AP top 25 to be unveiled this morning at 9 am

[UConnCat]

On Sportscenter I think. Also check out Doug Feinberg’s Twitter.

 

[UConnCat]

ND # 1, UConn # 2.

I’m having difficulty with link on my phone.

 

[eebmg]

Full poll (and who voted for who) at

2018-19 Preseason AP Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll

ND Unanimous #1.

 

[Vowelguy]

 

[Fairfield Fan]

It's going to be a very competitive year. No runaway this year, though ND certainly deserves its unanimous #1 ranking.

Fingers crossed for Connecticut, though we're certainly approaching this season, as Coach Geno acknowledges, with a thin bench, with fewer top talents, and facing competitors who are far stronger than in past seasons.

 

[Vowelguy]

AND, using this as the Committee rankings for the bracket:

ALB: 2 UConn , 7 Stanf , .9 Mryld, 16 Mizzou
GRN: 4 Baylor, 5 Louisv, 10 SoCar, 14 Georgia
CHI: 1 ND .. , 8 Ore St, 11 Tenn , 15 DePaul
PRT: 3 Oregon, 6 MissSt, 11 Texas, 13 Iowa

 

[Vowelguy]

No runaway this year,.

ND returns 4 of 5 starters, and an injured player who was better than the departing senior, from a team that won the NC

They are a strong favorite.

 

[southofnorth]

I’ve been a fan of Oregon State since Scott Rueck took over and turned the program around. I’m excited to see what they can do with the raw talent they have on that team.

 

[Carnac]

Full poll (and who voted for who) at

2018-19 Preseason AP Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll

ND Unanimous #1.

Wow!!! UConn is up to #2 without a game being played yet. They were rated #4 in one poll this summer. I guess Christyn was right. Remember what she said at Geno's golf tournament this summer? “People are going to feel UConn.” It appears that someone already has.

 

[Carnac]

It's going to be a very competitive year. No runaway this year, though ND certainly deserves its unanimous #1 ranking.

Fingers crossed for Connecticut, though we're certainly approaching this season, as Coach Geno acknowledges, with a thin bench, with fewer top talents, and facing competitors who are far stronger than in past seasons.

Geno (and staff) can do more with less as well as anyone. Just like Muffet did last year.

 

[Reypl21]

Geno (and staff) can do more with less as well as anyone. Just like Muffet did last year.

When was the last time Geno had as less as anyone? In between the DT and Maya era.

 

[Orangutan]

Quality Geno-ism here:

EDIT: I'd like to note that that's a screenshot from ESPN's website so the typo is theirs...

 

[DanishBulldog]

Miss State at 6 is probably right, but I still think they are the biggest question mark in the Top 25. I think 3-pt shooting is essential to winning the big games, and that is MSU's biggest potential weakness.

 

[eebmg]

USF #22. Seems to me, they always are right at that level to start and end the season.

 

[bballnut90]

Geno (and staff) can do more with less as well as anyone. Just like Muffet did last year.

Geno has had more talent than anybody pretty much the last 25 years. Last time he didn't have a top recruit or HS POY on his roster was before Rebecca Lobo suited up. This year he has 3, plus Collier, plus 2 other top 5 kids in Dangerfield and ONO. If UCONN wins it all this year, it won't be an "accomplishing more with less" story. He develops talent as well as anyone, but that's not the same as doing more with less.

And honestly if we're looking at Muffet, she has never had a Final Four team that wasn't immensely talented besides maybe her 2011 squad which was led by Diggins. Last year they had no business winning the title with such a limited roster, but Shepard, Mabrey, Young and Ogunbowale were all stud recruits and impact players as freshmen. Plus their least heralded starter, Westbeld, was a McDonald's All American.

Better examples of doing more with less would be:
-Vic Schaefer getting to back to back title games without a single HS AA or top 20 recruit on either roster
-Scott Rueck getting Oregon State to a Final Four in 2016 and Elite 8 in 2018.
-Kim Mulkey winning her first title in 05 without a HS AA on her roster, beating two number one seeds along the way. Joanne McCallie getting to the title game that year also counts, as she had zero notable standouts or WNBA caliber talent (besides Kristin Haynie), and she beat a very good Tennessee squad and #1 Stanford to get there. Both coaches have struggled to find as much success with better rosters and higher expectations, but that run in 2005 was quite impressive by both.

