Preseason Coaches' Poll - UConn #1

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I'm one who "liked" a post about UConn staying #1 from last year, so I just want to explain - if there was a compelling reason that they shouldn't be in that position, fine, but on the whole UConn has remained UConn. They may not be favored by everyone to win the NC (as they have been some years) but is there really many folks who know the game that don't think they are a strong fave for the Final Four?

As to voters and conspiracy theories, please. And I doubt that all coaches "hate" Geno. Many probably don't much like him in some ways, but I'm pretty sure they all respect him. I think "hate" and "respect" are mutually exclusive.

 

[uconnever]

The More i think about it, I can understand everyone's surprise, but I watched a lot of their games and considering how each team has changed, I believe they should be top 5 and will prove it. Of those top 7 teams I think there are only 3 that I can't see them beating. The other 3, I think is a toss up. I also think they have enough talent that if they figure it out....who knows. I definitely see them in the final four. Wait! Is Cooper playing this year? If not then I see them top 10ish and will challenge South Carolina in SEC. Also maybe an elite 8 run in them. I am not the biggest Diamond fan but I just don't think her and Mercedes are gonna have another terrible year. They are too good and I saw it in them last year.

 

[Bestiarius]

Holly talked today in media day. That the feel for this team is different than later years.

To sorta channel Mike Tyson: Everyone's optimistic until they get punched in the mouth.

 

[Kaizen]

I always thought the Coaches Poll is more accurate than the Associated Press Poll.
Am I right?

 

[stwainfan]

To sorta channel Mike Tyson: Everyone's optimistic until they get punched in the mouth.

A few comments from today.
On Mercedes Russell and her confidence level)
"I think last year was truly Mercedes' freshman year, because (during) her freshman year her feet were bad and she could not run up and down the court. I think she has gotten stronger and more confident. When you are her size; she has developed strength and she has practiced hard to get to the level where she wants to be. I think her confidence has gotten better. I will tell you this, she is a point guard trapped inside of a post's body. She knows the game and had a great high school coach, but she knows the game. You could tell her one thing and she could go and tell everyone else where to go and what they need to do. The knowledge is there and the reps for her have been important. I think for her just working this summer on her game and coming back she has been very positive from a leadership standpoint and how hard she is working and playing on the basketball court."

(On people who stood out in the offseason)
"If you went player by player, you would see the most improvement from Jaime Nared. Jaime dedicated herself to getting better both offensively and defensively, so when you get better you have to get in the gym and work and Jaime got in the gym and worked. There are some kids that had to take time off because of nagging injuries and I get that, but Jaime I thought really dedicated herself to getting in the gym. You also seeJordan Reynolds, her body has changed, her percentage of fat has gone down and that just doesn't happen. She has put in the time, she is quicker and she has put in the work. If you keep going down the line; you look at Diamond and think that she did not have as a productive year as we all thought she should have because we are putting her up here. She was coming off a massive injury and I tell everyone that when Diamond's game turned around is when she got healthy. Some of little factors for that has made a big difference."

 

[VA Huskie]

I think Baylor has the talent to be #1 but they have yet to prove anything.

Agree they have the overall talent. Biggest issue, by far, will be their ability to replace last years PG.

 

[easttexastrash]

Agree they have the overall talent. Biggest issue, by far, will be their ability to replace last years PG.

Baylor will be stronger offensively and defensively with Alexis Jones at the PG position. Johnson was especially an offensive liability due to her limited range and her reluctance to shoot. Report from practice is that Jones is running the team like an AA, but time will tell, as we all know that practice and game situations are entirely different animals.

Look for 6-7 center Kalani Brown to take a major step forward this season. She has dropped about 20 pounds and is reported to be the clear favorite to start at center this year.

 

[easttexastrash]

I always thought the Coaches Poll is more accurate than the Associated Press Poll.
Am I right?

I always thought the Boneyard poll is the most accurate.

 

[triaddukefan]

Baylor will be stronger offensively and defensively with Alexis Jones at the PG position. Johnson was especially an offensive liability due to her limited range and her reluctance to shoot. Report from practice is that Jones is running the team like an AA, but time will tell, as we all know that practice and game situations are entirely different animals.

Look for 6-7 center Kalani Brown to take a major step forward this season. She has dropped about 20 pounds and is reported to be the clear favorite to start at center this year.

Its funny to me that people forget or doubt Jones ability to run the point. She led Duke down the stretch and was the ACC tournament MVP as a freshman after Gray went down with injury. Always thought she would be a better PG than the girl yall had playing last year. There isnt a PG in college i'd take over her this season.

 

[easttexastrash]

Its funny to me that people forget or doubt Jones ability to run the point. She led Duke down the stretch and was the ACC tournament MVP as a freshman after Gray went down with injury. Always thought she would be a better PG than the girl yall had playing last year. There isnt a PG in college i'd take over her this season.

I agree completely. I wish that Kim had put her at the PG position earlier last season. She is going to have an eye-opening season and will be a candidate for POY.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Its funny to me that people forget or doubt Jones ability to run the point. She led Duke down the stretch and was the ACC tournament MVP as a freshman after Gray went down with injury. Always thought she would be a better PG than the girl yall had playing last year. There isnt a PG in college i'd take over her this season.

I always thought highly of Alexis and thought early on that she might be comparable to Moriah, considering their high school rankings. After watching Moriah for 4 years, I'd say that the only PG I've seen on the same level is 4-time Gold Medalist Sue Bird.

