I spoke my bit at length after the Jan. 25 Kent State home game loss, so I just reiterate that she seems a nice person, good ambassador and got her team to play hard.

But like Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) in "Hoosiers" said, "I want to see it on the court!"

Stats: 8 seasons. 121-117 overall. 69-66 MAC. One WNIT bid (second season, lost 1st round).

We'll see what happens next year. Carlsen's contract (sans extension) expires 6/30/2024 and her base is just over $199,000 (https://www.hr.niu.edu/president/about/t...cy.shtml).

I don't see a buyout. I see a Ray Gooden/Mark Montgomery last-year-of-contract good-bye if 2023-24 isn't some kind of big turnaround (NCAA tournament) season.

Minor lament: if it's good-bye, we'll have to wait for what a new coach does, and how long it takes.