Which 40-0 team would win??

[baylorbacker]

Congrats on winning last night Huskies. A thread that started on our boards was who would win between our 2012 team and your 2014 team. Of course on our board it was pretty one sided.
In my opinion, we to would have a hard time slowing down Stewart, but I think our combo of Sims and Griner would be enough to edge you guys out. What do y'all think??

 

[semper]

This year, this team...I think we win. Last year, maybe not.

 

[diggerfoot]

Over here we're more focused on whether our 2002 or 2014 team is better, so unless you think anyone on here thinks 2012 Baylor is better than the 2002 UConn where each starter was picked in the top six WNBA draft and four became Olympians, I guess you know what our answer is. However, I'll bite.

The Tangibles
This is what everyone focuses on. Let's match this PG with that PG, this bench with that bench, etc., and tally up the score. Baylor comes out ahead in two positions; UConn in three. One could argue that Baylor has the edge with the two most important positions, PG and C, but the edge is slighter than with the three positions where advantage goes to UConn. UConn played only one quality bench player in the tournament, but only needed to play one, thus I think the bench for UConn gets the nod as well. Furthermore, if you compare the offensive and defensive efficiencies for both squads, 2014 UConn comes out ahead. If we focus just on typical, tangible, quantitative analyses I don't see how you can come up with any other result but advantage UConn.

However, I'll be the first to say I think such typical tangible analyses are flawed when the intangibles play such an important role.

The Intangibles
We know now there were chemistry problems with that 2012 Baylor squad. There were no chemistry problems with 2014 UConn. We also know that nobody works harder than UConn. If 2012 Baylor worked as hard then that is at best a tie. 2012 Baylor could only beat a Stewartless, Jeffersonless 2012 UConn squad by single digits. Even though Faris would be missing, that does not bode well for what 2012 Baylor could do against a squad that included both Jefferson and particularly Stewart. Finally, I give Mulkey a lot of credit for being one of the best coaches in the game, but she's not as good as Auriemma (I guess that could be put into the tangible analysis column). In any case I think the intangibles favor 2014 UConn every bit as much as the tangibles.

I don't expect a Baylor fan to agree, but for us the more challenging comparison remains as to whether 2002 or 2014 UConn is better.

 

[HGN]

I really wouldn't want to find out............Both were , and are , Outstanding. Baylor might would have won it because they had Griner and a deeper bench than the current UConn team has. HOWEVER , overall , that Baylor team starting-5 couldn't touch this UConn starting-5. I think the UConn starters win 3 out of 5 matchups. Maybe Baylor takes Griner and Sims. But UConn takes the other 3.

And if both teams come with their A-Game that night , UConn wins it.

JMHO.

 

[HoopsFan21]

That's a tough one. That Baylor team, as well as last year's which was pretty much the same team, was pretty loaded. I think I would give the edge to Baylor..

 

[Icebear]

5 trumps 2, UCONN wins.

 

[easttexastrash]

We'll never know...too bad that there is no way of putting the great teams in history on the same court and letting them battle it out.

 

[alexrgct]

All I know is that uconn has that Baylor team beaten on December 18 2011. This uconn team is definitely more than five points better than 2011-12. Given that, plus UConn's body of work in 2013-14, i'd give uconn the edge.

 

[baylorbacker]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I agree with y'all bout y'all's 2002 team. They were pretty awesome.
I've always respected y'all's coach and program. I appreciate your teams, cause like ours, y'all defend and defend well. I think that's what kept our game this year close. Albeit on our home court, at the 4 minute timeout , you guys are only up 3.... no one else has been that close at that stage of game.
Looking forward to future battles.

 

[msf22b]

UConn by 10-15

 

[rocky rococo]

I certainly hope the UConn-Baylor series continues with only the most modest interruptions for a long time to come. It's been great for both programs over the past several years. And especially great for the fan of good wbb.

UConn fans tend to focus on Baylor's two stars, but that was a very complete team you had at that point with Hayden, Madden, Williams and Pope. Including an extra high-quality 4 to come off the bench, whichever was starting. Which interestingly, resembles the essential bench strength of UConn this year. BG would undoubtedly see a lot of Kiah Stokes. It would be a fun, close game, but I think the overall quality of UConn team play for 40 minutes would win it, if even two of UConn's scorers are making shots.

