.Minnesota taketh....our Soule but returned a 6'2 Forward by way of the Gophers.
She is a Sophomore and averaged 13.8 ppg and 7.9 rpg for the Gophers last season. Should have two years remaining.
A productive Saturday for Kenny Brooks. #Hokies picked up a commitment from Minnesota transfer Alanna Micheaux, a 6-2 sophomore forward who averaged 14 and 8 this season.Originally from Wayne, Mich., she shot 52% from the field this season. Has two years of eligibility left. pic.twitter.com/RcHewWKLnW— David Cunningham (@therealdcunna) April 16, 2023
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To give you an idea of the type of game she is capable of.
Her highlights from that game:
This is an amazing addition
LET'S GO!!
I didn't watch the ladies tournament games - out of nervousness I would jinx them, not because I wasn't interested - but it sounds like lack of depth and fatigue are what finally got us against LSU.
If there's a better 1-2 combo than Kitley and Amoore in the entire country, I'd like to know who that is. With Alanna Micheaux putting up those kinds of numbers in the Big 10, you have to feel like she's got the potential to make it a Big 3 for the Hokies.
I know there's no specific reason to think Hailey Van Lith from Louisville is eyeing Virginia Tech (except for the fact that we're awesome), but if she did come to VT I think we'd have to be the unquestionable favorites for the 2024 national championship.
I, too, did not watch out of nervousness. I actually don't watch any Hokie sports, really. It affects my mood. I just keep up with results. Maybe someday it won't matter. I'd love to get this monkey off Hokie Nation's back of not having a team national championship.
I feel so seen right now, I don't watch anything live either and haven't for years. (hokietapes' demise has been nothing short of disastrous.)
Weirdly, it affects me less when I'm actually AT the game.
With kids I can barely watch anything live, but YouTube TV and unlimited DVR is super nice. I can set it to record anything VT that gets aired on TV and then watch it at my leisure fast forwarding all commercials.
Weirdly, it affects me less when I'm actually AT the game.
Same, but that's because I know I can go pound rails at Tots after they rip my heart out.
I believe it was more not being able to match the physicality that LSU was getting away with. The womens game is rugby with a hoop thrown in
With Czinano graduating from Iowa probably only UConn with Bueckers back has a better top 2. Although that might depend on who LSU finds in the portal to pair with Reese with Alexis Morris graduating, but with the way Amoore finished the year I'm not sure they'd be better anyways.
I am hoping if Van Lith came here she can actually be a team player. A lot of her great numbers was from games were she shot over 50% of all the shots for Louisville.
Edit wrong spot
The potential benefit this is to the team could not be overstated here.
So looks like they filled the Soule role, now either expect another transfer or someone younger to step up for Traylor's minutes.
They need to take in at least three transfers to have enough depth next year. Definitely still need that physical dribble drive from someone to keep the defenses honest. Not sure how well Wenzel fits this role.
I hear you. As of right now Wenzel is the 5th projected starter and none of the projected backups have played a minute of college basketball.
I have us at 4 open scholarship spots. I'd like to see two of those used this year for more transfers.
Per David Cunningham it's 6 open scholarships since women get 15 team scholarships to the men's 13.
I am hoping that Strack can enable Kitley to reduce her minutes from ~35 mpg down to ~30 or so.
Then I'd hope we can add 3 this year
A quick look at the top transfer players that I would like include Kiki Jefferson out of JMU, Aneesah Morrow out of DePaul, and Taina Mair out of Boston College.
I would add a look at Endyia Rogers, a senior from Oregon and Celeste Taylor from Duke.
I am hesitant to add more seniors and graduate students because I don't want to lose every ounce of experience after next year.
It's a big if, but nobody will care if a title is won
Another name to keep an eye on....Diamond Johnson, ACC 6th Woman of the Year in 2022 and their top player this season entered the portal last night from NC State. She could be a huge addition if Brooks thinks she is a good fit. Two years left but would need a waiver since it will be her third school and she does not appear to be a grad transfer.
She averaged 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists last season with the Wolfpack while shooting 41% from the field in just 22 games due to an ankle injury. Johnson was the sixth-ranked recruit in the ESPN HoopGurlz top 100 for 2020.
Great pickup for VTWBB. Love the intensity that she drives to the hoop with.
Great pickup as she should fill Soule's role well and since she's younger hopefully has a little more development left.
If she has the drive and personality that Soule had she will have Cassell eating out of her hand.
Looks to me, based on the PSU highlights, that she and Liz have similar games. If she is as good a team player as Kitley, I don't know how an opponent can defend both. And you sure can't come off her to double Liz;if they do, Kitley should start getting triple doubles when you add the assists on the easy pass for an open layup to her scoring and rebounding.
Micheaux definitely has a pretty good downlow, back to the backboard game. The key will be how Kitley and Micheaux can interact and keep spacing when both are the game. Both seem used to being the only player in the box. Both, however, have a really good intermediate jump shot and decent drive skills, so they should be able to space well when they learn each other's game. Definitely appears to be a good get.
Micheaux has a good handle dribbling. Kitley not so much. She resorts to the step back floater rather than trying to dribble. It works for her but if there is one area she needs improvement it's ball control and hand strength inside. Being able to take full advantage of her height in the paint by consistent control of the ball would be huge for next season. Working on receiving the ball and keeping it clear of defenders going up would really help her.