Preseason Top 25


The Minnesota write-up

17. Minnesota

2018-19: 21-11; lost in WNIT second round

Lindsay Whalen's first season as head coach at her alma mater was a bit of a roller-coaster ride, but she was able to turn a 2-7 Big Ten start into a 9-9 finish and a trip to the second round of the WNIT. Despite the loss of top scorer Kenisha Bell, the Gophers should be better this season. Destiny Pitts (16.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG), Taiye Bello (9.7 PPG, 11.9 RPG) and Jasmine Brunson (8.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG) are back. The healthy return of guard Gadiva Hubbard, who averaged 13.6 PPG in 2017-18 but missed all of last season with a foot injury, might be the final piece to getting back to the NCAA tournament.
 

The top 25 B1G teams:

5. Maryland
17. Minnesota
23. Michigan
24. Indiana
 

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-women/d1/associated-press


AP Pre-season

1 Oregon (25) 697 33-5 7
2 Baylor (3) 675 37-1 1
3 Stanford 631 31-5 6
4 Maryland 596 29-5 9
5 UConn 569 35-3 2
6 Texas A&M 554 26-8 14
7 Oregon State 525 26-8 11
8 South Carolina 518 23-10 15
9 Louisville 477 32-4 5
10 Mississippi State 443 33-3 4
11 UCLA 380 22-13 20
12 Florida State 354 24-9 25
13 Kentucky 342 25-8 17
14 N.C. State 320 28-6 10
15 Texas 303 23-10 23
16 Notre Dame 290 35-4 3
17 Michigan State 205 21-12 NR
T-18 DePaul 174 26-8 24
T-18 Miami 174 25-9 19
20 Arizona State 118 22-11 22
21 Syracuse 103 25-9 12
22 Arkansas 93 22-15 NR
23 Minnesota 90 21-11 NR
24 Indiana 86 21-13 NR
25 Michigan 77 22-12 NR
 

https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...aylor-are-top-teams-as-2019-20-season-begins/

CBS Sports Top 25 and what they said about the B1G teams:

5. Maryland: In a month, we could be talking about Maryland as a top-two or top-three team. Following a second-round defeat to UCLA in last season's NCAA Tournament, the Terrapins will return all five starters, led by Big Ten Player of the Year and Wooden Award candidate Kaila Charles. Charles averaged just over 17 points per game last season. Joining Charles will be Taylor Mikesell, Stephanie Jones, Shakira Austin, and Blair Watson. Channise Lewis, who started 12 games for Maryland last season, also returns for coach Brenda Frese. Couple the returners with two elite recruits in freshmen Diamond Miller and Ashley Owusu and Frese will have plenty of scoring options in College Park, Maryland. The Terrapins should win the Big Ten, which would likely get them a top two-seed in the NCAA Tournament. If they can defend and rebound at the level in which they can score the ball, Frese and the Terrapins may be set for a return trip to the Final Four.

16. Indiana: Junior guards Ali Patberg, Jaelynn Penn and Bendu Yeaney will join senior Brenna Wise as not only returning starters, but the Hoosiers' top four scorers from last season's team that defeated Texas in the NCAA Tournament before falling to Oregon in the second round. Add two top-60 recruits in 6-0 wing Jorie Allen, and 6-3 post MacKenzie Holmes, and the Hoosiers are set for another, possibly even deeper tournament run, and could be the surprise in the Big 10.

18. Minnesota: Minnesota is going to be much improved under second-year coach Lindsay Whalen. Freshman point guard Jasmine Powell will join junior guard Destiny Pitts and senior forward Taiye Bello as the Golden Gophers look to build on last season's WNIT performance. Side note: Minnesota's top returning scorer, Pitts, and top recruit, Powell, both went to the same high school, Detroit Country Day.

24. Michigan: Michigan recorded a few major wins last season, defeating the likes of Rutgers, Indiana, Minnesota and an Iowa team that went to the Elite Eight. Kim Barnes Arico has won 20 games in each of her seven seasons in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The return of leading scorer, Naz Hillmon, as well as two starters, Hailey Brown and Amy Dilk, should have the Wolverines in position to win 20 games again this season. Add freshman sensation Michelle Sidor and the maize and blue will compete for the top of the Big Ten.
 





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