AP Top 25 poll week 16 | Page 2 | The Boneyard

AP Top 25 poll week 16

Connecticut is now at 561 consecutive weeks in the top 25, five away from breaking Tennessee's all-time record of 565. I think there are six weeks of polling left (the last poll is usually the first week of April).
 
Ex Nutmegger said:
I am amazed the AP writers have a 49 point spread between Stanford in third place and UConn in fourth. Has Stanford had even one person out with a head cold for a game?
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I ran through the Games Played stats for the top 12 or 13 ranked teams last night. Only three teams besides Connecticut have even had a single starter/regular player miss more than two games, and none of them had more than one player (Notre Dame has a player out for the season, Grace Berger missed 8 games for Indiana, and there was one other player who missed 3 games for someone else which I didn't write down). Connecticut is now at 43 games and counting (with Fudd still out) for their main seven, not even counting Bueckers and DeBerry (other teams may have had preseason injuries). That 43 also doesn't include the postponed game when Edwards was injured.

Oklahoma is at the extreme opposite end of the spectrum: the same starting lineup for all 26 games, and nine players in all who have played in every single game, including their top eight in minutes. They've apparently had injuries to only two players who see any significant minutes.
 
LwrcasefaN said:
Personally, I wouldn't move SC off the 1 line. If they dropped to #2 how many people really would believe that IU was better? That's not to say there aren't teams who can beat SC. There are, but I can't see any reasonable person seeing them as a measurable underdog.
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Even if South Carolina had lost, I don't think they would have dropped from #1, but Indiana would have picked up more than one vote. But the idea that South Carolina is unbeatable is obviously absurd, since Stanford should have beaten them (and maybe Ole Miss too), and Connecticut could have done so if they had cleaned up a few inexplicable mistakes and made a few more free throws.

I actually thought Ole Miss might pull off the upset last night when Boston missed three out of four free throws in the closing minutes.
 
hoopsnloops32 said:
I think IU is better than South Carolina right now.
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Don't think so, IU as UCONN is already on a tournament mode with starters getting 30+ minutes
South Carolina has enough bench to let their players rest and watch what the others have to offer

Comes tournament time, there won't be such minutes for the bench, the rotation will be cut to 8 or so
South Carolina will show what the team is beginning with SEC tournament
I do think Dawn Staley is very good at managing her team's playing time
 
From France said:
Don't think so, IU as UCONN is already on a tournament mode with starters getting 30+ minutes
South Carolina has enough bench to let their players rest and watch what the others have to offer

Comes tournament time, there won't be such minutes for the bench, the rotation will be cut to 8 or so
South Carolina will show what the team is beginning with SEC tournament
I do think Dawn Staley is very good at managing her team's playing time
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Other than against Florida last week, SC starters have been playing 30 mins. for the past couple of weeks. UConn, LSU and Ole Miss have warranted that. Bench has been cut to 7 with a couple of other players getting a couple of minutes at the end of quarters to give starters a blow.
 
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From France said:
Don't think so, IU as UCONN is already on a tournament mode with starters getting 30+ minutes
South Carolina has enough bench to let their players rest and watch what the others have to offer

Comes tournament time, there won't be such minutes for the bench, the rotation will be cut to 8 or so
South Carolina will show what the team is beginning with SEC tournament
I do think Dawn Staley is very good at managing her team's playing time
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Mmm gonna have to fact check this. South Carolina played 5 players over thirty minutes yesterday, two of them over forty. Same against UConn. They are in in NCAA tournament mode whenever they play a decent team at this point too.
 
TC22 said:
Other than against Florida last week, SC starters have been playing 30 mins. for the past couple of weeks. UConn, LSU and Ole Miss have warranted that. Bench has been cut to 7 with a couple of other players getting a couple of minutes at the end of quarters to give starters a blow.
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You're wrong

gamecocksonline.com

Women's Basketball

The Official Athletic Site of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, partner of WMT Digital. The most comprehensive coverage of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks Women’s Basketball on the web with highlights, scores, news, schedules, rosters, and more!
gamecocksonline.com gamecocksonline.com
 
shiverz45 said:
I hope we get to find out. They are the only team in the top 5 we have not beaten yet.
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And you are 4-0 against top 10 teams when you add MD. SC is right where they belong in the rankings.

On the other hand, I think UConn's ranking is about right even though we are 1-3 against the top 10. We have beat some good teams and I think the voters are giving us the benefit of the doubt given our very short rotation.
 
