All of those first nine teams are for real. Notre Dame proved that even with serious injuries at key positions, they are talented enough, and coached well enough, to take UConn to the limit. Oregon's class of sophomores is proving that they weren't flashes-in-the-pan last year. Yes, they got blown out by Connecticut, but that was last year. Tennessee, as undisciplined as they are, are now without the toxic DD, and with new talent, they're proving that if you recruit enough top names, you can play tough against most anyone. South Carolina has A'ja Wilson, one of the best big players ever in women's basketball, poor coaching notwithstanding, so her team will always be in every game. Mississippi State, with a tough 6'7" post player, is showing that they were not a fluke last year. No one ever knows which Louisville team will show up in which game which season. Roster turmoil and inconsistency seem to be the coach's calling cards. But they're capable of being excellent.
All the rest are all the rest. The Final Four will come from that Top Nine. Will Connecticut come out on top? We now know that our roster has injury issues that could persist all season. Camara's injury appears to be more serious than let on, and she may or may not play more than a few minutes. KLS's foot could recur and keep her out. And Gabby's migraines appear to be chronic and worse than in previous seasons. That's three top kids. Add to that the surprising lack of serious competition offered by the three "other" freshmen, and the two sophomores, and the picture is now emerging of a Connecticut team with a very short bench and a vulnerability to injuries.
It's not a foregone conclusion any more. There are some tough-as-nails teams out there, and we're not as steel-solid as we thought we were. We'll wait for the big late-season challenges. But the picture is coming into better focus now...
