UConn proving they are a top 4 team

[Bone Dog]

After watching Iowa yesterday, playing with basically 4guards, and 3 officials, there is a case for UConn to be ranked with Iowa. Who has Iowa actually played?

UConn is ranked with Iowa in NET

 

[hoopsnloops32]

After watching Iowa yesterday, playing with basically 4guards, and 3 officials, there is a case for UConn to be ranked with Iowa. Who has Iowa actually played?

UConn and Iowa are built very similarly. UConn seems a bit like Iowa on steroids though because I think their supporting cast around the star players are better on both sides of the ball. I’m surprised more people have pointed this out/made the comparison on here and in the media.

 

[npignatjr]

UConn is ranked with Iowa in NET

Should be also in the "popularity" polls.

 

[npignatjr]

UConn and Iowa are built very similarly. UConn seems a bit like Iowa on steroids though because I think their supporting cast around the star players are better on both sides of the ball. I’m surprised more people have pointed this out/made the comparison on here and in the media.

Yesterday's game cemented my thoughts about Iowa. Indiana less so, as their star is not as good as UConn's opposite, AE.

 

[browns]

If Uconn didn't have 3 losses they would be in the top 10..People say they were all in the top 5...correct but they were losses..it's good to play those teams for your SOS but you have to win them not lose them

 

[Nev]

I agree with a lot of what you stated but it was an easy opponent. I want to see us blow out Notre Dame and keep it close against SC before pronouncing us a top 4 team . We have to shoot a high percentage, limit TOs and fouls to compensate for our weakness in rebounding against the better teams. I dont see Amari getting more than a few minutes a game unless we are up 40 . Her defense is just not there.

Agree with you wholeheartedly. Last season the other Big East teams were a lot better. So far not impressed with any of them that UCONN has played so far.

 

[Cuango]

Great Analysis

Don’t sleep on Fulwiley! Though I’m very happy with KK and would not trade her for Fulwiley, she (Fulwiley) is just the kind of under the radar player that can creep up and bite us in the @**! Somebody, presumably KK will have to deal with her.

 

[Cuango]

If Uconn didn't have 3 losses they would be in the top 10..People say they were all in the top 5...correct but they were losses..it's good to play those teams for your SOS but you have to win them not lose them

That is true but if you are going to lose three games it is clearly better to lose to top five teams.

 

[King Kong]

UConn will probably be 5th when next they vote, behind South Carolina, Iowa, Colorado, & USC. I think they deserve a 4th place vote, but won't get it. They should be on their way to the final four.

 

[NYCHUSKIES]

UConn and Iowa are built very similarly. UConn seems a bit like Iowa on steroids though because I think their supporting cast around the star players are better on both sides of the ball. I’m surprised more people have pointed this out/made the comparison on here and in the media.

I don't know.. At Uconn, everybody eats.. At Iowa, only Caitlin eats.. Caitlin is literally the whole team. You beat Iowa by guarding everybody else and let Caitlin be Caitlin.

 

[Bone Dog]

I don't know.. At Uconn, everybody eats.. At Iowa, only Caitlin eats.. Caitlin is literally the whole team. You beat Iowa by guarding everybody else and let Caitlin be Caitlin.

Interesting. I like it. Most teams would focus on Caitlin, but you recommend ignoring her 30+ points and shutting the others down. I think this was the Celtics playoff strategy against the Jordan era Bulls. Let Michael score 60 and win by beating the rest of the team.

 

[darkstar1]

Agree with you wholeheartedly. Last season the other Big East teams were a lot better. So far not impressed with any of them that UCONN has played so far.

If Creighton, Marquette and maybe Nova were in the Big 10, they would be battling to be in the top 3-6, IMO. Big East weak at the bottom, but only an Iowa looks like a too 25 team in what does not look to be a strong Big 10. Just what I see so far.

 

[Zarathustra]

I don't know.. At Uconn, everybody eats.. At Iowa, only Caitlin eats.. Caitlin is literally the whole team. You beat Iowa by guarding everybody else and let Caitlin be Caitlin.

Limiting Caitlin with Nika is also not a bad consideration.... As you know, "History (maybe) repeats itself, or
rhymes", ... take you pick! "Get #10 out of my face!" == Famous words from Caitlin and recently from Unique Drake!

 

[cohenzone]

If Uconn didn't have 3 losses they would be in the top 10..People say they were all in the top 5...correct but they were losses..it's good to play those teams for your SOS but you have to win them not lose them

The trouble with polls is they don’t account for a lot of variables that can change a lot over the course of a season and few good teams have had anywhere near the variables that UConn has had between the injuries, reliance on first year players and as significant as anything, Bueckers getting reacclimated. It is very hard to climb back up the polls once consigned to a certain status. UConn right now passes the eye test but realistically a lot of teams rated above them have to have more losses. After watching LSU yesterday with its all star line up, i think UConn would beat them. Unimpressed.

 

[mtblancalas]

I was looking at the box scores of the three losses to at some point top 5 teams and the lineups are completely different. With who we are starting with the bench starting to pick up as well I wonder if we would have won those games.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

UConn is probably the fifth best team right now, possibly fourth. Their FF prospects will largely rest on their draw in the tournament. They are playing very well and the four guard lineup has worked so far.

 

[Bigboote]

I don't know.. At Uconn, everybody eats.. At Iowa, only Caitlin eats.. Caitlin is literally the whole team. You beat Iowa by guarding everybody else and let Caitlin be Caitlin.

That's absolutely true. But to me the bigger difference between Iowa and UConn is that UConn is defense-first, and Iowa is defense-optional. Bluder has worked on defense -- in Massey they've gone from something like 125th two years ago to 100 last year to 70 this year. UConn is 6 and has consistently been top-5 or -10 the past several years.