Coaches projections for PAC-12

[Floridaduck]

Ducks Picked Second in Preseason Pac-12 Poll - University of Oregon Athletics


Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Stanford (11) - 121
2. Oregon (1) - 108
3. UCLA - 101
4. Oregon State - 86
5. Arizona - 83
6. Washington State - 70
7. Colorado - 65
8. Arizona State - 47
9. USC - 45
T10. Utah - 25
T10. Washington - 25
12. California - 16

 

[LoTrader]

UCLA at #3 was the surprise to me. UCLA must have some really talented newcomers. After losing the current WNBA Rookie of the Year to graduation, I would have had Arizona #3 and UCLA #5 or #6

 

[JellyBean]

Pretty solid projections. After Stanford and Oregon, things get interesting. California is going to surprise some folks this season. They have a much better competitive edge about them so far. Of course it is practice but I love the energy that I have seen from them.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Maybe it makes sense relatively to everyone else, but ASU at #8 just seems stunning. I wouldn't be surprised to see CTT get them to finish higher than that.

Agree w/ above. Cal's record last season was dreadful, but if you watched them they were clearly much improved by the end of year. They had a bunch of Fr. that were thrown to the wolves because there weren't any other options. They get back a couple of players from injury who certainly would've been big contributors last season if they were available.

I could actually see Utah in the cellar. They have a veteran core who was bad last year, I just don't see much room for growth. I think Washington and Cal both have more upside than the Utes do.

Washington St. was the biggest surprise in the conference last year. They won't sneak up on anybody this time around. They did fade significantly down the stretch. Seems like they came pretty close to maxing out their potential last year. 6th seems a bit lofty, but maybe they'll surprise me (again).

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Maybe it makes sense relatively to everyone else, but ASU at #8 just seems stunning. I wouldn't be surprised to see CTT get them to finish higher than that.

Agree w/ above. Cal's record last season was dreadful, but if you watched them they were clearly much improved by the end of year. They had a bunch of Fr. that were thrown to the wolves because there weren't any other options. They get back a couple of players from injury who certainly would've been big contributors last season if they were available.

I could actually see Utah in the cellar. They have a veteran core who was bad last year, I just don't see much room for growth. I think Washington and Cal both have more upside than the Utes do.

Washington St. was the biggest surprise in the conference last year. They won't sneak up on anybody this time around. They did fade significantly down the stretch. Seems like they came pretty close to maxing out their potential last year. 6th seems a bit lofty, but maybe they'll surprise me (again).

The local paper had their projections. They don't think much of Cal either (better, but still in the basement). Or ASU, which is apparently rebuilding. They also agree that Washington State will not be sneaking up on anyone this season.

They are thinking Arizona could be 2nd, they also broke down the team. Very deep, this season.

 

[Floridaduck]

A couple of schedule highlights involving the top few teams:
(not all teams play home and away each year).
This year Oregon and Oregon State have UCLA and USC at home only and do not travel to Los Angeles
Stanford has AZ and ASU at home only and does not travel to Arizona

 

[visitingcock]

Is Mya Hollingshead back for her 5th (Covid Year) at Colorado?

 

[sivad40]

2023-24 Women's Basketball Roster - University of Colorado Athletics

The official 2023-24 Women's Basketball Roster for the University of Colorado Buffs

cubuffs.com

Mya Hollingshead is on the Colorado roster.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

Nothing on USC? The coaches pick them to finish lower than last season, albeit with the loss of Rogers to Oregon. Gottlieb is a bad coach but she was able to retain Angel Jackson and has two very highly ranked freshman in Okunwafo and Marshall along with Bella Perkins who was Virginia Gatorade POY. Point guard will be an issue with the Rogers gone and Caldwell not showing much.

I think Washington is a program on the rise and I'd put them ahead of USC. I think much will be predicated on how much Gottlieb learned in Cleveland and if she can improve her recruiting.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Nothing on USC? The coaches pick them to finish lower than last season, albeit with the loss of Rogers to Oregon. Gottlieb is a bad coach but she was able to retain Angel Jackson and has two very highly ranked freshman in Okunwafo and Marshall along with Bella Perkins who was Virginia Gatorade POY. Point guard will be an issue with the Rogers gone and Caldwell not showing much.

Don't forget Pili. I don't think she was ever really 100% healthy last year, with nagging ankle issues. Also Jenkins. I was really disappointed to see her leave the Seattle area. Didn't put up big numbers last year but had her moments, also missed significant time w/ injury. That frontcourt might be kinda crowded, if everybody stays healthy.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I think Washington is a program on the rise and I'd put them ahead of USC.

