2015 final 4 -- what teams?

[Coler]

Has Rutgers added anyone who can make an outside shot? Hard to fathom a team that was as poor shooting from +15 feet last year making a run.

Actually yes, all 4 new-comers are 3-point shooters. Two JuCo transfers, one who made 115 3s last season, the other made 77. Also both in-coming freshman are 3-point shooters. Also I know that Tyler Scaife is working on her 3-point shot this off-season, and I bet you all our returning guards/forwards are doing the same.

I think we'll be a decent 3-point shooting them, I agree that our mid-range game as good as it was isn't going to be good enough.

 

[winlots]

Notre Dame destroyed Maryland without Achonwa . Lloyd is a great player, and checkout their freshman class:

JOHN: Dammit, I hate when people post videos of me in my green shorts without permission..........

 

[meyers7]

My perspective is game descriptions hardly ever read "They lost, 54-60, but wowed the home crowd by making a bunch of 15-17 footers."

Cam's observations about changing the way other teams defend UConn have some weight, but unless you have a player who is a) bigger or b) stronger or c) able to jump higher than Kiah can reach (none come immediately to mind, at least not on opposing teams), you've always gotta be alert for the entry pass and can't sag very far off, if you elect to do so.

None of this is meant to give the impression Kiah is a better center than Steph. They are very different style centers and "better" in this case is a very complex question. I have just been pointing out that replacing Steph with Kiah will not allow opponents to think they have it easier -- I see no significant fall-off in offensive options once Geno adjusts the playbook to fit the team's strengths, and I think defense might be a shade better.

Agreed, I was just correcting your comparisons. Or rather giving perspective to them.

 

[connboy77]

I'm glad DeShields did transfer If she stays three years she could be one of the best ever at Tennessee.

Or she could destroy her teammates chemistry and keep Tennessee from reaching the final four while she's there.

 

[Fightin Choke]

I think South Carolina and Tenn are a year away from final 4 form. The kids at SC don't have the experience yet, same is true of Tn

I think they were at least a year away last season. But South Carolina lost no one, are more experienced, and picked up an excellent recruiting class. They may be more of a threat to make the FF next season, but they are a serious threat this year already.

Tennessee only lost Simmons, which some argue might be an addition by subtraction. Everyone else will be a year more experienced, and they had a good freshman class. Both S. Carolina and Tennessee were top 8 teams last season and it isn't difficult to imagine them making the leap to top 4 this season.

I think Kentucky has a shot and Duke .

As Meyers pointed out, they lost their bigs and so Kentucky might take a step back this season. And they weren't even top 8 last season. Duke lost Alexis Jones to transfer, and a huge, important senior class. Even JPM has to view this season as a rebuilding year. The loss of Jones really hurts a team with exceptionally low guard depth to begin with.

I think the ND vote is based on the last 3 years . But no achonwa, McBride, diggins, novesel, Becca, etc--the mystique of ND may be fading. North Carolina has 6 kids that have been to the final 4. Diamond transferred to Tn and can't play for another year.

Are you being serious? Notre Dame never had a mystique in WCBB, but they are as strong as ever since Muffet has been doing much better recruiting the past 3 years. Underestimate them at your own peril. As Meyers pointed out, UNC hasn't been to the final 4 in many years

Tn also has a Duke transfer who can't play this coming year.

Tennessee has the UNC transfer (Diamond). Baylor got the Duke transfer (Alexis Jones), who probably wouldn't play this year even if she were eligible, as she has had surgery on both knees this offseason.

Stanford doesn't show on the ballot they are always (in the past 10 years) been among those getting into the final 4. It would not surprise me if they too showed up .

I respect Stanford and Tara very much, so I expect them to be top 10, but the loss of Chiney is to much to overcome to expect a FF appearance.

 

[baggerbob]

UConn's offense often ran through Stef. She will not be easily replaced.

Stef was a great UConn player , but Stewie at the high post will strike fear in the heart of every coach in America, ( College, and Pro).

 

[PalPa]

Stef was a great UConn player , but Stewie at the high post will strike fear in the heart of every coach in America, ( College, and Pro).

You are including Geno?

 

[johnnyc]

It's UConn and then everyone else. The difference is D (and having the 2 best WCB players doesn't hurt either).

I only picked ND of the rest.

 

[genosguy]

They matter in comparing Stokes to Dolson. Which you were doing. Right?

Comparing the shooting % of one who shoots from about 10 ft in, vs one who shoots all the way out to the 3 pt line. Very different. And not really applicable.


I would hope so. Also some of Dolson's T/O's were in setting "illegal" screens. I doubt Stokes will be quite the screen setter Dolson was.

It's easy to see why there was a disparity in the numbers between the two. If the numbers would have been the opposite, then that would have been something to take a look at.

