On the latest episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, Baylor head coach Nicki Collen joined The Next’s Howard Megdal to chat about the Bears’ 9-2 start to the season, including their challenging early schedule, her thoughts on Aaronette Vonleh‘s contributions so far and her team’s success on the defensive side of the ball.
Collen began by discussing the difficult early slate of games her team has had.
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“I saw something of the number of teams that haven’t played a true road game yet, and fortunately, we weren’t on that list,” Collen said. “I think that we felt good about what we had coming back this season. Obviously, you do most of your scheduling before the portal, so certainly you may pick up a game or two after the portal, but I felt like with the addition of Aaronette Vonleh that we had a chance to really challenge ourselves. And I think we failed a couple of those tests, to be honest with you.”
The fourth-year Baylor coach later expanded on Vonleh’s value to the team.
“I think we’re just tapping the surface,” Collen said. “I think that’s the toughest part about the portal and knowing you’re getting someone for one year, it’s like, ‘OK, what do I maximize? Because can I really get her to grow to where I think she’s capable of growing?’ And I think the thing about her, she played in a ton of Princeton stuff at Colorado, how they played, dropping down out of the high post. Played with a playmaking point guard. But I think we’re playing the ball to her more on the low post, getting her to understand her mismatches. … Something that I didn’t know: Her faceup game is a lot better — not that I think she’s going to go out and make four out of 10 3s all the time. But I think her ability to put the ball on the floor, she’s an elite athlete, way better athlete than you than you think, for her size.”
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