LwrcasefaN said:
That's a tall task, but then there's Cardoso. Indiana can't guard both of them. You could draw one out on defense, but even then...they block a lot of shots. Not saying they can't beat SC, but they would need to shoot lights out, play zone I suppose and try and keep rebounding to single digits. Pushing tempo might help since SC bigs haven't played a ton of minutes. Lately, they have played more.
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That is why I said she wouldn't have to score to make a difference. Boston is so good and if they can stop her then you make people beat you that aren't usually in that situation. Long shot for sure, but a shot.
 
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fomalhaut said:
Connecticut is now at 561 consecutive weeks in the top 25, five away from breaking Tennessee's all-time record of 565. I think there are six weeks of polling left (the last poll is usually the first week of April).
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Thanks. It'll be a nice offset to the incredible streak of not losing back-to-back games in almost 30 years.

BTW, anyone know the number of games that streak represented? Surely must be in the 1080s, or more.
 
fomalhaut said:
Even if South Carolina had lost, I don't think they would have dropped from #1, but Indiana would have picked up more than one vote. But the idea that South Carolina is unbeatable is obviously absurd, since Stanford should have beaten them (and maybe Ole Miss too), and Connecticut could have done so if they had cleaned up a few inexplicable mistakes and made a few more free throws.

I actually thought Ole Miss might pull off the upset last night when Boston missed three out of four free throws in the closing minutes.
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Oh...SC is beatable. It's just difficult to do even when you play well. Those offensive rebounds are a dagger and their savior.
 
BBallF said:
Sleepless in Raleigh. I think the original came out last year on March 28.
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Every single time she's on a broadcast she puts up this graphic to tell people how to beat SC. I'm sure everybody else appreciates her suggestions but dang, she lives IN SC. You'd think she'd be happy for them.
 
Ex Nutmegger said:
I am amazed the AP writers have a 49 point spread between Stanford in third place and UConn in fourth. Has Stanford had even one person out with a head cold for a game?
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FWIW Stanford struggled against USC the other day and they have #16 UCLA tonite, @#21 Colorado on Thursday and @#5 UTAH on Saturday. So we will see what how Stanford does.
 
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TC22 said:
Every single time she's on a broadcast she puts up this graphic to tell people how to beat SC. I'm sure everybody else appreciates her suggestions but dang, she lives IN SC. You'd think she'd be happy for them.
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AND...don't forget her campaign to be on the rules committee. Barffffffff!!!!
 
BBallF said:
Shocker. Did you ever listen to her?
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Yes, I have listened to her. She is ok and not very insightful. Never paid attention to her loyalties.

If she is NCState to the core, the UConn game from the tournament last year and the game this year and how her team has been doing could not be great for her mental health.
 
Tonyc said:
FWIW Stanford struggled against USC the other day and they have #16 UCLA tonite, @#21 Colorado on Thursday and @#5 UTAH on Saturday. So we will see what how Stanford does.
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And that's all before the PAC 12 Tournament, March 1-5 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
 
Last edited:
IMO UConn doesn't pass recent eye test to be ranked #4. Also UConn lost to 7th Ranked Maryland and 10th Ranked Notre Dame earlier in the season. UConn should probably be ranked around #8 if not a couple of spots lower. I'm not sure this UConn team without Azzi Fudd would beat any of the other Top 10 teams. UConn is holding on to a high ranking due to the name UConn and their strength of schedule.
 
From France said:
TC22 said:
Other than against Florida last week, SC starters have been playing 30 mins. for the past couple of weeks. UConn, LSU and Ole Miss have warranted that. Bench has been cut to 7 with a couple of other players getting a couple of minutes at the end of quarters to give starters a blow.
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From France said:
You're wrong

gamecocksonline.com

Women's Basketball

The Official Athletic Site of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, partner of WMT Digital. The most comprehensive coverage of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks Women’s Basketball on the web with highlights, scores, news, schedules, rosters, and more!
gamecocksonline.com gamecocksonline.com
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Did you read my statement? It says they've been playing 30 mins for the last couple of weeks, other than Florida. I should have said Auburn also.

