Next year's #1

[Vowelguy]

With A LOT of top players from top teams graduating, seems like a bunch of shuffling coming in the top 5.

Who will be #1 ?

Oregon (if Ionescu stays)?
Stanford?
Baylor?

 

[Longtime fan]

With A LOT of top players from top teams graduating, seems like a bunch of shuffling coming in the top 5.

Who will be #1 ?

Oregon (if Ionescu stays)?
Stanford?
Baylor?

We only known thing for certain; it won't be UCONN.

 

['nuff sed]

We only known thing for certain; it won't be UCONN.

Faithless

 

[UConnCat]

Feb 1st is of course the perfect date to project next year's #1 team.

 

[Longtime fan]

Faithless

I am faithless. But I am also rational. You believe something else? Make your case for why UCONN will be ranked number one as the season opens.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Feb 1st is of course the perfect date to project next year's #1 team.

Or the length of winter.

 

[Vowelguy]

Feb 1st is of course the perfect date to project next year's #1 team.

No one's forcing you to read this thread, Cat. And it's not like the thread title was misleading.
Would it be better if I started yet another thread about last night and/or complaining about Geno/the players?

I just wanted something different to talk about the board.

 

[triaddukefan]

Maybe Maryland?

 

[eebmg]

I am faithless. But I am also rational. You believe something else? Make your case for why UCONN will be ranked number one as the season opens.

Because we have freed up enough cap space to attract 2 max players. Oops, wrong sport.

 

['nuff sed]

Huh ???

They won't be. What's ranking have to do with anything. #1 is the winner of the final game, not the 1st game.

Rational ? How do you figure that. As a Longtime Fan you got delivered NC after NC --- by undeniably the best program directors and managers arguably in all of sport and you're ready to jump off a bridge on an off year, or maybe 2-3 years. ---some would call that the definition of IRRATIONAL

--You are entitled to nothing. You are owed nothing, Not by the coach, not by the players.

Buddy - hate to say it but you don't deserve another NC.

FAITHLESS

Go root for the Knicks

 

[EricLA]

Tennessee... I say that tongue-in-cheek. Every preseason it seems, the "experts" look at all the AA's on their roster as well as the top players coming in and say "Tennessee should be in the top 5 or 10"..., And recently, every year, They lose a bunch of games they should not and tumble in the rankings.

For next year I would say Oregon. They lose the least of the elite teams.... Probably Baylor #2. Maybe Stanford #3?

 

[Charliebball]

Tennessee... I say that tongue-in-cheek. Every preseason it seems, the "experts" look at all the AA's on their roster as well as the top players coming in and say "Tennessee should be in the top 5 or 10"..., And recently, every year, They lose a bunch of games they should not and tumble in the rankings.

For next year I would say Oregon. They lose the least of the elite teams.... Probably Baylor #2. Maybe Stanford #3?

depends if a certain point guard decides to stay or go doesn't it?

 

[Fightin Choke]

Tennessee... I say that tongue-in-cheek. Every preseason it seems, the "experts" look at all the AA's on their roster as well as the top players coming in and say "Tennessee should be in the top 5 or 10"..., And recently, every year, They lose a bunch of games they should not and tumble in the rankings.

For next year I would say Oregon. They lose the least of the elite teams.... Probably Baylor #2. Maybe Stanford #3?

That is probably the most important factor, but definitely not the only important factor. Given the sophomore leap is usually the largest, teams with excellent freshmen classes might improve a bunch. And sophomores to juniors is a big jump, too, for players that take a little longer to develop. (Incoming freshmen almost never have a significant impact.)
Think about UConn after the big 3 graduated. Napheesa and KLS had great sophomore campaigns. And Gabby and Kia raised their games as juniors. (Dangerfield didn't have much of an impact as a freshman that year.)
Or take Notre Dame the year after Diggins graduated. Conventional wisdom had Notre Dame taking a step back (preseason #6 AP and #7 Coaches), but the rest of the players showed so much development that Notre Dame was undefeated until the NC game, when an Achonwa-less Irish team (she tore her ACL in the E8 game against Baylor) were drubbed by the your Huskies.
So in that vein, I would be wary of Baylor, as they have an excellent freshman class and lots of returning talent.

 

[the Q]

With A LOT of top players from top teams graduating, seems like a bunch of shuffling coming in the top 5.

Who will be #1 ?

Oregon (if Ionescu stays)?
Stanford?
Baylor?

Preseason or who wins it all?

 

[Shmermerer]

I would put South Carolina in the mix, especially if Cooper stays. They don’t lose a lot and have a loaded class coming in.

And just a little note. I was bashing SC pretty badly earlier in the season. They look a whole lot better now. Realized they just implemented a new offensive system this year and it’s starting to gel.

 

[DallasBUFan]

Baylor, Oregon, Stanford, Oregon St?, Texas?, South Carolina?

No particular order. I think the first 3 will be in top 5. UConn somewhere in top 6. The other 3 have the roster's to be good.

 

[Dillon77]

With A LOT of top players from top teams graduating, seems like a bunch of shuffling coming in the top 5.

Who will be #1 ?

Oregon (if Ionescu stays)?
Stanford?
Baylor?

Vowelguy: Excuse this question but it helps the way I think about it.
Do you mean #1 at the beginning of the season? (Pretty sure you do.) Or the national champion pick?
As we all know, a number of teams are bringing in hordes or freshman and/or having massive personnel changes and it might take awhile to get the kinks out.
Thanks.

