Who will wear the "bull's eye" on their back this year?

[bballnut90]

All I have to say is wow.. that will be a hell of a schedule. I would be blown away if UCONN went through that gauntlet unblemished. I don't think it will happen though.

Nov 14 - @ Florida State WIN
Nov 17 - Baylor LOST
Nov 20 - LSU WIN
Nov 22 - Dayton WIN
Nov 29 - Chattanooga WIN
Dec 1 - DePaul WIN
Dec 4 - Texas (Jimmy V Classic in Uncasville) WIN
Dec 7 - @ Notre Dame LOST
Dec 11 - @ Kansas State WIN
Dec 19 - Ohio State TOSS UP
Dec 21 - @Nebraska WIN
Dec 29 - @ Maryland LOST
Feb 13 - South Carolina LOST

My analysis: I'll stick to the bigger games.

@Florida State: out of the gate will be tough for your relatively young team. The seminoles play an aggressive, almost SEC like brand of defense and they have Shakayla Thomas (who I still wishes came to SC), who takes a leap in her game every year. She's been working on an outside game, so be prepared for that. I still like UCONN here..

Baylor: This will likely be UCONN's first loss. This Baylor team is gargantuan.. and that front court of Brown and Mompremier will more than likely present all kinds of havoc for UCONN. Sure, some of you will say "big front courts never bothered us in the past"... well back then you had Stewart and Tuck, two phenomenal front court players in their own right. Who's going to stop them or even slow them down? Samuelson, eh? Butler, maybe. Collier, she'll definitely try. Gabby? Probably you're best bet. And that's not it.. when Brown and Mompremier get winded.. boom, Mulkey brings in the next wave of Cave and Lauren Cox. I haven't even mentioned All-American Nina Davis yet.. yeah, she's still there. The Baylor backcourt should be better as well, with Wallace and Jones... and Prince waiting on the wings. This team is stacked.

Texas: I think UCONN takes this. Texas is a talented team and they recruit well.. but a lot of those players have yet to really show what they're made of (cough, cough Ariel Atkins). If Texas finally decides to play up to the level of their talent then this could easily be a Longhorn win. Higgs and McCarty are two of my favorite guards in all of WCBB... but UCONN typically has the bodies to slow down elite guards (Nurse.. Nurse.. Nurse.. she's amazing). Texas is another tall team.. and I'm sure Joyner Holmes would love for this to be her coming out game.

@Notre Dame: I don't really think ND has a huge advantage over UCONN.. for one, they are very guard oriented. Turner will have to play a lot. This will be a game of guards and outside shooting.. if anybody takes over the post it will be UCONN (unless the Huskies have trouble defending dribble drives). This game is in South Bend and ND has a proven senior point guard... ND always moves the ball well and they will in this game. I can see ND's offense really getting in a groove this game.. but unless Turner decides to leave the paint, who's going to help Westbeld contain the outside/inside tandem of Samuelson and Collier? I still like Notre Dame here..

Ohio State: This is a home game for UCONN.. so I had a lot of trouble picking.. but for some reason I just think tOSU will be ready this year. Ohio State is another bigger team.. Mavunga, Hart and Cooper will provide a great front court.. but aside from just that, they've improved substantially at the guard position as well. Mitchell, who I'm sure is looking forward to "getting hers" versus UCONN, is still there.. but she's now complemented with Linnae Harper (being a former SEC player, I'm VERY familiar with her game, she's a tank) and Sierra Calhoun. Jensen Caretti is an instant impact freshmen guard that could present a matchup challenge for any team. In my heart, I picked tOSU to win.. but I'm really skeptical.. toss up.

@Maryland: This team presented a lot of challenges for UCONN last year. Well, in that span of time, they loss very little while UCONN loss A LOT.. Walker-Kimbrough and Jones are still there and they now have Ieshia Small. Maryland's guards are good and can score.. they'll continue to next year.. but Maryland also has great forwards that are strong and athletic but play like guards.. Fraser, Gillespie and Ellison. If Maryland decides to play big, those athletic forwards could be trouble with Jones inside, SWK on the wings and no Stewart or Tuck to effectively neutralize the attack.

South Carolina: This game comes later in the season.. when both teams should have an idea of who they are. Because I know my team and how they operate, I'm fairly confident that SC will take their lumps in the beginning.. but by the time this game rolls around they should be operating at an optimal level. If you're a husky fan, your biggest concern here should be neutralizing A'ja Wilson... at this point, I'm not convinced there's a player currently playing WCBB that can STOP her.. slow her down? Perhaps.. but shut her down? No. Stewart did a great job on Wilson last season.. but there were still times in the game where Wilson scored easily and used her body to bear down against Stewart. Wilson has the body and the strength that very few college players will be able to match up against, and last year Stewie was the only player that could. No Stewie to slow down A'ja? No Tuck to take Coates completely out of the game?.. and unlike previous years, SC's guard attack will not be a one woman show.. Cuevas, Davis, Gray and Cliney will provide a good scoring attack to open up the inside for Wilson and Coates.

