Pre-Season AP Top 25

[RoadMaster]

 

[bballnut90]

I think voters nailed the top 10, though South Carolina deserves to be unanimous #1.

Iowa should be top 25, even without Clark. They still have Stuehlke, Affolter, and Olsen.

 

[HuskyNan]

Vandy (Shea), Princeton (Carla), and fellow state team Fairfield all in the "Others Receiving Votes" list.

 

[Bone Dog]

I might swap NC St for UCLA just based on last season.

 

[meyers7]

Where's TN ranked?

 

[Mike72fl]

I hate to say it, but I think that UConn at #2 is a bit high. Except for Paige, KK, and Shade, there are a lot of unknown (coming back from injuries) and unproven (new players). I would put them on the top 5, but not #2. Not that the pre-season ranking matters much.

 

[Bone Dog]

I hate to say it, but I think that UConn at #2 is a bit high. Except for Paige, KK, and Shade, there are a lot of unknown (coming back from injuries) and unproven (new players). I would put them on the top 5, but not #2. Not that the pre-season ranking matters much.

I know what you mean and we all oughta feel the same way about SC without Watkins. I mean, there's a couple of upperclassmen like PaoPao and Raven, and then a promising bench of Transfers and Freshmen and Sophomores. If Dawn has to start Hall and Feagin and Walker alongside those two to get some experience on the floor, we'd hardly rank that squad #1. Maybe somewhere in the top 5 though.

So, they're #1 because of the AP's estimation of a bunch of kids with potential. That's roughly the same reason UConn is #2.

 

[RadfordRam]

I think voters nailed the top 10, though South Carolina deserves to be unanimous #1.

Iowa should be top 25, even without Clark. They still have Stuehlke, Affolter, and Olsen.

They absolutely should have been unanimous #1, but it doesn't really matter.

 

[RadfordRam]

I think voters nailed the top 10, though South Carolina deserves to be unanimous #1.

Iowa should be top 25, even without Clark. They still have Stuehlke, Affolter, and Olsen.

Agreed!

 

[RadfordRam]

I know what you mean and we all oughta feel the same way about SC without Watkins. I mean, there's a couple of upperclassmen like PaoPao and Raven, and then a promising bench of Transfers and Freshmen and Sophomores. If Dawn has to start Hall and Feagin and Walker alongside those two to get some experience on the floor, we'd hardly rank that squad #1. Maybe somewhere in the top 5 though.

So, they're #1 because of the AP's estimation of a bunch of kids with potential. That's roughly the same reason UConn is #2.

Walker isn't a starter at all, Watkins will be back in November, her court case is October 25th. You also forgot about another returning starter in Klhoe Kitts.

 

[Stagnant]

I think by the end of the year. Once all of the chemistry has been built up. I think it will be apparent that USC is the best team. Until then. South Carolina is the right team in this spot.

I agree with jdote33. I don’t know what voters like about North Carolina. They do seem really high.

Creighton isn’t a top 25 team for me either. Sorry. The big east will not be good this year imo.

Also, I agree that UConn seems too high. But only one spot too high. Notre dame, Texas, UCLA. None are obviously better than UConn at this time.

 

[Plebe]

I know what you mean and we all oughta feel the same way about SC without Watkins. I mean, there's a couple of upperclassmen like PaoPao and Raven, and then a promising bench of Transfers and Freshmen and Sophomores. If Dawn has to start Hall and Feagin and Walker alongside those two to get some experience on the floor, we'd hardly rank that squad #1. Maybe somewhere in the top 5 though.

So, they're #1 because of the AP's estimation of a bunch of kids with potential. That's roughly the same reason UConn is #2.

Fulwiley doesn't even garner a mention? Is she injured? What about Kitts?

I don't have the numbers crunched but it doesn't strike me as a close comparison between UConn and SC in terms of returning mpg, even without Watkins. SC went a solid 9 deep last year -- of those 9 is anyone other than Cardoso and Watkins unavailable?

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I know what you mean and we all oughta feel the same way about SC without Watkins. I mean, there's a couple of upperclassmen like PaoPao and Raven, and then a promising bench of Transfers and Freshmen and Sophomores. If Dawn has to start Hall and Feagin and Walker alongside those two to get some experience on the floor, we'd hardly rank that squad #1. Maybe somewhere in the top 5 though.

So, they're #1 because of the AP's estimation of a bunch of kids with potential. That's roughly the same reason UConn is #2.

I think SCar is #1 because they return everyone but Cardoso off a team that went undefeated.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Walker isn't a starter at all, Watkins will be back in November, her court case is October 25th. You also forgot about another returning starter in Klhoe Kitts.

I think it's a little weird to act like SCar doesn't have a good idea what to expect out of players like Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson and Chloe Kitts.

It's fair to question whether Cardoso was the decisive piece, but to act like SCar has anything like uncertainty about whether its roster as a whole is championship quality is a little peculiar. Very few question marks.

The three freshmen are not necessarily needed but pretty sure Joyce Edwards will be over qualified for her role.

