Predict how the season ends next year...

[EricLA]

I know we won't have Azura till the class of Espinosa and Gordon come in, but given that this coming season is "supposed" to e a rebuilding year, how do you feel at this point the season will end?

 

[msf22b]

Close, but no cigar.

 

[Oldbones]

 

[Tenspro2002]

Looks like I'm with the plurality (Final Four loss).

I think the regional being in CT makes it hard for us to lose before the Final Four even if we're not #1-seed worthy. But I think Baylor, ND, or maybe Stanford will be better than us at the Final Four. Even if we come short of #12, extending the Final Four streak to 10 will be a success.

 

[UcMiami]

I went elite eight - that way I can be over the moon when they get to the FF!

 

[housekeys]

Looks like I'm with the plurality (Final Four loss).

I think the regional being in CT makes it hard for us to lose before the Final Four even if we're not #1-seed worthy. But I think Baylor, ND, or maybe Stanford will be better than us at the Final Four. Even if we come short of #12, extending the Final Four streak to 10 will be a success.

Except, Baylor, ND and Stanford may not reach the final four. They didn't this year. That is one of the problems with evaluating the UConn team. We mostly assume the other teams will be equal or better than this year. It will not be UConn versus everyone else. It will be UConn versus a small subset of everyone else.

 

[Checkmate]

I predict a slow start and a strong finish. They get to the final 4. And if the defense is strong enough they win it all again.

 

[shizzle787]

5 in a row. Geno once made a comment saying that if he coached 18 NC games, they probably wouldn't go 18-0. I think even Geno underestimated himself. Given that he is 62 (or there abouts), I could see him winning 7 more in the next 13 years (retiring at 75).

 

[huskeynut]

I'll go with a loss in the national semi's.

I know we lost the 3 Amigos, but ND, Stamford, Baylor, SC and others have also lost key players. Some things that do not change are great guard play and defense. These are what wins championships. UCONN will have great guard play and the defense will be as stingy as ever. If we again have at least 4 starters who average double figures, we are going to be hard to beat.

And we Geno, CD, Shea and Marissa - they don't.

 

[Kaizen]

I predict we will not undefeated but we will win NC because Kia, KLS, Gabby and Collier will be a power four.

 

[victor64]

I voted final four loss. They need to stay relatively injury free. Butler and Chong are the keys. If those two can provide quality minutes they could win number 5 in row.

 

[pacific 44]

If next year's final 4 has exactly the same talent level as the 3 other teams had this year,Uconn wins 5 in a row.The 2017 Uconn team will be better than the 2016 versions of Oregon St.,Syracuse,and Washington were.It is up to all of the competition to put a better version of opponent on the floor or it will be samo samo for Uconn in 2017.They gotta bring it or go home and watch a deja vu all over again event and Uconn wins number 12 to the consternation of all of wcbb and a certain writer in Boston.

 

[rford53]

I voted final four loss. They need to stay relatively injury free. Butler and Chong are the keys. If those two can provide quality minutes they could win number 5 in row.

Agree. And I anticipate 4 - 6 nail bitters where the outcomes could go either way(i.e. Notre Dame games in 2012/2013), final four games inclusive.

 

[johnnyc]

NC

 

[Roundball fan]

??? that's what we all have for next year. Going to be very interesting how the team comes together over the course of the season next year. In Geno and staff we trust. UConn for 5

 

[UcMiami]

If next year's final 4 has exactly the same talent level as the 3 other teams had this year,Uconn wins 5 in a row.The 2017 Uconn team will be better than the 2016 versions of Oregon St.,Syracuse,and Washington were.It is up to all of the competition to put a better version of opponent on the floor or it will be samo samo for Uconn in 2017.They gotta bring it or go home and watch a deja vu all over again event and Uconn wins number 12 to the consternation of all of wcbb and a certain writer in Boston.

A very good point, but I think last year was exceptional in that regard - their have been surprise teams making the FF before (Louisville, twice for example), but I don't ever think there have been three in the same year. It is what happens in single elimination tournaments - I suspect if you played a three or five game series between Baylor and OSU, SC and Syracuse, or ND and Stanford the results would have been the opposite of what happened this year - that in a single game series, all three went the way of the underdog just doesn't usually happen.
To suppose the same would happen two years in succession would be truly surprising because as much parity as has arrived in the women's game, it still hasn't gotten that even.

