I’d put UCONN at 1, South Carolina at 2, UCLA at 3.
UCONN obviously loses Paige but if Fudd consistently produces at a high level I think they’re the team to beat with more offense flowing through her and Strong. They were 30+ points better than both South Carolina and UCLA which puts them over the top for me.
South Carolina didn’t have the same magic this year despite having a similar roster. I think having fewer players in the rotation will help. I’d look for Fulwiley/Johnson/Edwards to have bigger roles. They’ll be back and I’d look for Dawn to pick up some portal players.
UCLA will do dominant once again, but I actually think having everyone back plus adding in Leger-Walker/Betts works against them. Adding marquee players to an already stacked roster usually affects chemistry negatively rather than helps it. I’d put them at 3.
Aside from the top 5, it looks like a much weaker field next year. A lot will change once the transfer dust settles but the star power looks weaker next year with the exodus of talent at USC/Notre Dame/NC State plus LSU losing their frontcourt.
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.
www.espn.com
