AAs ?

[Vowelguy]

Hidalgo paige juju

Who are the other 2?

Betts? Morrow? Sc player?

 

[WBBTakeover]

Betts
Miles/Morrow/Strong?

Joyce is probably the one player who should be AA for the Gamecocks this year, but I'm not seeing first team. 2nd or 3rd team for her.

 

[Lorcan]

I think it's an interesting topic. I personally see four locks in the following at the moment:

Hannah Hidalgo
Paige Bueckers
Juju Watkins
Lauren Betts

For the fifth, I think you select one of Sedona Prince, Aneesah Morrow, Flau'jae Johnson, or Ta'Niya Latson. It's tricky depending on how much you factor in the success of the team at this fifth slot.

In a third tier, I'd have Olivia Miles, Joyce Edwards, Audi Crooks, Talaysia Cooper, Yvonne Ejim, Raegan Beers. I'm sure there's others I'm missing - I think Sarah Strong is somewhere in this third tier if not slightly below.

 

[Vowelguy]

• I personally would have a hard time voting for 2 people from the same team unless that team was #1 or maybe 2. I see Strong as 2nd or 3rd team.
• Edwards has started 1 game. Seems tough to be first-team AA when you're not even first team on your squad.
• IowaSt has had such a disappointing year, cant imagine Crooks getting first team.
• Your 2nd tier looks good, thanks. I think Sedona vs Morrow.

Big TV games will probably determine.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Not first team, but Kiki Rice in there somewhere for consideration? Iowa St. has been so disappointing, I just don't see Crooks really being in the conversation, despite her production. Hailey Van Lith should probably mentioned as well.

 

[TC22]

If SC ends up in the top 2 they’ll get somebody on the AA team even if it’s not first team. It could be any of MiLaysia, Pao Pao or Joyce. SC plays on TV so much in big games that they will have their chance to be seen whether they start or not. That’s just my opinion.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think the top 5 includes Hidalgo, Juju, Paige, and probably Betts. Not sure who gets the final spot.

S.C. has a ton of talent, but the playing time is too balanced. I can see someone as top 10 or 15.

For the 10-player team, I would include Strong. She's one of the best in the nation and the best freshman since Paige/Maya.

 

[Vowelguy]

Madison Booker?

 

[bballnut90]

Madison Booker?

Probably not for first team unless she has many more games like today. I’d put Miles/Sedona/Morrow/Flaujae ahead of her right now.

 

[darrell]

I think it's an interesting topic. I personally see four locks in the following at the moment:

Hannah Hidalgo
Paige Bueckers
Juju Watkins
Lauren Betts

For the fifth, I think you select one of Sedona Prince, Aneesah Morrow, Flau'jae Johnson, or Ta'Niya Latson. It's tricky depending on how much you factor in the success of the team at this fifth slot.

In a third tier, I'd have Olivia Miles, Joyce Edwards, Audi Crooks, Talaysia Cooper, Yvonne Ejim, Raegan Beers. I'm sure there's others I'm missing - I think Sarah Strong is somewhere in this third tier if not slightly below.

Some of the players you mentioned have not made a better case than Sarah.

14, 13, 6 and 5 blocks vs. UNC (held Ustby to 1-9)
21, 8 and 3 vs. Louisville
29, 9 and 4 vs. Iowa State (outplayed Crooks)
22, 13 and 5 vs. Southern Cal (outplayed Iriafen)

She’s very easily one of the Top 10 players in the country, in my opinion. Good games against UT and SC should put her in AA consideration.

 

[darrell]

Hidalgo paige juju

Who are the other 2?

Betts? Morrow? Sc player?

Betts is personally my POY. The most dominant player on the best team in the country. Should be a no-brainer.

That being said, my prediction for 5-player AA team would be Betts, Bueckers, Hidalgo, Watkins and Morrow would be my fifth if she can continue her dominant SEC play (starting Thursday against SC).

 

[Reypl21]

Betts is personally my POY. The most dominant player on the best team in the country. Should be a no-brainer.

View attachment 106366

That being said, my prediction for 5-player AA team would be Betts, Bueckers, Hidalgo, Watkins and Morrow would be my fifth if she can continue her dominant SEC play (starting Thursday against SC).

Betts is soooo good. I wish she was in the discussion more for NPOY. She should be. She completely changes the game and how the other teams play. UCLA is going to be scary in the tournament.

 

[bballnut90]

Some of the players you mentioned have not made a better case than Sarah.

14, 13, 6 and 5 blocks vs. UNC (held Ustby to 1-9)
21, 8 and 3 vs. Louisville
29, 9 and 4 vs. Iowa State (outplayed Crooks)
22, 13 and 5 vs. Southern Cal (outplayed Iriafen)

She’s very easily one of the Top 10 players in the country, in my opinion. Good games against UT and SC should put her in AA consideration.

Iowa State/Louisville aren’t good teams. Strong is probably one of the 10 best players in the country but team success is important and it’s hard to justify her and Bueckers both getting spots while UCONN is likely in the 6-10 range. Especially with Juju/Kiki making strong cases and Hidalgo/Miles too. Not to mention Flaujae/Morrow and Van Lith/Prince.

