This is probably stirring up a hornet's nest, but.....

[tomcat]

I kinda hope that, no matter who is better, and no matter how much an undefeated season means, that those wonderful folks at the NCAA decide that UCLA's strength of schedule trumps UConn's undefeated season, and UConn gets ranked second for the tournament. The motivation value would be off the charts.

As things stand now, UCLA has an intangible working for them because UConn beat them handily last year and they will be trying for revenge.

I am not saying UConn can't beat UCLA anyway, but there is real value in putting a chip on the shoulders of UConn's players right from the start.

 

[Scud49]

If that happened, I think our guys would be breathing fire....!

Talk about a motivational pop, not that they really need it.

 

[EricSD]

I think it would be a tremendous sign of disrespect. Just like last season, UConn "earning" a 2-seed - that was wrong by any eye-test logic. But the committee was committed to the metrics, most importantly it seemed, Quad 1 wins. This year it seems all the hype we hear about is the "NET ranking".

And by the way, the NET ranking has UConn #1. Maybe you are right, tom, that putting a massive chip on our shoulder would be good. As a fan, tho, the amount of disrespect that would show wouldn't sit right with me.

 

[Woof]

I agree

 

[BBallF]

I kinda hope that, no matter who is better, and no matter how much an undefeated season means, that those wonderful folks at the NCAA decide that UCLA's strength of schedule trumps UConn's undefeated season, and UConn gets ranked second for the tournament. The motivation value would be off the charts.

As things stand now, UCLA has an intangible working for them because UConn beat them handily last year and they will be trying for revenge.

I am not saying UConn can't beat UCLA anyway, but there is real value in putting a chip on the shoulders of UConn's players right from the start.

If they need that to win, they are not a better team. I don't believe in seedings that are contrived, artificial, biased, or unfair, all of which making UCLA #1 overall would be. I also think that the NCAA Selection Committee has proven over the years to be capable of anything.

 

[ConnMotors]

Am sorry but I’d rather be the one one seed. Let UConn beat Dawn. Let UCLA and Texas beat each other up again. Then Geno and team can bite the surviver of the two.

 

[JellyBean]

I mean who's to say UConn doesn't have a chip on their shoulder & highly motivated already? With that being said, I have never been a fan of rankings or getting caught up in the whole debate of who is #1. If folks feel like UCLA is the overall #1 Seed, so be it. I am sure it would create a lot of debate but in the end, the only thing that matters is who is the last team standing on the mountain top come April. We shall see what develops.

 

[DemonDeac22]

UConn played for Paige last year and the outcome was terrific. This year this team seems even more cohesive and they all seem to genuinely play for each other every single game. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are also motivated to prove they can win one without Paige.

 

[Next 12]

I'm old school in that we are undefeated and UCLA is not. We are the Reigning National Champions and UCLA is not, Thus Uconn is NO 1.As far as motivation goes, last year WAS for Paige, but this is for this team because they want to FINNISH WHAt THEY STARTEDand I don't blame them. GO HUSKIES!!!!

 

[Blond D.]

I think this UCONN team has all the motivation they need.

 

[fomalhaut]

I really doubt the players care in the slightest.

 

[oldhusky]

I think the top teams are the top teams partly because they don't need a specific motivation edge to accomplish what they want. Their preparation and approach is the same. They might slip up a little in lopsided early round games but everybody is motivated in the Final Four.

To the extent it might be a factor, I think UCLA would have more chips on their shoulders than us even if they got the #1 overall seed. Their loss to us by a big margin last year would be more motivation for them than who gets the #1 overall seed this year. Uconn had the issue of winning one for Paige in her last shot, and UCLA has even more of a factor like that because it is not just the last opportunity for Betts and Rice, but probably no contender is anywhere close to being as senior dominant as theirs.

Next year they won't be in the championship discussion IMO, it is pretty much now or never for them and their many seniors. Uconn, South Carolina, Texas, LSU and quite a few top teams can reasonably expect another crack at it, but if any contender has a significant motivational edge, it has to be UCLA even if they got the #1 overall seed.

