Another Updated ESPN Way Too Early Top 25

[Centerstream]

No change for UConn

Women's college basketball Way-Too-Early Top 25: Tennessee, NC State and LSU continue to climb

Tennessee, NC State and LSU are among the biggest risers, and Georgia enters the top 25, after some big transfers and coaching changes.

www.espn.com

 

[eebmg]

TN up to 4. The stumbles and Fall will be glorious.

 

[jdote33]

I enjoy these. Baylor and LSU seem a bit low. Iowa seems a bit high. Bottom 5 were pretty interesting. Villanova probably deserves a bit more love. I think UCLA should be in there as well.

 

[visitingcock]

I would still have Texas at number 4 because of Vic. NC State number 5. Okay, then Tennessee at 6. I think Baylor will return to expectations at 7. I'll go with Caitlin Clark to round out my Great 8.

SCar, Stanford and UConn? I don't see SCar going coast to coast number one this year - though they might be there at the end. Road games to Stanford, Uconn, Oregon, Maryland, Tennessee, etc. are gonna be tough

We gotta' watch out for Georgia. With their new coach, they are gonna' take us to a brawl in the gutters. Less talent? Sure, but they aren't gonna' back down on this bus trip rivalry. Wretched, spiteful, straight razor totin' women - Law'd Ha' Mercy.

 

[eebmg]

Creighton at 21.

 

[triaddukefan]

Hmmmm.... looking for one of my five teams

 

[DaBball]

I enjoy these. Baylor and LSU seem a bit low. Iowa seems a bit high. Bottom 5 were pretty interesting. Villanova probably deserves a bit more love. I think UCLA should be in there as well.

It will be interesting to see how effectively Villanova replaces Garzon and Herlihy. Siegrist will likely have to carry an even bigger load.

I think Creighton should be a little higher given who they return.

 

[Bald Husky]

It was nice of Michelle Voepel to say that Stanford lost to us because they played their worst game of the year. Unfortunately, we don't get to play Georgia Tech, Louisville, or Oregon this year to settle some scores, but we will more than announce that we are ready to win big with the OOC schedule we do have. I can't wait for next season to begin, as I believe it will be the best season in the last 5. Go Huskies.

 

[Mdoggie]

I think ND will be better than TN and should be ranked higher in this way too early Poll.

 

[visitingcock]

Hmmmm.... looking for one of my five teams

View attachment 76914

Call ACME Ranking Services.

 

[jbc021592]

Kind of surprised that Louisville and NC State are ahead of Notre Dame. Notre Dame returns 4/5 players. Both Louisville and NC State lost some key players, but have transfers. Notre Dame should be a top 10 preseason team FOR SURE—top 5 though—Definitely next season if they can get the recruits they’re pursuing…
This season should be one of the best seasons in WCBB history in my opinion!

 

[SECbbfan24]

I enjoy these. Baylor and LSU seem a bit low. Iowa seems a bit high. Bottom 5 were pretty interesting. Villanova probably deserves a bit more love. I think UCLA should be in there as well.

LSU has a lot of new faces. Talent is way better all around this year but there is still much inexperience and not sure how chemistry is going to be.

Although if Kim could make lemonade from a team that went 9-13 the previous year, I think she’ll do fine with this group.

 

[bballnut90]

Kind of surprised that Louisville and NC State are ahead of Notre Dame. Notre Dame returns 4/5 players. Both Louisville and NC State lost some key players, but have transfers. Notre Dame should be a top 10 preseason team FOR SURE—top 5 though—Definitely next season if they can get the recruits they’re pursuing…
This season should be one of the best seasons in WCBB history in my opinion!

Agree Notre Dame should be higher, I'd put them #6 or #7. Post play is still a big question mark but their backcourt is excellent.

Texas I'd put solidly at 4. A lineup of Harmon, Matharu, Morris, Moore and Jones is going to be much stronger offensively than they were a year ago.

Tennessee is too high IMO. They're big and athletic but I don't see the team playing cohesively with so many new players in the lineup, and none of their perimeter players (Horston, Jackson, and Powell) are efficient, either by means of FG% or too many turnovers. I'd drop them to 8th or 9th.

Overall though this year's race is South Carolina's to lose. They have everyone back besides Henderson and have adequate replacements lined up (Fletcher/Johnson), plus several highly touted underclassmen. They definitely had a huge sense of urgency last year, so keeping their foot on the gas will be key as programs like UCONN/Stanford will likely play with a lot of urgency this season.

 

[visitingcock]

Kind of surprised that Louisville and NC State are ahead of Notre Dame. Notre Dame returns 4/5 players. Both Louisville and NC State lost some key players, but have transfers. Notre Dame should be a top 10 preseason team FOR SURE—top 5 though—Definitely next season if they can get the recruits they’re pursuing…
This season should be one of the best seasons in WCBB history in my opinion!

I think they are picking coaching ability/experience over potential player talent. I would and do.

 

[Bone Dog]

Given that SC returns almost everyone, they have to be the early #1. Not enough has changed among the other contenders to allow any other conclusion. The title is theirs to lose... and I'm rooting for them to lose it to UConn.

