Charlie Creme's Way-Too-Early Top 25

[KCD]

I AM GUILTY, too, of not understanding the quality of our international recruits. But just as women’s BB has developed quality depth in the US, so has it been developing in selective nations. Geno and his staff went abroad to see and learn more about Blanca quinones, and I respect their judgement of talent. In other words, Blanca could be a real….and hugely underrated…talent. As for Kelli’s, she is dismissed as the 27th (?) best player in US….but Geno doesn’t think that. She has improved exponentially each season. My point is, either or both of these players could be much closer to pushing for quality court time than we imagine. And let’s not forget the true wildcard. Caroline Ducharme. She has star potential. Given her injury background, it is highly unlikely she emerges as such, but the bloodlines are there. And let’s not forget, we really don’t have any idea what kind of talent lurks in Morgan and Allie. But their resumes are formidable. It will be another fascinating season for UConn.

Don't forget that before Morgan got hurt she was getting regular rotation minutes. She was looking very good in those minutes also. She was very versatile, she was shooting the three at a high clip, rebounding, showing a very high bball IQ, etc. So hopefully she comes back fully healthy and can continue to grow and improve on what she was already showing Geno.

 

[huskeynut]

Not going to worry about Charlie's way to early picks.

Every team, including UCLA will go thru changes with graduations, departures, incoming freshman and transfers. Nobody at this point can predict how teams will develop. But it is fun to speculate!

As for our beloved ladies, I'm looking forward to the development of the "new" Huskies. We have seen the "new" Azzi, mid range jumper and a floated added to her arsenal. Her defense has grown. Sarah will get better though I know that seems impossible. KK and Ash are ready.

As to leadership, yes, Paige was the unquestioned leader. She will be missed. And we will see that we still have great leadership just waiting to come to the surface.

 

[HopJim]

BBN90, I agree with your ranking as well. While UCLA has everyone coming back plus Sienna Betts, their offense and defense schemes will be almost identical to what they did this year. I believe the result is that they will continue to play the same way, and perhaps even dominate teams even more so than they did this year. However, if they run up against UConn, or a South Carolina, a Texas, or even a Duke who executes the same game plan that UConn did in the semis, then the results will be similar - a Bruins defeat. Said differently, I think the WCBB world saw the Huskies game plan to defeat the Bruins and will be geared up to play the same way.

None of the Big Ten teams this year - other than USC - were equipped to defend against the Bruins the way UConn did.

The Bruins, on the other hand, will NOT be able to turn their back on the success they have had this year, and therefore will continue to operate the same throughout next season. Said differently, I believe the Bruins will not change anything, but rather polish what they currently have. Hence, I believe they will have another great year - maybe one or two losses max in conference, maybe given a #1 seed based on the Quad 1, NET rank and overall record, and then they will lose in the NCAA tournament. Think 2005-2008 LSU with Sylvia Fowles - four exceptional seasons, four Final Fours, no titles.

Bottom line - UCLA could go into the NCAA tournament ranked overall #1 and even be undefeated in the Big Ten, but would be a Vegas underdog to the above teams - as they currently project based on who they have returning next year sans portal.

Your ranking is righteous.

I don't put much energy into preseason rankings but do project who is in the best position to win it all. I can see UCLA #1 for much of 2025/26 but feel with the growth and hopefully increased confidence of Jana and Ice, that UConn matches up very well. We have several great guards, a potential AAmerican in Strong and a history of 1-2 great transfers every year. Few teams will be able to match UCLA's height with equal or better rebounding and shooting.

 

[Topdawg]

When you look at returning players not mentioned in most articles, and their ESPN high school ranks:

Caroline 5
Yanna 4
Allie 7
Morgan 11

plus the freshmen..

Surely the coaches will help these players make big contributions next year. Q will get better too, and there could be a new add from the portal.

 

[HopJim]

Not going to worry about Charlie's way to early picks.

Every team, including UCLA will go thru changes with graduations, departures, incoming freshman and transfers. Nobody at this point can predict how teams will develop. But it is fun to speculate!

As for our beloved ladies, I'm looking forward to the development of the "new" Huskies. We have seen the "new" Azzi, mid range jumper and a floated added to her arsenal. Her defense has grown. Sarah will get better though I know that seems impossible. KK and Ash are ready.