It's funny. I believe 2002 would beat this year's team, and as I said, I think this year's UConn beats 2012 Baylor. But hoops is a game of matchups, and I think BG is too long for anybody on 2002, even D-genius Tamika Williams, so I think 2012 Baylor beats 2002 UConn.

 

[doggydaddy]

My friend Digger sure can talk...lol.

My answer is Uconn.

That is all.

 

[Suebird10fan]

If the teams played ten times UConn wins six or seven.

 

[AndyCT]

All I know is that uconn has that Baylor team beaten on December 18 2011. This uconn team is definitely more than five points better than 2011-12. Given that, plus UConn's body of work in 2013-14, i'd give uconn the edge.

It’s a really interesting question; I’m going with UConn, for the same basic reason Alex said. Baylor was a lot more than just Brittney and Odyssey, but at the end of the day Brittney was the single most dominant part of the Baylor team, and even now I doubt UConn 2014 could shut her down; a player with that size and those skills is a game changer – always. Remember the problems UConn had a week ago with BYU’s Jennifer Hamson.

Still, it was after that season that Stefanie Dolson reinvented herself. The Stefanie we saw this year is an entirely different player than the one that struggled against Brittney in the 2011 and 2012 seasons; remember, Heather Buck played a third of that game in place of Stefanie and the two of them combined for just six points versus Brittney’s twenty-six. I have to think with this year’s Stefanie that twenty point gap would be significantly less. Also, a much-improved Kiah is a stronger backup and complement to Stefanie.

UConn 2012 also loses Caroline Doty, Tiffany Hayes, and Kelly Faris. Caroline’s knees unfortunately made her a shell of her younger self, and Tiff had a so-so game (10 pts) but losing Kelly means losing all the “Kelly things”. However, UConn gained Moriah and Breanna and I think that has to be a net gain; with all due respect to Moriah, Kelly, Caroline and Tiffany, Breanna and anybody would be a gain…

Finally, Bria was having her first All-American season in 2012 and scored 25 points; she’s having as good a season this year, and in the interim Kaleena not only emerged as the best shooter in the country, but also a much more all-around player.

Finally, UConn is playing a level of team basketball that is reminiscent of the 2002 team. Comparing Baylor 2012 directly to UConn 2014 is difficult, but looking at a UConn 2012 team that was leading on the road with five minutes left, and looking at the trajectory from UConn 2012 through UConn 2013 to UConn 2014, I think UConn 2014 beats Baylor 2012 most nights.

 

[hoophuskee]

As an unabashed UCONN homer, I'll take UCONN. Baylor should never have allowed such a weak opponent beat them in 2013 with still the fine play of experienced Griner/Sims . Thus the 2013 team doesn't belong in the discussion just like I could never put the 2001 UCONN team in the discussion. I can't believe the big two of Baylor a jr and a sophomore could beat either UCONN tam of 2002 or 2014. This 2014 team has shooters all over the court. Thus it is their game to win. You have to rely on hope to miss while your jr center allows UCONN the freedom to move the ball. The offense runs through Dolson at 15 feet. Griner hangs back Dolson can hit. Griner extends then Stewie will carve up the defender inside.

For 2002 team there are 4 seniors on the floor and one super soph. If Lousiville can defend Baylor by being super-agressvie so can 02 team. Tamika has about the same size as whatLouisville had and it won't make one bit of difference if she fouls out. The point is- there is a bluepreint to beat the more expereinced Griner/Sims duo when they were senior/jr combo. It was-- hit theu otuside shots and play extremely physical. Team 2002 can do that. If the sr Griner and jr Sims couln't handle Louisville how can they expect to handle 01-02? UCONN has three perimeter scorers in this matchup and if Griner wanders too far - we have super Swin Cash. UCONN has fouls to give and has the better backcourt and better skill.

For the record, I love Sims game though she has issues. I'd take her 1st pick in the draft for Ct Sun instead of Chiney.