First game jitters are the norm, not the exception. Let’s give them 10 or 12 games and the evaluate their play. However, on paper, which is really the only legitimate/fair way to look at it this early, I can’t think of any team in my time of following women’s basketball that had as much talent as this one! Does that guarantee anything? No! But I’d certainly rather be us than any other team. In my opinion, our championship hopes ride on two things, injuries and defense. We have dominated women’s basketball because unlike Maryland, for example, we have not simply had a world class offense or defense but both. Sure, we outscore almost everyone we play, as does Maryland. However, we almost always hold the opponents scoring below their norm as well. That is the main reason we have 11 championships. If Geno et al can get this team to play defense somewhere close to what we have played in the past, we will be huge favorites to win number 12. IMO Of course, as we have seen periodically, when it comes down to one game anything can happen, but the favorite is that for a reason and more often than not will prove their superiority on the court. As for those occasions when they don’t well, that’s why March Madness is the most exciting time in all of sports! IMO
