NC_UBfan

I like how Burke and staff are showing growth and setting expectations. The roster they have now should be enough to be legit contenders to win either MAC regular season or conference championship maybe both this coming season. I hope they get a corporate sponsor for NIL money to flow into the program🤘

Just had a great conversation w/Logan regarding BPS Foundations and Nickle City Collective partnership in general and donating stock in particular. Attached is a one pager on the tax-deductible options. Alnutt catches grief justifiably so but  for this NIL partnership w/BPS Foundations he should not. This give individuals and corporate sponsors a legal means to make tax-deductible donations. Like it or hate it NIL is here to stay. UMASS is coming with a very well functioning NIL program with talented players recruited to win MAC championships period. UB coaches have to adapt, every year is going to be a net new roster. WBB Burke lost all the staff form year one subsequently lost her first recruiting class got a new recruiting class then went on finish runner up in the MAC championship game year 2.  I hope MBB GH and Lembo have a similar story the got to have the players to be competitive.   

NickelCity_BPS Foundation Instructions.pdf

2 minutes ago, BrooklynBull said:

I am in at the Nickle City Hall of Fame level.  Are you, at any level?

716 MVP, I did email for more information about the Donated Securities and Donor Advised Funds options.

As I understand it schools can refer players to boosters directly to NIL collectives without penalty now with reporting requirements which I don’t necessarily agree with. If the contract/agreement is between two individual parties the disclosure should be private but it is progress. 
 

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ncaa-board-approves-immediate-eligibility-for-multi-time-transfers-school-assistance-for-nil-opportunities/amp/

Nice feature articles on Lopez and KLW. I did not know Lopez was still on the Argentina U19 national team and will practice with the national team this summer. In the articles both players are committed to improving their game. KLW has to improve on her 12-18ft shooting.  Teams played off late in the season packing the lane with true post presence now that shot will be there. Lopez weakness was her 3pt% and being sped up, not establishing pace. I'm sure they will be fun to watch in the fall. 

https://www.ubspectrum.com/article/2024/04/kirsten-lewis-williams-ub-womens-basketball?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_featured

https://www.ubspectrum.com/article/2024/04/i-felt-like-this-had-to-be-my-place-paula-lopez-on-her-first-year-as-a-bull

I know it's way early but I expect a +3 game improvement in conference play and competing for conference title again.  I would suspect the OC schedule to be much more challenging then last years, honestly I hope its brutal to prep team for conference play. MAC wins are all that matter to me and sweeping Ball State

Regular signing period starts tomorrow 4/17-5/15 Thompson has a NLI event planed so the site should be updated once the NLI is signed. That's probably the same reason for Makenna Shaffer not being updated on the site as well. If that plays out then we only have one available scholarship which would be the final  Becky BOOM...

1 hour ago, UBinMD said:

I really like this pickup. Gives the staff another open scholarship next season, but she will reap us rewards this year. A real low block presence that is used to playing 28 minutes a game, which she will likely not have to do this season, so she can be fresh, clean the boards and give us much needed post scoring. Well done staff.

I had to do a double take, could not really believe it. Burke has via the portal and HS recruiting addressed the weakness of last years and loss to the roster.  We needed a point guard ✔️athletic size for rebounding ✔️ 3pt shooting ✔️ additional scoring options from the bench✔️.  The challenge will be to get them all to jell and play cohesively at a high level. The summer work outs should be extremely competitive along with some team building should help. Looking forward to the season.

I went back to look and I was wrong all the scholarships for 2024 seem to be allocated. That is unless Thompson does not sign her NLI during the upcoming window and/or late additions to the portal.  The overall talent level on paper is much better now than a year ago this time. Watson is the only player that has guaranteed minuets for everyone else the competition to get meaningful mins is going to be fierce. Wonder if the OC schedule will include any P5/6 schools this year🤔

8 minutes ago, UBinMD said:

She is definitely pulling needs based players that should be able to contribute day 1. Let's see how these last 2 slots play out. Would love to find someone 6'3-6'4 that likes playing with their back to the basket and board cleaner. That could help neutralize some of the advantages teams in the MAC exploited against us.

I'm booking my hotel to Cleveland now if they pick up a mobile 6'3-6'4 rim runner. 🤣

Burke picked up another player from the portal freshman 6'1 Makenna Shaffer JUCO Florida Southwestern State.  Good size played guard started 28/30games  12/pts  7.8/reb shot 34% 3pt meets the team needs of size and shooting ability.  There are two scholarships left keep building🤘

18 minutes ago, UBinMD said:

I’m guessing these are 2025 recruits coming in?

I’m hoping it’s more size for this coming season but getting a head start on 2025s is a good thing considering we lose Watson after this year. 

I like the social media engagement meet kids where they are. Hope the visits go well this weekend 

Good program and she was able to get closer to home hope nothing but the best!

