[WBB fan]

Creme has posted his initial bracketology on ESPN

www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/30423107/ncaa-women-bracketology-2023-women-college-basketball-projections

Notable, for what this is worth, Stanford's non-conference games now include 2 of Creme's #1 seeds -- not only South Carolina but also Tennessee.  Also of interest, the change in the tournament format, to only 2 regional sites rather than 4. One is Seattle, the other Greenville -- no Bridgeport this year.

[WBB fan]

Creme has posted his initial bracketology on ESPN

www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/30423107/ncaa-women-bracketology-2023-women-college-basketball-projections

Notable, for what this is worth, Stanford's non-conference games now include 2 of Creme's #1 seeds -- not only South Carolina but also Tennessee.  Also of interest, the change in the tournament format, to only 2 regional sites rather than 4. One is Seattle, the other Greenville -- no Bridgeport this year.

[BobK]

ThanKs for posting. I count 8 Pac 12 schools or is Washington State not in ? 
Dazed and confused lol

[BobK]

ThanKs for posting. I count 8 Pac 12 schools or is Washington State not in ? 
Dazed and confused lol

[bl82]

Wazzu #11 and part of last four byes

[bl82]

Wazzu #11 and part of last four byes

[joemontes]

ThanKs for posting. I count 8 Pac 12 schools or is Washington State not in ? 
Dazed and confused lol

PAC 12 teams in Pre-Season Bracketology:
1-seed :  Stanford
5-seed :  Arizona
5-seed :  Oregon
6-seed :  Utah
7-seed :  UCLA
11-seed: Oregon State
11-seed: Washington State
12-seed: Colorado

Projected Overall Seedings based on Pre-Season Bracketology:
01 -  South Carolina
02 -  Stanford
03 -  Tennessee
04 -  Texas
05 -  UConn
06 -  Iowa 
07 -  Iowa State
08 -  Notre Dame

09 -  Indiana
10 -  Maryland
11 -  Louisville
12 -  North Carolina
13 -  LSU
14 -  NC State
15 -  Virginia Tech
16 -  Oklahoma

Regional Top 4 Seeds:

1 -  South Carolina
2 -  Notre Dame
3 -  Indiana
4 -  Oklahoma

1 -  Stanford
2 -  Iowa State
3 -  Maryland
4 -  Virginia Tech

1 -  Tennessee
2 -  Iowa
3 -  Louisville
4 -  NC State

1 -  Texas
2 -  UConn
3 -  North Carolina
4 -  LSU


Well, this is a great Pre-Season Bracketology, really taking into account
the transfers that have affected the strength of certain teams.
notably:

Tennessee:
Rickea JACKSON  (transfer from Mississippi St, three-time All-SEC, former #5 overall recruit)
Jasmine FRANKLIN (transfer from Missouri St, two-time All-MVC)
Jilian HOLLINGSHEAD (transfer from Georgia, former HS McD AA) 

Texas:
Shaylee GONZALES  (transfer from BYU, two-time WCC POY)
Taylor JONES  (transfer from Oregon State, former All-PAC 12)

Notre Dame:
Lauren Ebo  (6'4 center transfer from Texas, led Texas in Rebounds and Blocks last season)
Kylee WATSON  (6'4 PF transfer from Oregon, former #17 overall recruit and HS McD AA)
Jenna BROWN  (transfer from Stanford, former #18 overall recruit and HS McD AA)

LSU:
Angel REESE (transfer from Maryland, 2nd Team All-American, led Maryland in Points and Rebounds, former #2 overall recruit)
Ladazhia WILLIAMS (6'4 center from Missouri, averaged 12.4 ppg last season)

Virginia Tech:
Ashley OWUSU (transfer from Maryland, former #7 overall recruit)

[joemontes]

ThanKs for posting. I count 8 Pac 12 schools or is Washington State not in ? 
Dazed and confused lol

PAC 12 teams in Pre-Season Bracketology:
1-seed :  Stanford
5-seed :  Arizona
5-seed :  Oregon
6-seed :  Utah
7-seed :  UCLA
11-seed: Oregon State
11-seed: Washington State
12-seed: Colorado

Projected Overall Seedings based on Pre-Season Bracketology:
01 -  South Carolina
02 -  Stanford
03 -  Tennessee
04 -  Texas
05 -  UConn
06 -  Iowa 
07 -  Iowa State
08 -  Notre Dame

09 -  Indiana
10 -  Maryland
11 -  Louisville
12 -  North Carolina
13 -  LSU
14 -  NC State
15 -  Virginia Tech
16 -  Oklahoma

Regional Top 4 Seeds:

1 -  South Carolina
2 -  Notre Dame
3 -  Indiana
4 -  Oklahoma

1 -  Stanford
2 -  Iowa State
3 -  Maryland
4 -  Virginia Tech

1 -  Tennessee
2 -  Iowa
3 -  Louisville
4 -  NC State

1 -  Texas
2 -  UConn
3 -  North Carolina
4 -  LSU


Well, this is a great Pre-Season Bracketology, really taking into account
the transfers that have affected the strength of certain teams.
notably:

Tennessee:
Rickea JACKSON  (transfer from Mississippi St, three-time All-SEC, former #5 overall recruit)
Jasmine FRANKLIN (transfer from Missouri St, two-time All-MVC)
Jilian HOLLINGSHEAD (transfer from Georgia, former HS McD AA) 

Texas:
Shaylee GONZALES  (transfer from BYU, two-time WCC POY)
Taylor JONES  (transfer from Oregon State, former All-PAC 12)

Notre Dame:
Lauren Ebo  (6'4 center transfer from Texas, led Texas in Rebounds and Blocks last season)
Kylee WATSON  (6'4 PF transfer from Oregon, former #17 overall recruit and HS McD AA)
Jenna BROWN  (transfer from Stanford, former #18 overall recruit and HS McD AA)

LSU:
Angel REESE (transfer from Maryland, 2nd Team All-American, led Maryland in Points and Rebounds, former #2 overall recruit)
Ladazhia WILLIAMS (6'4 center from Missouri, averaged 12.4 ppg last season)

Virginia Tech:
Ashley OWUSU (transfer from Maryland, former #7 overall recruit)

[WBB fan]

ThanKs for posting. I count 8 Pac 12 schools or is Washington State not in ? 
Dazed and confused lol

PAC 12 teams in Pre-Season Bracketology:
1-seed :  Stanford
5-seed :  Arizona
5-seed :  Oregon
6-seed :  Utah
7-seed :  UCLA
11-seed: Oregon State
11-seed: Washington State
12-seed: Colorado

Projected Overall Seedings based on Pre-Season Bracketology:
01 -  South Carolina
02 -  Stanford
03 -  Tennessee
04 -  Texas
05 -  UConn
06 -  Iowa 
07 -  Iowa State
08 -  Notre Dame

09 -  Indiana
10 -  Maryland
11 -  Louisville
12 -  North Carolina
13 -  LSU
14 -  NC State
15 -  Virginia Tech
16 -  Oklahoma

Regional Top 4 Seeds:

1 -  South Carolina
2 -  Notre Dame
3 -  Indiana
4 -  Oklahoma

1 -  Stanford
2 -  Iowa State
3 -  Maryland
4 -  Virginia Tech

1 -  Tennessee
2 -  Iowa
3 -  Louisville
4 -  NC State

1 -  Texas
2 -  UConn
3 -  North Carolina
4 -  LSU


Well, this is a great Pre-Season Bracketology, really taking into account
the transfers that have affected the strength of certain teams.
notably:

Tennessee:
Rickea JACKSON  (transfer from Mississippi St, three-time All-SEC, former #5 overall recruit)
Jasmine FRANKLIN (transfer from Missouri St, two-time All-MVC)
Jilian HOLLINGSHEAD (transfer from Georgia, former HS McD AA) 

Texas:
Shaylee GONZALES  (transfer from BYU, two-time WCC POY)
Taylor JONES  (transfer from Oregon State, former All-PAC 12)

Notre Dame:
Lauren Ebo  (6'4 center transfer from Texas, led Texas in Rebounds and Blocks last season)
Kylee WATSON  (6'4 PF transfer from Oregon, former #17 overall recruit and HS McD AA)
Jenna BROWN  (transfer from Stanford, former #18 overall recruit and HS McD AA)

LSU:
Angel REESE (transfer from Maryland, 2nd Team All-American, led Maryland in Points and Rebounds, former #2 overall recruit)
Ladazhia WILLIAMS (6'4 center from Missouri, averaged 12.4 ppg last season)

Virginia Tech:
Ashley OWUSU (transfer from Maryland, former #7 overall recruit)

Really good analysis, thanks!

