bballnut90
LV Adherent. Topic Crafter
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2011
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I know a lot of you probably aren't feeling quite the same way I am after how this weekend turned out, but seriously...this may have been the most entertaining season of women's basketball I've watched yet. Here's why:
1. The Final Four.....all 3 games had epic buzzer beaters. The Mississippi State/Louisville game was a classic and the three by Johnson forced it to OT. The UCONN-ND game might be the best women's basketball game ever. Then in the title game, it wasn't the prettiest played game, but it sure was entertaining. So back and forth--ND starts out hot, then Mississippi State takes over, ND crawls back into it, Mississippi State grabs the lead and then ND finishes on an 8-0 and nails a very difficult 3 at the buzzer. Hands down, the most entertaining Final Four in the history of the sport when you look at the competitiveness in all 3 games.
2. There were a LOT of great teams this year. It wasn't just UCONN and the rest of the pack like it normally is. Notre Dame , Louisville, Baylor, Oregon, Connecticut and Mississippi State were all very strong teams this season, and each one appeared to have a real shot of winning the championship this season.
3. It seemed like there were more impressive individual efforts this year compared to most. Everyone who was on the AP 1st Team really had a POY worthy season IMO. Vivians and Samuelson were terrific, Wilson was the POY, Ionescu was incredible, and Durr had some unbelievable games.
4. The Notre Dame story was a great one. 4 ACLS, 7 scholarship players, losing to Louisville by 33 and then being down to Tennessee by 23 at home and coming back to win. Making the Final Four, beating UCONN in the most dramatic fashion, only to top it in the title game. Muffet ends her championship game losing streak and I think firmly establishes herself as one of the best coaches ever (if anyone doubted it before).
5. Mississippi State far overachieved expectations going 37-2 and getting back in the title game, coming up just short this time. The player improvement of Schaefer, Vivians and McCowan was great to watch.
6. UCONN set the standard and really was great once again. They were thoroughly dominant in many wins, and I thought in big stretches of the year they were the best team in the country. I probably wouldn't be this complimentary if you were cutting down the nets again, but UCONN played great basketball.
7. The Sweet 16 had some great underdogs this year in Central Michigan and Buffalo. Both programs played great basketball and earned their spot in the Sweet 16, even if it was short lived.
8. Oregon State and Stanford both made turnarounds after struggling during points in the year. Oregon State knocked off Baylor (and Tennessee), which was a huge upset, and Marie Gulich established herself as one of the very best posts in the country. Stanford looked pretty awful starting the year but was able to rally, had a couple of big wins and put together a respectable season.
Alright I might be grasping for straws to get this list to ten, but overall I was more engaged in this season than any other I can remember, and this weekend was just unreal for the sport. 2018-19 should be another great year in women's basketball, I'm hoping these next 7 months go by quickly!
1. The Final Four.....all 3 games had epic buzzer beaters. The Mississippi State/Louisville game was a classic and the three by Johnson forced it to OT. The UCONN-ND game might be the best women's basketball game ever. Then in the title game, it wasn't the prettiest played game, but it sure was entertaining. So back and forth--ND starts out hot, then Mississippi State takes over, ND crawls back into it, Mississippi State grabs the lead and then ND finishes on an 8-0 and nails a very difficult 3 at the buzzer. Hands down, the most entertaining Final Four in the history of the sport when you look at the competitiveness in all 3 games.
2. There were a LOT of great teams this year. It wasn't just UCONN and the rest of the pack like it normally is. Notre Dame , Louisville, Baylor, Oregon, Connecticut and Mississippi State were all very strong teams this season, and each one appeared to have a real shot of winning the championship this season.
3. It seemed like there were more impressive individual efforts this year compared to most. Everyone who was on the AP 1st Team really had a POY worthy season IMO. Vivians and Samuelson were terrific, Wilson was the POY, Ionescu was incredible, and Durr had some unbelievable games.
4. The Notre Dame story was a great one. 4 ACLS, 7 scholarship players, losing to Louisville by 33 and then being down to Tennessee by 23 at home and coming back to win. Making the Final Four, beating UCONN in the most dramatic fashion, only to top it in the title game. Muffet ends her championship game losing streak and I think firmly establishes herself as one of the best coaches ever (if anyone doubted it before).
5. Mississippi State far overachieved expectations going 37-2 and getting back in the title game, coming up just short this time. The player improvement of Schaefer, Vivians and McCowan was great to watch.
6. UCONN set the standard and really was great once again. They were thoroughly dominant in many wins, and I thought in big stretches of the year they were the best team in the country. I probably wouldn't be this complimentary if you were cutting down the nets again, but UCONN played great basketball.
7. The Sweet 16 had some great underdogs this year in Central Michigan and Buffalo. Both programs played great basketball and earned their spot in the Sweet 16, even if it was short lived.
8. Oregon State and Stanford both made turnarounds after struggling during points in the year. Oregon State knocked off Baylor (and Tennessee), which was a huge upset, and Marie Gulich established herself as one of the very best posts in the country. Stanford looked pretty awful starting the year but was able to rally, had a couple of big wins and put together a respectable season.
Alright I might be grasping for straws to get this list to ten, but overall I was more engaged in this season than any other I can remember, and this weekend was just unreal for the sport. 2018-19 should be another great year in women's basketball, I'm hoping these next 7 months go by quickly!
