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NoDakSt
Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 4929
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Posted: 01/19/19 11:39 am ::: Who are some teams exceeding your expectations? |
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Admittedly,I don't follow a lot of teams so my expectations are often misinformed and based on a high degree of ignorance.
With that caveat, I am surprised by Clemson. Amanda Butler has the Tigers off to a 4-1 start in the ACC which includes wins over Miami and Florida State and a single-digit loss to Syracuse. Earlier in the season, Clemson played three SEC teams and had single-digit losses to South Carolina, Tennessee, and the only real blow out happening to Bama. I know nothing about the roster make up, or how many players returned, or how many new players are in the program, but I believe this is better than Clemson has done it at least a decade.
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TechDawgMc
Joined: 12 Aug 2010 Posts: 403 Location: Temple, TX
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Posted: 01/19/19 11:50 am ::: |
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My first thought is Kansas State. They've beaten Texas. All but one of their losses (a surprising one to KU) are to ranked teams. They played pretty tight with Baylor through most of that game. They've been better than I would have guessed.
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PUmatty
Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 16380 Location: Chicago
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Posted: 01/19/19 12:05 pm ::: |
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I'm surprised to see Rutgers 2 games ahead of the field in the Big Ten. That don't have impressive wins exactly (depending what you think of Maryland) but they look like the might be the class of the league.
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summertime blues
Joined: 16 Apr 2013 Posts: 7865 Location: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted: 01/19/19 2:48 pm ::: |
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VCU, NC State, Clemson, Rutgers, Tennessee Tech, Boston College, and (dammit!) Towson.
_________________ Don't take life so serious. It ain't nohows permanent.
It takes 3 years to build a team and 7 to build a program.--Conventional Wisdom
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dinkytown
Joined: 18 Sep 2011 Posts: 2591
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Posted: 01/19/19 3:03 pm ::: |
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Iowa State - are they better because of Middleton or did they have injuries last year?
Boston College, Butler, Clemson, Rutgers, Utah State
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Marquette Fan
Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 3582
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Posted: 01/19/19 3:19 pm ::: |
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Butler
Marquette with a caveat. I'd say they are at or maybe slightly below expectations overall at this point (rankings are good but loss to Miami in preseason WNIT still bugs me - lost a chance at another game with that loss too). However, they have significantly exceeded my expectations for their play with all-time leading scorer and preseason BE POY Allazia Blockton out with injury - they are 6-0 in the BE with Blockton having only played 8 minutes so far during the conference season.
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Shmermerer1
Joined: 04 Aug 2014 Posts: 284
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Posted: 01/19/19 5:04 pm ::: |
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dinkytown wrote: |
Iowa State - are they better because of Middleton or did they have injuries last year?
Boston College, Butler, Clemson, Rutgers, Utah State |
Freshmen Ashley Joens has made an impact and sophomore Madison Wise made a big jump this year.
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mikeyc22
Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 2396
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Posted: 01/19/19 5:59 pm ::: |
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Kentucky (minus the Ole Miss loss).
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Shmermerer1
Joined: 04 Aug 2014 Posts: 284
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Posted: 01/19/19 6:33 pm ::: |
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Rice is looking pretty good right now. Since Nancy Mulkey has been able to play, they are 4-0 in conference play and 8-1 with her in the lineup.
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dinkytown
Joined: 18 Sep 2011 Posts: 2591
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Posted: 01/19/19 8:43 pm ::: |
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Shmermerer1 wrote: |
dinkytown wrote: |
Iowa State - are they better because of Middleton or did they have injuries last year?
Boston College, Butler, Clemson, Rutgers, Utah State |
Freshmen Ashley Joens has made an impact and sophomore Madison Wise made a big jump this year. |
I see, she was ranked 26th on Hoopgurlz!
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Howee
Joined: 27 Nov 2009 Posts: 15758 Location: OREGON (in my heart)
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Posted: 01/19/19 9:49 pm ::: |
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I second those nods to Iowa State, Towson, Clemson, Rutgers and add Indiana. I really didn't think the Hoosiers could be all that good after the departure of their 2 seniors.
_________________ Oregon: Go Ducks!
"Inévitablement, les canards voleront"
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CompSci87
Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 812 Location: Palo Alto, CA
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Posted: 01/19/19 10:35 pm ::: |
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Shmermerer1 wrote: |
Rice is looking pretty good right now. Since Nancy Mulkey has been able to play, they are 4-0 in conference play and 8-1 with her in the lineup. |
I watched some of their game today against North Texas. Looks like Olivia Ogwumike is injured. Erica looked good, though.
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Shmermerer1
Joined: 04 Aug 2014 Posts: 284
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Posted: 01/19/19 11:46 pm ::: |
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I'd also like to add in Arizona and Utah in the Pac-12. I thought Arizona was going to be last or second to last in the PAC this season. They've beaten Arizona State and Cal already.
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Shmermerer1
Joined: 04 Aug 2014 Posts: 284
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Posted: 01/19/19 11:47 pm ::: |
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CompSci87 wrote: |
Shmermerer1 wrote: |
Rice is looking pretty good right now. Since Nancy Mulkey has been able to play, they are 4-0 in conference play and 8-1 with her in the lineup. |
I watched some of their game today against North Texas. Looks like Olivia Ogwumike is injured. Erica looked good, though. |
How did Nancy Mulkey play?
