What separates No. 2 Mississippi State from No. 1 UConn in women's college basketball?

[bballnut90]

Kind of crazy to say the women's title is wide open this year, because in reality it's maybe 5 or 6 teams with a legitimate shot. I guess that's progress though.

Well, wide open compared to the last decade or so where you’ve had UCONN (or Baylor for 2 years) as the overwhelming favorite entering every tournament. UCONN will still likely be the overwhelming favorite again, but they look beatable compared to the previous versions.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Well, wide open compared to the last decade or so where you’ve had UCONN (or Baylor for 2 years) as the overwhelming favorite entering every tournament. UCONN will still likely be the overwhelming favorite again, but they look beatable compared to the previous versions.

How can you say UCONN is the overwhelming favorite but they look beatable? That makes no sense to me. I agree UCONN is beatable, and the part I disagree with is the overwhelming favorite. Says who?

 

[baggerbob]

The coaches daughter is the 3 pt shooter, and she has to guard Kia, she won't be in that game very long, she is only 5-7, not big or fast enough.

 

[HuskyNan]

I agree Miss St is much improved and we may or not be better than last year since we have not completely integrated Z and MW yet but that should come by tournament time. The wording you use about players disappearing in games is hardly accurate. Unlike last year where Crystal / Saniya were not a real scoring threat and Kia was not as offensively minded as this year, we now have 6 bonafide players who can be counted on to score double figures just about every night with some 20 pt efforts for icing. We don't need Napheesa / Lou to go off for 20 every game. With MW potentially becoming a 20 mpg contributor, that is probably 7. This is the highest form of UConn basketball. The jazz band Geno refers to where all players play in concert until a solo effort comes to the fore for a little while and then reconnects with the background song. And Crystal as the conductor.

I have no worries about our offense. We can score against anyone (Baylor / Miss U included) and our improved diversity will be an asset. The defense and potential foul situation concern me although the improvement of our bench makes me a little less concerned about foul trouble and improvement in defense by crystal who looks more like Moriah every day is a nice development.

Offensively, the confident Meg we’ve seen the last couple games could easily go off for 15-20 points. Defenders are not going to slack off Lou or Kia to guard Meg so she will get open looks. Her improved decision making and patience on offense gives me hope she could make defenders pay for leaving her open.

 

[Tonyc]

Im not really concerned about Baylor or Miss St. UConn player for player is much better. Last season UConn played terrible and lost to Miss St. This season that wont happen. I like our guards much better and how will any team defend Stevens one on one??? Miss St and Baylor have both gotten better however UConn has gotten alot better. Aint happenin. Really not worried. We most likely wont win by 20+ but UConn will win if we meet. Miss St imo is the second best team in WCBB. Baylor appears to be top 4 as does ND. I will leave it at that.

 

[Huskyfaninsd]

I think some few to forget a few things: 1) Our team has yet to peak and I rather have them peaking in March than Jan or February, 2) it’s hard to compare scores and games when UConn clearly has to play with the target on their back. I believe Texas was extra motivated to beat us, and were at home. Texas’ previously didn’t play good in their last games but in our game, their offense was clicking on all cylinders (for at least a few quarters) 3) What are the other teams going to do to defend UConn. We arguably have 6 All Americans! 4) I find it very funny that all this talk happen after Miss State beat Tenn, really? Tenn won at SC because Wilson was out. Tenn lost to a depleted ND (and far more depleted than when we played them) team. Tenn lost to Texas A&M. Don’t get me wrong...Tenn look better than last year but they haven’t really beat anyone that good. Who else has Miss State beat that’s actually good?

 

[bballnut90]

How can you say UCONN is the overwhelming favorite but they look beatable? That makes no sense to me. I agree UCONN is beatable, and the part I disagree with is the overwhelming favorite. Says who?

Says most fans in women's basketball. Everyone is chasing UCONN once again. Announcers the other day were just talking about it's more important to avoid the deathly UCONN regional than it is to worry about what seed you have entering the tournament.

