Women's Basketball Season Preview

Women’s basketball has not yet reached the level of parity that the men’s game has, nor will it in the next few years. This will take time but right now the top teams are extremely solid. Take a look at the ESPN/USA Today preseason top 25 poll:

1.) Tennessee

2.) Connecticut

3.) Rutgers

4.) Maryland

5.) LSU

6.) Oklahoma

7.) North Carolina

8.) Stanford

9.) Duke

10.) Georgia

The Atlantic Coast Conference is good. Enough said. Don’t forget about 2006 when Duke, North Carolina, and Maryland made up 3 of the 4 final four teams. That is ridiculous. The only time of any conference that dominating, the days of the Big East for men’s basketball in 1985 (Georgetown, St. John’s, and Villanova). 3 of the top 10 teams are in the ACC. And SEC is creeping up with the 3 teams of its own in the top 10.

11.) Texas A&M

12.) Arizona State

13.) George Washington

14.) California

15.) Baylor

16.) Ohio State

17.) Vanderbilt

18.) Michigan State

19.) Florida State

20.) Purdue

21.) Pittsburgh

22.) West Virginia

23.) Louisville

24.) Texas

25.) North Carolina State

The team tabbed by most to win the Mid-American Conference is tied for 56^th in the country according to votes in the poll. Bowling Green, the team not even picked to finish second in the MAC is 39^th despite losing 6 seniors. Bowling Green will be lead by Kate Achter and Lindsey Goldsberry. Ball State will have Porchia Green, Lisa Rusche, Julie DeMuth leading the charge with Kiley Jarrett and Audrey McDonald contributing in starting roles.

This is going to be an interesting shake out. The season will be decided on the floor with the power conferences dominating. No small conferences making charges here. The MAC could potentially get two teams in the tournament this year.

The ACC has 20% of the top 25 in its conference. The Big East also has 5 teams in the top 25. Then the SEC and Big 12 with 4 teams apiece in the top 25 and then the Pac 10 and Big Ten with 3 each.

Small conference teams that look to make an impact are easily going to be George Washington, Middle Tennessee State, and Marist. These are going to be solid teams from non-power conferences. The teams are proven on the national and post-season level. Bowling Green lost some important pieces to its post-season success of last year but could get back to contender status. New Mexico, Western Kentucky, and Old Dominion could be very solid. The biggest sleeper of them all is Ball State slipping in under the national radar will help at the beginning of the season but look for the Cardinals to make a run. Don’t forget about the west coast with Boise State and Gonzaga looking to make a run at the post season tournament.

Simply put this will be an intriguing year in the women’s game and the power conferences will continue to dominate. The question is can the best player in the country, Candace Parker, lead her team to back-to-back national championships.