 

[bballnut90]

Betts is soooo good. I wish she was in the discussion more for NPOY. She should be. She completely changes the game and how the other teams play. UCLA is going to be scary in the tournament.

Hidalgo IMO is the clear front runner with her numbers and performances in big games, but Betts is my #2 player right now. If she continues to put up big numbers going up against Maryland, USC and Ohio State, I think she’ll garner more attention. UCLA looks like the main front runner along with South Carolina, but I think more teams would rather face SC than UCLA with how good Betts is inside.

 

[visitingcock]

Betts is soooo good. I wish she was in the discussion more for NPOY. She should be. She completely changes the game and how the other teams play. UCLA is going to be scary in the tournament.

“In the discussion more?”

She is not discussion more because she has it wrapped up.

 

[packwrap]

“In the discussion more?”

She is not discussion more because she has it wrapped up.

What about Hidalgo? Media seems to think she has it wrapped.

On 5th first teamer. Morrow putting up some amazing stats, in SEC too. As long as she performs against SC and TX on nat TV, she gets 5th spot.

SC v LSU this Thursday already.

 

[WBBTakeover]

“In the discussion more?”

She is not discussion more because she has it wrapped up.

Lauren Betts does not have NPOY wrapped up because Hannah is the frontrunner (followed by JuJu). UCLA hasn't played anyone that matters in these discussions (i.e. no Top 10 teams) since November 24. Hannah went off against Texas and Notre Dame since then and has healed up in time to give ND a bigger boost in conference play. JuJu's looked pretty good to great against the Top 10 teams Southern Cal has faced since losing to ND.

What may help Lauren's NPOY chances is that UCLA has a B1G gauntlet coming up while Notre Dame faces...well...Duke. The ACC being a lot weaker than the Big Ten could shift the narrative IF UCLA is able to run the table or if they manage not to look too weak in the two (or more) games against Southern Cal (who I don't think they match up that well against, if we're being honest).

 

[visitingcock]

What about Hidalgo? Media seems to think she has it wrapped.

On 5th first teamer. Morrow putting up some amazing stats, in SEC too. As long as she performs against SC and TX on nat TV, she gets 5th spot.

SC v LSU this Thursday already.

Hidalgo is great but I see best player on best team winning it.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Hidalgo is great but I see best player on best team winning it.

(1) That didn't happen the previous two seasons and (2) UCLA is the #1-ranked team--that doesn't mean they're the best team.

 

[packwrap]

Hidalgo is great but I see best player on best team winning it.

Of course, it's a regular season Award, so ncaa has no impact...

...but we could be looking at a ND v SC final. Hidalgo/Miles/Citron fun to watch in that matchup.

I'm not sold on UCLA and Betts. I think SC, now in sync and playing well could beat them if played again.

Eager to see how UCLA plays against a well coached team that packs paint and denies ball to Betts. Everytime I watch Betts seems to be dominating a 1 on 1 match up against a small center.

 

[visitingcock]

Of course, it's a regular season Award, so ncaa has no impact...

...but we could be looking at a ND v USC final. Hidalgo/Miles/Citron fun to watch in that matchup.

I'm not sold on UCLA and Betts. I think SC, now in sync and playing well could beat them if played again.

Eager to see how UCLA plays against a well coached team that packs paint and denies ball to Betts. Everytime I watch Betts seems to be dominating a 1 on 1 match up against a small center.

The main one is voted on after the Elite 8 wraps up

 

[Reypl21]

“In the discussion more?”

She is not discussion more because she has it wrapped up.

Wrapped up according to who? When you watch any of the national televised games they are showing Hidalgo, Watkins, and Bueckers as the front runners. Prior to the season, the media was hyping the race to be between Bueckers and Watkins. Hidalgo had to barge her way into the discussions with standout performances against UConn, Texas, and USC. The media isn't grouping Betts into these discussions, which I think is a shame. I agree that the best player for the best team should have a place in the discussion. It just doesn't seem like she is being taken serious as a contender by the media. Which I think is revealing to how the votes will go.

So yeah, I don't think she has it wrapped up. She's on the outside looking in. Which she shouldn't be.

 

[GoChips20]

There are years where the “best player on the best team” argument doesn’t fit (often because that best player’s numbers aren’t strong enough), but this is not one of them. Betts is averaging 20/10/3 for the #1 team. I’m still inclined to go to Hidalgo, but if you subscribe to the best player on the best team philosophy, Betts is a deserving winner. I agree she doesn’t seem to be getting the hype tho.

 

[Vowelguy]

UCLAs conference schedule is very much backloaded.
Its final 10 games are USC (x2), Md, OhioSt, and 2 other ranked teams. Additionally there’s Illinois, at Iowa, and at Oregon.
The only guaranteed snoozer is Wisconsin.

With better games/environments comes better TV options and more eyeballs. If shes having a NPOY season, she’ll have her chance to show it, starting g this Sunday at MD.

 

[Baller29]

Hidalgo is great but I see best player on best team winning it.

I don’t think this will necessarily be the case