in terms of what we need. None of the ones coming in are really going to be what we need in the short term in terms of defense around the basket. ** Edited by VAHokie89 at 4/30/2025, 11:06:09 AM

Amandi Jenkins is at least 6-4 and underrated. In the semifinal Iowa championship game she scored 19 points and had 3 of 4 3point goals. The final game the opposing team did succeed in slowing her offensive production but she had 18 rebounds.I think that she will be our starting center next year. even as a freshman.

Listed at 6'3" and is a freshman. We can not count on any freshman lighting the world on fire as a freshman. If she is the starting center, she likely gets in foul trouble frequently and we have issues. Those types of stats occur all the time at the HS level. I am not poo poing her but counting on a freshman to start in the lane is asking for trouble barring a freshman that would go to USC, Texas, Uconn, etc.

As a freshman, Liz avg 12.5 pts and 7.5 reb per game. She was named ACC Freshman of the Year. Give Amani a chance, don't count her out already, she may be a starter and do well her 1st year.

One of the reasons she was off the radar for recruitment to USC -west and east- Uconn Texas is that she committed to Duffy at Marquette and VT early in the process. Duffy admitted that she believed she was 6-4 I think she is the kind of player with skills outside of usual centers that Duffy likes. We wlii see how it plays out.

So while she represents the type of forward we need and may get playing time this coming season like Peterson did, we need more of an immediate fix.

All-Academic honors for sports teams this week, our 2 freshman who portalled out both did not get honors. Petersen made it. Maybe unrelated, but interesting. ** Edited by Stork at 4/29/2025, 2:36:18 PM

did not get honors?

Duffy wants fast paced players, including the bigs.

We were not racing up and down the court. If Ramiya White lost some weight/got in shape, she could go up and down at the pace we went last year. It isn't going to be about pace. Our offense is actually very deliberate and potentially slow developing with the pass into the high post, the screening away/down by the guard to the corner, the screening by the post up top for the moving wing.... Our offense does not go at a fast clip. So the issue is not Ramiya White not being able to play at that pace. It was likely more about specifics: - She is a project..odds are, barring a huge improvement in the off-season, she was not going to be ready to start next year and might get more minutes than this year, but she was going to have vulnerabilities that a team that wants to improve in the standings can't afford to have on the court. - Defensively, I anticipate she had trouble in practices guarding the screen and role action. Even Micheaux and Baker had struggles at times reading/deciding who to handle/recovering in games. I imagine White and Hazelton were worse. - Defensively, I anticipate her struggling to guard Micheaux 1-on-1 in practice - Offensively, her footwork was not great. There were a few times she could not pivot against a defensive body and ended up kind of just throwing the ball up. I think that got her a quick hook against Texas Tech? - ** Edited by VAHokie89 at 4/30/2025, 7:33:33 PM

I'm convinced that although Duffy would love a 6-5 center that is athletic enough to play her style, those players are in high demand and hard to get through the portal. She'll opt for 6-2 and more athletic PFs to play in the post. This is going to be a pretty big expectation adjustment to many fans.

They are looking to see even a MIcheaux-type of better. I think when people ask about the portal addition of an interior player, some people assume those fans are demanding Kitley 2.0. I think many are savvy enough to know that nothing like that is coming this year.... Even many of the names bandied about are nothing like that.

I think the first question to ask about potential additions is - can they play defense and run the floor the way that Duffy wants? I do agree that right now they don't have a starting 5 or sufficient depth at the 5 unless one of the freshmen with size is game ready immediately.

taken. Not many Centers available, only handful in portal every year and top teams get them. Maybe get an international player who is 6'4" or taller. Or get another Forward, still some left in portal. There is also another transfer portal opening in November, and player can start playing in January. ** Edited by carhokies at 4/29/2025, 7:06:26 PM

able to see so far, I like how Duffy runs the ship. I do believe she is taking the long view and being very careful who she brings in via the portal. She will, I believe, build this program primarily with high school recruits that the staff develops strong relationships with (takes time) and she will invest in developing and retaining those recruits. Just my two cents of course and nothing more - but I expect we are 2-3 years out from being upper tier of ACC again. I do expect to be incrementally better next year though - and then again the next year. And I appreciate her long view approach - I think it will pay dividends. Having said all that - I do think she will add some transfers this year for an inside presence - but I don’t expect they will be the type players that will propel us to top tier next year. ** Edited by BEST2VT at 4/29/2025, 10:56:06 AM

And if it's the 2 6'3" freshman, well, they are freshman. Either way next season is probably a step back in results.

Licking their chops, salivating at the prospect of teams without interior size. Iowa hurt us consistently inside. Fornier did damage. NC State's big.... I know it isn't about getting Kitley 2.0 as some say when presented with posts about the need for some reliable size that is not a developmental project or a small forward playing 4 or 5. It also isn't about out running, out gunning, being quicker to the ball and boxing out well. It is about defensive presence, preventing inside scoring, dealing with screen and rolls, avoiding foul trouble, having depth...

You make the point that to progress, we need to step up in talent especially at the “5”

regardless of whatever bigs we end up with. Many of the schools in the conference has out recruited us. I really think NIL is a problem. Just my opinion.

Best combo in the nation with Kitley and Amoore? And go get Rose and Ekh? And Keep King? And have a Top 20 recruiting class? People are looking for issues with NIL. More about the new coach and her priorities.

Maybe Kitley and Amoore were not demanding the moon.

tells us about this year. NIL for women’s basketball has of course evolved greatly the last two years, and we may well have kept Kitley, King, and Amoore for reasons other than being the most competitive bidders. Personally, I tend to think we have a ‘decent’ amount of NIL money - but whether that means we have an’average’ amount for ACC or slightly higher or lower- I’m not sure we will ever know that. My suspicion is that we aren’t in the upper tier though, as far as available NIL for WBB.

to spend. So not about how much we have, but what she feels willing to spend. Priorities.

about not signing may have been not worth it or what Duffy wanted to spend on them

starter now.

for international players. Times have changed, we were lucky to get Liz Kitley few years ago before NIL started. Now every top team will go after the Kitleys.

Seems lot on here don't get that $$$$$$$ Talks ! Whit and Sands needs to be Called Out !!

Should be to consistently be in the top 4, in basketball it can happen pretty quickly. We have a young dynamic coach , plays exciting team play, should be able to attract top talent. As far as NIL,what do we need, what do we have. Publicize it, fund raise to it!