#8 in new AP Poll

[BB Dawg]

I wouldn’t call Utah that solid with losses to Stanford at home (a Stanford team that was blown out by Gonzaga) and to unranked Arizona, and their best player has been sitting on the bench since early December. UCLA could drop more than you think.

I feel Utah is a top 5 team when Alissa Pili has a good game. And she usually does 90% of the time. They have a very difficult schedule.

 

[visitingcock]

In the midst of another eventful week for the rankings.

#1 USC solidifying the top spot with a road win over LSU.
#15 ND dropping one to Syracuse.
#23 FSU getting drubbed by Duke (didn’t see that coming).
#10 Texas going down to unranked Oklahoma.

And course the earlier games already discussed with Utah, UCLA, Baylor and KState.

Some big games on tap :
UConn/ND
Colorado/Oregon State
Syracuse/ Va Tech
Utah / Oregon State

ND could drop big with 2 losses this week, Utah, Syracuse, and Oregon State all have opportunities to get 2 top 25 wins in the same week and catapult up in the polls. Should make for a fun weekend of basketball.

NET:
SCar #1
UConn #2
Meet in early February.

all that matters at this time (yeah, I might regret looking foreword but I can’t help it

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I feel Utah is a top 5 team when Alissa Pili has a good game. And she usually does 90% of the time. They have a very difficult schedule.

Thing with Utah is their learning to adjust without Kneepkens. She was a big part of their offense. They are a good team and not having their starting PG Palmer as well. She is making it back but I think Viera has done a really nice job for them in a pinch. When Palmer is full go they could go with a 2-PG attack. No one should look over Utah.

 

[ctkaiser]

Maybe not the greatest but far from the worst. They played Iowa twice; how many other teams played two OOC games against top 10 teams? And their win at Iowa was by far the best true road nonconference win by any team in the country.

True but a top 5 team with a strength of schedule at 46 is hard to take.

 

[Plebe]

True but a top 5 team with a strength of schedule at 46 is hard to take.

That's not egregious. It's comparable to, or better than, the current SOS rank of many other top 25 teams, e.g.:

Texas 47
NC State 43
LSU 65
Notre Dame 63
Baylor 41
Virginia Tech 57
Louisville 48
Michigan State 42
West Virginia 111
Oregon State 62

 

[Steelerone]

The only ranking that I am looking for is the one that counts. After the final game of the NCAA'S.

 

[TN-Gamecock]

I will have a better feel for knowing whether to worry or not about UCONN when they play Notre Dame. If UCONN blows them out, I will worry about our game in Columbia.

We did not play well against LSU but still won. We MUST play better to beat UCONN, IMO...

 

[hoopsfan22]

I will have a better feel for knowing whether to worry or not about UCONN when they play Notre Dame. If UCONN blows them out, I will worry about our game in Columbia.

We did not play well against LSU but still won. We MUST play better to beat UCONN, IMO...

I wouldn't worry. UConn has a starting 5 of 3 seniors and 2 freshies. The bench is 2 freshies and 2 cheerleaders and 5 out for the season. You get any of the starting 5 in foul trouble and it's over.

 

[TN-Gamecock]

I wouldn't worry. UConn has a starting 5 of 3 seniors and 2 freshies. The bench is 2 freshies and 2 cheerleaders and 5 out for the season. You get any of the starting 5 in foul trouble and it's over.

Yes, and Catlin Clark had a field day with us last year. We had 5 WNBA players from last years team. No one gave IOWA a chance. Catlin single handedly showed American what it takes to beat Goliath. You don't think Paige along with Edwards could pull it off?

 

[hoopsfan22]

Yes, and Catlin Clark had a field day with us last year. We had 5 WNBA players from last years team. No one gave IOWA a chance. Catlin single handedly showed American what it takes to beat Goliath. You don't think Paige along with Edwards could pull it off?

UConn doesn't have anyone like Caitlin Clark. You will never in your lifetime see a UConn player go for 45+ whereas Clark has done that a few times just this season alone. It's not that we don't have players capable of it, but the system and the coaches will never allow it.