[WBB fan]

ThanKs for posting. I count 8 Pac 12 schools or is Washington State not in ? 
Dazed and confused lol

PAC 12 teams in Pre-Season Bracketology:
1-seed :  Stanford
5-seed :  Arizona
5-seed :  Oregon
6-seed :  Utah
7-seed :  UCLA
11-seed: Oregon State
11-seed: Washington State
12-seed: Colorado

Projected Overall Seedings based on Pre-Season Bracketology:
01 -  South Carolina
02 -  Stanford
03 -  Tennessee
04 -  Texas
05 -  UConn
06 -  Iowa 
07 -  Iowa State
08 -  Notre Dame

09 -  Indiana
10 -  Maryland
11 -  Louisville
12 -  North Carolina
13 -  LSU
14 -  NC State
15 -  Virginia Tech
16 -  Oklahoma

Regional Top 4 Seeds:

1 -  South Carolina
2 -  Notre Dame
3 -  Indiana
4 -  Oklahoma

1 -  Stanford
2 -  Iowa State
3 -  Maryland
4 -  Virginia Tech

1 -  Tennessee
2 -  Iowa
3 -  Louisville
4 -  NC State

1 -  Texas
2 -  UConn
3 -  North Carolina
4 -  LSU


Well, this is a great Pre-Season Bracketology, really taking into account
the transfers that have affected the strength of certain teams.
notably:

Tennessee:
Rickea JACKSON  (transfer from Mississippi St, three-time All-SEC, former #5 overall recruit)
Jasmine FRANKLIN (transfer from Missouri St, two-time All-MVC)
Jilian HOLLINGSHEAD (transfer from Georgia, former HS McD AA) 

Texas:
Shaylee GONZALES  (transfer from BYU, two-time WCC POY)
Taylor JONES  (transfer from Oregon State, former All-PAC 12)

Notre Dame:
Lauren Ebo  (6'4 center transfer from Texas, led Texas in Rebounds and Blocks last season)
Kylee WATSON  (6'4 PF transfer from Oregon, former #17 overall recruit and HS McD AA)
Jenna BROWN  (transfer from Stanford, former #18 overall recruit and HS McD AA)

LSU:
Angel REESE (transfer from Maryland, 2nd Team All-American, led Maryland in Points and Rebounds, former #2 overall recruit)
Ladazhia WILLIAMS (6'4 center from Missouri, averaged 12.4 ppg last season)

Virginia Tech:
Ashley OWUSU (transfer from Maryland, former #7 overall recruit)

Really good analysis, thanks!

[stopandpop]

ThanKs for posting. I count 8 Pac 12 schools or is Washington State not in ? 
Dazed and confused lol

PAC 12 teams in Pre-Season Bracketology:
1-seed :  Stanford
5-seed :  Arizona
5-seed :  Oregon
6-seed :  Utah
7-seed :  UCLA
11-seed: Oregon State
11-seed: Washington State
12-seed: Colorado

Projected Overall Seedings based on Pre-Season Bracketology:
01 -  South Carolina
02 -  Stanford
03 -  Tennessee
04 -  Texas
05 -  UConn
06 -  Iowa 
07 -  Iowa State
08 -  Notre Dame

09 -  Indiana
10 -  Maryland
11 -  Louisville
12 -  North Carolina
13 -  LSU
14 -  NC State
15 -  Virginia Tech
16 -  Oklahoma

Regional Top 4 Seeds:

1 -  South Carolina
2 -  Notre Dame
3 -  Indiana
4 -  Oklahoma

1 -  Stanford
2 -  Iowa State
3 -  Maryland
4 -  Virginia Tech

1 -  Tennessee
2 -  Iowa
3 -  Louisville
4 -  NC State

1 -  Texas
2 -  UConn
3 -  North Carolina
4 -  LSU


Well, this is a great Pre-Season Bracketology, really taking into account
the transfers that have affected the strength of certain teams.
notably:

Tennessee:
Rickea JACKSON  (transfer from Mississippi St, three-time All-SEC, former #5 overall recruit)
Jasmine FRANKLIN (transfer from Missouri St, two-time All-MVC)
Jilian HOLLINGSHEAD (transfer from Georgia, former HS McD AA) 

Texas:
Shaylee GONZALES  (transfer from BYU, two-time WCC POY)
Taylor JONES  (transfer from Oregon State, former All-PAC 12)

Notre Dame:
Lauren Ebo  (6'4 center transfer from Texas, led Texas in Rebounds and Blocks last season)
Kylee WATSON  (6'4 PF transfer from Oregon, former #17 overall recruit and HS McD AA)
Jenna BROWN  (transfer from Stanford, former #18 overall recruit and HS McD AA)

LSU:
Angel REESE (transfer from Maryland, 2nd Team All-American, led Maryland in Points and Rebounds, former #2 overall recruit)
Ladazhia WILLIAMS (6'4 center from Missouri, averaged 12.4 ppg last season)

Virginia Tech:
Ashley OWUSU (transfer from Maryland, former #7 overall recruit)

Not to take anything away from Tennessee (who certainly enhanced their roster), but Texas and Vic Shafer have benefited the most from the portal, addressing two missing pieces from their Elite 8 run last season.  Taylor Jones is a far better post than Lauren Ebo - better positioning, better footwork, better shot selection and better bb IQ; and Shaylee Gonzales gives the Longhorns a #2 guard who can score at all three levels.

