Creme's preseason top 25

[Plebe]

Did anyone notice that this guy cannot even count the fingers on one hand? His article started with, 'For the first time in four years, blah blah blah'. It should be the first time in five years! If he cannot count the fingers, would you trust him to rank the top 25? He will probably lose the track once it reaches 4!

Not technically an inaccurate statement, since apparently we're getting technical here.

 

[Kaizen]

Diamond should have jumped to the WNBA. With no real improvement in 3 years, why will the 4th be any different? Her desire to help (coach?) the freshmen could lead to more of the same troubles. Apparently, she thinks Holly needs coaching help. How will that play out?

May be ... she is thinking to take Holly's job next year ...

 

[nwhoopfan]

I wouldn't have them top 25 at this point either. They lost in the Sweet 16 this year, they lose their all-American who pretty much carried them to what limited offensive success they had this year, and they lose their best perimeter defender in Hanson. That's a lot to replace and some big shoes to fill.

They got too dependent on Wiese at times. Earlier in the season McWilliams, Tudor and Pivec all showed the ability to shoot from deep and score. Good length among that group for perimeter players and I think 2 of them can play PG. They have a Fr. PG coming in, and Kalmer was probably the best of the returning players attacking off the dribble, she just didn't get a lot of minutes. Gulic and Brown are solid at the 4 and 5. Need someone to replace Orum as the first big off the bench, but I think incoming Fr. Corosdale has a bunch of potential. I can see why people are casually writing them off, but I think they are going to surprise people. Again. Honestly Weisner was a better overall player than Wiese and they survived losing her. They lost Weisner, Hamblin and Hunter from the Final 4 team and hardly missed a beat the next season.

 

[willtalk]

nwhoopfan- I agree on your assessment of Oregon St. They were too dependent on Wiese throughout the year. The problem was that in the last four games ( beginning with their Conf. play off loss to Stanford ) Wiese got into a shooting slump. She couldn't buy a basket and that was one of the reasons they didn't advance. I never cared too much for teams that rely to much on a few players for that very reason. I also don't care for teams who's point is a volume shooter for that same reason. They tend to shoot even when they are cold since they have the ball in their hands all the time. They could have still won that game against FS despite Wiese's slump but the coach didn't make the necessary adjustments on either offense or defense. Rueck is a good coach but he let that game get ,away from him. FS , who were much quicker, were getting most of their points via drives and short pull ups from within the key, yet he continued to play a pressure man to man. The FS guards just used their quickness to consistently blow right around the taller OS defenders.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Well, Baylor without Davis, Jones, Cave, Prince, and now Mompremier at #2 would be pretty miraculous.

 

[chrissaran]

Laura Ferreira - the fuzzy-haired one.

 

[chrissaran]

Didn't know about Beatrice. Another surprise.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Well, Baylor without Davis, Jones, Cave, Prince, and now Mompremier at #2 would be pretty miraculous.

So where are they situated now?

 

[Sluconn Husky]

So where are they situated now?

Lots of similar teams but I would've had them 6-10 before she left, so 10ish maybe? They'll still give teams fits with Brown, Cohen, Cox, and Chou but they've lost a ton.

 

[oldude]

With all of the talent that the top teams have lost through graduation, transfer and injury, it's really a crapshoot after UConn at # 1. I don't think SC and MS St will be better next season, but I expect them to hang around as top 5 teams because of Wilson at SC and the 3 returning starters at MS St. Aside from that there are just too many question marks for Baylor, tOSU, ND, TX, Duke, TN (HW), Louisville & Stanford. Oregon & UCLA look like they can make legitimate moves into the top ten next season, but we'll have to see.

Frankly, as a Husky fan, I'm feeling really, really, really good about how next season is setting up.

 

[huskeynut]

Montpriemer leaving Baylor is a blow for sure. Don't see how they stay at a 2. Some are still speculating that another may leave Baylor.

This off season is really shaping up to interesting for a lot of teams. Speculation will continue to run wild.

 

[GoDawgs4]

MState is not going anywhere. We went 10 deep this year and had 4 Seniors. Now those four were really good i.e. Okorie, Dillingham, Richardson and Chapel.

However, we have a good nucleus coming back including Vivians, McCowan, Schaefer, William, Johnson and Holmes plus Coach has signed some really good kids last year and in the current year.
So we may drop off a bit but it will not be much.
Also, while we did lose to UT at home the last game of the year, we did beat them convincingly in Knox earlier in the season.

So I think we can make some noise this year. May be not all the way to the finale but we should be in the mix.

I know UCONN fans are bubbly about the upcoming season and you are the favorite and rightly so. However, with the mystique being gone now, I think you will lose a game some where along the way.
Which will be a good thing as it will take the pressure of being undefeated off the team in the tournament. Then the team can just relax and play ball without that burden on them.