 

[BB Dawg]

UConn doesn't have anyone like Caitlin Clark. You will never in your lifetime see a UConn player go for 45+ whereas Clark has done that a few times just this season alone. It's not that we don't have players capable of it, but the system and the coaches will never allow it.

That is not necessarily a good thing. - Watched her play against Rutgers - She was not very efficient that game. Paige is very efficient this year

 

[diggerfoot]

Yes, and Catlin Clark had a field day with us last year. We had 5 WNBA players from last years team. No one gave IOWA a chance. Catlin single handedly showed American what it takes to beat Goliath. You don't think Paige along with Edwards could pull it off?

I forget the exact percentages now but Clark v the rest of the team shot about the same against SC. The team as a whole had been together for three years and had a higher shooting percentage than Clark last year, as a team they were 51+%, top two or three best offense with Clark’s teammates being even more efficient than her. In other words, without either Clark or very good shooting from her teammates Iowa would have lost. Pair Clark with, say, “only” the tenth best offensive team and they would have lost to SC.

And, yes, Clark, made it easier for her teammates to shoot and play well, but so did being naturally good shooters playing together for three years (a rarity!) along with playing for a very good coach. It was not single-handed. SC was up against the most experienced and efficient offense in the game last year, but America loves its heroes.

 

[visitingcock]

UConn doesn't have anyone like Caitlin Clark. You will never in your lifetime see a UConn player go for 45+ whereas Clark has done that a few times just this season alone. It's not that we don't have players capable of it, but the system and the coaches will never allow it.

How many did Paige score the last time you beat us?

 

[MSGRET]

How many did Paige score the last time you beat us?

It was 31 points on 14-26 shooting, 1-6 3pt, that one was the dagger, and 2 of 2 from the line. She was also the only player from either of the teams to play all 45 minutes.

 

[hoopsfan22]

How many did Paige score the last time you beat us?

31

 

[Cuango]

Kneepkens is only a junior and will be back next year, was PAC 12 FOY, Shot 39% from 3. Her loss is huge. Pili is just as important, depending on the oppositions defense. All things considered, Kneepkens is a bigger loss. Tall, fast guards who can hit the three are harder to come by than a slow big body with decent footwork.

Yeah, I agree Kneepkens was a big loss for Utah. I’m a little unsure of the context of this comparison of her with Pili?, but she is not even in the conversation with Pili, who is a player that can and has put that team on her shoulders and won games they had no right to win. Kneepkens is a nice player but Pili is a/the star on that team.

 

[Cornell Lt]

UConn doesn't have anyone like Caitlin Clark. You will never in your lifetime see a UConn player go for 45+ whereas Clark has done that a few times just this season alone. It's not that we don't have players capable of it, but the system and the coaches will never allow it.

Where does this "Geno will never let scoring +46 happen" stuff come from? Did I miss him actually saying that at some point in recent memory, or is it just projection from long time fans ? I guarantee that if it took Paige (or any other player) getting 46 to win a title Geno would have no problem with it

 

[HuskyNan]

UConn doesn't have anyone like Caitlin Clark. You will never in your lifetime see a UConn player go for 45+ whereas Clark has done that a few times just this season alone. It's not that we don't have players capable of it, but the system and the coaches will never allow it.

Maya Moore hung 40 points on Syracuse after the coach said anyone on the SU team could guard her

 

[PacoSwede]

i believe the single game record for uconn is 46, by nykesha, might have been v. stanford.

 

[Cuango]

I wouldn't worry. UConn has a starting 5 of 3 seniors and 2 freshies. The bench is 2 freshies and 2 cheerleaders and 5 out for the season. You get any of the starting 5 in foul trouble and it's over.

Yeah, that’s why TN- Gamecock is worried! I don’t think there’s much chance UConn wins that game but it certainly wouldn’t be a good look for South Carolina if they did! I’m pretty sure Dawn will have those kids breathing fire by the time that game tips off. I just want to see them (both) get through the game with no injuries!

Winning isn’t even something I’m thinking about. It’s just too much to expect from a team that effectively has five players that can be absolutely counted on to affect the game in a positive way! Sure, we have Ice and Q who may or may not be able to do something but, let’s face it, if UConn were somehow to win this game, (actually it should be), if SC were somehow to lose this game, at home, with a fully healthy roster, as the undefeated #1 ranked team in the country, it would be one of the greatest upsets of all time!

