Street & Smith's Annual Yearbook Has ND at #1, UConn at #3

[j66kicker]

Ionescu was facing WNBA guards at the USA national team tryouts. Which conference has guards at that level?

One can make a case that no team right now in the P-12 is at the UConn-Notre Dame level but they are close. And go down to the 3rd-7th teams in the P5 conferences and the P-12 looks better. I'm an East coast bias guy but I've watched a lot of P-12 games the last 2 years and it's much better basketball than you see in the SEC and most of the ACC and B12.

Just out of curiosity I looked up some conference stats from last season. No editorial comment - it just came out how it came out:

 

[Alydar]

Actual results of P-5 teams in NCAA's:

Sweet 16 participants
P-12 - 4
ACC - 4
SEC - 3
B12 - 2
B1G - 0

E8 participants

P12 - 3
ACC - 2
SEC - 2
B12 - 0
B1G - 0

 

[MainefanSC]

Actual results of P-5 teams in NCAA's:

Sweet 16 participants
P-12 - 4
ACC - 4
SEC - 3
B12 - 2
B1G - 0

E8 participants

P12 - 3
ACC - 2
SEC - 2
B12 - 0
B1G - 0

Stats and history can't be refuted. However, it's always fun to see how things evolve as the season progresses. I think all of you P12 fans have a lot to be upbeat about. Let's see how you fare. Without this discussion, I may not have been watching the P12 much. Now, having been enlightened, my interest has been piqued. Thank you.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

Confirming rumors, Raoul reports that Nyara Saballa, sister of Satou will miss the season due to a knee injury. Oregon is said to have only seven healthy players this season.



I also think people too easily overlook USC who could be a real troublemaker. Trakh is not talked about often, but I think he's a quality coach and certainly superior to some other longer term Pac coaches.

 

[jonson]

Confirming rumors, Raoul reports that Nyara Saballa, sister of Satou will miss the season due to a knee injury. Oregon is said to have only seven healthy players this season.

This has also been confirmed by the local Eugene newspaper, and it's really bad news for Oregon, since, as the tweet says, Graves believed she would be their third straight Pac-12 freshman of the year, with 20-25 minutes/game on the court. I don't think the numbers are quite as bad as some have said (there will be, I believe, 9 healthy players by the time the season starts), but they're obviously not very good. If S. Sabally makes the proverbial sophomore leap and there are no additional injuries, this could still be a very good team--not #2, certainly (I don't think they were ever that), but with Final Four potential. But an injury to any of the starters (I'm including Boley in this) would be serious trouble.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

It wasn't an ACL tear. Reports said she went to the hospital after the game for a possible fracture; however, I saw on a blog that she was didn't play the following day but looked mobile with no crutches or boot or anything.

 

[nwhoopfan]

That's a tough break for UO. They might miss McGwire more than some think. Gildon may get some significant minutes this year. Her playing time has varied over the years but she's delivered when they've called on her. She's a bit undersized but tough in the post.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I'm digging all this love for the Pac 12. Thanks BYers!

 

[Shmermerer]

ApparentIy I was mistaken. It was an article from a previous game. My bad!

 

[PAC-12HoopFan]

The two best players on Oregon last year were both sophomores. In fact the team did a great job considering how young they were. Graves is a great coach and there is every reason to see them not only winning the P-12 but going deep into the tournament. As for Ionescu's lack of speed you need to consider who she was facing. No one in the P-12 comes close to that level.

If I am not mistaken, Ioenscu played against UCLA's Jordin Canada the past two seasons as they battled in the PAC-12. Kiana Williams of Stanford is also jet quick. USC's Aliyah Mazyck is as athletic as any guard in the country.

Has Alydar watched much PAC-12 basketball over the past two seasons?

 

[Alydar]

If I am not mistaken, Ioenscu played against UCLA's Jordin Canada the past two seasons as they battled in the PAC-12. Kiana Williams of Stanford is also jet quick. USC's Aliyah Mazyck is as athletic as any guard in the country.

Has Alydar watched much PAC-12 basketball over the past two seasons?

