🧠 From Scottie…
_{What a first week back!}

We had upsets that shocked the world and we had unbelievable performances from one of the best freshmen classes that I can remember watching. When was the last time you have seen so many freshmen make such an impression during the first couple of games?

Every single game I watched there was at least 1 (but usually more) freshman who got in early in the game, made a great stop, assist, or bomb 3. It’s so fun to watch! But as a UConn faithful, I want things to go back to the 2000s.

But I digress.

Not only were there stand out players in games, but there were some stand out tweets as well. As a Parks and Rec fan, this one took the cake for me.

In today’s blog we’re gonna talk about AP rankings. This year, for obvious reasons, the pre-season rankings have caused a stir. For the most part, nothing seemed outlandish about the pre-season rankings, but then insert first week games and a tornado starts to brew and the controversy begins. Now, people are trying to ban pre-season AP rankings.

LAST WEEK TODAY
💯 MVP’S

Player of the week - Kiki Iriafen, Stanford

Kiki Iriafen’s performance against Indiana answered any doubt people had on her and this Stanford team heading into Week 1. Cameron Brink could be a solo-shining post on this team, but the fact that Kiki Iriafen is already playing as dominant as she is, they are about to be the Great Wall of China for their opponents.

Coach of the week: Brooke Wyckoff, Florida State

In only her second year as Head Coach at Florida State, Brooke Wyckoff puts up an UPSET against Tennessee. But that’s not the best part. Wyckoff had to miss one of their games this season after undergoing surgery after being diagnosed with breast cancer. That is bad ass. She is bad ass. Round of applause 👏 👏 👏 👏 

Team of the week: South Carolina

We can no longer say South Carolina is not a shooting team. They have been lights out all week long while still dominating on the blocks. This may be one of their best seasons yet when it comes to player versatility.

TODAY’S STORY
💥What good are pre-season AP rankings?

In the beginning, team rankings didn't raise many eyebrows. It seemed logical, considering factors like WNBA draft losses, transfers, and incoming freshmen. The flow of traffic dictated the narrative, and not many questioned it.

Now, let's delve into how these rankings come to life and who's pulling the strings.

The AP Pre-Season Rankings blend historical performance, off-season moves, recruits, and a touch of gut feeling. They set the stage for the battles on the courts, akin to predicting outcomes in a royal chess match where underdogs might just overthrow the queens.

Behind this curtain of rankings, the orchestrators remain anonymous, yet their profiles are known. A diverse assembly of sportswriters and broadcasters form a council of basketball warlords, debating, deliberating, and ultimately decreeing the hoops hierarchy. They scrutinize rosters, dissect strategies, and perhaps even seek guidance from basketball deities. The process is a mix of science, art, and a touch of madness, giving birth to preseason rankings, much like peering into a crystal ball—accurate, unpredictable, and occasionally perplexing.

Now the question arises — should we banish preseason AP rankings and wait until after Week 2, given the upsets in Week 1 and the unexpected overperformance of lower-ranked teams?

BORING!

If we want to be boring and practical, sure let’s do that. But the game is evolving on the women’s side. Not to bring the boys into this, but the women’s game is starting to mimic men’s college basketball games. Nooo….I’m not talking about their looks. I’m talking about their style of play.

On the men’s side, when an unranked or bottom ranked team plays a top 5 team, the games are usually always neck and neck, filled with excitement. Gone are the days of UConn, Stanford, Notre Dame, and Tennessee dominance. We now witness waves of teams across every division climbing the ladder, providing riveting TV moments.

So, why insist on correctness and delay rankings until we have a better gauge? Yes, even releasing rankings by Week 3 won't fully capture the season's essence by March. However, if our goal is to amplify momentum and impressions in women's sports, let's keep the chatter alive. Witness which teams exceed expectations and which ones force us to sit up and take notice.

What do you think? 👇️ 

NEWS
👂️This Week’s Locker Room Drama

• Ohio State launches a monumental, team wide sponsorship with in-state law firm, Elk+Elk (PR Newswire)

• Bradley suspends Head Coach Kate Popovec-Goss but won’t give us the 411 (Yahoo Sports)

• Rutgers hires WNBA Chicago Sky Guard, Kahleah Cooper as their Director of Athletic Culture and Professional Development (Scarlet Knights)

• Former Miami Guard and Influencer, Haley Cavinder, commits to TCU, the Miami of Texas (on3)

• This is why you should never go to St. Louis. While the Anderson Women’s Basketball team was sightseeing at the Gateway Arch, thieves broke into their team van stealing all of their team bags holding their jerseys, shoes, wallets, and more (WTHR)

MEDIA
🤳Video of The Week

Ole Miss Head Coach, Yolett McCuin, shares her thoughts about pre-season AP rankings. What do you think? Do you agree?

GAMES
💥Spotlight Games This Week

#8 UConn v #20 Maryland

• Thursday 11/17

• 6:30 PM EST Fox Sports 1

• Both teams are coming off of a ranked loss on Sunday, you’ll want to make time for this one or immediately check the Twitter-sphere after.

#2 Iowa v Kansas State

• Thursday 11/16

• 8:30 PM EST Fox Sports 1

• Iowa has been lights out so far, but Kansas State shows up when they’re on the big stage.

Notre Dame v Illinois

• Saturday 11/18

• 1 PM EST NBC

• Notre Dame loses their Top 25 ranking. Let’s see if they can silence the crowd.

#6 Stanford v Duke

• Sunday 11/19

• 3 PM EST ABC

• Duke looked good against USA, I can’t wait to see this momentum carried into this game.