Here's the #s for those 3 games...Those games would be UConn, LSU, Ole Miss.
Boston - 39, 31, 34 Cooke - 39, 34, 43 Beal - 26, 36, 40
 
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I saw the SC-OleMiss game only from late in the 4th Q to the end of OT. Ole Miss had the ball in a tie game with a full 30 seconds on the clock in the 4th Q. I haven't watched a replay, but as I recall, the player who took the inbounds pass -- remember, with exactly 30 seconds remaining -- kept the ball, dribbling around, for 25 seconds, until she lost it out of bounds. Never passed it to anyone. It was like she had no teammates on the court. Even if she was the best player on their team, was THIS the play that was designed to get them the last score of the game? SC was mighty lucky to win that game.
 
Wbbfan1 said:
IMO UConn doesn't pass recent eye test to be ranked #4. Also UConn lost to 7th Ranked Maryland and 10th Ranked Notre Dame earlier in the season. UConn should probably be ranked around #8 if not a couple of spots lower. I'm not sure this UConn team without Azzi Fudd would beat any of the other Top 10 teams. UConn is holding on to a high ranking due to the name UConn and their strength of schedule.
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And already beat, #6 ranked Iowa, as I recall. The updated eye test comes in March. Some teams like Indiana, and Notre Dame, and yes, Iowa, are really playing well now, so its all about match-ups and health, but Uconn is as likely as not to show up in the final 4 as they have for the past decade
 
The reporter who chose Indiana as his #1 ranked team is Mitchell Northam from UNC public radio. Here is his explanation:
"Nothing against SC, but the Big Ten is stronger than the SEC this season. So, Indiana has played a tougher conference schedule. Gamecocks needed OT to get by Ole Miss. Hoosiers beat ranked teams in Ohio State and Michigan this past week. I wanted to reward them. Simple as that."
"My other thing is, Indiana has five wins against top 10 teams, more than anyone else in the country. And their only loss was by 5 points — without Grace Berger".
"Incredibly close! I’m not faulting SC. I’m rewarding IU."
 
Wbbfan1 said:
IMO UConn doesn't pass recent eye test to be ranked #4. Also UConn lost to 7th Ranked Maryland and 10th Ranked Notre Dame earlier in the season. UConn should probably be ranked around #8 if not a couple of spots lower. I'm not sure this UConn team without Azzi Fudd would beat any of the other Top 10 teams. UConn is holding on to a high ranking due to the name UConn and their strength of schedule.
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Yes they lost to Notre Dame and Maryland, but they were severely hampered with very recent injuries and had not had time to adjust for those injuries.

In the ND game Azzi went down with over two minutes left in the first quarter with 0 points and tried to play in the second quarter but couldn't. They were already without Dorka, while Aubrey tried to make up for no Azzi, but had her worst game of the season. In the Maryland game they had no, Azzi, Dorka, and NIKA, with less than 3 days to prepare Ines to take Nika's place was an impossible task to overcome.

On the bit about not beating any other Top 10 teams, if it hadn't been for some very bad officiating in the South Carolina game I believe that UConn would have won that game. This team is ranked in the correct spot as far as I'm concerned. If they do get Azzi back before the NCAAT, they will become one of the major favorites to win it all, and without her I still believe that they make another Final Four.
 
Wbbfan1 said:
IMO UConn doesn't pass recent eye test to be ranked #4. Also UConn lost to 7th Ranked Maryland and 10th Ranked Notre Dame earlier in the season. UConn should probably be ranked around #8 if not a couple of spots lower. I'm not sure this UConn team without Azzi Fudd would beat any of the other Top 10 teams. UConn is holding on to a high ranking due to the name UConn and their strength of schedule.
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lol. ok.
 
jaydee602 said:
The reporter who chose Indiana as his #1 ranked team is Mitchell Northam from UNC public radio. Here is his explanation:
"Nothing against SC, but the Big Ten is stronger than the SEC this season. So, Indiana has played a tougher conference schedule. Gamecocks needed OT to get by Ole Miss. Hoosiers beat ranked teams in Ohio State and Michigan this past week. I wanted to reward them. Simple as that."
"My other thing is, Indiana has five wins against top 10 teams, more than anyone else in the country. And their only loss was by 5 points — without Grace Berger".
"Incredibly close! I’m not faulting SC. I’m rewarding IU."
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He's a good follow, he knows his stuff. Of course, the chicken fans are giving him the blues. :rolleyes: My only issue with his voting this year is that this is the first week that he has Duke above Chapel Hill in his voting, 14 vs 15.
 
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