Canada et al are certainly quick but I was responding to a comment that said that Ionescu was slow-footed and couldn't guard the players at the USA team trials. I doubt that any of those you mentioned would fair well facing Bird/Taurasi or the other WNBA guards. I don't remember seeing Ionescu looking lost against any college player in the last 2 years. On the contrary, more often it was she giving the lesson.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Speed/quickness can be really useful, but it can also be overrated. Bird and Whalen aren't exactly speed demons and the US team has been doing fine with them running the show for a long time. Taurasi isn't noted for her eye popping athleticism, yet may very well be the best ever. Those are just a few examples, I could keep going. Ball handling, body control, ability to change pace, craftiness can all be more important than pure speed. Strength isn't bad either. Some players, once they get a shoulder past you it's all over because they are too strong and you aren't going to get between them and the basket. I've been saying it for a while, Ionescu has some parallels to Taurasi. She's gonna be fine despite not being as athletic as some other players.

 

[Dillon77]

Oregon is not overrated. Oregon will only be better this upcoming season. Oregon has an unbelievable set of players on their team. Sabrina, Ruthy Hebard (UCONN would love to have Ruthy Hebard), Maite Cazorla who is a dynamite guard as well, Satou Sabally, and now her 6' 3" sister (also a stud). I'm an OSU Beaver fan, and, I'm telling you, Oregon will be great in 2018-19 season. UCONN will not blow out UO if UCONN gets a chance to play UO next season (injuries aside).

I have heard that the younger Sabally tore her ACL?? Is that true?

Went directly to the source for the Sabally injury and also for a look at the current roster.
Pac-12 champion Oregon Ducks women's basketball team returns to practice

As much as it pains me to bring up Erin Boley's name, I think she'll add a tremendous amount of firepower to Oregon's already potent offense. Double Hebard and she'll knock down anything.
She's also a willing rebounder who isn't scared to battle in the lane. If there's an area with a question mark, it's how she'll do on defense if they play her at a "3." It's been more than a season, but I don't recall a lot of lateral foot quickness. With Erin on the floor at Oregon and Slocum in the lineup at OSU, offenses will get even sharper at the two Oregon schools.

 

[j66kicker]

Speed/quickness can be really useful, but it can also be overrated. Bird and Whalen aren't exactly speed demons and the US team has been doing fine with them running the show for a long time. Taurasi isn't noted for her eye popping athleticism, yet may very well be the best ever. Those are just a few examples, I could keep going. Ball handling, body control, ability to change pace, craftiness can all be more important than pure speed. Strength isn't bad either. Some players, once they get a shoulder past you it's all over because they are too strong and you aren't going to get between them and the basket. I've been saying it for a while, Ionescu has some parallels to Taurasi. She's gonna be fine despite not being as athletic as some other players.

"Speed/quickness can be really useful"?? Good one! Seriously, good points. Ionescu is a great player and she'll probably end up being a great WNBA and international player. But just imagine if she was fast, too. Make no mistake - speed cannot be overrated.

 

[jonson]

Went directly to the source for the Sabally injury and also for a look at the current roster.
Pac-12 champion Oregon Ducks women's basketball team returns to practice

As much as it pains me to bring up Erin Boley's name, I think she'll add a tremendous amount of firepower to Oregon's already potent offense. Double Hebard and she'll knock down anything.
She's also a willing rebounder who isn't scared to battle in the lane. If there's an area with a question mark, it's how she'll do on defense if they play her at a "3." It's been more than a season, but I don't recall a lot of lateral foot quickness. With Erin on the floor at Oregon and Slocum in the lineup at OSU, offenses will get even sharper at the two Oregon schools.

I suspect that they will put S. Sabally at the 3, if one thinks of the lineup in conventional numbers. She is certainly quick and athletic enough, although last year her defense was a work in progress. If she improves in that area and becomes more aggressive on offense, I think she will be a really tough challenge for other teams.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Make no mistake - speed cannot be overrated.

Speed without control leaves a lot to be desired. Jordin Canada is probably as fast as anybody, but she gets a lot of criticism around these parts. She needs to play with more control. Speed + control is lethal. How many players really have that? It's been so long since Jefferson has been 100% healthy that I forget what she was like at the top of her game.

 

[shizam]

That sounds like a bit of a slight. Pac 12 schools have been performing very well in the NCAA Tourney in recent years.

Louisville was 3-0 verse Pac 12 last year. 2-0 in the tourney - Oregon St by 33 points in Elite Eight and trounced Stanford in the Sweet 16. They met Oregon in the reg season and Oregon looked surpirisingly poorly coached and disinterested. The Ducks shaped up fast after that game and had a great year.

 

[Alydar]

Louisville was 3-0 verse Pac 12 last year. 2-0 in the tourney - Oregon St by 33 points in Elite Eight and trounced Stanford in the Sweet 16. They met Oregon in the reg season and Oregon looked surpirisingly poorly coached and disinterested. The Ducks shaped up fast after that game and had a great year.