Great job by the staff working the portal and getting another guard that can shoot the 3! Looking to next years roster I think we have 2 maybe 3 scholarships available if Thompson does not sign. I firmly believe we need more size 6'2 + at the W/F positions and in this age of basketball having another 35% plus  3pt shooter to round out the roster.  Burke had last years team buy into hard nose defensive identity. The lack of size had no impact on the level of effort each player put out. If they can maintain that with the size they have, add scoring diversity so Watson does not have to carry such a high load they have a great odds of being back in the MAC title game🤘

Wow Toledo coach left for Miami can expect an exodus of players to the portal and a rebuild. Great to know her last game was a loss to UB😂🤘

What a great accomplishment for Chellia Watson after her first season! Looking forward to see what the final 24' roster will look like 🤘

1 hour ago, DooleyBull06 said:

While it’s surprising that this player enter the portal or that player…Coach Burke has seemingly become a pro at navigating the portal. She has made over the roster what 3 times in the two years she’s been here? How she can navigate the portal is something that will make her an attractive candidate for a bigger school.

To your point I guess every year is a rebuild year in this new era and if you can't navigate the portal then your tenure will be short... 

Can only hope Ogden reconsiders and stays with the team that is if she has a choice in the matter. I thought she elevated her play especially in the conference tournament. The competition for playing time between her and Hartman would have made them both better. 

 Wango played well defensively when she got on the court but  at the guard position she is behind very talented guards in Lopez,KLW, Watson,cornfield and two incoming freshmen gurads

Take was injured most of the year hope she redshirt so she has 4yrs eligibility where ever she goes. 
 

We need front court help really bad if indeed Ogden is leaving. Another result of losing Ogden is experienced 3pt shooting. None of the existing guards other than Watson shoots the 3 well, incoming freshman Daly from what I read was above average shooter in HS. Hoping Burke and staff can pull together another winning roster🤘

Looks like the work is still not done a offer announced to Jamisyn Heaton 5' 10 So F from College of Southern.  Undersized for what I'm hoping they bring in for front court help but her stats look solid started 30 of 33 games  12.6ppg 6.3 rpg  FT 71% 3pt 28%.  Guess this means there is a open scholarship I wonder who left? The official NLI dates are April 17- May15 with 886 in the portal and many thousands more graduating HS I'm hoping Burke and staff can sign one more 6'2+  player🤘

  https://x.com/HeatonJamisyn/status/1774988407523131663?s=20

Here is the BOOM!! UB signs 6'2 W Jaylin Hartman FR from GW. Much needed length, athleticism and has 3yrs of eligibility. Not sure of the remaining available scholarships  but I hope they can bringing in at least one more portal  6'2+ defender/rim runner for added depth. The incoming freshmen class looks talented, Brianna Barr-Budday 6'2" local phenom, Aniya Rowe  5'9 McDonalds all American nominee and Mallory Daly 5'8" 2k point scored, if the existing freshmen take the next step over the summer same w/ Ogden and Watson I'm booking my trip to Cleveland early🤣🤘 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5FDcTzgpsH/

Great to see coaching development taking place hope player development goes hand in hand 🤘

1 hour ago, UBinMD said:

I guess they may as well grab what they can. A very small number of transferring players are going to the NBA, some may play professionally abroad. It is a shame though that the college experience is being diminished. There are definitely players in the wrong situation, I get that and they should be able to find a better fit, but i seriously doubt 800 players are in the wrong situation.

Oh I agree there are many young adults (18-20) who are making not bad but ill-informed decisions. I mean we were all  18-21 at some point and I know for a fact some of my worst decisions came then.  The stakes are high,  end of season emotions are probably running higher and if they don't have a solid support system in place to help navigate this new era end result can be missing out on the collegiate athlete experience.  NCAA has a some good metrics regarding players in the portal, 23% MBB are not playing since entering portal. I would hope a broad range of information is provided to help guide these kids decision making.
https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2022/4/25/transfer-portal-data-division-i-student-athlete-transfer-trends.aspx

8 hours ago, MuchMany said:

I know we've had the conversation a hundred times but the current transfer system is rotten. Fans having to hope that "Hill will consider a return to BGSU as he explores his options" is a crummy spot to be in. Having to rerecruit your stars every year is a thankless one-way relationship. 

While I appreciate the players embracing the opportunity for "empowerment," there is a correction coming. A semi-pro sport with uninhibited free agent movement will not have longevity. Time will tell, people don't want to root for a random collection of mercenaries every year. Fans and donors make the world of college sports go 'round and fans are getting shorted right now. Without our dollars, college kids could absolutely play basketball with each other, but no one would care, pay, or watch. A fan union might be in order to remind players, coaches, ADs, etc who's really the boss. 

So I get the initial raw emotion but here is a fact regarding athletic scholarships (NLI),they are year to year.  Coaches have long used this as a means to move players off teams for "better talent" at the approval of fans. And the schools have no obligation to honor the scholarship if/when a coach makes that decision to not pickup the next year.  So now when student athletes have a level or slight advantage of a situation its abhorrently bad?  If your talent sets a market value and the rules allow you to move, its up to the coach to have that relationship and resources to convince the player to stay. Not all athletes are skilled enough to set a market value but those that are good for them.  

Eastern Michigan Jr Tayra Eke 6’3 C(All Mac Defense) and Jr Treasure Thompson 6’2 F are both in the portal.  Both would fit the need of an athletic post presence. I follow WBB Blog great source of transfer and signings