season, and then enter the draft.
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Top programs wouldn’t take JuJu Watkins? I stopped reading there because that’s the dumbest thing I’ve seen on here lately. And that’s saying something.

Gottlieb is an awful coach and after the exodus of players they will not be sniffing a final four in any capacity unless Juju returns. I expect them to be a decent team this season but nothing compared to last year.

If it goes like I think it will I won’t be shocked if Watkins goes somewhere else to finish her career or just declares pro.
 
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#43,549
#43,549
RespectAPA said:
Puckett's international career started today; she had signed with a 4-14 Finnish team, ViVe and they began the year with a loss, 84-95.

Sara played 36 minutes of the game [quite a change from last season!], went 5-9 from behind the arc, but only 3-10 inside — scored 24 points in all, nabbed 14 rebounds (6 / 8). No blocks, 3 assists.

Their opponent had two different 18 year old girls who were evidently the best players on the court. Perhaps both these two teams will be improved from last season and ViVe will still hav a shot at >.500 ball.

The team that ViVe is schedule for on the 11th got blown out in their opener, so ViVe and Puckett hav a good shot at bouncing back.
Click to expand...
What’s your take on why Puckett was not particularly good her Sophomore season?
 
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