The Cardinals were also 2-0 against Notre Dame. The first win was by 33 in which the Irish "looked surprisingly poorly coached and disinterested". 56-28 at the half.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Louisville was 3-0 verse Pac 12 last year. 2-0 in the tourney - Oregon St by 33 points in Elite Eight and trounced Stanford in the Sweet 16.

Louisville did what Tennessee and Baylor failed to do--took advantage of their superior athleticism and talent against OSU. That game got ugly (well not if you're a Louisville fan I suppose...).

 

[jonson]

Louisville was 3-0 verse Pac 12 last year. 2-0 in the tourney - Oregon St by 33 points in Elite Eight and trounced Stanford in the Sweet 16. They met Oregon in the reg season and Oregon looked surpirisingly poorly coached and disinterested. The Ducks shaped up fast after that game and had a great year.

A bit of context (for Oregon): the loss was on the road (by 13 points) and in mid-November (the finals of the preseason WNIT). It was only their fourth game of the season and followed another road game in the WNIT Tourney (a victory at Texas A&M). (Oregon actually outscored Louisvillea by a bit in the second half.) I completely agree that it served as a wake-up call for the program (Graves inserted S. Sabally in the starting lineup in place of McGwire after that game), and things might have been different later in the season.

 

[LoTrader]

I think that’s a major stretch. Stanford will be good. If they sign Jones they may be set for a while. Oregon will be competitive, but not able to keep up with the truly elite teams. Ionecu’s lack of speed was exposed during the recent USAB trials. Haven’t seen anything that makes me think UCLA will beat anybody. OSU is well-coached and may surprise a couple good teams, but don’t have the talent to hang at the end.

Hi Alydar, not sure where you are coming up with your analysis on OSU's "talent". This season, OSU's talent will be the deepest it has ever been. Also, deepest experience ever. The new freshman, are also the best we have ever had in a recruiting class. Injuries aside, OSU will be a tough out for any team in the 2018-19 season.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Speed without control leaves a lot to be desired. Jordin Canada is probably as fast as anybody, but she gets a lot of criticism around these parts. She needs to play with more control. Speed + control is lethal. How many players really have that? It's been so long since Jefferson has been 100% healthy that I forget what she was like at the top of her game.

When Moriah was healthy, she was able to dominate a game more than anyone not named Stewie. And the gap wasn’t that large.

 

[PAC-12HoopFan]

I made the investment over the weekend and picked up this year's Street & Smith's Preseason Basketball Yearbook. The women's collegiate section was allocated a total of four pages out of the 300+-page magazine. Collier and Samuelson are among ten players listed as preseason "First Team" All-Americans. Notre Dame has Ogunbowale and Turner listed on the First Team. Mabrey, Shepard, and Young are listed on the 10-member "Second Team". There is also a ten-member All-American "Third Team".

The women's basketball Top 20 for '18-'19 according to Street & Smith is as follows:

1) Notre Dame
2) Oregon
3) UConn
4) Baylor
5) Louisville
6) Mississippi State
7) South Carolina
8) Iowa
9) Maryland
10) Oregon State
11) Stanford
12) Texas A&M
13) Georgia
14) Texas
15) Missouri
16) DePaul
17) North Carolina State
18) Central Michigan
19) Duke
20) California

 

[donalddoowop]

No Tennessee, wow. Athlon won't like that.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I made the investment over the weekend and picked up this year's Street & Smith's Preseason Basketball Yearbook. The women's collegiate section was allocated a total of four pages out of the 300+-page magazine. Collier and Samuelson are among ten players listed as preseason "First Team" All-Americans. Notre Dame has Ogunbowale and Turner listed on the First Team. Mabrey, Shepard, and Young are listed on the 10-member "Second Team". There is also a ten-member All-American "Third Team".

The women's basketball Top 20 for '18-'19 according to Street & Smith is as follows:

1) Notre Dame
2) Oregon
3) UConn
4) Baylor
5) Louisville
6) Mississippi State
7) South Carolina
8) Iowa
9) Maryland
10) Oregon State
11) Stanford
12) Texas A&M
13) Georgia
14) Texas
15) Missouri
16) DePaul
17) North Carolina State
18) Central Michigan
19) Duke
20) California

Thanks and welcome! There are 2 schools listed that are not usually so highly ranked--Iowa and Central Michigan. I know Iowa has one very good player; I'll have to look at their roster and that of CMU.

