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I believe Andy opted out this year due to Covid, few think she will return.
Miss St Notes
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bballnut90
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Agree. Kentucky was always good, but I was never wowed by Mitchell's ability as a head coach. No idea how Elzy will do as head coach but she has a really good roster and Howard is the preseason favorite for NPOY. Maybe she'll take them to the next level.
bballnut90
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Mississippi State at 5 definitely seems low, although all of the top 5 teams look quite solid on paper. Mississippi State I think is somewhat of an enigma with McCray coaching. Her teams statistically have been pretty lousy offensively, especially compared to Vic who was an underrated offensive coach and his teams played some excellent basketball.
The roster has a lot of players who've shown glimpses of excellent play, but will that develop into Mississippi State being a top 5 team again? The offense should revolve around Rickea Jackson who appears to have all the tools to be a very good go to player. I think she'll need to be more aggressive offensively this year and take on more of a go to role, but will she be ready for that? She was a big time player as a freshman but often seemed content deferring to others. My guess is she does flourish in a system likely centered around her.
Jessika Carter had a huge jump in production and play, but she wasn't a big factor against better teams. Big question mark IMO, especially against teams in the top 10. It's one thing to score at will against mediocre teams as a 6-5 post, but she'll need to have better showings against the stronger teams.
On the flip side of that, you have players like Mingo-Young and Matharu who were studs against very good teams (both looked sensational vs South Carolina) but largely sat on the bench most of the year. Can they be consistently good players or were those sort of random flashes of great play? Matharu in particular is intriguing, but I don't know how consistent she'll be in a larger role.
On top of that there is Myah Taylor who became a very good decision maker but wasn't an offensive threat, and you have a big time transfer in Sidney Cooks coming in who was a former top 5 recruit, but she didn't live up to that billing at Michigan State.
Lots of questions marks and a ton of potential. If players all make that step forward in their game, Mississippi State could be a really, really good team. I think a lot of pieces have to fall into place in order for Mississippi State to take that leap to become a Final Four threat this year. If Vic was coaching, I think he'd get them there, but I'm just not sold on McCray until I see how they play under her.
Also worth noting, more often than not, it's teams who have a lot of experience or a couple of proven returning go to players that are capable to take their team to a Final Four opposed to a team that has a lot of talent but also a lot of question marks.
SimpleDawg
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On a roster standpoint, Mississippi State has a Top 5 roster. I'd argue we're #4. ABOVE UConn. You can argue coaching change knocks us down a few spots, but someone always steps up we're not expecting.
We had more changes than people we retain in our overall main lineup in last 2 years, and someone new always steps up and instantly raises their profile.
We had more changes than people we retain in our overall main lineup in last 2 years, and someone new always steps up and instantly raises their profile.
bballnut90
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Not even close to matching UCONN's on paper, but still strong. UCONN has 2 former HS POYs on its roster, plus Westbrook and ONO who were top 5 recruits. HS rankings aren't everything by any means, but UCONN's roster is stronger top to bottom. Mississippi State has Rickea Jackson who is a stud and a lot of solid players. They could very well be a lot better than most here expect they'll be, but I think the loss of Schaefer is being underestimated as he was as good as anyone in the country at getting the most out of kids and creating great teams. Mississippi State has talent but it's highly unlikely that the program can throw in a new coach and have comparable results.
SimpleDawg
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I kinda disagree. ONO is like Cooks - didn't live up to her initial Top 5 rankings. Williams is like Carter - less effective against the great teams. Beyond those, UConn is left with Bueckers and Westbrook, and has to start Makurat. Guessing we can easily scramble up a squad to match that.
As for high school rankings, UConn definitely has the advantage but we can't base a roster's strength on the amount of top high school players.
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bballnut90
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Neither has exactly lit it up, but ONO put up better numbers across the board than Cooks did both as sophomores and did so against better competition.
Williams didn't have the sophomore season UCONN fans hoped she would, but she played very well against good teams as a freshman. 28 and 19 in two games vs. Notre Dame, 16 vs. Louisville, and 14 vs. UCLA. Even last year despite her struggles, she still put up 21 against a very defensive Baylor team. She's shown she can score in a variety of ways and against good competition, it seems more like a mental switch for her than lack of ability to produce.
