Final Four threats

[jchusky]

agree with all of you on UNC (sorry triad) Courtney building something special and then she just landed Toomey. If you told South Carolina who their toughest game was this season, I bet they would say North Carolina. North Carolina just didn't have the offense to win that game, but eventually they will get offense and they will be in the running for a ntl title. This season I think whoever wins Acc them or Notre Dame represents the last spot in the final 4. Iowa won't win anything until they get a head coach that can elevate Caitlin's Clark to the next level. She is a great player, fun scorer to watch, but defensively she is still ways to go. I've said they should go after Jenny and bring her home from Oklahoma.

 

[UConnCat]

Pretty sure they didn’t have guard play this year and made it to the final four

They're guard play was okay last year. Lexie Hull was very good but had a rare poor shooting night against UConn in the FF. Her sister Lacie and Anna Wilson were steady at the point guard spot. Hannah Jump played off the bench.

In the upcoming season it will be Hanna Jump and 2 freshmen -- Indya Nivar (HG #20 SG) and Talana Lepolo (HG#71 PG). I suspect Haley Jones will play some guard next season though her ball-handling is always an adventure. Van Gytenbeek, who was expected to take over at PG, transferred out. Stanford's guard play will be a question mark heading in to next season.

 

[southie]

i would be very surprised if either Texas or LSU makes final 4 this year. Both teams lost a lot of starters and Texas also lost top scorer off of bench. Both have some very good players coming in but they have never played with each other. Team chemistry is a big question as well as how well freshmen will play.

That's a valid point, and applies to a lot of teams. But, in Vic's first two seasons at Texas, he's been able to mold incoming transfers, true freshmen, and returnees into Elite 8 squads. So, while the "never played with each other" statement is true, Schaefer has still been successful (although one game short of the Final Four).

Vic's first season at Texas, he had to implement his new offense and defense. His newcomers included transfer PG Kyra Lambert from Duke, and PF/C Lauren Ebo and G Karisma Ortiz from Penn State, as well as 4 true freshmen. Veteran talent in Charli Collier, Audrey Warren and Joanne Allen-Taylor provided leadership, and youngster Celeste Taylor rounded out the squad.

In year two, Charli Collier and Celeste Taylor were the biggest losses for Vic after season one. Vic brought in transfer Aliyah Matharu, 2 JUCO transfers, and 4 freshmen newcomers Rori Harmon, Latasha Lattimore, Kyndall Hunter, and Aaliyah Moore. DeYona Gaston was hurt the previous season and had season-ending surgery earlier in the year, so she was somewhat of a newcomer. Two second year players left during the Fall.

This year, Vic brings in transfers Taylor Jones, Sonya Morris, and Khadija Faye; maybe Shaylee Gonzales and one more. Gone are veterans Ebo, Allen-Taylor, Warren, and Matharu. Also gone after one season are Lattimore and JUCO Kobe King. What Vic will have for the first time at Texas is a returning point guard; that's huge.

 

[southie]

Pretty sure they didn’t have guard play this year and made it to the final four

Stanford had 3 seniors guards, and the transfer from Northwestern. They will have less experienced guard play this season and no incoming transfer guards.

 

[triaddukefan]

NC was SC toughest game in the NCAA tournament. Iowa got beat by Creighton on their homecourt. SC smoked Creighton by 30. Going by the eye test and those results it would be hard for me to think Iowa is better than a UNC team that is adding top 20 recruits to what they already have.

I'm going to agree and vomit at the same time.

 

[cancontent]

Duke making it to the Final Four would surely be shocking when you consider they didn't make the tournament last season. They played poorly down the stretch and didn't look like a cohesive unit that wanted to play together.

A lot of roster turnover so we'll see what Lawson does with this year's group. I predict Day-Wilson will take a lot of shots.

That's not a hard prediction to make.

Watching her this past week, I thought she played better as a point guard than when she tried to be a shooting guard. She gets just as many points without having to shoot at the same volume, while making a ton of assists IMO.

 

[visitingcock]

Not gonna pick Final Four. SCar, UConn and Stanford are ALMOST locks and too many other to chose from. Can't even pick the Elite Eight. I will express my opinions on the Top Eight Seeds though.

Using the 6 power champs + two runners-up theory, I see the Top 8 seeds as being
UConn*
Stanford
SCar
Texas
Louisville
Iowa

Two of the following:
Tennessee with a slim possibility of LSU
NC State or UNC or Notre Dame
Iowa State or Baylor
Indiana
UCLA or Oregon or Arizona
(No conference will have both of these two picks)


* Yes. UConn is a Power Champ despite not being a Power 5 Champ.

