TCU HC Mark Campbell shuts down major Hailey Van Lith criticism for LSU and Louisville:: "I don't even know what that means"

TCU coach Mark Campbell highlighted Hailey Van Lith's improved overall game before the matchup against Florida Atlantic on Wednesday. The 2023 Big Sky tournament champion coach claimed that her career-high assist numbers enable the basketball world to see a different side of HVL.

Campbell also shut down the narratives around Van Lith of the guard not playing to her true position at LSU and Louisville.

"If you study her college career, I don't know she's ever averaged over three assists a game in her career," Mark Campbell said (3:40)."..I think in our system, our style of play...it has allowed people to see that Hailey is way more than a scorer. She has great vision, great feel, she's a willing passer, we started calling her a playmaker.

"...Hailey is as gifted of a playmaker as there is in the country. I know people tried to say she played out of position at previous schools, I don't even understand what that means. This is a dynamic elite guard. She just needed space and opportunities to go create. Now, you're getting to see that...Hailey is playing high-level basketball."

Hailey Van Lith is posting career highs in all major statistical categories in her final college season. She is averaging 19.9 points, 7.1 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks.

The biggest upside has been her ability to dish, giving her the 6th spot on the NCAA leaderboard. She is also ranked 6th on the assist-to-turnover leaderboard (3.80).

Mark Campbell's leadership steered Hailey Van Lith's transfer

After Angel Reese transitioned to the big league this summer, Hailey Van Lith was assumed to be the face of LSU basketball. However, behind an unproductive season with the Tigers, HVL transferred to the TCU Horned Frogs.

When asked about her decision in October, Van Lith claimed that her connection to Mark Campbell and his playbook helped her opt the Texas Christian University.

"TCU is great for a lot of reasons but the style of play I knew we were gonna have under Coach Campbell," Hailey Van Lith said at the Big 12 media days (7:22). "Just the freedom I would have in the offense. And the opportunity to showcase a lot of different abilities, I knew it would be there."

"I knew him for quite a while in my basketball career before this moment and he has always genuinely wanted the best for me. So, I knew that I could trust coach with my last year."

Hailey Van Lith's 16 points led TCU past Florida Atlantic for a 78-42 win. The Horned Frogs are now 8-0 on the season and up for their most crucial matchup yet.

TCU faces defending champions South Carolina Gamecocks at the neutral Dickies Arena in Texas on Sunday.