Voepel picks Baylor over UConn to reach the Final Four

[BostonBay]

No doubt, a tough region. The 2 teams I wanted to avoid was SC & Baylor due to size, post presence, & style of play. Should be a classic if UConn vs Baylor happens.

 

[fireford]

I hope all the "experts" do. If it comes down to Uconn/Baylor playing for the regional final I'd rather have Uconn playing with a chip on their shoulder in what should be a toss-up between the two teams.

 

[hoopsfan22]

I hope all the "experts" do. If it comes down to Uconn/Baylor playing for the regional final I'd rather have Uconn playing with a chip on their shoulder in what should be a toss-up between the two teams.

Do you think the players have a chip on their shoulder because of Mechelle Voepel? Baylor is good. We haven't beaten them since Crystal Dangerfield was a freshman, so it's been a while and they still have Husky killer NaLyssa Smith which is one reason I picked Baylor as well. Of course neither Baylor nor the Huskies may reach the regional final, so we're gonna have to wait to see if that's actually the matchup, but I wouldn't be sad if Baylor got knocked out before then.

 

[GoUconn7961]

I don't think that's a surprise. Certainly can be used for bulletin board material if the Huskies make it that far. Nothing is guaranteed for any team.

 

[fireford]

Do you think the players have a chip on their shoulder because of Mechelle Voepel? Baylor is good. We haven't beaten them since Crystal Dangerfield was a freshman, so it's been a while and they still have Husky killer NaLyssa Smith which is one reason I picked Baylor as well. Of course neither Baylor nor the Huskies may reach the regional final, so we're gonna have to wait to see if that's actually the matchup, but I wouldn't be sad if Baylor got knocked out before then.

I said if ALL (or perhaps most) of the experts were picking against them it would give them a chip on their shoulder. I'm sure they pay attention to these things even if they don't admit it.

 

[pacific 44]

I agree that Baylor will be in Texas during the final four.

 

[mattlow710]

haha, Uconn will still playing on 4th April. Period

 

[oldude]

Baylor is a very good team and they play really tough defense, but they are not the team they were a year ago. Cox, Landrum and Cooper are gone. The Lady Bears struggle at times on offense, and the Big 12 proved to be the weakest of the P5 conferences.

There are certainly teams that could give UConn trouble in the tournament. IMO Baylor is not one of those teams.

 

[GoUconn7961]

Baylor is a very good team and they play really tough defense, but they are not the team they were a year ago. Cox, Landrum and Cooper are gone. The Lady Bears struggle at times on offense, and the Big 12 proved to be the weakest of the P5 conferences.

There are certainly teams that could give UConn trouble in the tournament. IMO Baylor is not one of those teams.

I haven't followed them much this season. Nice to hear your take on the Bears. I only watched them during their conference tourney.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

No doubt, a tough region. The 2 teams I wanted to avoid was SC & Baylor due to size, post presence, & style of play. Should be a classic if UConn vs Baylor happens.

My guess is Voepel hasn’t watched a UConn game in a while. The UConn women haven’t had in years a bench loaded with quality players like they have now. Next year the bench gets even deeper.

 

[ConnMotors]

Have any other Network People picked their Final Four teams. I would be interested in knowing whom they chose.

 

[fireford]

Have any other Network People picked their Final Four teams. I would be interested in knowing whom they chose.

Final Four picks​

Andrea Adelson: Stanford (champion), South Carolina, Baylor, Texas A&M

Katie Barnes: Stanford (champion), Maryland, UConn, NC State

Charlie Creme: Stanford (champion), South Carolina, Baylor, Texas A&M

D'Arcy Maine: Stanford, Maryland, UConn (champion), Arizona

Kevin Pelton: Stanford (champion), Maryland, UConn, NC State

Mechelle Voepel: Stanford (champion), Maryland, Baylor, NC State

Royce Young: Stanford, Maryland (champion), Baylor, Texas A&M

 

[Tonyc]

Im not really concerned. We've been voted number 1 in both polls. Im just thinkin if we're playin our A game I dont believe we can be beat. If we're not we wait and see. Our defense is good as is Baylors. Ive gotta think Baylor is thinkin why are we in UConns bracket and Im thinkin if Baylor is as good as some think why are they in UConns bracket. We are both different teams then we were last season. I think UConn is better then last season alot better. We have a game changer in Paige, we have the height and with the way we've been playin I like our chances alot. One thing is for sure its gonna be a really good game if we both get that far.

