Credit: GR Productions
Pirate Preview: I'yanna Lops
Published: Saturday, September 21, 2024
by Spencer Gonzales
It’s the start of a brand-new season, and there is yet another hole to fill at the center position for the Seton Hall women’s basketball team. When Sidney Cooks left after the 2022-23 season, it was Azana Baines who stepped up to be The Hall’s top big, but with her departure after last season, there is a need for someone new to step up and claim the five spot. At 6 feet 3 inches and with an excellent wingspan, graduate student I’yanna Lops is poised to be the Pirates' next great forward for the 2024-25 year.
Transferring in from St. Bonaventure last season, Lops was the only Seton Hall player to touch the court in all 32 games, seven of which she was featured as the starting center. While she averaged 3.6 PPG and 2.8 RPG on the season as a role player, her string of starts in mid-January saw an uptick in production. During this stretch, Lops scored 6.6 PPG and hauled in 4.4 boards a game, including a season-high 10 rebounds at Creighton, where she also tacked on six points and two blocks. Lops returned to a bench role after a brutal loss at UConn where she went 4-of-11 from the field, but still managed to contribute on both ends of the floor throughout the last month of the year.
With the season-opener against Wagner on the horizon, Lops has an excellent chance to be in the starting lineup. Measuring in as the second-tallest player on the team, right behind MSU-transfer Ramani Parker who is 6 feet 4 inches tall, Lops brings a unique blend of height and agility to the forward position that is hard to find.
Lops can be trusted to be the top rebounder for this squad, as she is a mismatch for many centers because of her reach and excellent positioning on the defensive end. In the BIG EAST, a conference that is known to feature excellent forward play league-wide, Lops can do more than hang with the other bigs. Her top three rebounding performances of the season came against conference opponents, two of which being Creighton and Marquette who both made the tournament.
On offense, she is a solid option both on the blocks and from range, as she has a three-point shot in her arsenal that can be a gamechanger when consistent. Her mid-range shot is solid and she has fantastic paint presence, all the tools that are necessary to be a major contributor on offense.
Where Lops must improve to take the next step offensively is consistency. Her three ball was excellent when it was on target, but on the season, it only hit 27.8% of the time. When it comes to defense, Lops must show an extra level of strength especially down low when defending and rebounding. When Lops has the height advantage, she can cause opposing forwards plenty of fits, as seen in The Hall’s OT win at home against St. John’s where she corralled key boards down the stretch. However, when she faces an opponent of equal size, Lops must find that second gear to muscle away those rebounds and get the ball back on offense.
Coach Tony Bozzella is looking for Seton Hall’s next great forward, and with everything I’yanna Lops brings to the table, she may be exactly what he is looking for.
Spencer Gonzales can be reached at spencer.gonzales@student.shu.eduPosted in: sports,