What team will make NCAA Tournament first: Wisconsin or Vanderbilt

[HuskyMJ]

UConn assistants will now try to rebuild two programs that have been through some tough times. Marisa Moseley at Wisconsin, and Shea Ralph at Vanderbilt.

Which team do you think will make the NCAA tournament first? Or are the programs in such bad shape that neither should be expected to make it?

 

[EricLA]

For now I'm saying Wisconsin, but it's a great question and very close IMHO. I think Doty was an inspired choice for asst. for Marissa. We will see what Shea does at Vandy with her staff...

Vandy is the better school - academically it's on par with Duke. "WHAT?" you say? Per US News, Duke is #12, Vandy #14. It seems like a no brainer that Vandy should do well in hoops. Beautiful campus in a fun city. Located in the SEC - great conference.

 

[bluedevil]

For now I'm saying Wisconsin, but it's a great question and very close IMHO. I think Doty was an inspired choice for asst. for Marissa. We will see what Shea does at Vandy with her staff...

Vandy is the better school - academically it's on par with Duke. "WHAT?" you say? Per US News, Duke is #12, Vandy #14. It seems like a no brainer that Vandy should do well in hoops. Beautiful campus in a fun city. Located in the SEC - great conference.

Nobody puts Duke in a corner.

 

[huskiemaniac]

I'd rather live in Nashville than Durham.

 

[bballnut90]

I pick Vandy for the reason being they have a long history of success where Wisconsin doesn't. Both coaches should in theory be able to recruit quite well, as Nashville is a very popular fun city and Madison is one of the best college towns out there.

 

[MooseJaw]

I pick Vandy for the reason being they have a long history of success where Wisconsin doesn't. Both coaches should in theory be able to recruit quite well, as Nashville is a very popular fun city and Madison is one of the best college towns out there.

Not so fast on Madison Wi. , campus interspersed in the city, lakefront with no wind blocker, Cold, darn cold in winter wind chill factor -100 below or worse, students have to walk 2 miles uphill to and from housing. It's an angry place, cheese heads everywhere. The only redeeming factor is there are Culvers restaurants. The best custard to be found.

 

[trb123]

Vandy is the better school - academically it's on par with Duke. "WHAT?" you say? Per US News, Duke is #12, Vandy #14. It seems like a no brainer that Vandy should do well in hoops. Beautiful campus in a fun city. Located in the SEC - great conference.

Two observations.

1. To be as good as Duke academically, Vandy needs to be known as the Harvard of the South. It is not enough for Vandy to claim parity because Harvard has never been called the Duke of the North or Vandy of the North.

2. Right now Harvard can beat Vandy. If Harvard can beat Duke, Vandy would be on par with Duke in WBB.

 

[uconnfan68]

For now I'm saying Wisconsin, but it's a great question and very close IMHO. I think Doty was an inspired choice for asst. for Marissa. We will see what Shea does at Vandy with her staff...

Vandy is the better school - academically it's on par with Duke. "WHAT?" you say? Per US News, Duke is #12, Vandy #14. It seems like a no brainer that Vandy should do well in hoops. Beautiful campus in a fun city. Located in the SEC - great conference.

I also went with Wisconsin, but only because the SEC is a more difficult road, and Vandy seems to have Stanforded itself on admissions.

 

[JellyBean]

I am picking Wisconsin. People forget a few things. 1). Marisa has connections in the Big Ten and she can recruit well 2). Marisa is a solid X & O coach. 3). Skill development. Marisa is very underrated in this area of her coaching skills. To me, she is a female John Beilein when it comes to fundamentals of skill development. Top notch. I can't wait!!

 

[boontonbomber]

I've been mystified for awhile as to how we know that Mosely has so much coaching ability. if someone has the time and interest in doing this, I would really appreciate it. maybe Geno said so and I missed it.

 

[UcMiami]

I think they are both faced with similar comeptition to reach .500 in league play. I give the edge to Marisa because she has already made her mistakes as a head coach and worked out the kinks in organizing her own program and staff, while Shea is just starting. I think they both have a good talent pool for recruiting, but suspect Marisa may have a few more prospects that might not be academically eligible for Shea.

I think they both have an advantage as far as starting at a new program at a time when the transfer portal is exploding - a second source for quality recruiting that wasn't available just last year. Shea may have a few more relationships with P5 quality recruits, but will she be able to add Vandy to the final five list for recruits that were thinking of Uconn?

 

[jdubct]

I think both teams could use transfers to bolster their rosters In the near term, 2 or 3 years. With good recruits and transfers, either one of them could make the NCAA tournament. Whether either teams goes far in the tournament may be another story. Wish both teams good luck.