LSU replaces UCONN as #1 - Women's college basketball Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2023-24

[MSGRET]

I wonder if Kim is going to have a non conference SOS higher than 240 this year?

 

[EricLA]

Im a little surprised with LSU picked at number 1. UConn imo is still number 1 and will be very hard to stop. Offensively UConn a healthy UConn with Paige Azzi and Caroline will be very hard to stop. Aaliyah down low is a proven scorer. I dont know of a team out there that will be able to slow down UConns offense. Van Lith is a great addition for LSU but she aint no Paige or Azzi.

Agreed Tony. How does adding Hailey Van Lith suddenly make LSU better? If you had to choose between Hailey Van Lith and a healthy Azzi, who you got? Paige vs. anyone on LSU? LOL.

Van Lith, Flau'jae Johnson, Kateri Poole and Mikaylah Williams is their backcourt. UCONN counters with Paige, Azzi, Nika, Ashlynn, and KK. Frankly I don't see where the comparison is close at all. I don't disagree that UCONN has no one better in the frontcourt than Angel Reese, but Ducharme, Griffin, Edwards, Brady, Patterson and El-Alfy? No one has the talented depth UCONN does. And I'm not sure that Reese is any better than Edwards - but it will be an interesting season to watch. Would love to play LSU before the NCAA's to see how the teams stack up.

BTW - additions to UCONN this year are Paige, Ice, KK, Ashlynn, Jana and Qadence. What other team adds that much talent in total?

And no i'm not forgetting about Deberry, Samuels and Bettencourt, but on a team with 14 players, several will be the "odd women out".

 

[SEbluebood]

I wonder if Kim is going to have a non conference SOS higher than 240 this year?

Why does that matter? They are defending national Champions and proved that strength of schedule is meaningless. All that matters is how you play in the tournament, which they did better than anyone else. UConn’s SOS was meaningless against the OSU. If the goal is to be National Champion, it doesn’t matter how you get there.

 

[CTBballfan243]

Im a little surprised with LSU picked at number 1. UConn imo is still number 1 and will be very hard to stop. Offensively UConn a healthy UConn with Paige Azzi and Caroline will be very hard to stop. Aaliyah down low is a proven scorer. I dont know of a team out there that will be able to slow down UConns offense. Van Lith is a great addition for LSU but she aint no Paige or Azzi.

Paige and Azzi haven’t proven they can stay healthy for a full season.

 

[donalddoowop]

Agreed Tony. How does adding Hailey Van Lith suddenly make LSU better? If you had to choose between Hailey Van Lith and a healthy Azzi, who you got? Paige vs. anyone on LSU? LOL.

Van Lith, Flau'jae Johnson, Kateri Poole and Mikaylah Williams is their backcourt. UCONN counters with Paige, Azzi, Nika, Ashlynn, and KK. Frankly I don't see where the comparison is close at all. I don't disagree that UCONN has no one better in the frontcourt than Angel Reese, but Ducharme, Griffin, Edwards, Brady, Patterson and El-Alfy? No one has the talented depth UCONN does. And I'm not sure that Reese is any better than Edwards - but it will be an interesting season to watch. Would love to play LSU before the NCAA's to see how the teams stack up.

BTW - additions to UCONN this year are Paige, Ice, KK, Ashlynn, Jana and Qadence. What other team adds that much talent in total?

And no i'm not forgetting about Deberry, Samuels and Bettencourt, but on a team with 14 players, several will be the "odd women out".

Samuels and Qadence = the same person. I agree with your post. Actually, a healthy Fudd and Ducharme will be like additions.

 

[Woof 101]

2 reasons why UConn isn't #1 are:

1. UConn's unproven players
2. Can Geno be out-coached?

No attack @sun but you only listed one reason. Your number 2 is a question.

 

[UConnCat]

Paige and Azzi haven’t proven they can stay healthy for a full season.

Didn't Paige player her entire freshman season and win POY awards?

 

[WFFL]

Probably just got bolstered up into the top 10 with today's commitment from the portal . Im sure they prefer to stay out of the preseason rankings after last years death drop and revival of a season .

 

[willtalk]

Is it 1985 or something? Griffin has already proved to have recovered with no problem. And ACL tears are common place, to think it will limit how many consecutive games a full tilt Paige can play is ludicrous and insulting. There is no reason to expect Paige, Ice Brady, Azzi and Aubrey to no physically return 100% based on their injuries in the year 2023. Being out a full year may take them a bit to adjust mentally but the language you describe their injuries with is frankly insulting.

I would agree that ACL repairs are now common place and their is no reason for such a repair to significantly affect a player once they heal. However, the issue with either Paige or Fudd is not if they will recover from their injury or return to form, but also if they will become injured in some capacity again. Some players just seem injury prone either because of inherant physical issues or their style of play making them more apt to be injured. Both Fudd and Paige have a history of injuries. Which is not to say that can not end. Many players have had their injury streaks end and then never to reappear again, But then there are also many players who it follows thoughout their careers. What catagory they fall in remains to be seen.

 

[JonathanXIV]

I wonder if Kim is going to have a non conference SOS higher than 240 this year?

And by higher, you mean 250, 272, etc.? If so, then absolutely. Kim won't stop until her out of conference schedule hits 300.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Paige and Azzi haven’t proven they can stay healthy for a full season.

?!

 

[GoUconn7961]

I'm not sure why it's a surprise to anyone.
Usually the NC Champ is the preseason #1 - plus the addition of Hailey Van Lith.
Makes sense.

Now it's up to UConn to change that. And they may get that chance at the Cayman tournament.

 

[hoopsfan22]

?!

Paige hasn't been fully healthy since 2021 and Azzi since 2019.