Great synopsis. UCONN is very tough at home which bodes well for games against Baylor, Texas, Ohio State and SC.

Baylor on paper has the advantage, but if UCONN can score well from the perimeter it should be a good game. As much as UCONN lost a year ago, Baylor will also be still figuring out how all of their moving pieces fit together and they'll be without Niya Johnson who was so heavily relied upon last year. I think it'll be a tight UCONN win or a Baylor win by 8-15 points.

Texas--can't really take them seriously as a title threat/capable of beating UCONN until they start to put a better product out on the court. Talent wise, they are stacked, and Holmes is the best recruit that Aston has landed in her time at Texas. They have really solid guards and playmakers, but they just need better cohesion. I think UCONN wins this one. If UCONN is a pretty polished team entering this year, it may be a blowout.

Ohio State--Ohio State is loaded but they can be very streaky. They were very ineffective vs the Huskies a year ago and got beat badly by Tennessee in the Sweet 16. They also had great moments beating Maryland, so a lot will depend on which team comes out. Coaching gives the edge to UCONN, but I agree that it's a toss up.

South Carolina--this is an interesting one. A lot will depend on how improved Cuevas is and if UCONN can slow down SC's bigs. The last 2 years they dominated the inside game against the Gamecocks and it led to 2 easy wins. Even without a proven post and without a ton of height, I think Geno will find a way to neutralize Coates. If Geno can neutralize Wilson, big advantage Connecticut. If they cannot contain her, SC wins. Also worth noting--this game is in February and UCONN will likely be a LOT better in Feb than November. The same can be said about SC, but I think the improvements UCONN will make from Nov-Feb will be greater than the improvements SC makes.

 

[southbendcane]

All I have to say is wow.. that will be a hell of a schedule. I would be blown away if UCONN went through that gauntlet unblemished. I don't think it will happen though.

Nov 14 - @ Florida State WIN
Nov 17 - Baylor LOST
Nov 20 - LSU WIN
Nov 22 - Dayton WIN
Nov 29 - Chattanooga WIN
Dec 1 - DePaul WIN
Dec 4 - Texas (Jimmy V Classic in Uncasville) WIN
Dec 7 - @ Notre Dame LOST
Dec 11 - @ Kansas State WIN
Dec 19 - Ohio State TOSS UP
Dec 21 - @Nebraska WIN
Dec 29 - @ Maryland LOST
Feb 13 - South Carolina LOST

My analysis: I'll stick to the bigger games.

@Florida State: out of the gate will be tough for your relatively young team. The seminoles play an aggressive, almost SEC like brand of defense and they have Shakayla Thomas (who I still wishes came to SC), who takes a leap in her game every year. She's been working on an outside game, so be prepared for that. I still like UCONN here..

Baylor: This will likely be UCONN's first loss. This Baylor team is gargantuan.. and that front court of Brown and Mompremier will more than likely present all kinds of havoc for UCONN. Sure, some of you will say "big front courts never bothered us in the past"... well back then you had Stewart and Tuck, two phenomenal front court players in their own right. Who's going to stop them or even slow them down? Samuelson, eh? Butler, maybe. Collier, she'll definitely try. Gabby? Probably you're best bet. And that's not it.. when Brown and Mompremier get winded.. boom, Mulkey brings in the next wave of Cave and Lauren Cox. I haven't even mentioned All-American Nina Davis yet.. yeah, she's still there. The Baylor backcourt should be better as well, with Wallace and Jones... and Prince waiting on the wings. This team is stacked.

Texas: I think UCONN takes this. Texas is a talented team and they recruit well.. but a lot of those players have yet to really show what they're made of (cough, cough Ariel Atkins). If Texas finally decides to play up to the level of their talent then this could easily be a Longhorn win. Higgs and McCarty are two of my favorite guards in all of WCBB... but UCONN typically has the bodies to slow down elite guards (Nurse.. Nurse.. Nurse.. she's amazing). Texas is another tall team.. and I'm sure Joyner Holmes would love for this to be her coming out game.

@Notre Dame: I don't really think ND has a huge advantage over UCONN.. for one, they are very guard oriented. Turner will have to play a lot. This will be a game of guards and outside shooting.. if anybody takes over the post it will be UCONN (unless the Huskies have trouble defending dribble drives). This game is in South Bend and ND has a proven senior point guard... ND always moves the ball well and they will in this game. I can see ND's offense really getting in a groove this game.. but unless Turner decides to leave the paint, who's going to help Westbeld contain the outside/inside tandem of Samuelson and Collier? I still like Notre Dame here..