As to leadership, yes, Paige was the unquestioned leader. She will be missed. And we will see that we still have great leadership just waiting to come to the surface.

One other point not mentioned-confidence. You saw this in UConn's defense where they seemed to gain an extra fraction of a second as the year went on. Just enough to win that extra 50-50 ball and grow their steals each game. While many focus on the scorers, have watched UConn for 30+ years, we while we have had great defenders such as Stewie and Jefferson, but this was the best team defense I have seen.

 

[HopJim]

Agree with everything said here. Losing Paige, but returning such a strong core (no pun intended). Should keep us at #1. My question to Charlie would be, "Given the core of Strong, Fudd, Shade and Arnold, tell me a team with more offensive punch AND we are losing much less on D than on O with Paige leaving."

Creme is doing exactly as expected. Create some click bait that get's his advertising $ up. Mr. Cream may send you a thank you!

 

[oldhusky]

I don’t know what creme expects us to do in the portal.

I don't think the portal has anything to do with this assessment. Charlie will have another click bait opportunity to do a re-ranking after the portal period settles down. In essence if you were only going to do one after the conclusion of the season, it would make more sense to wait until after the portal decisions sense they are now almost as important as a team's recruiting class. This way Charlie can get more eyeballs twice.

 

[Rowdy831]

Everyone's favorite post-season discussion.....

The defending champs come in 3rd. Somehow UCLA is #1.

Creme doesn't appear to know about Blanca Quinonez either.

UCLA hype, USC uncertainty, UConn's quest for a repeat: The women's basketball Way-Too-Early Top 25

As this season's title is won, we take a look at the women's college basketball Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2025-26.

www.espn.com

Creme is an overhyped blowhard. When he put SC above UConn in the bracket he showed his ignorance or bias, I'm not sure which. Every season he makes picks that uses statistics and mythical powers instead of how teams played against each other and who was missing in big games. UConn last three games and were not close to 100% in any of them and completely dismantled SC at thier home. How he put an average Texas team or SC above them was mind boggling.

To expect him to get any smarter in two weeks time doesn't make sense either. If any team other than UConn is number one then he is just another ESPN hack with an agenda.

 

[triaddukefan]

Creme is an overhyped blowhard. When he put SC above UConn in the bracket he showed his ignorance or bias, I'm not sure which. Every season he makes picks that uses statistics and mythical powers instead of how teams played against each other and who was missing in big games. UConn last three games and were not close to 100% in any of them and completely dismantled SC at thier home. How he put an average Texas team or SC above them was mind boggling.

To expect him to get any smarter in two weeks time doesn't make sense either. If any team other than UConn is number one then he is just another ESPN hack with an agenda.

If I'm not mistaken, the overhyoed blowhard picked UCONN to win the championship at the beginning of the tournament. I could be mistaken.

 

[JBK]

What I love about Azzi as stated by CD - she was our best One on one player in practice.
We witnessed that yesterday on the biggest stage. Drives to the hoop - pull ups - steals - she can do it all when she has confidence and her 3’s were not falling.
Both her and Sarah having 24 pts and KK and ash playing well in the big game. We are going to be more than fine - I do they will pick up a solid player from the portal as well
A healthy Azzi will be fun to watch next year.

 

[Vowelguy]

Creme is an overhyped blowhard. When he put SC above UConn in the bracket he showed his ignorance or bias, I'm not sure which.

His job is to predict the committee bracket. He did that exceptionally well, including having SC, USC, and Texas higher than UConn.

 

[rugbymate]

Betts' little sister isn't so little either. UCLA will be a handful if they have recruited a back court.

Miles?

 

[housekeys]

It is not an issue of right or wrong. It is not an issue of importance or not importance. It is probably not an issue of respect or disrespect.

It is an issue of bias. [edit- possibly a click bait driven article, as UConn, like Clark, last year, is a polarizing topic]

 

[housekeys]

His job is to predict the committee bracket. He did that exceptionally well, including having SC, USC, and Texas higher than UConn.

LOL. He was wrong, and so are you.

 

[oldude]

If you look down ESPN’s projected top 25 for next season, there at #17 is ND, a team that right now doesn’t have enough players to field a basketball team. At present, the Irish have only 3 returning players, one of whom started, and 1 incoming freshman.

