She did that super fast about a week, I really think Lexi is who we go for the hardest as of right now.

Space53 said:

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Don't know who it was, but my wife was at Pignatti tonight and Nicki Collen was there and someone committed to play at Baylor and there was a big celebration.

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Good news. Anyone know who this is?

Space53 said:

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Don't know who it was, but my wife was at Pignatti tonight and Nicki Collen was there and someone committed to play at Baylor and there was a big celebration.

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we need the details...

We need some more info lol, is it a recruit or someone from the portal???

Whoever it is they were in town for a visit.

Emily Neiman was a great three point shooter, no doubt, but no three point threat since then??? Do you not remember Odyssey Sims, Juicy Landrum, and Kristy Wallace?

Let's go to the stats! Baylor has long been criticized as a program that doesn't shoot well from 3 point range. Arguably a big reason for that was Mulkey's style of play and recruiting focus. She relished long, strong, athletic players who play great defense, with more emphasis on a low post and midrange game than most elite programs. When you have Sophia Young, Britney Griner, Kalani Brown, Lauren Cox, Nalyssa Smith, etc, those excellent players need their touches in the paint.

There are also a lot of people who point to Emily Niemann and her excellent 3 point shooting ability. That argument passes both the eyeball test and the stat test; her 2005 season was the best 3 point shooting season in Baylor history. However, it also feels to me that sometimes we disregard (or disrespect) other great players when we point to Niemann as the only great shooter.

To test this argument, I went back to 2004 (Niemann's Freshman year) to pull out the best 3 point shooting seasons we've seen. My benchmark was a player averaging over 35%, with a minimum of 100 attempts. I think most would agree that any player hitting those numbers has produced an excellent shooting season. Here are the qualifiers:

2004 - Emily Niemann (44%), Jessika Stratton (45%)
2005 - Emily Niemann (47%), Chameka Scott (38%)
2006 -
2007 - Latara Darrett (38%), Angela Tisdale (37%)
2008 -
2009 -
2010 -
2011 - Odyssey Sims (45%)
2012 - Odyssey Sims (39%)
2013 -
2014 - Odyssey Sims (40%)
2015 - Kristy Wallace (37%), Alexis Prince (36%)
2016 - Kristy Wallace (38%), Alexis Jones (41%)
2017 - Alexis Jones (41%), Alexis Prince (41%)
2018 - Juicy Landrum (41%)
2019 - Juicy Landrum (39%)
2020 - Juicy Landrum (41%), Tea Cooper (42%)
2021 -
2022 - Sarah Andrews (39%), Jordan Lewis (38%), Jamee Asberry (36%)
2023 - None, but several fell just short. Andrews and Asberry both shot 34%. Bickle was 28%, with only 55 attempts. Fontleroy was 36%, with only 87 attempts. Van Gytenbeek was a surprising 28% low for her beautiful stroke.

Conclusions?

• One, true that we do not have the history of some of the best 3 point shooting teams in the country.
• Two, it is fair to say that Emily Niemann was the best 3 point shooter we've ever seen in a Bear uniform.
• Three, there have still been other extremely talented shooters in the last 15 years. Notably, Odyssey Sims, Kristy Wallace, Alexis Prince, Alexis Jones, and Juicy Landrum also pass the eyeball test and the stats test. Tea Cooper and Jordan Lewis very well may have been on that list if they had more than one year. Jessika Stratton deserves some love. Sarah Andrews and Bella Fontleroy very well may earn the way on that list in the future.

Bickle was 38%.

I did not remember Stratton being such a sharpshooter. From that era, I would have guessed Jordan Davis would make the list.

Polarbear said:

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Let's go to the stats! Baylor has long been criticized as a program that doesn't shoot well from 3 point range. Arguably a big reason for that was Mulkey's style of play and recruiting focus. She relished long, strong, athletic players who play great defense, with more emphasis on a low post and midrange game than most elite programs. When you have Sophia Young, Britney Griner, Kalani Brown, Lauren Cox, Nalyssa Smith, etc, those excellent players need their touches in the paint.

