Way Too Early 2017-18 rankings

[Grad1990]

I'm sure I'm missing key players, which I know the knowledge BY crew will correct. And I'm probably forgetting some important team.

But here goes ...

(1) UConn - lose Chong; add transfers Azura & Camara + #3 HS class including HS POY Walker
(2) So Car - lose no key players (other than Coates); add #7 HS class
(3) N Dame - lose PG Allen, but lotsa talent returns; add Lili Thompson
(4) Texas - lose Lang & Taylor but McCarty/Atkins/Holmes back + 2 top 10 HS recruits
(5) Baylor - lose Jones/Prince/Davis/Cave but return a lot; add #2 HS class incl two top 10 players
(6) UCLA - return 4 of top 6 plus 3 players that were injured; add #4 HS class
(7) Duke - return 4 of top 6, add top HS recruits
(8) Oh St - lose 1 starter, return 8 players with 15+ mins
(9) Lou - return most key players; add Dana Evans (#3 PN)
(10) W Va - lose 1 starter but Tynice Martin back + add mid-season transfer Ekhelar (Oh St)

Also:
Maryland - lose top 2 (Jones, SWK) but return a lot

Leaving Mississippi State out of the top completely discredits your poll.

 

[ASweet3781]

Yeah, I also don't buy the whole "defending champ automatic #1" thing.

We should and will be ranked #1. If SC wants to use that as motivation, good for them.

South Carolina probably would have beaten us tonight. They were far tougher with MSU than we were. They didn't screw around. They looked more mature and tougher than our guys. That can change with an off season and adding more key players. But I'd absolutely rank them 1 for now.

We will be better and deeper next year. We need to be a bit meaner on the court. More mature too. I think tonight proved that we should have beaten Mississippi State.

 

[EricLA]

Yeah, I also don't buy the whole "defending champ automatic #1" thing.

We should and will be ranked #1. If SC wants to use that as motivation, good for them.

Exactly. It's not like what UCONN loses and adds is unknown. We made it to the final 4 with a bunch of sophomores and juniors. We lost Chong, who was a revelation this season, but bring in potentially one of the top 5 players in all of WCBB (Stevens), hands down the best incoming freshman in the country (Walker), a fierce and physical post player (Camara), and 3 other highly touted freshmen to complement Danger and Big Nat.

Now if you want to argue that SC is the better team based on their personnel vs. ours, that's fair game. But to say they are #1 next year because they won the NC this year is silly. BTW no idea why Miss State was left off, but clearly the AP and coaches will have them in their top 6 to start next season.

And as much as it pains me to say this, Tennessee should be preseason top 10 as well. They bring almost everyone back (lose Reynolds) and get their starting PG back. Not to mention a very talented freshman class. They lost a lot last year, but a lot of those games were close. I could see them losing no more than 4-5 games all of next season and being a 2 seed. Let's hope it's more of the past 2 years, but still, there's more talent on their team next year than almost any of Pat's teams. A ferret could win with that roster...

 

[SCGamecock]

The glaring omission is Mississippi State. Almost everyone comes back.

Mississippi State returns Vivians, William and McCowan... but they lose Chapel, Richardson, Dillingham and Okorie. That's a big loss. Richardson and Dillingham are easily the best defenders on the team besides William and Okorie provides valuable paint depth.

Mississippi State isn't going to be chopped liver but I would be surprised if they are better next year than they were this year. That would require William, Vivians and McCowan taking BIG leaps (which is possible, but we'll see I guess)..

 

[AndyCT]

Now if you want to argue that SC is the better team based on their personnel vs. ours, that's fair game. But to say they are #1 next year because they won the NC this year is silly. BTW no idea why Miss State was left off, but clearly the AP and coaches will have them in their top 6 to start next season.

And if you take their "We're #1 until someone beats us" logic to it's natural conclusion, then since Mississippi State made it to the championship game and beat Connecticut head-to-head, the Bulldogs start the season at #2 next year, ahead of Connecticut,...and Stanford is #4.

I don't know where Maryland will be, but they'll be whining about it no matter....

 

[triaddukefan]

Well lemme try

1) UCONN 2) South Carolina 3) Baylor 4) ND 5) Texas 6) UCLA 7) Ohio State 8) Louisville 9) Tennesee 10) Stanford

11) Miss State 12) Oregon 13) Duke 14) Florida State 15) Maryland

 

[HuskyNan]

some threads... mostly OT ones are good to be bumped in the off season.... you know.. those related to food..... travel.... music..... food....

there was a problem on another board where people kept bumping old threads. It's not my call. I tried to unlock a thread the other day and couldn't so I share your frustration.

 

[CocoHusky]

And if you take their "We're #1 until someone beats us" logic to it's natural conclusion, then since Mississippi State made it to the championship game and beat Connecticut head-to-head, the Bulldogs start the season at #2 next year, ahead of Connecticut,...and Stanford is #4.

I don't know where Maryland will be, but they'll be whining about it no matter....

