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Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
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swvabucsfan Offline
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Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
Once again the SoCon divides neatly into 3 divisions

Mercer (25-7, 12-2)
Chattanooga (21-11, 12-2)
***************************
UNCG (20-15, 7-7)
Furman (14-17, 7-7)
ETSU (16-14, 8-6)
***************************
Samford (12-19, 4-10)
Wofford (13-17, 3-11).
Western Carolina (8-22, 3-11)

MERCER (25-7, 12-2)
Mercer tied Chattanooga for the regular season conference championship at 12-2 and lost by 2 points in the SoCon tourney final, the second year in a row that they reached the SoCon finals. The Mocs beat them 3 times, twice in the regular season and once in the tournament. Mercer is 1-6 against Chattanooga over the last 2 years. Mercer did not lose a game to any other SoCon team last season. The Bears return their top 9 players and all of them are Seniors (5) or Juniors (4) including POY Sr. Kahlia Lawrence and all-conference Sr. Sydney Means, while the Mocs lose 3 of their top 4 players.
Mercer's big weakness is pitiful 3 point shooting: 47 makes on .280 in conference. Their big strength, an awesome +5.80 turnover margin.

If this isn’t the year for Suzy Gardner and the Mercer gals to finally get by Chattanooga, they ought to give up and go back to the ASun. Oh wait… FGCU.

CHATTANOOGA (21-11, 12-2)
Pretty much everything about the Chattanooga Women’s basketball program is on a different level than the rest of the SoCon: the 5 SoCon Tourney wins in a row and 5 trips to the NCAA’s, the ambitious schedule and the recruiting. So while the loss of 3 of their top 4 players is cause for concern – it is not cause for panic. They do return all-conference Keiana Gilbert and all-freshman Lakelyn Bouldin. The last time they suffered this kind of attrition (2014-2015 losing top 2 players and 4 of top 6), they simply reloaded and won again anyway, admittedly having to go to overtime to beat ETSU in the SoCon Tourney. But then they did not face the kind of experienced rival that they have this year in Mercer with a team of Seniors and Juniors that has twice taken the Bears to the SoCon Tourney finals, last year losing only by a single basket. You have to favor Mercer this year.
********************************************************

UNCG (20-15, 7-7)
Long time cellar dweller vaulted all the way from the bottom at 0-14 into the middle led by first year coach and SoCon Coach of the Year Trina Patterson, formerly the number 1 assistant and recruiting coordinator for ODU. This was UNCG’s 1st .500 conference record in 7 years. 3 of their 5 best players were freshmen including all-conference Nadine Soliman. Were 1-1 versus the Bucs. They are especially strong inside with second in conference +4.5 rebounding margin and 4.8 blocks.

ETSU (16-14, 8-6)
Ended the year on a 2-5 skid topped by a first game SoCon tourney loss to a 4-10 Samford team that they had beaten twice in the regular season. The Bucs came out woefully unready to play and at half it was 37 to 18 in favor of Samford. Tianna Tarter led a second half comeback to tie it in the last seconds, but they weren’t able to salvage it. The last link with Karen Kemp, athletic guard Shamauria Bridges, graduated taking 15.3 points per game and half of the Bucs made 3’s (90 makes on .346).

Last year’s recruiting class looked promising, but the Marosites twins are already gone down to DII, Micah Norris and Morgan Martin are also gone and remaining class members have shown little so far.
The last 2 years the Bucs have been middle of the pack SoCon – capable of looking good in stretches and bad in stretches. These losses leave them with the smallest roster in the SoCon with only 10 eligible players for this season. UAB transfer Micah Sheetz must sit out a year. Everybody will be needed to contribute. [EDIT: the last second addition of 5-11 F 5th yr Sr. Shy Copney from Tennesse Martin, former high school teammate of Tiana Tarter, brings it to 11.] By comparison Mercer has 14 on the roster, Chattanooga 13, Furman 12, UNCG 14, Samford 13, Wofford 12, and Western Carolina 13.

Last year’s strong points were decent, but not spectacular, rebounding (4th in conference play +1.7), turnover margin (2nd in conference but only +0.43, FAR behind Mercer’s stellar 5.83) and 3 point percentage ( 2nd in conference with a rather modest .333 – much of which graduated with Shamauria). Rebounding should continue to be solid with Dean, Tarter, Malloree Schurr and Sadasia Tipps. But although Schurr and Tipps scrap, rebound and defend well, they don’t score effectively. The Bucs do not have anyone returning who shot over .289 from 3 on the season. That is a major need.