 

[bballnut90]

I know what you mean and we all oughta feel the same way about SC without Watkins. I mean, there's a couple of upperclassmen like PaoPao and Raven, and then a promising bench of Transfers and Freshmen and Sophomores. If Dawn has to start Hall and Feagin and Walker alongside those two to get some experience on the floor, we'd hardly rank that squad #1. Maybe somewhere in the top 5 though.

So, they're #1 because of the AP's estimation of a bunch of kids with potential. That's roughly the same reason UConn is #2.

Who would you rank ahead of them?

Even if Watkins is out to start the year, they'll likely start 5 upperclassmen: Dauda/Kitts/Hall/Pao Pao/Raven. None of those players have lost more than 3 games in their entire SC career and all but Dauda were notable contributors to their undefeated title team. Not to mention they have Fulwiley, Johnson and Feagin off the bench.

To me this team is the slam dunk #1 team going into next season by a large margin. Not saying other teams wont catch them or beat them, but no other squad has come close to accomplishing what this group of returning players has.

 

[JellyBean]

Kentucky getting the love!

 

[bballnut90]

Fulwiley doesn't even garner a mention? Is she injured? What about Kitts?

I don't have the numbers crunched but it doesn't strike me as a close comparison between UConn and SC in terms of returning mpg, even without Watkins. SC went a solid 9 deep last year -- of those 9 is anyone other than Cardoso and Watkins unavailable?

AFAIK all other players are healthy and expected to contribute. Not to mention they brought in Dauda who was one of the better shot blockers last year and Edwards who is a top 3 recruit and should crack the rotation.

 

[bballnut90]

I think it's a little weird to act like SCar doesn't have a good idea what to expect out of players like Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson and Chloe Kitts.

It's fair to question whether Cardoso was the decisive piece, but to act like SCar has anything like uncertainty about whether its roster as a whole is championship quality is a little peculiar. Very few question marks.

The three freshmen are not necessarily needed but pretty sure Joyce Edwards will be over qualified for her role.

-Kitts is a returning starter who put up a double double in the title game
-Johnson led SC in scoring in the title game and was All-Final Four team (and was consistently excellent in the NCAA tournament)
-Fulwiley was SEC Tournament MVP as a freshman and 2nd on the team in scoring for the season

I'd say those 3 are proven commodities rather than 'promising'

 

[The CDR-Ret]

The real top 25 pre-season Poll (plus all teams receiving votes, including UTennesee with 3 votes (@36th) ) has been posted on ESPN:

2024-25 Women's College Basketball Rankings - ESPN​

Find the 2024-25 NCAAW rankings on ESPN, including the Coaches and AP poll for the top 25 NCAAW teams.
www.espn.com

UCONN, as expected, steps off into the season with the #2 ranking to South Carolina's #1.

Through 12/21, the Huskies play:
#15 UNC @ Greensboro, NC, 11/15/24
(possibly) #20 Ole Miss @ Nassau, 11/27/24
#17 Louisville @ Brooklyn, NY, 12/7/24
#6 uNd @ South Bend, 12/12/24
#8 Iowa State @ Mohegan Sun, 12/17/24
AND #3 USoCal @ the XL Center, 12/21/24

The only other BE ranked team is Creighton at #21 (home & home series).

South Carolina is @ Columbia, SC two days after Valentine's Day, and if both the Huskies and Dawn's team run the table to that point it will be a #1 vs. #2 match-up!

Go Huskies!!!

 

[yhun89]

I think voters nailed the top 10, though South Carolina deserves to be unanimous #1.

Iowa should be top 25, even without Clark. They still have Stuehlke, Affolter, and Olsen.

Stuelke relied on CC for open shots. Rarely did she create her own. I wouldn’t say Stuelke will be the same as last year at all but we’ll see.

 

[yhun89]

ND above UCLA 1000%. The voters are on something for that one. LSU needs to be a bit lower, maybe 10-11.

 

[bballnut90]

Stuelke relied on CC for open shots. Rarely did she create her own. I wouldn’t say Stuelke will be the same as last year at all but we’ll see.

She’s still a strong player and excellent finisher. Iowa won’t be nearly as good without CC but Stuehlke/Affolter/Olsen alone make Iowa a top 25 caliber team.

 

[bballnut90]

ND above UCLA 1000%. The voters are on something for that one. LSU needs to be a bit lower, maybe 10-11.

Agree on ND over UCLA.

Strong disagree about LSU though. Excluding the Hailey Van Lith disaster last year, Kim has a great track record of implementing PG transfers and I think chemistry will be better this season. Plus a trio of Flaujae/Morrow/Williams is on par with any other trio in the country. Not to mention they’ll have S’Myah Smith back in the post and added depth from the portal. I think people often underestimate the value of good coaching, and Kim is one of the best.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think voters nailed the top 10, though South Carolina deserves to be unanimous #1.

Iowa should be top 25, even without Clark. They still have Stuehlke, Affolter, and Olsen.

S.C. lost Cardoso, and Watkins's situation is questionable. I think those facts would cause some to rank them a little lower. I think #1 but not unanimous is right.