Espn.com's Pre-season Top 25

[MilfordHusky]

In fairness, though, UConn was not so great the season before Tina arrived or in her freshman season. I think Geno has more to work with than he did 2004-07, but to be squarely in the hunt for the NC rather than marginally so, we're going to need to see nearly across-the-board improvement from a year ago or giant leaps forward for a couple of girls. Could happen, hope it happens, but until it does, #6 isn't a bad spot to put UConn. We won't have long to find out whether that ranking is appropriate with Stanford only two weeks away!

I like both our talent and personality better than in 2004-07. Yeah, we had some down years, especially 2005. But from 1995-2004, there was barely a down year.

I expect leaps from all the starters plus some help from Caroline. The frosh look very, very good, especially the one wearing #23. Too optimistic? Dunno.

Yeah, if we have 3 losses on January 1, I'll need to reassess. If we have 0, others may need to.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I too think #6 is reasonable. It's a preseason poll so we are looking at them before the kids even start playing. Its not where you start, but where you finish that matters.

There are plenty of early season match ups that will be some early indicators of how the competition stacks up to each other.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

And this year's squad certainly has at least 1 player with NPOY potential, and next year's squad will have at least 3 with NPOY potential.

Exactly. Key word - "potential." Most of the teams ranked ahead of UConn have a proven All-American with NPOY potential (Ogwumike, Diggins, Griner, etc.).

 

[MilfordHusky]

Exactly. Key word - "potential." Most of the teams ranked ahead of UConn have a proven All-American with NPOY potential (Ogwumike, Diggins, Griner, etc.).

3 of the 5, but not Tennessee or TAMU.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Voters are looking at remaining players and not projecting out over the season based on their best estimate. I still think they are dissing our kids.

The 2005 season was the only one in nearly 2 decades when we finished the season rated 6th or lower. It ain't happenin' this season.

 

[msf22b]

I think that this is a thoughtful and fascinating thread and very well discussed.
I always worry a bit before the season starts and this season has so many unknowns, the first in what... 5 years without a recognizable superstar?
We've gotten so used to undefeated seasons, perhaps this one we'll have a few or even more losses.
But my bet is, win or lose, the genius of Geno and his sensational coaching staff will be very much on display.

 

[semper]

Meh. 6 is great. Let the season begin. I'm not worried. It's going to be an incredibly interesting year!

 

[Vowelguy]

Voters are looking at remaining players and not projecting out over the season based on their best estimate. I still think they are dissing our kids.

The 2005 season was the only one in nearly 2 decades when we finished the season rated 6th or lower.

Huh? In 1999 and 2005, we lost in the sweet 16. And I'm not quite sure how you're ranking the team during the elite 8 years, but certainly in 2006 UConn would not have been considered the best team not to the make the F4.

 

[RoyDodger]

I think being picked sixth is fine. It leads to a lot less pressure on the team and provides motivation to show the world that the pre-season polls were completely off. We're going to know pretty quickly how well this team is going to play. November 21: Stanford. December 6: Texas A & M. December 18: Baylor. That's an amazing amount of top competition so early in the season. When's the last UConn played three of the top teams before Christmas?

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Voters are looking at remaining players and not projecting out over the season based on their best estimate. I still think they are dissing our kids.

Isn't that the point of the preseason poll? It is where the teams are...in the preseason.

 

[UConnChapette]

I am fine with 6th. What I am most excited about is for the first time in a while the question for a lot of games will not be "how much will UConn win by?" but "Will UConn win?". Don't get me wrong, I am not saying every game is going to be a nail biter. But there is a pretty big hole to fill without Maya in the line up and a lot of games against teams starting the year ranked in the top 25. Who will become the "go-to" player when the game is close and the clock is ticking down? Will Tiff become more consistent game in and game out? Will Doty be able to play like the Doty of old? How will the freshmen, so filled with potential, handle the glare of the spotlights and the pressure of big games? So many unknowns and questions. It is going to be an interesting, perhaps at times nerve wracking, season. But it is going to be fun watching this team build their new identity over the course of the season. Let the games begin!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Isn't that the point of the preseason poll? It is where the teams are...in the preseason.

Yes and no. In terms of where they are in the preseason, at the extreme, voters could totally disregard all freshmen on the roster because there are no data points on them at the college level. Voters should project out at least from last April to this October. For example, Stef and Bria improved even more than they did last season. The poll looks to me too much like an April poll, disregarding the exiting players. It seems too static and ignores improvement, particularly differential improvement.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Yes and no. In terms of where they are in the preseason, at the extreme, voters could totally disregard all freshmen on the roster because there are no data points on them at the college level. Voters should project out at least from last April to this October. For example, Stef and Bria improved even more than they did last season. The poll looks to me too much like an April poll, disregarding the exiting players. It seems too static and ignores improvement, particularly differential improvement.

If they have not played games, how are voters supposed to measure improvement?