Also, by the end of the regular conference season, LSU will be ranked higher than at least seven of the teams ahead of them in Creme's rankings.

The team I am most intrigued with is Virginia Tech.  Cheering hard for Head Coach Kenny Brooks, a very underrated coach.

[stopandpop]

ThanKs for posting. I count 8 Pac 12 schools or is Washington State not in ? 
Dazed and confused lol

PAC 12 teams in Pre-Season Bracketology:
1-seed :  Stanford
5-seed :  Arizona
5-seed :  Oregon
6-seed :  Utah
7-seed :  UCLA
11-seed: Oregon State
11-seed: Washington State
12-seed: Colorado

Projected Overall Seedings based on Pre-Season Bracketology:
01 -  South Carolina
02 -  Stanford
03 -  Tennessee
04 -  Texas
05 -  UConn
06 -  Iowa 
07 -  Iowa State
08 -  Notre Dame

09 -  Indiana
10 -  Maryland
11 -  Louisville
12 -  North Carolina
13 -  LSU
14 -  NC State
15 -  Virginia Tech
16 -  Oklahoma

Regional Top 4 Seeds:

1 -  South Carolina
2 -  Notre Dame
3 -  Indiana
4 -  Oklahoma

1 -  Stanford
2 -  Iowa State
3 -  Maryland
4 -  Virginia Tech

1 -  Tennessee
2 -  Iowa
3 -  Louisville
4 -  NC State

1 -  Texas
2 -  UConn
3 -  North Carolina
4 -  LSU


Well, this is a great Pre-Season Bracketology, really taking into account
the transfers that have affected the strength of certain teams.
notably:

Tennessee:
Rickea JACKSON  (transfer from Mississippi St, three-time All-SEC, former #5 overall recruit)
Jasmine FRANKLIN (transfer from Missouri St, two-time All-MVC)
Jilian HOLLINGSHEAD (transfer from Georgia, former HS McD AA) 

Texas:
Shaylee GONZALES  (transfer from BYU, two-time WCC POY)
Taylor JONES  (transfer from Oregon State, former All-PAC 12)

Notre Dame:
Lauren Ebo  (6'4 center transfer from Texas, led Texas in Rebounds and Blocks last season)
Kylee WATSON  (6'4 PF transfer from Oregon, former #17 overall recruit and HS McD AA)
Jenna BROWN  (transfer from Stanford, former #18 overall recruit and HS McD AA)

LSU:
Angel REESE (transfer from Maryland, 2nd Team All-American, led Maryland in Points and Rebounds, former #2 overall recruit)
Ladazhia WILLIAMS (6'4 center from Missouri, averaged 12.4 ppg last season)

Virginia Tech:
Ashley OWUSU (transfer from Maryland, former #7 overall recruit)

Not to take anything away from Tennessee (who certainly enhanced their roster), but Texas and Vic Shafer have benefited the most from the portal, addressing two missing pieces from their Elite 8 run last season.  Taylor Jones is a far better post than Lauren Ebo - better positioning, better footwork, better shot selection and better bb IQ; and Shaylee Gonzales gives the Longhorns a #2 guard who can score at all three levels.

Also, by the end of the regular conference season, LSU will be ranked higher than at least seven of the teams ahead of them in Creme's rankings.

The team I am most intrigued with is Virginia Tech.  Cheering hard for Head Coach Kenny Brooks, a very underrated coach.

[BobK]

I predict ucla and Arizona will be top 16
Not a close fan but they are loaded

[BobK]

I predict ucla and Arizona will be top 16
Not a close fan but they are loaded

[jk1926]

Creme has posted his initial bracketology on ESPN

www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/30423107/ncaa-women-bracketology-2023-women-college-basketball-projections

Notable, for what this is worth, Stanford's non-conference games now include 2 of Creme's #1 seeds -- not only South Carolina but also Tennessee.  Also of interest, the change in the tournament format, to only 2 regional sites rather than 4. One is Seattle, the other Greenville -- no Bridgeport this year.

UCLA grad and wbb supporter here.  Stanford indeed has a challenging non-conference schedule and I hope the Cardinal can get through it undefeated.

As far as facing #1 seeds: Creme’s #7 seed UCLA will play Creme’s projected overall #1 seed South Carolina in Columbia Nov 29th, #1 seed Stanford twice and, if it can get past projected #6 seed South Dakota State in the first round of the Battle for Atlantis, could match up against projected #1 seed Tennessee (who opens against Rutgers) with a possible third tournament game against #1 seed Texas.  So the Bruins will play at least three games against #1 seeds and possibly five.

