Terrible news. I feared this might happen. Dang - I hope they can convince her to stay. We need her - she’s an assassin on offense.
I agree. I thought she’d be one of the stars next year. I hope she doesn’t go to Baylor. or another Big 12 school.
Could Aliyah's decision to transfer be based upon the recent visit from Shaylee Gonzales? If Shaylee committed to Texas, she and Aliyah would both be competing for playing time. I hope Matharu changes her mind. She brings so much more to the table than her scoring skills. She's energetic, feisty and tenacious. She's a competitor who wants to win. Our coaches are currently on the road attending AAU tournaments. Hopefully, they will have a chance to talk with her. Isn't it bad timing for a player to enter the portal? Won't she be required to sit out a year?
A huge loss. After Rori she was the most important guard on the team. Not only from a defensive and athleticism stand point but also from shooting /scoring stand point. She was the best shooter on the team. I think the recruiting of Gonzalez was a reaction of Matharu transferring. The team just took a huge hit on both ends of court and shell be very difficult to replace.
This sucks! She was one of my very favorites. But at this point it is what it is... that's about the only way to look at things with all the drama of the portal. Good thing Sonya Morris is coming in...
This would be her second transfer, BUT since she is graduating this summer she would transfer to a new school as a grad-transfer and they do not have to sit out a year.
IMO, I'm going to remain optimistic and say Coach Vic knows what he's doing, knows how to develop players and teams, and will have another dynamic shooting threat this year. Don't forget about Hunter's initial scoring burst.
My very selfish take on the transfer portal - i hate not knowing who is going to be on the team. In the fall. I hate speculating on lineups only to have one person suddenly disappear. I get attached to our players - it’s like having senior day multiple times a year. End of rant!
Right there with you. I also find I am not as excited about picking up a good player because immediately afterwards I'm watching the interwebs in fear for who is going to leave due to the new addition. We've lost 7 players from the starting line-up from last year. Vic can't stop going after great players but this is brutal.
One of the things I always liked about women’s basketball is for the most part players stayed for four years and you felt like you got to know them and had a connection to them. Unlike the men who were often one or two and done - if they were good. They just didn’t stick around. The portal has changed everything. Perhaps the “superstars” will stay four years but it’s the ones that are just below that who may think the grass is greener elsewhere. I’m all for a free market and freedom of choice but as a fan, it’s definitely less enjoyable.
I agree that the portal has made it easier for players to move around. Something else that has also changed for us is our move back toward the top of the food chain. Vic has us winning, and is bringing in top talent. Our team is more competitive both on the court and internally. It's not surprising that this would lead to more movement. I don't pay close attention to the inner workings of the other teams, but have to wonder if Stanford, South Carolina, UConn experience the same.
I viewed Matharu's Instagram account yesterday; found it odd that she started following Sammie Wagner after she decommitted from Texas.