There are also a lot of people who point to Emily Niemann and her excellent 3 point shooting ability. That argument passes both the eyeball test and the stat test; her 2005 season was the best 3 point shooting season in Baylor history. However, it also feels to me that sometimes we disregard (or disrespect) other great players when we point to Niemann as the only great shooter.

To test this argument, I went back to 2004 (Niemann's Freshman year) to pull out the best 3 point shooting seasons we've seen. My benchmark was a player averaging over 35%, with a minimum of 100 attempts. I think most would agree that any player hitting those numbers has produced an excellent shooting season. Here are the qualifiers:

2004 - Emily Niemann (44%), Jessika Stratton (45%)
2005 - Emily Niemann (47%), Chameka Scott (38%)
2006 -
2007 - Latara Darrett (38%), Angela Tisdale (37%)
2008 -
2009 -
2010 -
2011 - Odyssey Sims (45%)
2012 - Odyssey Sims (39%)
2013 -
2014 - Odyssey Sims (40%)
2015 - Kristy Wallace (37%), Alexis Prince (36%)
2016 - Kristy Wallace (38%), Alexis Jones (41%)
2017 - Alexis Jones (41%), Alexis Prince (41%)
2018 - Juicy Landrum (41%)
2019 - Juicy Landrum (39%)
2020 - Juicy Landrum (41%), Tea Cooper (42%)
2021 -
2022 - Sarah Andrews (39%), Jordan Lewis (38%), Jamee Asberry (36%)
2023 - None, but several fell just short. Andrews and Asberry both shot 34%. Bickle was 28%, with only 55 attempts. Fontleroy was 36%, with only 87 attempts. Van Gytenbeek was a surprising 28% low for her beautiful stroke.

Conclusions?

• One, true that we do not have the history of some of the best 3 point shooting teams in the country.
• Two, it is fair to say that Emily Niemann was the best 3 point shooter we've ever seen in a Bear uniform.
• Three, there have still been other extremely talented shooters in the last 15 years. Notably, Odyssey Sims, Kristy Wallace, Alexis Prince, Alexis Jones, and Juicy Landrum also pass the eyeball test and the stats test. Tea Cooper and Jordan Lewis very well may have been on that list if they had more than one year. Jessika Stratton deserves some love. Sarah Andrews and Bella Fontleroy very well may earn the way on that list in the future.

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Those names bring up a lot of great memories. I think I enjoyed those early teams more because it was exciting to see the program grow. We were the hunters. We had nothing to lose. Ironically, for me, enjoyed them better than some of the later ones because of feeling the uneasiness even as a fan to not lose.

Looks like the commitment was post player from Belmont.

Big name coming out today but I assume we are full based on our signing yesterday. This is not expressing displeasure over Madison signing, she will add a lot to our team. Fyi

Erynn Barnum (6-2 RS SR forward, Little Rock, AR) has announced that she's entering her name into the portal, out of Arkansas WBB; she was their leading scorer in 2022-23 (15.0 PPG) and second in rebounding (6.5/game)

— Raoul (@Raoul_000) March 31, 2023

Another that we had some interest in previously

Jordyn Merritt (6-3 JR forward, Plano, TX) has announced that she's entering her name into the portal, out of Florida WBB; 2022-23 stats: 7.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG

— Raoul (@Raoul_000) March 31, 2023

I feel pretty comfortable with where we stand on bigs. I think we need to snag at least one more guard.

Your wish...

Insider: 1st team All-Big East and Seton Hall star, Lauren Park-Lane, is transferring, sources tell @TheBallOutSport @theballoutmedia. More names have decided to transfer today, too #ncaawbb #WFinalFour https://t.co/aytCVMWlOl pic.twitter.com/QXdkbcQsOE

— The Ball Out Sports (@TheBallOutSport) March 31, 2023

She can fill it up with several 30 pt games but she is 5'3.
Crossing fingers for Lexi

She is a big guard can play the 2 thru 5. She is from the Dallas area

Still getting 5'3 and from Delaware.
https://shupirates.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/lauren-park-lane/5611

Sorry, you must be referring to Jordyn. Yes.