I had a nagging suspicion that non-UW fans who seemed to be supporters of Wynn (she just needs more time...) were doing it for selfish reasons, because they knew she'd never turn the program around. I think Langley has already generated more excitement before she's ever coached a game there than Wynn did in 4 years.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

Don't forget Pili. I don't think she was ever really 100% healthy last year, with nagging ankle issues.

Pili is a stud and probably my favorite Pac player. However, she has struggled with physical issues and it looks like she did not lose the weight she gained last season. I'm rooting for her because I think she's unstoppable in the paint.

 

[DefenseBB]

Pretty solid projections. After Stanford and Oregon, things get interesting. California is going to surprise some folks this season. They have a much better competitive edge about them so far. Of course it is practice but I love the energy that I have seen from them.

Surprise by what? They're picked dead last again, so by even finishing 11th, that could surprise someone. They had a young team last year and will be young this year but I am not sure they are any better than 11th at best. Coach Smith has not really shown me anything yet, one way or another on what she can do in either recruiting or coaching. I will be curious to see how fast Lindsey Gottlieb can spiral that somewhat talented USC roster back down to the bottom quartile, my guess is 2 years .

While Arizona gained Rogers, they lost their all world McDonald and Arizona will most definitely have a target on their back this year. Whether Kelly Graves can get Prince and Sabally into full court game conditioning and offensive flow it really the big question mark. I am still suspect on Scott Rueck having any type of cohesive offensive strategy with this team other than packing in down-low and let the big bodies figure it out. He needs to open up the offense if he wants to make headway not only in the PAC12 but as legitimate contender for the NCAAT. Until he gets an offense to score 75-80 a game for the whole season (puts them in the top 25 in the country), he will not be able to compete with UConn, SC, Stanford, Marylan and others.

Cori Close, while better than a "mediocre" coach, still has to prove she can get more out of her team if she wants to contend for a PAC12 title, let alone an NCAAT.

 

[DaBball]

Surprise by what? They're picked dead last again, so by even finishing 11th, that could surprise someone. They had a young team last year and will be young this year but I am not sure they are any better than 11th at best. Coach Smith has not really shown me anything yet, one way or another on what she can do in either recruiting or coaching. I will be curious to see how fast Lindsey Gottlieb can spiral that somewhat talented USC roster back down to the bottom quartile, my guess is 2 years .

While Arizona gained Rogers, they lost their all world McDonald and Arizona will most definitely have a target on their back this year. Whether Kelly Graves can get Prince and Sabally into full court game conditioning and offensive flow it really the big question mark. I am still suspect on Scott Rueck having any type of cohesive offensive strategy with this team other than packing in down-low and let the big bodies figure it out. He needs to open up the offense if he wants to make headway not only in the PAC12 but as legitimate contender for the NCAAT. Until he gets an offense to score 75-80 a game for the whole season (puts them in the top 25 in the country), he will not be able to compete with UConn, SC, Stanford, Marylan and others.

Cori Close, while better than a "mediocre" coach, still has to prove she can get more out of her team if she wants to contend for a PAC12 title, let alone an NCAAT.

Oregon, not Arizona, added Endyia Rogers. Arizona added Koi Love and Ariyah Copeland who should bolster their front court. I do think they still have some things to figure out in the back court, but having Sam Thomas back should help and Shaina Pellington showed some promise playing with Canada this off-season. If Taylor Chavez can be impactful shooting the three ball I think they can turn some heads.

Oregon State’s issues last season were on the defensive end, not the offensive end. In the Pac-12, Oregon State was second in scoring offense and field goal percentage and first in three point field goal percentage. They were ninth in scoring defense.

Very interested to see how Close can mesh the transfers together. Onyenwere was a big loss, but they did add some nice pieces.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

I will be curious to see how fast Lindsey Gottlieb can spiral that somewhat talented USC roster back down to the bottom quartile, my guess is 2 years .

Gottlieb didn't coach one game at USC before the AD threw her a one million dollar a year contract, matching Graves. Her time with the Cavaliers obviously usurped her problems at Cal. Very ironic that Cal had to start from ground zero because of her leadership, she spends some time in the NBA and then becomes one of the highest paid coaches in the Pac.

USC's AD has to select the new football coach. Grab the popcorn.

 

[nwhoopfan]

USC's AD has to select the new football coach. Grab the popcorn.

I'll be stunned if this hire isn't bungled. Been bungling football hires ever since Carroll left.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

BTW, I heard that Gottlieb is training a lot of drag screens. I don't think they have the personnel for this to be effective and athletically, the top teams are superior so this is another head scratcher. I don't remember what they ran at Cal except that Boyd often threw the ball into Jones. At the end of Anigwe's career, I think most Pac fans truly felt she was wasted and wondered how she might have done with a program that had a decent coach.

Remember Gottlieb has Aalyah Gayles coming in. She didn't recruit her but that's a nice thing to walk into.