 

[GoChips20]

Not gonna pick Final Four. SCar, UConn and Stanford are ALMOST locks and too many other to chose from. Can't even pick the Elite Eight. I will express my opinions on the Top Eight Seeds though.

Using the 6 power champs + two runners-up theory, I see the Top 8 seeds as being
UConn*
Stanford
SCar
Texas
Louisville
Iowa

Two of the following:
Tennessee with a slim possibility of LSU
NC State or UNC or Notre Dame
Iowa State or Baylor
Indiana
UCLA or Oregon or Arizona
(No conference will have both of these two picks)


* Yes. UConn is a Power Champ despite not being a Power 5 Champ.

I agree with your assessment, although I’m not as sold on the three pseudo-locks as many posters on the board. In theory, all three should advance, but SC can have executional lapses at inopportune times (hello Kentucky), Stanford’s guard play is as much a question mark as any team’s in the country, and I’m nowhere near sold on UConn’s frontcourt.

I think these three teams beat the others in the list more times than not, but this could be one of the deepest seasons for WBB in memory. I think Texas and Tennessee are the most viable national championship picks aside from the Big Three, but Louisville should be improved offensively and teams like Iowa are always dangerous because you can catch them on a night where they simply can’t miss.

 

[UConnCat]

A good place to start when thinking about Final Four/Championship contenders is which teams have the truly elite players in the game. It's not always a guarantee but it's the best place to start, particularly when the elite players have a history of carrying their teams to the FF and typically end up with the ball in big moments. This also assumes their supporting cast is pretty good. Three that are the most obvious are Boston, Jones and Bueckers. I'd include Clark as a player capable of leading her team to a FF even though she hasn't been there yet. Her ability to score from anywhere on the court and make decisions at big moments makes Iowa a threat despite their deficiencies at the defensive end. The 4 players I mentioned will be All-Americans and competing for POY honors.

Sweet 16 and especially Elite 8 games are hard to win. Just ask the young Notre Dame team that melted down in the 4th Qtr against NC State. Pressure does funny things to players. Elite players are considered elite because they are wired to handle the big moments.

The regular season will tell us what other players are capable of leading their teams on a deep run in the tournament. Is it Horston for Tennessee? She's capable of making big shots but also wildly inefficient and careless with the ball. Harmon for Texas? We'll see. Miles for ND? Maybe.

 

[nwhoopfan]

A good place to start when thinking about Final Four/Championship contenders is which teams have the truly elite players in the game. It's not always a guarantee but it's the best place to start, particularly when the elite players have a history of carrying their teams to the FF and typically end up with the ball in big moments. This also assumes their supporting cast is pretty good. Three that are the most obvious are Boston, Jones and Bueckers. I'd include Clark as a player capable of leading her team to a FF even though she hasn't been there yet. Her ability to score from anywhere on the court and make decisions at big moments makes Iowa a threat despite their deficiencies at the defensive end. The 4 players I mentioned will be All-Americans and competing for POY honors.

Sweet 16 and especially Elite 8 games are hard to win. Just ask the young Notre Dame team that melted down in the 4th Qtr against NC State. Pressure does funny things to players. Elite players are considered elite because they are wired to handle the big moments.

The regular season will tell us what other players are capable of leading their teams on a deep run in the tournament. Is it Horston for Tennessee? She's capable of making big shots but also wildly inefficient and careless with the ball. Harmon for Texas? We'll see. Miles for ND? Maybe.

You have to add Hailey Van Lith to your list. She was fantastic in the Tourney up until the Semi Final game, so she's been there and done that, just like Boston, Jones and Bueckers.

 

[Mdoggie]

Tennessee is a sweet 16 team and elite 8 if the cards fall right.

 

[UConnCat]

You have to add Hailey Van Lith to your list. She was fantastic in the Tourney up until the Semi Final game, so she's been there and done that, just like Boston, Jones and Bueckers.

Well no I don't, actually. I don't consider her quite at the level of the four players I mentioned. Maybe she'll put herself in the elite category by the end of the upcoming season but right now I don't consider her a serious POY candidate. If you do well then that's your list.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well no I don't, actually. I don't consider her quite at the level of the four players I mentioned. Maybe she'll put herself in the elite category by the end of the upcoming season but right now I don't consider her a serious POY candidate. If you do well then that's your list.

You're right, you don't have to do anything. She's played a key role in leading a team further in the Tourney than Clark, who you did mention, so I figured Hailey Van Lith belonged on the list as well.

