AP top 25 to be unveiled this morning at 9 am | Page 2 | The Boneyard

AP top 25 to be unveiled this morning at 9 am



Baylor has the #1 recruiting class of freshmen along with the most dominant post duo in the country. Senior Guard Chloe Jackson on the perimeter . They deserve their ranking .
 
Charliebball said:
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...
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With all due respect, Kia Nurse nor Stevens were not top players in women's college basketball a year ago.

Why UCONN isnt a weakened team:
UCONN hasn't lost a regular season game in 4 years.
UCONN returns 2 two time All Americans and one of the nation's better PGs. No one else returns more than 1 AA from last year.
UCONN has 3 of the 4 number one recruits in the country on its roster.
UCONN has a coach who has won 11 championships and made 11 consecutive Final Fours.
Every other top team has their own question marks:

Oregon-how will Boley be incorporated? More significant, they were a solid step behind the likes of Notre Dame and Mississippi State a year ago and have never made a Final Four. Long way to go before they've shown they should be ranked ahead of UCONN IMO.

Mississippi State-lose 4 starters and incorporate several transfers

Notre Dame-they have to add in Turner, will her addition help or hurt chemistry on the court? Could go either way like it did with UCONN adding Stevens a year ago.

Louisville-lose Hines-Allen and Walz has had inconsistent results as a coach.

Baylor-lose both PGs who were very good, also have potentially too much talent which can create morale issues. No one on the roster has played in a Final Four.


Sure, UCONN lost in an epic buzzer beater last year, but there is zero indication that they're slowing down or won't be a strong title contender this year.
 
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DallasBUFan said:
I like the rankings think the top 5 a pretty well placed. I really think 2-5 all have question marks.

Is UConn as good as usual?
Is Oregon better than UConn?
Is Baylor going to be able to have PG by committee? If we hadn't lost Morris I think top 3 for them, but we have to figure out PG position.
Is Lousieville going to be as dominant as they were without Hines-Allen?

Miss State looks like BU in terms of good presence inside and will 9/10 win the rebounding battle. However, they have even more questions to be answered on positions 1-3? Baylor has good options for SG and Wing just need to figure out the PG position.
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Baylor looks very good this upcoming year. Questions IMO are defense and ability to manage that much talent without players getting disgruntled. Baylor is stacked, but can they play good enough defense to beat teams that have great passing and unselfish play. The offense should be there, as should the motivation after three straight disappointing exits in the tournament.

Mississippi State isnt as strong on offense but should be one of the best defensive squads once again. McCowan, Bibby, Danbury and Holmes are all stellar defenders. They'll be able to outrebound everyone too, besides maybe Baylor.
 
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Orangutan said:
Questionable.



False. (ND - Ogunbowale & Turner)
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Turner was an AA but she's far from a sure bet like Collier and KLS. No one knows how effective she'll be this year or if she'll return to AA form coming off a redshirt ACL year.
 
bballnut90 said:
Turner was an AA but she's far from a sure bet like Collier and KLS. No one knows how effective she'll be this year or if she'll return to AA form coming off a redshirt ACL year.
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She just scored 18 pts & 8 rebs 2 blks in an exhibition . I think shes a safe sure bet , just as much as anyone in the country.
 
Arike had 14 pts 11 assists and 7 rebs. Very solid numbers for a ball-hog apparently . Nice to see her display an overall game .
 
bballnut90 said:
UCONN has 3 of the 4 number one recruits in the country on its roster.
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HS ranking is irrelevant to me after a frosh year.
If you're good then you will, or won't, show it in college play.
 
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bballnut90 said:
With all due respect, Kia Nurse nor Stevens were not top players in women's college basketball a year ago.

Why UCONN isnt a weakened team:
UCONN hasn't lost a regular season game in 4 years.
UCONN returns 2 two time All Americans and one of the nation's better PGs. No one else returns more than 1 AA.
UCONN has 3 of the 4 number one recruits in the country on its roster.
UCONN has a coach who has won 11 championships and made 11 consecutive Final Fours.

Sure, UCONN lost in an epic buzzer beater last year, but there is zero indication that they're slowing down or won't be a strong title contender this year.
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with all due respect Kia Nurse was one of the best two way guards in the nation last year..............can you name more the a couple of other guards that shot the three pointer that well, played lock down defense and hustled more then KN? In my opinion, Stevens was not particularly well used last year yet her points and rebounds per minute were statistically very strong and she would have been a star on most any other team in the country..............if you don't think that the loss of those two and especially GW weakens the team then you really are a......................... bballnut..............;);)
 
vowelguy said:
HS ranking is irrelevant to me after a frosh year.
If you're good then you will, or won't, show it in college play.
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Tell that to Lauren Cox who looked slow and mediocre as a frosh before becoming one of the better post players in the country as a sophomore. Or DT who didnt win FOY in her own conference and choked in the Final Four before winning 3 straight titles. Or Dangerfield or Collier or KLS...all highly ranked players who really blossomed after their freshman year.
 
