Looking towards the 2016-17 season . . .

Wow! that doesn't even look close! Great job, Khaleann!

 

Dang, I want to see the photo shoot pics! Time to update my avatar.

 

Joyner getting some early recognition:

http://texassports.com/news/2016/10...-preseason-national-freshman-of-the-year.aspx

Would love to see that hold up after the season.

 

Sug recently cleared to practice. Entire team ready to go, Brianna being held out as a precaution only.

Full practices begin manana.

 

Thanks, DFW_Horn. That was an awesome piece! Brooke is a pied piper! People are going to follow her!

 

Hated the music, loved the content.

 

Pre-season All Big 12 team announced:

http://www.texassports.com/news/201...carty-named-to-preseason-all-big-12-team.aspx

 

Great to see Brooke and Ariel get some recognition. If Ariel has the type of year I think she's going to have, they'll be hard-pressed to keep her off the First Team the end of the regular season. I figured Cox would be their pick for FOY and King the newcomer. I think both twins may have a little to say about newcomer and I can't wait to see Holmes and Cox go at it.

 

With Brown and Mompremier at Center for Baylor, I'll be curious to see how Cox and Davis "co-exist" at power forward. I think Davis was tried some at SF last season, but she just has no shot away from the basket. Depending on how Mulkey juggles her frontcourt players, it will be tough for Cox and Davis to live up to those pre-season awards. Perhaps Cox will play Center and Davis at PF. Time will tell. Alexis Jones probably has the best chance of any Baylor player to win POY.

I think Joyner has a great shot at freshman of the year; but, so does Amber Ramirez at TCU. I think TCU will be giving her a lot of shots, and she will be needed to score much more than will Cox and Holmes at Baylor and Texas. In the end, FOY typically goes to someone who is a starter.

 

Ramirez will have a tough time adjusting to college defenses. Her release point is too low for taller, quicker guards and coaches who will adjust. Her challenge will be learning how to make her own shot. We'll see.

 

That's very true.. as I was mentioning her I was also thinking how we should be able to make it really tough on her with Brooke, Ariel, LaShann, Bri, Tasia and Alecia to throw at her.

 

Congrats to our top two juniors from last season. Their play was noticed. I doubt if this is the last preseason honors they receive.
http://www.texassports.com/news/201...ed-sporting-news-preseason-all-americans.aspx

 

I haven't seen Ramirez shoot except in All-Star games, where defense is not played. I remember Texas having to always face guard OU's Peyton Little; when we did that, she had a tough time getting her 3-point shot off. But, if she went behind a screen, or our defender lost their focus for even a second, she got her shot off with no problem. Tough to guard a player without committing some mistakes, especially if player is constantly moving without the ball. I honestly expect Ramirez to average at least 10 points a game at TCU (I'm assuming she will be a starter by the time conference play rolls around).

 

While we're on this topic,... I'll be watching and waiting for Higgs to break out too. On another note, I expect Tech to be much improved with the addition of Recee Caldwell, Jada Terry, and others. There's a couple of more names that could very well have something to say about newcomer of the year. I haven't been this anxious for a season to start in years.

 

As I eagerly anticipate start of practice..............one wildcard in my mind is what the twins will bring to the team.. I was looking at their resumes and KG averaged 19 points/9 rebounds per game at IMG as a senior with AG averaging 7 and 7 as a senior at IMG. On the surface that would indicate that KG is the better player. At Vanderbilt as freshmen, AG had the better year but KG was hurt and only played 3 games. We have seen what AG can do at Gulf Coast but since KG redshirted last year at Texas we haven't really seen her play. My perception has been that AG is the better player but that has no real basis. There was some anecdotal comments on this board last year that KG looked good in practice. Same size and both excellent shooters. Anybody want to offer any thoughts on this and their roles on the team.........while time marches VERY slowly to the first practice?

 

The Canadian twins don't have to be stars. They just have to fulfill a role: big fast forwards who give you respectable defense and rebounding inside, but can run the floor and draw defenders away from the basket because they are a consistent threat with the three. That's all you need. That alone will liberate the Texas offense, because it opens up the lanes for McCarty, Atkins and Higgs to get open shots or drive to the basket. The days of playing tight zones against Texas will be over. Add Joyner Holmes, who offers the same abilities at the star level, and we could get the most potent offense in the modern history of Texas women's basketball. Consider Higgs alone. If she ever gets a consistent outside shot, Higgs will be a transcendent unstoppable offensive force. No one else quite duplicates her magical ability to teleport herself to the basket. If we have mobile forwards who can force inside defenders to follow them outside, that's like opening up a free way to the hoop for Higgs. She won't even need a consistent outside jump shot to be a scoring force. Offense has been the Horns' nemesis for four years. Aston now may be able to put five scorers on the floor at the same time. That's revolutionary.

 

And this is what I expect from them. I think people may be surprised at how well they rebound, run the floor and play D. Both are 3p threats but can score inside.

 

Well, we know Kelsey will play Center. Someone else has to play Center when she is on the bench unless we are running a different offense than we have recently. So, I expect Audrey-Anne to play Center, as well. It will be interesting to see the frontcourt combinations among the twins, Kelsey, and Joyner. We know Kelsey has a consistent short jumper. Audrey-Anne seemed to have range beyond the 3 point line last season in JUCO. I don't think we're gonna see a lot of 3 point shooting from Joyner early on as attacking the basket may be how she gets most of her points.

 

Audrey-Anne hit SEVEN 3 pointers in one game in the NJCAA tourney last year so she would most certainly appear to be a very consistent 3 point threat. While Joyner will attack the basket, she also has an OUTSTANDING mid-range jumper and fall away. It has been a long long time since we had this type of athlete on the floor with her size and explosiveness. This is going to be fun for sure. I agree about Audrey-Anne playing the center position some as well.

 

I'd expect to more often see the Joyner-Audrey combination, and the Kelsey-Khaleann combination. That would allow one of the twins to float to the three point line, but still keep at last one player down low who can finish around the basket.

 

I think you will see "multiple" combinations at the 4 and 5 positions as all of these are interchangeable. I think you will see Kelsey and Joyner, Audrey-Anne and Joyner, etc. and maybe Audrey-Anne and Khaleann. Karen has so many options here. It is something we have not had in a long long time as we effectively have not had a true power forward (4) since Nneka. These combinations could create serious matchup issues for other teams.

 

First day of practice...

 

I know this is a Sooner writing this but she writes so well and the excitement she has about this new season is or should be reflected by every player that is getting to start this new season whatever team they are on.. And today kicks it off!

https://ouathletics.exposure.co/187-miles

 

And it has started!!

 

http://www.texassports.com/news/201...l-hosts-first-practice-of-2016-17-season.aspx

 

Neat video. Hope it plays. If not, go to Twitter and see it.

 

quick facts link is out:
http://texassports_com.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/2016/9/9/quick_facts_wbb_2016_17.pdf

 

and we get closer to game one!

 

Great news for Alecia and the team!