 

[Dillon77]

Thanks and welcome! There are 2 schools listed that are not usually so highly ranked--Iowa and Central Michigan. I know Iowa has one very good player; I'll have to look at their roster and that of CMU.

Milford:

- Iowa, coached by Lisa Bluder, went 24-8 last year and played a marvelously entertaining B1G playoff game against Minnesota, losing 90-89 before getting in the NCAAs and losing to Creighton. They're led, of course, by Megan Gustafson, who scored a mighty impressive 25.7. Four of their next top five scorers return, including Kathleen Doyle (11.1 ppg) and McKenzie Meyer (10.8 ppg). Doyle was initially committed to Nebraska, but when Connie Yow "resigned," she ended up at Iowa.

- Central Michigan, coached by former Michigan coach Sue Guevara, was one of the darlings of the NCAA tourney last year (along with Buffalo) when they beat LSU and Ohio State in Columbus before heading out to the Spokane regional, where they lost to Oregon, their fellow Mid-American conference team). They're an interesting team in that their five starters all averaged more than 30 minutes per game, all averaged double-digit scoring and the entire roster was from Michigan. They've lost their leading scorer, but all the others come back and they've expanded their recruiting to Ontario and Illinois. Fun team to watch. Lots of passing and bombs away. Presley Hudson will bomb away once she gets in the door.

 

[Carnac]

Oregon is overrated. We’re definitely better than them. Our defense would blow them out 20 plus points

While I share and appreciate your optimism, until I see at least 3-4 games against top ranked competition, I'll reserve my assessment of this year's team. I hope your take is true and correct. Right now, there are too many unknowns about THIS team.

1. We only know for sure 3/5 of the starting line up. We don't know who the two new starters will be.
2. We don't know who the 6th man will be, and how well she can/will mesh and play together with the starters to form a formidable defensive unit. The 6th man (whoever she is) will get lots of playing time this year.
3. We don't know the strength of the bench yet, or how deep Geno can go yet. How many returning reserves will be ready to play "meaningful minutes" this year?

Can/will the two new starters play defense at the required level and intensity WITHOUT FOULING enough to keep teams in check? It's one thing to play defense, it's another to do it without fouling, and stay in the game, or get get 2 fouls in the first half, and have Geno's trust that he leaves you on the floor the remainder of the half.

Their two best defensive players graduated in May. To my knowledge, there is no one on the bench that came close to playing defense at the level and conviction they did. Their replacements may not be up for the task, at least not right away.

During the recent "glory years" (the Breanna Stewart era), UConn's defense was superior. It was rare for a team to break 60 points on UConn. This was done 7 times during her freshman year, 4 times / sophomore year, 7 times / junior year, and only 5 times her senior year. All of those numbers include post-season play. 23 times in 4 years. This is in 150 + games on her watch.

That's dominance! That's imposing YOUR will on your opponent, and making it stick. Those days are gone. Can UConn return to those glory days?, we'll see. Last year, 11 teams broke 60 points on UConn. If UConn is to return to prominence, it must begin on the defensive end of the court. They MUST be able to make/get stops. Their defense will generate and fuel their offense.

Remember when KML missed 12 games her junior year with an elbow injury? Breanna Banks and Gabby Williams replaced her in the starting line up until she returned. Stewie said later that when KML went out, the chemistry in the starting unit was gone, and it didn't return until she did. That's not a slight on Banks or Williams, just fact. They were use to playing with KML, and knew what she could do, and could depend on her to uphold/fulfill her assignments.

The starters on any team play as a unit. They know and depend that the other players will do what they are supposed to do, and be where they are suppose to be on both ends of the court. That's chemistry. All five players must be in sync for it to flow smoothly and work as designed. One player out of position will weaken or collapse a play or plan.

It's always been my opinion that all of the questions about any basketball team in the preseason will be answered by the Christmas break. This year, that's 11 games, not counting the two exhibition games against Vanguard and Southern Connecticut State. When the team breaks for the holidays, we'll know exactly what kind of team we have, and who can be depended on, as the most challenging portion of the schedule will have been played.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Milford:

- Iowa, coached by Lisa Bluder, went 24-8 last year and played a marvelously entertaining B1G playoff game against Minnesota, losing 90-89 before getting in the NCAAs and losing to Creighton. They're led, of course, by Megan Gustafson, who scored a mighty impressive 25.7. Four of their next top five scorers return, including Kathleen Doyle (11.1 ppg) and McKenzie Meyer (10.8 ppg). Doyle was initially committed to Nebraska, but when Connie Yow "resigned," she ended up at Iowa.