SOME STATISTICIAN should do a chart showing the Illegal screen calls against Dolson and Uconn vs Kentuck, Notre Dame, Stanford, Duke, I could go on and on. Point is I saw lots of leaning in on picks by many teams--syracuse was the worst--ND/Stanford not far behind. Dolson did some, no doubt not as many as were called. Hartley hardly ever dribbled that she wasn't already moving first--bad rule anyway. The behind the back dribble cannot be accomplished without "carrying" the ball (no calls).

 

[genosguy]

The "which team will be better" question has been done over and over, but the issues is as follows:

• UConn returns four players of its core of six.
• UConn is losing Two WBCA AAs, the DPOY, and two of the top seven WNBA draft picks.
• However, UConn returns the best player in the country who only figures to get better.
• UConn returns KML, a superstar when 100%, and who finished last season strong.
• UConn returns Moriah Jefferson, who is growing in leaps and bounds.
• UConn returns Kiah Stokes, who was terrific in the tourney and will shine at her position.
• From the bench, Morgan Tuck figures to be infinitely more useful by virtue of improved health, and Chong may just take a leap forward.
• Meanwhile, there is an incoming freshman class of four ESPN HG five-stars, some or all of whom ought to be able to contribute.
• The conclusion: more weapons, more pieces, and more depth, all of which seem ample quantitative and qualitative compensation for Bria's and Stef's departures.
• In 2013-14, it wasn't UConn and everyone else; it was UConn and UConn. Who from last year is going to catch up to the team that may well be even more talented and deep next season?
• Finally, I've mentioned it before, and I'll do it again. After the 2001-02 season, UConn lost the NPOY, multiple AAs, and four of the top six overall WNBA draft picks. The losses were so devastating that UConn won the next two national championships without those players. I love Stef and Bria, but their graduations are not the same as losing Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, and Tamika Williams.

Who is arguing with you---assumption predicated on Healthy Tuck and Gabby and Chong and Ekmark contributing well. 2002 Had DT an underrated Maria, Anne, BT, Will, Moore, Greene---only big name DT but still talented kids. Geno always says it isn't where you are ranked in the previous year or in December but after the NC.

 

[genosguy]

My perspective is game descriptions hardly ever read "They lost, 54-60, but wowed the home crowd by making a bunch of 15-17 footers."

Cam's observations about changing the way other teams defend UConn have some weight, but unless you have a player who is a) bigger or b) stronger or c) able to jump higher than Kiah can reach (none come immediately to mind, at least not on opposing teams), you've always gotta be alert for the entry pass and can't sag very far off, if you elect to do so.

None of this is meant to give the impression Kiah is a better center than Steph. They are very different style centers and "better" in this case is a very complex question. I have just been pointing out that replacing Steph with Kiah will not allow opponents to think they have it easier -- I see no significant fall-off in offensive options once Geno adjusts the playbook to fit the team's strengths, and I think defense might be a shade better.

I am pleasedl there is one other Kiah Stokes admirer. I've been a fan since her freshman year---. I think the extended playing times in the last games of 13 and all of 14 have made an attitudinal change for Kiah, nothing like playing time to put a skip in your step. I believe Kiah shall return for the 14/15 year with more offensive skills. She can hit the foul line shot, I'm not a fan of 3 pointers for bigs--let KML and Chong make that their shot (along with some drives).

 

[genosguy]

Oh I don't think so...I mean when sg left folks said Notre Dame was done and they weren't, and now Mcbride and Natalie are gone and folks here again are saying they're done. I just don't think so. Now McGraw, much as I've disliked her over the years, she appears to be a good coach and she gets the best out of her players. Lloyd is very very talented and I'm sure they will make a splash, possibly to the Final Four but I doubt they will beat UConn.

Cable, Mabrey (and her sister), Allen, and Loyd are excellent talented players--did you see loyd's stats and play in the NC??--McGraw has done as well recruiting as she did in the past. Her skill is allowing Freshmen to play some minutes and develop. Yet, I doubt most Uconn fans will allow that ND's rating this past year, and characteristics in the past 4 final fours, put them in Uconn's stable??? Winners win, they don't place or show ---no one remembers who came in second (except those who are #2)

 

[Sonny44]

That's a big IF.

Agree, I don't expect her to be there very long.

 

[John Glass]

Cable, Mabrey (and her sister), Allen, and Loyd are excellent talented players--did you see loyd's stats and play in the NC??--McGraw has done as well recruiting as she did in the past. Her skill is allowing Freshmen to play some minutes and develop. Yet, I doubt most Uconn fans will allow that ND's rating this past year, and characteristics in the past 4 final fours, put them in Uconn's stable??? Winners win, they don't place or show ---no one remembers who came in second (except those who are #2)

Marina Mabrey is next year.