 

[saywho]

While I do think Stanford will need to find their footing with guard play, I am actually more optimistic about them this year than last. Last year, a true guard was not present in general. This year, both Lepolo and Nivar will be learning, but they’re guards. Nivar just beat out a lot of top guards over the summer for the U19 team. Lepolo is a pure guard. But beyond that, when you look at their front court and add in Haley Jones, it’s pretty crazy. Jones. Brink. Betts. Those three to start it. And Belibi. And Kiki Iriafen who showed in the second half of the season that she’s going to be great. I’m curious how they get minutes. And of course Jump can shoot. They’re pretty loaded, and I’d call it disappointing to not see them in the FF. Obviously, nobody is a lock and anything can happen … but they’re as much a lock as anybody else can be.

 

[SCGamecock]

Everyone is talking about the SEC being fun this season but the ACC looks like a BLAST. UNC, ND, Louisville, NC State all look like legit contenders for the league crown to me.

 

[Mdoggie]

Everyone is talking about the SEC being fun this season but the ACC looks like a BLAST. UNC, ND, Louisville, NC State all look like legit contenders for the league crown to me.

Why isn’t there talk about the Big East? I mean that’s where the next National Champ is coming from. The other conferences are battling for second place.
Signed,
All UConn fanatics

 

[eebmg]

Why isn’t there talk about the Big East? I mean that’s where the next National Champ is coming from. The other conferences are battling for second place.
Signed,
All UConn fanatics

Because they are institutionalized?

I know, Villanova and Creighton made some noise in NCAA but was that followed up with any meaningful recruiting?

UConn is the Big, Everyone else is just East of the Mississippi. Might as well get used to it.

 

[Geew1992]

You have to add Hailey Van Lith to your list. She was fantastic in the Tourney up until the Semi Final game, so she's been there and done that, just like Boston, Jones and Bueckers.

I agree with you on Hailey Van Lith.... But besides her, are there any other big names that can help her get back to the Final Four?

 

[Dillon77]

Everyone is talking about the SEC being fun this season but the ACC looks like a BLAST. UNC, ND, Louisville, NC State all look like legit contenders for the league crown to me.

Don't forget Va. Tech: center Liz Kitley won ACC player of the year (not Ms. Cunane) and point guard Georgia Amoore returns. Aisha Sheppard is in the "W" but Ashley Owusu joins the fray. If she and Amoore can work together in the backcourt, there could some serious inside (Kitley)-- mid-range (Owusu) -- long-range (Amoore, Cayla King) action.

p.s. Strong props to @SCspur for pointing out BC transfer Taylor Soule will also join the Hokies. Makes them that much stronger.

 

[stwainfan]

Tennessee is a sweet 16 team and elite 8 if the cards fall right.

Made Sweet 16 last year. Without the best player. Now a improved roster.

 

[Mdoggie]

Made Sweet 16 last year. Without the best player. Now a improved in

You will land there again. Tennessee just doesn’t have it. They will find a way to lose. Mind you, you will have a good regular season but fail in those important 6 games in March.

 

[jbc021592]

Not gonna pick Final Four. SCar, UConn and Stanford are ALMOST locks and too many other to chose from. Can't even pick the Elite Eight. I will express my opinions on the Top Eight Seeds though.

Using the 6 power champs + two runners-up theory, I see the Top 8 seeds as being
UConn*
Stanford
SCar
Texas
Louisville
Iowa

Two of the following:
Tennessee with a slim possibility of LSU
NC State or UNC or Notre Dame
Iowa State or Baylor
Indiana
UCLA or Oregon or Arizona
(No conference will have both of these two picks)


* Yes. UConn is a Power Champ despite not being a Power 5 Champ.

I think ND deserves to be in your top 8, but we’ll see….

 

[SCGamecock]

Don't forget Va. Tech: center Liz Kitley won player of the year (not Ms. Cunane) and point guard Georgia Amoore returns. Aisha Sheppard is in the "W" but Ashley Owusu joins the fray. If she and Amoore can work together in the backcourt, there could some serious inside (Kitley)-- mid-range (Owusu) -- long-range (Amoore, Cayla King) action.

Completely forgot about the addition of Owusu! That’s going to be an exciting league!

 

[SCspur]

Don't forget Va. Tech: center Liz Kitley won player of the year (not Ms. Cunane) and point guard Georgia Amoore returns. Aisha Sheppard is in the "W" but Ashley Owusu joins the fray. If she and Amoore can work together in the backcourt, there could some serious inside (Kitley)-- mid-range (Owusu) -- long-range (Amoore, Cayla King) action.

Taylor Soule is there as well. I could easily see VT being in the top 10 at some point this season.

 

[Big Shoulders]

Made Sweet 16 last year. Without the best player. Now a improved roster.

Make that a much improved roster.....The portal was very, very good to the Lady Vols...