 

[MilfordHusky]

We will have a "down" year, but relative to a MOV of 40, exactly what does that mean??

I think having the Regionals in Bridgeport helps us get to the Final Four. The teams I am most concerned about are ND and Baylor. Some people think we will have 5+ losses next year. I don't see it, as most of the tough games are at home, and I just can't see Stanford, Ohio State, et al. beating us.

I went uncharacteristically pessimistic and picked a semi-final loss. But I'm not counting our guys out. Does anyone here want to tell Kia Nurse to her face that it's a down year? Not I!

 

[Ctpaul0825]

I predict we lose 1 or 2 games next year, make it to the F4 but do not win 5 in a row. I do believe that we win in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.

 

[UcMiami]

I like everyone's confidence, but in Nov/Dec we are due to play somewhere around 7 of the top ten or so teams with a very young team that has lost the three players who led it over the last 2 seasons. That is a really tough ask to complete with out suffering loses. And while a 40 point MOV is very impressive, a few of those were 'steamroller' events against decent teams, and there were 'struggles' against some good teams where the margin was a lot less.
If you consider that Stewart's superior quality vs. say a Turner type player, Morgan's over say a Coates, and Moriah's over say an Allen probably accounted for 15 points of the yearly MOV, it is a little more sobering - those three players are excellent college players but the big three were just that much better. That kind of change in MOV for next years team brings six of our wins last year into question, and also gives another 3 or 4 other opponents a fighting chance in the 4th Q. Add in that next year's schedule is an upgrade over this one and it really doesn't look quite as rosy as people seem to think. We have great players and great coaching, but the margin of error for the team in maybe ten contests is non-existent including quite possibly within conference play. That is something that no one on the current team has ever experienced while at Uconn.

 

[Bigpetunia]

I predict an extremely fun and better-than-most-predict kind of a year, one that will, yet again, showcase what great coaching translates to in WCBB. I'd expect maybe two-three losses, with the last one coming in the Final Four, probably to ND. Most importantly, on the morning after that last game, we fans will be justifiably made to feel extremely confident about a return to the winners' circle the following year. The development of rising stars, who, collectively, will now be asked to put the team's fortunes on their backs, will be a joy to watch!

 

[EricLA]

I would love to know the 2 people who actually voted that we'd lose in the 1st or 2nd rounds. I added that in as a throw away, but I wonder if they are UCONN fans, or fans of some other school...

 

[Topsail]

I predict they will lose 4 games in regular season and most likely bow out in the final four. I will add that anything is possible, just look at what happened this year with the favored final four teams. UConn could fly in and swoop this one away yet. The games against ranked opponents this season will truly be nail biters.

 

[iamcbs]

You just lost the two best players in the country at their respective positions and one of the top 3 players in the history of the WCBB, so of course it will be a down year, plus some teams will be better, especially ND. tOSU will be better on paper but Kevin McGiff is still the HC so there's hope. South Carolina will still be a force and all the other SEC teams will be overrated. KLS and Pheesa will take the sophomore leaps, just as Gabulous did this season, Dangerfield may be talented but she'll still be a freshman, Geno and CD are still on the bench and I'm thinking KLS may be an AA as a soph. I'll pick the Huskies to win it all in the "Drive for Five."

 

[Zorro]

UConn (35-2, #1 seed) defeate SD State (30-7, #7 seed) 77-75 on a last second 3 by Chong. You read it here.

 

[BISweet]

Looks like I'm with the plurality (Final Four loss).

I think the regional being in CT makes it hard for us to lose before the Final Four even if we're not #1-seed worthy. But I think Baylor, ND, or maybe Stanford will be better than us at the Final Four. Even if we come short of #12, extending the Final Four streak to 10 will be a success.

I too think Uconn has the talent and the coaching that will bring talented new kids up to par before regular season ends. Geno would need a very very poor recruits and unhealthy Butler, KLS, Napheesa, Gabby, Kia, to not get to the final 4--Geno is the master of the NCAA journey
Head-em up--Move-em out!! Trail Boss Geno..