ESPN final preseason top 25 has the Huskies at...

[CL82]

 

[Next 12]

The beginning of the season does not count, it's the end of the season that counts and Uconn will be NO1 and have another BE trophy and then NO12 NC. I see no other program with enough fire power and defense that can stop Uconn. GO HUSKIES!!!!!

 

[MSSportsGuy]

Number 2 is completely fair for the Huskies. LSU, with their flaws, returns a superstar with some talent and several strong additions. I don't think there is a sizable gap between the two if health holds out for UConn, which is truly the biggest question whether it's fair or not.

UConn brings a significant amount of talent, coaching, and intangibles to the table. It could be a very special year in Storrs with this team. For now, LSU deserves the number one preseason ranking and I suspect they will hold it for the first part of the year.

 

[Rowdy831]

Number 2 is completely fair for the Huskies. LSU, with their flaws, returns a superstar with some talent and several strong additions. I don't think there is a sizable gap between the two if health holds out for UConn, which is truly the biggest question whether it's fair or not.

UConn brings a significant amount of talent, coaching, and intangibles to the table. It could be a very special year in Storrs with this team. For now, LSU deserves the number one preseason ranking and I suspect they will hold it for the first part of the year.

I agree that LSU deserves to be ranked 1 in the preseason. Where I would disagree is that the game would be close if both teams are healthy. I think when that happens UConn will win by 20 or more.

 

[Bone Dog]

I have ranted elsewhere about this notion that LSU "deserves" to be ranked #1, so I'll skip it here. UConn at #2 is fine, since it puts the target squarely on someone else. If LSU doesn't have any in conference losses this season, then their #1 ranking will have been deserved. If you don't think this is likely, then you ought to conclude they didn't deserve to be #1. I say "in conference" because their OOC schedule is a joke. With a schedule like that, if you can't go undefeated, you don't deserve a #1 ranking.

 

[Geew1992]

I have ranted elsewhere about this notion that LSU "deserves" to be ranked #1, so I'll skip it here. UConn at #2 is fine, since it puts the target squarely on someone else. If LSU doesn't have any in conference losses this season, then their #1 ranking will have been deserved. If you don't think this is likely, then you ought to conclude they didn't deserve to be #1. I say "in conference" because their OOC schedule is a joke. With a schedule like that, if you can't go undefeated, you don't deserve a #1 ranking.

I disagree with all of this. Preseason is before any games being played. It doesn’t matter if you think LSU will lose in conference. They won the championship, bring back a good bulk of their team and bring in the #1 player and 2 very good/great transfers. Yes, they should be number 1.

 

[Bone Dog]

I disagree with all of this. Preseason is before any games being played. It doesn’t matter if you think LSU will lose in conference. They won the championship, bring back a good bulk of their team and bring in the #1 player and 2 very good/great transfers. Yes, they should be number 1.

“Should be” and “deserves to be” are two very different things. I’m not opposed to the former. But to say they “deserve” it when, by your own account they haven’t played a single game, sounds absurd to me. Leave it at “should be” and I’m on board.

 

[EricLA]

“Should be” and “deserves to be” are two very different things. I’m not opposed to the former. But to say they “deserve” it when, by your own account they haven’t played a single game, sounds absurd to me. Leave it at “should be” and I’m on board.

I'm with you in the sentiment that some say "well team X won the NC last season so they are #1 till they get beat". Really? What happens if team X loses a majority of their starters off their NC team?

Either way, I have no issue with LSU being ranked #1. I firmly believe a healthy UCONN is better by a lot, but we will see how the season unfolds.

 

[Geew1992]

“Should be” and “deserves to be” are two very different things. I’m not opposed to the former. But to say they “deserve” it when, by your own account they haven’t played a single game, sounds absurd to me. Leave it at “should be” and I’m on board.

So then every team #1 preseason shouldn’t be #1 cuz they haven’t played a single game

 

[Sifaka]

LSU deserves a N° 1 ranking for most pusillanimous schedule.

 

[Bone Dog]

So then every team #1 preseason shouldn’t be #1 cuz they haven’t played a single game

Yes, exactly… if you replace ‘shouldn’t be’ with ‘doesn’t deserve’ to be ranked #1. I’m merely applying your criterion. I originally said they don’t deserve it, and you introduced the idea that before playing a single game no team could deserve to be ranked #1. This makes sense. If you want to say LSU should be #1, this is a very different claim, and I won’t disagree with it.

To be clear, there may well be good reasons to say a team should be ranked #1 preseason, but deserving isn’t among them. One is a prediction, the other is a claim that a team has earned it. But by definition no team can have earned anything yet.

