College Sports Madness Women's Basketball Top 44 Preview

[UConnCat]

Found this site at our own ThisJustIn's Women's Hoop Blog: http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/womans-basketball/top-44-previews

Here's the rankings so far which I'll try to update every day. Ten Big East teams and 16 UConn oppoents in Sports Madness' top 44.

(* UConn opponent)

#1 Baylor*
#2 Notre Dame*
#3 Tennessee
#4 UConn
#5 Stanford*
#6 Texas A&M*
#7 Louisville*
#8 Duke*
#9 Georgetown*
#10 Miami
#11 Georgia
#12 Penn State
#13 Florida State
#14 LSU
#15 Maryland
#16 Rutgers*
#17 Kentucky
#18 Oklahoma*
#19 North Carolina*
#20 Purdue
#21 USC (SoCal)
#22 DePaul*
#23 Michigan State
#24 Texas
#25 UCLA
#26 St John's*
# 27 Iowa
#28 Temple
#29 Texas Tech
#30 Syracuse*
#31 Vanderbilt
#32 Northern Iowa
#33 West Virginia*
#34 Arizona State
#35 Gonzaga
#36 Xavier
#37 Georgia Tech
#38 Oral Roberts
#39 Iowa State
#40 Marquette*
#41 Dayton*
#42 California
#43 Green Bay
#44 Middle Tennessee

 

[MarieM]

glad to see temple up there .. #huskiefam

 

[EricLA]

agreed re: Temple. some are annointing Jen as the next UCONN head coach. Tonya would not surprise me one bit. Jen may have USA basketball coaching experience, but i'm betting Tonya at Temple will have much more opportunity to recruit and coach higher rated players than Jen will at Hartford...

 

[MarieM]

hartfords weak conference is whats keeping them from good recruits..

 

[UConnCat]

glad to see temple up there .. #huskiefam

Tonya is an excellent coach. I expect Temple to win the A10 this year, finish in the top 25 and make it to the NCAAs again. The next step for Tonya's team is to win a second round game and get to the Sweet 16. Temple played Notre Dame pretty tough in the NCAA's last year losing 77-64 in the 2nd round.

 

[MarieM]

Tonya is an excellent coach. I expect Temple to win the A10 this year, finish in the top 25 and make it to the NCAAs again. The next step for Tonya's team is to win a second round game and get to the Sweet 16. Temple played Notre Dame pretty tough in the NCAA's last year losing 77-64 in the 2nd round.

i know

 

[wire chief]

Time to invite Temple into the Big East.

 

[UConnCat]

Just updated the list. Coming in today at #26: St John's.

 

[UConnCat]

Coming in at #25: UCLA

This ranking obviously predates the news out of Westwood that Jasmine Dixon is out for the season with an injury (achilles I think). Markel Walker will miss the early part of the season with an injury and it appears freshman guard Alexis Perry may be lost for the season. The injury bug has hit first year coach Cori Close's team in a big way.

 

[UConnCat]

Coming in at #24: Texas Longhorns.

Texas is picked to finish #3 in the Big 12 behind Baylor and aTm.

 

[bruinbball]

I am sure Gail will find a way to mess that up and Oklahoma will work their way into the #3 in the Big 12.

 

[alexrgct]

If Texas finishes below OU this year, she's done. She needs a good season at Texas to get extended. Curious to see who Texas goes after if they dismiss GG.

 

[UConnCat]

Coming in at #23: Michigan State Spartans

 

[UConnCat]

DePaul is #22. This makes more sense than one poll that ranked DePaul at #10. DePaul still has Hampton but lost several good players to graduation.

 

[UConnCat]

Coming in at #21: USC, the California variety. Now is the time Michael Cooper to start putting up some big wins with the talent you're bringing to LA.

 

[ochoopsfan]

If USC remains healthy they will surprise many teams and will make the NCCA after missing the last 5 or 6 seasons. However, they will play the season with only 10 players, they have 14 on their roster and 4 are not playing this year(2 transfers and 2 injured). Two of the ten are coming off full years out or most of the year out. The key, besides injuries, is the two freshman and how much time and how well they play. From speaking to people at the school everything is going very well, right now. We know they got the only other first place vote in the Pac 12 poll so Tara voted for them.

