Boldest Take for the 24-25 season?

[yhun89]

Saw someone say Lauren Betts was gonna be POY the other day, so what are y’all’s weirdest predictions?

 

[GamecockFam]

Saw someone say Lauren Betts was gonna be POY the other day, so what are y’all’s weirdest predictions?

Hmmm...

A university new to the SEC (Texas or Oklahoma), Big 10 (Southern Cal. or UCLA), ACC (Stanford) and Big 12 (Arizona, Colorado, or Utah) will win the regular season conference championship?

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Saw someone say Lauren Betts was gonna be POY the other day, so what are y’all’s weirdest predictions?

I wouldn't call it weird. She's capable. I just think it's highly unlikely.

 

[jdote33]

South Carolina doesn't make the final 4 - I know this sounds like a shot but I like their team. But the SEC is super tough this year. And if u look at the landscape of wcbb (ND, UCLA, UConn,USC, Texas, NC State, SC) are pretty comparable talent wise, like their top 8. So of course only 4 will make the final 4 and I worry their seeding will be impacted by a tough conference schedule.

Oregon makes the sweet 16 - I think they'll benefit from not being in the juggernaut pac 12. But they cleaned up the portal and have tools to be a good defensive team.

TCU hosts - they are super talented. Big 12 loses some of their top teams.

 

[yhun89]

South Carolina doesn't make the final 4 - I know this sounds like a shot but I like their team. But the SEC is super tough this year. And if u look at the landscape of wcbb (ND, UCLA, UConn,USC, Texas, NC State, SC) are pretty comparable talent wise, like their top 8. So of course only 4 will make the final 4 and I worry their seeding will be impacted by a tough conference schedule.

Oregon makes the sweet 16 - I think they'll benefit from not being in the juggernaut pac 12. But they cleaned up the portal and have tools to be a good defensive team.

TCU hosts - they are super talented. Big 12 loses some of their top teams.

Could see that to be honest. SC had a lot of close calls with Duke, UNC, Tennessee, and OSU last season. No doubt that Texas could give them some trouble in the SEC.

Oregon making the S16 is definitely bold. I personally couldn’t see it happening because despite the talent, Graves just sucks at coaching. But stranger things have happened.

I expect TCU to run the Big 12 as well. Sedona returning, Hailey Van Lith and Scherr transferring there, that’s should make a pretty good team.

 

[Floridaduck]

I was going to write that Oregon will do fine in the BIG this season. But jdote33 (above) kind of beat me to it. Sweet 16 may be a stretch but tournament team is quite likely. Big problems last season were a/to ratio (.89, 136th in NCAA) was horrible and the shooting pct (242nd in NCAA) from floor and from 3 (235th) were about the bottom of the NCAA and the league. These are things that will be improved with new roster.

Graves is a fine coach with over 600 D-1 wins. I know some on this board think he is bad. I don't. His record speaks for itself.

 

[Bone Dog]

It's a make-or-break season for Stanford as far as recruiting over the next few years. They don't look like a Sweet 16 level team anymore. Either their style of play is a difference maker in the ACC or they end up in the weeds. All the pressure is on Agara and Demetre and a desperate hope that Umeh can develop quickly.

 

[jbc021592]

Here’s my hot takes for the 2024-2025 season:
1. My Preseason POY for this year is Ashlyn Watkins. She does EVERYTHING FOR SC. Pass, score, REBOUND. She is the best defender on SC. She can do it all for the Gamecocks. If she isn’t on a preseason All-American team, I’d be shocked. (*But I ultimately think Paige Bueckers will win again—if she’s healthy).
2. ND will be OUTSTANDING this year with Miles back. Hidalgo will move to the 2, and their offense will be unstoppable in my opinion. They basically have 3 AA’s on their team (Miles, HH, and Citron). Their rebounding will be HELLA BETTER than last year with the additions of Karlen and King (and even Miles—she’s a good rebounding guard). Their overall team chemistry is really good this season I do believe. ND SHOULD WIN the ACC pretty handily in my opinion.
3. It’s going to be either SC/Texas for the SEC. I cannot wait for that matchup! 2 FF contenders in my opinion.
4. USC/UCLA will win the Big 10. They both have the talent, rebounding, defense. However, I think Freshman Kennedy Smith for USC will be the x-factor for USC over UCLA. Betts, Rice, Barker, Jones, and Gardiner are a hell of a starting five for UCLA, but I think USC is a MONSTER with Watkins, Marshall, Smith, Iriafen and Howell/Heckel is better in my opinion.
5. Iowa State will take a BIG STEP UP. The one-two punch of Brown/Crooks with the three transfers they got—they’ll win the Big 12 over K-State.
6. The teams that I think will make a surprising jump this year: Oregon, Arizona, TCU, & Oklahoma. Only Oklahoma was on ESPN Way-to-Early Top 25 in May, but I think the first 3 will/could be in the Top 25 at the end of the season (and can go far in the tournament).
7. My Final Four Predictions:
-SC
-USC
-ND
-UConn

Cheers to a good 2024-2025 WCBB season with ZERO INJURIES ALL AROUND this year!

