[81alum]

If you believe the Way-Too-Early top 25, here is how the Pac 12 teams rank:

2 Stanford
7 Arizona
9 UCLA
11 Oregon
13 Oregon State

So much depends upon health.  Assuming everyone has all their key players, I agree that Arizona will be very tough next year--provided McDonald stays.  Has she said anything about leaving early?  I think Oregon State may be better than Oregon next year.  Losing Pivec will hurt, but not nearly as much as Oregon losing four starters. Why, despite the fact that they beat us once, am I still not a UCLA believer?

[81alum]

If you believe the Way-Too-Early top 25, here is how the Pac 12 teams rank:

2 Stanford
7 Arizona
9 UCLA
11 Oregon
13 Oregon State

So much depends upon health.  Assuming everyone has all their key players, I agree that Arizona will be very tough next year--provided McDonald stays.  Has she said anything about leaving early?  I think Oregon State may be better than Oregon next year.  Losing Pivec will hurt, but not nearly as much as Oregon losing four starters. Why, despite the fact that they beat us once, am I still not a UCLA believer?

[BobK]

Oregon has some outstanding players returning. Sabally the younger abd Prince from injury
Chavez and Shelly are potentially all Pac 12.

So Oregon

[BobK]

Oregon has some outstanding players returning. Sabally the younger abd Prince from injury
Chavez and Shelly are potentially all Pac 12.

So Oregon

[Lorcan]

No word on McDonald as of yet, probably means she’s staying. 

I’d say that UCLA will be solid, but they do lose Dean who caused us significant problems in the past. It’ll be interesting to see who steps up to the plate from their guards to support Oyenwere.

[Lorcan]

No word on McDonald as of yet, probably means she’s staying. 

I’d say that UCLA will be solid, but they do lose Dean who caused us significant problems in the past. It’ll be interesting to see who steps up to the plate from their guards to support Oyenwere.

[WBB fan]

Oregon has some outstanding players returning.  Sabally the younger abd Prince from injury
Chavez and Shelly are potentially all Pac 12.   

So Oregon

Also Boley, I believe, very good

[WBB fan]

Oregon has some outstanding players returning.  Sabally the younger abd Prince from injury
Chavez and Shelly are potentially all Pac 12.   

So Oregon

Also Boley, I believe, very good

[BobK]

lol. Thanks. Me at her too :)

[BobK]

lol. Thanks. Me at her too :)

[NW Bias]

Oregon State has a lot of question marks to address. Will Slocum enter the draft? Will either of the team's two 6'9" players ever play in a game? 6'6" Kennedy Brown just had knee surgery to prepare a torn ACL and will likely redshirt next season. How will Corosdale play following her return from surgery to repair a torn hamstring? I read Benny's House, the OSU message board, every few weeks. That board generally sees Stanford and Oregon as the top two teams for '20-'21 with OSU finishing from 4th to 6th in the conference.

[NW Bias]

Oregon State has a lot of question marks to address. Will Slocum enter the draft? Will either of the team's two 6'9" players ever play in a game? 6'6" Kennedy Brown just had knee surgery to prepare a torn ACL and will likely redshirt next season. How will Corosdale play following her return from surgery to repair a torn hamstring? I read Benny's House, the OSU message board, every few weeks. That board generally sees Stanford and Oregon as the top two teams for '20-'21 with OSU finishing from 4th to 6th in the conference.

[jonnyss]

No word on McDonald as of yet, probably means she’s staying. 

I’d say that UCLA will be solid, but they do lose Dean who caused us significant problems in the past. It’ll be interesting to see who steps up to the plate from their guards to support Oyenwere.

charisma osborne

[jonnyss]

No word on McDonald as of yet, probably means she’s staying. 

I’d say that UCLA will be solid, but they do lose Dean who caused us significant problems in the past. It’ll be interesting to see who steps up to the plate from their guards to support Oyenwere.

charisma osborne

[qwerty49]

Our toughest competition?  Ourselves.  Gotta make FTs, box out and rebound tough, play intense D, don't make silly turnovers, don't stand around on O.  All of that is largely within our control.  

Our second toughest competitor?  Injuries.

Third toughest competitor is making open shots.  There will be good days and bad days but we still need to develop another scoring option, maybe some combination of Jump and Prechtel.

[qwerty49]

Our toughest competition?  Ourselves.  Gotta make FTs, box out and rebound tough, play intense D, don't make silly turnovers, don't stand around on O.  All of that is largely within our control.  

Our second toughest competitor?  Injuries.

Third toughest competitor is making open shots.  There will be good days and bad days but we still need to develop another scoring option, maybe some combination of Jump and Prechtel.

