ESPN Ranking of unbeaten teams | The Boneyard

ESPN Ranking of unbeaten teams

I'm impressed that UConn teams took 6 of the 9 spots. :D

I posted some of this team's stats in another thread, and yes, this team was insanely dominant"

"Bird, Cash, Jones, Williams, and Taurasi were on a mission after losing to ND in NCAA semis the prior season. In 2002, the MOV for regular, BET, NCAA, and total were 38, 39, 27, and 36. The lowest MOV was 9, and the highest was 69. We'll most likely never see that level of domination again."
 
BRS24 said:
I'm impressed that UConn teams took 6 of the 9 spots. :D

I posted some of this team's stats in another thread, and yes, this team was insanely dominant"

"Bird, Cash, Jones, Williams, and Taurasi were on a mission after losing to ND in NCAA semis the prior season. In 2002, the MOV for regular, BET, NCAA, and total were 38, 39, 27, and 36. The lowest MOV was 9, and the highest was 69. We'll most likely never see that level of domination again."
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LOL!!!

How is 2014 #9?

That team combined for:

3 NPOY awards-All stewie

12-State Farm 1st team AA honors:
3-Stewie
2-Dolson
2-KML
2-Moriah
2-Hartley
1-Tuck

8-WNBA draft picks
**The 6 mentioned above along with Chong and Stokes.

2-NDPOY awards-Dolson & Jefferson

The #1 3 - point shooter in program history


And I'm sorry, Achonwa would've done nothing to change that game. She was overrated in college and she's overrated now.
 
Ranking the 9 undefeated teams is subjective at best. While I agree that the 2001-02 teams is either #1 or # 2, the other top team has to be 2015-16. That team had 6 present or future 1st team AA’s and 3 DPOY’s. They beat everyone they played by double digits, while leading the nation in total offense & total defense.
 
It’s all very subjective but I actually think the lowest ranked team, 2014, was arguably UCONN’s best. They won 39/40 games by 15+, with the lone win by fewer being 11 points. They just obliterated everyone and were so good 1-5.
Every other undefeated squad was far more tested and had more competitive games than UCONN in 2014.
 
it still bugs me that the myth of stewie guaranteeing 4 NC is resurrected again by voepel. it's a winning line, but journalists, if they're doing their jobs, should know it's not true.

stewie, we know, simply said she hoped to win 4 championships. i believe it was in answer to a media types question. and, good golley, every incoming freshman should hope to win 4.

it mischaracterizes stewie, and i'm sure some would call her a vain, self-centered braggart if she uttered such BS (not a pun) -- i know i would.

but it sure makes a compelling tale, so the truth be damned.
 
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I understand that this is mostly subjective (I don’t see much comparison of stats between each unbeaten team), but how the 15-16 UConn is ranked 6th is baffling. They had some competitive games, but never won by less than 10 and had the first three WNBA draft picks that year; Kia and Gabby; and Katie Lou and Napheesa (freshmen at the time, but still impactful).

To me, the top 4 unbeaten teams have to be some order of the 02-01, 08-09, and 15-16 UConn teams and the 97-98 Tennessee team.

It’s interesting to note that many well-known and highly-touted players like Candace Parker, Aja Wilson, and Sabrina Ionescu never had undefeated seasons. Brittney Griner only having one is also kind of shocking.
 
ucbart said:
LOL!!!

How is 2014 #9?

That team combined for:

3 NPOY awards-All stewie

12-State Farm 1st team AA honors:
3-Stewie
2-Dolson
2-KML
2-Moriah
2-Hartley
1-Tuck

8-WNBA draft picks
**The 6 mentioned above along with Chong and Stokes.

2-NDPOY awards-Dolson & Jefferson

The #1 3 - point shooter in program history


And I'm sorry, Achonwa would've done nothing to change that game. She was overrated in college and she's overrated now.
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The interior defense of Stewie, Stokes, and Dolson was as good as this year's South Carolina team.
 
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tchalla1 said:
Well, the Stokes/Stewie/Dolson trio played against better teams and they are all now veteran WNBA players who all have won championsips...
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What “better teams” did Stokes/Stewart/Dolson play against? I’d argue that women’s college basketball today is far more competitive now than it was a decade ago. And of course those three players have had more distinguished pro careers since this year’s SC players obviously haven’t gone pro yet.
 
