McKenzie Adams

[BWS]

Bob Holt is reporting on twitter that guard McKenzie Adams has quit the women's basketball team. That's a huge loss for the team and only leaves them with 9 scholarship players.

[jbcarol]

Bob Holt @BobHoltADG  ·  2 minutes ago
Jimmy Dykes, thru UA spokesperson, declined comment on why McKenzie Adams quit women's bball team. UA down to 9 scholarship players.

[Hogtied85]

Bob Holt is reporting on twitter that guard McKenzie Adams has quit the women's basketball team. That's a huge loss for the team and only leaves them with 9 scholarship players.

I don't know what to say. Is there any talent for from the 2014 recruiting class that we can add.

[yraciv]

That's no good. Curious if she quit or is exploring options.  Although I'm not surprised when any player leave with a new coach. I was really rooting for Mckenzie due to the bloodlines.

[Hogtied85]

That's no good. Curious if she quit or is exploring options.  Although I'm not surprised when any player leave with a new coach. I was really rooting for Mckenzie due to the bloodlines.

What will this do for the our season. Are we not contenders? NCAA bound?

[LadybackBBFan]

What will this do for the our season. Are we not contenders? NCAA bound?

Should have - loss of Adams and Pitt two good guards, you have to wonder what is going on.

[flippinhogmana]

not good.  Only two scholarship guards left.  You simply can't play the pressing style of play that Dykes is familiar with three guards, much less two (not enough depth for pressing or fouls, much less injury).  I wonder if the style of play is why Pitts and Adams exited stage right?  Both were good shooting guards two of our three best from the guard position at the three point line.

[flippinhogmana]

she has already been deleted from the roster

[flippinhogmana]

and, I hoped for a better start for Jimmy. 

[tophawg19]

anywhere we could pick up a replacement ?

[pigture perfect]

This time of year, I doubt it. Best option is to pick up a walk-on from intramurals.

[yraciv]

What will this do for the our season. Are we not contenders? NCAA bound?

I have no idea what to expect.  Jimmy Dykes is such a wildcard on what style of play to expect, and with 9 players, if anyone goes down for an extended period of time you can bury our grave.  I don't think we're NCAA bound, but we should have enough talent to get to the NIT.  I say this based solely on the fact we return Berna, Bowen, & Jackson who are a very credible big 3.  Jessica Jackson may need to drop 20 a game this year though.

[BWS]

We know that Jimmy Dykes has spent nearly 20 years learning and watching practices from some of the best coaches in the country. I think he's figured out how to build a championship program. This is only speculation, but some of the players that left may have not been able to adjust to his style of play or meet the demands he set forth in the program.

[Porked Tongue]

Tough deal. But she "had" to go.  I'm going to let someone else post the particulars.  A bit more than a personality deal here.

Certainly going to be a challenge this year due to the head count. 

[Hogtied85]

Tough deal. But she "had" to go.  I'm going to let someone else post the particulars.  A bit more than a personality deal here.

Certainly going to be a challenge this year due to the head count.

I dont understand. Please explain please

[flippinhogmana]

how about pitts? Did she "have to go"?

[flippinhogmana]

I am not going to criticize Jimmy.  I wish him the best and sometimes this happens.  But it is truly going to be a rough road now, and I am not sure that Tom wasn't going to turn it around this year.  I believe he finally had the pieces in place.  Its a shame and may get to be an embarrassment. 

I am razorback through and through and I will support Jimmy. That doesn't necessarily mean that everything that happens has to happen.  I am loyal, not blind or stupid.  That said, I dont know anything.  I just know we are two quality guards short.

[BigChief14]

I am not going to criticize Jimmy.  I wish him the best and sometimes this happens.  But it is truly going to be a rough road now, and I am not sure that Tom wasn't going to turn it around this year.  I believe he finally had the pieces in place.  Its a shame and may get to be an embarrassment. 

Tom wasn't going to do squat.

[flippinhogmana]

Tom wasn't going to do squat.

I don't know that and neither do you.  You can neither prove or disprove a negative.  What we both know for a certainty is we are two guards short now.  I am only concerned with that possibility because we chose to go in a different direction that might now not be so hot either.

