Thinking about next year’s opponents. The main criterion I use is, do they have something we don’t have?
For example take USCw. They have Juju Watkins and Kiki Iriafen, two of the top 25 players in the country next season. Nobody is going to totally shut them down. BUT we have enough guards who are quicker than Juju and either match her size or come close; Hall, Raven, and Fulwiley. She will have to work for her points. Watkins is a great match for Iriafen and we have more bodies in reserve. We can play them with our normal 1V1 defense.
Teams that HAVE something we don’t as of this moment.
UCLA
We don’t have a Betts. Watkins may be able to guard her but she will need help and a game plan focused on taking her away. Betts is not nearly as good as Cardoso but she is skilled enough and 6’7”. This equation changes if Walker or Tac develop sufficiently.
OKLAHOMA
Beers may not be 6’7” but with her bulk and talent at 6’4” she may overmatch anyone we have. The good news she has less talent surrounding her than she did at Oregon St. The bad news is they play a 4 out which forces 1V1 in the low post.
MAY have something we don’t
UConn, UK, and LSU all have a 6’5” or taller post player. El Alfy @ UConn and Silva
@uk at are both freshman and El Alfy is coming off Achilles surgery. We don’t know what they are yet but they are both very highly touted. Del Rosario at LSU is physically just bigger than anyone on our roster. Last season she was slow, out of shape, and thwarted by anyone close to her size. Who knows what she will be this season?
LOTS of Talent but we have more and match up well with them.
Texas, Maryland, Bama, OM, Duke, NCSU