So, what should we takeaway from Stanford's loss?
Plus, teams to keep an eye on just outside of the top tier
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Yes, Stanford lost their first real test of the season to #25 Texas on Sunday. But, I’m not pressing the panic button on the Cardinal just yet.
Texas did give a solid blueprint for upsetting Stanford, at least in the near term. The Longhorns’ defensive pressure never allowed the Cardinal to settle into an offensive rhythm. That in turn forced Stanford to settle for a lot of one-on-one basketball and left them unable to run the offensive sets we are accustomed to seeing. While atypical for Stanford, the result really isn’t that surprising if you take a step back. The key to running your offense despite a defense like Texas’ is usually a veteran leader at the point - and that’s not something Stanford has at the moment. The Cardinal also missed plenty of open looks from deep, but give the depth of capable shooters on the roster, don’t expect that to be a reoccurring problem.
Ultimately, this loss doesn’t change my opinion on Stanford. The lack of an experienced leader at the helm of the offense is a known problem, and not one that I would expect to be fixed overnight. It’s easy to place a lot of weight on this loss as the only true test we’ve seen of the Cardinal so far, but come March I still think the depth of talent on their roster will leave them among the top contenders to take home the title.
The same applies to UConn allowing 80 points in their opener against Arkansas. History (as recently as last year) points to the Huskies improving their defense as the season goes on. South Carolina’s early season holes are less obvious, but the Gamecocks’ assist-to-turnover ratio of 0.59 through the first two games raises some eyebrows. Again, I think with time they’ll figure it out.
While the aforementioned three teams still stand as the title favorites, here’s a look at some of the other programs to keep an eye on, that could break into the top tier:
NC State: The Wolfpack impressed me in their season opener. Despite a quiet night from Elissa Cunane (which Aliyah Boston of course deserves much of the credit for) and the 2021 ACC sixth-player of the year Jada Boyd being out with injury, NC State was able to hang around with South Carolina. If Raina Perez continues to play at the level she did against the Gamecocks and Cunane has another All-American season, the Wolfpack could contend for a NCAA title. The biggest concern for NC State right now is probably their depth - they got just 7 points from their bench in the season opener. Boyd returning from injury would obviously help with that problem.
Maryland: Maryland is another team that returns their full core from last season. The Terps’ offensive fire power last year was the best in the country, and continues to track that way this season. Maryland has put up an average of 88.7 points per game in their first three outings. To truly contend for a national title however, there’s some work to be done on the defensive end. Maryland allowed 67 points in their first two games against Longwood and Villanova, seeming to continue on some of the defensive troubles the Terps had last season where they allowed 69 points per game (which ranked in the bottom third of the country per Her Hoop Stats). Their offense is enough to compensate against most opponents, but the defense could mean trouble against other top teams.
Indiana: While Maryland is the popular favorite to win the Big 10 this season, Indiana is my personal pick to take the conference. The Hoosiers had a statement win over Kentucky on Sunday afternoon, solidifying a higher presence in the rankings. While we shouldn’t read too much into their 20 point victory over Rhyne Howard’s squad, the Hoosiers return virtually everything from their Elite Eight team last season. Their roster boasts a lot of upperclassmen leadership and gets it done on both ends of the floor.
For those of you wondering why the team that just upset the reigning national champions doesn’t make the list, I’m not sure if Texas has enough on the offensive end to win a title. Their defense primes them to upset a contender(s) in March with a rock fight, but ultimately you need to be able to score to win a championship. Freshman Rori Harmon and Mississippi State transfer Aliyah Matharu got that done against the Cardinal, but the Longhorns need to prove they have more and consistent weapons on the offensive end.