AP Top 25 Women's Preseason Poll

[PAHuskeyFan]

You've got to be kidding me. So UConn has Paige and Azzi two game changers, Oliva, Dorka Paige and Amari all 6'5, 3 HS number 1's, 1 HS number 2 and a world of talent and UConn is not number 1?????? You know I should have my own WCBB sports page. Let me say this. This years UConn WCBB team is DANGEROUS. The only way UConn could loose a game this season is if they loose it themselves and beat themselves because I don't believe they can be beaten. Above all UConn has the two best players in the country in Paige and Azzi and a contingency of players who are all top players with along with alot of height, and a returning starting lineup with experience. I dont think UConn will loose a game this season, they very well could but they are too-oo good and above anything any other team can compete with. Chemistry continuity attitude and above all confidence will make this team NC. Understand when you have one player who can take over a game and make everybody else on the floor better you've got a really good chance of winning. UConn has two players who can do that. No other team in WCBB has that and IMO thats the difference.

@Tonyc I'm surprised at your reaction. Yes, we UCONN Fans believe this team will be incredible... but as far as this PRE-SEASON Poll is concerned:
a. It means Nothing!
b. Let SoCarolina have the Target on their backs.... at least for the beginning of the season anyway.
c. The only Ranking that matters is something that IS NOT voted on...and it's determined by the Final Score in the National Championship game.

GO HUSKIES!!

 

[enigmatic]

Number One WILL be decided regardless of whether either makes it

There’s a week by week #1 and then you have the end of season #1. YES I know that!

 

[EdSaid]

Iowa # 9? Have they become a blue blood?

 

[LoTrader]

In all seriousness, I think the poll basically reflects what everyone is thinking -- that's its basically South Carolina or UConn's to lose with an outside shot of Stanford winning it all. It's crazy that we could potentially play each other 3 times this season!

In all seriousness, I think the poll basically reflects what everyone is thinking -- that's its basically South Carolina or UConn's to lose with an outside shot of Stanford winning it all. It's crazy that we could potentially play each other 3 times this season!

Stanford outside shot? Stanford is loaded again, just like South Carolina and UCONN.

 

[Vowelguy]

This is AP's March 15, 2021 ranking. South Carolina is # 6, and again nothing changes for UConn and Stanford. Except UConn adds #1 and #5 freshmen, South Carolina adds #2. 3 and 4 freshmen.

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NCAA Women’s College Basketball AP Top 25 Poll | USA Today Sports

See where your favorite team is ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll for NCAA Women’s College Basketball. New rankings every week from the Associated Press.

www.usatoday.com

If Boston can hit a putback, SC is probably NC.
They played UConn even on the road.
And they add about as much as UConn adds.
Easy for it be debateable.

 

[LoTrader]

Oregon State is #14?
They were 12-8 last year and lost Goodman to graduation and Freshman Goforth(Pac12 1st team freshman) to Arkansas.
Too high, IMO

and of course..........why are there no votes for Cal Baptist?? Polls are stupid to not include them. Heck, Belmont got 5 votes. I understand "Belmont" has a lot of "horsepower" on their team.

OSU losing Aleah Goodman is relevant. Losing GoForth too, but not as impactful. Good news for OSU is that 6'6" MD AA Kennedy Brown returns, and 6'9" Mitrovic will have a significant positive impact for OSU this year. OSU brings in a freshman MD All-American, Greta Kampschroeder, to play along in the backcourt with Talia van Oeloffen (certain MD AA had she played her HS senior year). I'm a homer, but I feel better about this season than I did last season.

 

[nuna23]

I disagree. I think Lou could be DANGEROUS. Hailey Van Lith is a star in the making, Cochran is a year older on the inside, Verhulst will be good and I know I'm a Syracuse resident, but Emily Engstler has ACC POY potential under Walz. She is so so so good.

haily van lith is not even top 10 sophomore in the country Emily dirty player cheeck her vs uconn vershult she's good but not top 10 freshamn .... Louisville should ranked like 11 or something

 

[The CDR-Ret]

I love ya' Tony - your enthusiasm and exuberance for UCONN WCBB is unmatched.

However, there is no way Paige and Azzi are the 2 best players in the country. Azzi, at this time, is not even in the top 10. Azzi is not even the 2nd best player on her own team - the Christyn Williams from the post season is easily the #2 player on UCONN to start the season.

In fact, were you to ask Geno, I'm betting that as of now, he'd also list Olivia, Evina and Liya as "better than Azzi" as for as UCONN is concerned at this time.

And my comments are no slight to Azzi - I expect by her senior year, she will have racked up numerous individual achievements as well as hopefully numerous NC's. I watched all the FIBA U19 games - all 7 of them for Team USA. She was not one of the top 4 players on the team. That honor IMHO went to Clark, Citron, Johnson and Betts. Azzi was in the next group with Paopao and Verhulst.

