Can South Carolina be the next UCONN in Women's college basketball? Dawn Staley weighs in

[SECbbfan24]

a Stanford degree carries enormous weight with such recruits.

No kidding. Sure there are a lot of great programs but when you add in the reputation/academic side Stanford offers, thats extremely appealing to recruits. Definitely gives them a leg in recruiting when they can combine the academic side of what they offer on top of being a top 5 program. I don't think overall Stanfords admission criteria is a big issue for Tara, most (generally speaking) don't have issues working hard or making the grades.

Now football recruiting on the other hand, is a much different ball game in terms of recruiting and finding top athletes to meet admission requirements. Harsh reality is many (not all) only really care about playing football and getting to the NFL with minimal effort or desire to do much in school.

 

[Alydar]

Based on what?? Last I check SC was the more dominant team that season and was #1 for longer that season.

I don't much care either way but my pick was Oregon to win the title based on the 3 senior AA's. SCar was less experienced and that is a bad way to go into the FF.

 

[Alydar]

What I find interesting is, why nobody talks about Stanford being the "Next" UConn? They were the defending champs being led by the winningest Coach in WBB history, Tara Vanderveer. Stanford recruits well and develops their players. Why they are not in the conversation?

Stanford doesn't play in prime time and plays on a closed network. SCar plays on an ESPN channel. That's the cynical me.

 

[sivad40]

What I find interesting is, why nobody talks about Stanford being the "Next" UConn? They were the defending champs being led by the winningest Coach in WBB history, Tara Vanderveer. Stanford recruits well and develops their players. Why they are not in the conversation?

Tara went a generation in getting her 3rd title despite going to numerous Final Fours in that span of time. She could reel 4 or 5 titles in a row but I understand why they aren't in the conversation.

 

[Mdoggie]

What I find interesting is, why nobody talks about Stanford being the "Next" UConn? They were the defending champs being led by the winningest Coach in WBB history, Tara Vanderveer. Stanford recruits well and develops their players. Why they are not in the conversation?

Because the conversation is a “nothing burger”. Title should’ve been, “will there ever be another dynasty in WCBB. Then the debate on possibilities could start.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

there is no 'conversation.'
con·ver·sa·tion
[ˌkänvərˈsāSH(ə)n]
NOUN

a talk, especially an informal one, between two or more people, in which news and ideas are exchanged:


just because some nut hears voices in their head, and it is the offseason that looks for something, anything, to publish to try and earn a living, does not mean a conversation is taking place.
there u have it. voices in the head do not equal a conversation, unless u are a loon.

 

[LoTrader]

That’s a bit of a stretch. Certainly, OR was one of the best teams in college basketball that season. But whether they could have won the championship that year is debatable.

Yeah, I know, my assertion that Oregon was the best team that season is debatable. Was expecting dissenting views!

 

[GoCardinal]

Simply put, there will probably never be another UConn in WBB.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Simply put, there will probably never be another UConn in WBB.

I think this is correct. Nothing has even remotely resembled the Wooden era UCLA in men's hoops since his retirement. Most likely no one will ever do anything similar to Geno in women's hoops.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

When Geno goes no one will ever accomplish that again in WBB.

Frankly if I had a basketball and academically inclined daughter (I have no children) who had the opportunity I would urge her to play at Stanford. There isn't anything wrong with the academic reputation of other schools but Stanford is a no brainer for the combination of academics and basketball.

 

[visitingcock]

When Geno goes no one will ever accomplish that again in WBB.

Frankly if I had a basketball and academically inclined daughter (I have no children) who had the opportunity I would urge her to play at Stanford. There isn't anything wrong with the academic reputation of other schools but Stanford is a no brainer for the combination of academics and basketball.

If I had an athletically and academically inclined child ( any scholarship sport) I would encourage him/her to play at Stanford.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

The same Gamecock team that lost to the Huskies by 11 six weeks earlier, with Coates in the lineup? I guess we’ll never know.

Those Huskies apparently weren't very good under the big lights losing to USC light in the FF. .

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I would hardly call Stanford’s academic demands “constraining.” A significant portion of the very best recruits in WBB are also outstanding students, and a Stanford degree carries enormous weight with such recruits. Geno, who is always after the very top talent in the nation, has lost more recruits to Stanford than any other school, including: Brink, Jones, 2/3 Samuelson sisters and countless others.

Well-healed Stanford alumni endow 15 WBB scholarships, along with the salaries for Tara and all her coaches. Stanford has a significant advantage over just about every other D1 program in the nation. They fill all 15 scholarships with incredibly talented recruits, who seldom if ever transfer, due in part to the prestige of a Stanford sheepskin,

Love the region, love the reputation, they have great academics and Athletics going on there. But well heeled, finishing school crowd isn't necessarily everyone's cup of tea.

I'd love for my kid to go there. For free anyway.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I think the next dynasty talk is directly related to Geno and Tara cycling out of the sport.

I doubt anyone will be as dominant for as long as Geno, but could a team step in the vacuum and be the clear dominant power? Yeah I think that could happen.

Wouldn't predict it but it's on the table.

