Who should be #1 this coming week? (UConn vs Texas) | The Boneyard
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Who should be #1 this coming week? (UConn vs Texas)

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BRS24

BRS24

LisaG
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Hey WBB fans, so I just saw a tweet from Talia Goodman and I want to have some constructive discourse regarding rankings and results over last 24 hrs. Cool? Ok, here we go.

Talia says - "I completely understand the argument for UConn as the #1 team in the country, but this just further secures Texas as #1 for me. Heck of a performance to add to the Longhorns’ resume."

#1 UConn beats #16 USC 79-51 (MOV 28). Fudd locks down Jazzy. Strong had an atypical game, and still scored in DF. Four players in DF.

#2 Texas beats #13 Baylor 89-54 (MOV 35). Baylor loses Taliah Scott (14 mins of play), who averaged 35 mins and 23 pts per game before today. A huge loss. UT had 4 players in DF.

By quarter:
UConn: 23-16-30-10
USC: 9-8-22-12 (30% shooting)
Texas: 29-16-25-19
Baylor: 13-14-12-15 (39% shooting)

I really try not to be a UConn homer, however holding a top 25 team to 17 pts in the first half is, um, very impressive. I mean, single digits in the 1st and 2nd. Defense was suffocating and created all sorts of havoc. So, what do you think she sees that some of us don't?
 
No argument here really. UConn looks really, really strong. T Scott could have made a difference, but Texas was already up big when she went out of the game. I do not think many people understand the full impact of injuries at Texas. Texas has 7 healthy rotational players available (beginning with the Vegas tourney.) They play 4 front court players and three guards, counting Booker as a guard. The 2 remaining available players are a former walk-on guard who has been a practice player all her years at Texas (you know - the kind people cheer loudly for when they enter the game at the end of a blow-out victory) and a freshman guard from Ireland, who also plays only in blow-out victories. The good news for Texas is that three players are expected back in time for SEC play, including two very talented guards. Texas still will not have the versatile depth that UConn enjoys this season.

It is really interesting. This is by far the most talented roster Vic has ever coached. But he has very few personnel choices to make to adjust to any match-ups that a team like UConn might throw out. I think Texas will surely lose games in conference whereas UConn may well enter the NCAA tournament undefeated.
 
BRS24 said:
Hey WBB fans, so I just saw a tweet from Talia Goodman and I want to have some constructive discourse regarding rankings and results over last 24 hrs. Cool? Ok, here we go.

Talia says - "I completely understand the argument for UConn as the #1 team in the country, but this just further secures Texas as #1 for me. Heck of a performance to add to the Longhorns’ resume."

#1 UConn beats #16 USC 79-51 (MOV 28). Fudd locks down Jazzy. Strong had an atypical game, and still scored in DF. Four players in DF.

#2 Texas beats #13 Baylor 89-54 (MOV 35). Baylor loses Taliah Scott (14 mins of play), who averaged 35 mins and 23 pts per game before today. A huge loss. UT had 4 players in DF.

By quarter:
UConn: 23-16-30-10
USC: 9-8-22-12 (30% shooting)
Texas: 29-16-25-19
Baylor: 13-14-12-15 (39% shooting)

I really try not to be a UConn homer, however holding a top 25 team to 17 pts in the first half is, um, very impressive. I mean, single digits in the 1st and 2nd. Defense was suffocating and created all sorts of havoc. So, what do you think she sees that some of us don't?
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Especially when Vic Schaefer is known for how good his teams play defense (which I am not disputing).
I don't like to predict the AP Top teams because a lot of it seems like favoritism.
 
Tired of this business of suggesting the WCBB rankings should be calculated incorporating MOV like college football. We don’t need to see some team humiliated just to advance a ranking. Plenty of coaches call off the dogs in different ways and other coaches let it run up. Let’s just keep the rankings where they are until somebody loses.
 
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Both teams have arguments for #1 and should split as a result of it. I can’t imagine any voter being convinced to switch their vote this week.
 
I think the bots disagree with Talia. And they generally disagree with her and Rebecca about the strength of schedule- listing UConn current SOS as harder. Obviously this will flip as both teams get into conference play. That said, my eye test tells me that the two teams are pretty darn close, would be a great match up, and definitely should have scheduled each-other. Hopefully they meet up in April- that would be fun!
 