 

[JS]

I know UConn fans are bubbly about the upcoming season and you are the favorite and rightly so. However, with the mystique being gone now, I think you will lose a game some where along the way.

Welcome.

Regarding your quoted statement, I'm not one to predict an undefeated season. (Don't worry, there are people here who will, without hesitation). But I do have to take issue with the mystique comment.

Last season's team had perhaps more mystique than was warranted, the result of the long streak built in prior years and, surprisingly, maintained until the Final Four.

Many of us think that in the coming season a more justifiable mystique will be present. It won't be observable from the get-go but will emerge rapidly from the first "tough" games onward.

Just seems a little strange to think of mystique being "lost" in the transition from one team to a considerably stronger one, much less that the "lost" mystique will be responsible for a lost game.

 

[GoDawgs4]

My point being that this year most teams had lost the game before it started.
Now that the streak is gone, I have no doubt that the UCONN players are going to play with a new energy and a sense of urgency next year.

OTOH, UCONN usually plays a very tough schedule and I think one of those teams will get the best of the Huskies during the season. As I mentioned, in the grand scheme losing a game will actually be a beneficial to UCONN.

 

[Buzzyboy]

What is Charlie thinking? Didn't he get the memo? Defending champions stay at #1 until they lose a game!

Forget tradition. Reality should be all we're dealing with here. South Carolina lost two of the three players that gave them any chance to win their championship. I think they'll be a very good team but I'd be shocked if they win the SEC this year because Tennessee will be better and MSU will be very, very good. Why make number one the year after some sort of ceremonial thing. What if they had lost their entire starting lineup? Would tradition still warrant a number one preseason ranking?

 

[Buzzyboy]

MState is not going anywhere. We went 10 deep this year and had 4 Seniors. Now those four were really good i.e. Okorie, Dillingham, Richardson and Chapel.

However, we have a good nucleus coming back including Vivians, McCowan, Schaefer, William, Johnson and Holmes plus Coach has signed some really good kids last year and in the current year.
So we may drop off a bit but it will not be much.
Also, while we did lose to UT at home the last game of the year, we did beat them convincingly in Knox earlier in the season.

So I think we can make some noise this year. May be not all the way to the finale but we should be in the mix.

I know UConn fans are bubbly about the upcoming season and you are the favorite and rightly so. However, with the mystique being gone now, I think you will lose a game some where along the way.
Which will be a good thing as it will take the pressure of being undefeated off the team in the tournament. Then the team can just relax and play ball without that burden on them.

I love and agree with everything you said with the exception of thinking that UConn would lose a game next year at some point because of the mystique being gone. If anything, that makes them more dangerous than ever to go undefeated and I'd be shocked if they did lose a game. Their chemistry is going to be very similar to what it was this year because the only player who didn't play last year who is likely to make their starting five next year is an established quality player that practiced with them all last year, Azura Stevens. They've added serious depth which was an issue and with Azura, they've got more size, which was a bit of detriment last year. So, more depth and more size and more talent should be just what the doctor (Geno) ordered. I love it!

 

[the Q]

My point being that this year most teams had lost the game before it started.
Now that the streak is gone, I have no doubt that the UConn players are going to play with a new energy and a sense of urgency next year.

OTOH, UConn usually plays a very tough schedule and I think one of those teams will get the best of the Huskies during the season. As I mentioned, in the grand scheme losing a game will actually be a beneficial to UConn.

I'd bet they come out of the gates swinging and lighting people up. They'll be on a mission to make amends for last year's fluke. They'll be HUNGRY. No jitters next year. Everyone coming back now has real FF experience.

And as Curt Schilling said about "Mystique and Aura," those are dancers at a nightclub. This team is going to be better.

The teams that can beat them though will still likely have to dominate inside, having a stud like Holmes or Kalani Brown or Aja Wilson and a quick PG, that is a really really good start.

Not sure how many teams have both, but that's where my list would start.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Welcome.

Regarding your quoted statement, I'm not one to predict an undefeated season. (Don't worry, there are people here who will, without hesitation). But I do have to take issue with the mystique comment.

Last season's team had perhaps more mystique than was warranted, the result of the long streak built in prior years and, surprisingly, maintained until the Final Four.

Many of us think think that in the coming season a more justifiable mystique will be present. It won't be observable from the get-go but will emerge rapidly from the first "tough" games onward.

Just seems a little strange to think of mystique being "lost" in the transition from one team to a considerably stronger one, much less that the "lost" mystique will be responsible for a lost game.

Sorry I didn't read this first but I added a response that is very similar to yours. The pressure and nuisance of the streak, is a thing of the past. With the added talent influx and size in the front court, the two concerns of last years team are likely gone. With an even more mature team this year and a hunger to atone for that tough loss in the national semi-finals, watch out. Geno will insure that they are ready, game after game after game and I'm so looking forward to a wonderful season.