In contrast, Carter only has 1 season of work to look at and she didn't have good games against Stanford or either South Carolina matchup. Maybe it's not fair to brand her as struggling against better teams with a limited body of work, but I believe those were the only teams along with Tennessee all season that had big 6'3+ physical posts, and Carter struggled with production in all 4 games and foul trouble in 3.
ONO might be a better comparison to Carter since both are the same age, play the same position, and both struggled against opposing bigs but could be dominant against smaller players. That said, between the two I'd give ONO the edge from an eye test. She showed off a better midrange game, better passing and was a better defender than Carter last year despite Carter putting up more points. I don't see the gap between the two being that significant and anything can happen on a given day, but that's my 2 cents on the comparison.
In regards to bench play, Westbrook was a big time producer prior to transferring (15 ppg, 5 assists per game) and had huge games against very good teams (29 vs Stanford, 16 vs ND, 19 vs Mississippi State). Bueckers is regarded as the best #1 recruit in quite some time, and Makurat played very well as a freshman with her production increasing consistently throughout the season. Makurat had a great A/TO ratio and was a major bright spot last season....there's nothing negative about "having" to start her. All 3 should be massive weapons for the Huskies this year and primary players.
SimpleDawg
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Well... if we're gonna count freshman year, then Cooks had a far better freshman year than ONO. And in ONO's sophomore year, she got 3.8 rebounds per game on 26.4 minutes per game (that's more than Cooks' minutes, yet got less rebounds). Not sure where you're getting the idea ONO's numbers are better across the board. I'm seeing those players as pretty equal, except Cooks' has 3 point range. Neither are amazing, but it seems to me that these 2 players cancel each other out.
I can agree Williams is better than Carter, but I'm just pointing out the concern is Williams didn't show up against Oregon and South Carolina. And while she did show up against Baylor, against Tennessee she was again inconsistent. I think Notre Dame was fairly weak last year, and like an average ACC team.
Carter pulled a no-show against Stanford and in the SEC tournament, but she did have a good stretch of play against Kentucky, Tennessee, A&M, and Arkansas - which kinda proves to me that while inconsistent she is definitely a difference maker against the SEC. And against South Carolina, she wasn't really needed. She took 1 field goal, but Vic gave up looking to her to try to play the game he wanted - and instead used guard depth to almost beat South Carolina. Can you imagine a game where UConn doesn't need Williams? Again, I think Williams is a better player - but I don't think that alone you can say UConn overall has a stronger roster. If they do have a stronger roster, it can't be by much. Since I think on the other front Jackson is better than Westbrook. Also, Carter is not a really a post so she's not gonna beat big bodies defending her.... to me she's more of a Power Forward forced to play out of position.
And what you're saying is my point all along. UConn is perceived to be better, but I see the two teams as kinda equal. Bueckers is probably better than any newcomer we have, and while I'm not saying there's anything negative about Makurat, I don't think she scares anyone and teams probably take a chance on her beating them than anyone else if they have to choose.
Also, Mississippi State has greater depth. And the main reason Jackson aside we're not perceived to have any other nationally recognized players is because we're balanced and our back-ups can sometimes outplay our starters. Where does Geno look to when Westbrook, Williams, or Bueckers struggles? That's kind of the team we had last year, we would pull the bench sometimes so it's really not easy to recognize who our top players are and it's really any given day. Is that gonna change this year? I doubt it
UConn wins on coaching and recruiting rankings though. But respectfully I don't see a whole lot separating these 2 teams. Mississippi State can have 1 elite player, and 8 very good players and still win a lot of games like that. Even if you argue your top 3 or 4 players are slightly better, I'd still take Rickea over anyone UConn has at this point.
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If this were Vic's team I would say the FF could be a strong possibility. I have confidence McCray will do well and the team will be successful but I am unsure we are FF material.
One of my biggest complaints last year is we didn't have an alpha. We had a team of very good players and Jackson got better each game but she didn't assert herself as the go to player. The team seemed to adopt a "ride whoever is hot" mentality which gave players a lot of opportunities to get on the floor but also showed how inconsistent they could be.
If we have a season there is a lot to look forward to. I just don't want to get expectations too high and be disappointed.
