ESPNW's way too early top 25. Guess who's #1 | Page 2 | The Boneyard

ESPNW's way too early top 25. Guess who's #1

Sluconn Husky said:
WIlson-Manyacka has nothing to do with anything.

They are all college freshmen.

You should stop while you're behind.
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"She just outplayed Wilson-Manyacka, leading DME to the Chipotle National title". You brought this up to show how good Okeke supposedly is. Are you having a stroke?
 
Sluconn Husky said:
Four if you count Okeke, and you should.
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JuJu, Jazzy, Saniyah, Okeke, and Kennedy! I don’t think much of Gottlieb’s coaching skills but that is a hell of a roster! Surely, even a mediocre coach could win with that talent?

Also, let this serve as my public apology to Cori Close! I have dogged her for years and she finally won the big one! Furthermore, I have to admit 😢 she won me over with her postgame speeches. I now anounce, publically, I am a Cori Close fan! Congrats to her and her players! They deserved it!
 
Geno needs to develop a center. Who was the last great center on UConn, Tina Charles? Unfortunately, a true center doesn't fit nicely into Geno's system.
 
oldude said:
Crooks poses a challenge for any team she goes to. For her to be effective, you have to build your offense around her, essentially dumping the ball into the post constantly while everyone else stands around. IMO, it’s not a winning formula.
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Just because the team she was on built the offense around her does not mean she would not be amenable to playing in a more balenced system. She obviously was not happy in a system where she was the offense or she would not have entered the portal. Her focus might now be to win which the system she was in did not accomplish. She might want to be on a team with better players who the defense would have to cover. She still might not fit in many systems, but not necessarily because she would want the ball all the time.
 
willtalk said:
Just because the team she was on built the offense around her does not mean she would not be amenable to playing in a more balenced system. She obviously was not happy in a system where she was the offense or she would not have entered the portal. Her focus might now be to win which the system she was in did not accomplish. She might want to be on a team with better players who the defense would have to cover. She still might not fit in many systems, but not necessarily because she would want the ball all the time.
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I agree with your take. My point is to those who believe Crooks could go somewhere like ND and transform them into a national championship contender by scoring 25 ppg. She is not a particularly good defender and she can’t play in an offense that pushes the pace in transition.
 
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Geew1992 said:
Like crooks??
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Crooks is 6’3” also. My point on Somfai is that, unlike Crooks, she can play away from the basket and stretch the defense. Where Crooks is pretty much a one dimensional big, Somfai is much more versatile.

So if I am Geno considering who in the portal might be a good addition, there is no doubt that I would look at Somfai over a player like Crooks. Not to mention that Crooks is a one year rental while Somfai has 3 years to play.
 
oldude said:
So if I am Geno considering who in the portal might be a good addition, there is no doubt that I would look at Somfai over a player like Crooks. Not to mention that Crooks is a one year rental while Somfai has 3 years to play.
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Also, there is the small but significant possibility that some refs may finally start calling Crooks for using her ample posterior as a battering ram. That is such a fundamental —all puns intended—part of her scoring technique that she wouldn’t have much offensive value without it.
 
This is one of the first years with no clear favorite. While UConn, S Carolina, Texas, and maybe USC are all strong contenders, with the transfer portal there are several more teams that normally hide in the 8-12 rankings that could make a run at the end of the year. I feel about the same regarding UConn's chances as 2 years ago. While we had Paige, there were alot of unknowns that eventually came together for the championship. Just as Strong made a big impact as a frosh last year, potentially Big O and 1-2 new players can step up. I tend to yell alot when UConn is in close games so have already warned the neighbors.
 
CTtoSanDiego said:
Not that this means anything, but UConn is #1
"Somehow the Huskies lost Paige Bueckers and still had a more impressive regular season and reached a 25th Final Four. So, as important as Azzi Fudd was to this year's team, UConn should be able to thrive. Having the best player in the game in Sarah Strong is the biggest reason. Strong's offensive game is complete, but it's her play at the other end of the court that helped make UConn the best defensive team in the country this season. Blanca Quiñonez could be a star with another season of development -- signs had already begun pointing that way during the 2026 NCAA tournament. The rest of the rotation, except Serah Williams, all has eligibility, so KK Arnold, Kayleigh Heckel and Ashlynn Shade should return to spearhead a deep and versatile backcourt."

www.espn.com

NCAA women's basketball Way-Too-Early 2026-27 Top 25 rankings

UCLA is the 2026 champion -- but unranked in the first top 25 for next season. Runner-up South Carolina is No. 3.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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I refuse to get caught up in these rankings.
 