Ohio State: This is a home game for UCONN.. so I had a lot of trouble picking.. but for some reason I just think tOSU will be ready this year. Ohio State is another bigger team.. Mavunga, Hart and Cooper will provide a great front court.. but aside from just that, they've improved substantially at the guard position as well. Mitchell, who I'm sure is looking forward to "getting hers" versus UCONN, is still there.. but she's now complemented with Linnae Harper (being a former SEC player, I'm VERY familiar with her game, she's a tank) and Sierra Calhoun. Jensen Caretti is an instant impact freshmen guard that could present a matchup challenge for any team. In my heart, I picked tOSU to win.. but I'm really skeptical.. toss up.

@Maryland: This team presented a lot of challenges for UCONN last year. Well, in that span of time, they loss very little while UCONN loss A LOT.. Walker-Kimbrough and Jones are still there and they now have Ieshia Small. Maryland's guards are good and can score.. they'll continue to next year.. but Maryland also has great forwards that are strong and athletic but play like guards.. Fraser, Gillespie and Ellison. If Maryland decides to play big, those athletic forwards could be trouble with Jones inside, SWK on the wings and no Stewart or Tuck to effectively neutralize the attack.

South Carolina: This game comes later in the season.. when both teams should have an idea of who they are. Because I know my team and how they operate, I'm fairly confident that SC will take their lumps in the beginning.. but by the time this game rolls around they should be operating at an optimal level. If you're a husky fan, your biggest concern here should be neutralizing A'ja Wilson... at this point, I'm not convinced there's a player currently playing WCBB that can STOP her.. slow her down? Perhaps.. but shut her down? No. Stewart did a great job on Wilson last season.. but there were still times in the game where Wilson scored easily and used her body to bear down against Stewart. Wilson has the body and the strength that very few college players will be able to match up against, and last year Stewie was the only player that could. No Stewie to slow down A'ja? No Tuck to take Coates completely out of the game?.. and unlike previous years, SC's guard attack will not be a one woman show.. Cuevas, Davis, Gray and Cliney will provide a good scoring attack to open up the inside for Wilson and Coates.

I agree with you on the 4 losses. They could beat Maryland. Baylor is balanced and will be to much inside for U Conn. Same with South Carolina with the twin towers. I think the Irish have more inside ability and balance then you give them credit for.Not sure how you see U Conn having a advantage in the post ? I think if Nelson could drop some weight she could be a factor going forward. She came on at the end last year and i do see her improving and playing a bigger role this year. Mabrey and Ogumbawale rebound real well at the guard position. Don't forget Erin Boley . She might be better then Westbeld all ready and she averaged about 10 boards a game in high school and proved she can bang with some quality bigs going up against Holmes and Cox and getting MVP in the Jordan Classic scoring 21 with 15 boards.Turner and Westbeld are returning starters. with experience where U Conn post players were bench players with limited minutes . Collier has had injury issues and played limited last year. It will be interesting to see how she holds up as a full time player? She could be really good if she stays healthy. Samuelson is tall but was more of a three point shooter and played out on the wing.. Will have to see if they change her roll and play her in the post more but she seems like more of a 2 or 3 then a 4 or 5. Butler is the one really true big but she started out slow and needs to step up her game and be a factor. I think Williams could be the X factor. She is a great rebounder for her size. U Conn has one hell of a schedule.The fans will have to be patient and get use to a few loses again. They might lose more games this year then they have in the last 5 or 6 years combined. But the tough schedule will pay off and get them battle tested come tournament time. I see them being a Elite Eight or Final Four team when all is said and done.

 

[Kibitzer]

UCONN will always have the target on their back. Every team would love to beat them.

Spot on! But remember, only one program in wcbb has a complete coaching/support staff and about ten players who have emerged from the crucible of competition with proven hearts of champions. To underestimate them is foolish.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

In no special order- - - ND, SoCar, Baylor, then TX UCONN, L'ville, are close but even though UCONN might lose a game or 2 early in the schedule, don't bet against the Huskies come Tournament time!
TN really bothers me not that they were horrible during the season but they all of a sudden were a very good team! To me, it stinks of the players cashing in their chips early possibly to make the coaching staff look bad or whatever! Certain players were horrible then all of a sudden these same players became stars? Something was rotten in Knoxville!

 

[Vowelguy]

UConn has worn the preverbal "bull's eye" on their backs the past four seasons, and rightly so. They were the elephant in the room. Now that UConn's BIG 3 have moved on, the talk around the water cooler is that this distinction left with them. Who will be the preseason #1 ranked team in the country? Who do you think has the best chance of surviving the challenges of this season's big boogie (formally called the UConn invitational)?

Question: Who do you think will be the team to beat for 2016-2017 and why?

Notre Dame, Baylor, South Carolina, UConn, Louisville, Maryland, Syracuse, Oregon State, Florida State, Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Arizona State, Stanford or Mississippi State?, or a dark horse none of us see at this moment?

What say you?

You're actually asking 2 different questions.