One of my biggest complaints last year is we didn't have an alpha. We had a team of very good players and Jackson got better each game but she didn't assert herself as the go to player. The team seemed to adopt a "ride whoever is hot" mentality which gave players a lot of opportunities to get on the floor but also showed how inconsistent they could be.
If we have a season there is a lot to look forward to. I just don't want to get expectations too high and be disappointed.
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Last year was certainly different than previous years,
i thought a major change was no dominate post play. We missed Big T physical presence. Morris was beginning to exert herself toward years end and hopefully that will carry over this year. We have depth at the post just hope we have toughness. we will learn a lot from the UConn game.
I hope every team underestimates Anna this year like you just did....it will result in 3s raining down with great passes. I still haven't figured out why so many people seem to minimize her abilities.
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Wow. That's a pretty dismissive view of the Huskies. Somehow I suspect that few teams in the country will be able to "scramble up a squad" to match them by the end of the season.
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Like many UConn fans you see your players at their best and see the flaws in your opponents.
As a UConn fan I see this:
Bueckers is already much better than 95% of wcbb.
Depth? UConn has more depth now than any of the last 10 years. Depth is not an issue this season.
If Westbrook, Williams, or Bueckers struggle? I'm guessing you mean scoring? Bueckers' value will be as a facilitator, not a scorer. But she is very capable of putting up huge numbers if either of the other 2 you named falters.
It's funny how the tint in our glasses gives us such different images.
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Wow, I am glad to see some MSU fans excited about our year but also a little surprised to see some dismissing Uconn. I'm not trying to blow smoke just because of the board location but Uconn will be extremely good. Jackson is the only player on our team would start for the Huskies. Uconn could be very good this year if Paige and Evina play as expected. If our game happens in a week I hope we play well and win but am looking forward to what both teams will bring.
SimpleDawg
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Well, this site Women's Basketball has UConn likely 3rd and Mississippi State 4th, so is there a HUGE difference? Not seeing that. It's one source sure, but the AP put the difference between the two teams at #3 and #6. All I'm saying is I don't think the gap between the 2 teams are gigantic like some people are claiming. (and reading this site, it's pretty clear most people think the gap is gigantic)
And while Rickea is the only player who will start for the Huskies, (Williams, Westbrook, and Bueckers certainly starts over any guard that we have) I do think Cooks has a chance to beat out Makurat and ONO because she was a former #5 overall player. Not saying she will, but she has a chance to.
And this is the least I've been excited about my team in 3 years. I don't feel good at all actually, but overall I think Mississippi State has a slightly stronger roster. Difference of about #4 vs #5 tho so it's not a huge difference. Is that against consensus? Maybe.... but to each his own. It's just my opinion.
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My take, I believe MSST and UConn are comparable in player talent, however I think UConn has a huge advantage in coaching staff. May not be fair to judge MSST staff before they have played a game but we know Geno and his staff has the experience and expertise to produce national championships. my pick, should the two play, as we expect, UConn by less than 10.
SimpleDawg
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Of course. It will be quite an accomplishment if McCray actually knocks off, ya know.... Geno, regardless of what squad he has. It would put our all-time record against UConn at 2-1. I'm not expecting it, because Geno losing to a first year coach who's only ever coached at Old Dominion is just not anything to bet on. It could happen if Mississippi State was way more talented than UConn, but it seems to be a slight talent difference at best. Maybe we can catch UConn before their depth has started to develop and that's our best bet. I think at least during the 2nd game of the year, depth is on our side, and we gotta use that to our advantage.
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I didn't see Makurat's breakout vs conference opponents, but she didn't really show a lot in your OOC.
A lot was asked of her, perhaps unfairly, but she didn't exactly deliver, IMO.
The skill set theoretically can be good, but I didn't think she looked like a future UCONN star.
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Maybe I'm just too high on Miss State, but I see a big, deep team, with a potential All American and POY candidate in Williams who will be extremely difficult to handle in crunch time with her height and skill set.
Barring a big bounce back from Williams, I'm not sure UCONN has an All American.