I still wish the hogs and jimmy the best.

[hog63]

I like Tom as a person but Tom was burned out and should have retired 2 years ago. What's going on now was allowed last year and should have been stopped in it's tracks then. Tom thought it would handle itself but clearly it did not. This has very little to do with Dykes and alot to do with Tom and his lack of control over the program.

[flippinhogmana]

I have no objection per se to seeing Tom go (I too think he should have gotten more accomplished with what he had), but in imho, this would have been his best set of players yet.  I didn't say, best team, because you hint at a lack of chemistry at best and at worst some dissension and in fighting in the ranks. 

You might recall that when Nolan Richardson came to the UofA, he remarked that Eddie had left the cupboard very well stocked.  Six months later he wasn't so enamored with the stock and neither were they with him.  Kevin Riehl, Scott, Mills, and a couple other highly regarded recruits left.  There were reports that not only wouldn't they play Nolan's style, but they didn't even like each other and wouldn't play well together in any offense. 

I saw them play and they truly were under-preforming.  Their hearts weren't really in it.  They had no fire no passion.  Out of all those heralded recruits who (left the cupboard so well stocked) were there when Nolan came, I think Andrew Lang may have been the only freshman who stayed his whole career.  We all know how Nolan's tenure played out.  Maybe Jimmy will do okay.

I don't know about Tom's discipline, etc., and I think that is an important aspect of Jimmy's program.  What I do know is that Abe Lemons and Eddie Sutton were worlds apart, but each in their own way could get the most out of their players and their teams.  But Eddie would run off a player that would be a starter, maybe even a star for Abe.  Like I said:not everything that happens has to happen.  I don't know what happened so I will reserve judgment.

[MoHog74]

Regardless of our win/lost record this year, you'll have to admit CJD has brought excitement and a breath of fresh air to the program.  Until someone posts some facts about McKenzie leaving, we left to just making assumptions (usually incorrect) about the reasons.

WPS :razorback:

[flippinhogmana]

Regardless of our win/lost record this year, you'll have to admit CJD has brought excitement and a breath of fresh air to the program.  Until someone posts some facts about McKenzie leaving, we left to just making assumptions (usually incorrect) about the reasons.

WPS :razorback:

True enough...Lets have some? And include why Bria Pitts left?  Then lets get over it and go on down the road?

[flippinhogmana]

Down the road Jordan Danberry, Malika Monk, Gabrielle Stanton, Briunna Freeman (all guards or pgs) along with wings Keiryn Swenson and Bailey Zimmerman will be here next year to help.

[jseinfeld50]

We may need Melissa Wolff to play guard sometimes in relief of Berna and Brooks. Jessica Jackson can of course play all positions. Don't know what to expect from the true freshman guard Bostad. 

[flippinhogmana]

Brooks was like the sixth guard last year behind both pitts and adams and the seniors who graduated.  The load is really going to be on Berna.  It will be hard for her to play much aggressive defense.  I had considered the possibility to play Wolff some at the off guard position but that would be it.  She has been our banger forward for the last two years.  Like it or not Berna will play till her tongue hangs out and Brooks will play no matter her lack of experience or how well she plays for the most part.  Wolff and yes, JJ will help share ball handling duties, but with six of nine players forwards, we better get some rebounds at least.

[Jim Harris]

anywhere we could pick up a replacement ?

intramurals?

[flippinhogmana]

you are joking right, Jim?

[jdlittle]

The coaching change has brought about a culture change and we have not had a womens program in a long time.   It is time for one.  I totally support Coach Dykes.  Hope the best for the young ladies that left.  Dont know particulars.    Might be more leave, who knows. 
I am excited to have someone that is actually interested in basketball and hard work. 

[wbbfan32]

Brooks was like the sixth guard last year behind both pitts and adams and the seniors who graduated.  The load is really going to be on Berna.  It will be hard for her to play much aggressive defense.  I had considered the possibility to play Wolff some at the off guard position but that would be it.  She has been our banger forward for the last two years.  Like it or not Berna will play till her tongue hangs out and Brooks will play no matter her lack of experience or how well she plays for the most part.  Wolff and yes, JJ will help share ball handling duties, but with six of nine players forwards, we better get some rebounds at least.

