So now, who's number two?

[Sonny44]

SC stays #2

Absolutely!

 

[Dillon77]

At this point in the season, I'm not sure there's all that much difference in having the #2 or #3 ranking/seed, given those two teams should end up on a collision course if the seed plays out in the tourney. That said....

South Carolina relies on pounding it and their athleticism. And if Mitchell is neutralized, I just don't think the rest of their guard play is up to snuff, particularly in half court.
Baylor has Davis, Johnson and Jones on offense, but not sure they've been tested enough, which could be a factor in the tournament. Ohio State is coming on yet again. Louisville is very athletic but outside of Hines-Allen, does not have much scoring underneath.

The Irish are making this a Big East season, with every road game being tough. But they're keeping their composure and somehow finding ways to win, which -- at the end of the day -- is what matters. And it helps pulling out those close games. Still the Florida State game and the ACC tourney will be definite challenges.

So, at this moment, UConn, ND, SC & Baylor with Ohio State rising to jump in if any one of those falters. Let's see what happens in a week....

 

[Waquoit]

Based on the games I've watched I was going to say MD until they lost last night. Now I say ND mostly due to their huge game coaching advantage.

 

[Nuyoika]

Ya know, of the top teams we have played with any real shot of making it to the FF, that being Maryland, ND, and Ohio State (OSU with more of an outside dark horse type of chance) I would have to say SCar looked the worst. I mean I expected that considering of all the teams that are likely to get a #1 seed they are the most offensively deficient. However, in the other games there were points where the opposing teams still looked good. The eye test tells me a lot as a former player and SCar has not passed it vs any good teams this year. I can't quite seem to figure out why SCar plays best when they are playing vs either a really bad team or when they are down in the final minutes vs a team they should beat. It may be because they are just so use to the underdog role that they aren't really sure how to truly dominate. Another puzzling thing... Dawn said in pre-game that she does not game plan for an option B, C, or D. Honestly, that is exactly what it looked like out there. UConn waltzed in to their house took away option A and they didn't have clue what to do. I mean how many shot clock violations did they have in the 1st quarter? They looked completely unprepared. As a coach you have to have moves and counter moves... there were no counter moves. 5 minutes in I was shaking my head thinking... they don't have a chance. If they were hoping their body of work in SEC play was going to help I think it actually may have done the opposite. So, to answer the questions who is number 2.... I don't have a clue who the pollster will pick but I would say Notre Dame they haven't looked all that great recently either but if I had to bet on who had the best chance to beat UConn it would still be them.

 

[HGN]

South Carolina.

I agree Chris. Should still be SC.................Heck , Tennessee loses all the time and they never drop. Why should SC ?

 

[johnnyc]

Baylor

 

[connboy77]

Baylor

Baylor has a very weak schedule and probably shouldn't even be ranked #4!

 

[ChicagoGG]

SC should be #2. Their only loss is to #1.

 

[nd2tty]

SC should be #2. Their only loss is to #1.

As is ND's...

 

[nd2tty]

As is ND's...

And at Gampel. By less.

 

[Orangutan]

This has fluctuated a ton this year, but as of today ND is #2 in both Sagarin and Massey.

I haven't seen enough of Baylor to give a truly educated opinion. I think Baylor, ND, and SCar are all reasonable choices.

 

[Nuyoika]

SC should be #2. Their only loss is to #1.

If only things were that simple.... if they were Tennessee wouldn't still be in the Top 25.

 

[SCGamecock]

I think it's Notre Dame but they've been shaky recently. I still think they're the only team (besides Maryland) that can match UCONN offensively.

Baylor is a reasonable option but they remind me of SC in a way... a big, strong team physically. Baylor has better guard play than SC, but they're not vastly superior. They also lack discipline for vast stretches. UCONN will run circles around them.

1. UCONN
2. Notre Dame
3. SC
4. Baylor
5-10.. Texas? Maryland? tOSU? ...

 

[johnnyc]

Baylor has a very weak schedule

I realize that is the perception led by the fact they did not play UConn but they have beaten 6 Top 25 and the Mulkster can coach. When it comes to #2 you don't compare to UConn you compare to other contenders for #2. Isn't possible that Baylor could beat ND or SC? They already beat Texas @ Texas.

