Notre Dame Loses - who is the #1 seed now? (Merged thread)

[Vowelguy]

He put out an article today with the following:

Chicago - Baylor, Marquette
Albany - UConn, MSST
Portland - Oregon, ND
Greensboro - Lousiville, Stanford

UConn to Albany is just over 2 hours. ND to Chicago is an hour and a half!! There is no way they are not going to put ND in Chicago - it would be crazy if they didn't.

I would agree that's unlikely. Though putting Marquette, which is even closer to CHIC, does partially mitigate.

 

[ShmiCO]

Schadenfreude aside, this game was an enjoyable watch. Good commentary too!

 

[Tonyc]

The NCAA will put the big draws close to home in order to fill the seats. ND needs to be near ND. UConn in the East. SC near SC etc. It puts fannies in the seats and dollars in the NCAA. If any of the teams that draw are shipped elsewhere fans wont show up like they would and the NCAA will loose money. Just think many UConn fans have already purchased their Regional tickets for NY. If UConn was shipped out west next year UConn fans would not purchase their tickets in advance.

 

[Tonyc]

Monday nite is huge for seeding as well as for us to see if UConn is a true one seed and out of their slump. Im expecting alot of energy from our girls. This game will tell us alot about where UConn is as a team heading to the NCAA tournament

 

[triaddukefan]

The NCAA will put the big draws close to home in order to fill the seats. ND needs to be near ND. UConn in the East. SC near SC etc. It puts fannies in the seats and dollars in the NCAA. If any of the teams that draw are shipped elsewhere fans wont show up like they would and the NCAA will loose money. Just think many UConn fans have already purchased their Regional tickets for NY. If UConn was shipped out west next year UConn fans would not purchase their tickets in advance.

Considering next year's regionals are in Dallas, Fort Wayne, Greenville, and Portland.... I'd doubt many UConn fans would be purchasing tickets far in advance regardless of what the Ncaa does this season.

 

[huskeynut]

The bottom line is UConn will be a 1 or 2 seed, most likely in Albany. ND is facing the same problem for their projected region.

To get to the final 4, you have to win 4 games in your region. 2 more wins and its a National Championship. The rest is all noise.

 

[bbballfan23]

The bottom line is UConn will be a 1 or 2 seed, most likely in Albany. ND is facing the same problem for their projected region.

To get to the final 4, you have to win 4 games in your region. 2 more wins and its a National Championship. The rest is all noise.

Tell that to the UConn team that won in 2013.

 

[UConnCat]

ND has possibly the worst depth in the countey. They dont rely on anyone off the bench and if a starter isnt "on" there isnt a suitable backup to help. Catch Arike on an off shooting night and pound the boards and you can win.

Keep ND out of transition and you can win. ND is unstoppable in transition but, similar to many teams, can get bogged down in the half court. Spacing can be a problem for ND. Hof and Mompremier hardly left the lane on defense last night. Turner moved out to the arc and her defender wasn't within 10 feet of her. Maybe Hof stepped out a foot or 2 when guarding Shepard but even that was unnecessary as Shepard rarely shoots even mid-range jumpers. Shepard made 26 three-pointers as a soph at Nebraska but has yet to make one at ND.

 

[bbballfan23]

Keep ND out of transition and you can win. ND is unstoppable in transition but, similar to many teams, can get bogged down in the half court. Spacing can be a problem for ND. Hof and Mompremier hardly left the lane on defense last night. Turner moved out to the arc and her defender wasn't within 10 feet of her. Maybe Hof stepped out a foot or 2 when guarding Shepard but even that was unnecessary as Shepard rarely shoots even mid-range jumpers. Shepard made 26 three-pointers as a soph at Nebraska but has yet to make one at ND.

Spot on! Horrible half court team that often takes bad shots.

 

[Bama fan]

Like it or not (I like it), the era of parity in WBB has finally arrived. Sure, in individual seasons, like in every sport, one team or another will exhibit relative dominance over the rest of the pack, but the dynasty dynamic that has characterized the women’s game for so long (with the UConn example being the most illustrious), well, that’s almost certainly a thing of the past. While some may bemoan the new reality, the inevitable resultant heightening of fan interest around the country and surrounding so many more programs is a welcome development, at least to me. Upsets will be more the new order of the day...I like that. But, my friends, even though it is increasingly less surprising, doesn’t it feel especially good to see that Notre Dame lost yet again last night?

The only game I really want them to lose is the next game they play against UConn. Nothing else really matters. !

 

[Charliebball]

Notre Dame has a lot of talent. One begins to wonder how they lose with all of that talent?

being the hunted instead of the hunter requires a lot of intestinal fortitude........................as Geno said after UConn beat ND earlier this season, it's hard to maintain that winning chemistry for a second year even when you have the same or even better players.............

 

[Charliebball]

Like it or not (I like it), the era of parity in WBB has finally arrived. Sure, in individual seasons, like in every sport, one team or another will exhibit relative dominance over the rest of the pack, but the dynasty dynamic that has characterized the women’s game for so long (with the UConn example being the most illustrious), well, that’s almost certainly a thing of the past. While some may bemoan the new reality, the inevitable resultant heightening of fan interest around the country and surrounding so many more programs is a welcome development, at least to me. Upsets will be more the new order of the day...I like that. But, my friends, even though it is increasingly less surprising, doesn’t it feel especially good to see that Notre Dame lost yet again last night?

you are most likely correct but I'm waiting to see UConn's 2020 and 2021 recruiting classes before I go along with your premise 100%..........

 

[wbball novice]

Doesn't every ND loss diminish the UConn win?

