Texas, Baylor are No. 1 seeds in preseason Bracketology

[Carnac]

The SEC leads the way with eight teams in Charlie Creme's first bracket projection of the season. But a pair of Big 12 teams join UConn and Stanford on the top line as No. 1 seeds.

Bracketology preview - 5 teams to watch.
Charlie Creme explains why Sophie Cunningham and Missouri will make an impact on this year's 64-team field.
The espnW bracketologist also breaks down four other teams to keep an eye on this season.

 

[Kaizen]

Wow... he has UConn, Baylor, Stanford and Texas as number 1 seed.
South Carolina as #2 seed.
While UConn can play #2 seed Missip. State. at Albany? That will be a nice game for UConn....

 

[nwhoopfan]

Wow, Stanford as a #1 seed? Somebody, I think it was ESPN, had them ranked #2 in their preseason poll. I think the Card will be good this year and contending for the Pac 12 title, but that seems overly ambitious.

 

[oldude]

I see that Charlie has the Turtles as the #4 seed in the Albany region. I wonder if Brenda will complain again about Husky fans buying all the tickets in advance (I’ve already got mine.)

In last year’s regional tournament in Bridgeport, it was thoroughly enjoyable to watch the small contingent of Turtle fans frantically sell their elite 8 game tickets to accommodating Husky fans after the Turtles were stunned by the unranked Oregon Ducks in the Sweet 16.

 

[stwainfan]

A lot of SEC teams.

 

[VaConnFan11]

He must really like Oregon State. They are in the bracket twice.

 

[Plebe]

I see that Charlie has the Turtles as the #4 seed in the Albany region. I wonder if Brenda will complain again about Husky fans buying all the tickets in advance (I’ve already got mine.)

In last year’s regional tournament in Bridgeport, it was thoroughly enjoyable to watch the small contingent of Turtle fans frantically sell their elite 8 game tickets to accommodating Husky fans after the Turtles were stunned by the unranked Oregon Ducks in the Sweet 16.

I recently came across this precious clip of Brenda complaining about her seeding and wondering "what else could we have done" to earn a higher seeding:

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Wow, Stanford as a #1 seed? Somebody, I think it was ESPN, had them ranked #2 in their preseason poll.

It was Richard Deitsch of SI.

 

[YellwJcket999]

I recently came across this precious clip of Brenda complaining about her seeding and wondering "what else could we have done" to earn a higher seeding:

What else can Freese do? She can play a tougher non-conference schedule.

 

[JordyG]

Wow, Stanford as a #1 seed? Somebody, I think it was ESPN, had them ranked #2 in their preseason poll. I think the Card will be good this year and contending for the Pac 12 title, but that seems overly ambitious.

More than just overly ambitious. This is a fairly young Stanford team that played the mighty UC San Diego Tritons to a virtual draw at the half of Saturday's game. A game which they barely outlasted the Tritons by 14 points. Now, I know these games mean nothing, but they do show some tendencies, abilities and proclivities. To me these all add up to a team that is really about 3rd best in their conference.

 

[JordyG]

What else can Freese do? She can play a tougher non-conference schedule.

This just a few months after she said of UConn, and I paraphrase, "It's easy to win when you get the best players". Well, her class from last year was the best. Once the lights came on that class under achieved, then the foundations of that great recruiting class bolted. Now she has a short bench and Austin this year. Good luck.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well, I'm going to take nothing away from an exhibition game. How about Tara's overall track record at Stanford? She's lost key players plenty of times before and managed to reload and keep on doing what she does. They may be young, but they have a core group of experienced players, and there is plenty of talent in the Fr. and Soph classes. 3rd best in the conference...that remains to be determined. A lot will change between now and then.

I do think Oregon is improving rapidly under Graves and is moving very much in the right direction, but they might be a little overhyped. Basically it's almost entirely based off a few games at the end of the season--beating UW in the conference tourney and then Maryland and Duke in the NCAA Tourney. It should be noted that after beating UW they got handled by Stanford (they were up 10 in the first quarter and ended up losing by 15) and of course they got thrashed by UConn. Compare how UCLA played against UConn. The Ducks aren't there yet as far as being an elite team nationally as far as I'm concerned, until they can prove it over the course of a whole season.

 

[Plebe]

Well, I'm going to take nothing away from an exhibition game. How about Tara's overall track record at Stanford? She's lost key players plenty of times before and managed to reload and keep on doing what she does. They may be young, but they have a core group of experienced players, and there is plenty of talent in the Fr. and Soph classes. 3rd best in the conference...that remains to be determined. A lot will change between now and then.

I do think Oregon is improving rapidly under Graves and is moving very much in the right direction, but they might be a little overhyped. Basically it's almost entirely based off a few games at the end of the season--beating UW in the conference tourney and then Maryland and Duke in the NCAA Tourney. It should be noted that after beating UW they got handled by Stanford (they were up 10 in the first quarter and ended up losing by 15) and of course they got thrashed by UConn. Compare how UCLA played against UConn. The Ducks aren't there yet as far as being an elite team nationally as far as I'm concerned, until they can prove it over the course of a whole season.

Tara and Muffet are two coaches who are to be underestimated at one's peril. I won't be surprised if Stanford struggles early and drops some games to less-than-marquee opponents. But I expect them to be very competitive by the middle of conference season. Last year Stanford didn't look at all like a top-10 team in losing at home to Gonzaga and on the road at Tennessee, where they played poorly. Tara has some talented freshmen and sophomores who, I predict, will make a name for themselves this year.