I can’t really come up with a greater mismatch in all the time I’ve followed women’s basketball! I know Louisville beating Griner’s Baylor team was a big one but at least Louisville had a full roster for that game! Stanford losing to the 16 seed Harvard was another memorable upset but, there again, a fully healthy roster for Harvard! This game makes David and Goliath look like even odds!

The Notre Dame game is where I’m investing my emotions! That game carries some real meaning for us. Can we compete with a bigger team and good guard play? That’s the game we UConn fans should be investing our stock in. It presents us with a challenge that is actually doable and one that, if we win can be expected to boost and consolidate our belief that we can make some noise in the tournament in spite of having the equivalent of a ranked team sitting on our bench! The SC game? To me, it’s basically another Toronto Metropolitan! It’s interesting, but really pretty meaningless unless some sort of miracle happens and even then, it won’t suddenly give us a healthy roster! Notre Dame? - important, South Carolina? - not so much!

I know some will see this as some sort of pre-emptive sour grapes but it’s truly not. I just think the disparity between these two teams is such that the game is essentially meaningless! Now, it may be worth a banner in South Carolina but in reality, it’s basically an exhibition game! If, Ice and Q are able to somehow develop into contributing members of this team by the end of the season, then perhaps we can talk about being able to match up with top level teams with fully healthy rosters. Until then, it’s just too much to expect.

 

[fomalhaut]

i believe the single game record for uconn is 46, by nykesha, might have been v. stanford.

Absolutely correct. And Svetlana Abrosimova scored 39 against UCLA in 1998, in a game where she sat quite a bit and missed a bunch of free throws.

 

[visitingcock]

Yeah, that’s why TN- Gamecock is worried! I don’t think there’s much chance UConn wins that game but it certainly wouldn’t be a good look for South Carolina if they did! I’m pretty sure Dawn will have those kids breathing fire by the time that game tips off. I just want to see them (both) get through the game with no injuries!

Winning isn’t even something I’m thinking about. It’s just too much to expect from a team that effectively has five players that can be absolutely counted on to affect the game in a positive way! Sure, we have Ice and Q who may or may not be able to do something but, let’s face it, if UConn were somehow to win this game, (actually it should be), if SC were somehow to lose this game, at home, with a fully healthy roster, as the undefeated #1 ranked team in the country, it would be one of the greatest upsets of all time!

I can’t really come up with a greater mismatch in all the time I’ve followed women’s basketball! I know Louisville beating Griner’s Baylor team was a big one but at least Louisville had a full roster for that game! Stanford losing to the 16 seed Harvard was another memorable upset but, there again, a fully healthy roster for Harvard! This game makes David and Goliath look like even odds!

The Notre Dame game is where I’m investing my emotions! That game carries some real meaning for us. Can we compete with a bigger team and good guard play? That’s the game we UConn fans should be investing our stock in. It presents us with a challenge that is actually doable and one that, if we win can be expected to boost and consolidate our belief that we can make some noise in the tournament in spite of having the equivalent of a ranked team sitting on our bench! The SC game? To me, it’s basically another Toronto Metropolitan! It’s interesting, but really pretty meaningless unless some sort of miracle happens and even then, it won’t suddenly give us a healthy roster! Notre Dame? - important, South Carolina? - not so much!

I know some will see this as some sort of pre-emptive sour grapes but it’s truly not. I just think the disparity between these two teams is such that the game is essentially meaningless! Now, it may be worth a banner in South Carolina but in reality, it’s basically an exhibition game! If, Ice and Q are able to somehow develop into contributing members of this team by the end of the season, then perhaps we can talk about being able to match up with top level teams with fully healthy rosters. Until then, it’s just too much to expect.

C’mon. The (NET) number 2 beating the NET number 1 would be only a mild upset.

 

[FanInNC]

I wasn’t able to watch any of it, but Oregon State takes down #3 Colorado last night. Clears the way for KState to move up to #2.

It continues to feel like it’s USC in one tier and then 15-20 teams that are on the next tier who all have been hot and looked great, but all have had their warts at various times. A long ways to go before March, but right now it all feels very wide open.