How dominant will UConn be in 2017-18?

[tomcat]

There's a huge group of former CT residents from the Villages in Florida who travel all over to UConn games.

These San Diego folks are out of their minds if they do not drive up to LA for the UConn game. Until late last year I lived in Phoenix, and I for absolute sure would have driven over to see it.
People: You have been given a gift, as has anyone who sees a UConn road game drop into their laps. Yes, I know driving from San Diego to LA is hellacious. Driving almost anywhere in California is hellacious. Who cares? You are fans, have a chance to see what may well be an historic version of the team and you're thinking, gee, maybe I should go? And yes, Bridgeman, I completely understand about obligations at home. Those are serious things. But do yourself a favor and do everything you can to make arrangements to see this game. Every fan deserves at least one live game. This could be yours.

 

[Golden Husky]

"I'm shocked-shocked to find that gambling is going on in here."

Sorry, I couldn't resist myself. It's one of my all time favorite movie lines.

"Your winnings, sir."

 

[hoophuskee]

As to most dangerous opponents, Maryland lost their three best players. I'd rank Louisville and the Ohio State road game as tougher games than Maryland. I believe Holmes will be back before Texas and UConn play in January.

nice call!!!!!!!!!!!! I agree with all what you're saying other than Holmes. I have no idea about her.

 

[Roundball fan]

Who that gonna beat our Huskies? No one, no way, not this year. By the middle of the season the haters will be out in full force and I will be loving it. Four months to go and I can't wait to watch our girls play some beautiful basketball again.

 

[hoophuskee]

"I'm shocked-shocked to find that gambling is going on in here."

Sorry, I couldn't resist myself. It's one of my all time favorite movie lines.

"Just as I suspected, you're a rank sentimentalist." And how about with your caution on how well this team will play early? Admit it! Who else is part of your cautious crew? If you don't tell me now I'll find out anyways. After all, all I have to do to get others to talk is just "round up the usual suspects!!"

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Enough.

 

[oldude]

"Just as I suspected, you're a rank sentimentalist." And how about with your caution on how well this team will play early? Admit it! Who else is part of your cautious crew? If you don't tell me now I'll find out anyways. After all, all I have to do to get others to talk is just "round up the usual suspects!!"

I could say, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" but that would be beating a dead horse.

 

[Florida Fan]

Cuevas Moore is a key player, if she decides to take charge and the coach lets her. She can score, defend and dish.

 

[SCGamecock]

Cuevas Moore is a key player, if she decides to take charge and the coach lets her. She can score, defend and dish.

Agreed. She steps into a different role this year... we'll likely see her playing off the ball even more this year because we need her to score and score often, which she can do..

 

[hoophuskee]

Cuevas Moore is a key player, if she decides to take charge and the coach lets her. She can score, defend and dish.

I think she's overrated.

 

[TitleTown]

Cuevas Moore is a key player, if she decides to take charge and the coach lets her. She can score, defend and dish.

She better improve that .388 fg% and 1.25 a/to ratio.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I think she's overrated.

Same here. Plays too out of control. Maybe playing the SG alongside Harris would be better for her. Plus I don't like that she changed her name.

 

[bballnut90]

Same here. Plays too out of control. Maybe playing the SG alongside Harris would be better for her. Plus I don't like that she changed her name.

...why does her name change matter? She is a streaky player but was markedly better last season in regards to staying under control and playing consistently. Harris will man the PG duties and Cuevas-Moore will be another solid ball handler and is a pest defensively. She played close to 30 minutes a game in the NCAAs and had 7 turnovers in 6 games....not bad at all. She was a total wildcard two years ago, but to her credit, she has improved a ton in her decision making and control.

 

[bballnut90]

I agree that South Carolina is a great basketball team and will be right there at the end of the season. I just don't see them as head and shoulders above the other perennial powers like some do. Most posts have I read seem to think that SC will be UConn's biggest test this year, and I just don't agree with that. I think that come tournament time UCLA, Texas, Miss. St., and even Tennessee(addition by subtraction of DeShields) will be tougher match ups for UConn.

I don't think they're head and shoulders above anyone else. If you take UCONN out of the equation, they'd likely be the #1 team in preseason, but I think a lot of other teams are capable of beating SC, and I could easily see them dropping 4-5 games over the course of the year. I don't see them being as good as they were this year, but I think with what they have returning, they'll be a favorite to reach the Final Four again this year.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

and I could easily see them dropping 4-5 games over the course of the year. I don't see them being as good as they were this year,

They lost 4 games this past year. Good team, fortunate circumstances come tourney time.

 

[Jim R]

They lost 4 games this past year. Good team, fortunate circumstances come tourney time.

Agreed -in many ways, their "perfect storm".

 

[Mdoggie]

Tennessee will be the toughest opponent. Lol

 

[CocoHusky]

Good team, fortunate circumstances come tourney time.

I'm not so sure how fortunate SC was last year.
1) Placed out West by the selection committee away from the fan base that led NCAA in attendance.
2) Lost a dominant low post player WNBA 2nd pick for tournament
3) Won the national Championship with a Freshman PG.
4) Beat the team that knocked out UCONN (Miss. St.) 3 Times last year by increasing margins each time.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Enough.

