Pre-Season AP Top 25

[yhun89]

What do you base that on? UCLA probably has the deepest frontcourt in the country. Seems like ND won't be 100% healthy to start the season.

Women's Basketball Roster - UCLA

The official Women's Basketball Roster for the UCLA Bruins

uclabruins.com

Coaching. Close doesn’t seem to know X and O unlike Ivey.

Horrible misuse of Betts/guard play lost them the game vs LSU. Coaching mishap cost them the OSU game and the PAC 12 title. Close has had 2 years worth of a roster that under any other coach, like Dawn, Geno, Ivey, Vic, etc would’ve gotten to a Final four. She hasn’t even made an Elite 8.

 

[oldude]

Coaching. Close doesn’t seem to know X and O unlike Ivey.

Horrible misuse of Betts/guard play lost them the game vs LSU. Coaching mishap cost them the OSU game and the PAC 12 title. Close has had 2 years worth of a roster that under any other coach, like Dawn, Geno, Ivey, Vic, etc would’ve gotten to a Final four. She hasn’t even made an Elite 8.

Close has a great school to recruit to, UCLA has a storied history in WBB and there is tremendous HS talent on the West Coast. But yes, through the years, Close has come up short with really talented teams.

This year, UCLA is loaded. Can Close finally get the Bruins over the hump? We’ll see……

 

[southie]

Coaching. Close doesn’t seem to know X and O unlike Ivey.

Horrible misuse of Betts/guard play lost them the game vs LSU. Coaching mishap cost them the OSU game and the PAC 12 title. Close has had 2 years worth of a roster that under any other coach, like Dawn, Geno, Ivey, Vic, etc would’ve gotten to a Final four. She hasn’t even made an Elite 8.

I remember when Ivey squandered a late 10-point lead in a Sweet 16 game against NC State in 2022. Ivey has yet to prove herself on the big stage. Close at least has made a handful of Elite 8's.

Niele Ivey (ACC) (2020–present)​
2020–21	Niele Ivey	10–10	8–7	6th
2021–22	Niele Ivey	24–10	13–5	T-3rd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2022–23	Niele Ivey	27–6	15–3	1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2023–24	Niele Ivey	28–7	13–5	T-2nd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen

 

[southie]

Close has a great school to recruit to, UCLA has a storied history in WBB and there is tremendous HS talent on the West Coast. But yes, through the years, Close has come up short with really talented teams.

This year, UCLA is loaded. Can Close finally get the Bruins over the hump? We’ll see……

Agree with your comments other than UCLA having a storied history in WBB; don't believe they've ever made the Final Four.

 

[yhun89]

I remember when Ivey squandered a late 10-point lead in a Sweet 16 game against NC State in 2022. Ivey has yet to prove herself on the big stage. Close at least has made a handful of Elite 8's.

Niele Ivey (ACC) (2020–present)​
2020–21	Niele Ivey	10–10	8–7	6th
2021–22	Niele Ivey	24–10	13–5	T-3rd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2022–23	Niele Ivey	27–6	15–3	1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2023–24	Niele Ivey	28–7	13–5	T-2nd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen

Coaching wise though, she clearly outcoached us this season. Outcoached a literal 11 time champion coach.

No offense to Close, but her coaching is just subpar compared to other Top 10 schools. Her guards are out of sync with Betts, and never communicate the pass. And it never got better through the season either. She had 3 5 stars in her starting lineup, the #1 and 2 recruits from 2023 no less. And she still couldn’t make an Elite 8.

 

[DallasDomer]

I remember when Ivey squandered a late 10-point lead in a Sweet 16 game against NC State in 2022. Ivey has yet to prove herself on the big stage. Close at least has made a handful of Elite 8's.

Niele Ivey (ACC) (2020–present)​
2020–21	Niele Ivey	10–10	8–7	6th
2021–22	Niele Ivey	24–10	13–5	T-3rd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2022–23	Niele Ivey	27–6	15–3	1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2023–24	Niele Ivey	28–7	13–5	T-2nd	NCAA Sweet Sixtee

I can only find one elite 8 that Close was the head coach in 2017-8. Am I missing some?

I'm not going to argue relative coaching skills but I will point out that every ND NCAA run Ivey had was ended by an injury.

Cori Close - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[visitingcock]

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.

Nobody "deserves" to be unanimous #1 in an opinion poll. I agree about Iowa as a top 25.

I cannot say that the two pollsters who voted for UConn are wrong. Yes, we worked UConn over last year, butt his is a prediction vote for this year - not last year. Much will have changed by the time we meet and the February winner may well not be the eventual champ. And, the eventual champ might not be the "best" team. (See backdooor champs SCar in 2017 and LSU in 2023)

The U$C vote may be from a West Coast pollster who has cast votes in opposition to us several times in the last couple of years Though she has reverse herself in the final voting. No problem with her opinion. Someday, she will be right.

It's opinion that is arguable. Have fun with it.

If I was assured of UConn's health, I might even vote for them as No. 1 in my mind - but not my heart. SCar's low post is a legitimate question mark. Can Dawn win through with almost-positionless basketball?

We could lose to many other teams on our schedule of: UCLA, NC State, Iowa State, Texas twice, LSU, Oklahoma and some lesser pre-season ranked SEC teams. Heck, Mizzou almost always is a straight razor, back alley brawl.

 

[visitingcock]

What do you base that on? UCLA probably has the deepest frontcourt in the country. Seems like ND won't be 100% healthy to start the season.

Women's Basketball Roster - UCLA

The official Women's Basketball Roster for the UCLA Bruins

uclabruins.com

The question is not about talent but about coaching. Of course, neither has shown the abilty to get to the Elite 8 level.

