Utah Utes guard Gianna Kneepkens (5) celebrates after a 3 level shot as Utah and BYU ladies compete in a basketball sport on the Huntsman Heart in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
The ink is barely dry on the NCAA ladies’s basketball season — South Carolina was topped champion Sunday night time after beating UConn within the nationwide championship — however there’s already some looking forward to subsequent 12 months.
ESPN’s Charlie Creme launched his way-too-early prime 25 rankings for the 2022-23 season not lengthy after the nationwide championship, and no shock, the Gamecocks and Huskies — two perennial powers — fill the highest two spots.
Did Utah and BYU, two NCAA Event groups this season, make Creme’s rankings?
Did Utah make the way-too-early prime 25?
The Utes, who rotated their program from 5 wins a 12 months in the past to incomes a No. 7 seed within the NCAA Event this season, did make Creme’s way-too-early rankings, coming in at No. 19.
Coach Lynne Roberts relied on a number of younger playmakers to guide the turnaround for the Utes, who went 21-12.
“Coming off the Utes’ most profitable season in 13 years, coach Lynne Roberts has loads of youth on which to construct,” Creme wrote.
“Gianna Kneepkens, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Yr, and Jenna Johnson, the workforce’s main scorer in her first 12 months, are the perfect of the bunch. Sophomore Kennady McQueen was Utah’s finest 3-point shooter in 2021-22. If 6-4 Peyton McFarland can get well from a late-season knee harm, then Roberts has the muse to provide the perfect stretch this system has ever seen.”
The Utes gained their first NCAA Event sport since 2009 by defeating No. 10 seed Arkansas 92-69 within the first spherical.
Considered one of Utah’s calling playing cards this season was its 3-point taking pictures: the Utes had been seventh nationally in 3-pointers made per sport, averaging 9.5. Within the win over the Razorbacks, Utah made 15 3-pointers.
Utah was joined within the Creme’s way-too-early prime 25 by 4 different Pac-12 groups: Stanford at No. 3, Arizona at No. 12, Oregon at No. 18 and UCLA at No. 22. The Cardinal superior to the Ultimate 4 this season.
Texas, which beat the Utes within the NCAA’s second spherical, was No. 4.
Did BYU make the way-too-early prime 25?
BYU, which spent a lot of this season ranked within the prime 25 and went 26-4 on the 12 months, was not included in Creme’s way-too-early rankings.
The Cougars had been bounced out of the NCAA Event within the first spherical, dropping to Villanova.
The Cougars should substitute starters Paisley Harding, Tegan Graham and Maria Albiero, in addition to key position participant Sara Hamson. BYU, although, will deliver again West Coast Convention Participant of the Yr Shaylee Gonzales and the workforce’s prime rebounder, Lauren Gustin.
Whereas BYU wasn’t included within the way-too-early rankings dialogue, one other WCC workforce was. Gonzaga was included amongst different groups thought-about for the rankings. The Zags, who beat BYU within the WCC Event championship sport after dropping twice to the Cougars within the common season, gained their first-round NCAA Event sport earlier than dropping within the second spherical.