 

[Geew1992]

Yes, exactly… if you replace ‘shouldn’t be’ with ‘doesn’t deserve’ to be ranked #1. I’m merely applying your criterion. I originally said they don’t deserve it, and you introduced the idea that before playing a single game no team could deserve to be ranked #1. This makes sense. If you want to say LSU should be #1, this is a very different claim, and I won’t disagree with it.

To be clear, there may well be good reasons to say a team should be ranked #1 preseason, but deserving isn’t among them. One is a prediction, the other is a claim that a team has earned it. But by definition no team can have earned anything yet.

So then… what is your criteria and who should be #1?

 

[JellyBean]

I have zero problem with us being ranked #2. Anything outside of the top three, I would have some concern but #2 is pretty solid. I have zero problem with LSU being ranked #1. They are the defending champs and they have added some talented players. #1 is where they should be.

 

[visitingcock]

LSU has a win streak.

Nobody else does. Oops. NIT champ

 

[Bone Dog]

So then… what is your criteria and who should be #1?

Since the preseason #1, like any subsequent ranking during the season, is essentially a prediction, my criterion is who do I think has the best shot at an NC at that moment. I don’t think LSU will repeat as NC, so I don’t think I’d make them a preseason #1. But it’s just a prediction, which means anyone can reasonably disagree on this point.

Do you think LSU will repeat? If so, then for you they should be #1 right now. As for me, I think UConn has the best shot at winning the NC this year. That’s my current belief. So I’d make them #1. But I can see how others might reasonably think SC or UCLA or VPI (and maybe a few other teams) and would therefore think one of them should be #1.

What doesn’t make sense to me is to give a preseason #1 ranking to a team one doesn’t believe has the best shot at the NC.

 

[mbr33ct]

It appears LSU is pretty confident they will keep their #1 ranking after the Queens game on Nov. 9th but it appears Mississippi Valley State may pull off their biggest upset of the century on Nov 12th.

 

[jake0414]

I have ranted elsewhere about this notion that LSU "deserves" to be ranked #1, so I'll skip it here. UConn at #2 is fine, since it puts the target squarely on someone else. If LSU doesn't have any in conference losses this season, then their #1 ranking will have been deserved. If you don't think this is likely, then you ought to conclude they didn't deserve to be #1. I say "in conference" because their OOC schedule is a joke. With a schedule like that, if you can't go undefeated, you don't deserve a #1 ranking.

SEC conference schedulers gave LSU an easier path than other member pitting the Tigers with South Carolina and Tennessee only once in regular season conference play. How exactly does that happen? Gaming the system? Having 16 conference games gives SEC teams plenty of opportunity to schedule challenging non-conference opponents….. except preseason #1 chose a different approach, even when it had an opportunity to play UConn or UCLA, nope.

 

[luminosity]

LSU is very obviously #1 right now. Defending champions who only upgraded from last year. UCONN being #2 also makes sense due to how talented the backcourt + Edwards is.

 

[Next 12]

LSU has the NO1 ranking right now because they beat all the competing schools to get it. It is their right. But with their first loss, there goes their NO1 ranking and they will have to earn it back by beating their competition, which I doubt they will be able to do. On the other hand, when Uconn earns the NO1 ranking, that's it. Uconn will not relinquish the top spot the rest of the season. This team has all the prerequisites of defense and scoring to keep it. This season we finally have a bench that can contribute meaningful scoring and defense to go with our starting five and bring Uconn NO12 NC. GO HUSKIES!!!!!

 

[visitingcock]

LSU has the NO1 ranking right now because they beat all the competing schools to get it. It is their right. But with their first loss, there goes their NO1 ranking and they will have to earn it back by beating their competition, which I doubt they will be able to do. On the other hand, when Uconn earns the NO1 ranking, that's it. Uconn will not relinquish the top spot the rest of the season. This team has all the prerequisites of defense and scoring to keep it. This season we finally have a bench that can contribute meaningful scoring and defense to go with our starting five and bring Uconn NO12 NC. GO HUSKIES!!!!!

Doesn’t take an LSU loss. Long about your 4th win over a ranked team, you would jump then.

 

[cometjo]

LSU looks OK here. Not saying I think they will bear tus but they definitely look OK

 

[Bone Dog]

Hailey could have played center for East Texas Baptist from the looks of it.

 

[mbr33ct]

Kim, do you really need to dig into the the Div III pool of schools for your exhibition game against East Texas Baptist?

 

[visitingcock]

UConn discussion at 5 minute mark

 

[CL82]

LSU looks OK here. Not saying I think they will bear tus but they definitely look OK

Bear tus?