Another Updated ESPN Way Too Early Top 25

[WFFL]

UConn was ranked in the top 6 for most of last season while Paige was out.

We also dropped to the lowest ranking in decades with her out too . Overall thsi team is prepared and not having paige last year i think will benefit them a tons this season .

 

[southie]

Today's update
View attachment 79577

Way-Too-Early Top 25: UConn down, Texas up and South Carolina still on top

There's plenty of movement (and ACC and SEC teams) in our top 10 a month before the season begins. Now all eyes are on how quickly new faces settle in new places.

www.espn.com

 

[Bald Husky]

U Conn plays 6 of this top 15, that alone should be proof that this ranking is questionable.

It's going to be more enjoyable when we knock these teams off. We'll show them! Go Huskies.

 

[GEAinAustin]

socal613ws / Lou has nothing to do with Caroline's development. I will make the assumption for old dude. Do you think that Patterson, arguably the best power forward to come out of high school in years and being the #4 ranked player, and Griffin who in her 1st 2 years absolutely was a force to deal with, will not have an impact or play significant minutes ? I do.

 

[triaddukefan]

No way the best team in the ACC is ranked #11 in this poll. In my opinion, State has the most talented roster in the ACC. I'd put them at either 4 or 5. Even though Cunane was the headline player, I think Perez is their biggest loss. Hopefully they will have another viable PG to pair with Diamond Johnson.

No way the 6th (at best) team in the ACC is ranked #12. I just don't understand the love for that team.

 

[WFFL]

My question, too. Tara has recruited a couple of freshman guards, including Nunu Agara from Hopkins HS. Maybe they’ll be able to cover the 1-2 along with Hannah Jump. But perimeter shooting was the key to their low post game the last few years, and I don’t see where that’s going to come from. Betts and Brink are likely to be in foul trouble a lot this year without the threat of perimeter shooters. I’m surprised they’re even ranked in the top 10. Someone must be seeing something I’m not.

Picture a lineup like Jones Brink Jump… and then who? Prechdel? Iriafen? Betts? That will be a slow team, huge but slow. Stanford has been a quick team these past few years. If they’re going to rely on a speed game again that means playing the freshmen. If not, then it means rethink the positionless offense.

Either way it means they should have to prove themselves before they’re immediately anointed a number 1 or even a 2 seed. Lots more questions about them than about us w/o Paige.

You forgot about Belibi

Im confident their line up will consist of these 5 main constants.

Jones
Jump
Belibi
Brink
Pretchel & Betts will come in off the bench .

 

[WFFL]

No way the best team in the ACC is ranked #11 in this poll. In my opinion, State has the most talented roster in the ACC. I'd put them at either 4 or 5. Even though Cunane was the headline player, I think Perez is their biggest loss. Hopefully they will have another viable PG to pair with Diamond Johnson.

No way the 6th (at best) team in the ACC is ranked #12. I just don't understand the love for that team.

Definitely think they are a bit overrated , top 25 material yes but serious contenders no. Positive trajectory though so far under banghart.

 

[Bone Dog]

You forgot about Belibi

Im confident their line up will consist of these 5 main constants.

Jones
Jump
Belibi
Brink
Pretchel & Betts will come in off the bench .

Yes, I did. I mentioned her in a similar post in a different thread.

But your revision only makes my point -- Jones Jump Belibi Brink is a slow core that only gets slower as soon as Betts or Prechdel sub in. And you still need a fifth, preferably a guard. Will it be Nivar or Lepolo? Or go bigger with Iriafen?

Last year, Tara could run a big team because the Hull sisters were exceptionally quick for 6 footers. But it cost them a couple of times. They don't have the Hulls this season and they will be slower because of it, unless a freshman or two bails them out at guard.

I don't doubt Tara will solve this puzzle. But it's a huge question mark that ought to have placed them outside the top ten in a preseason estimation.

 

[oldude]

You forgot about Belibi

Im confident their line up will consist of these 5 main constants.

Jones
Jump
Belibi
Brink
Pretchel & Betts will come in off the bench .

Uhm…..6 forwards…….0 guards. I don’t think that’s gonna cut it in the Pac-12.

 

[WFFL]

Yes, I did. I mentioned her in a similar post in a different thread.

But your revision only makes my point -- Jones Jump Belibi Brink is a slow core that only gets slower as soon as Betts or Prechdel sub in. And you still need a fifth, preferably a guard. Will it be Nivar or Lepolo? Or go bigger with Iriafen?