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I know UConn. Miss St not so much. But being close in the rankings can be deceiving. There have been years when the gap between 1 & 2 was larger than the gap between 50 and 150. UConn has had 20 pt wins against many teams ranked highly. I remember 2017, when No 2 UConn beat No 1 S Car by 20.
bballnut90
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Makurat played well vs Oregon (13 points on 5-9 shooting), but laid an egg vs. SC. It took her a bit to find her groove, but she played much better as the year went on. Good passer, unselfish, and more often than not she made good decisions. She was a massive upgrade from Kyla Irwin, IMO. I don't think she'll be a future go to player or star but I think she'll be a very solid glue player which every team needs.
Also, UCONN isn't my team. I usually actively root against the Huskies but try to stay objective when analyzing them.
SimpleDawg
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I would consider UCONN's head coach an All-American
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bballnut90
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The biggest gap between the programs, IMO, is coaching. If Vic was coaching this squad, I think they could make a Final Four since he does more with less than anyone, and he would have had a good roster this year. There is definitely talent in Starkville but can McCray get similar production from her players? Based on her results from ODU and looking at their stats, I don't see it. I would love to be surprised since I always enjoy seeing former Lady Vols coach and I like Mississippi State's program/fanbase, but if I'm being honest I think it might be a tougher transition than fans anticipate.
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Beat Writer - Ben Portnoy - Commercial Dispatch
“News | Per a source close to the team, doctors found a blood clot in Xaria Wiggins' right lung in Oct. and that's why she isn't available.
She's expected back in Jan. and has participated in non-contact drills, but is limited until she's off the medicine treating her condition.”
“News | Per a source close to the team, doctors found a blood clot in Xaria Wiggins' right lung in Oct. and that's why she isn't available.
She's expected back in Jan. and has participated in non-contact drills, but is limited until she's off the medicine treating her condition.”
well we took down Baylor on the offense of a 5’0 guard (and I know bc I’ve stood beside Morgan many times). I’ve seen Myah play since she was 16. She can flat out ball. She was a 5 star out of high school and the 3 time Gatorade POY for MS. The best on-ball defender we’ve got and one of the best in the SEC. She is also BY FAR the most coachable player on that team. She has been Coach McCray’s project. Is her offense going to make or break us...no. just don’t be surprised when teams can no longer take her shot for granted.
SimpleDawg
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I'm hoping we can get by even without elite coaching. Because McCray is entering a program with some expectations that feel like they belong in the Starkville bubble only. I've heard many Bulldog guys say "McCray is an equal to Vic" without seeing any of her games. I mean I'm glad Starkville and most importantly the players choose to live in that reality because that palpates excitement and the players really wanna play here and they seem to really believe in Nikki. Also, the fans really wanna see this new era - even though nobody outside Starkville considers McCray elite.
I think all of these are the keys blocks to maintaining success. I know lots of programs have players who really wanna play and fans who really wanna see their team. But if you'll look around the women's college basketball world of 2020.... there's UConn, Tennessee, Baylor, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Louisville who live and die with women's basketball, but most of the other schools can live without it - or if another sport takes precedence there - those probably get higher priority. Just saying, there's more than just coaching that equals success.... being part of that few company of schools with a high priority towards women's basketball I'd argue matters even more than coaching.
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Fan expectations are always crazy.
Dawgs: A first-year coach is gonna dominate and take MSST to the final four (okay, it could happen but it should not be an "expectation)
'Cocks: The loss of Kiki and Tyyesha wont be felt. Our sophomores are so good we wont miss those two floor leaders. We'll be more dominant right off the bat in 2020 than we were at the end of 2019-20.
"Fan" is diminutive for fanatic and often brings in fantasy.
Dawgs: A first-year coach is gonna dominate and take MSST to the final four (okay, it could happen but it should not be an "expectation)
'Cocks: The loss of Kiki and Tyyesha wont be felt. Our sophomores are so good we wont miss those two floor leaders. We'll be more dominant right off the bat in 2020 than we were at the end of 2019-20.
"Fan" is diminutive for fanatic and often brings in fantasy.
SCGamecock
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I'm not one to publicly admonish other Gamecock fans, especially on another fanbase's board.. but it was crazy seeing some of our fans say things like "we wouldn't miss Ty and Kiki".. Ty was a FOUR year starter at PG and won a national championship as a freshman and came close as a senior. You don't replace that leadership easily just because she had a few talented understudies. It's also interesting how after a few games those same fans are now dialing back their expectations. South Carolina always starts the season slowly lol..
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