Brooks has a lot of experience actually. She was the first guard off the bench last year, far ahead of Pitts who did not really get meaningful minutes till the end of the season. Kelsey finished a lot of games for us last year when McKenzie was not hitting shots. The one issue is Brooks is not a great shooter, so they will really need her to drive (and finish) or get to the free throw line. Wolff will have to play some three as will Jackson, but the freshman Bostad is going to have to contribute some points as well.

One thing is sure. If we have a lineup with Berna, Brooks, Wolff, Jackson, and Bowen we should never be out rebounded.

[flippinhogmana]

forwards we got!  Including Powell and West.

[pigture perfect]

I'm hoping she lands on her feet somewhere good.

[hog63]

Berna already averaged  around 38 mins a game so the help will have to come from the post players which will allow Wolfe and Jackson to slide out. Bottom line we can not get any injuries and foul trouble is not an option

[hawgwatcher]

I like Jimmy and hope he's successful. Hell, we even bought season tickets to support the women's team this year.  I will say though I thought it a bit demeaning that his wife was teaching "manners/ettiquite" class to the team. It reminded me of "A League of Their Own". Not sure how that would go over with women of this generation or if it was an optional deal for them. My daughters are a bit older, but I can assure you they would be offended as women if a man told them they had to take an ettiquite class.

[hog63]

I like Jimmy and hope he's successful. Hell, we even bought season tickets to support the women's team this year.  I will say though I thought it a bit demeaning that his wife was teaching "manners/ettiquite" class to the team. It reminded me of "A League of Their Own". Not sure how that would go over with women of this generation or if it was an optional deal for them. My daughters are a bit older, but I can assure you they would be offended as women if a man told them they had to take an ettiquite class.


That is something done at a lot of programs all over the country. A lot of the kids that come in to played have never been in those type of situations. It helps prepared the kids so they make a position impression on people they interact with. You would be shocked with some of he situation some of these athletes come.

[Hogtied85]

How is practice is going? Can this team right now do better than last years team?

[hog63]

From what I here it's going fine, much fast pace and get more done than last year.

For us to be better which before the departures I thought we would be better we will have to avoid the injury bug and foul trouble. either one of those bite us we are in trouble. We also have to have some of the big kids step up to allow Mo and Jess to step out to the 3 spot. We have a good shot at being better but with the departures as well as the harder schedule the margin for error is thin.

[LadybackBBFan]

Brooks was like the sixth guard last year behind both pitts and adams and the seniors who graduated.  The load is really going to be on Berna.  It will be hard for her to play much aggressive defense.  I had considered the possibility to play Wolff some at the off guard position but that would be it.  She has been our banger forward for the last two years.  Like it or not Berna will play till her tongue hangs out and Brooks will play no matter her lack of experience or how well she plays for the most part.  Wolff and yes, JJ will help share ball handling duties, but with six of nine players forwards, we better get some rebounds at least.

How many games did you ever go to?  Brooks should have been starting at the end of the year over Adams.  She is the best defensive player on the team - no one else is close.  She generally played more minutes that Adams at the end of the year.  She can drive and shoot free throws - she also is the strongest guard they have as far as physical.  I agree she is not the best three point shooter - Pitts and Adams were better.  Where we will be hurting is the 3 position - can Wolf handle it?  If not Jackson would probably play it and we would need some help in the post position.

[flippinhogmana]

Well, my recollections were a bit dated on Brooks, maybe.  It seemed to me that there was at least one senior who played a lot but her stats are gone (as well as the stats from previous years, a purging). 

I also remember that Pitts was rehabbing a knee and that her minutes got more significant as she healed and got her mobility and strength back. 

I think you are underselling Adams (who admittedly was a streak player) as much as I was unintentionally underselling Brooks.  It wasn't my point anyway, my point was that there is a load going to be put on her and not much relief in sight for her if she gets overwhelmed (or hurt or in foul trouble for that matter).

