Most Excited To See in the 24-25 Season?

[GoChips20]

I'm curious why you think minutes at South Carolina would be an issue? Everyone seemed happy last year and they won a championship, why would this year be any different?

For South Carolina i am curious about the loss of Cardoso and how it impacts their perimeter play on both sides of the ball most of all. I know they went undefeated with Cardoso last year but it was against a very small UConn team (who I think would have matched up better with South Carolina w/ Cardoso rather than wi/o) and Missouri/Vanderbilt I believe? I'm not sure thats the most meaningful sample size especially as teams were really able to gameplan for South Carolina without Cardoso.

South Carolina arguably looked better in Cardoso’s absence, albeit in a small sample size. We saw Watkins at center for a few games and she regularly hit midrange jumpers to space the floor. Not suggesting SC will be better without Cardoso, just saying that Watkins (if available) can be more dynamic offensively which gives them more time options on the floor.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I'm curious why you think minutes at South Carolina would be an issue? Everyone seemed happy last year and they won a championship, why would this year be any different?

For South Carolina i am curious about the loss of Cardoso and how it impacts their perimeter play on both sides of the ball most of all. I know they went undefeated with Cardoso last year but it was against a very small UConn team (who I think would have matched up better with South Carolina w/ Cardoso rather than wi/o) and Missouri/Vanderbilt I believe? I'm not sure thats the most meaningful sample size especially as teams were really able to gameplan for South Carolina without Cardoso.

Because sometimes attitudes change after a championship.

A lot of coaches have talked about it.

I don't think UConn would have been better off with Cardoso playing. South Carolina played pretty poorly on offense in part because folks were trying to do too much to fill that gap.

I think there is a chance that SC doesn't find the right balance this coming season, but they upside of the team is tremendous. It should be fun to watch.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

South Carolina arguably looked better in Cardoso’s absence, albeit in a small sample size. We saw Watkins at center for a few games and she regularly hit midrange jumpers to space the floor. Not suggesting SC will be better without Cardoso, just saying that Watkins (if available) can be more dynamic offensively which gives them more time options on the floor.

I don't agree with that. Definitely a better team on both sides of the floor with Cardoso.

But still very good without her.

Every team is different and has to figure it out and the personalities will have to be willing to sacrifice again.

 

[JellyBean]

I am excited to see which players for UConn got better, stayed the same, or made no improvements. As for teams, I am really excited to see Stanford and how well they do with their new coach. I am excited to see what Indiana does in the Big Ten. Same with Coach Moseley at Wisconsin. With the new programs added to the Big Ten, I hope that she continues to make improvements with that Wisconsin program. She is one of my favorite coaches out there. Homegirl got an eye for eye glass fashion! Top notch designs & colors!

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I am excited to see which players for UConn got better, stayed the same, or made no improvements. As for teams, I am really excited to see Stanford and how well they do with their new coach. I am excited to see what Indiana does in the Big Ten. Same with Coach Mosele at Wisconsin. With the new programs added to the Big Ten, I hope that she continues to make improvements with that Wisconsin program. She is one of my favorite coaches out there. Homegirl got an eye for eye glass fashion! Top notch designs & colors!

To be honest, I'll probably think UConn looks shaky as hell all year and they'll probably
then make the Final Four as usual.

I think it's possible/probable they are better off without Muhl but don't see how losing Edwards can be good.

It doesn't seem to me that UConn has a championship front court but I suppose it might be good enough.

 

[JellyBean]

To be honest, I'll probably think UConn looks shaky as hell all year and they'll probably
then make the Final Four as usual.

I think it's possible/probable they are better off without Muhl but don't see how losing Edwards can be good.

It doesn't seem to me that UConn has a championship front court but I suppose it might be good enough.

Good take. I think UConn is going to have a lot of questions, especially with the health of so many players & if the freshies can play at the college level, if they get decent minutes, until end of December. But we got Coach Auriemma and Paige, so we are in decent shape.

Nika was a force and to me, that straw that stirred the drink. She pushed the tempo on offense and that spark on defense. Will we be better without her? Who knows. Not having Aaliyah Edwards, much like Nika is going to be hard but we shall see what develops. Ice, Ayanna, Jana, and Sarah could work out or not. It is going to be an interesting season.

 

[hornets]

Until proven otherwise, I just don't get the UCLA hype. UCLA is that team that the media hypes every year, and then ****, there goes the early exit. Talented yes. I'll leave it there.

 

[GoChips20]

Until proven otherwise, I just don't get the UCLA hype. UCLA is that team that the media hypes every year, and then ****, there goes the early exit. Talented yes. I'll leave it there.

I genuinely really like Cori Close as a person, leader, recruiter, and program builder, but Xs-and-Os coaching is not her strong suit and it seems to cost UCLA most years.

 

[yhun89]

I genuinely really like Cori Close as a person, leader, recruiter, and program builder, but Xs-and-Os coaching is not her strong suit and it seems to cost UCLA most years.

I don't like her coaching at all. She's somehow managed to butcher having a 6'7 Center on her team by just... not having her guards pass to her. Or when they do, it's like there's no communication and Betts is completely unprepared. Betts should honestly look elsewhere for development but I already know it's not gonna happen. Which is too bad, she could easily become a #1 pick in 2027 when she's eligible.

 

[Gate81]

and just think if Betts had stayed at Stanford and would be the key focus player this season.

 

[Reypl21]

and just think if Betts had stayed at Stanford and would be the key focus player this season.

Tara buried her on the bench her Freshman season. And she probably would have limited her playing time last season too. At least she got to play and put up numbers last year. But I agree. I think UCLA's guards limit Betts. The way the Oregon State guards knew Beers was option 1 is the way UCLA should play through Betts.

 

[jdote33]

Tara buried her on the bench her Freshman season. And she probably would have limited her playing time last season too. At least she got to play and put up numbers last year. But I agree. I think UCLA's guards limit Betts. The way the Oregon State guards knew Beers was option 1 is the way UCLA should play through Betts.

 

[JellyBean]

and just think if Betts had stayed at Stanford and would be the key focus player this season.

Would she? This would have been Year Three and who knows what would have happened in Year Two. Would she have played more minutes and gained confidence? Would she have developed a little more given the playing dynamics? So many what ifs. Who knows what would have happened last year if she stayed at Stanford.

 

[JellyBean]

Tara buried her on the bench her Freshman season. And she probably would have limited her playing time last season too. At least she got to play and put up numbers last year. But I agree. I think UCLA's guards limit Betts. The way the Oregon State guards knew Beers was option 1 is the way UCLA should play through Betts.

What UCLA games were you watching? Betts may not have been option 1. I am pretty sure she was 1A. UCLA guards made sure Betts was included as much as possible. In the UCLA/UConn game, Kiki was just on fire in that one. UCLA/Arkansas, Betts was featured a lot. Oregon State did well for Beers and UCLA did well for Betts. Each team featured their players accordingly.

 

[Steelerone]

Looking over all the posts gave me pause to think about the changes in Woman's Basketball since the days of Lobo and Company. At that time there were, perhaps, five teams in the nation that could even begin to compete with Uconn and Tennessee. Now we are talking about five teams from a single conference. As much as I want to see our woman's Huskies at the top how great is it for a fan of the game to witness the evolution?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Would she? This would have been Year Three and who knows what would have happened in Year Two. Would she have played more minutes and gained confidence? Would she have developed a little more given the playing dynamics? So many what ifs. Who knows what would have happened last year if she stayed at Stanford.

Her Fr. year, they were trying to rotate 6 front court players thru 2 positions. As a soph it would've been 3 players, she undoubtedly would've gotten a lot more PT.