Next season...

[titansforever]

It looks like Ruthie is planning to come back!

[Ting]

That was a huge announcement - getting Ruthie back - some interior presence, makes a big difference and she can mentor all the youth bigs we have coming in. Ruthie will have some fun rebounding with a 6'6'' Mary on the other side next year. 

[titansforever]

Next season, maybe we need to shift our focus from the men's team to the women's. They seem to have a better chance of succeeding--at least, as of today, things look good! We never know what might happen in the months ahead...

[Bogus Smith]

12 hours ago, titansforever said:

Next season, maybe we need to shift our focus from the men's team to the women's. They seem to have a better chance of succeeding--at least, as of today, things look good! We never know what might happen in the months ahead...

We definitely should be focused on the women's team next season - as well as committed to our men's basketball team if HCRS's second season stacks up the way it should.  Our ladies will be going head-to-head with the perennial champs, South Dakota State, and it will be fun to see the team progress in Kelsi Musick's third season.  Barring injuries, next season could be the second time that the Summit League gets two bids into the NCAA women's tournament.

[titansforever]

So... the women's team has finished recruiting for next season! Here's hoping these players work out extremely well.

https://oruathletics.com/news/2024/4/17/womens-basketball-oruwbb-finalizes-2024-freshman-recruiting-class.aspx 

[Bogus Smith]

It looks like an excellent class of young ladies.  Looking forward to seeing how these ladies mesh together and pull on the rope in the same direction.

[2014Grad]

Yesterday I spoke with someone who is a student at ORU and very close with a lot of members of the women's team. They said there is strong sentiment around the team that they are very very deep and a feeling that this could be the most successful team in a while, and for a few years to come with all the talented underclasswomen. It's good to hear of the internal positive energy and that they have high hopes!!

[Bogus Smith]

1 hour ago, 2014Grad said:

Yesterday I spoke with someone who is a student at ORU and very close with a lot of members of the women's team. They said there is strong sentiment around the team that they are very very deep and a feeling that this could be the most successful team in a while, and for a few years to come with all the talented underclasswomen. It's good to hear of the internal positive energy and that they have high hopes!!

I would agree with that sentiment.  There is a lot of talent, height, and "IQ" on this year's women's team.  I expect two-bids to come out of the Summit League in March.

[theeagleman5]

TWO BIDS??!!??....that's a VERY BOLD statement......would be a first, right??? 

[ORU82]

I know that it is a bit off topic but does anyone have a clue as to who we will be playing in the OOC portion of this year's WBB schedule?

[TrueBlue82]

7 hours ago, theeagleman5 said:

TWO BIDS??!!??....that's a VERY BOLD statement......would be a first, right??? 

Actually, Eagleman, the Summit League has proven to be a very strong mid-major conference in Women's basketball in recent years, primarily due to the performances of South Dakota and South Dakota State.  In both 2019 and 2021, the League earned multiple bids (USD and SDSU).

From 2000-2018, the Mid-Con/Summit champion didn't have much success in the NCAA tourney, winning only two first round games while compiling an overall record of 2-19.  Since then, the League has earned multiple bids twice, reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2022 (USD) and posted a very respectable record of 5-7.

If ORU earns a bid in 2025 (whether as league champion or through multiple bids), they will have earned it!

FYI - ORU's last tourney appearance was in 2013 as the Southland tournament champion.

 

[Bogus Smith]

1 hour ago, TrueBlue82 said:

Actually, Eagleman, the Summit League has proven to be a very strong mid-major conference in Women's basketball in recent years, primarily due to the performances of South Dakota and South Dakota State.  In both 2019 and 2021, the League earned multiple bids (USD and SDSU).

From 2000-2018, the Mid-Con/Summit champion didn't have much success in the NCAA tourney, winning only two first round games while compiling an overall record of 2-19.  Since then, the League has earned multiple bids twice, reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2022 (USD) and posted a very respectable record of 5-7.

If ORU earns a bid in 2025 (whether as league champion or through multiple bids), they will have earned it!

FYI - ORU's last tourney appearance was in 2008, and the last time they won the conference tourney when it wasn't hosted in Tulsa was in 2001.

 

JB, I think that the women won the Southland Conference post season tournament in the early 2010's and played (was on the same court) with Tennessee in Knoxville.  I believe this is the last time that the WBB team saw the Big Dance.

[titansforever]

32 minutes ago, Bogus Smith said:

JB, I think that the women won the Southland Conference post season tournament in the early 2010's and played (was on the same court) with Tennessee in Knoxville.  I believe this is the last time that the WBB team saw the Big Dance.

Yes, the women were in the Dance in 2013.

[TrueBlue82]

1 hour ago, Bogus Smith said:

JB, I think that the women won the Southland Conference post season tournament in the early 2010's and played (was on the same court) with Tennessee in Knoxville.  I believe this is the last time that the WBB team saw the Big Dance.

Good catch. I was looking at the Summit site and inadvertently missed the Southland years.  Thanks, Bogus.  

[Dave Connor]

This year’s team has 8 women from Oklahoma, some from the Tulsa area. That’s a lot of local talent for us to enjoy. I hope we can all show up and support them every home game.