Last year, Tara could run a big team because the Hull sisters were exceptionally quick for 6 footers. But it cost them a couple of times. They don't have the Hulls this season and they will be slower because of it, unless a freshman or two bails them out at guard.

I don't doubt Tara will solve this puzzle. But it's a huge question mark that ought to have placed them outside the top ten in a preseason estimation.

I dont think the hull sisters were extremely quick and if speed is the biggest worry for the Cardinals i think they will be okay with that. That top 4 is as talented as any top 5 in the country with a coach like Tara leading them . The same with Geno leading us and our questions marks without paige . We believe were going to take it all still because we have Geno so why can't the same be said for Stanford ?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Jump is a guard. Jones has been a de facto guard for much of her career at Stanford. Brink ain't slow. Don't know why anyone would think that. Everybody seems to have forgotten Demetre. She didn't get a lot of PT last year, not because she wasn't good, just tough to crack the rotation. She had some moments when she did see the floor. Also she won't score a lot, but I can just about guarantee Emma-Nnopu will be in the rotation. Oh, Belibi ain't slow either. Don't know what some of ya'll are watching. PG is the big question mark, but Stanford as a team has ridiculous length, they have some athletes, they have versatility.

 

[nwhoopfan]

No way the 6th (at best) team in the ACC

?? I really can't come up with 5 ACC teams who are clearly better.

 

[Bone Dog]

I dont think the hull sisters were extremely quick and if speed is the biggest worry for the Cardinals i think they will be okay with that. That top 4 is as talented as any top 5 in the country with a coach like Tara leading them . The same with Geno leading us and our questions marks without paige . We believe were going to take it all still because we have Geno so why can't the same be said for Stanford ?

Yes, we do believe it, and we also understand why folks elsewhere might think we should be ranked lower. Maybe it's because of Geno that we believe. I get that Stanford fans -- what are they doing here? -- also believe, and for analogous reasons. And like us, they should also understand that folks elsewhere might well think they shouldn't be ranked #2 in a preseason poll without having answered any questions about their lineup.

Jump is a guard. Jones has been a de facto guard for much of her career at Stanford. Brink ain't slow. Don't know why anyone would think that.

Belibi ain't slow either.

No one denied Jump is a guard. Why would you even suggest that? She's a pretty good one with an excellent 3pt shot. And Jones has indeed been a de facto guard, which means she's really a forward playing guard. No one ever said Brink, or Belibi, or even Jones aren't fast. But they're quick as big players, not as guards. The Hulls were quick as big players too, and a bit quicker than Jones and Brink and Belibi. Next you'll be telling us how fast Prechtel is. Don't even pretend any of them can effectively matchup well against someone like Rori Harmon -- now that's guard quickness. Oh, wait, we already saw what happens when you put the entire Stanford guard corps (including de facto guard Jones) up against Harmon. They were vulnerable to teams with a quick guard last season and they'll be even more so this season. Will Tara figure out a solution to this vulnerability? I'm very confident she will, just as she did last season. But until then, Stanford doesn't deserve a #2 ranking in a preseason poll. Sorry.

 

[WFFL]

Yes, we do believe it, and we also understand why folks elsewhere might think we should be ranked lower. Maybe it's because of Geno that we believe. I get that Stanford fans -- what are they doing here? -- also believe, and for analogous reasons. And like us, they should also understand that folks elsewhere might well think they shouldn't be ranked #2 in a preseason poll without having answered any questions about their lineup.




No one denied Jump is a guard. Why would you even suggest that? She's a pretty good one with an excellent 3pt shot. And Jones has indeed been a de facto guard, which means she's really a forward playing guard. No one ever said Brink, or Belibi, or even Jones aren't fast. But they're quick as big players, not as guards. The Hulls were quick as big players too, and a bit quicker than Jones and Brink and Belibi. Next you'll be telling us how fast Prechtel is. Don't even pretend any of them can effectively matchup well against someone like Rori Harmon -- now that's guard quickness. Oh, wait, we already saw what happens when you put the entire Stanford guard corps (including de facto guard Jones) up against Harmon. They were vulnerable to teams with a quick guard last season and they'll be even more so this season. Will Tara figure out a solution to this vulnerability? I'm very confident she will, just as she did last season. But until then, Stanford doesn't deserve a #2 ranking in a preseason poll. Sorry.

I think those polls were gracious to more than just stanford . The only legitimate unanimous choice is SC at #1 . Everyone else could be ranked anywhere from 10-25 to UR very quickly this season.