Jayda Curry to Louisville

Yes Jordyn.

Dcheetah said:

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Your wish...

Insider: 1st team All-Big East and Seton Hall star, Lauren Park-Lane, is transferring, sources tell @TheBallOutSport @theballoutmedia. More names have decided to transfer today, too #ncaawbb #WFinalFour https://t.co/aytCVMWlOl pic.twitter.com/QXdkbcQsOE

— The Ball Out Sports (@TheBallOutSport) March 31, 2023

She can fill it up with several 30 pt games but she is 5'3.
Crossing fingers for Lexi

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We need people at every position.

Dcheetah said:

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Big name coming out today but I assume we are full based on our signing yesterday. This is not expressing displeasure over Madison signing, she will add a lot to our team. Fyi

Erynn Barnum (6-2 RS SR forward, Little Rock, AR) has announced that she's entering her name into the portal, out of Arkansas WBB; she was their leading scorer in 2022-23 (15.0 PPG) and second in rebounding (6.5/game)

— Raoul (@Raoul_000) March 31, 2023

---

If you're planning to sign one, you don't sign before the FF unless it is a team-altering star. I assume we'll sign one, maybe even two more players from the portal given how small our class was this year.

Side note - how many years of eligibility does Edwards have left?

We can have 15 players on our roster. By my count, we currently have 12.
Kyla Abraham
Sarah Andrews
Madison Barkley
Aijha Blackwell
Dree Edwards
Caterina Ferrera
Bella Fontleroy
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs
Jaden Owens
Erika Porter
Jana Van Gytenbeek
Lety Vasconcelos

Class of 2024
2 announced Baylor offers
Joyce Edwards
Jordan Lee

Class of 2025
3 announced Baylor offers
Dee Alexander
Jazzy Davidson
ZaKiyah Johnson

https://www.espn.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/rankings/_/class/2024

Te-Hina Paopao 5'9" Jr. Guard from Oregon has entered the transfer portal.
She is the final member of Oregon's # 1 Recruiting class to transfer.

CAREER HONORS
All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention (2023)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (Feb. 27, 2023)
All-Pac-12 First Team (2022)
All-Pac-12 First Team (2021)
Pac-12 All-Freshman Team (2021)

The third-year sophomore started 76 games in her Oregon career, averaging 13.1 points, a career-high 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 steals this past season.
She also shot a career-best 44.0% from the field as well as a career-best 42.4% from 3-point range with a team-leading 81 3-pointers.
After a late-season slump that coincided with the Ducks' seven-game losing streak, Paopao rebounded to average 19.7 points in her final nine games during which she also averaged 4.8 3-pointers.

Jada Walker out of Kentucky was on campus today for a visit. She posted "Waco???" on her Instagram story in a Baylor uniform.

She averaged

12. 9pts
3.1ast
3.1 rbs
2.6 stl
33.3 3pt %
41.6 Fg%

She is on the smaller side being only 5'7 so I know a lot of people might not be super excited about that from that standpoint. But I have been trying to put myself in the coaching staff's shoes and think about why this would help our team. Most things I am about to say Lexi can help with and she has been one of the favorites in the portal at the guard spot for us on this board but Jada was on campus and Lexi was not that I know of so far.