The biggest plus for the Bucs is Tianna Tarter (35.7 minutes, 19.8 points on .451 FG%, .289 from 3 with 35 makes, 6.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.7 turnovers, 2.2 steals) who probably had a better season than Mercer’s SoCon POY Kahlia Lawrence (34.7 minutes, 18.0 points on .426 FG%, .292 from 3 with 21 makes, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 turnovers, 1.5 steals, with more support from her teammates). Conversely, the Bucs biggest danger is degenerating into the Tianna Tarter show. That would not raise them above middle of the road and would leave them an uneven and frustrating team to watch, rising and falling on Tianna’s hot streaks. They need to let Tianna shine AND build a more effective team.

Once again ETSU’s recruiting looks pretty good on paper, with 3 recruits with great promise: Nashville freshman guard Erica Haynes-Overton, 2 time Tennessee AA All-State looks like a real potential star despite the biggest case of ‘shrinkage’ since A.J. Merriweather. Announced at signing as 5’9” she is on the roster as 5’5”. Oh well, ‘shrinking’ from 6’5” to 6’2” certainly didn’t hurt A.J.’s value to the Bucs. She should have enough speed and athleticism to make the transition to D1. 5’11” Freshman Alayjah Sherer was rated the 12th best player in Mississippi. And 6’0” JUCO Jr. Brittany Snowden from Northwest Florida State had a stellar All-Panhandle Conference freshman year averaging 12.5 points and 10.3 rebounds, but appeared to have some problems last year (injury???), appearing in only 19 of 34 games. If she can repeat her freshman year she might give us what we have been missing since the graduation of Destiny Mitchell, Serena Clark and Maria Bonds – another inside player who can not only rebound but score. We really need these gals to live up to their promise.

An improving star is All-SoCon Junior 6-1 Raven Dean, daughter of former all-pro wide receiver Muhsin Muhammed, who has basketball skills that are catching up to her remarkably powerful physique. In conference she averaged 11.4 points on .477 with 8.7 rebounds, 2nd in the SoCon. She can put the ball on the floor effectively but does not (yet) have 3 point range – 2-12 last year. If she keeps improving, she could be really stunning.

FURMAN (14-17, 7-7)
ETSU beat them twice last year, even when the Bucs were stumbling down the stretch. They lose best player all-conference Whitney Bunn (14.7 ppg on .375 from 3 with 63 makes), but return their next 5 best players including all conference Sr. Cierra Carter (13.0 ppg and 8.2 rebounds), and So. guard Le'Jzae Davidson (10.9 ppg on .330 from 3 with 73 makes), a 2016-17 SoCon All-Freshman Team selection; Sr. forward DeAnneisha Jackson (7.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg), So. forward Tierra Hodges (5.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg), and Jr. forward Kaitlyn Duncan (4.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg). They add 7 freshmen to the mix.
********************************************************

SAMFORD (12-19, 4-10)
They tumbled from the top three (11-3) into the bottom three (4-10) last season after significant losses to graduation and may have trouble getting out this year. They did embarrass ETSU in the first round of the SoCon Tourney. But the only other SoCon wins that they had were over 4-10 Wofford and 4-10 Western Carolina. They return all-conference Hannah Nichols and all-freshman Katie Allen

WOFFORD (13-17, 3-11)
Wofford and Western are long term cellar dwellers. So was UNCG until a new coach turned it around.

WESTERN CAROLINA (8-22, 3-11)
(This post was last modified: 10-27-2017 10:21 AM by swvabucsfan.)
09-09-2017 12:27 PM
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posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
This could be interesting. Or it may not matter much at all....

Shy Copney joining former SHHS teammate Tianna T.
(This post was last modified: 10-23-2017 02:30 PM by posterformerlyknownasthedoctor.)
10-23-2017 02:29 PM
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swvabucsfan Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
(10-23-2017 02:29 PM)posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Wrote:  This could be interesting. Or it may not matter much at all....

Shy Copney joining former SHHS teammate Tianna T.