I think the Bruins can vie for a top three finish in conference after the injury-riddled 2021/22 season.   Unfortunately two post players, Angela Dugalic and Izzy Anstey, have already been sidelined by injury.

[jk1926]

Creme has posted his initial bracketology on ESPN

www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/30423107/ncaa-women-bracketology-2023-women-college-basketball-projections

Notable, for what this is worth, Stanford's non-conference games now include 2 of Creme's #1 seeds -- not only South Carolina but also Tennessee.  Also of interest, the change in the tournament format, to only 2 regional sites rather than 4. One is Seattle, the other Greenville -- no Bridgeport this year.

UCLA grad and wbb supporter here.  Stanford indeed has a challenging non-conference schedule and I hope the Cardinal can get through it undefeated.

As far as facing #1 seeds: Creme’s #7 seed UCLA will play Creme’s projected overall #1 seed South Carolina in Columbia Nov 29th, #1 seed Stanford twice and, if it can get past projected #6 seed South Dakota State in the first round of the Battle for Atlantis, could match up against projected #1 seed Tennessee (who opens against Rutgers) with a possible third tournament game against #1 seed Texas.  So the Bruins will play at least three games against #1 seeds and possibly five.

I think the Bruins can vie for a top three finish in conference after the injury-riddled 2021/22 season.   Unfortunately two post players, Angela Dugalic and Izzy Anstey, have already been sidelined by injury.

[joemontes]

I predict ucla and Arizona will be top 16
Not a close fan but they are loaded

I agree, Bob!

The key for both teams is how the transfers and freshmen blend with the returning upperclassmen:

Arizona:
Key Upperclassmen: 
PF Cate REESE, 
PG Shaina PELLINGTON, 
Center Lauren WARE, 
SF Helena PUEYO, 
SG Madison CONNER
 
Key Transfers:
PF Emery MARTINEZ, 
SG Jade LOVILLE, 
SG Lauren FIELDS

Key Freshmen:
Center Maya NNAJI (#9 overall and McD AA), 
SG Paris CLARK (#21 overall and McD AA), 
PG Kailyn GILBERT (#31 overall and USA U18 team member)

UCLA:
Key Upperclassmen:
SG  Charisma OSBORNE
SG  Dominique ONU
PF  Emily BESSOIR
PF  Angela DUGALIC
Center Izzy ANSTLEY

Key Freshmen:
PG  Kiki RICE (#2 overall and McD AA)
SF  Gabriela JAQUEZ  (# overall and McD AA)
PG  Londynn JONES  (#21 overall)
PF  Lina SONTAG  (German National Team)

[joemontes]

I predict ucla and Arizona will be top 16
Not a close fan but they are loaded

I agree, Bob!

The key for both teams is how the transfers and freshmen blend with the returning upperclassmen:

Arizona:
Key Upperclassmen: 
PF Cate REESE, 
PG Shaina PELLINGTON, 
Center Lauren WARE, 
SF Helena PUEYO, 
SG Madison CONNER
 
Key Transfers:
PF Emery MARTINEZ, 
SG Jade LOVILLE, 
SG Lauren FIELDS

Key Freshmen:
Center Maya NNAJI (#9 overall and McD AA), 
SG Paris CLARK (#21 overall and McD AA), 
PG Kailyn GILBERT (#31 overall and USA U18 team member)

UCLA:
Key Upperclassmen:
SG  Charisma OSBORNE
SG  Dominique ONU
PF  Emily BESSOIR
PF  Angela DUGALIC
Center Izzy ANSTLEY

Key Freshmen:
PG  Kiki RICE (#2 overall and McD AA)
SF  Gabriela JAQUEZ  (# overall and McD AA)
PG  Londynn JONES  (#21 overall)
PF  Lina SONTAG  (German National Team)

[jk1926]

I predict ucla and Arizona will be top 16
Not a close fan but they are loaded

I agree, Bob!

The key for both teams is how the transfers and freshmen blend with the returning upperclassmen:

Arizona:
Key Upperclassmen: 
PF Cate REESE, 
PG Shaina PELLINGTON, 
Center Lauren WARE, 
SF Helena PUEYO, 
SG Madison CONNER
 
Key Transfers:
PF Emery MARTINEZ, 
SG Jade LOVILLE, 
SG Lauren FIELDS

Key Freshmen:
Center Maya NNAJI (#9 overall and McD AA), 
SG Paris CLARK (#21 overall and McD AA), 
PG Kailyn GILBERT (#31 overall and USA U18 team member)

UCLA:
Key Upperclassmen:
SG  Charisma OSBORNE
SG  Dominique ONU
PF  Emily BESSOIR
PF  Angela DUGALIC
Center Izzy ANSTLEY

Key Freshmen:
PG  Kiki RICE (#2 overall and McD AA)
SF  Gabriela JAQUEZ  (# overall and McD AA)
PG  Londynn JONES  (#21 overall)
PF  Lina SONTAG  (German National Team)

For UCLA I would add grad transfer pg Gina Conti as a key returnee.  Conti redshirted after sustaining a foot injury prior to the start of last season.  Was to start at pg last year and presume she will do so this year.  Earned 2nd team All-ACC as a senior at Wake Forest.