Jada was a PG in the SEC who has been a great conference in the women's game, she has faced tough pressing defenses throughout her career. I do think the offense our coaching staff runs requires us to have very high-IQ basketball players. She is great on the defensive end and at one point was leading the SEC in steals. She also is the type of player that loves to push the pace and we know CNC loves to do that. I noticed a lot this season that Jaden would take a lot of the ball-handling duties at times and so I do not think having another guard that can handle the ball would be a bad thing. I will put a good highlight video I found of her at the bottom of this video. But she will get downhill and I want to describe her as a mighty mouse. She is FEARLESS and SCRAPPY, I think that is something with the Trio of guards we have that we lack right now. That person will go to the floor to get a loose ball. She is a DAWG. But her height is still at 5'7 I think we have a way that will make that not much of an issue. We will have Bella, and I am thinking Aijha that will be able to fill in that 3 guard role. It will no longer be a 5'5 guard like Asberry. So we will be taller already with that change. Yes having Lexi would make us even taller with a tall shooting guard but is she the type of guard that CNC goes for? Going back to her draft picks she drafted guards pretty high and those guards were Chennedy Carter and Aari Mcdonald. She could be looking for a guard with a lot of speed and the ability to handle the ball to help out from a PG perspective.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this!! I have been trying to wrap my brain around it all

Brusinbear2001 said:

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Jada Walker out of Kentucky was on campus today for a visit. She posted "Waco???" on her Instagram story in a Baylor uniform.

She averaged

12. 9pts
3.1ast
3.1 rbs
2.6 stl
33.3 3pt %
41.6 Fg%

She is on the smaller side being only 5'7 so I know a lot of people might not be super excited about that from that standpoint. But I have been trying to put myself in the coaching staff's shoes and think about why this would help our team. Most things I am about to say Lexi can help with and she has been one of the favorites in the portal at the guard spot for us on this board but Jada was on campus and Lexi was not that I know of so far.

Jada was a PG in the SEC who has been a great conference in the women's game, she has faced tough pressing defenses throughout her career. I do think the offense our coaching staff runs requires us to have very high-IQ basketball players. She is great on the defensive end and at one point was leading the SEC in steals. She also is the type of player that loves to push the pace and we know CNC loves to do that. I noticed a lot this season that Jaden would take a lot of the ball-handling duties at times and so I do not think having another guard that can handle the ball would be a bad thing. I will put a good highlight video I found of her at the bottom of this video. But she will get downhill and I want to describe her as a mighty mouse. She is FEARLESS and SCRAPPY, I think that is something with the Trio of guards we have that we lack right now. That person will go to the floor to get a loose ball. She is a DAWG. But her height is still at 5'7 I think we have a way that will make that not much of an issue. We will have Bella, and I am thinking Aijha that will be able to fill in that 3 guard role. It will no longer be a 5'5 guard like Asberry. So we will be taller already with that change. Yes having Lexi would make us even taller with a tall shooting guard but is she the type of guard that CNC goes for? Going back to her draft picks she drafted guards pretty high and those guards were Chennedy Carter and Aari Mcdonald. She could be looking for a guard with a lot of speed and the ability to handle the ball to help out from a PG perspective.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this!! I have been trying to wrap my brain around it all

---

Dawn Staley was VERY COMPLEMANTARY of her play vs South Carolina. I do not personally like Dawn but she was a very good D1 PG and she knows a thing or two about the position.
I think she would be an excellent complement to Jaden - in fact platooning the two will help Jaden with her shin issues while still keep the downhill push and pace going while the other gets a rest. I view that as a good thing.
Mighty Mite, Fearless, Scrappy is very close to what Dawn said about her. I think she would thrive in CNC's offense.
My first choice is still Lexi, but Jada would be a very good second choice. The Oregon G who just announced that I posted above should be in the conversation as well IMO.
THEN THERE IS THE SATISFACTION OF GETTING ANOTHER KENTUCKY PLAYER AFTER HOW DRE WAS TREATED - CARMA !!!!! I know that is not very Christian but I will ask for forgiveness later.

I understand she and Dre are friends. That explains the visit so soon.

Adriacus Peratuun said:

---

blueeyedbear said:

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Brusinbear2001 said:

---

Jada Walker out of Kentucky was on campus today for a visit. She posted "Waco???" on her Instagram story in a Baylor uniform.

She averaged

12. 9pts
3.1ast
3.1 rbs
2.6 stl
33.3 3pt %
41.6 Fg%

She is on the smaller side being only 5'7 so I know a lot of people might not be super excited about that from that standpoint. But I have been trying to put myself in the coaching staff's shoes and think about why this would help our team. Most things I am about to say Lexi can help with and she has been one of the favorites in the portal at the guard spot for us on this board but Jada was on campus and Lexi was not that I know of so far.