 

[visitingcock]

I believe in the right to arm Bears!!!

...and occasionally have a few Beers. Apparently, so do the Sooners...

I believe in the right to bear beers!

 

[Geew1992]

When is ND ever healthy at the beginning of the season?:-(

I think but not sure these came out before the Westbeld Bransford announcements. But it's too early to start declaring the lunatic voters as lunatics yet.

You will get no pity from us Uconn fans

 

[WFFL]

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

Based on this season UCLA is deeper adding Barker and the the OSU transfer will catapult them , but with Coach close who knows. Wes is clearly the better coach .

 

[southie]

The question is not about talent but about coaching. Of course, neither has shown the abilty to get to the Elite 8 level.

Close took UCLA to the Elite 8 in 2018. But, more often than not, they have bowed out in the Sweet 16.

 

[visitingcock]

AP NCAA women's basketball poll reaction: Biggest early-season game for every Top 25 team

The AP preseason women's basketball Top 25 poll is out. Here are the biggest games ahead for every team in the rankings.

www.espn.com

Interesting but flawed article. The section on the Gamecocks names Duke, in December, as our biggest early obstacle. We play UCLA and NC State the first two weeks of the season.

Bring it @triaddukefan .

 

[visitingcock]

Almost half of the Top 25 will get a shot at knocking off Number one before the tournament:

Team	Pts.
1. South Carolina (27)	745
2. UConn (2)	708
3. Southern Cal (1)	697
4. Texas two shots	641
5. UCLA	628
6. Notre Dame	614
7. LSU	549
8. Iowa State	521
9. NC State	510
10. Oklahoma	441
11. Duke	439
20. Ole Miss	165
21. Creighton	152
22. Kentucky	108
23. Nebraska	106
24. Alabama	67
25. Indiana	46

 

[stwainfan]

In 8 days we will get out first look at Tennessee. How the team looks with a new staff and new style of play. I think this team will be better than some are saying.

 

[Vowelguy]

UCLA has a storied history in WBB
……

UCLA Story
1974: Anne Meyers enters as a frosh
1978: Won AIAW title
1979: Made AIAW final 4
~ end of UCLA WCBB History

Not even a novella. Maybe a short story.

 

[jumpstart]

A “well-oiled machine”? This is precisely the thing people are worried about, not something to take for granted. Personally, I think Dawn will figure it out. She is as good as Geno when it comes to building team culture. But this is not the “freshies.” There is likely to be more turbulence in the rotation than SC has had in a while.

These girls came in knowing what their roles would be. They could have transferred out....yet none did. That should tell you all you need to know about commitment to the process rather than a commitment to self. You don't think they have bought in after a whole year? Get real. There won't be any turbulence this year. They all know how it works.....9 of the 9 came back....geez....

 

[DallasDomer]

Close took UCLA to the Elite 8 in 2018. But, more often than not, they have bowed out in the Sweet 16.

So now you agree Close has reached elite 8 once and not a handful of elite 8s as you said earlier?

As I said I'm not going to argue subjective coaching skills but I will expect that data is correct.

 

[ISUnorth]

Only had two real reactions to the pre-season poll.

One, Texas over UCLA as #4. Come on, man, Harmon is back so of course I'd pick Texas at #4.

Two, my Cyclones in the Top 10. Big deal for us "non-elites". And puts ISU football, MBB and WBB all in the Top 10. Rare air for Cyclones in an era where many predicted we would end up in a league of mid-majors.

 

[southie]

So now you agree Close has reached elite 8 once and not a handful of elite 8s as you said earlier?

As I said I'm not going to argue subjective coaching skills but I will expect that data is correct.

My first post was my "guess". When I looked it up, it was factually just once. Either way, it's more than Ivey.

 

[Bigboote]

AP NCAA women's basketball poll reaction: Biggest early-season game for every Top 25 team

The AP preseason women's basketball Top 25 poll is out. Here are the biggest games ahead for every team in the rankings.

www.espn.com

Interesting but flawed article. The section on the Gamecocks names Duke, in December, as our biggest early obstacle. We play UCLA and NC State the first two weeks of the season.

Bring it @triaddukefan .

It appears that Charlie wanted to pick a different game for each school. SCar is listed as the key early-season matchup for several schools including NCState. That's how Notre Dame's key game is Texas, but the Longhorns' key game is South Dakota State.

 

[jdote33]

I will say that I don't think Cori Close has had this type of top level talent. I get the criticism but she's never had a Paige Bueckers or Maya Moore type. Kiki Rice was really the highest and she already beat UConn.

 

[maple]

Coaching wise though, she clearly outcoached us this season. Outcoached a literal 11 time champion coach.

But beating a team in the regular season =/= success in the post-season.

 

[triaddukefan]

AP NCAA women's basketball poll reaction: Biggest early-season game for every Top 25 team

The AP preseason women's basketball Top 25 poll is out. Here are the biggest games ahead for every team in the rankings.

www.espn.com

Interesting but flawed article. The section on the Gamecocks names Duke, in December, as our biggest early obstacle. We play UCLA and NC State the first two weeks of the season.

Bring it @triaddukefan .

Yeah that was a curious call.

Duke will be a tougher game for yall than playing State in Charlotte.

 

[yhun89]

I will say that I don't think Cori Close has had this type of top level talent. I get the criticism but she's never had a Paige Bueckers or Maya Moore type. Kiki Rice was really the highest and she already beat UConn.

Doesn't change the fact that this year, she had a stacked roster. 3 elites (#1 and #2 from 2023, along with Osborne who was drafted) in the lineup. And she blew it entirely vs LSU.