By the way whoever did this poll is way off on ASU. I would be shocked if they are anywhere near the 34th best team. Although I did see some practice video on the Bear Cub(I believe that is Ice Bears neice) and she looked to be moving well. It also sounded like the coach is expecting to use her alot. I will root for her to do well.

 

[jsloanjr]

If Texas finishes below OU this year, she's done. She needs a good season at Texas to get extended. Curious to see who Texas goes after if they dismiss GG.

There is an awesome coach in West Hartford who can take that program to the next level. I am just saying!!

 

[UConnCat]

In at #20: Purdue

 

[Vowelguy]

There is an awesome coach in West Hartford who can take that program to the next level. I am just saying!!

No way Jen is going to Texas.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

If USC remains healthy they will surprise many teams and will make the NCCA after missing the last 5 or 6 seasons. However, they will play the season with only 10 players, they have 14 on their roster and 4 are not playing this year(2 transfers and 2 injured). Two of the ten are coming off full years out or most of the year out. The key, besides injuries, is the two freshman and how much time and how well they play. From speaking to people at the school everything is going very well, right now. We know they got the only other first place vote in the Pac 12 poll so Tara voted for them.

By the way whoever did this poll is way off on ASU. I would be shocked if they are anywhere near the 34th best team. Although I did see some practice video on the Bear Cub(I believe that is Ice Bears neice) and she looked to be moving well. It also sounded like the coach is expecting to use her alot. I will root for her to do well.

I have been saying that ALL summer....USC will bypass UCLA this season. If they can land Adams and Stafford for 2012, they will be on a role.

 

[UConnCat]

#19 North Carolina.

This is probably right based on reputation. North Carolina plays the usual lineup of schools you never heard of in November and December but losses could come to Penn State and/or South Carolina. Once January arrives, however, the Heels' holes will be exposed in a big way. This analysis has Ruffin-Pratt in the starting lineup but I think she's expected to miss the season because of an injury.

This group ranked Georgia Tech as #37, yet the ACC coaches picked Georgia Tech to finish ahead of North Carolina in the conference standings.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I have been saying that ALL summer....USC will bypass UCLA this season. If they can land Adams and Stafford for 2012, they will be on a role.

Or on a roll. (I guess in Tinseltown it IS a "role.")

Yep, that is a lot of talent--top 5-10 talent.

 

[MilfordHusky]

#19 North Carolina.

This is probably right based on reputation. North Carolina plays the usual lineup of schools you never heard of in November and December but losses could come to Penn State and/or South Carolina. Once January arrives, however, the Heels' holes will be exposed in a big way. This analysis has Ruffin-Pratt in the starting lineup but I think she's expected to miss the season because of an injury.

This group ranked Georgia Tech as #37, yet the ACC coaches picked Georgia Tech to finish ahead of North Carolina in the conference standings.

Tierra can't catch a break. Ok, bad phrasing. She needs to get healthy!

 

[UConnCat]

in at #18 is OOOOOOOOOOklahoma where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...

Danielle Robinson will be missed. Ellenberg is a good one and Whitney Hand will make 3s, but the frontcourt looks like a weak spot. Incoming class is okay with 3 recruits ranked #33, #59 and #90. A top 20 finish for the Sooners looks about right.

 

[tigger]

#19 North Carolina.

This is probably right based on reputation. North Carolina plays the usual lineup of schools you never heard of in November and December but losses could come to Penn State and/or South Carolina. Once January arrives, however, the Heels' holes will be exposed in a big way. This analysis has Ruffin-Pratt in the starting lineup but I think she's expected to miss the season because of an injury.

This group ranked Georgia Tech as #37, yet the ACC coaches picked Georgia Tech to finish ahead of North Carolina in the conference standings.

So now they've lost Pratt and Rolle?