 

[Bone Dog]

An addendum: Tara has booked a pretty soft schedule before Xmas -- the rest hasn't been released yet. Only two tough games, SC and Tennessee. If they win those, then they will have answered all the questions and deserve that #2 ranking. Creighton is an interesting matchup for them. They should dominate it. If they don't, or even lose to Creighton, they should drop below #10

 

[nwhoopfan]

Don't even pretend any of them can effectively matchup well against someone like Rori Harmon -- now that's guard quickness. Oh, wait, we already saw what happens when you put the entire Stanford guard corps (including de facto guard Jones) up against Harmon. They were vulnerable to teams with a quick guard last season and they'll be even more so this season.

Your point stands, but I would counter that Harmon torched them in November, but not so much in March. She was 6-18 shooting against Stanford in the Tourney. They must've figured out something to limit her effectiveness in the second meeting.

 

[Bone Dog]

Your point stands, but I would counter that Harmon torched them in November, but not so much in March. She was 6-18 shooting against Stanford in the Tourney. They must've figured out something to limit her effectiveness in the second meeting.

Which is exactly what I said: Tara eventually solved the vulnerability. And when she does it this year, I'll rank them at #2. Until then, not so much.

 

[Plebe]

No way the 6th (at best) team in the ACC is ranked #12. I just don't understand the love for that team.

But didn't they pound Duke into oblivion last year. ... twice?

 

[nwhoopfan]

But didn't they pound Duke into oblivion last year. ... twice?

I seem to recall the same.

Until proven otherwise NC State and Louisville seem like reasonable choices for top 2. Notre Dame and Virginia Tech could both finish ahead of UNC, but it's far from a given. After that, I'm perplexed that any other ACC team could be picked ahead of the Heels. To me they seem like 5th best AT WORST.

 

[Cuango]

Didn't say they did. But they have dramatically revamped their programs by accepting excellent talent through the portal. Coach Geno himself has opined on how the portal has changed women's basketball. He claimed that far too many athletes are entering it, and that many will not find a new home. But he also did state that UConn has not done what many other teams are doing: assigning an ass't coach full-time to the portal to identify and recruit athletes. If memory serves, he also insinuated that coaches are recruiting athletes secretly who announce they're going to a particular school right after formally putting their names in the portal.

The Way Too Early Top 25 has been roiled by the movements through the portal. So it's pretty clear that WCBB is being transformed. Will that lead to the top three changing? Don't know. But UConn could change by being more proactive in the future.

New world.

I doubt Geno will ever be an avid portal customer. One of the building blocks of this great program has been their care in recruiting players that fit into the culture they were creating. I would anticipate that will not change and that his portal shopping will be very selective.

 

[triaddukefan]

But didn't they pound Duke into oblivion last year. ... twice?

Hey hey hey..... the past is in the past.

 

[triaddukefan]

?? I really can't come up with 5 ACC teams who are clearly better.

I can. State, Louisville, Notre Dame, VPI, duke ,

I seem to recall the same.

Until proven otherwise NC State and Louisville seem like reasonable choices for top 2. Notre Dame and Virginia Tech could both finish ahead of UNC, but it's far from a given. After that, I'm perplexed that any other ACC team could be picked ahead of the Heels. To me they seem like 5th best AT WORST.

The past is in the past. I've erased any games from last year vs that school from my memory.... and no need to post box scores or youtube highlights either to refresh my memory either

 

[nwhoopfan]

The past is in the past. I've erased any games from last year vs that school from my memory.... and no need to post box scores or youtube highlights either to refresh my memory either

I may have reminded you of the past a time or two, but I certainly didn't stoop so low as to post highlights of previous games.

 

[Bigboote]

It’s all a crap shoot right now except for SC.

I have no problem with Stanford at #2. Who ya gonna put ahead of them? I’d move UConn, NCState, Creighton and maybe LSU up. I’d move Iowa and Virginia Tech down. But it’s still a WAG with all the portal movement.

 

[Cuango]

there is no delaying of development. The best players play, so I guess Lou is delaying the development of Caroline if she gets more minutes than her right?

Does anyone believe Lou will actually play more minutes than Caroline? I’m not seeing it but even if she does, it certainly won’t be by much. I’m guessing there is a set number of minutes that is a minimum for optimal player development. So, let’s say it’s 20 minutes. Will Caroline’s development be appreciably increased if she plays 25 minutes rather than 20? Anyway, my point is that Caroline is going to get plenty of minutes for her development and Lou getting 5-8 minutes more (which I seriously doubt) will have no impact on Caroline’s inexorable march toward being an All-American!