AAC teams getting better

[RedStickHusky]

I know it's not reflected in the scores but I feel like I'm seeing better play from some of the conference foes. Tulane today ran some pretty good looking offense, when they weren't committing turnovers. Last week, after the blitz, SMU settled in and played hard nosed. Those two both showed up better than USF who appear to have just caught the Huskies on the wrong night. Conference looks to have a shot at five bids, maybe they're not too far off from getting three or more into the sweet 16.

 

[pspr11]

I agree. The teams don't go away after the blitz and continue to play hard. I feel like hat Molly and Kyla stepped up a bit yesterday.

 

[UcMiami]

I think there is definitely good coaching in the league which has led to better team performance, now they have to start improving the overall talent on their rosters which hopefully starts happening.

 

[Rocket009]

I completely agree. The level of effort from these teams is significantly better than it was last year or the year before. They compete harder and for the whole game. You are going to see that start to pay off in non-conference wins, and an overall improvement in the level of play in conference. One big difference seems to be the speed of play in the AAC. It may be my biased point of view, but the teams play a little faster and move the ball quicker than we see in other more "prestigious" conferences.

 

[CocoHusky]

I have to mostly disagree that this conference is "getting any better". UCONN is making the best of a bad situation but the other teams in the conference are just shuffling the Titanic deck chairs. I don't see a significant influx of WCBB talent into the conference and the teams that are good today hardly compare to the teams that were good even two years ago. Both temple and Tulane won 23 games last year and neither made the tournament. Tulane is playing at the same pace as last year and Temple is slightly ahead of last years pace with 3 loses. If this conference gets more than 2 tournament bids it will be because WCBB is have a very poor year not because the conference is getting better.

 

[Plebe]

I have to mostly disagree that this conference is "getting any better". UCONN is making the best of a bad situation but the other teams in the conference are just shuffling the Titanic deck chairs. I don't see a significant influx of WCBB talent into the conference and the teams that are good today hardly compare to the teams that were good even two years ago. Both temple and Tulane won 23 games last year and neither made the tournament. Tulane is playing at the same pace as last year and Temple is slightly ahead of last years pace with 3 loses. If this conference gets more than 2 tournament bids it will be because WCBB is have a very poor year not because the conference is getting better.

Last year the AAC teams as a whole won 52% of their nonconference games. This year they won 68%. I'd say that's getting better.

 

[CocoHusky]

Last year the AAC teams as a whole won 52% of their nonconference games. This year they won 68%. I'd say that's getting better.

That kind of macro aggregation can be easily countered by a mirco-minor point. This is UCONN's worst team in 4 years, if UCONN is best team in the conference how could the conference as a whole be considered as getting better?

 

[RedStickHusky]

Yeah, I admitted up front that numbers don't support my 'feel' and it could be at least partially a reflection of the Huskies being marginally less omnipotent; there were just stretches yesterday where I found myself admiring Tulane's play, particularly Morgan's mid-range game. It was a new and unexpected feeling....

 

[chrissaran]

Who said it's UConn's worst team? You, CocoHusky? I agree that the teams are getting better and are playing harder. It's the Notre Dame affect. The more you play UConn, the better chance you have of staying with them. The other AAC teams do need to get better talent overall, but there are some talented players on those teams. Macro aggregation and mirco (micro)-minor point. Really?

 

[BroadwayVa]

I know it's not reflected in the scores but I feel like I'm seeing better play from some of the conference foes. Tulane today ran some pretty good looking offense, when they weren't committing turnovers. Last week, after the blitz, SMU settled in and played hard nosed. Those two both showed up better than USF who appear to have just caught the Huskies on the wrong night. Conference looks to have a shot at five bids, maybe they're not too far off from getting three or more into the sweet 16.

You are correct. Often the AAC does not have the size to compete more favorabily--but we are seeing a determination not to be killed without a fight. SmU and tulane--especially Tulane--
were quick, fluid, and mobile in both their offense--played a bit too quickly and caused unnecessary T.0's--to their credit--they didn't give up even with Uconn 40 points ahead and 2 minutes to go.
I think what we are seeing is; the geno/uconn effect--how do we emulate the coaching and the playing of UConn--we have to or get pounded into the dust...

 

[CocoHusky]

Who said it's UConn's worst team? You, CocoHusky? Really?

Yes just about everyone says it-Muffett McGraw even put it in print.
Everyone would include me.
Yes really.

Counter question. Which of UCONN teams of the past 4 years wouldn't you take over this current team?

 

[BroadwayVa]

That kind of macro aggregation can be easily countered by a mirco-minor point. This is UCONN's worst team in 4 years, if UCONN is best team in the conference how could the conference as a whole be considered as getting better?

Which team is now considered the best in the country? Which Team of 2 has zero losses and played nearly all of the top 10 teams? If the answer is uconn--how then can this be considered the worst team---since it shall never have a chance to play the team that won 4 NC's in a row--we shall never really know--and all the speculation is just that speculation. Numbers don't lie--but they don't always tell the truth-. I know you were tweeking us--and I bit at your bait.

So to complete this---The AAC IS better because Uconn is in it--it has driven those teams to try to be competitive against the (again) number ONE team in WBB.
TEAM's that started out a couple of years ago as real patsys--and teams Uconn's ragged end of bench with 2 walkons could beat--now are giving the starting 5 a run for their money for nearly a half--since this Uconn team has beaten all competition it has encountered--does that mean ---the entire country of Women's basket ball are the WORST???

 

[Plebe]

That kind of macro aggregation can be easily countered by a mirco-minor point. This is UCONN's worst team in 4 years, if UCONN is best team in the conference how could the conference as a whole be considered as getting better?

