In the latest episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, The Next’s Talia Goodman dished to host Howard Megdal about all the comings and goings in the NCAA transfer portal. They began by breaking down USC’s huge success in the portal, adding Kiki Iriafen and Talia von Oelhoffen.
“[Coach Lindsay Gottlieb] has done a phenomenal job — as good as any, I would say, in the country — in the portal this offseason,” Goodman said. “There have been rumors out there that Kiki very often was considering a move to USC, and she got her, and that was maybe the pickup of the year. I say she was No. 1 in the portal on my list.”
Goodman and Megdal then discussed conference realignment and its impact on teams.
“The Pac-12 disappearing is still something I’m kind of getting my mind around,” Megdal said. “The Kiki move, in particular, that’s not choosing — that wasn’t, like, Oregon State. This is choosing, effectively, the Big Ten over the ACC.”
Megdal and Goodman wrapped up the episode by discussing what they learned from the portal chaos and what coaches may need to do differently next time around.
“I think the biggest lesson that we’ve learned is that we need to be on our phones 24/7, because there are going to be names in there 24/7 until May 1,” Goodman said.
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