 

[Fightin Choke]

Cable, Mabrey (and her sister), Allen, and Loyd are excellent talented players--did you see loyd's stats and play in the NC??--McGraw has done as well recruiting as she did in the past. Her skill is allowing Freshmen to play some minutes and develop. Yet, I doubt most Uconn fans will allow that ND's rating this past year, and characteristics in the past 4 final fours, put them in Uconn's stable??? Winners win, they don't place or show ---no one remembers who came in second (except those who are #2)

This thread was not about which teams were equal to UConn, but rather which teams (besides UConn) would make it to the FF. Therefore, most people probably picked 3 teams, as anyone posting here would assume that UConn will be one of the teams in FF, leaving three vacancies. RadyLady didn't say Notre Dame would beat UConn, but rather that ND would be a good bet to make the FF. That is not a contentious claim, as over 80% of the respondents to this BY poll believe it may happen.

You also list Mabrey's sister, who will not enroll at ND until Fall 2015, but omit Brianna Turner and Katherine Westbeld, who are arriving in South Bend this fall (2014) and were both considered good enough to have received offers from Geno. Notre Dame should have another excellent team this season.

 

[RadyLady]

thanks FC.

 

[John Glass]

This thread was not about which teams were equal to UConn, but rather which teams (besides UConn) would make it to the FF. Therefore, most people probably picked 3 teams, as anyone posting here would assume that UConn will be one of the teams in FF, leaving three vacancies. RadyLady didn't say Notre Dame would beat UConn, but rather that ND would be a good bet to make the FF. That is not a contentious claim, as over 80% of the respondents to this BY poll believe it may happen.

You also list Mabrey's sister, who will not enroll at ND until Fall 2015, but omit Brianna Turner and Katherine Westbeld, who are arriving in South Bend this fall (2014) and were both considered good enough to have received offers from Geno. Notre Dame should have another excellent team this season.

go to the video I posted earlier, and see how quickly Turner, Westbeld, and Johnson have developed. McGraw is a great coach.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

I am going out on a limb.. but I think the Final Four teams in 2015 will be the four teams that win their regionals in the elite 8.

 

[Fightin Choke]

go to the video I posted earlier, and see how quickly Turner, Westbeld, and Johnson have developed. McGraw is a great coach.

Oh, I saw the video. The incoming class couldn't even hit the rim, dribble, or pass before Muffet got a hold of them. And now they can dribble 2 balls at once ( a very valuable in-game skill), pass to an undefended teammate, and hit an uncontested shot or two (although the clever editing didn't let us see the results of most outside shots). I am sold!

 

[01Neaggrad02]

Notre Dame destroyed Maryland without Achonwa . Lloyd is a great player, and checkout their freshman class:

How STUPID! Start at 1:36... the first half is so pathetic I do not know why ND would allow it to be part of the video.

 

[slimmer56]

It IS UCONN, and then everyone else.

# 2 Notre Dame - Muffet can coach. Great group on paper coming in. One thing about Muffet and Notre Dame is they can junk a game up. She will try anything, a box and one, a triangle and two, and various other zones. I just think Muffet instills the confidence in each player that they can't lose.

# 3 South Carolina - They have Dawn Staley. One of the finest defensive coaches in WCBB. They also have a strong nucleus back, and one of the finest freshman to grace the court in a long time.

# 4 Texas A&M - Gary Blair is an offensive guru. They have a decent nucleus coming back with the 2 Courtney's spearheading their attack. I like 'em.

I do think at the first of the year teams will be laying off Kiah. I think teams will want her to prove she can make the 10 to 15 ft jumper. She probably will not be as good of a screener as Stef, but who would be.
I do think Kiah as the year goes by will get better and better.

 

[DbLadyHusky]

I am a newbie, but as devoted a Lady Husky/Geno fan as they come. IMHO one thing is certain, even if Morgan is healthy, Uconn cannot continue to have injuries like the past two years at the wrong time and expect to win it all in 2014-15. But if they get by this year, the future is very bright (think about Lou at the 17's, the defense/board work of Boykin and several of the others who may commit + Collier & Butler. In 2015-16, just as a few teams get loaded so will Uconn and Geno puts them over the top.

 

[John Glass]

How STUPID! Start at 1:36... the first half is so pathetic I do not know why ND would allow it to be part of the video.

most freshman get to much hype, and fans expect them to walk on water. I like the message the video sends

 

[geneticrex]

Injuries aside, I believe UCONN is the class of the field going in, with ND slightly ahead of South Carolina for the 2 spot. After that, TENN, A & M and perhaps North Carolina have a good shot at a FF.

A few other teams will be in the mix, but I'd say 4 0f those 6 teams are pretty decent bets for a FF birth.

 

[hoophuskee]

Or she could destroy her teammates chemistry and keep Tennessee from reaching the final four while she's there.

I doubt it. I think she is a great player. I thought as season wore on she was great for a frosh. Exect everyyear she is a tremendous.