You don't have to be unbeatable to be the overwhelming title favorite. Golden State has lost many games this year, but they'll still be the heavy favorite come playoff time. In the NCAA tournament anything can happen, but come tournament time when seeds are announced and the experts make their championship picks, I'll be stunned if any "expert" predicts a team other than UCONN winning it all. You'll also see a large majority of fan brackets predict UCONN winning it all, and Vegas odds will be heavily stacked against anyone but UCONN winning it all. That's what makes them the overwhelming favorite.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Says most fans in women's basketball. Everyone is chasing UCONN once again. Announcers the other day were just talking about it's more important to avoid the deathly UCONN regional than it is to worry about what seed you have entering the tournament.

You don't have to be unbeatable to be the overwhelming title favorite. Golden State has lost many games this year, but they'll still be the heavy favorite come playoff time. In the NCAA tournament anything can happen, but come tournament time when seeds are announced and the experts make their championship picks, I'll be stunned if any "expert" predicts a team other than UCONN winning it all. You'll also see a large majority of fan brackets predict UCONN winning it all, and Vegas odds will be heavily stacked against anyone but UCONN winning it all. That's what makes them the overwhelming favorite.

UConn was the favorite last year, and look how that turned out. There are good teams on par with UConn this year, so I can't say any one of them are the favorites. Baylor could win it. So could Miss St. ND could too because they have Coach McGraw. Louisville could with their talent. There's probably 5 or 6 teams this season that all equally have a shot.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Don't think UConn beats Baylor or Miss St without getting last year's Gabby and Collier back, but it looks like those players are what they are at this point.

Your OPINION has some merit. Collier has not returned to last March Form, Gabby is hurting . hea
The addition of Azura, in my opinion, mixed up the chemistry a bit. I see a bright light in that Z is working well with Collier in the last game or 2. Gabby is playing with pain--I have no doubt--but I'd rather have this Gabby than none. (Personally I'd rather no pain for any UCWBB players).
I differ with you in that I think a healthy and out of foul trouble AZ is the key to success, as long as Uconn has it's core 4 plus Danger

 

[GoCardinal]

Baylor should definitely be involved in the conversation. Would MS State be able to defeat Baylor if they were to meet? Baylor has Kalani Brown AND Lauren Cox. No other team has that kind of size and skill in the post. In the Tennessee-MS State game, the only thing that stopped Russell was actually Tennessee. I’d be interesting to see how they’d try guarding Cox and Brown.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Offensively, the confident Meg we’ve seen the last couple games could easily go off for 15-20 points. Defenders are not going to slack off Lou or Kia to guard Meg so she will get open looks. Her improved decision making and patience on offense gives me hope she could make defenders pay for leaving her open.

I think most of us are very happy with Meg's improvement and we gleefully now count to 7 "trust worthy" players. But she is a wing and the missing component is a backup ball handler. Geno has mentioned several times how he needs one of the guards to step up and become a capable defender.

I hear you that you are confident to win the NC, as I also am. But tell me this, how confident are we in a scenario where Crystal is significantly slowed by her splints and Kia get 3 quick fouls. Your next best ball handler is KLS. I have been looking for MC or MB to step up defensively and become a stopper. Then I will be very very confident

 

[Carnac]

I think it’s too early to assume those are the 3 best teams. Not saying you’re assuming this but thought it was worth adding in.

If Louisville comes motivated they could beat down anyone. Notre Dame on a good day could beat any of those teams. Heck, Texas nearly beat UCONN and could easily win the next 2 against Baylor if their guards show up and Holmes gets up to speed. South Carolina with a healthy Wilson her senior year will be a tough out, and on a bad day anyone could lose to Tennessee or Oregon. The last couple of years it looked like there were very clear final four favorites in Baylor and Notre Dame, and both years neither team made it. It’s fun to think hypotheticals and analyze this. That said, it does look like it’s a more competitive landscape this year than it has the last several. Anyone can be upset if they have an off night in the regionals.

Good points. I remind yarders every year. Watch out for the "Dark Horse(s). They show up EVERY YEAR, but no one recognizes them as such until it's too late.
Last year, Mississippi State and Oregon were dark horses. When the brackets were announced, no one thought or said that either of these teams would go as far as they did. Look at the high seeded and favored teams they knocked out along the way. They put together a good run of "A" games. Your opponent does not care what you did, or what your record was during the regular season.