BTW - Hoopgurlz rated Gabriela Jaquez #19.  Rice and Jaquez named McD AA Game co-mvps.

[jk1926]

I predict ucla and Arizona will be top 16
Not a close fan but they are loaded

I agree, Bob!

The key for both teams is how the transfers and freshmen blend with the returning upperclassmen:

Arizona:
Key Upperclassmen: 
PF Cate REESE, 
PG Shaina PELLINGTON, 
Center Lauren WARE, 
SF Helena PUEYO, 
SG Madison CONNER
 
Key Transfers:
PF Emery MARTINEZ, 
SG Jade LOVILLE, 
SG Lauren FIELDS

Key Freshmen:
Center Maya NNAJI (#9 overall and McD AA), 
SG Paris CLARK (#21 overall and McD AA), 
PG Kailyn GILBERT (#31 overall and USA U18 team member)

UCLA:
Key Upperclassmen:
SG  Charisma OSBORNE
SG  Dominique ONU
PF  Emily BESSOIR
PF  Angela DUGALIC
Center Izzy ANSTLEY

Key Freshmen:
PG  Kiki RICE (#2 overall and McD AA)
SF  Gabriela JAQUEZ  (# overall and McD AA)
PG  Londynn JONES  (#21 overall)
PF  Lina SONTAG  (German National Team)

For UCLA I would add grad transfer pg Gina Conti as a key returnee.  Conti redshirted after sustaining a foot injury prior to the start of last season.  Was to start at pg last year and presume she will do so this year.  Earned 2nd team All-ACC as a senior at Wake Forest.

BTW - Hoopgurlz rated Gabriela Jaquez #19.  Rice and Jaquez named McD AA Game co-mvps.

[BobK]

Conti is healthy but I would think Rice starts
Dugakic is out for the year sadly

[BobK]

Conti is healthy but I would think Rice starts
Dugakic is out for the year sadly

[joemontes]

Conti is healthy but I would think Rice starts
Dugakic is out for the year sadly

Oh, wow!  UCLA just can't get a good break.  
Last season, it was BESSOIR and CONTI out for the entire season.
This time, it's DUGALIC and ANSTEY...

But, anyway, with 2 post players sidelined, one can envision an eventual starting line-up of:
F - 6'0 JAQUEZ     (Fr)   
F - 6'4 BESSOIR   (RS So)
G - 5'11 RICE       (Fr)
G - 5'11 CONTI     (Grad)
G - 5'9 OSBORNE  (Sr)

Reserves:
F - 6'3 SONTAG    (Fr)
F - 6'2 IWUALA     (Fr)
G - 5'11 BROWN   (Sr)
G - 5'9 ONU         (So)   
G - 5'5 JONES      (Fr)

[joemontes]

Conti is healthy but I would think Rice starts
Dugakic is out for the year sadly

Oh, wow!  UCLA just can't get a good break.  
Last season, it was BESSOIR and CONTI out for the entire season.
This time, it's DUGALIC and ANSTEY...

But, anyway, with 2 post players sidelined, one can envision an eventual starting line-up of:
F - 6'0 JAQUEZ     (Fr)   
F - 6'4 BESSOIR   (RS So)
G - 5'11 RICE       (Fr)
G - 5'11 CONTI     (Grad)
G - 5'9 OSBORNE  (Sr)

Reserves:
F - 6'3 SONTAG    (Fr)
F - 6'2 IWUALA     (Fr)
G - 5'11 BROWN   (Sr)
G - 5'9 ONU         (So)   
G - 5'5 JONES      (Fr)

[BobK]

Anstey due back early December

[BobK]

Anstey due back early December

[81alum]

The transfer portal has made it very hard to predict just how good many of our competitors will be.  It certainly allows for a rapid concentration of talent--Texas being a case in point.  What this means is that Tara has to be absolutely right about who she recruits, since other teams can afford to occasionally be wrong and replenish their talent with proven players from the transfer portal.  That puts us at a disadvantage going forward, since even the best judge of talent (Tara) is not right 100% of the time.

However, as we have seen with Oregon the last couple of years, assembling an all-star cast is not enough to become truly elite.  It also takes experience and learning how to work within a system.  Stanford should continue to have the advantage on this second front.  Teams that are constantly integrating new elite players into their starting lineups will have some growing pains.  I think Oregon is past those pains by now, so they will be formidable.  But the many other teams with all-star casts of transfers may not be.