 

[Mdoggie]

“The title is theirs to lose” I kinda have a problem with that statement as they can never lose the title the have since it’s on a yearly basis. Better said they are the early favorite to win another.

 

[uconnever]

It was nice of Michelle Voepel to say that Stanford lost to us because they played their worst game of the year. Unfortunately, we don't get to play Georgia Tech, Louisville, or Oregon this year to settle some scores, but we will more than announce that we are ready to win big with the OOC schedule we do have. I can't wait for next season to begin, as I believe it will be the best season in the last 5. Go Huskies.

Yeah I noticed that too, give us no credit. Then in our evaluation, she said we surprisingly reached the championship game. With our talent year in and out and our coaches, it should never surprise anyone how far we make it.

 

[Centerstream]

Given that SC returns almost everyone, they have to be the early #1. Not enough has changed among the other contenders to allow any other conclusion. The title is theirs to lose... and I'm rooting for them to lose it to UConn.

Yup, ESPN will definitely be touting SoCar's quest for back to back NCs but will most likely omit the "since UConn's back to back to back to back NCs from 2013 to 2016".

 

[Inthepaint]

Yeah I noticed that too, give us no credit. Then in our evaluation, she said we surprisingly reached the championship game. With our talent year in and out and our coaches, it should never surprise anyone how far we make it.

I believe the “surprise” was not indicative of any dearth of talent, but reflected astonishment at the Huskies ability to overcome the constant injury turnovers and disruption.
I was personally a bit doubtful of winning the BE tourney or reaching yet another FF

 

[Dillon77]

Agree Notre Dame should be higher, I'd put them #6 or #7. Post play is still a big question mark but their backcourt is excellent.

I think they are picking coaching ability/experience over potential player talent. I would and do.

@visitingcock : I'm not disagreeing with your overall point that coaching can influence a team's output, via everything from organizational philosophy and strategy to on-court coaching and personnel acquisition and utilization. In the case of Wes Moore, they give a tip of the hat to Moore for meshing in transfers and in Walz's case, to sometimes restructuring their style of play. My thoughts on both going forward:

• Yes, Moore could bring in new players but he always had Cunane as the backbone. Now he's got to replace her with Baldwin, who never really took off at Florida State, and Collins, who was a third wheel on Maryyland's front line.
• Walz struck gold with Engstler and ran with it. Jones tended to disappear in the big games I saw her in. Plus, she's not Engstler. We'll have to see how Walz repurposes his personnel.

That's why I'm thinking ND is in solid shape: three of their top four players are back, with Miles, Citron and Westbeld. Plus, Niele Ivey has done a good job of bringing in transfers that have impact: witness Dodson and Dara Mabrey. That's why I think Ebo and Watson will help fhe Irish down low. The wild card is if Jenna Brown can perform as she did prior to college. We'll see.

 

[Bone Dog]

@visitingcock : I'm not disagreeing with your overall point that coaching can influence a team's output, via everything from organizational philosophy and strategy to on-court coaching and personnel acquisition and utilization. In the case of Wes Moore, they give a tip of the hat to Moore for meshing in transfers and in Walz's case, to sometimes restructuring their style of play. My thoughts on both going forward:

• Yes, Moore could bring in new players but he always had Cunane as the backbone. Now he's got to replace her with Baldwin, who never really took off at Florida State, and Collins, who was a third wheel on Maryyland's front line.
• Walz struck gold with Engstler and ran with it. Jones tended to disappear in the big games I saw her in. Plus, she's not Engstler. We'll have to see how Walz repurposes his personnel.

That's why I'm thinking ND is in solid shape: three of their top four players are back, with Miles, Citron and Westbeld. Plus, Niele Ivey has done a good job of bringing in transfers that have impact: witness Dodson and Dara Mabrey. That's why I think Ebo and Watson will help fhe Irish down low. The wild card is if Jenna Brown can perform as she did prior to college. We'll see.

I think I agree. But I didn’t realize Mabrey was a transfer. I thought the Mabrey’s were a family institution at ND.

In any event, I think ND has a lot going for it simply in returning Miles and Citron. Mabrey is a reliable third and Westbeld is a versatile scorer, though sometimes a liability on defense. If they find a solid post performer, they’ll be better than last year.

 

[shiverz45]

Yup, ESPN will definitely be touting SoCar's quest for back to back NCs but will most likely omit the "since UConn's back to back to back to back NCs from 2013 to 2016".

I don't blame them. That is a little too much to say. They will probably stated as "since UConn repeated".

 

[Centerstream]

I think I agree. But I didn’t realize Mabrey was a transfer. I thought the Mabrey’s were a family institution at ND.

In any event, I think ND has a lot going for it simply in returning Miles and Citron. Mabrey is a reliable third and Westbeld is a versatile scorer, though sometimes a liability on defense. If they find a solid post performer, they’ll be better than last year.

This Mabrey (the last one?) started her collegiate career at VA Tech.

 

[Dillon77]

This Mabrey (the last one?) started her collegiate career at VA Tech.

Dara is the last female Mabrey. Her younger brother committed to play at Miami of Ohio.
Dara did, indeed, play for two years at Va. Tech. She's graduated from ND and will get a third year of eligibility due to the COVID option.