Off the top of my head players who should be voted ahead of Azzi currently in WCBB are:

• Christyn Williams
• Elisa Cunane
• Nylissa Smith
• Ashley Owusu
• Aaliyah Boston
• Caitlin Clark
• Rhyne Howard
• Haley Jones
• Ashley Joens
• Diamond Johnson
• Jakia Brown-Turner
• Katie Benzen
• Cameron Brink
• Zia Cooke

I'm sure there are others. Some players who enter college not only do it with a TON of hype (like Paige), but also dominated at every level - high school, AAU, and Team USA (like Stewie did and Lauren Betts when she arrives in college next year). Azzi used to be the top player, maybe by a wide margin, but injuries derailed that, and her solid but unspectacular play for Team USA did little to elevate her from the hype-machine perspective.

Lots of talent on your list, but only two of those mentioned have the privilege of playing with last year's NPOY: Paige Bueckers - and those are Christyn Williams AND Azzi Fudd. Everyone else can sit down and.... (other stronger words for "be quiet")

 

[ConwayGmck]

This is NCAA April 4, 2021 final ranking. South Carolina lost 5 games in last year. I want to ask based on what Sough Carolina can be ahead of Stanford and UConn as a #1 this year?

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DI Women's Basketball Rankings - NCAA Women's Basketball NET Rankings | NCAA.com

Get NCAA women's college basketball rankings from the Associated Press, USA Today/WBCA and NCAA committee.

www.ncaa.com

It could be because SC played by far a more competitive schedule last season: CT played a total of ten (10) opponents in the top 50 NET ratings last season - 3 against top 10, 3 against top 25, and 4 against top 50. SC by contrast played a total of TWENTY-TWO (22) opponents in the top 50 NET - 2 against top 10, 10 against top 25, and 10 against top 50.

As far as Stanford, Stanford beat SC last season in the NCAAT, but by 1 pts when SC had a chance to win at the buzzer. The pollsters may feel both teams were as evenly matched last season as two teams could be, and that SC improved themselves more over Stanford in the off-season by returning everyone (Stanford did not), and by bringing in a better class of freshmen depth.

SC lost to the top 2 NET rated teams last season, plus to the #11, #13, and #16 NET opponents. SC played the #1 rated strength of schedule (SOS) last season, compared to CT playing the #31 rated SOS.

Someone else in this thread poo-poo'd the reason why Cal Baptist wasn't in the preseason top 25, even though they went 24-1 on their season. That reason sort of works here.....

 

[JordyG]

This is AP's March 15, 2021 ranking. South Carolina is # 6, and again nothing changes for UConn and Stanford. Except UConn adds #1 and #5 freshmen, South Carolina adds #2. 3 and 4 freshmen.

View attachment 70410

NCAA Women’s College Basketball AP Top 25 Poll | USA Today Sports

See where your favorite team is ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll for NCAA Women’s College Basketball. New rankings every week from the Associated Press.

www.usatoday.com

SCar also added a player I desperately wanted in Storrs, Ms. Kamilla Cardoso. IMO she is now and will throughout her WCBB career, be better than any post UConn will get in the next 5 years. Unless of course Lauren Betts transfers.

 

[JordyG]

OSU losing Aleah Goodman is relevant. Losing GoForth too, but not as impactful. Good news for OSU is that 6'6" MD AA Kennedy Brown returns, and 6'9" Mitrovic will have a significant positive impact for OSU this year. OSU brings in a freshman MD All-American, Greta Kampschroeder, to play along in the backcourt with Talia van Oeloffen (certain MD AA had she played her HS senior year). I'm a homer, but I feel better about this season than I did last season.

I mostly agree with you. But OSU's high post offense depends on the threat of the shooter(s) being consistent from the arc, with the pull up, and/or making the good pass off the dribble. If OSU has that then they'll be a handfull. Otherwise teams will just sag off.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

It could be because SC played by far a more competitive schedule last season: CT played a total of ten (10) opponents in the top 50 NET ratings last season - 3 against top 10, 3 against top 25, and 4 against top 50. SC by contrast played a total of TWENTY-TWO (22) opponents in the top 50 NET - 2 against top 10, 10 against top 25, and 10 against top 50.

As far as Stanford, Stanford beat SC last season in the NCAAT, but by 1 pts when SC had a chance to win at the buzzer. The pollsters may feel both teams were as evenly matched last season as two teams could be, and that SC improved themselves more over Stanford in the off-season by returning everyone (Stanford did not), and by bringing in a better class of freshmen depth.

SC lost to the top 2 NET rated teams last season, plus to the #11, #13, and #16 NET opponents. SC played the #1 rated strength of schedule (SOS) last season, compared to CT playing the #31 rated SOS.

Someone else in this thread poo-poo'd the reason why Cal Baptist wasn't in the preseason top 25, even though they went 24-1 on their season. That reason sort of works here.....