I also wonder whether the transfer portal will force coaches to modify their strategies and the style of basketball their teams play.  I would think that coaching a lot of uncoordinated talent would discourage "system" offenses like the Princeton.  It could even make those lethal pick and roll plays (think Ionescu and Herbert) difficult since they seem to take a couple of years to develop the perfect timing between two coordinated players.

Certain defenses also require more experience and practice than others.  One of the reasons Tara's scouting report defense works better with juniors and seniors than with frosh and sophomores is that those players get to know their individual opponents' tendencies so well--by preparing for them multiple times.  Transfers that bring less familiar players into competition with us will present new challenges.  Transfers within the Pac 12, of course, won't matter very much on this score.

In short, I do wonder if the ridiculous amount of transferring going on in WBB will be a net negative or a net positive for Stanford WBB.  This year may help us better understand how to answer that question.

[81alum]

The transfer portal has made it very hard to predict just how good many of our competitors will be.  It certainly allows for a rapid concentration of talent--Texas being a case in point.  What this means is that Tara has to be absolutely right about who she recruits, since other teams can afford to occasionally be wrong and replenish their talent with proven players from the transfer portal.  That puts us at a disadvantage going forward, since even the best judge of talent (Tara) is not right 100% of the time.

However, as we have seen with Oregon the last couple of years, assembling an all-star cast is not enough to become truly elite.  It also takes experience and learning how to work within a system.  Stanford should continue to have the advantage on this second front.  Teams that are constantly integrating new elite players into their starting lineups will have some growing pains.  I think Oregon is past those pains by now, so they will be formidable.  But the many other teams with all-star casts of transfers may not be.

I also wonder whether the transfer portal will force coaches to modify their strategies and the style of basketball their teams play.  I would think that coaching a lot of uncoordinated talent would discourage "system" offenses like the Princeton.  It could even make those lethal pick and roll plays (think Ionescu and Herbert) difficult since they seem to take a couple of years to develop the perfect timing between two coordinated players.

Certain defenses also require more experience and practice than others.  One of the reasons Tara's scouting report defense works better with juniors and seniors than with frosh and sophomores is that those players get to know their individual opponents' tendencies so well--by preparing for them multiple times.  Transfers that bring less familiar players into competition with us will present new challenges.  Transfers within the Pac 12, of course, won't matter very much on this score.

In short, I do wonder if the ridiculous amount of transferring going on in WBB will be a net negative or a net positive for Stanford WBB.  This year may help us better understand how to answer that question.

[joemontes]

The transfer portal has made it very hard to predict just how good many of our competitors will be.  It certainly allows for a rapid concentration of talent--Texas being a case in point.  What this means is that Tara has to be absolutely right about who she recruits, since other teams can afford to occasionally be wrong and replenish their talent with proven players from the transfer portal.  That puts us at a disadvantage going forward, since even the best judge of talent (Tara) is not right 100% of the time.

However, as we have seen with Oregon the last couple of years, assembling an all-star cast is not enough to become truly elite.  It also takes experience and learning how to work within a system.  Stanford should continue to have the advantage on this second front.  Teams that are constantly integrating new elite players into their starting lineups will have some growing pains.  I think Oregon is past those pains by now, so they will be formidable.  But the many other teams with all-star casts of transfers may not be.

I also wonder whether the transfer portal will force coaches to modify their strategies and the style of basketball their teams play.  I would think that coaching a lot of uncoordinated talent would discourage "system" offenses like the Princeton.  It could even make those lethal pick and roll plays (think Ionescu and Herbert) difficult since they seem to take a couple of years to develop the perfect timing between two coordinated players.

Certain defenses also require more experience and practice than others.  One of the reasons Tara's scouting report defense works better with juniors and seniors than with frosh and sophomores is that those players get to know their individual opponents' tendencies so well--by preparing for them multiple times.  Transfers that bring less familiar players into competition with us will present new challenges.  Transfers within the Pac 12, of course, won't matter very much on this score.

In short, I do wonder if the ridiculous amount of transferring going on in WBB will be a net negative or a net positive for Stanford WBB.  This year may help us better understand how to answer that question.

Will this transfer opportunity of being able to play immediately no matter what due to covid continue beyond this season, or will it revert back to not being able to play for the first season after transferring?

[joemontes]

The transfer portal has made it very hard to predict just how good many of our competitors will be.  It certainly allows for a rapid concentration of talent--Texas being a case in point.  What this means is that Tara has to be absolutely right about who she recruits, since other teams can afford to occasionally be wrong and replenish their talent with proven players from the transfer portal.  That puts us at a disadvantage going forward, since even the best judge of talent (Tara) is not right 100% of the time.

