Video Vibe Check: Weekend sports
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Big East WBB Summer Vibe Check: DePaul
Jorie Allen: “We’ll start there, and that’s Jorie Allen. Her collegiate career is now over after starting at Indiana in 2019, earning a COVID bonus season, and also losing a year to injury along the way. I’m going to guess that she did some of her scoring because of her rebounding, as Allen averaged three offensive rebounds a night last season.” The two biggest roles went to Kate Clarke and Meg Newman, and you can put them in whatever order makes sense to you as to who is the most important. They had both had roles on the team, but weren’t asked to carry much of a load, especially in the middle of a season. “I feel like we have to carry a lot of a carry load,” one player said, “especially when you’re playing for a team like the New York Knicks.’ “The other top end is Haley Walker, who has transferred to FAU with two years remaining. She averaged just 12.6 minutes per game, but finished third on theteam in rebounding at 4.1 a night.
2024-25 Record: 13-19, 8-10 Big East
2024-25 Big East Finish: Sixth, three games behind Villanova and two in front of Providence.
Final 2024-25 Rankings
NET: #127
Her Hoop Stats: #180
BartTorvik.com: #116
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Postseason? Just a cartoonishly hilarious 80-73 loss to Xavier in the Big East tournament first round.
Notable Departures: DePaul is losing their top two scorers, three of their top four rebounders, and their assists leader…. who was #1 in scoring and #2 in rebounding. We’ll start there, and that’s Jorie Allen. Her collegiate career is now over after starting at Indiana in 2019, earning a COVID bonus season, and also losing a year to injury along the way. While earning a spot as one of just two women to start in all 32 games for the Blue Demons last year, she led the team in scoring (20.0/game) and assists (3.8), and pulled in a pretty healthy 5.8 rebounds per game too. I’m going to guess that she did some of her scoring because of her rebounding, as Allen averaged three offensive rebounds a night last season.
The #2 scorer on the squad was Taylor Johnson-Matthews, who has ended up at Clemson with at least one year of eligibility remaining. She averaged 14.5 points per game and was the three-point threat that Allen was not, converting at a 36% rate last year. She also averaged 3.2 rebounds and a steal per game to contribute in more than one place.
The other top end rebounder DePaul loses is Haley Walker, who has transferred to FAU with two years remaining. She averaged just 12.6 minutes per game, but finished third on the team in rebounding at 4.1 a night. According to Her Hoop Stats, that means she was top 140 in the country in defensive rebounding rate and #75 on the offensive glass. Kind of a bummer that she didn’t play more, given that DePaul was a middle of the road defensive rebounding team last season.
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Angelina Smith was a more-often-than-not rotation player for DePaul, playing 16.7 minutes while appearing in 27 of their 32 games and starting 10 times. Her numbers aren’t wild — 3.4 points, 2.1 rebounds — but she was a contributor as a freshman, and that’s something. She’s off to Oakland with three years of eligibility to go.
Going by averages, it’s hard to say that Grace Carstensen was a big help for DePaul last year, but she averaged over 17 minutes a night. She started in the last three games of the 15 that she played before suffering a season ending injury. She has two years remaining, and she’s joining Walker at Florida Atlantic.
Notable Returners: DePaul is losing a lot of top end contributing talent, but they bring back several women who had roles on the team last year. The two biggest roles went to Kate Clarke and Meg Newman, and you can put them in whatever order makes sense to you as to who is the most important. Clarke is the double digit scorer (11.9/game) who shot 36% on a team high 6.8 three-pointer attempts per game. Newman is the team’s leading rebounder from last season, stacking up 8.2 per contest and doing it in just 25 minutes a night. The former Alabama transfer did her work mostly on the defensive glass, but when you’re #13 in the country in defensive rebounding rate per Her Hoop Stats, you can take it easy on the offensive glass in my opinion.
Sumer Lee played a lot of minutes for DePaul last season, finishing third on the team in total and best amongst returning players. She also didn’t do much with her 801 minutes gathered up while starting 30 times in 32 appearances, averaging just 2.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Okay, okay, the assists are actually best amongst returning players, “didn’t do much” is slightly unfair.