"We are Number 1 until someone beats us" is not a South Carolina invention-how could it possible be? That notion was presented here by UCONN fans even after the graduation of the big three.

 

[Shenandoah]

South Carolina should be ranked #1 as they are the defending champs....it will be interesting to watch how they handle having the big target on their backs all of next season.....the Gamecocks will learn very quickly that it is much more difficult to be the hunted then the hunter....Geno gave away his Olympic coaching spot to Dawn and now she goes and takes his NCAA Championship too!!....he may deny it but I think he will be a man on a mission next year......hope the UConn players are ready for what's to come.....

They may be practicing 5 on 10, instead of 5 on 8!

 

[Shenandoah]

South Carolina probably would have beaten us tonight. They were far tougher with MSU than we were. They didn't screw around. They looked more mature and tougher than our guys. That can change with an off season and adding more key players. But I'd absolutely rank them 1 for now.

We will be better and deeper next year. We need to be a bit meaner on the court. More mature too. I think tonight proved that we should have beaten Mississippi State.

We've all gone through all of the "what if's" of the MSU game, BUT, if we had pulled it out, and gotten to the championship game, we don't lose. UConn NEVER loses Championship games (men and women) , and we don't play 2 bad games in a row.

 

[BroadwayVa]

According to some of the passionate BY posters the defending champion goes to number 1 until they lose.

Historically, at least as long as Uconn was defending champs, you are correct.
To start the year next fall--if they don't have US Carolina as 1, I'd be more than surprised--
After USC is beaten and Uconn has beaten all 2 thru 6, the world can then anoint UConn once again Number one.
Here on the By, a Uconn site, it is fair to believe Uconn will be number one--as it was to expect 150 wins...

Congrats to Aj'a she was a lot better than I gave her credit.

 

[BroadwayVa]

We've all gone through all of the "what if's" of the MSU game, BUT, if we had pulled it out, and gotten to the championship game, we don't lose. UConn NEVER loses Championship games (men and women) , and we don't play 2 bad games in a row.

And Uconn NEVER plays 3 terrible quarters. I watched the game again--Uconn had open shots, shots that they make 80 out of 100 and missed them. In the 3rd (best Uc) quarter Collier was making her shots, Katie Lou was making her shots. Rebounding was a factor--Uconn shot too often with no one under or near the basket. Bad but not terrible foul shooting---again Chong and Gabby missing FT's they never miss. Katie Lou was Katie Lou ---but wasn't Katie Lou often enough--she needed to take charge. William percentage of shooting was poor --but timely--Miss st shooting was not high in percentage--but second chances were always Miss St.

 

[Vowelguy]

Historically, at least as long as Uconn was defending champs, you are correct.
To start the year next fall--if they don't have US Carolina as 1, I'd be more than surprised--
After USC is beaten and Uconn has beaten all 2 thru 6, the world can then anoint UConn once again Number one.
Here on the By, a Uconn site, it is fair to believe Uconn will be number one.

No.
UConn was not preseason 1 in 02-03 nor 16-17 because the pollsters understood that rankings are based on expectations of current / future performance.

Thinking UConn should be preseason 1 has nothing to do with being a UConn fan. I did not rank them #1 a year ago; I do now.

 

[BroadwayVa]

In this case South Carolina doesn't loose any of the players who played in the NCAA Tournament and they are bringing in some good recruits/transfer so it's not like there should be a drop off.....frankly as some here predicted, they played better offensively without Coates clogging the lane and she's the senior leaving.....

USCarolina is Champion, no doubt---but do you believe Uconn could not have beaten USC as they played against Miss St??
Dawn is about 500,000 or 1000000 richer this day--good contract.
Dawn has a knack of getting transfers--but all transfers don't work out--sometimes transfers are requested by the losing schools.
I agree Aj a played excellent against a bigger, more mobile center--credits to her. But they had 3 games to break the code of Miss St defense--Uconn none (no excuse, just fact)--poised Uconn lost it's poise.

 

[BroadwayVa]

No.
UConn was not preseason 1 in 02-03 nor 16-17 because the pollsters understood that rankings are based on expectations of current / future performance.

Thinking UConn should be preseason 1 has nothing to do with being a UConn fan. I did not rank them #1 a year ago; I do now.

That's 2 out of 11 not a great ratio . You took a general comment personally--on the BY --would you not expect Uconn fans to pick Uconn as number one starting next year---not personal--GENERAL...
If I wanted to mean you I have no Qualms of saying Vowel guy.

 

[Charliebball]

USCarolina is Champion, no doubt---but do you believe Uconn could not have beaten USC as they played against Miss St??
Dawn is about 500,000 or 1000000 richer this day--good contract.
Dawn has a knack of getting transfers--but all transfers don't work out--sometimes transfers are requested by the losing schools.
I agree Aj a played excellent against a bigger, more mobile center--credits to her. But they had 3 games to break the code of Miss St defense--Uconn none (no excuse, just fact)--poised Uconn lost it's poise.