 

[Carnac]

Geno has had more talent than anybody pretty much the last 25 years. Last time he didn't have a top recruit or HS POY on his roster was before Rebecca Lobo suited up. This year he has 3, plus Collier, plus 2 other top 5 kids in Dangerfield and ONO. If UCONN wins it all this year, it won't be an "accomplishing more with less" story. He develops talent as well as anyone, but that's not the same as doing more with less.

And honestly if we're looking at Muffet, she has never had a Final Four team that wasn't immensely talented besides maybe her 2011 squad which was led by Diggins. Last year they had no business winning the title with such a limited roster, but Shepard, Mabrey, Young and Ogunbowale were all stud recruits and impact players as freshmen. Plus their least heralded starter, Westbeld, was a McDonald's All American.

Better examples of doing more with less would be:
-Vic Schaefer getting to back to back title games without a single HS AA or top 20 recruit on either roster
-Scott Rueck getting Oregon State to a Final Four in 2016 and Elite 8 in 2018.
-Kim Mulkey winning her first title in 05 without a HS AA on her roster, beating two number one seeds along the way. Joanne McCallie getting to the title game that year also counts, as she had zero notable standouts or WNBA caliber talent (besides Kristin Haynie), and she beat a very good Tennessee squad and #1 Stanford to get there. Both coaches have struggled to find as much success with better rosters and higher expectations, but that run in 2005 was quite impressive by both.

Points taken. With respect to Geno, I was refering to THIS year's inexperienced team/bench. If you look at the team as a whole, there are 8 players that have little to no playing experience.

As to Muffet, I referenced last year's team accomplishments in spite of all the MAJOR injuries her team endured.

BTW, Don't forget that Geno's 2010-2011 team was reduced to 8 players due to injury and a mid-season transfer (Samarie Walker). He went with a 6 player rotation most of the year with Lorin Dixon as his 6th man coming off the bench. UConn made the final 4 that year. I'd say that's doing more with less.

 

[lebronfan23]

Why do people think Oregon is better than is better UConn?

 

[bballnut90]

Points taken. With respect to Geno, I was refering to THIS year's inexperienced team/bench. As to Muffet, last year's team and accomplishment, in spite of all the MAJOR injuries her team indured.

BTW, Don't forget that Geno's 2010-2011 team was reduced to 8 players due to injury and a mid-season transfer (Samarie Walker). He went with a 6 player rotation most of the year with Lorin Dixon coming off the bench. UConn made the final 4 that year. I'd say that's doing more with less.

The 2010-11 team was preseason #1 in the country almost unanimously (received 39/40 votes). Plus they had Maya Moore as a senior, and she is the most decorated collegiate player ever.

Depth is obviously helpful, but Geno almost never go deeper than about 7 players. This year you have 6 obvious standouts in KLS, Collier, Dangerfield, Walker, ONO and Williams. Other realistic options for playing time will be 1 of Camara, Gordon, and Coombs. I'm guessing one of them will step up and prove herself as a worthy rotation player, or at least capable for 5-10 minutes per night.

In terms of experience, UCONN returns 2 All Americans and an HM AA in Dangerfield. Those three each have two-three years of experience playing in Final Fours, and no one on the roster has ever lost a regular season game, or a game in regulation. Aside from Notre Dame and maybe Oregon, you have more proven talent and experience returning than anyone else in the country. I just don't think the narrative of UCONN being any sort of underdog or having lower expectations is at all accurate. UCONN is still a Goliath in the sport.

 

[bballnut90]

Miss State at 6 is probably right, but I still think they are the biggest question mark in the Top 25. I think 3-pt shooting is essential to winning the big games, and that is MSU's biggest potential weakness.

Y'all have McCowan plus Vic coaching...no way are they the BIGGEST question mark, but obviously the roster looks very different from a year ago. The staples for Mississippi State will be defense and rebounding. McCowan, Bibby, Danbury and Holmes are all excellent defenders. McCowan and Howard will likely be the best rebounding duo in the country, with Tierra grabbing everything around the basket, and Anriel getting all of the longer rebounds. The defense/rebounding alone will win Mississippi State a lot of basketball games. Against better teams, they'll need to find offense though, and this team doesn't appear to have good perimeter shooting or a bailout player. That, and how the team gels chemistry wise are the biggest concerns for Mississippi State. 6 is a good starting point for them, although I will not be surprised if they finish in the Final Four once again.

