HuskyFan1125
"Dont be the same, be better"
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I know for certain there will be transfers announced in the coming weeks for several of those teams listed.
No way of telling this is the NCAA they will do what makes the least sense.If the changes go into effect before the seasons start, would that make midseason transfer eligible right away?
Then we have, for the second year in a row, the big question: center? So many possible answers, you’d have to think one will work out pretty well. Will be interesting to see how Kennedy Brown, Taylor Jones, and Andrea Aquino’s skill sets are all utilized by Rueck. Maddie Washington and Janessa Thropay will be seniors, but their contribution levels next season may depend on the newcomers. Jelena Mitrovic and Patricia Morris will round out the front court, both are centers. The starting 5 is wide open it seems, as is depth at both positions. Super excited to see how that situation situates itself.
How do you know for certain?I know for certain there will be transfers announced in the coming weeks for several of those teams listed.
I had noted her in the earlier part. I locked her in starting at the 4. I love her game, she just needs to work on her shooting, and increase her percentages. Plays tough and rebounds well.You're missing Taya Corosdale. She like much of the team was up and down this year. I was hoping for bigger contributions from her, but she'll definitely be in the mix next season, likely the starter at the 4 at the beginning of the year.
I had noted her in the earlier part. I locked her in starting at the 4. I love her game, she just needs to work on her shooting, and increase her percentages. Plays tough and rebounds well.
UConn will still be so dangerous next season.
UConn finished the regular season as the 4th-6th best team, and it loses its two -by far- best players. But yet it's gonna be #3?
The over-reliance on starters is a perennial complaint about Blair even when we don't have the injuries we had this year. But as much as I love Jada Walton and how she stepped up, objectively I think we're stronger if Aaliyah Wilson (13.8 ppg, albeit vs mostly vs weak nonconference opponents but 17 vs Syracuse) is back and we're rotating some combination of Carter, Washington, Wilson, and Wells even if we don't go deeper. IMO, Wells ended up having a better year than Rennia Davis.Being 3rd in a 14 team conference isn't bad. I wouldn't be surprised if Texas A&M win the SEC next season. There are two things that basically bothers me about A&M. The heavy reliance of the starters and the lack of rebounding at times. Obviously you know more about your team than I do so you can clarify this. Also I saw you guys only had one recruit coming in (Green). .
I'm a little more bullish on the Irish's fortunes than @Orangutan, but not as confident as @bballnut90. If Jackie returns, the Irish should be top 10. Muffet will figure out the puzzle. If Young doesn't return, then Muffet may lack the pieces necessary to complete the puzzle, so ND is 11-20. I really do not see ND lower than that.5 seems ambitious for Notre Dame even if Young comes back. But I am thinking/hoping there will be some additions to the roster before next season. So that may change things.
The lineup would be something like: Nixon-Peoples-Young-Patterson-Vaughn. With a bench of: Brunelle, Cosgrove, Gilbert, and Prohaska. (Totally guessing on which two guards would start next to Young).
One one hand, that's 6 HS All-Americans. On the other, it's one proven starter, two rotation players (Prohaska and Vaughn) and the rest unknown quantities as college players.
But I hope you are right! I'm thinking ND will be more in 10-15 range with Young and in the 15-25 range without.
It will take some time for the freshmen to gel, but I think that will occur by the time of conference play. Te’a Cooper has also announced she will be back. She is a big sister type of influence on the team as she has matured greatly since her time at UT. I expect Dawn to add a great rebounding grad transfer. She tried to get Anriel Howard for that role this year. It will be easier to get that for next season.Thanks, BBall, posters like you are what makes the BY so interesting. I see South Carolina as the team to beat next year depending on what Dawn can do with the Freshmen.
I think UConn falls off next year (though not for long). Walker, ONO, and Williams are largely unproven to me. Who else do they have besides those three. Unless Walker grows substantially during the summer, she still can't shoot (Neither can Williams). Dangerfield (a very short player) will be your only proven player.
Baylor should be the best team again next year with Cox and a strong sophomore class.
Oregon falls off without Ionescu if she goes pro.
I don't see Notre Dame staying elite next year but they could. It depends if Young returns.
State might be in rebuild mode.
I think people are under ranking USC. They have a lot of returning players with a strong incoming freshman class that brings size. USC could be top 3 next year.
I think Sabrina and Maite are part of what make Ruthy so good.
Did you watch the regionals? Walker and Williams were fantastic and appear well prepared to take on a larger role. ONO is unproven but should improve big time over the summer. UCONN isn't going anywhere.
Baylor/Oregon/UCONN should be the cream of the crop. South Carolina I have at 4 but they're a massive notch lower. They has all the pieces to be in that top group but I'm not sure they'll get there next year. They weren't close to being at that level this year. The roster has a lot of good but unpolished players like Harris, Herbert Harrigan and Cooper. Harris needs to improve her shooting, Cooper needs to play cleaner/improve decision making, and HH needs to improve offensively inside. If those players make strides and Boston is the real deal from day 1, SC will be a force.
Side note--even if Oregon loses Ionescu, they're still a Final Four favorite IMO. The offense will be built around Sabally/Hebard and they have a stellar 3pt shooter in Boley who will take on a larger role. In the backcourt their backup PG guard, Chavez, has looked quite solid in the games I've seen and could take over PG duties. They also have the younger (and allegedly better) Sabally who could make a splash. Sabrina makes them a title favorite, but they're still elite without her.