 

[Vowelguy]

Vowelguy: Excuse this question but it helps the way I think about it.
Do you mean #1 at the beginning of the season? (Pretty sure you do.) Or the national champion pick?
As we all know, a number of teams are bringing in hordes or freshman and/or having massive personnel changes and it might take awhile to get the kinks out.
Thanks.

start

 

[DaBball]

Oregon St. will very much depend on Andrea Aquino, Kennedy Brown, and Taylor Jones. If any of those 3 can step into the starting role at the 5, they can be very good. Slocum, Pivec, Tudor, and Corosdale will all be very experienced by next season, but they need a consistent scorer from the 5.

 

[Bama fan]

Or the length of winter.

Punxsutawnwey Phil thinks tomorrow is a better day to predict the length of winter.

 

[bballnut90]

With A LOT of top players from top teams graduating, seems like a bunch of shuffling coming in the top 5.

Who will be #1 ?

Oregon (if Ionescu stays)?
Stanford?
Baylor?

I was thinking about this yesterday...my initial thoughts were:
1. Oregon-assuming Ionescu is back, they'll be the favorite next year. All starters for Cazorla are back, plus they have the younger (and allegedly better) Sabally returning.

2. Baylor-they lose AA Kalani Brown and Chloe Jackson but return Lauren Cox and their loaded freshman class. If Egbo, Decosta and Smith all improve, look out.

3. South Carolina-if Te'a Cooper is back, Gamecocks should be a Final Four favorite. They return all contributors besides Alexis Jennings and bring in the top class. Boston should make an impact from the get go. They'll have one of the deepest rosters in the country.

4. Connecticut-the roster *appears* to be very thing right now, but we know a lot can change with grad transfers making a big impact. Connecticut still has Williams/Walker/ONO who will all take on much bigger roles, plus one of the best PGs in the country in Dangerfield. Filling out the rotation is the big question mark, as none of Irwin, Coombs or Bent have shown they are capable rotation players.

5. Oregon State-everyone but role players Grymek and McWilliams returns for Rueck. Aquino will also make her mark as a RS freshman. Slocum should be one of the best players in the nation next year.

6. Stanford-could be higher or lower. Jones is good but doesnt make up for Smith. Belibi is athletic but is her game college ready?

7. Notre Dame-they lose more than anyone else when you look at how seldom they use their bench, but they'll return a NPOY candidate in Jackie Young who will lead this team. They also bring in a standout recruit in Brunelle and have a lot of freshmen and sophomores who will log big minutes next season. Muffet is one of the best coaches in the country, so as long as Young stays I think ND will be strong.


Most of the top teams are going to be seriously depleted due to graduation:
Baylor-lose starting PG and center. Both are standouts

UCONN-lose their 2 best

ND-lose 4 double digit scorers

Stanford-lose an AA senior in Smith

Mississippi State-Danberry, McCowan, Howard and Holmes all leaving. And the 5th starter is coming off an ACL. They're as depleted as anyone.

Marquette-lose five 1000 point scorers

The 2019 graduating class is fantastic, but none of 2019, 2020 or 2021 appear to be powerhouse classes. There havent been a lot of standouts yet like weve seen from 2018 and 2019.

 

[IWearShoes]

Certainly not expecting another Final Four caliber squad, but Mississippi State will have a lot to work with next year. Promise Taylor and Jess Carter in the post (being coached by a proven post developer in Johnnie Harris). Bibby back. AEH and Bre Scott back. Xaria Wiggins. Rickea Jackson and some other nice freshmen.

Key will be how far Myah Taylor progresses at the point and if one of the freshmen can capably back her up.

3 or 4 seed seems a reasonable goal.

 

[LoTrader]

Oregon St. will very much depend on Andrea Aquino, Kennedy Brown, and Taylor Jones. If any of those 3 can step into the starting role at the 5, they can be very good. Slocum, Pivec, Tudor, and Corosdale will all be very experienced by next season, but they need a consistent scorer from the 5.

Oregon State, barring injury, will be a force next year. Pivec, Tudor, Maddie Washington will all be experienced seniors. Aleah Goodman, Destiny Slocum, and Taya Corosdale will be experienced juniors. We will have 6'9" freshman Andrea Aquino (looks great in warm ups!), 6'6" McDonald's AA Kennedy Brown, 6'3" Taylor Jones, and 6'7" sophomore Trish Morris.

Barring injury, Oregon State & Oregon will be the favorite to win the PAC-12 next year.

 

[Plebe]

My way-too-early top 5:

1. Baylor: loses Brown and Jackson but the strong freshman class led by NaLyssa Smith will step in.
2. Oregon: loses Cazorla and Gildon but should get the younger Sabally sister.
3. Stanford: loses Smith and some role players, but strong recruiting class arrives.
4. Maryland: loses only Fraser.
5. South Carolina: loses Cuevas-Moore, Jennings and Cliney; but killer recruiting class is on the way.

 

[IWearShoes]

Oregon State, barring injury, will be a force next year. Pivec, Tudor, Maddie Washington will all be experienced seniors. Aleah Goodman, Destiny Slocum, and Taya Corosdale will be experienced juniors. We will have 6'9" freshman Andrea Aquino (looks great in warm ups!), 6'6" McDonald's AA Kennedy Brown, 6'3" Taylor Jones, and 6'7" sophomore Trish Morris.

Barring injury, Oregon State & Oregon will be the favorite to win the PAC-12 next year.

Lord, that is some serious size!!