 

[Charliebball]

The 2010-11 team was preseason #1 in the country almost unanimously (received 39/40 votes). Plus they had Maya Moore as a senior, and she is the most decorated collegiate player ever.

Depth is obviously helpful, but Geno almost never go deeper than about 7 players. This year you have 6 obvious standouts in KLS, Collier, Dangerfield, Walker, ONO and Williams. I just don't think the narrative of UCONN being any sort of underdog or having lower expectations is at all accurate. UCONN is still a Goliath in the sport.

when you don't make the NCAA finals and you then lose three of the top players in women's college basketball, what makes you think UConn shouldn't be seen as a weakened team coming into this season? Even the arrival of two highly touted freshmen doesn't make up for those big losses...........frankly I'd be more comfortable with UConn as the number four or five team and apparently so would Geno........

 

[EricLA]

Why do people think Oregon is better than is better UConn?

Because Oregon lost one starter (Lexi Bando) and made it to the elite 8 falling to ND while UCONN lost 3 first round WNBA draft picks (2 starters as well as their first sub off the bench) and replace them with an unproven sophomore and 2 freshman.

Oregon adds RS sophomore Yeager - a guard from Australia, and RS sophomore Boley - top 10 transfer from ND. I'm not saying they should be higher ranked than UCONN but Ionescu is a legit NPOY candidate - probably a favorite along with Lou and Brown from Baylor.

 

[Grad1990]

UConn will regain the number one ranking unanimously on December 2nd after they beat Notre Dame at Notre Dame.

Let's not forget, ND's ranking is due in no small part to horrible officiating in the National Championship game when the refs stole the game from Mississippi State. Would ND have the number one ranking in preseason had the championship game been properly decided? I doubt it.

UConn has quicker, faster, and more fundamentally sound players than any team in WCBB. It's been that way for years. This one isn't any different.

UConn will start 5 players who will all go high in the first round of the WNBA draft in the years they graduate. No other team can make that claim.

Baylor is the bigger threat. Versatile bigs that can spread the floor. They are a bigger threat to UConn (on paper anyways) than is ND. Oregon has a great team this year, but absolutely no chance to beat UConn unless players are hurt.

As the last two years have revealed anything can happen in the playoffs. However, the path to the championship still runs through UConn. Every player and coach in WCBB knows this.

 

[the Q]

Same old story.

UConn will regain the number one ranking unanimously on December 2nd after they beat Notre Dame at Notre Dame.

Let's not forget, ND's ranking is due in no small part to horrible officiating in the National Championship game when the refs stole the game from Mississippi State. Would ND have the number one ranking in preseason had the championship game had been properly decided? I doubt it.

UConn has quicker, faster, and more fundamentally sound players than any team in WCBB. It's been that way for years. This one isn't any different.

UConn will start 5 players who will all go high in the first round of the WNBA draft in the years they graduate. No other team can make that claim.

Baylor is the bigger threat. Versatile bigs that can spread the floor. They are a bigger threat to UConn (on paper anyways) than is ND. Oregon has a great team this year, but absolutely no chance to beat UConn unless players are hurt.

As the last two years have revealed anything can happen in the playoffs. However, the path to the championship still runs through UConn. Every player and coach in WCBB knows this.

ND got a lot of help at the FF.

I’m excited to see Williams get her shot at them.

 

[Vowelguy]

. Would ND have the number one ranking in preseason had the championship game been properly decided?

Once ND beat UConn, they were gonna be preseason #1. Absolutely no question.

 

[WNBA 09]

Why do people think Oregon is better than is better UConn?

Think its more of how good is UCONN really ? If they arent as good as advertised then yes oregon looks prime to take their spot , but in reality Oregon has no shot against UCONN unless they learned how to defend over the summer. A bunch of Ionescu hype has them that high in the rankings . I dont see them as a serious threat honestly .