UConn #2 in New AP Poll

[PAHuskeyFan]

FWIW... UCONN is also #2 in the Coaches Poll that came out today... the Coaches poll is essentially the same as the AP Poll...minor adjustments of a spot or two here and there.

 

[j66kicker]

Oregon & Oregon State each got 1 first place vote in the AP poll. Neither got any in the coaches poll, but Louisville got one.

 

[Alydar]

I am looking forward to 9 games in Jan/Feb, UConn's games with S Carolina, Baylor and Oregon and the games between Oregon, Stanford and Oregon St. Can't miss games. The top of the PAC12 is awesome this year. But I do question the defense played on the west coast. Tara, given time to prepare can usually come up with a successful defensive scheme but for the most part those 3 teams along with past N Dame teams have relied on outscoring their opponents. Baylor and UConn play defense and in a big games shots may not fall but defense is more effort than skill, and effort usually doesn't run hot and cold. For offensive teams one cold-shooting game in the SW16 or E8 can send a great scoring team home.
Right now there isn't any team that matches the level of past No 1 teams. Stanford has the top spot but does a team that struggled against Cal Baptist and Gonzaga deserve that spot? But if not them, who? I certainly don't see one.

 

[huskyd]

Stanford on top, UConn up to No. 2 in AP poll

Connecticut jumped to No. 2 behind Stanford in The Associated Press women's Top 25 rankings released Monday after another week filled with upsets.

www.espn.com

2024-25 Women's College Basketball Rankings - ESPN

Find the 2024-25 NCAAW rankings on ESPN, including the Coaches and AP poll for the top 25 NCAAW teams.

www.espn.com

1. Stanford
2. UConn
3. Oregon
4. Oregon State
5. South Carolina
6. Baylor
7. Louisville
8. Florida State
9. NC State
10. UCLA

Does this mean we're in the Final Four? No? Does it mean we'll easily defeat South Carolina and Baylor? What does it mean? Nada.

 

[Plebe]

For a bit of perspective, last year's week 6 rankings had Tennessee at No 9.

Ha I take it that was before their 6-game losing streak

 

[Triad]

Well that isn’t going to happen as long as we keep winning. There will keep being fewer and fewer undefeated teams until there’s just us. Or... which game would you like for us to lose?

The key phrase: "as long as we keep winning", maybe , you know that our wins against AAC don't count much.
So even "keep winning" there has little value in ranking. Reality--???

 

[Triad]

The schedule is the schedule. ND, tOSU and Cal are perennially ranked. The fact that they have fallen off this year is not UConn’s fault, although I do believe that tOSU will be a very good team by the end of the season.

As for the challenge of playing without Liv, that applies to any team for any one of their key players. MD lost to SC with Austin in foul trouble. Baylor has struggled against good competition without Cox. SC lost to Indiana with Boston in foul trouble.

More than any other coaching staff in the country, I trust Geno and his staff to have the team ready for the challenge presented by the likes of Baylor, OR, SC and any other top teams the Huskies face.

USC---as you mentioned lost without Boston. Uconn is vulnerable with the sidelining for injuries, spasms, fouls on 3 or 4 key players, CW, Megan, DANGER, ONO against top talented teams (ND wasn't one of them)
Dayton wasn't one of them yet there was struggling. That level of vulnerability is more unique to Uconn this year than many other top teams. The loss of Megan, Danger, ONO for even a quarter could spell DEFEAT.

 

[oldude]

USC---as you mentioned lost without Boston. Uconn is vulnerable with the sidelining for injuries, spasms, fouls on 3 or 4 key players, CW, Megan, DANGER, ONO against top talented teams (ND wasn't one of them)
Dayton wasn't one of them yet there was struggling. That level of vulnerability is more unique to Uconn this year than many other top teams. The loss of Megan, Danger, ONO for even a quarter could spell DEFEAT.

This isn’t Geno’s first rodeo. He’s won with key players in foul trouble and he’s won with players out with injuries.

Flash back two seasons ago. With Lou out with a bum ankle and Gabby sitting beside her on the bench with migraines, UConn fell behind ND, the eventual National Champions at the XL Center in Hartford. But the Huskies stormed back in the 4th qtr to win with two AA’s sitting on the bench.

