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Message: [QUOTE="Carnac, post: 2296262, member: 5798"] I'm going back to last summer. In the weeks leading up to the beginning of the season, I do remember [B]many posters and commenters[/B] here in the yard, as well as media columnists that I read, with the exception of a scant few extreme UConn pessimists,[B] no one [/B]believed that UConn was going to go undefeated or win championship #12. Our most learned, informed, realistic and respected long time posters here in the yard did not believe UConn was going into the Christmas break without a loss or two. [B]Baylor[/B] was the elephant in the room early in the season because they were game #2 on the schedule. They were thought to be too big, too experienced for UConn to beat. There was also Notre Dame and Maryland. Florida State was thought to be formidable, (and they were), but was not thought to be a real threat (only a last second block by Collier preserved the win). UConn played 7 top 25 programs before conference play. Nobody saw the Feb 18 "scare" at [B]Tulane [/B]that UConn very nearly lost (63-60) coming. NOBODY saw the Florida State or Tulane game as near losses when the schedule came out. With the loss of 3/5 of their starting line up, UConn was seen as "toothless" and vulnerable by some observers. You had no returning All-Americans coming back, and you had no depth. It was not known at the time who the 3 new starters would be. Saniya Chong was NOT a consensus to be one of the 3 starters that would join Nurse and Samuelson. Most thought Butler for sure, and some even thought Dangerfield would start. I read every post last summer (here in the yard) concerning and predicting UConn's performance that year. I know you're close to the program, a lot closer than me. But I do remember all but the most far out on the fringe optimistic posters saying that UConn would lose at least two games, and that a FF appearance was doubtful. These debates went on daily. I remember Carnac predicting that "[I]no team would go undefeated that year[/I]". I thought he was stepping way out there with that one, but he was right. UConn didn't really know what kind of team they had until they beat Texas and Notre Dame. AFTER the ND win, then they started to realize what they had, and for the first time thought it might be possible to run the table, but they still had to get by Maryland and South Carolina (with the vaunted twin towers). Unlike THIS summer, that type of thinking [U]was not[/U] prevalent. If you remember, according to [URL='http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/15230529/notre-dame-fighting-irish-lead-way-way-too-early-preseason-top-25-rankings']Tom Creme,[/URL] Notre Dame was ranked #1 going into the season followed by Louisville, South Carolina then UConn at #4. Followed by Texas Baylor and Maryland. [B]Creme wrote:[/B][I] "The season that the rest of women's basketball has waited for will finally arrive. [B]The reign of Connecticut, at least as the dominant, immovable force in the game, is over.[/B] The 2016-17 season looks to be as wide open as any season in more than a decade (even in 2011, when Texas A&M and Notre Dame met for the championship, UConn and Baylor entered the season as big favorites). Certainly teams can change before next season tips off, with player transfers, coaching changes and injuries. But it's time to start looking ahead"[/I]. Creme's analysis of UConn's team last year was shared by many in the media, as well as WCBB fans around the country. [/QUOTE]

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