However, as we have seen with Oregon the last couple of years, assembling an all-star cast is not enough to become truly elite.  It also takes experience and learning how to work within a system.  Stanford should continue to have the advantage on this second front.  Teams that are constantly integrating new elite players into their starting lineups will have some growing pains.  I think Oregon is past those pains by now, so they will be formidable.  But the many other teams with all-star casts of transfers may not be.

I also wonder whether the transfer portal will force coaches to modify their strategies and the style of basketball their teams play.  I would think that coaching a lot of uncoordinated talent would discourage "system" offenses like the Princeton.  It could even make those lethal pick and roll plays (think Ionescu and Herbert) difficult since they seem to take a couple of years to develop the perfect timing between two coordinated players.

Certain defenses also require more experience and practice than others.  One of the reasons Tara's scouting report defense works better with juniors and seniors than with frosh and sophomores is that those players get to know their individual opponents' tendencies so well--by preparing for them multiple times.  Transfers that bring less familiar players into competition with us will present new challenges.  Transfers within the Pac 12, of course, won't matter very much on this score.

In short, I do wonder if the ridiculous amount of transferring going on in WBB will be a net negative or a net positive for Stanford WBB.  This year may help us better understand how to answer that question.

Will this transfer opportunity of being able to play immediately no matter what due to covid continue beyond this season, or will it revert back to not being able to play for the first season after transferring?

[joemontes]

Not to take anything away from Tennessee (who certainly enhanced their roster), but Texas and Vic Shafer have benefited the most from the portal, addressing two missing pieces from their Elite 8 run last season.  Taylor Jones is a far better post than Lauren Ebo - better positioning, better footwork, better shot selection and better bb IQ; and Shaylee Gonzales gives the Longhorns a #2 guard who can score at all three levels.

Also, by the end of the regular conference season, LSU will be ranked higher than at least seven of the teams ahead of them in Creme's rankings.

The team I am most intrigued with is Virginia Tech.  Cheering hard for Head Coach Kenny Brooks, a very underrated coach.

I agree and, on top of that, a BIG omission on my part when it comes to Texas,
because aside from two-time WCC POY 5'10 SG/PG Shaylee GONZALES and 
All-PAC12 6'4 PF/C Taylor JONES, they've also added 5'10 SG Sonya MORRIS 
from DePaul, who averaged 17.6 ppg as a senior and 19.3 ppg as a junior 
while being named All-Big East First Team both seasons. 

Texas is simply STACKED with veteran and newcomer talent at all positions!
Definitely a pre-season national Top 3 or Top 4 team on paper....

[joemontes]

Not to take anything away from Tennessee (who certainly enhanced their roster), but Texas and Vic Shafer have benefited the most from the portal, addressing two missing pieces from their Elite 8 run last season.  Taylor Jones is a far better post than Lauren Ebo - better positioning, better footwork, better shot selection and better bb IQ; and Shaylee Gonzales gives the Longhorns a #2 guard who can score at all three levels.

Also, by the end of the regular conference season, LSU will be ranked higher than at least seven of the teams ahead of them in Creme's rankings.

The team I am most intrigued with is Virginia Tech.  Cheering hard for Head Coach Kenny Brooks, a very underrated coach.

I agree and, on top of that, a BIG omission on my part when it comes to Texas,
because aside from two-time WCC POY 5'10 SG/PG Shaylee GONZALES and 
All-PAC12 6'4 PF/C Taylor JONES, they've also added 5'10 SG Sonya MORRIS 
from DePaul, who averaged 17.6 ppg as a senior and 19.3 ppg as a junior 
while being named All-Big East First Team both seasons. 

Texas is simply STACKED with veteran and newcomer talent at all positions!
Definitely a pre-season national Top 3 or Top 4 team on paper....

[Spiny_Norman]

Will this transfer opportunity of being able to play immediately no matter what due to covid continue beyond this season, or will it revert back to not being able to play for the first season after transferring?

Probably never reverting back. When the NCAA changed the transfer rule in April, 2021 for football, men's and women's basketball, ice hockey and baseball to eliminate the requirement to sit out a year (other sports already had immediate transfer eligibility), there was no expiration date. I don't see any discussion at the NCAA level to change the rule.

[Spiny_Norman]

Will this transfer opportunity of being able to play immediately no matter what due to covid continue beyond this season, or will it revert back to not being able to play for the first season after transferring?

Probably never reverting back. When the NCAA changed the transfer rule in April, 2021 for football, men's and women's basketball, ice hockey and baseball to eliminate the requirement to sit out a year (other sports already had immediate transfer eligibility), there was no expiration date. I don't see any discussion at the NCAA level to change the rule.