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Shakara McCline played in all 32 games and picked up 13 starts, while Natiah Nelson appeared 26 times and started in four of those. They both had roles on the team, but weren’t asked to carry much of a load. That’s not that big of a deal for a sophomore and a freshman respectively last season, especially with Nelson averaging just 10.8 minutes a game.
I feel like we have to mention Ally Timm here. As a freshman, she played in 39 total minutes off the bench across DePaul’s first two games, scoring 15 points thanks to 5-for-13 three-point shooting, and then suffered a season ending injury. Seems like she was going to do a lot for DePaul last year, but the injury stopped that. If she’s 100% healthy heading into this season, I presume the coaching staff will ask her to jump right back into the fire like that.
Key Additions: The Blue Demons bring in one freshman and six transfers. I’m guessing that between the returning players and the transfers, specifically the three seniors on their final year of eligibility coming in, that we won’t see much of freshman Gina Davorija (5’9” guard).
With that in mind, let’s look at the transfers.
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The biggest addition here in terms of previous contributions is Kate Novik (5’9” guard), who spent the last two years at Morehead State. She started most of her games there, including all 24 as a sophomore last season while missing six contests in the middle of the year. Across the two seasons, she averaged 12.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.0 steals. There’s a big question about her as a shooter, as she went from 38% as a freshman to just 21% as a sophomore on three-point attempts.
After Novik, things start getting a little questionable as to how these women fit into the Big East. Devin Hagemann (5’6” guard) starting 19 times in 32 games as a freshman at East Carolina, but only averaged 5.5 points per game and shot under 28% on three-pointers. Justis Odom (6’2” forward) averaged 8.6 points and 4.5 rebounds across two seasons at Lindenwood after not really playing much at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Michelle Ojo (6’0” forward) played 59 games at Delaware in three seasons (although just three mid-season contests in 2023-24) after transferring out of George Washington, but averaged just 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game this past season for the Blue Hens. Faith Okorie (6’0” forward) played 64 total minutes for George Mason last season after missing her first year on campus with an injury.
Finally, there’s the wild case of Aizhanique Mayo (5’9” guard), who is now enrolled at her third Big East program. She’s only ever played for Xavier after enrolling at Marquette and leaving the team shortly before the season started. She was a mid-year transfer to Iona, where she did not play, and then followed Billi Chambers to the Musketeers. Mayo saw her minutes fall in her second season of action in Cincinnati, ultimately averaging 8.4 points and 2.2 rebounds for a XU team that went 7-24 and just 1-17 in conference action. She did shoot 37% on 4.9 three pointers per game in her 51 games with Xavier, which is kind of a lot of shots for someone who wasn’t starting all that much.
Coach: Jill Pizzotti, entering her first official season as a Division 1 head coach since 2005. She served as DePaul’s interim head coach this past year after working on the Blue Demons’ sideline as an assistant to Doug Bruno since 2011. She went 113-167 as head coach at Saint Louis between 1995 and 2005.
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Outlook: Doug Bruno’s run of 17 straight NCAA tournament appearances plus an 18th year in 2020 where they would have made the field is officially planted in the rear view mirror of this program. Not only has the team not made the NCAA tournament or the WBIT OR the WNIT for the past three seasons, but they also haven’t finished the year with a winning record, either. The era of “well, at least DePaul’s women’s basketball team is pretty good” is over in Lincoln Park.
Now, if you want to give head coach Jill Pizzotti a break on 2024-25, I’ll allow it. Doug Bruno suffered a stroke in August 2024, and I can see how that could throw a program into upheaval for a year. The problem is that Pizzotti’s year as interim head coach extended DePaul’s run of losing records. It wasn’t a one-off, it was a continuation. Even worse, it was a continuation of the Blue Demons being kind of lousy on the defensive end of the floor, as their #295 ranking in the Her Hoop Stats’ metric marked the fifth straight sub-200 ranking and the 14th straight year with a sub-100 defense.