Might help add a little depth to a team that had only 10 eligible players on the roster. Now they have 11. But Copney's career seems to have peaked with being recruited by Middle Tennessee, one of the better women's mid-major programs. She lasted a year, transferred to Tennessee Martin where she followed a fairly productive junior year with a senior year where she only got in 13 games. Maybe joining former teammate Tianna in her hometown can bring back the Johnson City glory days. Unlike Overstreet, she has played and produced at the D1 level.
10-23-2017 05:05 PM
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Buc76 Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
She had a knee injury her Senior year, but has been performing well 8n practice.
10-24-2017 07:09 PM
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etsubuc Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
I bet Copney will start much of this season
10-24-2017 09:20 PM
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Buc76 Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
Why isn't the womans basketball schedule on the Gametime app? It's so easy to load the mens schedule, just touch the heart beside the game and it's loaded on your phones calender.

Let's get the womans schedule loaded. Maybe I just need to update. If that works, my bad.
11-06-2017 09:16 PM
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Bucfaithful Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
Starting lineup for the women: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Basketba...&lp=11&p=1

Note that freshman Haynes-Overton is starting. I was blown away with her in the open practice.
(This post was last modified: 11-08-2017 08:26 PM by Bucfaithful.)
11-08-2017 08:25 PM
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swvabucsfan Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
Note that not one of last year's promising class is starting. Most in fact are gone. We really need 5-5 freshman guard Erica Haynes-Overton to be a hit after losing high scoring Shamauria Bridges to graduation, and it looks like she might in fact be a big winner. Ezell calls her more athletically gifted than Bridges, which is high praise, and also lauds her confidence and defense. http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Basketba...&lp=11&p=1

In the front court 6-0 JUCO Jr. newcomer Brittney Snowden also comes in for commendation. She had an All-Panhandle conference freshman year averaging 12.5 points and 10.3 rebounds, and apparently some injury problems last year. Ezell calls her the best communicator she's ever coached and a natural leader. With POY candidate Tianna Tarter, and the improving 6-1 Junior powerhouse Raven Dean who averaged 11.4 points and 8.7 rebounds in conference last year, there is some real potential here. Malloree Shurr and Sadasia Tipps are solid complimentary players who can scrap, defend and rebound.

Starters are: Tianna Tarter, Erica Haynes-Overton, 6-1 Raven Dean, 6-0 Brittany Snowden, and 5-10 Malloree Schurr. 5-11 Senior transfer Shy Copney, former Johnson City teammate of Tianna who has muscle and can score is also said to be slated for extended playing time. This group has a chance to challenge Mercer and Chattanooga for the top spot in the SoCon this year.
11-08-2017 09:22 PM
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posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
[Well......technically this doesn't fit here, but we don't have a thread that's normally used for women's recruiting, so I'm sticking it here.
Moderator you may move it if you think appropriate.]

This (see link) sounds quite awesome on paper. One never knows, but obviously it sounds like the appeal of our program isn't weak. Also obviously, Ezell was hot and hard on the AAU trail this summer:

4 early signees already for Ezell

I know someone who (I'm pretty sure) knows the Jackson girl from Warner-Robbins, but he's not a hoopster, so I don't know how much insight he'd have into that angle.
11-15-2017 02:52 AM
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posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
This doesn't belong here, either, but it's kinda cool to see what the women's team looked like 100 years ago:

100 years ago
11-20-2017 03:18 AM
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BucFan1244 Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
(11-20-2017 03:18 AM)posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Wrote:  This doesn't belong here, either, but it's kinda cool to see what the women's team looked like 100 years ago:

100 years ago

All those photos are so damn cool.
11-20-2017 08:48 AM
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Buc76 Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
You have made references to your many years of attending Bucs games. Did you take those pictures?

Thanks for sharing the history.
11-20-2017 11:19 AM
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posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
(11-20-2017 11:19 AM)Buc76 Wrote:  You have made references to your many years of attending Bucs games. Did you take those pictures?

Thanks for sharing the history.

If you're asking me, yes. But only the ones before 1930. LOL.

I might be *in* one (or more) somewhere, but can't say for sure.
11-20-2017 11:23 AM
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swvabucsfan Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
Great pictures! Thanks.
11-20-2017 11:54 AM
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posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Offline
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RE: Women's 2017-18 Preseason: Some Brief Thoughts
Too bad this has to be the same time as ETSU's 'other' game, but this is noteworthy. And THANKS!!!!!! to Tianna Tarter (and Schurr and Copney!):

Furman pays a visit to Brooks Gym on Saturday at 2 p.m. ETSU’s three seniors, Tarter, Malloree Schurr and Shy Copney, will be honored before the game. The Bucs then close the regular season with road games against Samford and Mercer.
02-17-2018 01:49 PM
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