ACC Pre Season Picks ND 1st Duke 4th

[Orangutan]

Coach Walz is awfully high on this team. I know everyone keeps referring to the Cards' youth and it's understandable, but Briahanna Jackson has added some experience where experience was necessary. She may be a freshman, but Asia Durr, will play like a seasoned guard. Bringing back Hines-Allen and Moore on the front line gives added experience and talent. Add 6'3" Fuehring, 6'3" Courtnee Walton, a healthy junior and 6'5" Erin DeGrate, who has lost a lot of weight and seems to be showing she wants to play as a freshman, the Cards should find enough rebounding and inside game. Taja Cole gives the Cards blazing speed at the guard. Coach Walz keeps bragging about how much talent he has and brushes aside the concern over the youth. He's convinced all the quickness and guard play on this team is going to make creating good shots easier than any team he's had at Louisville. He's had some very experienced teams that got him to the final game a couple of times, but I've never seen him quite this pumped up as a season begins. Having this much true talent is new to him.

That post situation is a huge question mark for me. I do think people often overrate the importance of size, but Walton really hasn't done much yet in her career and Fuehring and DeGrate aren't the sort of super-elite prospects that I'd expect to be great right away at the next level. I just wonder how they are going to handle players like Turner and Bulgak as well as all of Duke's size.

I also think they will lose a few games they shouldn't just due to inconsistency based on the youth. I do like Cole and Durr, though, and think they'll contribute readily. Cole, Durr, Moore, Hines-Allen is a pretty nice core.

 

[4evercard]

Louisville is definitely top 4 with Notre Dame, Duke and Florida State. I don't see alot of losses for your team since you guys have a relative easy schedule. I can see an Elite 8 for you guys and maybe an outsde chance of a Final 4.

I agree on our out of conference schedule needing some beef. Other than California and Kentucky, there's not much there, but I know who all the Card fans want on our schedule each year. Want no part of UConn this year, but I sure wish our schools could get together after this year in both MBB and WBB.