DePaul had that big long run of success under Bruno because they could score the ball like crazy. That didn’t happen last year, finishing up at #184 in HHS’ offensive rankings, and they got there on sub-200 rankings in field goal percentage, two-point shooting percentage, three-point shooting percentage, and effective field goal percentage.
Which leads us to pointing out that Jill Pizzotti had two winning seasons as Saint Louis’ head coach in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and only once did her Billikens finish with a winning record in Conference USA action. Yes, she was on staff during The Reformation, where the Blue Demons won five straight Big East regular season titles and six in seven years as well as five conference tournaments. That’s also wildly inconsistent with her history as a head coach, and we have to say that if Pizzotti was a mastermind of how DePaul was running, then we have to ask why she wasn’t slowing down their decline over the last several years.
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That’s why putting her in charge of the program seems so weird to me. It feels like DePaul athletic director DeWayne Peevy said, “yeah, well, her stuff is already in the office, it’s fine,” even though she really doesn’t have the credentials to get the job. The fact that she coached a losing season (admittedly under hard terms given Bruno’s sudden medical situation) and DePaul announced a national search on March 28th just doesn’t make sense relative to the Blue Demons proclaiming her the full time coach just six days later. Just giving her the job while announcing Bruno’s retirement would have made more sense than what they did, at least from the outside looking in.
DePaul has a useful returning core of players, as long as you kind of ignore the losing record thing. This isn’t a situation where the cupboard has emptied out for Pizzotti. That’s good news, because the incoming transfers don’t particularly spark any kind of attention. If all they have to do is fit in around Kate Clark and Meg Newman toting the mail for the Blue Demons, then what Pizzotti’s doing with this transfer class is probably fine.
Is it going to result in a winning record this coming winter? I’d have to say that I’m not holding out a lot of hope here, at least not until I see them at least try to play something resembling defense. And if it doesn’t? How long does the 59 year old Pizzotti get to keep this job? Or even want to keep this job?
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Disney+ Tips-Off Vibe Check, Women-led Sports Studio Show Later This Month
ESPN brings Vibe Check to Disney+ next week. The women-led female sports program brings together a powerhouse lineup of hosts. Chiney Ogwumike, Elle Duncan, Hannah Storm, Andraya Carter, Monica McNutt and more share the desk on Vibe check. These women break down the latest in women’s sports. The show is tabbed for three episodes a week and will be available on Disney+ starting on June 30. It is the latest addition to the Disney+ streaming service.
Vibe Check is tabbed for three episodes a week. ESPN is bringing more than just game analysis too. Fans are getting unapologetic opinions and some laughs in there too. The network’s most prominent voices are working together on Vibe Check. A whole segment of viewers have been waiting on just that!
“We are incredibly excited to launch this new show, which will provide a powerful platform for the brilliant women at ESPN,” explains ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus. “The voices that will be leading this program have long been shaping the sports landscape, and now they’ll have this additional platform to bring their unique insights to the forefront in an even more impactful way for Disney+ subscribers.”
Vibe Check Launches on Disney+ later this month
Disney+ viewers looking for even more sports don’t have to go far. SC+ hit the streamer in March. SportsCenter has taken on many forms over the years. SC+ is the weekday edition for the streaming viewer. There are sports news stories of the day and exclusive commentary happening in the app every morning at 9am ET.
Disney+ President Alisa Bowen says, “ESPN has long defined excellence in sports programming, and now Disney+ subscribers will have daily access to the most exciting sports news, moments, and stories.”
“It’s an absolute honor to take one of ESPN’s most-prestigious and historic brands in SportsCenter and infuse it with the energy and creativity afforded by Disney+,” said Mike Foss, Senior Vice President, Studio & Entertainment. “SC+ endeavors to tell the best stories in sports daily in an unforgettable way. This fresh approach, combined with the expansive reach of Disney+, will resonate whether you are an ardent sports fan or looking for something new after your latest series binge.”
