Elite 8 and Final 4 Early Predictions

[Baller29]

Who are your 8 teams you predict to make it to the elite 8/final 4 this coming season?

Elite 8:
-UCONN
-SC
-UCLA
-Texas
-Duke
-TN
-OU
-UNC

(dark horses Ole Miss and Michigan)


Final Four:
-UCONN
-SC
-UCLA
-Duke (if Lawson can teach her teams how to shoot) if not Texas (yes they can’t shoot either)

 

[stwainfan]

E8
Texas
Uconn
South Carolina
Tennessee
NC State
Baylor
Duke
TCU
FF
Uconn
Tennessee
South Carolina
NC State

 

[visitingcock]

E8
Texas
Uconn
South Carolina
Tennessee
NC State
Baylor
Duke
TCU
FF
Uconn
Tennessee
South Carolina
NC State

Betts can carry UCLA to at least an E8. add LSU to the E8. Take out Baylor and ???

Odds are against SCar to the F4. Only one coach has taken a school to(+5) straight F4s.* Not Pat or Tara! We have talent but depth is an issue that could catch up to us.

* Note Exception: Hogg and Barmore combined to take LaTech to 6 straight F4s. Three at the end of the AIAW and the first 3 NCAAs.

 

[Alydar]

Betts can carry UCLA to at least an E8. add LSU to the E8. Take out Baylor and ???

Odds are against SCar to the F4. Only one coach has taken a school to(+5) straight F4s.* Not Pat or Tara! We have talent but depth is an issue that could catch up to us.

* Note Exception: Hogg and Barmore combined to take LaTech to 6 straight F4s. Three at the end of the AIAW and the first 3 NCAAs.

Prior to 1994 the path to the final four was shorter.

 

[stwainfan]

Betts can carry UCLA to at least an E8. add LSU to the E8. Take out Baylor and ???

Odds are against SCar to the F4. Only one coach has taken a school to(+5) straight F4s.* Not Pat or Tara! We have talent but depth is an issue that could catch up to us.

* Note Exception: Hogg and Barmore combined to take LaTech to 6 straight F4s. Three at the end of the AIAW and the first 3 NCAAs.

Baylor out UCLA in. I think that might be the only change I'd make. TCU if I had to take out any other team.

 

[visitingcock]

Prior to 1994 the path to the final four was shorter.

True, but does the round of 64 really present much more of a challenge? Some, I'll admit, but not much. Plus, the fact remains that only one school did it six straight (other than UConn). Early power U$C couldn't do it (or even get 10 straight S16s). Tennessee couldn't do it. Stanford couldn't. Heck, even Mt. Holyoak couldn't to it in the NAIA. I'm worried that SCar and Dawn can't do it because of depth issues.

 

[Alydar]

True, but does the round of 64 really present much more of a challenge? Some, I'll admit, but not much. Plus, the fact remains that only one school did it six straight (other than UConn). Early power U$C couldn't do it (or even get 10 straight S16s). Tennessee couldn't do it. Stanford couldn't. Heck, even Mt. Holyoak couldn't to it in the NAIA. I'm worried that SCar and Dawn can't do it because of depth issues.

Right. The other big differences in the past, at least in the mens tournament, was that only one team from a conference was allowed into the tournament, plus teams played in their geographical region until the FF. UCLA benefited from regionalism in that there usually weren't any other ranked teams in the west but UCLA. I'm not sure how the women handled those issues.

 

[Bone Dog]

I'm worried that SCar and Dawn can't do it because of depth issues.

I'm not worried. I mean, there are depth issues, to be sure, especially with Ashlyn sitting out the season. But Dawn is one of the all-time great motivators. She's taught her players to believe they can accomplish anything.

 

[visitingcock]

Right. The other big differences in the past, at least in the mens tournament, was that only one team from a conference was allowed into the tournament, plus teams played in their geographical region until the FF. UCLA benefited from regionalism in that there usually weren't any other ranked teams in the west but UCLA. I'm not sure how the women handled those issues.

Our last year in the ACC (71?) our men went undefeated in the regular season but lost the tournament championship game ( always in Greensboro back then) as the SEC refs bid us “farewell.” We went to the NIT instead. I think the ACC was the only conference that selected its tournament champ back then. Might have been the only conference tournament.

 

[visitingcock]

I'm not worried. I mean, there are depth issues, to be sure, especially with Ashlyn sitting out the season. But Dawn is one of the all-time great motivators. She's taught her players to believe they can accomplish anything.

True but we’ll be holding our breath every time a player slightly limps.

 

[Alydar]

Our last year in the ACC (71?) our men went undefeated in the regular season but lost the tournament championship game ( always in Greensboro back then) as the SEC refs bid us “farewell.” We went to the NIT instead. I think the ACC was the only conference that selected its tournament champ back then. Might have been the only conference tournament.

Back then the NIT was a much better tournament. It was filled with most of the top B1G, SEC & ACC teams. And the bulk of the tournament was at MSG. Like now, the NCAA pandered to the power conferences and didn't want their tournament to diminish the conferences. Not much has changed.

 

[GamecockFam]

I'm not worried. I mean, there are depth issues, to be sure, especially with Ashlyn sitting out the season. But Dawn is one of the all-time great motivators. She's taught her players to believe they can accomplish anything.

The biggest depth issue is at shooting guard. If Ta'Niya Latson goes down, its going to be a long season. Coach Staley loves her slashers and Latson is the only true slashing guard on this roster with Fulwiley gone.

While having Watkins is a plus, we still have two other forwards with All-American potential in Kitts and Edwards. Plus, if Dauda can regain her groove she'll be a defensive force and All-SEC caliber of player who can play both the 4/5. I'm the least worried about forward depth being the reason we don't make it back to the final four. The athleticism of the above players is good enough to get us far into the tournament.