UConn will always have a target on its back precisely because it's UConn. This even applies to teams facing Tenn, though that appeal is weakening.

But if you're asking who will be the top teams, I'd say ND, Baylor, Texas, Ohio St.

 

[mhshuskies]

Any Duke player or any person with Duke WBB/Duke athletics that dares to question Joanne P. McCallie.

Wait, wrong answer... that is the answer to the question of what is in front of the bus.

under the bus

 

[BroadwayVa]

Hmmm - why are you so negative about Lou, Kia, and Gabby?

Facetious!! It works at times, if one is prepared for it!! The proof is in the proving. Lou, Napheesa, Chong,Kia,Butler or Gabby have yet to prove that they can win without the golden 3! However I expect to see them in the final 4!!

 

[Carnac]

You're actually asking 2 different questions.

UConn will always have a target on its back precisely because it's UConn. This even applies to teams facing Tenn, though that appeal is weakening.

But if you're asking who will be the top teams, I'd say ND, Baylor, Texas, Ohio St.

I may have phrased it poorly. I asked who you thought would be the pre-season #1 ranked team. In my mind (in theory as I was writing it out), the #1 ranked team is also thought to be the best team in the country, and thus the team to beat. I asked the same question twice, I just phrased it differently.

Charlie Cream has Notre Dame, Louisville, South Carolina and UConn ranked 1-2-3-4. Right now, I'll go along with Cream and ND for now, but that may change as we closer to the beginning of the season. The reports we'll get from the various teams (after official practice begins) may paint a different picture then. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[easttexastrash]

After seeing Cox play in the U18 I think UCONN will start out with the bullseye and that will shift to Baylor after the two teams play in November. Jones will give Baylor better scoring from the PG position and Wallace is just waiting to be a star. Brown will be a monster in the paint this year. Baylor will not have a weakness at any position and some real strengths at several positions. Davis should be a better outside shooter and will still be an AA.

 

[Orangutan]

After seeing Cox play in the U18 I think UCONN will start out with the bullseye and that will shift to Baylor after the two teams play in November. Jones will give Baylor better scoring from the PG position and Wallace is just waiting to be a star. Brown will be a monster in the paint this year. Baylor will not have a weakness at any position and some real strengths at several positions. Davis should be a better outside shooter and will still be an AA.

I must say that I am shocked that you are bullish on Baylor's chances.

 

[easttexastrash]

I must say that I am shocked that you are bullish on Baylor's chances.

If you rearrange the letters in bullish and add a "t" you could use another word for my prediction.

 

[SCGamecock]

After seeing Cox play in the U18 I think UCONN will start out with the bullseye and that will shift to Baylor after the two teams play in November. Jones will give Baylor better scoring from the PG position and Wallace is just waiting to be a star. Brown will be a monster in the paint this year. Baylor will not have a weakness at any position and some real strengths at several positions. Davis should be a better outside shooter and will still be an AA.

Cox was VERY impressive in those last few games for the U18 team. Made me a believer for sure. I'm looking forward to her freshmen season at Baylor.

 

[Dillon77]

If you rearrange the letters in bullish and add a "t" you could use another word for my prediction.

There's a lot of interesting individual ingredients in Waco, but we've got to see how the feisty chef mixes them up. I'm just wondering if there might be too much there. However, Cox should be one of the main courses and if she is by the end of the year, that could be scary.

ND is bringing a lot back (Turner, Allen, Mabrey2, Ogunbowale, Westbeld) and will be bolstered by Boley, Young and -- knock on wood -- Patberg who MM was really big on before her ACL went last fall. However, ND graduates the heart and soul of that team -- Mabrey1, Cable and Huffman -- and it could take some time for the team to gel and get it's marching orders intact.

Maryland will be a "getting to know you" convention for the first half of the year and S. Carolina will welcome in its two transfers.

That said, Louisville should get out of the blocks fast and we'll see how the new posts help/hinder Hines-Allen and company. Everyone loves the block there!

And I never, ever discount UConn...this team could gel and make a run. Yes, you've got the transfers and three-so-far class of 2017, but KLS, Gabby, Dangerfield are not exactly falling into the chopped liver category.

 

[baggerbob]

Everyone forgets about how outstanding Kia Nurse was in the Pan- Am games, and she doesn't have to take a backseat to Stewie, Moriah, and Morgan anymore. Kia is a 6 ft combo guard who can do anything she wants on the floor, and plays tough defense. She played with the Big 3 for 2 years, and knows what needs to be done.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I may have phrased it poorly. I asked who you thought would be the pre-season #1 ranked team. In my mind (in theory as I was writing it out), the #1 ranked team is also thought to be the best team in the country, and thus the team to beat. I asked the same question twice, I just phrased it differently.