 

[jdote33]

It's a make-or-break season for Stanford as far as recruiting over the next few years. They don't look like a Sweet 16 level team anymore. Either their style of play is a difference maker in the ACC or they end up in the weeds. All the pressure is on Agara and Demetre and a desperate hope that Umeh can develop quickly.

Yeah Stanford is an interesting one. I like their portal pickups but I agree they don't look like a powerhouse.

Saw someone say Lauren Betts was gonna be POY the other day, so what are y’all’s weirdest predictions

I feel like I didn't read the fine print. Jk. Idk if any of my predictions were weird enough. But I got a couple. Sedona Prince will be an All American. North Carolina will be a top 16 team despite losing Deja. Alabama is a top 4 team in the SEC.

 

[Big12wbbFan]

Here’s my hot takes for the 2024-2025 season:
1. My Preseason POY for this year is Ashlyn Watkins. She does EVERYTHING FOR SC. Pass, score, REBOUND. She is the best defender on SC. She can do it all for the Gamecocks. If she isn’t on a preseason All-American team, I’d be shocked. (*But I ultimately think Paige Bueckers will win again—if she’s healthy).
2. ND will be OUTSTANDING this year with Miles back. Hidalgo will move to the 2, and their offense will be unstoppable in my opinion. They basically have 3 AA’s on their team (Miles, HH, and Citron). Their rebounding will be HELLA BETTER than last year with the additions of Karlen and King (and even Miles—she’s a good rebounding guard). Their overall team chemistry is really good this season I do believe. ND SHOULD WIN the ACC pretty handily in my opinion.
3. It’s going to be either SC/Texas for the SEC. I cannot wait for that matchup! 2 FF contenders in my opinion.
4. USC/UCLA will win the Big 10. They both have the talent, rebounding, defense. However, I think Freshman Kennedy Smith for USC will be the x-factor for USC over UCLA. Betts, Rice, Barker, Jones, and Gardiner are a hell of a starting five for UCLA, but I think USC is a MONSTER with Watkins, Marshall, Smith, and Howell is better in my opinion.
5. Iowa State will take a BIG STEP UP. The one-two punch of Brown/Crooks with the three transfers they got—they’ll win the Big 12 over K-State.
6. The teams that I think will make a surprising jump this year: Oregon, Arizona, TCU, & Oklahoma. Only Oklahoma was on ESPN Way-to-Early Top 25 in May, but I think the first 3 will/could be in the Top 25 at the end of the season (and can go far in the tournament).
7. My Final Four Predictions:
-SC
-USC
-ND
-UConn

Cheers to a good 2024-2025 WCBB season with ZERO INJURIES ALL AROUND this year!

The Big 12 will be very good this year, even with loss of Texas and OU. Iowa State and Baylor could easily be top 10 teams. Iowa State gave Stanford all they could handle in NCAA tournament and they return Crooks and Emily Ryan. Baylor came within minutes of beating USC in Sweet 16 and their entire back court is returning (including Sarah Andrews). Also they got Vonleh, a very good center from Colorado, from portal. This has been a position of huge need since Nalyssa Smith left .

TCU will be much improved and likely ranked. Colorado and Utah will also be bringing good teams to Big 12.

 

[Bone Dog]

Baylor came within minutes of beating USC in Sweet 16

Not to worry. Someone took care of them in the next round.

But seriously, I agree that Baylor should be formidable this season. Vonleh is a great addition, and returning Sarah Andrews is huge.

 

[visitingcock]

Not to worry. Someone took care of them in the next round.

But seriously, I agree that Baylor should be formidable this season. Vonleh is a great addition, and returning Sarah Andrews is huge.

Hmmm...

A university new to the SEC (Texas or Oklahoma), Big 10 (Southern Cal. or UCLA), ACC (Stanford) and Big 12 (Arizona, Colorado, or Utah) will win the regular season conference championship?