 

[Oldbones]

The only game I really want them to lose is the next game they play against UConn. Nothing else really matters. !

Or, they are welcome to lose any NCAA Tournament game preceding that possible UCONN Meeting.

 

[Bama fan]

Or, they are welcome to lose any NCAA Tournament game preceding that possible UCONN Meeting.

Yes, I am okay with that. Perhaps I should have put emphasis on the really want them to lose.

 

[LETTERL]

Considering next year's regionals are in Dallas, Fort Wayne, Greenville, and Portland.... I'd doubt many UConn fans would be purchasing tickets far in advance regardless of what the Ncaa does this season.

Greenville SC is hosting the East Region next year? Really? That's where I live. I am sooooooooooooooooooooo there already!

 

[huskyd]

Synonym for "parity" is "equality." What produces "equality" is the really interesting issue. Does parity result from WCBB teams getting better or from UConn getting less better? I believe that the Huskies have better players in total than any other team, including this year. But does that make them the best team? The answer is obvious; they're not the best team this season (and, predictably, not for next when player superiority will not be present). Their two losses were not flukes. On both occasions they were beaten. Why? Because they lacked team chemistry. In the ECU game, they rediscovered the missing ingredient: it doesn't matter if you have the best individuals, it only matters if you have the best team. Should the Huskies return to the form of their last game, no one will beat them. Will they? Stay tuned.

 

[bballnut90]

ND didn’t have any depth last year, so I am reminded of Geno’s wise comment after UConn’s upset win at ND in December. “Just because you have everyone coming back doesn’t mean you have the same team.”

They had Koko Nelson as a solid sub who could spot Shepard or Westbeld for 10-15 mpg. But I agree, not the

Thing is, winning in a year when there isnt a clear cut #1 all comes down to getting hot at the right time. ND lost by 33 to Louisville last year and went on to knock off UCONN and Mississippi State to win it all. They're still a v

Keep ND out of transition and you can win. ND is unstoppable in transition but, similar to many teams, can get bogged down in the half court. Spacing can be a problem for ND. Hof and Mompremier hardly left the lane on defense last night. Turner moved out to the arc and her defender wasn't within 10 feet of her. Maybe Hof stepped out a foot or 2 when guarding Shepard but even that was unnecessary as Shepard rarely shoots even mid-range jumpers. Shepard made 26 three-pointers as a soph at Nebraska but has yet to make one at ND.

They badly miss Westbeld. She was a fantastic glue player for ND and brought different elements to the table that Turner doesnt--namely hitting from the high post and executing the high low. Obviously Turner is the stronger player at facevalue, but the spacing issue between Shepard and Turner is still apparent with just a month before the NCAAs start.

 

[FridaFriend]

I think that UCONN would have trouble with Miami also, both the personnel and the style of play. Miami would keep UCONN out of transition and Hof and Mompremier would be a formidable duo in the middle at 6'3" and 6'4". Notre Dame and Miami starters played each other about even, but Mason came off the bench with a great game. Evans did the same sort of thing against UCONN for Louisville.

 

[huskeynut]

Tell that to the UConn team that won in 2013.

And your point? We are talking/ discussing 2019.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Synonym for "parity" is "equality." What produces "equality" is the really interesting issue. Does parity result from WCBB teams getting better or from UConn getting less better?

I think some of both. More good teams than there used to be, and UConn not at the dominant level they have been at in the past.

 

[Orangutan]

They had Koko Nelson as a solid sub who could spot Shepard or Westbeld for 10-15 mpg.

They badly miss Westbeld. She was a fantastic glue player for ND and brought different elements to the table that Turner doesnt--namely hitting from the high post and executing the high low. Obviously Turner is the stronger player at facevalue, but the spacing issue between Shepard and Turner is still apparent with just a month before the NCAAs start.

People kept saying "ND has everyone back" and I kept thinking "No, they have 4 out of 6 back".

Turns out, ND needs a little more of this:

It retrospect, the 2nd round game against Villanova (the one where Westbeld played the 2nd half only on bum ankle and ND went from a tie at halftime to a blowout) looks like it was an omen.

Also not to be discounted: The leadership qualities of Westbeld and Nelson (and for that matter M. Johnson and L. Thompson). Westbeld was tough and passionate but also unflappable whereas Nelson had that "team Mom" vibe. Johnson was basically acting as a grad assistant after her injury.

 

[oldude]

People kept saying "ND has everyone back" and I kept thinking "No, they have 4 out of 6 back".

Turns out, ND needs a little more of this:
View attachment 39375

It retrospect, the 2nd round game against Villanova (the one where Westbeld played the 2nd half only on bum ankle and ND went from a tie at halftime to a blowout) looks like it was an omen.

Also not to be discounted: The leadership qualities of Westbeld and Nelson (and for that matter M. Johnson and L. Thompson). Westbeld was tough and passionate but also unflappable whereas Nelson had that "team Mom" vibe. Johnson was basically acting as a grad assistant after her injury.

At the beginning of the season if you had a choice between a healthy Brianna Turner and Kat Westbeld, which player would you have chosen?

 

[Orangutan]

At the beginning of the season if you had a choice between a healthy Brianna Turner and Kat Westbeld, which player would you have chosen?

I think I would have taken Turner on the assumption that Shepard could successfully transition to the 4 spot. Unfortunately, that last part hasn't exactly happened.

 

[Vowelguy]

Defending one's title is hard.

That said, championship teams can lose regular season games because they know how to turn it on at crunch time. (Eg, 2-time defending champ UConn 2004 didn't even get a #1 seed. 2018 GS Warriors were 2 seed as well, etc etc)