Charliebball said:
with all due respect Kia Nurse was one of the best two way guards in the nation last year....can you name more the a couple of other guards that shot the three pointer that well, played lock down defense and hustled more then KN? In my opinion, Stevens was not particularly well used last year yet her points and rebounds per minute were statistically very strong and she would have been a star on most any other team in the country....if you don't think that the loss of those two and especially GW weakens the team then you really are a..... bballnut....;);)
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The players aren't going to be easy to replace, but UCONN has the pieces to do so. I don't see Walker or Williams being as strong defensively as Nurse or Gabby, but they bring their own skills to the table that will suit the team well. I'm guessing Williams will be much better off the dribble and getting her own shot, skills we never Kia show at UCONN. Walker will be a better shooter than Gabby was, although there will be dropoff. Look for other players like the returning Big 3 to step up their game as well. Every year important players are lost and others step up in their absence. I don't see this team being as good as the 2017-18 team, but I think most top teams will have a dropoff after the 2018 class graduated. And while I dont think UCONN runs the table like they nearly did last year, but I think this team is still a strong title contender and should be preseason #2.
 
WNBA 09 said:
She just scored 18 pts & 8 rebs 2 blks in an exhibition . I think shes a safe sure bet , just as much as anyone in the country.
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Exhibition games really dont mean a ton but that's a great sign for her. Hope she has a great senior year and is back to form.
 
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LOTRADER said:
I'm not sure Baylor should be a top 5 team, particularly without Morris & Kristy Wallace. Is Oregon better than UCONN? History says NO, but if UO remains healthy, UO will be better than last year. Sabrina gets all the press, but her backcourt mate, Maite Cazorla is a starting guard on any other DIvision 1 team (yes, even UCONN). Add to that, PAC-12 Freshman of the Year Satou Sabally, Boley, and Ruthy Hebard, that is an amazing starting 5. Depth will be UO's largest issue. I was pleased to see Rebecca Lobo and LaChina give Oregon State a #6 & #4 ranking, respectively. They have a much better view of the Division 1 WBB landscape than other voters, and have broadcast PAC-12 games. There are 3 PAC-12 Teams ranked in the TOP 10. That might be a 1st.
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Thanks to our rival to the not-very-distant north for these kind words. I'll add some of my own in defense of Oregon.

First, I think at this point Oregon has to beat UCONN on the floor to be considered "better." But I also think that's not out of the realm of possibility if, as LOTRADER says, they remain healthy. They were hardly blown out by Notre Dame in the Elite 8 game last year, and this year's starting five should be better for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it's easy to forget that the team leaders last spring (Ionescu and Hebard) were sophomores, with a freshman a third starter. If Satou Sabally makes the proverbial sophomore leap so many on this board talk about, then watch out, because she has a world of talent. Second, Boley will (I think) easily replace the shooting lost with the departure of last year's only starting senior; more important, at 6'2" (and strong) her work on the boards will make much less likely the rebounding deficit that imo was the critical factor in Notre Dame's comeback against Oregon in Spokane. And "hype" is hardly the right word for Ionescu. Does she have flaws and things to learn? Of course. But she does more for her team than anyone I can remember who isn't named Taurasi.

I'd admittedly feel a lot better about all of the above if S. Sabally's sister, Nyara, hadn't been injured in the FIBA U18 European Championship last summer, where she was the tournament MVP and basically averaged a double/double. She's a legit 4, who, at 6'4", moves better than most, if not all, of the 6'4'-6'6" wannabe 3's that seem to live in an alternative basketball landscape these days. Many think that she's already better than her sister, but, in any case, she can certainly give the top recruits at her position over the past year or two a run for their money.
 
jonson said:
Thanks to our rival to the not-very-distant north for these kind words. I'll add some of my own in defense of Oregon.

First, I think at this point Oregon has to beat UCONN on the floor to be considered "better." But I also think that's not out of the realm of possibility if, as LOTRADER says, they remain healthy. They were hardly blown out by Notre Dame in the Elite 8 game last year, and this year's starting five should be better for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it's easy to forget that the team leaders last spring (Ionescu and Hebard) were sophomores, with a freshman a third starter. If Satou Sabally makes the proverbial sophomore leap so many on this board talk about, then watch out, because she has a world of talent. Second, Boley will (I think) easily replace the shooting lost with the departure of last year's only starting senior; more important, at 6'2" (and strong) her work on the boards will make much less likely the rebounding deficit that imo was the critical factor in Notre Dame's comeback against Oregon in Spokane. And "hype" is hardly the right word for Ionescu. Does she have flaws and things to learn? Of course. But she does more for her team than anyone I can remember who isn't named Taurasi.