Charlie Cream has Notre Dame, Louisville, South Carolina and UConn ranked 1-2-3-4. Right now, I'll go along with Cream and ND for now, but that may change as we closer to the beginning of the season. The reports we'll get from the various teams (after official practice begins) may paint a different picture then. Sorry for the confusion.

If proper Phrasing was immensely important--and a pass fail item--Most SAT questions would fail. That could apply to some possibly many Boneyard questions.
However, the deviate I am, I deviated. I too go with the Creame assessment. As Geno has said--often--it is not where you start it is where you end. However in life it is neither where you start or where you shall end (we all know where that is) but how you play the middle time.
This coming year --the target on Uconn's back get larger because those who no real chance to beat them all signed up to play them--and GENO ACCEPTED!!

 

[AnotherVolFan]

Just reading this thread makes me SO excited for next season!!! I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

UCONN has to be the favorite going into next season. If fully healthy and ready to go, I expect Dangerfield to be a steady replacement for Jefferson. Even though she's a freshman, the young lady has a lot of poise for a pg at such a young age. Idk how Geno is going to go about with his starting lineup but it'll be hard not to include Ms. Dangerfield on the floor.

Nurse will be an AA this year imo. The girl can just flat out play. I feel as if she's somewhat had to take a backseat to the "Big 3" since she's been at UCONN, however she's shown flashes of a star player. I expect a lot out of her going into her Jr year. Her drive and finish abilities are amazing....with an improved outside shot, I see AA written all over her this year.

Collier is one of my favorite players. She was in high school and regardless of the school she chose, she'll continue to be one of my favorites, just as Ms. Tuck was. Their games are somewhat similar and Collier's work ethic around the rim impresses me, just as Tuck's did. She's no Tuck but like Dangerfield, I feel she can help ease the loss of Tuck.

I'm sorry but for some reason KLS just doesn't do it for me so I'm going to refrain from saying what I think of her game. HOW EVER if she starts to shoot "KML-esque " I'll reconsider how I feel about her. Lol

Gabby Williams is a freak of nature!!! (I mean that in a good way) lol Similar to young Glory Johnson, this kid has MAJOR hops, however can be a little out of control...at times. IMO her development will be a MAJOR factor on if UCONN can repeat ×'s 5! I'm not sold at Butler on the offensive end, but if Williams can be an inside scoring presence for UCONN, I believe they can win it again.

Behind UCONN in order :

South Carolina - I'm sorry but the move by Dawn to hire Balcomb was OUTSTANDING to me! It's been clear that offense is the reason South Carolina hasn't looked like a NC team...IMO. I don't know how it will pan out, but this was nothing but a positive for the offense!

Wilson will contend for Player of the Year, She got better last year and I expect a whole different player her Jr year, especially with the additions of Grey and Davis. They'll be able to give Wilson more room to operate and take advantage of the best part of her game, face up and dribble drive.

Grey and Davis will prove to be a deadly, deadly back court, arguably one of the best, if not the best in the country. Grey IMO was a better player at UNC their freshman, than DD! She's consistent out to the 3pt arc, speedy, and able to finish with contact and a willing passer. If I was Dawn she'd be playing my PG spot. I'm not sold on Cuevas running the show for South Carolina this year. Good guard play is important and over the course of their two seasons, I'd take Grey at the point over Cuevas.

Davis, can SOME WHAT replace what Mitchell did for South Carolina, save the outside shot. If Davis can play team ball, which I'm sure she's willing to do, it'll only make her game better. She's a proven scorer and will be able to absorb the loss of Mitchell for Dawn...imo.

Coates is one of the best centers in the country. Her mobility is what makes her so good IMO. She's a big body that plays aggressive and not scared to bang her body around. I love her presence on the court! From her ability to rebound, be a shot blocking presence, and scoring presence on the block, she'll easily contend for AA status going into her Sr season.

If I was Dawn I'd have a starting lineup of
PG - Grey
SG - Davis
SF - Wilson
PF - Imboviah (Was last year her last year?)
C - Coates

Next up - Norte Dame
Obuganwale and the younger Mabrey sister are stars waiting to happen. If Muffet is able to get Obuganwale to play more under control, and the Mabrey sister is healthy, they put ND right in Nation Championship contention. We all know what Steven's is going to bring. She's going to need help if they're going to be formidable and ready to compete for a title. Their freshman class almost made me put them above South Carolina.

Next up - Baylor
Hands down the deepest team in the country!!! Will be interesting to see how playing time will be distributed amongst the post players. I absolutely love Wallace's game, the steady hands of Jones piloting the ship, and the consistency with Davis in the post for Baylor. They'll be a fun team to watch this upcoming year.

My dark horse - Ohio State.
I've never seen a more explosive scorer than Ms. Mitchell. Her game is absolutely fun to watch. I was nervous about her and Ohio State when we played them in the tourney this year. With the additions of Mavunga, Harper, Calhoun, and McCoy coming in, Ohio State could really make some noise.