 

[the Q]

Sorry I didn't read this first but I added a response that is very similar to yours. The pressure and nuisance of the streak, is a thing of the past. With the added talent influx and size in the front court, the two concerns of last years team are likely gone. With an even more mature team this year and a hunger to atone for that tough loss in the national semi-finals, watch out. Geno will insure that they are ready, game after game after game and I'm so looking forward to a wonderful season.

I really think if they play MS St again, you could see Geno put Gabby on William. He has the size depth now with Z and BC to let her not defend centers all day.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Geno and staff have shown over the years that it takes more than top recruits to dominate and win it all!
TN still has Holly Warlick and her sub par assistants to try and mold that talented class. She had worlds of talent this year and they never played like a team on offense or defense!
You give Holly and staff this years UConn team and they lose 8 to 9 games and don't make it past the 2nd round IMO!
This so-called #1 recruiting class will pull a NoCar with DD and the rest of those world-beaters and flee Knoxville before graduation!

Some of this may be the coaching staff but a lot of it is who they recruit. We aren't talking about talent but recruiting the type kids that have the mindset to be PART of a team and not THE TEAM. Selfish players or those that don't know how to compliment their teammates and their skills don't very often have a lot of success in winning championships.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I really think if they play MS St again, you could see Geno put Gabby on William. He has the size depth now with Z and BC to let her not defend centers all day.

I think if they play MS St again, you might find our number one ranked freshman recruit playing on her. I'm under the impression that she's a very talented defensive player and by the latter part of the season, I'm inclined to think she'll be getting some pretty serious playing time. There are obviously no guarantees but I heard she is THAT GOOD!

 

[huskeynut]

My point being that this year most teams had lost the game before it started.
Now that the streak is gone, I have no doubt that the UConn players are going to play with a new energy and a sense of urgency next year.

OTOH, UConn usually plays a very tough schedule and I think one of those teams will get the best of the Huskies during the season. As I mentioned, in the grand scheme losing a game will actually be a beneficial to UConn.

Dawgs - welcome to the board. Always nice to have other teams represented.

UConn will be playing with a strong purpose, not a sense of urgency. Urgency denotes time is running out. That's not even close for UConn.
The loss did not sit well with the team. They did not play up to their standard. That is a very strong motivating fact for next season. And next year's team, at least on paper, is stronger. So far, no other Top 10 team can say that.

I'm not going to predict an undefeated season. But some team, to beat UConn, is going to have to play way above their level to win.

And the best your team next season. Really like Vic as a coach.

 

[the Q]

Some of this may be the coaching staff but a lot of it is who they recruit. We aren't talking about talent but recruiting the type kids that have the mindset to be PART of a team and not THE TEAM. Selfish players or those that don't know how to compliment their teammates and their skills don't very often have a lot of success in winning championships.

Geno is probably the greatest coach of all time when it comes to culture.

And it's probably not even close.

Wooden, BB and Popovich are probably the complete Mt. Rushmore of culture coaches.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I think SC will be better then #6. Losing Davis, Coates, and Gray only mean that Harris, Cuevas-Moore, and Jennings will have to step up. There's no doubt in my mind that they will and with A'js leading them this team will still be a force.

Davis and Gray played wonderfully down the stretch and were very seasoned and very talented players that will be hard to replace. Losing Coates actually helped the chemistry and made SC a better team. That's not to say she wasn't talented but with Coates and A'ja on the court at the same time, they weren't as good. I don't think it's likely that the others will step up to the level of Davis and Gray though I do agree that South Carolina will still be a very respectable team.

 

[SCspur]

Davis and Gray played wonderfully down the stretch and were very seasoned and very talented players that will be hard to replace. Losing Coates actually helped the chemistry and made SC a better team. That's not to say she wasn't talented but with Coates and A'ja on the court at the same time, they weren't as good. I don't think it's likely that the others will step up to the level of Davis and Gray though I do agree that South Carolina will still be a very respectable team.

Well it goes to show that you didn't watch SC and the players develop over the course of the season. Ty Harris will be one of the best point guards in the country next season and her offensive ability will come out in full force with Cuevas-Moore being a senior leader will provide lots of scoring from the wing( her shooting percentage from the field and 3 were better then both Davis & Gray), Jennings playing two seasons at Kentucky and having experience, KiKi Herbert Harrigan will make a sophomore leap ( she averaged 11.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, and shot 68% from the field) in the last portion of the season. Our defensive stopper Doniyah Cliney was just a sophomore last year and is developing offensively and will very well be an impact player on both sides of the ball. Our freshman Class has very offensive talented players and an Elite Athlete Elisia Grissett. Outside of Gabby Williams she will be hands down one of the most Athletic players in the country who can play 1-5 as well as defend. All these key components on top of first team AA and NPOY candidate A'ja Wilson is more then enough to return to the FF. Wilson will probably average over 20 ppg this year and at least 5 blocks and not to mention SC is one of the best defensive teams in the country. I think we'll be just fine