They enter the game figuring they can beat you, then go about trying to do just that. Sometimes they do. Ask Baylor, and UConn. Two #1 seeds sent home by Mississippi State. Any team that makes the tournament makes it because they (in most cases) proved they deserve to be in the field of 64, based on the criteria used by the selection committee. All of the weak teams are gone after the first weekend. HoopsFan21 said: "Kind of crazy to say the women's title is wide open this year, because in reality it's maybe 5 or 6 teams with a legitimate shot. I guess that's progress though". Fans wanted parity, last year they got it. They'll get it again this year too. UConn may win, but it's not going to be easy, for any team. Getting to the final four will be just half the battle.

The first two games are merely warm ups for the top ranked teams. For them, the tournament begins the second weekend, because this is where most of the "upsets" occur. This is where Notre Dame, and Baylor got knocked out the last two years. As others have mentioned, there are about 5-6 teams that could legitimately win the tournament. Every team needs to go into this year's tournament with their eyes w-i-d-e open, and their "A" games in tow, because only four teams will survive to the final weekend. Geno has often said that (in his opinion) the regional final is the hardest game of the tournament. Some very good teams won't make it. Some very good (and favored) teams were sent home last year during that 2nd weekend.

 

[FanFromMaine]

Im not really concerned about Baylor or Miss St. UConn player for player is much better. Last season UConn played terrible and lost to Miss St. This season that wont happen. I like our guards much better and how will any team defend Stevens one on one??? Miss St and Baylor have both gotten better however UConn has gotten alot better. Aint happenin. Really not worried. We most likely wont win by 20+ but UConn will win if we meet. Miss St imo is the second best team in WCBB. Baylor appears to be top 4 as does ND. I will leave it at that.

I agree with you Tonyc. I'm not much worried about the competition. If UConn continues to mature, they will win it all regardless of the opponent. The have the combination of more fire power and better defense than any other team I've seen this year.

The addition of Crystal, Z and Megan to the returning starters, as others have said, is still an adjustment, as it should be. And I would love to see a third guard become available. But UConn has something they lacked last season, a reliable point guard. I thought Saniya did great but this was really her first year at the point. As the conventional wisdom goes, you don't win an NC without a seasoned point. SC has one as does MissSt but the reamaining teams have newbies or converted 2 guards.

 

[ricky]

No one knows yet but a key separation could be Z's ability to stand strong against their bigs. If that isn't there, then I believe Collier would be in foul trouble trying to get that done. At that point, it's becomes a slaughter in the paint.

 

[Centerstream]

No one knows yet but a key separation could be Z's ability to stand strong against their bigs. If that isn't there, then I believe Collier would be in foul trouble trying to get that done. At that point, it's becomes a slaughter in the paint.

Based upon her defense so far this year (or lack of it), I don't see Z being able to stand strong against anyone's bigs. Or maybe I need to look at some game replays where there was at least one big and see how she performed. But based upon my current recollection, I don't think she was a factor.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Based upon her defense so far this year (or lack of it), I don't see Z being able to stand strong against anyone's bigs. Or maybe I need to look at some game replays where there was at least one big and see how she performed. But based upon my current recollection, I don't think she was a factor.

She's definitely a work in progress. I knew that's how it would go (learned my lesson and have tempered my expectations of transfers), which is why I was cautiously optimistic about declaring this team the greatest ever in the history of UConn WCBB. It simply isn't and may never rival those early 2000s or big three teams.

 

[HuskyNan]

Based upon her defense so far this year (or lack of it), I don't see Z being able to stand strong against anyone's bigs. Or maybe I need to look at some game replays where there was at least one big and see how she performed. But based upon my current recollection, I don't think she was a factor.

The thing about Z is that while she’s still improving in her defensive skills, her offensive skills are otherworldly. She has to be defended and if she’s smart (hey, she went to Duke, for crying out loud) she’ll get her defenders in foul trouble. Whoever UConn plays has to worry about Z, a recently energized Napheesa, and Gabby as well as fend off Meg for rebounds. In other words, Z may have issues on defense but so will the other guys.