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southofnorth said:
And I might even give the offensive edge to those three given Stewie and Dolson
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When Bria was out with foot/ankle issues, we played a backcourt of Mo and Kaleena. That may have been the best offensive backcourt since Sue and Diana. I think the 2014 was one of the best, certainly not 9th.
 
MilfordHusky said:
When Bria was out with foot/ankle issues, we played a backcourt of Mo and Kaleena. That may have been the best offensive backcourt since Sue and Diana. I think the 2014 was one of the best, certainly not 9th.
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I'd argue that ND's 2012-13 backcourt of Diggins, Loyd, and McBride was a better offensive backcourt than Mo and Kaleena. This is further backed up by their respective pro careers as all three ND players have had far superior pro careers to Mo and Kaleena.
 
MilfordHusky said:
When Bria was out with foot/ankle issues, we played a backcourt of Mo and Kaleena. That may have been the best offensive backcourt since Sue and Diana. I think the 2014 was one of the best, certainly not 9th.
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Hartley was healthy the entire 2014 season so I believe you're referring to the 2013 season? If so, Jefferson had a largely unremarkable freshman campaign coming off the bench (averaged 4ppg).
 
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bovwa10 said:
I'd argue that ND's 2012-13 backcourt of Diggins, Loyd, and McBride was a better offensive backcourt than Mo and Kaleena. This is further backed up by their respective pro careers as all three ND players have had far superior pro careers to Mo and Kaleena.
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I think we were exclusively talking about UConn backcourts, but Diggins, Loyd, and McBride is arguably ND’s best backcourt. I’d love to see them play the Marina Mabrey, Arike Ogunbowale, and Jackie Young team(s).

Also, in all fairness, Mo has had to deal with knee injuries for most of her pro career. Last season she had a real breakout season with Minnesota, so I’m hoping she can build on it. That said, I do wish KML was able to make it as a pro. She had underrated handles and her shot was so pretty.
 
southofnorth said:
I think we were exclusively talking about UConn backcourts, but Diggins, Loyd, and McBride is arguably ND’s best backcourt. I’d love to see them play the Marina Mabrey, Arike Ogunbowale, and Jackie Young team(s).

Also, in all fairness, Mo has had to deal with knee injuries for most of her pro career. Last season she had a real breakout season with Minnesota, so I’m hoping she can build on it. That said, I do wish KML was able to make it as a pro. She had underrated handles and her shot was so pretty.
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Fair, I hope Moriah Jefferson can overcome her injuries.
 
tchalla1 said:
Sorry but 2013-14 Stewie team is by far the all-time best. They had something like five AAs.
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I go with 15-16. Stewart was much belter her senior year than any other. A three-time National Championship team with also the best pg in teh nation as a senior - they were crazy-great. Stewart shot 42.6% from 3. That is better than any year of Bria Hartley as an example. She also shot 62.5% from 2. As a lead player, she was as unstoppable inside-and-out as you will ever have.
 
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bballnut90 said:
Hartley was healthy the entire 2014 season so I believe you're referring to the 2013 season? If so, Jefferson had a largely unremarkable freshman campaign coming off the bench (averaged 4ppg).
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Maybe Bria was slumping late in the season, rather than hurt. I distinctly remember Kaleena playing in the backcourt with Moriah, when Mo was really good, so it had to be 2014. It was also a year when Stewie was consistently good, so it wouldn't have been 2013. It wasn't for long stretches, but maybe 5-8 minutes per game when Mo and Kaleena were paired in the backcourt.
 
bovwa10 said:
I'd argue that ND's 2012-13 backcourt of Diggins, Loyd, and McBride was a better offensive backcourt than Mo and Kaleena. This is further backed up by their respective pro careers as all three ND players have had far superior pro careers to Mo and Kaleena.
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The ND trio was very good, but I was thinking of a duo. Their pro careers were better, but they had no NCAA championships.
 
Screenshot_20230308_195139_Chrome.jpg
 
Power ranking of top teams of all time. You can just remove the not unbeaten teams but, whatever.
 
My list would be:
1. 2001-02 UCONN
2. 1997-98 Tennessee
3. 2008-09 UCONN
4. 2015-16 UCONN
5. 1994-95 UCONN
6. 2011-12 Baylor
7. 2013-14 UCONN
8. 2009-10 UCONN
9. 1985-86 Texas

I put Texas last because I have watched that game several times and, if not for Cheryl Miller's injuries and really poor refereeing, USC would have won the championship.
 
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