ESPN Panel picking Baylor....

[VAMike23]

.....except for one panelist. Lobo is going with UCONN! I was thinking she had picked ND over UCONN in the semi-final, but I must have been thinking of someone else, maybe Lawson.

What's more interesting is that not one of the other panelists even has UCONN getting to the final. I am giving a slight edge to ND in the semi as well, but I didn't think that opinion would be quite so widespread.

LINK

 

[jsloanjr]

IMO, UCONN can cause a lot of trouble this weekend and next week.......I think they are the best conditioned team and the lighter air of Denver will have a huge affect on the outcome........Kiah is the key against ND and the winner of the night cap. I like UCONN to take it to ND and take back the finals that they should have won last year.

UCONN has everybody healthy and peaking........

 

[Wbbfan1]

I'm being my usual pessimist and thinking that ND beats UConn in the Semis. If UConn had lost in the Big East Tournament, I would pick UConn to win. Just think ND has the better overall team and can usually get to the Free Throw line. ND just like UConn is out to prove they're the better team this year, just like they think they were last year.

Going against the grain in the Finals. If its ND vs Baylor, I'm going out on a limb and say ND wins, once again by getting to the Free Throw line and getting Baylor into foul trouble. I don't think they have the ability to get Griner into foul trouble, but could cause problems for everyone else. Now if Peters and the other ND post players get into foul trouble, then it could easily be a double digit win by Baylor.

Definitely hope I'm wrong and UConn proves me and the rest of the experts wrong by winning their 8th Championship.

 

[trb123]

I don't like it. ND will use this as a motivation.
"Nobody picked us. Go and show them." Muffet is sure to tell the Irish.
I wish Lobo picked ND. Then we could use it as a motivation.

 

[Drumguy]

It's an easy pick, they already beat the other 3 teams iirc. undefeated and refs protecting Griner (I watched her get away with a lot of pushes on offense in the earlier rounds )

 

[EricLA]

i'm not sure how much bulletin board material is needed at this point. i know on paper that sounds good, but if you can't get fired up for a final 4 game, i'm not sure if you can get fired up for anything.

for example, when the Syracuse team said something about it being easy to cover Maya, i'm not sure it made her "try" harder. i think in that case Geno just left her in for 39 minutes and she buried them. does the extra motivation cause her to go 9-10 from beyond the arc (or whatever she was)? maybe, but in that case, the team specifically called out Maya.

Picking ND to beat UCONN or vice versa at this point - i'm not sure it's more than a guess. the teams are not only evenly matched, but very similar in the starters they have. both start 4 guards and a center. both have short benches in big games. their starters have more scoring punch than ours (based on YTD averages), but they have no one like KML, and she' comes off the bench for us.

i think UCONN showed they CAN beat ND and did so in the BET (it was a 15 point game very late until Diggins hit a few very deep bombs). i think both final 4 games will be very competitive and entertaining.

 

[connboy77]

If you need something like revenge to be motivated in the final four in order to win then probably you shouldn't be there. I think this is going to be one of the best games of the year with hopefully UCONN coming out on top.

 

[ezxccsc]

It's an easy pick, they already beat the other 3 teams iirc. undefeated and refs protecting Griner (I watched her get away with a lot of pushes on offense in the earlier rounds )

If they dont call the clearouts with the free hand and the last minute contact on the out of control shots on ND and the pushes you mentioned then I would expect and ND Baylor final

Anyone know who the refs are for the semi's?

 

[wbfree]

IMO, UCONN can cause a lot of trouble this weekend and next week.......I think they are the best conditioned team and the lighter air of Denver will have a huge affect on the outcome........Kiah is the key against ND and the winner of the night cap. I like UCONN to take it to ND and take back the finals that they should have won last year.

UCONN has everybody healthy and peaking........

Obviously there are many keys to a game, but I think the key for us is the way Kelly Faris plays. ND in the past has chosen not to really guarded her. They have played off her, playing her to pass. How she responds to this is key for us.

 

[meyers7]

It's an easy pick, they already beat the other 3 teams iirc. undefeated

I'd pick them too if I had to pick someone. They are the most likely to win.

I sure hope they don't though.

 

[Tonyc]

2 great matchups. At this point anybody can win. I am looking forward to Stanford/Baylor. Stanford is a very balanced team. I want to see if Nneka pulls a Tina on Griner. If the O sisters can score Stanford can win. Dont forget Stanford has alot of big bodies.

UConn has shown ND they can beat them. UConn had a double didget lead by 15 before playing ball control and running down the clock and Diggins hitting all those late shots. Now UConn has Kelly hitting shots and Kiah with more experience. UConn has been playing with alot of poise. I think Peters will have problems. Im also looking forward to see ND having to guard Kelly and playing everybody else one on one. I dont think they can beat us that way. Im picking UConn by 8+ and it could be more.

In the final if its Stanford UConn will have their hands full with Nneka and Nneka will have her hands full with UConn. If its Baylor well UConn lead Baylor at Baylor by 11 and hadnt been to the foul line until Baylor got the lead.

UConn has improved dramatically on both sides of the ball. Caroline and Tiff bringing up the ball takes pressure off. The team is playing with alot of poise. Unless there are phanton fouls, or injuries UConn wins another NC.