I like your thinking, but I also like "inflection points" of Monday, 11/22/2021 in the Bahamas (Neutral); and Thursday, 1/27/2022 @ 7 p.m. in Columbia, SC (away); and especially the final destination on April 3, 2022 (neutral). Everything else is "what if" conversations. With the finals being in Minneapolis, it could be used as Paige's senior home-town visit two years early!!!

I believe the actual matchups will be better than the hype, and I am looking forward to this season more than the last five seasons put together. Greatest blessings to the entire boneyard: Huskies and all others who have found their way here on their journeys.

May the threads here always be an oasis to you all!!!

 

[Cuango]

A new banner????

“Good one, Pengy!”

 

[ConwayGmck]

“Good one, Pengy!”

and so original......

 

[Cuango]

Two possible reasons:
1) SC has the #1 incoming recruiting class per ESPN
2) Impact transfers namely Kamilla Cardoso

I think Kaizen has a good point! In the poll he showed, SC was 4 places behind UConn. Both lost in the FF, both brought in outstanding classes UConn-Hoopgurlz #1#5#15#30 (Azzi Fudd has been touted as a truly “generational” player) / SC Hoopgurlz #2#3#4#, pretty much a wash, perhaps a very slight edge to SC, both brought in a highly touted post player, another wash with possibly a very slight edge (this year) imo to UConn. Given these facts, how did SC leapfrog 5 places over UConn? I’m just not seeing a fair and objective reason for this. I do agree that it really makes no difference as to who is going to b #1 in March but that is no reason to ignore such a puzzling leap absent some objective and demonstrable reason why SC would go up 5 places and UConn drops 1place. Not feeling it, I’m afraid.

 

[Cuango]

and so original......

The classics never go out of style!

 

[CocoHusky]

I think Kaizen has a good point! In the poll he showed, SC was 4 places behind UConn. Both lost in the FF, both brought in outstanding classes UConn-Hoopgurlz #1#5#15#30 (Azzi Fudd has been touted as a truly “generational” player) / SC Hoopgurlz #2#3#4#, pretty much a wash, perhaps a very slight edge to SC, both brought in a highly touted post player, another wash with possibly a very slight edge (this year) imo to UConn. Given these facts, how did SC leapfrog 5 places over UConn? I’m just not seeing a fair and objective reason for this. I do agree that it really makes no difference as to who is going to b #1 in March but that is no reason to ignore such a puzzling leap absent some objective and demonstrable reason why SC would go up 5 places and UConn drops 1place. Not feeling it, I’m afraid.

I think you have some good points and @Kaizen did as well. I honestly believe the the AP just saw things slightly different. For example what you characterize as a wash they probably saw as advantage for SC. Without a head to head matchup at a neutral site I don't think you will ever find an "objective". reasons in any of these polls. These polls serve a purpose of generating some much needed preseason publicity to the Women's game.

 

[CTisballers]

How aren’t UConn #1 when they beat SC has everyone from last year coming back and the class we have??

 

[JonathanXIV]

If Boston can hit a putback, SC is probably NC.
They played UConn even on the road.
And they add about as much as UConn adds.
Easy for it be debateable.

I’m pretty sure the UConn-South Carolina game didn’t end in a tie.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

Does any poll ranking mean much beyond getting people talking?

Then, those of us who may take it seriously in light of the rankings supposedly representing a collection of experts opinions would seem to invest much emotional weight on it. Nevertheless, we all seem to think it is fun knowing this and those who play the game as pure fun enjoy it the most......hopefully, none of us will take it too seriously

We are, as we are, unable to wait for the tournaments to decide everything......easy prey of ESPN, etc. for clicks.....part of our fate in UConn WBB fandom, eh?

Let the games begin then......UConn all the way for the first in another run of multiple championships, regardless of what the rankings say...

 

[MilfordHusky]

Notre Dame in the receiving votes category and no sign of Duke.

N.D at #35 and DePaul #36.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Andraya Carter has Louisville at #3 and Stanford at #6. I don't understand either of those at all.

 

[Kaizen]

Andraya Carter has Louisville at #3 and Stanford at #6. I don't understand either of those at all.

Does she have Tenn as #1?

 

[Cuango]

I think you have some good points and @Kaizen did as well. I honestly believe the the AP just saw things slightly different. For example what you characterize as a wash they probably saw as advantage for SC. Without a head to head matchup at a neutral site I don't think you will ever find an "objective". reasons in any of these polls. These polls serve a purpose of generating some much needed preseason publicity to the Women's game.

I would simply say that even if you decided that SC did have an advantage, it is a very small one. Surely not one big enough to warrant jumping 5 places and dropping UConn one. I could understand it if they chose Stanford as (though I disagree) there is at least something concrete that Stanford did better than UConn/SC. Anyway, as they say in “13 Warriors”, “It is a small thing” and will not impact who wins the championship.

 

[BostonBay]

UConn disrespected at #2. Geno will use this as motivation for his troops.