 

[Carnac]

Thank goodness the UCONN /Baylor game takes place in a few weeks. Whichever team loses will be removed from the #1 debate for the majority of the season.

I concur 100%. All of this conjecture before a single game is played is nothing but speculation. Who the top 10 teams are should be decided between the lines, not in a poll, or in a chat room. The cream will quickly rise to the top once the season begins. It always does.

 

[willtalk]

In respect to The coaches picking UConn # 1, and the rational for doing so, given by a couple of earlier posters are, in fact, two separate issues. The rational given was that the previous # 1 team should be # 1 until someone beats them. This is nonsensical and not the reason that I believe the coaches used. It might have played a small part in an ' all things being equal " tie breaker sort of way. They more than likely felt that even though the losses pushed Uconn down quite a bit, it still left them in at a reasonable enough position to compete for the Championship. So being that no other team appeared to be obviously better than the all the rest of the contenders, it was not unreasonable, considering Geno and his systems past successes, to just leave Uconn at the top. But it certainly wasn't purely because they finished last season at the top.

The idea that the top team should remain at the top until someone beats them is usually the standard used once the season is in full swing. I don't know of any instant when any rating system in any sport has ever used that criteria to begin a season.

 

[Topdawg]

This thought process befuddles me. If Lebron James had left Cleveland would you still have said that the Cavs must be rated the #1 team in the NBA to start the season simply because they won the title last year?

I would. Otherwise you are making relative judgements on many teams that have also not demonstrated their ability to be deserving of a top ranking. I would start a season with the way the rankings ended the last season.

 

[cbraarj]

Yes they do. And they have the luxury of playing anyone that is willing to play them. It probably doesn't affect the women as much as the other teams from the university. So if your a U Conn fan in more then just women's basketball it's probably even more important to you to be in a Power 5 Conference. Id like to see them in one. Especially the ACC. Id love to see the men and womens basketball games and i go to a lot of volleyball, baseball ,hockey and softball games so it be fun to see them play the Irish. Maybe the football tea5m can even up the record as well.

Power 5 Conferences became Power 5 for 1 reason only Division 1 College Football!!! Not one of the other sports had anything to do with it or Uconn would be in one already !!!

 

[Icebear]

I do understand that. Holly also talked about doing some things a little different in practice.

Yeah, we have heard this every year for the last three or four. Holly brought in no new talent lost two to season enders. Talk means nothing, empty optimism and unfulfilled hopes. Tennessee still has nothing upon which ....

 

[Icebear]

I never thought that UConn would be preseason #1. In my mind this could be one of three
things:
1. UConn lost 3 super stars and people still think they are the best. What does that say about the rest of Women's college basketball?
2. It's a bigger story when team X beats the number "1" team with a 70 plus game win streak.
3. This is a "tip of the hat" to Geno

UCONN also returns substance that no one else returns. Two NC starters (Nurse, Gabbie), another who would have been a NC starter if uninsured in the NC semi-final (KLS). Add to that a repaired sophomore who did start during the season (Pheesa) on a NC. Sure the losses are great but the barn is far, far from empty.

 

[Vowelguy]

I would. Otherwise you are making relative judgements on many teams that have also not demonstrated their ability to be deserving of a top ranking. I would start a season with the way the rankings ended the last season.

lol. What is a poll if not a relative judgment based on limited information?

 

[Sonny44]

To sorta channel Mike Tyson: Everyone's optimistic until they get punched in the mouth.

Not sure I would trust a quote from probably the biggest loser in sports history.

 

[Sonny44]

Its funny to me that people forget or doubt Jones ability to run the point. She led Duke down the stretch and was the ACC tournament MVP as a freshman after Gray went down with injury. Always thought she would be a better PG than the girl yall had playing last year. There isnt a PG in college i'd take over her this season.

Does Duke still have a WCBB program?

 

[meyers7]

They would have to catch UCONN in NCAA tournament then because of the 32 Voters (coaches) only Jose Fernandez (USF) is on UCONN's schedule.

Collusion. They are all in on it.

 

[stwainfan]

Yeah, we have heard this every year for the last three or four. Holly brought in no new talent lost two to season enders. Talk means nothing, empty optimism and unfulfilled hopes. Tennessee still has nothing upon which ....

I think having your best two players healthy helps. This is the first time both Diamond and Mercedes have entered a season both healthy.

 

[mdakota]

I think having your best two players healthy helps. This is the first time both Diamond and Mercedes have entered a season both healthy.

Unfortunately, unless they learned some type offense, it's going to be the same as last year... Nobody screened, the post players stayed in the post, nobody moved, they had no outside game... it was stagnant and often painful to watch... Doesn't matter if the entire team is healthy.... they need to learn offense

 

[cbraarj]

Maybe Uconn was so far ahead of everybody else that what they have coming back puts them back to where WCBB was in 2011-13 with more parity. This makes every team hungry and gunning for the NC. Can someone go undefeated absolutely but someone might have 4 or 5 games in the lost column. The last 3 years 122 and 1 all the wins by double digits. I doubt any team will ever come even close to that. Uconn is very young but still very talented and the talent has grown closer to the other teams. So every team not named Uconn take them lightly, there not the same anymore, not in a power 5 conf, and think this is a guaranted win! But if I were you remember these 2 things, they are Connecticut and breed to cut down nets is No.1! No.2 is that Geno has won more NC than all active Div.1 coaches combined!

 

[Ozimoto]

While providing a good topic for discussion, I don't get wrapped up in early season polls, especially before teams have played any games. The one at the end of the year is the one that counts anyway.