 

[Artifact]

No doubt, a tough region. The 2 teams I wanted to avoid was SC & Baylor due to size, post presence, & style of play. Should be a classic if UConn vs Baylor happens.

Known reporters have picked UConn as the #3rd possibility to end up as 'Championship Final Four winner's'. Some exclude us entirely, I love it, because it makes our team, that more hungry to win the 'Title' !

 

[willtalk]

I think UConn has the personal to beat Baylor. Tenn probably is a greater threat to them. Sure Baylor is playing well, but how much better is still up in the air. It is all relative to their level of competition. No one really knows how strong the Big 12 really is. Is Baylor really that good or is the rest of their league just that weak.? That is really an unknown.

 

[warbler1055]

Final Four picks​

Andrea Adelson: Stanford (champion), South Carolina, Baylor, Texas A&M

Katie Barnes: Stanford (champion), Maryland, UConn, NC State

Charlie Creme: Stanford (champion), South Carolina, Baylor, Texas A&M

D'Arcy Maine: Stanford, Maryland, UConn (champion), Arizona

Kevin Pelton: Stanford (champion), Maryland, UConn, NC State

Mechelle Voepel: Stanford (champion), Maryland, Baylor, NC State

Royce Young: Stanford, Maryland (champion), Baylor, Texas A&M

According to 538 experts:

"When it comes to winning a championship, Stanford is also the favorite, with better than 1 in 3 odds of hoisting the trophy (36 percent). UConn has a 24 percent chance, South Carolina has a 12 percent chance, and Baylor, at 11 percent, is the only other team with at least a 1 in 10 chance to win it all. Along with Stanford’s 25-2 record and average margin of victory of 25.7 points (yes, you read that right), another reason that the Cardinal could take home the trophy is that they have more experience than any other team with living on the road. This winter, COVID-19 restrictions in Santa Clara County forced them to spend nine straight weeks on the road in order to play, which gave them a preview of what it will be like to live in San Antonio for up to three weeks in pursuit of a national title."

But National Championship is NEVER a given.

 

[Bald Husky]

Lets remember, UConn hasn't been in a high profile game since SC. Most people didn't bother to tune into FS1 to see a BE slaughter when there were so many other big conference games being televised on ESPN. UConn has improved leaps and bounds since that time, yet I don't think anybody really realizes that. People are gonna take us, not lightly, but not as formidable as in years past. We just have to play our game and do what makes us dangerous. Defense is the key, stay out of foul trouble, and let Paige run the offense. Simple, and that is how to win the big prize this year.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Click bait. These picks right now are meaningless. Wait and see what they say the second weekend.

 

[Baylor1994]

Baylor is a very good team and they play really tough defense, but they are not the team they were a year ago. Cox, Landrum and Cooper are gone. The Lady Bears struggle at times on offense, and the Big 12 proved to be the weakest of the P5 conferences.

There are certainly teams that could give UConn trouble in the tournament. IMO Baylor is not one of those teams.

Underestimate Baylor at your own cost! I know Baylor likes being the underdog! I really hope both teams make it to the elite eight because I really want to see the matchup

 

[Happydad745]

It is much too early to worry about it....we need to get to the final four first.

 

[Baylor1994]

It is much too early to worry about it....we need to get to the final four first.

You mean elite 8? The match up will be in the elite 8

 

[jazz]

We have something the other teams don't have and that is PB who as we all know is capable of not only going off for 30 but also shooting at a high percentage, assisting and making other players better and playing lock down defense where she is bound to disrupt at least 3-4 possessions a game.

No team has that complete combination of a player. If she plays to the level I think and hope she will, that would already make her better than any player we have ever had in my eyes, with all due respect to D and others.

The key to me, is if the rest of team can make the shots when PB draws the defense in and kicks the ball to the open shooter.

 

[ConnMotors]

Final Four picks​

Andrea Adelson: Stanford (champion), South Carolina, Baylor, Texas A&M

Katie Barnes: Stanford (champion), Maryland, UConn, NC State

Charlie Creme: Stanford (champion), South Carolina, Baylor, Texas A&M

D'Arcy Maine: Stanford, Maryland, UConn (champion), Arizona

Kevin Pelton: Stanford (champion), Maryland, UConn, NC State

Mechelle Voepel: Stanford (champion), Maryland, Baylor, NC State

Royce Young: Stanford, Maryland (champion), Baylor, Texas A&M

Thank you!

 

[Drumguy]

Big difference inside this year is AE, They don't have as "big" an advantage inside.

 

[Kaizen]

ESPN's people picks,