 

[#1Genofan]

I agree that UCLA is an excellent team. But I dispute that UCLA's schedule was so much stronger than UConn's. The Big Ten (or whatever they call themselves now) was not close to the best conference in the country. They had a lot of good to very good teams (and one great one, UCLA), but they and UConn both beat the following teams: Tennessee, Ohio State, So. Cal, Iowa, Michigan. UCLA also beat Oklahoma, North Carolina, Duke, Nebraska, Maryland, and Michigan State -- all good but not great teams. UConn also beat Notre Dame and Louisville, similarly good but not great. So yes, UCLA's schedule was a little tougher, because it had a few more of those good teams, but nobody like Texas, So Carolina, LSU, Vandy. (Of course they did play Texas, and lost.) I would say both UCLA and UConn played a schedule with a lot of good teams but (other than Texas), no great ones. That might still be enough for some people to put UCLA ahead of UConn, but it's not as if UCLA's schedule was a continual gauntlet while UConn's was cupcake city.

 

[ucmiami2]

I really do not care how they rank the 1 seeds - I think there are 4 really good teams this year, and another 6 or more that can throw a wrench in everyone's plans without it being a major shock. Takes just one off night for anyone to go down. I think the AP/Coaches polls moving Uconn down would be disrespectful, I think the NCAA using whatever metrics they use can do what they want. The fact is UCLA and Uconn are each getting an SEC 2 seed by NCAA rules, and beyond that the seeding is going to be all screwy because of the number of SEC and BigTen schools in the top 25.

 

[EricSD]

I agree that UCLA is an excellent team. But I dispute that UCLA's schedule was so much stronger than UConn's. The Big Ten (or whatever they call themselves now) was not close to the best conference in the country. They had a lot of good to very good teams (and one great one, UCLA), but they and UConn both beat the following teams: Tennessee, Ohio State, So. Cal, Iowa, Michigan. UCLA also beat Oklahoma, North Carolina, Duke, Nebraska, Maryland, and Michigan State -- all good but not great teams. UConn also beat Notre Dame and Louisville, similarly good but not great. So yes, UCLA's schedule was a little tougher, because it had a few more of those good teams, but nobody like Texas, So Carolina, LSU, Vandy. (Of course they did play Texas, and lost.) I would say both UCLA and UConn played a schedule with a lot of good teams but (other than Texas), no great ones. That might still be enough for some people to put UCLA ahead of UConn, but it's not as if UCLA's schedule was a continual gauntlet while UConn's was cupcake city.

I wouldn't say that their schedule was only "just a little tougher".

UCLA played 19 Quad 1 games, losing 1. UConn played 9, obviously losing zero.
UCLA played 6 Quad 4 games. UConn played 12.

One could argue the metrics are flawed as to how they calculate the Quad designation for games, but aside from Villanova, the Big East is a big nothing burger. The Big East did UConn no favors by increasing the number in intra-conference games this season, and UConn should have pushed back way harder to play less.

Playing Xavier, DePaul, Butler and Georgetown twice damaged all of our metrics.

 

[Charliebball]

I kinda hope that, no matter who is better, and no matter how much an undefeated season means, that those wonderful folks at the NCAA decide that UCLA's strength of schedule trumps UConn's undefeated season, and UConn gets ranked second for the tournament. The motivation value would be off the charts.

As things stand now, UCLA has an intangible working for them because UConn beat them handily last year and they will be trying for revenge.

I am not saying UConn can't beat UCLA anyway, but there is real value in putting a chip on the shoulders of UConn's players right from the start.

I doubt the team really cares all that much about being the ultimate number one or the number two seeded team........no matter where they end up playing or who they play, they need to win six games or go home and that's all that matters.....

 

[Bone Dog]

Last year the motivation was to win one for Paige. Maybe this year it’s to have bragging rights over Paige.