Enough of What---as a glutton in a gluttonous society-----I never have enough of anything--except pain.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I'm not so sure how fortunate SC was last year.
1) Placed out West by the selection committee away from the fan base that led NCAA in attendance.
2) Lost a dominant low post player WNBA 2nd pick for tournament
3) Won the national Championship with a Freshman PG.
4) Beat the team that knocked out UConn (Miss. St.) 3 Times last year by increasing margins each time.

So what are you trying to say??? The University of South Carolina WBB team is the 2017 National Champions--legitimately?
How dare you--you know they stole the Championship.
Now the previous year was a fluke---ND who realistically should have played UConn for the championship--gave USC a beating the world still resounds with--

 

[UConnCat]

I'm not so sure how fortunate SC was last year.
1) Placed out West by the selection committee away from the fan base that led NCAA in attendance.
2) Lost a dominant low post player WNBA 2nd pick for tournament
3) Won the national Championship with a Freshman PG.
4) Beat the team that knocked out UConn (Miss. St.) 3 Times last year by increasing margins each time.

SC was fortunate last year, just like UConn was in 2013.

So what SC was placed out west; it's not like they had to win on another team's home court. The competition in the Stockton bracket was very favorable for SC. Remember, SC beat Quinnipiac in the S16.
Losing Coates would have hurt more if she were the only post player. Her absence opened up the inside for Wilson.
SC won because they were able to avoid UConn, much like UConn won in 2013 because they were able to avoid playing Baylor. UConn also played a ND team in the semis that had the pressure of having to beat UConn for the 4th time in a season.

I say this not to diminish SC's championship, much like I won't diminish UConn's in 2013. They both count. But, like Geno said in 2013, sometimes you get a little lucky.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Enough of What---as a glutton in a gluttonous society-----I never have enough of anything--except pain.

Dominant enough. Hasn't the "sports world" been saying UConn is "too dominant." So I just want dominant enough.

 

[CocoHusky]

SC was fortunate last year, just like UConn was in 2013.

So what SC was placed out west; it's not like they had to win on another team's home court. The competition in the Stockton bracket was very favorable for SC. Remember, SC beat Quinnipiac in the S16.
Losing Coates would have hurt more if she were the only post player. Her absence opened up the inside for Wilson.
SC won because they were able to avoid UConn, much like UConn won in 2013 because they were able to avoid playing Baylor. UConn also played a ND team in the semis that had the pressure of having to beat UConn for the 4th time in a season. I say this not to diminish SC's championship, much like I won't diminish UConn's in 2013. They both count. But, like Geno said in 2013, sometimes you get a little lucky.

If I were to believe anything with regards to luck is that luck favors the prepared and South Carolina was prepared.
The issue with SC playing in the West was not having to play on another team's home floor it is simply that the team was placed geographically farthest away from the most abundant fan base in the NCAA.
Regarding Coates opening up the inside for Wilson, not sure I'm buying that either. Coates and Wilson operated as a tandem for 3 years and largely dominate WCBB (outside of UCONN) & suddenly after 3 years when part of the tandem goes down and that's seen as a good thing? The way the brackets were set up SC would have avoided UCONN until the Championship game anyway. It was both teams job to get to the final game. SC made it, UCONN did not. To say that SC won because they avoided UCONN is kind of a slippery slope because I surrounded by that kind of revisionist logic everyday ( I work in MD). These revisionist believe that UCONN was "fortunate" in avoiding a MD rematch.

 

[UConnCat]

If I were to believe anything with regards to luck is that luck favors the prepared and South Carolina was prepared.
The issue with SC playing in the West was not having to play on another team's home floor it is simply that the team was placed geographically farthest away from the most abundant fan base in the NCAA.
Regarding Coates opening up the inside for Wilson, not sure I'm buying that either. Coates and Wilson operated as a tandem for 3 years and largely dominate WCBB (outside of UConn) & suddenly after 3 years when part of the tandem goes down and that's seen as a good thing? The way the brackets were set up SC would have avoided UConn until the Championship game anyway. It was both teams job to get to the final game. SC made it, UConn did not. To say that SC won because they avoided UConn is kind of a slippery slope because I surrounded by that kind of revisionist logic everyday ( I work in MD). These revisionist believe that UConn was "fortunate" in avoiding a MD rematch.

Maryland? Please. That's an imaginary slippery slope. If you agree UConn was fortunate in avoiding a rematch with Maryland than I don't know what to tell you.

SC was a better team without Coates because they had Gray, Davis and Harris, three players they didn't have in the previous 3 years.

SC was better than every team in its bracket and its S16 and E8 opponents (Quinnipiac and FSU) were a long way from home too. Are you seriously saying SC needed its abundant fan base to beat Quinnipiac and FSU?

Yes, it was UConn's job to make the final game and they didn't get it done. It was Baylor's job to get to the FF in 2013 and they didn't get it done. SC and UConn were fortunate that they didn't.

 

[CocoHusky]

If you agree UConn was fortunate in avoiding a rematch with Maryland than I don't know what to tell you.

I definitely do/did not agree with them. I tell them the same thing you just told me: Maryland? PLEASE!
I also said: Miss. St? PLEASE!
Overall I disagree with the notion that every time there is a upset, some other team not in the upset is "fortunate". And one other note on the SC fans not going West, this is still WCBB we are talking about where lack of attendance remains an issue.