 

[Centerstream]

The thing about Z is that while she’s still improving in her defensive skills, her offensive skills are otherworldly. She has to be defended and if she’s smart (hey, she went to Duke, for crying out loud) she’ll get her defenders in foul trouble. Whoever UConn plays has to worry about Z, a recently energized Napheesa, and Gabby as well as fend off Meg for rebounds. In other words, Z may have issues on defense but so will the other guys.

Couldn't agree more, I was only commenting on her defense against our upcoming games against "big guys", such as Wilson, whom I believe will be Gabby's guy anyways, and possibly down the road...MSST, Baylor...

 

[THEMAN/MAN]

Well , we have Gabby , they dont, all i gots!

 

[HopJim]

Im not really concerned about Baylor or Miss St. UConn player for player is much better. Last season UConn played terrible and lost to Miss St. This season that wont happen. I like our guards much better and how will any team defend Stevens one on one??? Miss St and Baylor have both gotten better however UConn has gotten alot better. Aint happenin. Really not worried. We most likely wont win by 20+ but UConn will win if we meet. Miss St imo is the second best team in WCBB. Baylor appears to be top 4 as does ND. I will leave it at that.

Hope you are right. This year, have seen UConn get hammered under boards by big teams, have seen small, quick guards get into lane at will. Never have seen one team have both going at same time so while I feel UConn is the favorite, still causes concern particularly if Z or other rebounder gets in foul trouble.

 

[Centerstream]

Hope you are right. This year, have seen UConn get hammered under boards by big teams, have seen small, quick guards get into lane at will. Never have seen one team have both going at same time so while I feel UConn is the favorite, still causes concern particularly if Z or other rebounder gets in foul trouble.

I think teams that we will be playing will see during their scouting that if you can get away with mugging our inside players and Lou, then your chances for the W are increased. So, it could depend on the the type of officials that are calling the game. For example, one of the refs from this weekend's debacle at SC was calling a game last night. The type of "physical" plays that were let go at Columbia, she was calling last night. These were mainly when the inside players were battling for position.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Baylor should definitely be involved in the conversation. Would MS State be able to defeat Baylor if they were to meet? Baylor has Kalani Brown AND Lauren Cox. No other team has that kind of size and skill in the post. In the Tennessee-MS State game, the only thing that stopped Russell was actually Tennessee. I’d be interesting to see how they’d try guarding Cox and Brown.

The best way to stop great post play is with guards who can disrupt the play. Think back to the Men's NC orchestrated by Shabazz and Boat. Kia and Crystal can provide that type of defense. We still need a third guard and until we get one, we will be suspect. Kia is smart enough to avoid fouls and Crystal has done a good job staying on the court, but if a scenario develops where we lose one for an extended period of time, i.e., a half or more, then we are going to have difficulty against Baylor, Miss St, and A'ja and the seven dwarfs.

 

[chrissaran]

BroadwayVa, who's going to cover Crystal is my question. Also, how would Mississippi St. stop everyone at the same time? With Z and Megan Walker, this is a much different team. Saniya Chong replaced by Z and Megan. I'll take that trade off any day.

 

[cbraarj]

I think most of us are very happy with Meg's improvement and we gleefully now count to 7 "trust worthy" players. But she is a wing and the missing component is a backup ball handler. Geno has mentioned several times how he needs one of the guards to step up and become a capable defender.

I hear you that you are confident to win the NC, as I also am. But tell me this, how confident are we in a scenario where Crystal is significantly slowed by her splints and Kia get 3 quick fouls. Your next best ball handler is KLS. I have been looking for MC or MB to step up defensively and become a stopper. Then I will be very very confident

Megan can handle the ball if need be.

 

[cbraarj]

If Uconn controls the tempo and makes it a fast paced game. They will beat everybody including Miss. State by a lot. Crystal is better than Saniya by far, Azura is way better than Natalie and Megan always had it just a freshmen slump ala Stewie in 2013. Azura only struggle on offense are 3 pointers but she is a lot better in that area and should keep taking them. When she starts hitting them consistently every opponent better look out!