SOUTH BEND โ With a different set of priorities, Riatu King could have solved why Lisa Karlen didn't choose Notre Dame. Alternatively, Riza Karlen was the reason Riatu King went elsewhere.
Instead, the ND women's basketball program ended with a shocking double shot of high-octane energy on the same day Monday, when a pair of all-conference graduate forwards officially became Irish players.
Neither hungry Hooper was intimidated by the other's arrival and how it undermined their own influence.
Coach Neele Ivey is also looking for people like that.
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She won two of them, and with those two the Irish team went from a team that was already easily projected to finish in the top 10 and was expected to finish in the top five to a deserved final four. The team progressed to become a team with a vision of winning the domestic title.
With the star-studded quartet of Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, Maddie Westveld, and Sonia Citron returning to the team, and the addition of Kate Koval, who was rated the No. 1 high school player, ND already has a formidable first-place finish of 5th place. Looked like he was ready to get it.
Seriously, between Graduation's departure and Nat Marshall's transfer to Miami, starting center Kyrie Watson may not be ready by the start of next season after injuring his ACL late last season. , which was an obvious concern with KK Bransford starting. The only regulars in the rotation returning off the bench, youngsters Cass Prosper and Emma Risch are each returning from injuries that cost them nearly all of last season, although they still show promise.
Introducing King and Karlen. This is her one whale of a duo that Ivy reeled in around the same time.
They are similarly entered as internal salients that address the imbalance that exists between the potency of the surrounding ND and the porosity of the post.
The problem is that in addition to the six players who have already played on all-conference first-team teams, there is a group that includes Koval if he is what the recruiting analyst has declared him to be, Watson if he is healthy, and two others. The question is how to distribute the playing time that the players deserve. Players who arrived on campus as McDonald's All-Americans (Bransford and Risch), and players who have been internationally tested and remain perhaps the purest athletes on this roster (Prosper). .
However, with all the head-to-head training to come and what's happened to each of the Irish players the past two seasons, if she doesn't lose sleep over this playing time issue anytime soon, Ivy I'm sorry for that.
ND was on its way to making the Sweet 16 anyway, but was devastated by season-ending injuries to multiple starters both years. In 2022-23, it was Miles and Dara Mabry. And this winter, Miles didn't return and Watson faltered, not to mention the early-season scare that saw Citron lose nine games.
Additionally, this type of formidable challenge has happened in many places, not just at Notre Dame, and has not only happened to the Irish in recent years, but at least to Ivey's own injury-shaken play. It often goes back. Days a quarter of a century ago.
Those are warnings.
It's natural to go into each season fervently hoping that no one gets hurt. But that result is also statistically unlikely. It would probably be foolhardy not to prepare for alternatives. Depth has become important.
Now rapidly ticking those boxes, the Irish appear to be building to be the best while preparing for the worst.
The best thing about it is that it looks delicious.
Consider this. Taking the last full seasons of the following six players (Miles in 2022-23, others in 2023-24): Hidalgo (22.6 points per game), King (team-leading 18.7 points per game in Pittsburgh), Karlen (Marquette The team's top scorer (17.7 points), Citron (17.3 points), Westbelt (14.4 points), and Miles (14.3 points) combined for a combined average of 105 points.
Again, that's not to mention what Koval could bring to the table, along with Prosper (8.2 points in 5 games), Bransford (6.8 in 33 games), Watson (6.2 in 31 games), and Risch (7 games). There are only 6 players in junior high school (4.6 games).
Of course, the other part of the equation is that the first six minutes add up to 203 minutes per game. His 200 minutes are the only minutes that can be split in a regulation contest, and players who exceed his 6 minutes will also be given some time.
Mathematically, it's safe to say that someone, probably several people, will have less court time.
It is no exaggeration to say that the Irishman is now a strong candidate.
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Learn more about what's new for Notre Dame women's basketball.
They didn't build their scoring numbers on volume shooting, especially with the 6-foot King and 6-2 Karlen.
Each finished last season with a net effective field goal percentage of 52.3 (King shot exclusively 2-pointers, Karlen an occasional 3-pointer). It was just behind Citron's 52.6, but ahead of Westbelt (50.4) and Miles (48.9 in 2022-23). and Hidalgo (48.6).
It's no surprise that Ivey mentioned percentages for each player in the news release.
โRiatu brings athleticism and efficiency to our frontcourt,โ Ivey said in part. “She is versatile, dynamic, and has a natural ability to score on multiple levels. She has a smooth jumper that gives her an edge on blocks as well.”
Ivey said of Karlen: “She brings a wealth of experience and depth to the forward position and has tremendous versatility on offense. … Riza has great athleticism and is also a relentless rebounder.”
Karlen led the Eagles with 7.9 points per game last season, while King scored 10.3 points per game for the Panthers, who finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference and are on track to be named the league's Most Improved Player. Ta.
Each can change shots (King averages 1.5 blocks, Karlen 1.2). Neither is debt on the line (Karen 82.2%, King 71.1%). Each of her conferences includes names from all over academia.
There is also this. King and Karlen certainly received undisputed top attention on the opponent's scouting reports at their former schools. With Hidalgo and Miles, that won't happen in ND.
What's going to happen for King and Karlen is that their chances of victory increase.
Neither team has ever won an NCAA Tournament championship.
King, who replaced Pitt in purgatory, went 10-59 in ACC games, 34-77 overall, and never had a sniff of postseason contention over the past four years.
During that time, Karlen led Marquette to an 86-38 record and 51-25 in the Big East, making the Eagles three appearances in the NCAA Tournament, but the Eagles were eliminated in the first round each time.
The last time he had such an opportunity was at Notre Dame, where Marquette lost 67-55 to Ole Miss in March despite Karlen's 19 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks.
Notably, Karlen's numbers improved slightly last season, averaging 20.3 points and 8.0 rebounds in six games against ranked opponents.
Meanwhile, King increased his quotas to 18.2 and 10.8 in loaded intra-ACC games, including 26.0 and 13.5 for 2.5 blocks in two games against the Irish.
Each has already scored wins over top-tier competitors.
Each seems poised to move the Irish closer to the true top.