Let’s talk about the Seton Hall game. With Crystal out with back spasms, Molly gets the first start of her career and plays beautifully, while Aubrey explodes for 25 & 12.

UConn WBB does not depend on any one player. The Huskies are all about TEAM. If someone is out, the next player steps up.

 

[LoTrader]

I am looking forward to 9 games in Jan/Feb, UConn's games with S Carolina, Baylor and Oregon and the games between Oregon, Stanford and Oregon St. Can't miss games. The top of the PAC12 is awesome this year. But I do question the defense played on the west coast. Tara, given time to prepare can usually come up with a successful defensive scheme but for the most part those 3 teams along with past N Dame teams have relied on outscoring their opponents. Baylor and UConn play defense and in a big games shots may not fall but defense is more effort than skill, and effort usually doesn't run hot and cold. For offensive teams one cold-shooting game in the SW16 or E8 can send a great scoring team home.
Right now there isn't any team that matches the level of past No 1 teams. Stanford has the top spot but does a team that struggled against Cal Baptist and Gonzaga deserve that spot? But if not them, who? I certainly don't see one.

Historically, I wouldn't put Oregon State in the offensive juggernaut category, OSU has been a defense first, winning ugly at times, team. This year, the offensive production is better than years past, but OSU won't go far without a great defensive effort in every PAC-12 game.

 

[Alydar]

Historically, I wouldn't put Oregon State in the offensive juggernaut category, OSU has been a defense first, winning ugly at times, team. This year, the offensive production is better than years past, but OSU won't go far without a great defensive effort in every PAC-12 game.

I agree. Rueck hasn't had the level of talent of the other teams and his success has been more defense-based. ASU is another program that has played defense well in the past. But on the whole the PAC12 hasn't been known for defense.
I dislike the "winning ugly" label. The most defense-oriented team I have seen was Rutgers. Many UConn fans hated them but most of that was due to their success, for a time, at making UConn's offense look, shall we say, "unfamiliar".
But most of the media and most of the public is in love of offense.

 

[j66kicker]

The key phrase: "as long as we keep winning", maybe , you know that our wins against AAC don't count much.
So even "keep winning" there has little value in ranking. Reality--???

Reality is we'll continue to be ranked high at least until we lose one.

 

[ScottCT]

It almost seems like people are hoping we lose.

 

[NWHoopFan2]

Clearly the shellacking of Notre Dame made an impression on enough of the voters to nudge UConn past Oregon (by 7 points) even after Oregon run-ruled South Dakota State.

Other major movers:
Louisville down from 2 to 7
NC State up from 13 to 9
Maryland down from 9 to 13
MS State down from 10 to 15
Tennessee down from 17 to 23
Miami down from 21 to 25
West Virginia enters at 22

Even though South Dakota State beat Notre Dame?

 

[mbr33ct]

USC---as you mentioned lost without Boston. Uconn is vulnerable with the sidelining for injuries, spasms, fouls on 3 or 4 key players, CW, Megan, DANGER, ONO against top talented teams (ND wasn't one of them)
Dayton wasn't one of them yet there was struggling. That level of vulnerability is more unique to Uconn this year than many other top teams. The loss of Megan, Danger, ONO for even a quarter could spell DEFEAT.

Frankly I don't even know why UConn shows up for games...per your assessment they are way out of everyone's league. How dare they take the floor against these mediocre teams and struggle...just wait until they go up against "many other top teams", then UConn will truly see how "vulnerable" they are. The picture you paint of this UConn team seems to be so fragile, foul prone bunch of players.

Could you imagine a team like Oregon (or any other top teams) having "fouls on 3 or 4 key players" or lose Ruthy Hebard, Satou Sabally and Sabrina Ionescu (or any top three players from any other top teams) "for even a quarter could spell DEFEAT.

Just say you don't have faith in this team and get on with it.

 

[DEpup]

I'm a bit frustrated by folks pontificating on whether we are a top team or not based on comparisons to previous UConn teams or some unknown criteria. The rankings are based on comparison to the present teams and yes there are no super dominant teams and I've watched a fair amount of bball so far and there really aren't any teams that I would put ahead of them. Even Stanford has looked pretty rough in some games. No one is operating on all cylinders yet in my opinion.