Because we're evaluating the conference as a whole, from top to bottom, which requires holistic, collective metrics as opposed to simply isolating a single team and generalizing from there.

 

[CocoHusky]

Yeah, I admitted up front that numbers don't support my 'feel' and it could be at least partially a reflection of the Huskies being marginally less omnipotent; there were just stretches yesterday where I found myself admiring Tulane's play, particularly Morgan's mid-range game. It was a new and unexpected feeling....

If that feeling is truly "new" you would have really enjoyed the play of Courtney Williams.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I have to mostly disagree that this conference is "getting any better". UCONN is making the best of a bad situation but the other teams in the conference are just shuffling the Titanic deck chairs. I don't see a significant influx of WCBB talent into the conference and the teams that are good today hardly compare to the teams that were good even two years ago. Both temple and Tulane won 23 games last year and neither made the tournament. Tulane is playing at the same pace as last year and Temple is slightly ahead of last years pace with 3 loses. If this conference gets more than 2 tournament bids it will be because WCBB is have a very poor year not because the conference is getting better.

I think Women's basketball in general is having a terrible year--WOrST---because Geno and Uconn has done a raiding job on transfers and forced top talent to accept Uconn for the past 30 some odd years. Hmmmm What took WBB so long to get so bad//????

 

[CocoHusky]

Which team is now considered the best in the country? Which Team of 2 has zero losses and played nearly all of the top 10 teams? If the answer is uconn--how then can this be considered the worst team---since it shall never have a chance to play the team that won 4 NC's in a row--we shall never really know--and all the speculation is just that speculation. Numbers don't lie--but they don't always tell the truth-. I know you were tweeking us--and I bit at your bait.

So to complete this---The AAC IS better because Uconn is in it--it has driven those teams to try to be competitive against the (again) number ONE team in WBB.
TEAM's that started out a couple of years ago as real patsys--and teams Uconn's ragged end of bench with 2 walkons could beat--now are giving the starting 5 a run for their money for nearly a half--since this Uconn team has beaten all competition it has encountered--does that mean ---the entire country of Women's basket ball are the WORST???

Please re-read what I wrote more carefully :
THIS IS UCONN's WORST TEAM IN THE LAST 4 YEARS!
If you disagree, which of UCONN teams of the past 4 years wouldn't you take over this current team?

 

[RedStickHusky]

Yes just about everyone says it-Muffett McGraw even put it in print.
Everyone would include me.
Yes really.

Counter question. Which of UCONN teams of the past 4 years wouldn't you take over this current team?

Their reaction to this perception is precisely why I love this team. They have a lunch-pail, 'not on our watch' mentality that is very endearing. Other teams may have floated ethereally above the game, but these women are doing work.

 

[CocoHusky]

Their reaction to this perception is precisely why I love this team. They have a lunch-pail, 'not on our watch' mentality that is very endearing. Other teams may have floated ethereally above the game, but these women are doing work.

There is absolutely no doubt about that.

 

[RedStickHusky]

If that feeling is truly "new" you would have really enjoyed the play of Courtney Williams.

Fair point. I guess what I'm seeing is that USF is no longer all alone on that distant second tier.

 

[CocoHusky]

Because we're evaluating the conference as a whole, from top to bottom, which requires holistic, collective metrics as opposed to simply isolating a single team and generalizing from there.

Fair enough, last year this conference produced half (4) of the top 8 picks in the WNBA draft, this year a single pick in either round of the draft will be surprising. Conference improve how?

 

[BroadwayVa]

Please re-read what I wrote more carefully :
THIS IS UCONN's WORST TEAM IN THE LAST 4 YEARS!
If you disagree, which of UCONN teams of the past 4 years wouldn't you take over this current team?

It depends upon how you make that determination? By the number of losses?? The number of wins?? I abstain from voting on the Worst of two teams--it comes out a lose --lose--lose situation. Interesting trap you set! Oh I read it carefully--I read the last 4 years--that's why I spoke of the comparison between those 2. Please do not chastise me for not reading when you fail to read my posting with the detail you require of me.
Again--you are tweeking us--I bit on the first bait. But this titmouse is too smart (ok not smart) to fall for your trap again.

 

[RedStickHusky]

LOL - You're wearing me down to the point of 'metrics, schmetrics'.

 

[Plebe]

Fair enough, last year this conference produced half (4) of the top 8 picks in the WNBA draft, this year a single pick in either round of the draft will be surprising. Improve how?

I can't tell if you're being serious or playful.

First, if UConn's best players were seniors, then they would be getting drafted in the first round.

Clearly, neither UConn nor USF is quite what they were last year. But there are 9 other teams in the conference.

Since you think # of draft picks is a valid holistic metric of conference strength, then I guess you think the A-10 was a better conference last year than the Pac-12.

 

[Glenn]

According to Massey ratings, the conference is a bit better than last year.
Ranking: 2017,2016
Top 25: 1,2
26-50: 2,1
51-100: 1,1
101-150: 4,2
151-200: 2,2
201-250: 1,0
Over 250: 0,3

 

[CocoHusky]

It depends upon how you make that determination? By the number of losses?? The number of wins?? I abstain from voting on the Worst of two teams--it comes out a lose --lose--lose situation. Interesting trap you set! Oh I read it carefully--I read the last 4 years--that's why I spoke of the comparison between those 2. Please do not chastise me for not reading when you fail to read my posting with the detail you require of me.
Again--you are tweeking us--I bit on the first bait. But this titmouse is too smart (ok not smart) to fall for your trap again.

I'm not even sure what this means: "Please do not chastise me for not reading when you fail to read my posting with the detail you require of me."
I'm not tweeking anyone, I disagree with the opinion that this conference is getting better.
I apologize for any offense.