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USC could be good. But do we know how Juju’s rehab is going? I don’t, that’s for sure, and it isn’t a given that players come all the way back from that sort of injury. It might also be better for USC if Juju were willing to take a reduced role, given the talent elsewhere on the team. Is there a universe in which she plays only ~20 minutes a game?
 
oldude said:
So if I am Geno considering who in the portal might be a good addition, there is no doubt that I would look at Somfai over a player like Crooks. Not to mention that Crooks is a one year rental while Somfai has 3 years to play.
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I doubt UConn goes the portal route, but were they to do so I think it would almost certainly be for a player that missed out on a previous time. And there isn't a striking need for anyone outside of a quick player that can pass as a center.

I've been wrong before but UConn could very well have too many deserving players next year so adding to that problem would only come with a player like Somfai falling into their laps.
 
ec33 said:
I doubt UConn goes the portal route, but were they to do so I think it would almost certainly be for a player that missed out on a previous time. And there isn't a striking need for anyone outside of a quick player that can pass as a center.

I've been wrong before but UConn could very well have too many deserving players next year so adding to that problem would only come with a player like Somfai falling into their laps.
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Geno has always valued bigs who can spread the floor and shoot the ball. In more recent times that has included Stef, Stewie, Z & Dorka. There is no one currently on the roster who fits that profile. The Big O looks promising. But she’ll be a freshman. Somfai would arrive at UConn already battle tested in the ACC with a skill set that Geno is looking for.

He did offer her last year. So it’s not like he would have to get to know her to determine if she would fit in his system.
 
Sifaka said:
Tilda Trygger (6’6”) is portalized. Does she make sense for Geno's scheme?

gopack.com

Tilda Trygger - 2025-26 - Women's Basketball - NC State University Athletics

Tilda Trygger (18) Forward - IN THE NC STATE RECORD BOOK Freshman Season No. 6 in games played (34) No. 8 in blocks (22) No. 11 in rebounds (166) 2024-25 (FR...
gopack.com gopack.com
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She’d be a junior, I think. She moves well but does not strike me as an ‘assertive’ big. More tall and willowy. She made a lot of progress as a sophomore, averaging 30 minutes 11 pts 7 rebounds and shot 34% from 3. The rebounding number doesn’t look great if that’s what Geno is looking for. She could add something to the team but doesn’t look like a game changer.
 
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BB Dawg said:
Geno is swayed by guards & small ball. Jana should have played more this past season, especially @ the Final 4
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Yes, and that is why I have reservations about any post player who would come to UConn. Jana could shoot the three, handle the ball, hit the short jumper and rebound. However, after starting on a NC team, Geno went after a player who was not as good, imo. Would he do the same with a new post?
 
willtalk said:
Just because the team she was on built the offense around her does not mean she would not be amenable to playing in a more balenced system. She obviously was not happy in a system where she was the offense or she would not have entered the portal. Her focus might now be to win which the system she was in did not accomplish. She might want to be on a team with better players who the defense would have to cover. She still might not fit in many systems, but not necessarily because she would want the ball all the time.
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...and then there is her desire to be compensated mightily, regardless of which system.
 
oldude said:
Here’s a question. When has a team ever gone from winning the national championship to being unranked prior to the next season? I get it. UCLA loses 6 seniors/grad students who scored all their points today. But it’s an extremely unusual situation.
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So… Audi Crooks to UCLA?
 
ec33 said:
I doubt UConn goes the portal route, but were they to do so I think it would almost certainly be for a player that missed out on a previous time. And there isn't a striking need for anyone outside of a quick player that can pass as a center.

I've been wrong before but UConn could very well have too many deserving players next year so adding to that problem would only come with a player like Somfai falling into their laps.
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With two roster spots open, I would be very surprised if UConn doesn’t get a player from the portal.
 
mainerhuski said:
So… Audi Crooks to UCLA?
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I don’t see Close building her offense around Crooks. I think she will try to rebuild her team from the portal, to be sure. But I’m not sold on Crooks as an option, particularly as a 1 year rental.
 
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Sluconn Husky said:
Okeke isn't ranked by most outlets since she's a Euro but is arguably the best player in the class. ASGR ranks her 1st.
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She has just finished a full year of high school in the states, which makes her eligible for ESPN’s next rankings, which should come out a day now. I watched her in the Chipotle tourney. She really is very good and will no doubt have at least a top 10 ranking.
 
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