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Message: [QUOTE="NycUcWbbFan, post: 4991588, member: 13453"] USC should not be preseason #1. South Carolina should be preseason #1. The thought experiment that goes into preseason rankings is not complicated, but is subjective. It starts with the final 2023 rankings, adjusted for (a) departures, (b) incoming recruits, (c) incoming transfers, (d) recovering players, and adjusted for the coaching staff’s history of making lineups work. [URL="https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/rankings"]2023-24 Women's College Basketball Rankings - ESPN[/URL] Thought Experiment 1: South Carolina vs USC: [LIST] [*]South Carolina lost Cardoso. Adds #3 Freshman (forward Joyce Edwards). Was #1 (undefeated). Dawn 2023 COY. ==> Pre-season #1. [*]USC lost 6 players (including #2, #4, #5, #8 scorers [URL="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/southern-california/women/2024.html"]2023-24 USC Trojans Women's Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com[/URL]). Adds Kiki Iriafen, TVO. Adds 6 Freshmen (3 guards (#13, #16, #54), 1 wing (#6), 2 forwards (#47, #92)). Was #5. Gottlieb. ==> Should not be pre-season #1. [/LIST] Thought Experiment 2: UConn vs ND vs Texas: [LIST] [*]There seems to be disparate treatment of recovering stars by ESPN and others. ND with Miles goes from #11 to #3. TX with Harmon goes from #7 to #2. [*]UConn with Azzi and Jana, Kaitlyn replacing Nika, missing Aaliyah but adding heralded freshmen (#1 Sarah, #7 Allie and #11 Morgan), and going from 7 to 10 playable players to start the season and with Geno coming from one of his best coaching years, goes from #3 to #4. UConn has All-American and only returning former Player of the Year Paige. [*]Texas does add talented freshmen (guard ranked #9 and forward ranked #12). Notre Dame adds #5 freshman post. [/LIST] My top 5 before any season play: 1 South Carolina, 2 UConn, 3 Texas, 4 USC, 5 Notre Dame. [/QUOTE]

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