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Message: [QUOTE="bballnut90, post: 2408500, member: 2117"] For anyone to beat UCONN, they'll need to win all of the hustle plays and control tempo. Mississippi State was the only team to do that last year, and they were the only ones to beat the Huskies. That said, I'd say Notre Dame or Texas has the best shot of anyone since they should have the offensive firepower and athleticism to keep up with the Huskies if they're having a bad day. Notre Dame will need a big jump from Young, steady PG play from Thompson, Shepard to come in and be effective from day 1, and great play making from Ogunbowale. They'll also need the incoming freshmen posts to be able to battle inside and Mabrey to hit shots and create for others. Basically, they need the stars to align to upset the Huskies. Teams with stellar guard play and playmaking ability have been able to upset the Huskies in the past, and Notre Dame has a number of very good guards. Texas is the other team that I think has a good shot if their highly touted recruits are as good or better than advertised. On paper, they are stacked. Looking at a projected starting 5 and depth chart, you have: G-McCarty, 2017 B12 POY G-Higgs, former top 10 recruit, starter this past season F-Atkins, former #3 recruit, averaged around 14ppg last year I believe F-Boothe, #3 recruit in the country C-Holmes, #2 recruit last year, Big 12 FOY and one of the better forwards in the nation Bench: Patterson-top incoming PG recruit, #4 overall recruit Sutton-#6 PG recruit last year, I'd expect her to be much improved White-RS junior who was the #7 recruit in 2014 That is 7 top 10 recruits and the reigning Big 12 POY. Atkins, Higgs and McCarty are all capable playmakers, and I'm assuming Boothe is too. If they can develop a more cohesive offense (big if), win all the 50/50 balls and win the battle on the glass, they have a shot. Realistically, I don't see anyone coming within 10 points of UCONN this year. This might be Geno's most talented team ever with the 6th player in the rotation being ranked a top 10 player by ESPNW and the 7th being the incoming #1 recruit. The only other team with this much depth and proven talent was the 2001 squad, but there likely isn't a sleeping giant like 2001 Notre Dame waiting on the wings, and Geno is a much better coach and talent developer now than he was 16 years ago. [/QUOTE]

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