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ESPN Fans React To New Female-Led Sports Show
ESPN is adding a female-led sports show to its rotation for the remainder of the year. Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Monica McNutt, Chiney Ogwumike and Hannah Storm will work together on a show called “Vibe Check” The premiere for the show will be on Monday, June 30. Some fans are genuinely excited to see Duncan, McNutt and the rest of the crew shine under the spotlight. Others, however, are worried about the show potentially becoming just another version of “First Take” and will not be watching.
ESPN is officially adding a female-led sports show to its rotation for the remainder of the year.
On Tuesday, ESPN announced that Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Monica McNutt, Chiney Ogwumike and Hannah Storm will work together on a show called “Vibe Check.” It’ll be available exclusively on Disney+.
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“Vibe Check will deliver fast-paced coverage of a variety of sports with expert analysis, all-access moments, savvy opinions and a healthy dose of laughter – all while bringing audiences bold perspectives and unbeatable vibes,” ESPN’s press release states.
The premiere for “Vibe Check” will be on Monday, June 30.
BROOKLYN, NY – OCTOBER 20: LaChina Robinson, Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike and Carolyn Peck and Jason Sudeikis talk before the game between the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty during Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals on October 20, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)Catalina Fragoso/Getty Images
Some fans are genuinely excited to see Duncan, McNutt and the rest of the crew shine under the spotlight. Others, however, are worried about “Vibe Check” potentially becoming just another version of “First Take.”
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“This female-led sports show is gonna bring in the vibes for sure,” one fan commented.
“ESPN has 0 feel for their fan base… We will not be watching,” a second fan replied.
“Looks like I need to go start my Disney+ subscription back up,” a third fan said.
“If this sticks to the game, uplifting the players, the teams, focusing on that – great,” another fan wrote. “If you guys do another show where you talk about drama and never discuss even box score and who won a game, then ESPN continues to be trash.”
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New episodes of “Vibe Check” will be available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5 p.m. ET.
“Vibe Check” will join “SC+” as the second exclusive show that ESPN is offering to its subscribers.
Related: ESPN Announces Decision On Female-Led Sports Show
ESPN Fans React To New Female-Led Sports Show first appeared on The Spun on Jun 25, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
‘Vibe Check’ Sets Premiere Date – Streaming Exclusively on Disney+ Beginning June 30
New episodes of Vibe Check will drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5 p.m. ET on Disney+. The program will spotlight a panel of ESPN’s most prominent female voices. The show will call upon the rotating panel’s expertise, insight, and storytelling to provide a fresh, perspective-driven approach to sports coverage. It is the second exclusive content offering on Disney+, joining SC+, a daily edition of SportsCenter.
The program will spotlight a panel of ESPN’s most prominent female voices – featuring Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Monica McNutt, Chiney Ogwumike, Hannah Storm and more. The show will call upon the rotating panel’s expertise, insight, and storytelling to provide a fresh, perspective-driven approach to sports coverage.
Vibe Check will deliver fast-paced coverage of a variety of sports with expert analysis, all-access moments, savvy opinions and a healthy dose of laughter – all while bringing audiences bold perspectives and unbeatable vibes.
The show is ESPN’s second exclusive content offering on Disney+, joining SC+, a daily edition of SportsCenter, which debuted March 3.
Disney+ standalone subscribers have access to a curated selection of content from ESPN+ and Hulu including live sports events, studio shows, ESPN and Hulu Originals, TV series and films – all in one place. Subscribers to the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle can view the full ESPN+ content offering including more than 30,000 live sports events yearly and a library of on-demand replays and acclaimed original content and studio programming.
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ESPN Media Contacts:
Katie Callahan: Katie.Callahan@espn.com
Garrett Cowan: Garrett.Cowan@espn.com
Disney+ Media Contacts:
Nicolette Hamm: Nicolette.Hamm@disney.com
Dorothy Ballowe: Dorothy.Ballowe@disney.com
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/video/vibe-check-weekend-sports-124096074