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 32341
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Posted: 01/20/19 1:38 pm ::: |
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I know they are always ranked, but I have been pleasantly surprised by Stanford. Really didn't expect them to be a top 10 team this year.
_________________ For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.
- Amanda Gorman
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calbearman76
Joined: 02 Nov 2009 Posts: 5167 Location: Carson City
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Posted: 01/20/19 2:15 pm ::: |
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I would like to add Ohio and BYU. Ohio had an easy non conference schedule, but their wins over Purdue and Buffalo are impressive. BYU had a terrible loss to Southern Utah, but their only other losses are to Utah and Cal. Their win over Gonzaga was very impressive, and their follow up vs Portland was a perfect letdown opportunity. BYU came out flat and were down double digits but they went on a 16-0 run in the final 4 minutes to avoid the upset. Both of these teams could make the NCAA tournament. I didn't see that before the season started.
Also another nod to Arizona. It has been 13 years since Shawntenice Polk died and the program hasn't been the same. I thought Arizona was still at least a year away but Aari McDonald and Cate Reese both look really good. I have actually been more impressed with Arizona than Utah even though the Utes won their first meeting. But that may be because when I saw Utah in Las Vegas they didn't play that well.
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CompSci87
Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 812 Location: Palo Alto, CA
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Posted: 01/20/19 2:58 pm ::: |
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Shmermerer1 wrote: |
CompSci87 wrote: |
Shmermerer1 wrote: |
Rice is looking pretty good right now. Since Nancy Mulkey has been able to play, they are 4-0 in conference play and 8-1 with her in the lineup. |
I watched some of their game today against North Texas. Looks like Olivia Ogwumike is injured. Erica looked good, though. |
How did Nancy Mulkey play? |
She was pretty good, but missed a lot of bunnies. Still very thin and doesn't seem strong or flexible.
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summertime blues
Joined: 16 Apr 2013 Posts: 7865 Location: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted: 01/21/19 12:20 am ::: |
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CompSci87 wrote: |
Shmermerer1 wrote: |
CompSci87 wrote: |
Shmermerer1 wrote: |
Rice is looking pretty good right now. Since Nancy Mulkey has been able to play, they are 4-0 in conference play and 8-1 with her in the lineup. |
I watched some of their game today against North Texas. Looks like Olivia Ogwumike is injured. Erica looked good, though. |
How did Nancy Mulkey play? |
She was pretty good, but missed a lot of bunnies. Still very thin and doesn't seem strong or flexible. |
Never will be, I fear. Probably not a good nutritionist there, and either can't or won't spend enough time in the weight room. Maybe not a good strength and conditioning coach either.
_________________ Don't take life so serious. It ain't nohows permanent.
It takes 3 years to build a team and 7 to build a program.--Conventional Wisdom
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taropatch
Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 814 Location: Kau Rubbish Dump
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Posted: 01/21/19 10:38 pm ::: |
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Tennessee. I expected them to suck but they have exceeded my expectations and suck magna summa double laude.
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summertime blues
Joined: 16 Apr 2013 Posts: 7865 Location: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted: 01/22/19 1:13 pm ::: |
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Norfolk State. Undefeated in MEAC play this year.
_________________ Don't take life so serious. It ain't nohows permanent.
It takes 3 years to build a team and 7 to build a program.--Conventional Wisdom
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Conway Gamecock
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 Posts: 1901 Location: Here
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Posted: 01/24/19 8:41 pm ::: Re: Who are some teams exceeding your expectations? |
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NoDakSt wrote: |
Admittedly,I don't follow a lot of teams so my expectations are often misinformed and based on a high degree of ignorance.
With that caveat, I am surprised by Clemson. Amanda Butler has the Tigers off to a 4-1 start in the ACC which includes wins over Miami and Florida State and a single-digit loss to Syracuse. Earlier in the season, Clemson played three SEC teams and had single-digit losses to South Carolina, Tennessee, and the only real blow out happening to Bama. I know nothing about the roster make up, or how many players returned, or how many new players are in the program, but I believe this is better than Clemson has done it at least a decade. |
I agree with you on Clemson, and we have to say possibly that Butler was a bit underrated as a WCBB coach. Having said that, Clemson lost by 12 points to both South Carolina and Tennessee.
But having said THAT, Clemson is currently leading undefeated 8th-ranked NC State (18-0) 51-50 late in the 4th Period. Butler really has Clemson playing hard and confidently...
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Marquette Fan
Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 3582
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ripleydc
Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 4778 Location: Washington, DC
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Posted: 01/27/19 3:25 pm ::: |
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Shmermerer1 wrote: |
Rice is looking pretty good right now. Since Nancy Mulkey has been able to play, they are 4-0 in conference play and 8-1 with her in the lineup. |
Rice is now 7-0 in Conference. Tina Langley is doing a great job there.
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NoDakSt
Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 4929
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willtalk
Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 1106 Location: NorCal
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Posted: 01/30/19 9:26 pm ::: Re: Who are some teams exceeding your expectations? |
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Conway Gamecock wrote: |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------But having said THAT, Clemson is currently leading undefeated 8th-ranked NC State (18-0) 51-50 late in the 4th Period. Butler really has Clemson playing hard and confidently... |
Butler should be coaching Butler.
_________________ No one one is ever as good as their best game, nor as bad as their worst.
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