Jada was a PG in the SEC who has been a great conference in the women's game, she has faced tough pressing defenses throughout her career. I do think the offense our coaching staff runs requires us to have very high-IQ basketball players. She is great on the defensive end and at one point was leading the SEC in steals. She also is the type of player that loves to push the pace and we know CNC loves to do that. I noticed a lot this season that Jaden would take a lot of the ball-handling duties at times and so I do not think having another guard that can handle the ball would be a bad thing. I will put a good highlight video I found of her at the bottom of this video. But she will get downhill and I want to describe her as a mighty mouse. She is FEARLESS and SCRAPPY, I think that is something with the Trio of guards we have that we lack right now. That person will go to the floor to get a loose ball. She is a DAWG. But her height is still at 5'7 I think we have a way that will make that not much of an issue. We will have Bella, and I am thinking Aijha that will be able to fill in that 3 guard role. It will no longer be a 5'5 guard like Asberry. So we will be taller already with that change. Yes having Lexi would make us even taller with a tall shooting guard but is she the type of guard that CNC goes for? Going back to her draft picks she drafted guards pretty high and those guards were Chennedy Carter and Aari Mcdonald. She could be looking for a guard with a lot of speed and the ability to handle the ball to help out from a PG perspective.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this!! I have been trying to wrap my brain around it all

---

Dawn Staley was VERY COMPLEMANTARY of her play vs South Carolina. I do not personally like Dawn but she was a very good D1 PG and she knows a thing or two about the position.
I think she would be an excellent complement to Jaden - in fact platooning the two will help Jaden with her shin issues while still keep the downhill push and pace going while the other gets a rest. I view that as a good thing.
Mighty Mite, Fearless, Scrappy is very close to what Dawn said about her. I think she would thrive in CNC's offense.
My first choice is still Lexi, but Jada would be a very good second choice. The Oregon G who just announced that I posted above should be in the conversation as well IMO.
THEN THERE IS THE SATISFACTION OF GETTING ANOTHER KENTUCKY PLAYER AFTER HOW DRE WAS TREATED - CARMA !!!!! I know that is not very Christian but I will ask for forgiveness later.

I understand she and Dre are friends. That explains the visit so soon.

---

Baylor WBB needs a backup PG who can create.
Baylor via Edwards is in a great place to understand her persona.
In scouting Edward's last year, the staff had a head start in scouting her.

Superior insight, high level competition, proven production, area of need………what's not to like.

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A penetrator, distributor, speed demon, looks like she plays taller that 5'7". Plays with a flare for the spectacular. Hope she plays good defense but she could be an asset on most any team.

I think the only thing is the height but for me, her grit makes up for that!!

She also is from Virginia and played for the Boo Williams program which could help expand the word for the recruiting trail, if she puts a good word in for the program!

There is no way that Jada Walker is signing with Baylor to be a backup or in a timeshare. Nicki Collen would have to guarantee her a starting spot which would, in turn, push Owens to the backup role and make Van Gytenbeek a rather unhappy benchwarmer.

Well with the way our guard's bodies have been holding up in recent years, I think a reduction of minutes will not be a bad thing. I think Jana will need to have an amazing summer this year and show growth in the concepts we are trying to run on both ends of the floor. I mean we will run into this issue regardless of what guard we sign. But I think it is something we need.

Brusinbear2001 said:

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Jada Walker out of Kentucky was on campus today for a visit
great on the defensive end and at one point was leading the SEC in steals. ...
she will get downhill and I want to describe her as a mighty mouse. ...
She is FEARLESS and SCRAPPY ...
That person will go to the floor to get a loose ball. She is a DAWG. ...

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Hi Brusinbear2001,
Appreciate your detailed post.
Thank you for reporting the campus visit!

Found her Kentucky exit statement