 

[Carnac]

I mean UCONN has a nice core returning between Fudd, Paige, Muhl, Edwards, Griffin and Ducharme, along with some talented freshmen. Freshmen may be unproven but extremely talented. The other returning players are all excellent

Can Geno be out coached? Sure any coach in America can be and has been at some point. But that is not UCONN's issue. IF UCONN can stay healthy (honestly the only legit concern you could have about them) they will be back in the final four contending for another national title like Geno has done pretty much every year under his tenure.

Personally I laugh at these polls every year and take it with a grain of salt. The portal season isn't over. Besides, injuries can derail a lot of things over the course of a season. You also don't need to be the most talented team top to bottom to win it. LSU was the third most talented team in their own conference last season (Behind SC and TN) but got hot at the right time, stayed healthy and had some great matchups during their tourney run.

Idk who should be #1 or not but its irrelevant to me. I do think you have a core of teams (UCONN, LSU, Iowa, UCLA, VT, Utah, Indiana, SC) who will all be very talented and dangerous.

UCONN, LSU, Iowa, UCLA, VT, Utah, Indiana, SC

Next season's NC winner could very well come from this group. Arguably the 8 most talented teams in the country.

 

[Carnac]

The answer to virtually every single question relating to next season depends on the health of the players. Ranking, starters, rotations, offense, defense, style of play….all will depend on how healthy and potentially effective this Uber-talented roster is. Geno and the rest of the staff must be absolutely drooling over the possibilities for this group of players! I know I am!

Bingo!!! We have the "core players" that can compete with any team IF they are and can remain healthy and available.

 

[Carnac]

I'm not sure why it's a surprise to anyone.
Usually the NC Champ is the preseason #1 - plus the addition of Hailey Van Lith.
Makes sense.

Now it's up to UConn to change that. And they may get that chance at the Cayman tournament.

I tried to make that argument about 4-5 years ago and got run out of the Boneyard. Until play begins, and somebody beats them, they should be ranked #1. But.........Three weeks into the season (4-5 games), water will seek its own level, and things will begin to even out.

If they are still undefeated on December 1, do they retain their # 1 preseason ranking? My understanding of the polls is if you're #1, you don't slide down the rankings until you lose a game or two. Lower-ranked teams can get "jumped" and not lose, but not number 1.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Paige hasn't been fully healthy since 2021 and Azzi since 2019.

I'm aware of that. I'm also aware that Paige was the National Player of the Year. She has "proved" she can be healthy for an entire year.

 

[JonathanXIV]

I tried to make that argument about 4-5 years ago and got run out of the Boneyard. Until play begins, and somebody beats them, they should be ranked #1. But.........Three weeks into the season (4-5 games), water will seek its own level, and things will begin to even out.

If they are still undefeated on December 1, do they retain their # 1 preseason ranking? My understanding of the polls is if you're #1, you don't slide down the rankings until you lose a game or two. Lower-ranked teams can get "jumped" and not lose, but not number 1.

So if a team wins the National Championship with 5 seniors starting, they all graduate, and there is a weak freshman class coming it, you would vote for that team as a preseason #1. I understand your point, but I don't see it that way. The preseason ranking is a projection, not a reward.

 

[hoopsfan22]

I'm aware of that. I'm also aware that Paige was the National Player of the Year. She has "proved" she can be healthy for an entire year.

1 out of 3 aren't good odds. If you were skydiving and they told you 1 out of 3 parachutes weren't gonna open, would you still jump?

 

[hoopsnloops32]

1 out of 3 aren't good odds. If you were skydiving and they told you 1 out of 3 parachutes weren't gonna open, would you still jump?

That's not what you said though. You said she hasn't proven be healthy for a year which is demonstrably false. The injuries have been awful to these young women I don't know why supposed fans have to use hyperbole to make things and players sound worse than they are. With fans like these...

 

[Carnac]

So if a team wins the National Championship with 5 seniors starting, they all graduate, and there is a weak freshman class coming it, you would vote for that team as a preseason #1. I understand your point, but I don't see it that way. The preseason ranking is a projection, not a reward.

Johnathan, I believe you raised this same question before. I'm not talking about IF!! No ifs! My opinion has not changed on this. ANY team that wins the national championship, in my opinion, should be the preseason number 1 ranked team to begin the season the next year. Some do, but I understand that not everyone (you) agrees with my take on this. Seldom does the team that wins the NC lose all 5 starters.

That was made abundantly clear the last time this subject was brought up. I'm OK if you don't follow that line of thinking. I'm not trying to persuade you to agree with me. Preseason rankings mean nothing, we all know that. So.....it's nothing to get worked up about. Neither of us has changed our take on this subject, nor are we likely to. If this subject is raised 4 years from now, my opinion will still be the same. It's just fodder, nothing more.

 

[JonathanXIV]

1 out of 3 aren't good odds. If you were skydiving and they told you 1 out of 3 parachutes weren't gonna open, would you still jump?

And if I was playing baseball, I'd lead the league in hitting. It's all about context. And my original post was in response to a post that said that Paige had "never" been fully healthy for a season.

 

[MilfordHusky]

LSU just added Morrow.

 

[Jokerman619]

Still no big deal. LSU won't be near as tight as uconn. There will some clash of personalities. So let them do all they can. It still belongs to uconn.

 

[wingsfan055]

Current pattern in sports is regular season means absolutely nothing. It actually adds a lot of pressure to the top team. More and more teams are resting players and won't turn it on until it counts.

The we came to win every game mentality has negative consequences. I could care less if UConn has double digits losses next year. All that matters is they have their best team playing well in March. This includes rest, health, team cohesion, in addition to individual performance.