No doubt UConn had the shakes but Miss State's inspired play had a lot to do with that..........if MS just rolled over our team would have righted the ship eventually..........who's to say that South Carolina wouldn't have done the same to us.............bottom line...............they won, they return their players and add some good ones.......they deserve the #1 slot for now...........when they loose a game they will most likely loose their #1 spot to the "rightful owners"...........

 

[Charliebball]

Exactly. It's not like what UCONN loses and adds is unknown.
And as much as it pains me to say this, Tennessee should be preseason top 10 as well. They bring almost everyone back (lose Reynolds) and get their starting PG back. Not to mention a very talented freshman class. They lost a lot last year, but a lot of those games were close. I could see them losing no more than 4-5 games all of next season and being a 2 seed. Let's hope it's more of the past 2 years, but still, there's more talent on their team next year than almost any of Pat's teams. A ferret could win with that roster...

Eric have you been swimming in that recently polluted sea water sent from our Mexican friends?

Yes we know that Stevens as an exceptional talent, but we really have no idea how she, Camara and the newbies will fare under the steely gaze of Coach Geno and whether or not the can be seemlessly transplanted into the UConn system. Until we see them under the white hot light of game time situations we simply assume they will kick butt..........and I personally wouldn't want to make assumptions about Tennessee under coach Holly's tutelage unless she had the entire 1971 LA Lakers team on her bench.........

 

[TerpWomenFan]

I'm sure I'm missing key players, which I know the knowledge BY crew will correct. And I'm probably forgetting some important team.

But here goes ...

(1) UConn - lose Chong; add transfers Azura & Camara + #3 HS class including HS POY Walker
(2) So Car - lose no key players (other than Coates); add #7 HS class
(3) N Dame - lose PG Allen, but lotsa talent returns; add Lili Thompson
(4) Texas - lose Lang & Taylor but McCarty/Atkins/Holmes back + 2 top 10 HS recruits
(5) Baylor - lose Jones/Prince/Davis/Cave but return a lot; add #2 HS class incl two top 10 players
(6) UCLA - return 4 of top 6 plus 3 players that were injured; add #4 HS class
(7) Duke - return 4 of top 6, add top HS recruits
(8) Oh St - lose 1 starter, return 8 players with 15+ mins
(9) Lou - return most key players; add Dana Evans (#3 PN)
(10) W Va - lose 1 starter but Tynice Martin back + add mid-season transfer Ekhelar (Oh St)

Also:
Maryland - lose top 2 (Jones, SWK) but return a lot

Duke is too high. I agree about Maryland. I have them 12th. I'll read the rest of the responses. What about Oregon and Stanford. I had them both in my top 10. Also Ohio State made my top 10.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

No Tennessee?

I was thinking about them with Deshields back. That will be an interesting team next season. Why can't Duke and Tennessee play a home and home. I want to see that game so badly.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Leaving Mississippi State out of the top completely discredits your poll.

This.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Well lemme try

1) UCONN 2) South Carolina 3) Baylor 4) ND 5) Texas 6) UCLA 7) Ohio State 8) Louisville 9) Tennesee 10) Stanford

11) Miss State 12) Oregon 13) Duke 14) Florida State 15) Maryland

Mississippi State is still to low. I have Maryland #14 ahead of Florida State but other than those two thing I like your poll. Well done.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Agree with the poster that said So Carolina is #1 until they lose. UConn #2.

Was UConn number 1 this past year? Wasn't there one service that had them #3?

 

[CocoHusky]

Was UConn number 1 this past year? Wasn't there one service that had them #3?

Preseason USA Today Coaches Poll was the only preseason poll to have UCONN #1

 

[BlueDevils]

Duke is too high..... not likely to have the starting PG (Lambert) until conference play..... if she plays at all next season. Have to replace 2 senior post players who provided needed interior defense.

AND we don't have a good head coach... you forgot to add we don't have a good head coach.

 

[Bigpetunia]

I REALLY like the Huskies' chances for winning #12 next year. I also REALLY like their chances for going from a one-loss season to a fully undefeated season next year. But, while I know it's unrealistic, I would love to see them ranked in the preseason at about #4 or #5. What I don't get, and what I have never gotten, is why any of us who are fans of this (especially) or any other team care so much as a whit about preseason rankings. I understand that we now are faced, alas, with about a six-month period of musings and speculations over this and that, but can anyone explain to me why this ranking thing matters in a way that is remotely convincing? Is this all just about pride? Our feelings??? After eleven national championships since 1995 (!) are we so easily wounded that this stuff really concerns us? Most fans, and particularly casual fans of WCBB around the country, inevitably pull for the underdog. They are thrilled that UConn went down this year, if you can characterize getting to the Final Four after the huge graduation losses it endured, and losing only in overtime on a buzzer-beater as "going down." Those folks will, quite understandably, gleefully wish to lowball UConn in any potential preseason rankings. Guess what? I hope that both they and the so-called experts do exactly that. My feelings will categorically not be hurt. I look forward with confidence to the only rankings that matter, the ones that come out next April at the tourney's conclusion! The rest is just the usual bloviation.