So, 15 straight ?

[Aluminny69]

I worry. Nothing is a given. Every team wants to be the underdog hero. Every single game matters and there are no freebies.

 

[Bone Dog]

Parity is strong and any of these teams on a given night can be lights out.

SC? Given
Iowa - Certainly can
Indiana - Certainly can
UConn - Certainly can
Stanford - to be determined. Not sure about them.
VT - Maybe?

My question for Iowa is can they beat VT. If not, there’s no way they beat SC. Also, one thing I’d say is UConn looked like world beaters the past 3 days without shooting “lights out.” The threat posed by Azzi and Lou certainly forced teams to open up the paint and Dorka and Aaliyah took advantage. Lights out for us would be if Azzi Lou and Caroline hit their 3s. We have a whole nother level, another gear. We dominated so far because our D is suffocating. We gave up a ton of O boards in the 1st quarter and only two pts off them.

I question whether Iowa is a "Certainly can."

With their offense, the can beat ANY team on a given day. However, a championship run requires more than that. … I don't think their defense is strong enough to win on the days their offense isn't clicking.

Simply not balanced enough.

I totally agree. It’s not impossible for Iowa to win, but the odds are stacked against them. The obstacle SC poses is that they’re bigger and faster at almost every position. Can Iowa win relying only on perimeter shooting? Because SC is absolutely capable of shutting down paint scoring. Maybe they can win from outside, but SC has the personnel to face guard Clark for 40 mins. Someone else would have to hit all those 3s for them. Against us, Nika suffocated Clark most of the game and Martin had a career game from 3, and it still wasn’t enough. UConn and Stanford are the only teams both big enough and fast enough to challenge SC’s defense, and both have proved it already this year.

In fact, I suspect UConn is taller than both SC and Stanford and certainly no slower. We’re shorter than Cardoso and Betts, and the same or taller everywhere else.

 

[WFFL]

I can see the Committee putting SC in the same side of the bracket in greenville for ticket sales . Either way with the regional 2 spots there not a big difference if were in their bracket or not . 2 east coast schools highest ticket sellers in the nation either way .

 

[FridaFriend]

Just keep us out of the bracket with Washington State.

 

[VA Huskie]

I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if any of the top teams got knocked off early, or won it. I think the NATY goes to one of these teams: Parity is strong and any of these teams on a given night can be lights out.

SC? Given
Iowa - Certainly can
Indiana - Certainly can
UConn - Certainly can
Stanford - to be determined. Not sure about them.
VT - Maybe?

Totally agree that almost anyone can get knocked off. But I’d add to the possibles: LSU, Maryland, Utah, Texas (Vic). I think any of those teams could make the Final Four, and once that happens, anything can happen.

 

[faithfulfan]

It's all up to the UCONN players cause it's obvious the Polls, and the 'Bracketology Experts' don't want UCONN to get there!

 

[faithfulfan]

I question whether Iowa is a "Certainly can."

With their offense, the can beat ANY team on a given day. However, a championship run requires more than that. You have to be able to beat any opponent on every day for 6 games. I don't think their defense is strong enough to win on the days their offense isn't clicking.

Simply not balanced enough.

If UCONN remains healthy, and plays like they did in the Big East Tournament, it's really just UCONN and SC! The others are good, but not good enough!
Seeding won't change that!

 

[VA Huskie]

It's all up to the UCONN players cause it's obvious the Polls, and the 'Bracketology Experts' don't want UCONN to get there!

Actually the Committee could have something to say about whether they get there.

 

[Pharos]

Honestly, who knows? Are they capable? Sure! But we really don't know what will happen. I expect some big surprises / upsets this year. BIG time. I actually expect one of the teams in the final four NOBODY has talked about (well, at least the elite 8.)

We can debate this until we're blue in the face and it won't mean much. I just know UConn is certainly capable to win it all.

Nothing left for us to do but sit back and watch.

The whole fun of it is not knowing.

 

[Ralph]

as Geno says, take it one game at a time. Do not get ahead of yourself. Wait till the bracket comes out, then we can predict we will win game number one. Win that, we get to worry about game two. Win that ...

 

[itsasport]

A UConn vs SC championship game would get, by far, the most pre-game media attention and the largest audience. I think that the Committer is well aware of that.

 

[wingsfan055]

UConn needs to up the defensive intensity on the perimeter, get some turnovers, and push the pace on offense for easy looks and points. They get in trouble when they play a stagnant offensive half court perimeter game when the opposition presses the guards. Having the Top 7 will help open things up. Geno can substitute more, play more aggressive, etc. Can they keep this pace up for 40 minutes in the E8 to FF rounds?? No one knows right now, including Geno.

 

[Darwin]

Totally agree that almost anyone can get knocked off. But I’d add to the possibles: LSU, Maryland, Utah, Texas (Vic). I think any of those teams could make the Final Four, and once that happens, anything can happen.

These are the lowest seeds to advance to each round in NCAA women's basketball tournament history

There have been some surprising NCAA women's basketball tournament runs through the years. Here are the lowest seeds to advance in each round in history.

www.ncaa.com

A 3 seed has won the tournament 2-40 times, no 4 seed or lower has ever won it. 1 seeds have won it 31-40 times. 2 seeds are 7-40.

 

[Darwin]

My question for Iowa is can they beat VT. If not, there’s no way they beat SC. Also, one thing I’d say is UConn looked like world beaters the past 3 days without shooting “lights out.” The threat posed by Azzi and Lou certainly forced teams to open up the paint and Dorka and Aaliyah took advantage. Lights out for us would be if Azzi Lou and Caroline hit their 3s. We have a whole nother level, another gear. We dominated so far because our D is suffocating. We gave up a ton of O boards in the 1st quarter and only two pts off them.

I totally agree. It’s not impossible for Iowa to win, but the odds are stacked against them. The obstacle SC poses is that they’re bigger and faster at almost every position. Can Iowa win relying only on perimeter shooting? Because SC is absolutely capable of shutting down paint scoring. Maybe they can win from outside, but SC has the personnel to face guard Clark for 40 mins. Someone else would have to hit all those 3s for them. Against us, Nika suffocated Clark most of the game and Martin had a career game from 3, and it still wasn’t enough. UConn and Stanford are the only teams both big enough and fast enough to challenge SC’s defense, and both have proved it already this year.

In fact, I suspect UConn is taller than both SC and Stanford and certainly no slower. We’re shorter than Cardoso and Betts, and the same or taller everywhere else.

Cardoso 6’7
Boston 6’5
Amihere 6’4
Feagin 6’4
Watkins 6’3
Saxton 6’2
Beal 6’1
Hall 6’0

 

[tomcat]

As others have said, it depends on UConn's seed and bracket. Going into the Elite 8 game, If it is unfortunate enough to get paired with, say, SC, that could be a real problem.

 

[Bone Dog]

Don’t read the bench heights to me. Compare who actually plays.
Boston Saxton Beal Cook Fletcher — that’s who starts. When Cardoso comes in sometimes she plays next to Boston but often she subs for her.
Dorka Aaliyah Caroline Lou Nika. 6’5”, 6’3”, 6’2, 6’2, 5’11” (this is what Nika claims these days) vs 6’5”, 6’2, 6’1”, 5’9”, 5’9”

SC can put a taller lineup out there — I never denied it. But that’s a different question.

How about Stanford? They start Brink Iriafen Lepolo Jones Jump: 6’4”, 6’3, 5’7”, 6’1”, 6’0”. Can they bring taller players off the bench? Of course.