Blue Huskie said:
. Let’s just keep the rankings where they are until somebody loses.
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That's not how I rank teams. Just because you win doesnt mean you did well, and just because you lose doesn't mean you did poorly.

If UConn needs overtime to beat DePaul and Texas beats SC by 40, I'm ranking TX #1.

And impressions of teams can change from week to week. Eg, UConn's win over Louisville looks better after the Cards won @ UNC.
 
I don't think that if I was a voter I would dethrone a current number one unless they lost a game, had a season-ending injury or looked very ragged for consecutive games.
That being said, I think that voters would be doing UCONN a favor if they voted in Texas (a very impressive team) as number one.
It would tremendous motivation to never lose focus or intensity.
 
When I look at the top 5 — UConn Texas SC UCLA and LSU — it looks like 3 teams focus on team D and 2 focus mainly on offense. And of those 3, SC looks slightly less dominating on defense than in recent seasons.

I am also utterly unmoved by talk of injuries on any of these teams, not after what UConn has endured. Sorry. Rankings should reflect what team is, not what they might be if they were healthy. That is, if they reflect anything at all. SC is down two stars. It sucks, but it is who they are this season. Same for Texas and UCLA. As it happens, UConn is also down two likely rotation players and has two more trying to complete their return from rehab.
 
Bone Dog said:
When I look at the top 5 — UConn Texas SC UCLA and LSU — it looks like 3 teams focus on team D and 2 focus mainly on offense. And of those 3, SC looks slightly less dominating on defense than in recent seasons.
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Connecticut focuses on everything.
 
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ps - what I forgot to say in my OP is that perhaps there shouldn't be rankings until at least the 3-4th week?
 
I think this year's UConn team is better than last year's UConn team, even sans a generational player like Paige. Nobody competed with last year's team come March. I expect more of the same

Azzi has taken her game to a whole new level. Strong is unstoppable, and the team is unbelievably deep

Only injuries can derail a repeat.
 
visitingcock said:
New year’s Day - at least for NET
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Good point. There seems to be a "need" for CFB to rush rankings because of all the craziness around the playoffs. For basketball, there is much more time to see what shakes out after the early season games - some good matchups, a lot of not so good. When conference play starts (for some), that's when you see what the team is really made of.
 
I won't feel mad if they switch the rank of UConn and Texas, but it seems a bit premature. UConn is almost done with the majority of the challenging part of its OOC schedule. Texas will be entering conference play. If both stay undefeated, UConn will be playing conference cupcakes at the same time Texas will play a few very good teams. That would be the time to switch, if you were insistent on doing it.

In other words, I'd say at least wait until after Iowa.
 
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The only thing that really matters is tournament seeding. I agree that if Texas wins out in the SEC they’d deserve an AP #1 ranking. UConn’s SoS will have dipped quite a bit by then. On the other hand, all the lopsided games could well distract the voters. In the end however I only care that UConn is ranked in the top 8 in tournament seeding. And I can’t see that being in doubt.
 
stwainfan said:
If Texas goes unbeaten in SEC play. They would deserve #1. That's not a easy thing to do.
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I think if Texas beats LSU/SC on the road consecutively next month they'll overtake UCONN for #1 in the polls. Realistically though I think they lose at least 1 of those games, possibly both.

It's still early but Texas is off to its best start under Vic Schaefer. They look like a real championship contender with Harmon at the point playing at a high level.
 
Not a lot of movement for the "other 23". 🙂

Baylor only drops two after getting thumped badly at Texas. I thought they would drop more.
Sooners move up one for winning over in-state rival in Norman.
Iowa stays put at #11 after losing on the road to #10 ISU.
TCU drops one for winning but not against anyone.
 
bballnut90 said:
I think if Texas beats LSU/SC on the road consecutively next month they'll overtake UCONN for #1 in the polls. Realistically though I think they lose at least 1 of those games, possibly both.

It's still early but Texas is off to its best start under Vic Schaefer. They look like a real championship contender with Harmon at the point playing at a high level.
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I don't think any team will go through the SEC schedule undefeated.
 
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Either team makes a good case for being #1. If I could vote, I would cast my vote for UConn. We are the defending champs. Playing basketball at a high level. No major flaws in our overall game. Have we really faced any "tough" competition? Not yet but that does not really factor into much anyway. Like I always say, I don't worry about where a team is ranked until after that first week in April, after the championship game.
 
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