I didn't watch the regional. The last UConn game I saw was against Baylor, where ONO, Williams, and Walker were all non existent (Williams did have a few threes in the 2nd half). Of course things change, lol.
I still don't think Walker can actually shoot. She doesn't have a pull up game and shoots poorly from the 3, particularly in high pressure games (Baylor). I am critical of her also because many on this board still think she's going to be the next Maya Moore, but I don't see that happening at all. No hate to her, but people on this board inflate Walker to a player that I don't think she is. She can rebound though well from the wing position.
Good points though. I still think you aren't rating USC high enough, but maybe I'm an SEC homer. They will have a strong veteran presence with real freshmen talent, particuarly inside, something they sorely missed this year. I'm hoping Jackie Young returns because I'm such a fan of her game. She's the actual best player on that team, not Arike (though Arike is very good obviously). Young is more consistent and can get to the rim better than Arike.
I think Sabrina and Maite are part of what make Ruthy so good. Ruthy is a tremendous finisher, but she gets a lot of easy buckets because Ionescu and Cazorla are so good at passing out of the pick and roll. I’m guessing the younger Sabally comes off the bench next season, but if she is as good as advertised, they will be really dangerous, with or without Sabrina. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ionescu leave. She seems to be a me first person. Especially if the win the title this season.
Well said. I'm more a wait and see about the skills and development of the Uconn players and their ability to fill the huge gaps due to graduation.I didn't watch the regional. The last UConn game I saw was against Baylor, where ONO, Williams, and Walker were all non existent (Williams did have a few threes in the 2nd half). Of course things change, lol.
I still don't think Walker can actually shoot. She doesn't have a pull up game and shoots poorly from the 3, particularly in high pressure games (Baylor). I am critical of her also because many on this board still think she's going to be the next Maya Moore, but I don't see that happening at all. No hate to her, but people on this board inflate Walker to a player that I don't think she is. She can rebound though well from the wing position.
Good points though. I still think you aren't rating USC high enough, but maybe I'm an SEC homer. They will have a strong veteran presence with real freshmen talent, particuarly inside, something they sorely missed this year. I'm hoping Jackie Young returns because I'm such a fan of her game. She's the actual best player on that team, not Arike (though Arike is very good obviously). Young is more consistent and can get to the rim better than Arike.
Absolutely computes. Part of her “me first” is the triple double. That ain’t happening unless she is getting assists to Ruthy in the pick and roll.So, on the one hand, Hebard gets a lot of easy baskets because Ionescu is so good at the pick and roll. On the other, Ionescu is a "me first" person. To me, at least, that doesn't exactly compute.
Fair points. I’m biased against Walker lol. But we’ll see next year who she really is—she’ll be exposed in my opinion.I'd highly suggest watching a recent game (or 2). Or just look at any stats. Walker is UCONN's best 3pt shooter by percentage at 40%. She also just went 4-7 in the Elite 8 against Louisville. In other big games she's shot:
2-5 vs. SC
1-3 vs. Louisville
1-3 vs. Notre dame
1-1 vs. UCLA
2-5 vs. Baylor
Add those up and in games against Sweet 16 opponents she's shot 11-24, or 45.8%. She's hit 48 on the year, close to 1.5 per game. She shoots well from 3.
She isn't the type of player who will create her own shot from the perimeter or score off the dribble, but UCONN rarely has kids who do that. Their offense emphasizes passing and catch/shoot rather than 1 on 1 play or creating offense off the dribble.
I don't read every thread on here but I haven't seen anyone comparing her to Maya Moore....she's a very different player than Maya and I don't think she's ever going to come close to Maya's level, but she's much better than you're giving her credit for. She also is playing second fiddle to KLS/Collier and will show off more of her offensive arsenal next year when she's a go to player.
I have SC at 4....would you put them above Oregon/UCONN/Baylor? I wouldn't. SC wasn't a very strong team this past year and has a long way to go before they'll be a title contender IMO.
Fair points. I’m biased against Walker lol. But we’ll see next year who she really is—she’ll be exposed in my opinion.
I would rate SC over UConn and Oregon if Ionescu doesn’t return. Again, Dangerfield is the best player on next year’s team, and that doesn’t impress me.
Sharp analysis generally, but I said this at least once before if not here then in another thread: unless someone transfers or quits, there's no scholarship spot for Sniezek even if she got a redshirt year. And rumor is that she's already indicated a plan to grad transfer. Moreover, IMHO, Williams is already a net positive running the point vs. Sniezek because Williams can generate so much more offense on her own and it offsets being a slightly less able facilitator. And with a logjam of shooting guards and wings both on our team (Carrington, Wilson, Hulls x2, Jerome (in her ideal position)) and coming in (Jones, Jump), Williams at the 1 is a much better use for her than at the 2. So I respectfully would disagree with this analysis.Following up on this...
9. Stanford-they lose Smith but will be strong with a great cast of players returning in addition to Jones and Belibi. If Sniezek decides to use her 5th year at Stanford, the Card could get a big boost in the backcourt.