Outside of those 5 teams, I really don't see anyone else making too many waves! Unless DD, Nared, and Russell finally hit their stride, I don't see Tenn contending for a NC. I love my girls to the death of me but with no real help coming in besides the transfer from Winthrop (Nunn), I really feel like we're in for another rocky season on Rocky Top!

 

[SCGamecock]

South Carolina - I'm sorry but the move by Dawn to hire Balcomb was OUTSTANDING to me! It's been clear that offense is the reason South Carolina hasn't looked like a NC team...IMO. I don't know how it will pan out, but this was nothing but a positive for the offense!

Wilson will contend for Player of the Year, She got better last year and I expect a whole different player her Jr year, especially with the additions of Grey and Davis. They'll be able to give Wilson more room to operate and take advantage of the best part of her game, face up and dribble drive.

Grey and Davis will prove to be a deadly, deadly back court, arguably one of the best, if not the best in the country. Grey IMO was a better player at UNC their freshman, than DD! She's consistent out to the 3pt arc, speedy, and able to finish with contact and a willing passer. If I was Dawn she'd be playing my PG spot. I'm not sold on Cuevas running the show for South Carolina this year. Good guard play is important and over the course of their two seasons, I'd take Grey at the point over Cuevas.

Davis, can SOME WHAT replace what Mitchell did for South Carolina, save the outside shot. If Davis can play team ball, which I'm sure she's willing to do, it'll only make her game better. She's a proven scorer and will be able to absorb the loss of Mitchell for Dawn...imo.

Coates is one of the best centers in the country. Her mobility is what makes her so good IMO. She's a big body that plays aggressive and not scared to bang her body around. I love her presence on the court! From her ability to rebound, be a shot blocking presence, and scoring presence on the block, she'll easily contend for AA status going into her Sr season.

If I was Dawn I'd have a starting lineup of
PG - Grey
SG - Davis
SF - Wilson
PF - Imboviah (Was last year her last year?)
C - Coates

Imovbioh graduated so we have no other options at PF besides a freshmen (Mikiah Harrigan).

I'm not sure I agree with Wilson at the 3.. I think she's best mostly operating around the high post, her midrange jumper gets better by the day and who the heck is blocking it out there? I like Kaela Davis at the 3 because she's 6'2... so we can move her around a lot, when Wilson is operating inside we can have Davis waiting around the wings and when we wanna move A'ja around a lot then we can move Davis inside.

Gray can play PG.. but another PG really needs to step up for SC. Gray and Davis are so important to this team because they'll be counted on to score.. but they'll also be needed to keep the defense from suffocating Wilson and Coates.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Cox was VERY impressive in those last few games for the U18 team. Made me a believer for sure. I'm looking forward to her freshmen season at Baylor.

she was also playing with kids her age... different beast at the college level

 

[Dillon77]

Just reading this thread makes me SO excited for next season!!! I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

UCONN has to be the favorite going into next season. If fully healthy and ready to go, I expect Dangerfield to be a steady replacement for Jefferson. Even though she's a freshman, the young lady has a lot of poise for a pg at such a young age. Idk how Geno is going to go about with his starting lineup but it'll be hard not to include Ms. Dangerfield on the floor.

Nurse will be an AA this year imo. The girl can just flat out play. I feel as if she's somewhat had to take a backseat to the "Big 3" since she's been at UCONN, however she's shown flashes of a star player. I expect a lot out of her going into her Jr year. Her drive and finish abilities are amazing....with an improved outside shot, I see AA written all over her this year.

Collier is one of my favorite players. She was in high school and regardless of the school she chose, she'll continue to be one of my favorites, just as Ms. Tuck was. Their games are somewhat similar and Collier's work ethic around the rim impresses me, just as Tuck's did. She's no Tuck but like Dangerfield, I feel she can help ease the loss of Tuck.

I'm sorry but for some reason KLS just doesn't do it for me so I'm going to refrain from saying what I think of her game. HOW EVER if she starts to shoot "KML-esque " I'll reconsider how I feel about her. Lol

Gabby Williams is a freak of nature!!! (I mean that in a good way) lol Similar to young Glory Johnson, this kid has MAJOR hops, however can be a little out of control...at times. IMO her development will be a MAJOR factor on if UCONN can repeat ×'s 5! I'm not sold at Butler on the offensive end, but if Williams can be an inside scoring presence for UCONN, I believe they can win it again.

Behind UCONN in order :

South Carolina - I'm sorry but the move by Dawn to hire Balcomb was OUTSTANDING to me! It's been clear that offense is the reason South Carolina hasn't looked like a NC team...IMO. I don't know how it will pan out, but this was nothing but a positive for the offense!

Wilson will contend for Player of the Year, She got better last year and I expect a whole different player her Jr year, especially with the additions of Grey and Davis. They'll be able to give Wilson more room to operate and take advantage of the best part of her game, face up and dribble drive.