[81alum]

Oregon State has a lot of question marks to address. Will Slocum enter the draft? Will either of the team's two 6'9" players ever play in a game? 6'6" Kennedy Brown just had knee surgery to prepare a torn ACL and will likely redshirt next season. How will Corosdale play following her return from surgery to repair a torn hamstring? I read Benny's House, the OSU message board, every few weeks. That board generally sees Stanford and Oregon as the top two teams for '20-'21 with OSU finishing from 4th to 6th in the conference.

Oh...I was assuming Kennedy Brown would be back.  That does change things if she is out next year.  Hard to see them being any better than they were this year without her...

Yes  Oregon will be good.  Just how good even Oregon doesn't know yet.  How good will young Sabally be?  Can Boley diversify her game so she is more than a perimeter shooter?  Chavez and Shelly are great shooters...but can they be defended well?  How quickly will Prince integrate?  And most important---even if Oregon is a very good offensive team next year, can they get back to this year's level of defense?  I doubt that younger and inexperienced players can defend the way their starters did this year.  And they may be quite good but the Ionescu/Hebard pick and roll will be gone and tough to replace at their level.

As for qwerty's point that WE are our toughest competition--well, yes.  But last year was a little different.  For almost all the time I have watched Stanford I have felt that if we played at our highest level we would beat anyone in our conference, even if they played at their highest level.  I don't think that has been true for a couple of years with Oregon.  But I think we get back to being the most talented team in the Pac 12 again next year, although Oregon will still be close.  So qwerty is probably right that if Tara gets the team to perform at its highest level, we should get back to the top of the league.

Lots depends on Jones fully recovering and upping her game next year.  I am presuming she will be ready from the start.

[81alum]

Oregon State has a lot of question marks to address. Will Slocum enter the draft? Will either of the team's two 6'9" players ever play in a game? 6'6" Kennedy Brown just had knee surgery to prepare a torn ACL and will likely redshirt next season. How will Corosdale play following her return from surgery to repair a torn hamstring? I read Benny's House, the OSU message board, every few weeks. That board generally sees Stanford and Oregon as the top two teams for '20-'21 with OSU finishing from 4th to 6th in the conference.

Oh...I was assuming Kennedy Brown would be back.  That does change things if she is out next year.  Hard to see them being any better than they were this year without her...

Yes  Oregon will be good.  Just how good even Oregon doesn't know yet.  How good will young Sabally be?  Can Boley diversify her game so she is more than a perimeter shooter?  Chavez and Shelly are great shooters...but can they be defended well?  How quickly will Prince integrate?  And most important---even if Oregon is a very good offensive team next year, can they get back to this year's level of defense?  I doubt that younger and inexperienced players can defend the way their starters did this year.  And they may be quite good but the Ionescu/Hebard pick and roll will be gone and tough to replace at their level.

As for qwerty's point that WE are our toughest competition--well, yes.  But last year was a little different.  For almost all the time I have watched Stanford I have felt that if we played at our highest level we would beat anyone in our conference, even if they played at their highest level.  I don't think that has been true for a couple of years with Oregon.  But I think we get back to being the most talented team in the Pac 12 again next year, although Oregon will still be close.  So qwerty is probably right that if Tara gets the team to perform at its highest level, we should get back to the top of the league.

Lots depends on Jones fully recovering and upping her game next year.  I am presuming she will be ready from the start.

[BobK]

I strongly believe Brown will be playing next season. And Jones

[BobK]

I strongly believe Brown will be playing next season. And Jones

[BobK]

https://www.buffzone.com/2020/03/24/colo...exas-tech/

Colorado's Clarke transfers to Texas Tech. Big loss

[BobK]

https://www.buffzone.com/2020/03/24/colo...exas-tech/

Colorado's Clarke transfers to Texas Tech. Big loss

[mbdude]

I strongly believe Brown will be playing next season.    And Jones

I think Wilson (if she gets waiver) and VanGytenbeek end up getting more playing time then Brown

[mbdude]

I strongly believe Brown will be playing next season.    And Jones

I think Wilson (if she gets waiver) and VanGytenbeek end up getting more playing time then Brown

[BobK]

Sorry replying to the poster who thinks Kennedy Brown won’t play next season.

[BobK]

Sorry replying to the poster who thinks Kennedy Brown won’t play next season.

[mbdude]

ok, I think they will get more playing time than either Brown next year

[mbdude]

ok, I think they will get more playing time than either Brown next year

[BobK]

Ari McDonald just announced she will continue to play at Arizona

[BobK]

Ari McDonald just announced she will continue to play at Arizona

[2006alum]

Glad to hear that even if it makes our road to a PAC-12 championship a bit steeper. Arizona really deserves a buffo season (and post-season) after how their season this year came to a halt.

[2006alum]

Glad to hear that even if it makes our road to a PAC-12 championship a bit steeper. Arizona really deserves a buffo season (and post-season) after how their season this year came to a halt.