I think it's still most likely that a small group continues to dominate as we've seen since the four peat.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I think the next dynasty talk is directly related to Geno and Tara cycling out of the sport.

I doubt anyone will be as dominant for as long as Geno, but could a team step in the vacuum and be the clear dominant power? Yeah I think that could happen.

Wouldn't predict it but it's on the table.

I think it's still most likely that a small group continues to dominate as we've seen since the four peat.

That's all fair enough. W/ Mulkey just getting started at LSU and Vic soon joining the SEC again w/ Texas, dominating the conference is going to become a whole lot more interesting for Dawn in the coming years, let alone dominating all of wcbb. Although Vic might be cycling out before too long as well. And then there are those eternally hopeful Tennessee fans that think they are on the verge of returning to their glory years...every off season.

 

[AgStatesman]

I gotta lean towards the Cocks on this one. They do have a banner to prove it.

 

[visitingcock]

I gotta lean towards the Cocks on this one. They do have a banner to prove it.

2.5 banners

 

[ucbart]

But for Covid and a missed put back layup in the final four this might be a more full blown conversation.

As it is, win this year and maybe it's a discussion.

LOLOLOLLLL!!

Whata coulda shoulda!

I'm sorry, but if anyone thinks that SC would've beaten Oregon in 2020, I've got a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn.

 

[ThatCG1801]

What happens when Boston graduates?

I remember ppl asking the same thing when A'ja graduated.

 

[ThatCG1801]

LOLOLOLLLL!!

Whata coulda shoulda!

I'm sorry, but if anyone thinks that SC would've beaten Oregon in 2020, I've got a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn.

We were the better team. Hence the #1 ranking.

 

[visitingcock]

LOLOLOLLLL!!

Whata coulda shoulda!

I'm sorry, but if anyone thinks that SC would've beaten Oregon in 2020, I've got a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn.

Well, you can sell the bridge to:
The majority of sports journalists who voted in the AP poll.
The majority of wbb coaches who voted in the coaches poll
The Majority of the selection committee

But hey, Massey had Oregon number one.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Yes, because the team ranked #1 in the final regular season poll ALWAYS wins the Championship, right?

 

[shiverz45]

Yes, because the team ranked #1 in the final regular season poll ALWAYS wins the Championship, right?

SC does.

 

[Talon]

LOLOLOLLLL!!

Whata coulda shoulda!

I'm sorry, but if anyone thinks that SC would've beaten Oregon in 2020, I've got a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn.

Oregon was a great team...until they came up against a really tough defense. All their losses that year were when they played a tough, defensive team. S Carolina's defense would have throttled them.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Oregon was a great team...until they came up against a really tough defense. All their losses that year were when they played a tough, defensive team. S Carolina's defense would have throttled them.

All 2 of their losses? That's a pretty big conclusion to draw from a very small sample size. Most of the teams in the Pac played stingy defense. They avenged their loss to Arizona St. w/ a 31 point beat down the next time they met them. They beat a bunch of teams that were much, much better than ASU--Stanford and Arizona 3 times each and UCLA once, and most of the games weren't close at all. So there's that. Oh yeah, they beat the US National Team that year as well. And they beat UConn by the same margin South Carolina did, only they did it on the road instead of at home.

 

[socal613ws]

lol at thinking Kelly Graves would win a ntl title

 

[GoChips20]

All 2 of their losses? That's a pretty big conclusion to draw from a very small sample size. Most of the teams in the Pac played stingy defense. They avenged their loss to Arizona St. w/ a 31 point beat down the next time they met them. They beat a bunch of teams that were much, much better than ASU--Stanford and Arizona 3 times each and UCLA once, and most of the games weren't close at all. So there's that. Oh yeah, they beat the US National Team that year as well. And they beat UConn by the same margin South Carolina did, only they did it on the road instead of at home.

I’m all in on SC as a diehard fan but I do think Oregon might have had the edge had that matchup come to be. Sabrina had come back for her senior year on a mission and the Ducks had the edge in experience at most positions on the court.

What I find funny about the unsolvable debate of the 2020 tournament is the clear assumption that Oregon would have beaten Baylor in a likely Final Four rematch. They were on track to be the second and third 1-seeds, respectively, and I think Baylor would have given Oregon quite a game.

 

[jchusky]

in 2020 when covid got ncaa cancelled the faves were SC in the women and Kansas in the men.
In 2022 Kansas and Sc won, divine intervention.

 

[SCspur]

All 2 of their losses? That's a pretty big conclusion to draw from a very small sample size. Most of the teams in the Pac played stingy defense. They avenged their loss to Arizona St. w/ a 31 point beat down the next time they met them. They beat a bunch of teams that were much, much better than ASU--Stanford and Arizona 3 times each and UCLA once, and most of the games weren't close at all. So there's that. Oh yeah, they beat the US National Team that year as well. And they beat UConn by the same margin South Carolina did, only they did it on the road instead of at home.

They didn’t have the depth SC had though. That to me would’ve been the difference maker IMO. SC’s bench always came in and changed the game.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Yes, truly a debate that can never be settled, and Baylor fans are probably equally convinced they would've won it (weren't they missing Cox when they lost to South Carolina early in the year?).