Grey and Davis will prove to be a deadly, deadly back court, arguably one of the best, if not the best in the country. Grey IMO was a better player at UNC their freshman, than DD! She's consistent out to the 3pt arc, speedy, and able to finish with contact and a willing passer. If I was Dawn she'd be playing my PG spot. I'm not sold on Cuevas running the show for South Carolina this year. Good guard play is important and over the course of their two seasons, I'd take Grey at the point over Cuevas.

Davis, can SOME WHAT replace what Mitchell did for South Carolina, save the outside shot. If Davis can play team ball, which I'm sure she's willing to do, it'll only make her game better. She's a proven scorer and will be able to absorb the loss of Mitchell for Dawn...imo.

Coates is one of the best centers in the country. Her mobility is what makes her so good IMO. She's a big body that plays aggressive and not scared to bang her body around. I love her presence on the court! From her ability to rebound, be a shot blocking presence, and scoring presence on the block, she'll easily contend for AA status going into her Sr season.

If I was Dawn I'd have a starting lineup of
PG - Grey
SG - Davis
SF - Wilson
PF - Imboviah (Was last year her last year?)
C - Coates

Next up - Norte Dame
Obuganwale and the younger Mabrey sister are stars waiting to happen. If Muffet is able to get Obuganwale to play more under control, and the Mabrey sister is healthy, they put ND right in Nation Championship contention. We all know what Steven's is going to bring. She's going to need help if they're going to be formidable and ready to compete for a title. Their freshman class almost made me put them above South Carolina.

Next up - Baylor
Hands down the deepest team in the country!!! Will be interesting to see how playing time will be distributed amongst the post players. I absolutely love Wallace's game, the steady hands of Jones piloting the ship, and the consistency with Davis in the post for Baylor. They'll be a fun team to watch this upcoming year.

My dark horse - Ohio State.
I've never seen a more explosive scorer than Ms. Mitchell. Her game is absolutely fun to watch. I was nervous about her and Ohio State when we played them in the tourney this year. With the additions of Mavunga, Harper, Calhoun, and McCoy coming in, Ohio State could really make some noise.

Outside of those 5 teams, I really don't see anyone else making too many waves! Unless DD, Nared, and Russell finally hit their stride, I don't see Tenn contending for a NC. I love my girls to the death of me but with no real help coming in besides the transfer from Winthrop (Nunn), I really feel like we're in for another rocky season on Rocky Top!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Regarding ND and "Stevens." do you mean Turner? If so, the key there is seeing if Coco Nelson can step up her game to spell Turner and/or if Erin Boley can also rebound/bang at this level (not just in all-star games), along with the yeoman-like Kat Westbeld, who will (only) be a junior this year.

As for Stevens, were you thinking of Azura Stevens? If so, interesting juxtaposition....

Nice write-up. Depending if everyone plays their roles and keeps their cool, Louisville could make a run. That's a big "if...."

 

[easttexastrash]

she was also playing with kids her age... different beast at the college level

Yeah, that's how these competitions are usually structured.

She's gonna be a special player.

 

[easttexastrash]

Everyone forgets about how outstanding Kia Nurse was in the Pan- Am games, and she doesn't have to take a backseat to Stewie, Moriah, and Morgan anymore. Kia is a 6 ft combo guard who can do anything she wants on the floor, and plays tough defense. She played with the Big 3 for 2 years, and knows what needs to be done.

The question about all UCONN players is, IMO, how good they will be without Stewart, Jefferson and Tuck taking the pressure off of them. Who has the ability to be a go-to player instead of being a complementary player? I think Nurse and KLS have that ability.

 

[easttexastrash]

Just reading this thread makes me SO excited for next season!!! I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

UCONN has to be the favorite going into next season. If fully healthy and ready to go, I expect Dangerfield to be a steady replacement for Jefferson. Even though she's a freshman, the young lady has a lot of poise for a pg at such a young age. Idk how Geno is going to go about with his starting lineup but it'll be hard not to include Ms. Dangerfield on the floor.

Nurse will be an AA this year imo. The girl can just flat out play. I feel as if she's somewhat had to take a backseat to the "Big 3" since she's been at UCONN, however she's shown flashes of a star player. I expect a lot out of her going into her Jr year. Her drive and finish abilities are amazing....with an improved outside shot, I see AA written all over her this year.

Collier is one of my favorite players. She was in high school and regardless of the school she chose, she'll continue to be one of my favorites, just as Ms. Tuck was. Their games are somewhat similar and Collier's work ethic around the rim impresses me, just as Tuck's did. She's no Tuck but like Dangerfield, I feel she can help ease the loss of Tuck.