I'd admittedly feel a lot better about all of the above if S. Sabally's sister, Nyara, hadn't been injured in the FIBA U18 European Championship last summer, where she was the tournament MVP and basically averaged a double/double. She's a legit 4, who, at 6'4", moves better than most, if not all, of the 6'4'-6'6" wannabe 3's that seem to live in an alternative basketball landscape these days. Many think that she's already better than her sister, but, in any case, she can certainly give the top recruits at her position over the past year or two a run for their money.
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I agree that Oregon will be title contenders although don't really know how good Boley really can be...............I remember her at Notre Dame but wasn't all that impressed at the time.............still she was only a freshman so there's certainly plenty of time to show her stuff............
 
AEH is an excellent outside shooter. Hopefully, whatever happened at UConn is a lesson learned because I think her new coach is no different in his expectations than Geno- which I assume they discussed before he accepted her. But, she was definitely worth a chance for him considering the lack of outside shooting.
 
Auriemma is used to trying to come up with struggles for his team to overcome since they’re usually dominant, but he understands that this year is different.

“What’s the line I’ve been using lately? It’s unlucky to be lucky for too long. It’s an old Italian saying that at some point, you’re going to be like everybody else. For the longest time, we’ve not been like anybody else, and now we find ourselves in the position where we’re not just like anybody else, don’t get me wrong, but we’re not what we used to be and that’s going to take some adjustment.”
 
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Personally, I dont think UConn is a top 5 team, at least in the 1st half of the season. Little depth. Lost too much, & the 2 returning seniors will have to play different roles as a result. Who knows how much KLS will be impacted from surgery. I'm not a Dangerfield fan at all. Lets see how the 2 freshman contribute, but the track record for freshman is not good. MW will have to take a big leap. She looked totally lost as a freshman. I see an Elite Eight exit for this team, with about 5 to 10 losses. We need a DT type performance (her senior year) to carry the team to a championship. I just dont think this current team has that kind of player. Maybe KLS if she's healthy, but I wouldnt bet on it.
 
bballnut90 said:
Exhibition games really dont mean a ton but that's a great sign for her. Hope she has a great senior year and is back to form.
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Doesn't mean a ton for team's not named ________ ?
 
BostonFan said:
Personally, I dont think UConn is a top 5 team, at least in the 1st half of the season. Little depth. Lost too much, & the 2 returning seniors will have to play different roles as a result. Who knows how much KLS will be impacted from surgery. I'm not a Dangerfield fan at all. Lets see how the 2 freshman contribute, but the track record for freshman is not good. MW will have to take a big leap. She looked totally lost as a freshman. I see an Elite Eight exit for this team, with about 5 to 10 losses. We need a DT type performance (her senior year) to carry the team to a championship. I just dont think this current team has that kind of player. Maybe KLS if she's healthy, but I wouldnt bet on it.
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Let’s look at this another way. KLS was an AA playing all year with an injury that required surgery. Danger is one of the best point guards in the country. Walker will make a sophomore leap. And Williams is likely to do way better as a 1st year than Walker was. So which 10 teams do you think might beat UConn? I’ll give you ND and Baylor. Maybe an upset in the AAC. Which other 7 would you pick?
 
vowelguy said:
Or, who should be ahead of them?
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I would place Stanford, Oregon State, and Mississippi State ahead of Baylor. In part, because OSU has recently taken Baylor down twice now in the NCAA Tournament. If you look at the teams I placed ahead of Baylor, there is a common theme: fantastic coaches who preach defense first, and in particular, team defense. Baylor also plays in a soft conference that is not known for excellent defensive teams. Defense matters when you get to the NCAA Tournament. Baylor has a much better OOC schedule this year, so perhaps that will prepare them better for the NCAA Tournament this year. I will say, I did forgot about Chloe Jackson, who, is a fine player at the guard position. I don't put much credence in freshman recruiting classes, so that means very little to me.
 
WNBA 09 said:
Doesn't mean a ton for team's not named ________ ?
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If someone has a big game in an exhibition it isnt a strong indication that they'll be a standout as the year progresses. Last year Mikayla Vaughn scored 30 in her first exhibition game for Notre Dame and then was a role player before her ACL. Turner scoring 18 in an exhibition is a great, but it's a lot different than putting up those numbers against a top 10 team.
 
bballnut90 said:
If someone has a big game in an exhibition it isnt a strong indication that they'll be a standout as the year progresses. Last year Mikayla Vaughn scored 30 in her first exhibition game for Notre Dame and then was a role player before her ACL. Turner scoring 18 in an exhibition is a great, but it's a lot different than putting up those numbers against a top 10 team.
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Role player ? She was the 6th man on that team lol . So if C. Williams scores 30 against Van guard that wont be a big deal ? ;)
 
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