Not sure about yor conjunctions but I gotta give points based on topic selection. I believe that a new team will win one of those championship. Maybe two. Almost certainly not 3. And 4 is a near imposssibility.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Big question: of the top five or six contenders who had the biggest loss of experienced talent at key positions to graduation (relative to their roster depth?)

 

[stwainfan]

One team outside of the preseason top five will make the FF.

 

[GoChips20]

2025 has the potential to be one of the wildest tournaments of all time with the number of teams that are just absolutely loaded. South Carolina, UConn, ND, Texas, UCLA, and USC all look championship-caliber and then there’s a ton of other elite rosters in Ohio State, LSU, Iowa State, etc.

My hot take is that Notre Dame is the #1 overall seed and Miles or Hidalgo wins NPOY. Wouldn’t bet on it but absolutely could happen.

 

[GamecockFam]

One team outside of the preseason top five will make the FF.

Is that team named Tennessee?

 

[stwainfan]

Is that team named Tennessee?

I didn't say what team would make the FF. Just because a team is ranked in top four preseason doesn't guarantee a FF.

 

[GamecockFam]

Not sure about yor conjunctions but I gotta give points based on topic selection. I believe that a new team will win one of those championship. Maybe two. Almost certainly not 3. And 4 is a near imposssibility.

Yeah, I don't really believe that prediction but it felt fun to say.

The chance that UCLA/Southern Cal wins the Big10 is almost certain, and it isn't out of the question that Texas could beat South Carolina during the regular season, so that seems plausible too. It would be surprising if Utah or Colorado beats out Baylor or Iowa State and wins the Big 12. There is a chance but the odds are stacked against them. It'll be virtually impossible for Stanford to win the ACC with the juggernaut that Notre Dame will be this season.

 

[Kaizen]

Paige will be the POY and UConn will win NC of 2024-2025 with the addition of Sarah.

 

[GamecockFam]

I didn't say what team would make the FF. Just because a team is ranked in top four preseason doesn't guarantee a FF.

Well this thread is about bold takes. I wouldn't consider this to be a bold take unless you name the team.

It's a pretty common occurrence for a team ranked outside of the preseason top 5 to make the final four. NC State did it this past season.

 

[jbc021592]

2025 has the potential to be one of the wildest tournaments of all time with the number of teams that are just absolutely loaded. South Carolina, UConn, ND, Texas, UCLA, and USC all look championship-caliber and then there’s a ton of other elite rosters in Ohio State, LSU, Iowa State, etc.

My hot take is that Notre Dame is the #1 overall seed and Miles or Hidalgo wins NPOY. Wouldn’t bet on it but absolutely could happen.

My uncle (who has coached girls high school basketball) for almost 30 years said the exact same thing. He thinks one of them will win NPOY. However, he said if Bueckers is HEALTHY, she can win. This will be the most “question marks” for NPOY in a long while he thought too.

I totally forgot about Ohio State. I think they’ll be GOOD with Cambridge as the PG, and 1st team AA McMahon (should be anyway…).

This year for WCBB will be the best year yet in my opinion.

 

[GamecockFam]

Paige will be the POY of 2024 with the UConn addition of Sarah.

Are you expecting that she will not be the frontrunner? Paige will probably be the frontrunner for all of the POY awards now that Clark has graduated.

 

[GoChips20]

Are you expecting that she will not be the frontrunner? Paige will probably be the frontrunner for all of the POY awards now that Clark has graduated.

I think it’ll be Watkins. She won the positional shooting guard award over Paige this year even though I think Paige is a markedly better player at this point. UConn also figures to be more balanced at guard this year than USC so Watkins may play a more predominant role.

 

[GamecockFam]

I think it’ll be Watkins. She won the positional shooting guard award over Paige this year even though I think Paige is a markedly better player at this point. UConn also figures to be more balanced at guard this year than USC so Watkins may play a more predominant role.

I figured that Paige started her campaign for NPOY with the performance she gave in the NCAA tournament, so I feel like it is far from a bold take to suggest that she will win the NPOY awards. She won them her freshman year and the media likes to push a feel-good story, so I think everything is coming to a head in a very destiny-like way for her during her final season. The media will probably be pushing a Bueckers vs. Watkins narrative for the awards.

 

[cancontent]

I think it’ll be Watkins. She won the positional shooting guard award over Paige this year even though I think Paige is a markedly better player at this point. UConn also figures to be more balanced at guard this year than USC so Watkins may play a more predominant role.

So now we have one poster picking Ashlyn Watkins and another predicting Juju. This thread will be fun