[psycHOGlogist]

Very curious as to the deal with Adams's departure, but Brooks was NOT the 6th guard and did not play fewer minutes than Pitts. Pitts chose to seek another opportunity (there is a thread about her down the board in which her dad -- I think -- says that she was amicably leaving the program), and I don't blame her. Her strength was shooting, and her knee injury may have prevented her from being the kind of guard that CJD wanted. Bostad is supposed to be a great shooter, and she is on scholarship, so we'll have to see how she does.

9 scholarship players will be tough, but I think the turnover is not that remarkable given the extreme change in coaching styles, personalities, and philosophies, and the relatively large number of newcomers that was on the team last year.

[root_hawg]

Better hope for no injuries, no foul trouble.  Still going to b a long year

[flippinhogmana]

Better hope for no injuries, no foul trouble.  Still going to b a long year

I like Jimmy and hope he's successful. Hell, we even bought season tickets to support the women's team this year.  I will say though I thought it a bit demeaning that his wife was teaching "manners/ettiquite" class to the team. It reminded me of "A League of Their Own". Not sure how that would go over with women of this generation or if it was an optional deal for them. My daughters are a bit older, but I can assure you they would be offended as women if a man told them they had to take an ettiquite class.

From what I here it's going fine, much fast pace and get more done than last year.

For us to be better which before the departures I thought we would be better we will have to avoid the injury bug and foul trouble. either one of those bite us we are in trouble. We also have to have some of the big kids step up to allow Mo and Jess to step out to the 3 spot. We have a good shot at being better but with the departures as well as the harder schedule the margin for error is thin.

Berna already averaged  around 38 mins a game so the help will have to come from the post players which will allow Wolfe and Jackson to slide out. Bottom line we can not get any injuries and foul trouble is not an option

I quote these posters to illustrate the major point here.  If a couple of you want to distract from what really matters to a minor point of contention, fine be that way.  I bet you were raving successes in debate class.  That sort of approach is equally successful in marriage, politics, communication, well just about everything that involves the transference of perceptions of important matters from one human being to another.

I started the Bria Pitts thread.  I live in Tulsa and have followed her since before she became a UofA player (just like I followed Nolan Richardson before he became a UofA coach).  If anyone thinks that Bria Pitts didn't leave for a reason other than 'an amicable departure', well perhaps you would be interested in some ocean front property in Phoenix.  Her dad did say that in the thread, but he is a coach my friend, he knows how to say it for public consumption to ruffle as few feathers as possible, get it?  Two quality guards leaving at the same time frame, is not a coincidence in this case.  One obviously handled it better in the pr sector, but that doesn't mean that their reasons weren't similar.

Bottom line as I have previously said, and as I have quoted herein from another posters: WE like Jimmy, we support him, moreover we support the program.  We also are going to go through a rough patch, some of which may be due to circumstances beyond his control, some of which may be self inflicted due to a learning curve (you do remember he hasn't coached before and especially hasn't coached women).  Regardless we will do forward.  It will place a lot of burden on Callie Berna and others who were already working hard.  My hat is off to them.  I hope they pull it off.  And I support them either way.

[azhog10]

I quote these posters to illustrate the major point here.  .

I started the Bria Pitts thread. If anyone thinks that Bria Pitts didn't leave for a reason other than 'an amicable departure', well perhaps you would be interested in some ocean front property in Phoenix.  Her dad he knows how to say it for public consumption to ruffle as few feathers as possible, get it?

Bottom line as I have previously said, Jimmy, going to go through a rough patch, which may be self inflicted due to a learning curve (you do remember he hasn't coached before and especially hasn't coached women). 

Think this says it all..........

[flippinhogmana]

I am not getting into replying to someone who has an agenda, who is trying to equate an agenda to me.  I will simply say this, I am not blind, I am not stupid, I am not oblivious, nor a Kool aide drinker.  If crap hits the fan I don't try to spin it into the breeze being "a bit close this evening".