 

[bags27]

My understanding--and it may well be wrong--is that Mulkey didn't want to schedule the current UConn team (more than happy to do so with Stewie and Mo gone next year). Well, this tells me that Baylor doesn't think it could beat UConn. I never got the impression that Notre Dame felt it couldn't beat UConn; even SC probably thought it could beat UConn. Baylor is therefore no better than #4 by its own admission.

 

[toadfoot]

ND should be, but probably won't due to poll "inertia". There's no argument that ND played UConn tougher. For those that would claim that ND has been shaky at times, so has SC.

 

[Nuyoika]

ND should be, but probably won't due to poll "inertia". There's no argument that ND played UConn tougher. For those that would claim that ND has been shaky at times, so has SC.

Very true... and one could argue SCar has on more occasions than ND looked much more shakier (am I just making up words now?). I haven't watched a single Baylor game so I got nothing of value to add for them but I have watched all the other viable options and of the 3, ND still gets my votes.

 

[Gus Mahler]

At this point in the season, I'm not sure there's all that much difference in having the #2 or #3 ranking/seed, given those two teams should end up on a collision course if the seed plays out in the tourney. That said....

South Carolina relies on pounding it and their athleticism. And if Mitchell is neutralized, I just don't think the rest of their guard play is up to snuff, particularly in half court.
Baylor has Davis, Johnson and Jones on offense, but not sure they've been tested enough, which could be a factor in the tournament. Ohio State is coming on yet again. Louisville is very athletic but outside of Hines-Allen, does not have much scoring underneath.

The Irish are making this a Big East season, with every road game being tough. But they're keeping their composure and somehow finding ways to win, which -- at the end of the day -- is what matters. And it helps pulling out those close games. Still the Florida State game and the ACC tourney will be definite challenges.

So, at this moment, UConn, ND, SC & Baylor with Ohio State rising to jump in if any one of those falters. Let's see what happens in a week....

If ND plays SCAR in the FF, I'll go with ND.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Ya know, of the top teams we have played with any real shot of making it to the FF, that being Maryland, ND, and Ohio State (OSU with more of an outside dark horse type of chance) I would have to say SCar looked the worst. I mean I expected that considering of all the teams that are likely to get a #1 seed they are the most offensively deficient. However, in the other games there were points where the opposing teams still looked good. The eye test tells me a lot as a former player and SCar has not passed it vs any good teams this year. I can't quite seem to figure out why SCar plays best when they are playing vs either a really bad team or when they are down in the final minutes vs a team they should beat. It may be because they are just so use to the underdog role that they aren't really sure how to truly dominate. Another puzzling thing... Dawn said in pre-game that she does not game plan for an option B, C, or D. Honestly, that is exactly what it looked like out there. UConn waltzed in to their house took away option A and they didn't have clue what to do. I mean how many shot clock violations did they have in the 1st quarter? They looked completely unprepared. As a coach you have to have moves and counter moves... there were no counter moves. 5 minutes in I was shaking my head thinking... they don't have a chance. If they were hoping their body of work in SEC play was going to help I think it actually may have done the opposite. So, to answer the questions who is number 2.... I don't have a clue who the pollster will pick but I would say Notre Dame they haven't looked all that great recently either but if I had to bet on who had the best chance to beat UConn it would still be them.

I tend to agree about SCAR. They have holes, liabilities. They don't have championship caliber guard play, and as all the pundits will tell you, college basketball is a guard's game.

 

[Bigpetunia]

If ND plays SCAR in the FF, I'll go with ND.

I concur...and, to me, it's less about the relative talent that would be on the floor (in which SC might have the edge), but about the differences in team mentality. ND is way more disciplined. I was a bit shocked by the degree to which SC came unraveled, especially in the third quarter. Even when UConn is putting a pretty good beating on ND, one gets the sense that the Irish still have loads of fight in them. SC, and especially their backcourt, merely became reckless, and the entire team's body language plummeted precipitously.

 

[ChicagoGG]

"SC, and especially their backcourt, merely became reckless, and the entire team's body language plummeted precipitously."

Agreed, BP, and ditto on the ND part as well.

 

[Monte]

After the 25 pt blowout last year, I asked this question. Some folks thought I was being kinda snarkey, but I didn't think that the team that suffered that kind of beatdown deserved a number two ranking. Well, after tonight, I feel the same way, but I don't know who should be so named, especially after seeing ND's weak effort vs. L'Ville...the dropoff from Number One to everyone else remains vast!

Louisville has made great progress in the last month or so.