 

[willtalk]

Just deleted a post that I wrote four hours ago but forgot to click post. Now I noticed and clicked it but then read that another poster had also posted in the interm. Well since there is not delete option I had to fill in the space with and edit.

 

[Carnac]

Right now, all we're looking at is "projections" on paper. We'll know a lot more about UConn, and have a much clearer understanding and idea of what they can do, and how they may fare this season after their first 5 games against quality competition.

The first four teams are AP top 20 (2 top 10) as of Oct 22 2017. A lot of the questions we have now will be answered after the UCLA game.

The first 5 games:
#10 Stanford - neutral site.
#20 Cal (H)
#15 Maryland (H)
#8 UCLA - (A)
Michigan St - neutral site

 

[USFMB]

He has USF #6 seed.

I think that is fair to start the season, but we are hoping to be better than that at the end.

USF women’s basketball team leaving painful memories behind

 

[MilfordHusky]

Tara and Muffet are two coaches who are to be underestimated at one's peril. I won't be surprised if Stanford struggles early and drops some games to less-than-marquee opponents. But I expect them to be very competitive by the middle of conference season. Last year Stanford didn't look at all like a top-10 team in losing at home to Gonzaga and on the road at Tennessee, where they played poorly. Tara has some talented freshmen and sophomores who, I predict, will make a name for themselves this year.

I agree, especially with the first sentence. I think they are the #2 and #3 coaches out there.

 

[Plebe]

I do think Oregon is improving rapidly under Graves and is moving very much in the right direction, but they might be a little overhyped. Basically it's almost entirely based off a few games at the end of the season--beating UW in the conference tourney and then Maryland and Duke in the NCAA Tourney. It should be noted that after beating UW they got handled by Stanford (they were up 10 in the first quarter and ended up losing by 15) and of course they got thrashed by UConn. Compare how UCLA played against UConn. The Ducks aren't there yet as far as being an elite team nationally as far as I'm concerned, until they can prove it over the course of a whole season.

That's what happens when you make an Elite 8 run, beating the #2 and #3 seeds along the way, and return all your starters and significant bench players. You get hyped. I wouldn't consider them top-8 just yet, but I do think that top-12 isn't a stretch. I am projecting them 3rd in the Pac-12 behind UCLA and Stanford, but I think they're closer to 2nd than 4th.

 

[Plebe]

He has USF #6 seed.

I think that is fair to start the season, but we are hoping to be better than that at the end.

USF women’s basketball team leaving painful memories behind

A #6 seed would equate to the 21-24 range, which is where both polls currently have them. If USF wants to earn a higher seed, they need to have significant success in their key nonconference games:
LSU
Washington St
Oklahoma
Dayton
Michigan St
Ohio St

I'd say USF needs to win at least 4 of these games, and at least two wins over teams that end up in the RPI top 25, in order to receive a coveted top-4 seed and the right to host the first weekend of the tournament.

 

[USFMB]

A #6 seed would equate to the 21-24 range, which is where both polls currently have them. If USF wants to earn a higher seed, they need to have significant success in their key nonconference games:
LSU
Washington St
Oklahoma
Dayton
Michigan St
Ohio St

I'd say USF needs to win at least 4 of these games, and at least two wins over teams that end up in the RPI top 25, in order to receive a coveted top-4 seed and the right to host the first weekend of the tournament.

I believe that is doable, but the proof will be in actually doing it.

Looking forward to the start of the WBB season.

 

[Plebe]

I believe that is doable, but the proof will be in actually doing it.

Looking forward to the start of the WBB season.

Me too! I think Jose did a nice job of scheduling. He included an aspirational game with Ohio State, and they might play Notre Dame at the Gulf Coast Showcase if they can get past Washington State. He scheduled about 6-7 very winnable games against teams likely to be top 50. Oklahoma on the road will be tough (just ask Texas) but would be a great win.

 

[geneticrex]

A lot of SEC teams.

Who do they think they are.........the old Big East???

 

[Plebe]

A lot of SEC teams.

Eight SEC teams would be the same number as last year, but I'm not sold yet on Alabama and Kentucky as tournament-caliber teams this year.

 

[Alydar]

Me too! I think Jose did a nice job of scheduling. He included an aspirational game with Ohio State, and they might play Notre Dame at the Gulf Coast Showcase if they can get past Washington State. He scheduled about 6-7 very winnable games against teams likely to be top 50. Oklahoma on the road will be tough (just ask Texas) but would be a great win.

Just for information the LSU-USF game is scheduled to be on Cox sports Television on Fri at 5:30pm. I'd imagine it will be on other cable systems also. It will be a tough choice for me between that and the Stanford-tOSU game that is on the BTN at 6:00.

 

[triaddukefan]

A #6 seed would equate to the 21-24 range, which is where both polls currently have them. If USF wants to earn a higher seed, they need to have significant success in their key nonconference games:
LSU
Washington St
Oklahoma
Dayton
Michigan St
Ohio St

I'd say USF needs to win at least 4 of these games, and at least two wins over teams that end up in the RPI top 25, in order to receive a coveted top-4 seed and the right to host the first weekend of the tournament.

I'll have my eyes on them this season