On the other hand, I do not damn with faint praise.  When I identified myself with others who posted they liked Jimmy, I meant it.  I hope he wins ten national championships.  What agenda do you see in that?

If I have an agenda, it is a desire that the athletic programs and the institutions of Arkansas, and particular the University of Arkansas, do well.  I will stand on that.

[mhuff]

you are joking right, Jim?

Can't speak for Jim.....but sure I would look at intramurals. UA is a large school that has many young women that were good h.s. players. You can't practice with 9 players. I would take 3 walkons.

[flippinhogmana]

Can't speak for Jim.....but sure I would look at intramurals. UA is a large school that has many young women that were good h.s. players. You can't practice with 9 players. I would take 3 walkons.

I repeated what some one said as fact (that as far as I know no one ever contradicted so I supposed it stood as true) that Jimmy's position was back when he was first hired, that he doesn't use men for practice.  One of the other posters said he had been at practice and they had three men playing, so that apparently wasn't true.  A point where I was gladly corrected. 

I don't know if that was because they were short due to the numbers or if they wanted the team to practice against extra height like I did in junior high and high school with my girl's teams, but that's one option too.  But by all means mhuff, I am with you, they have to practice one way or another.

[azhog10]

I repeated what some one said as fact (that as far as I know no one ever contradicted so I supposed it stood as true) that Jimmy's position was back when he was first hired, that he doesn't use men for practice.  One of the other posters said he had been at practice and they had three men playing, so that apparently wasn't true.  A point where I was gladly corrected. 

I don't know if that was because they were short due to the numbers or if they wanted the team to practice against extra height like I did in junior high and high school with my girl's teams, but that's one option too.  But by all means mhuff, I am with you, they have to practice one way or another.

I've seen women's teams use men to practice against. I understand the logic behind it. That said I do not see it as something that is an absolute must. Case in point, men's programs do not bring in semi professional players or x-nba players, or people from the outside to play against them. One legit reason is if a girl or guy gets injured by someone that you bring in to scrimmage or practice against then you are going to look pretty foolish. Sure it's great to have the competition and if you want to get better you have to raise your level. That said, our girls team at GVSU (who won a national championship while I was there) would bring guys in to scrimmage against. But I would say 7-9 of the girls on the team were better than the guys they would bring in. So were they really going against a competition level better than themselves? I didn't think so. So it's really all about the way you practice and what you believe in. I understand both sides of this coin and if Jimmy doesn't want guys in his practice then I would be he has a darn good reason why.

[psycHOGlogist]

I don't have an agenda about CJD, but I'm also not going to be too alarmed by turnover of players in a coach's first year. The players who left were recruited by Collen to play in Collen's style of game, with Collen's personality coaching them.

There's a new coach, and it is normal for some players already in the program -- especially new players with a lot eligibility left -- to seek greener pastures when there's a change. Happens all the time, in every sport.

That doesn't mean that CJD doesn't have some rough spots, or that his personality doesn't rub some players the wrong way. I follow him on twitter, and some of the things he tweets make me cringe. But you know what? Some people out there will eat those same tweets up with a spoon. It's just a different style. He certainly hasn't had too much trouble so far recruiting instate talent (with 2 GA kids and a Kansas kid thrown in for good measure).

We're just going to have to see what happens.

[The_Iceman]

Can't speak for Jim.....but sure I would look at intramurals. UA is a large school that has many young women that were good h.s. players. You can't practice with 9 players. I would take 3 walkons.

Back when I was in school and playing intramurals, I saw a lot of really talented female players. A lot of them had different stories as to why they didn't go play college ball. Jimmy could find a decent bench player to help with depth.

[MoHog74]

I thought I should revive this thread to give someone a chance to post why McKenzie left the team.  I read where she has now signed with SMU.   I realize players will sometimes move on when there is a change in coaches.  However, from what I've seen this year, we could sure use an extra point guard.  I remember one game from last year when McKenzie hit 6 3-point shots.  That kind of shooting may be hard to replace.  Having said that however, I believe the future is bright with CJD at AR.  Integrity and discipline are qualities that will serve these young ladies well in their future.