- Central Michigan, coached by former Michigan coach Sue Guevara, was one of the darlings of the NCAA tourney last year (along with Buffalo) when they beat LSU and Ohio State in Columbus before heading out to the Spokane regional, where they lost to Oregon, their fellow Mid-American conference team). They're an interesting team in that their five starters all averaged more than 30 minutes per game, all averaged double-digit scoring and the entire roster was from Michigan. They've lost their leading scorer, but all the others come back and they've expanded their recruiting to Ontario and Illinois. Fun team to watch. Lots of passing and bombs away. Presley Hudson will bomb away once she gets in the door.

Thanks! I was aware of Gustafson, of course, but had lost track of how each team did in the tourney.

 

[Carnac]

Oregon is not overrated. Oregon will only be better this upcoming season. Oregon has an unbelievable set of players on their team. Sabrina, Ruthy Hebard (UCONN would love to have Ruthy Hebard), Maite Cazorla who is a dynamite guard as well, Satou Sabally, and now her 6' 3" sister (also a stud). I'm an OSU Beaver fan, and, I'm telling you, Oregon will be great in 2018-19 season. UCONN will not blow out UO if UCONN gets a chance to play UO next season (injuries aside).

You said: "UCONN would love to have Ruthy Hebard" - A 6'4" forward with 2 years starting experience, that posted 16.3ppg / 8.7rpg over than span, you bet they'd like to have her.

 

[donalddoowop]

While I share and appreciate your optimism, until I see at least 3-4 games against top ranked competition, I'll reserve my assessment of this year's team. I hope your take is true and correct. Right now, there are too many unknowns about THIS team.

1. We only know for sure 3/5 of the starting line up. We don't know who the two new starters will be.
2. We don't know who the 6th man will be, and how well she can/will mesh and play together with the starters to form a formidable defensive unit. The 6th man (whoever she is) will get lots of playing time this year.
3. We don't know the strength of the bench yet, or how deep Geno can go yet. How many returning reserves will be ready to play "meaningful minutes" this year?

Can/will the two new starters play defense at the required level and intensity WITHOUT FOULING enough to keep teams in check? It's one thing to play defense, it's another to do it without fouling, and stay in the game, or get get 2 fouls in the first half, and have Geno's trust that he leaves you on the floor the remainder of the half.

Their two best defensive players graduated in May. To my knowledge, there is no one on the bench that came close to playing defense at the level and conviction they did. Their replacements may not be up for the task, at least not right away.

During the recent "glory years" (the Breanna Stewart era), UConn's defense was superior. It was rare for a team to break 60 points on UConn. This was done 7 times during her freshman year, 4 times / sophomore year, 7 times / junior year, and only 5 times her senior year. All of those numbers include post-season play. 23 times in 4 years. This is in 150 + games on her watch.

That's dominance! That's imposing YOUR will on your opponent, and making it stick. Those days are gone. Can UConn return to those glory days?, we'll see. Last year, 11 teams broke 60 points on UConn. If UConn is to return to prominence, it must begin on the defensive end of the court. They MUST be able to make/get stops. Their defense will generate and fuel their offense.

Remember when KML missed 12 games her junior year with an elbow injury? Breanna Banks and Gabby Williams replaced her in the starting line up until she returned. Stewie said later that when KML went out, the chemistry in the starting unit was gone, and it didn't return until she did. That's not a slight on Banks or Williams, just fact. They were use to playing with KML, and knew what she could do, and could depend on her to uphold/fulfill her assignments.

The starters on any team play as a unit. They know and depend that the other players will do what they are supposed to do, and be where they are suppose to be on both ends of the court. That's chemistry. All five players must be in sync for it to flow smoothly and work as designed. One player out of position will weaken or collapse a play or plan.

It's always been my opinion that all of the questions about any basketball team in the preseason will be answered by the Christmas break. This year, that's 11 games, not counting the two exhibition games against Vanguard and Southern Connecticut State. When the team breaks for the holidays, we'll know exactly what kind of team we have, and who can be depended on, as the most challenging portion of the schedule will have been played.

Eleven teams broke 60 on last season's team and only one won. As long as UConn can continue to average 80 points or more they will be just fine.