I guess Hidalgo should average around 65 ppg next season……

 

[yhun89]

Love how ESPN just had these articles ready to post the SECOND the natty is won.

 

[yhun89]

If you look down ESPN’s projected top 25 for next season, there at #17 is ND, a team that right now doesn’t have enough players to field a basketball team. At present, the Irish have only 3 returning players, one of whom started, and 1 incoming freshman.

I guess Hidalgo should average around 65 ppg next season……

ND is about to be Hannah Hidalgo vs everybody I guess

 

[Plebe]

Sorry Charlie, you seem to be in enmeshed in bias fog - someone wearing a championship ring should slap you out of it. UConn returns the FF MOP. Go back and look at the number of times a team has won a championship and returned the FF MOP- and were ranked below 1 preseason.

Do you actually know the number or was this just rhetorical?

Just off the top of my head, A'ja Wilson was 2017 FF MOP and her team was ranked #4 in the preseason AP poll of 2017-18. I'm sure it's happened other times as well.

 

[Dugway]

If you look down ESPN’s projected top 25 for next season, there at #17 is ND, a team that right now doesn’t have enough players to field a basketball team. At present, the Irish have only 3 returning players, one of whom started, and 1 incoming freshman.

I guess Hidalgo should average around 65 ppg next season……

Well, it is modern times! It is very possible, LIKELY PROBABLE, that the Irish will go out to the portal and buy themselves one heck of a good team. LSU is losing players ... so just buy more! Both USC schools, in a position that they need to buy more. Staley indicated in her interview yesterday afternoon when asked about next year and the number of players that are graduating So. Car., that she needs to get back to Columbia and start recruiting, FROM THE PORTAL.

 

[BobbyJ]

If you look down ESPN’s projected top 25 for next season, there at #17 is ND, a team that right now doesn’t have enough players to field a basketball team. At present, the Irish have only 3 returning players, one of whom started, and 1 incoming freshman.

I guess Hidalgo should average around 65 ppg next season……

Yeah, there's a lot of thought and analysis put into these articles. If ND can pick up a couple mid major transfers they could shoot up into the top 5.

 

[JBK]

Charlie should retire or rank corn toss or something else. For he and his partners giving UConn a 2 seed when they beat up SC on their home court was disrespectful. Stop with the strength of schedule when you have a head to head sample —occurring late in the season —which similar losses and when UConn was fully healthy ( Azzi )
Even Vegas knew it was a joke making UConn big favorites over every 1 seed.
How is that possible if they were correct -
and now he has us ranked 3 with 2 potential all Americans and great role players.
KK and KC is an equal trade off. Can Azzi replace Paige 20 ppg —- yes
Can ash replace Azzi with 12/13 ppg - yes
Jana keeps progressing as well as Sarah with a strong bench.
Look out.

 

[Plebe]

Charlie should retire or rank corn toss or something else. For he and his partners giving UConn a 2 seed when they beat up SC on their home court was disrespectful. Stop with the strength of schedule when you have a head to head sample —occurring late in the season —which similar losses and when UConn was fully healthy ( Azzi )

Again, his role was and is to predict the committee's bracket. It's not his personal ranking or his personal prediction of who will win. Separately he actually predicted UConn to reach the Final Four. Bracketology is his projection of the committee's decisions, a projection that was mighty accurate I might add.

Why are people in this constant state of ginned up outrage over someone's accurate bracketology predictions? Is there really such a psychological need to feel constantly disrespected?

 

[diggerfoot]

Creme is an overhyped blowhard. When he put SC above UConn in the bracket he showed his ignorance or bias, I'm not sure which. …

To expect him to get any smarter in two weeks time doesn't make sense either. If any team other than UConn is number one then he is just another ESPN hack with an agenda.

His own personal prediction was that UConn would be in the FF and title game. His bracket prediction was guessing what a committee of people that were not him would do. Turns out he was pretty smart.

Did not see yours @Plebe .

See above @JBK

 

[Vowelguy]

Love how ESPN just had these articles ready to post the SECOND the natty is won.

Yes, that's how media coverage works.

Are you similarly surprised when the media has an obituary posted minutes after a famous old person dies?

 

[Vowelguy]

Is there really such a psychological need to feel constantly disrespected?

Since you must be a new poster, allow me to welcome you to the BoneYard.