I'm sorry but for some reason KLS just doesn't do it for me so I'm going to refrain from saying what I think of her game. HOW EVER if she starts to shoot "KML-esque " I'll reconsider how I feel about her. Lol

Gabby Williams is a freak of nature!!! (I mean that in a good way) lol Similar to young Glory Johnson, this kid has MAJOR hops, however can be a little out of control...at times. IMO her development will be a MAJOR factor on if UCONN can repeat ×'s 5! I'm not sold at Butler on the offensive end, but if Williams can be an inside scoring presence for UCONN, I believe they can win it again.

Behind UCONN in order :

South Carolina - I'm sorry but the move by Dawn to hire Balcomb was OUTSTANDING to me! It's been clear that offense is the reason South Carolina hasn't looked like a NC team...IMO. I don't know how it will pan out, but this was nothing but a positive for the offense!

Wilson will contend for Player of the Year, She got better last year and I expect a whole different player her Jr year, especially with the additions of Grey and Davis. They'll be able to give Wilson more room to operate and take advantage of the best part of her game, face up and dribble drive.

Grey and Davis will prove to be a deadly, deadly back court, arguably one of the best, if not the best in the country. Grey IMO was a better player at UNC their freshman, than DD! She's consistent out to the 3pt arc, speedy, and able to finish with contact and a willing passer. If I was Dawn she'd be playing my PG spot. I'm not sold on Cuevas running the show for South Carolina this year. Good guard play is important and over the course of their two seasons, I'd take Grey at the point over Cuevas.

Davis, can SOME WHAT replace what Mitchell did for South Carolina, save the outside shot. If Davis can play team ball, which I'm sure she's willing to do, it'll only make her game better. She's a proven scorer and will be able to absorb the loss of Mitchell for Dawn...imo.

Coates is one of the best centers in the country. Her mobility is what makes her so good IMO. She's a big body that plays aggressive and not scared to bang her body around. I love her presence on the court! From her ability to rebound, be a shot blocking presence, and scoring presence on the block, she'll easily contend for AA status going into her Sr season.

If I was Dawn I'd have a starting lineup of
PG - Grey
SG - Davis
SF - Wilson
PF - Imboviah (Was last year her last year?)
C - Coates

Next up - Norte Dame
Obuganwale and the younger Mabrey sister are stars waiting to happen. If Muffet is able to get Obuganwale to play more under control, and the Mabrey sister is healthy, they put ND right in Nation Championship contention. We all know what Steven's is going to bring. She's going to need help if they're going to be formidable and ready to compete for a title. Their freshman class almost made me put them above South Carolina.

Next up - Baylor
Hands down the deepest team in the country!!! Will be interesting to see how playing time will be distributed amongst the post players. I absolutely love Wallace's game, the steady hands of Jones piloting the ship, and the consistency with Davis in the post for Baylor. They'll be a fun team to watch this upcoming year.

My dark horse - Ohio State.
I've never seen a more explosive scorer than Ms. Mitchell. Her game is absolutely fun to watch. I was nervous about her and Ohio State when we played them in the tourney this year. With the additions of Mavunga, Harper, Calhoun, and McCoy coming in, Ohio State could really make some noise.

Outside of those 5 teams, I really don't see anyone else making too many waves! Unless DD, Nared, and Russell finally hit their stride, I don't see Tenn contending for a NC. I love my girls to the death of me but with no real help coming in besides the transfer from Winthrop (Nunn), I really feel like we're in for another rocky season on Rocky Top!

Love that avatar, BTW. We all drink the Kool-Aid before the season begins. Then we progress to wine, then hard liquor by season's end.

 

[j66kicker]

Love that avatar, BTW. We all drink the Kool-Aid before the season begins. Then we progress to wine, then hard liquor by season's end.

Hey you left out beer! (Plus at UCONN we usually top the season off with champagne... )

 

[UcMiami]

AnotherVolFan -
Nice write-up. And I agree about DD vs. Grey - DD had all the sizzle and the press, but Grey was the steady performer game after game. UNC had the better record the year after DD left except losing by two to SC in the S16. (And that after losing X. McDaniels after 12 games - a crushing blow!)

Lou shot about .200 on threes for the first half of the season, but ended the year at .394 with 78 makes - KML her freshman year shot .384 with 93 makes so the two are not very far off statistically. Because of her height and better speed, I believe Lou will end up spending less time as a pure spot up shooter vs. KML so that might change the perception of her game but I do expect her to keep shooting more threes than say Stewart and to probably challenge the .500 mark in one of her seasons.

The big thing with this coming season is transitions for most of the top teams - lots of new talent getting to play and a fair amount of critical pieces graduating - who runs the show at Baylor, SC and of course Uconn, how do the transfers respond after their year of practice and how are they integrated, and how do the freshman handle college ball. What is the chemistry like on some teams with lots of talent competing for playing time at similar positions. Should be more wide open with some surprises.

TN I think will struggle - Graves was a really important part of the team (even if many fans were down on her) but if the returning players can generate a 'bunker mentality' it might actually improve the on court performance.