How Lady Vols writer Cora Hall voted in the AP Top 25: Why I feel good about top teams – and Baylor
You can't know everything about a team in December, but I feel pretty confident that we've seen enough to know the top teams going into conference play.
My top four teams are the most complete teams at this point, and I'd feel confident in calling them favorites to win each of their conferences. South Carolina remains in my No. 1 spot, followed by UCLA, NC State and Texas. And even within that four, South Carolina and UCLA feel head and shoulders above everyone else.
Don't get me wrong, the final battle of the Pac-12 will be a dogfight. USC, Stanford and Utah are all going to make it interesting, but I don't know if there's anyone in the country that can stop Lauren Betts.
The transfer sophomore center is dominating with incredible efficiency – her 77.4% field goal percentage leads the country, and she's one of three players shooting 70% or higher. Combine Betts with UCLA's guard play and you get one of the most complete teams in the country.
South Carolina will face its challenges in SEC play, and LSU is rounding into form, but the Gamecocks are only going to get better as the season wears on. And they're already the top-rated offense and defense in the country, according to Her Hoop Stats. South Carolina is another team with one of the best transfers in the country, Te-Hina Paopao.
Watching Paopao fit seamlessly into the new era of the Gamecocks has been incredibly fun. It's clear how valuable her veteran experience has been, and she has also made 51.1% of her 47 3-point attempts.
Another team I've been high on since a big win over Utah is Baylor. The Bears are off to their best start under Nicki Collen, who has built a solid all-around team over the past couple of seasons.
There's such a good balance in Baylor's offense, and there's a lot of versatility on its roster. The guard play is elite, and Kentucky transfer point guard Jada Walker has been a great complement to senior guard Sarah Andrews. But the Bears' defense has been just as good, which they showed when they held Utah to 77 points – that's 15.2 points below its average.
Texas has been really, really good, but I don't think the Longhorns have the Big 12 title in the bag with how Baylor has started the season.
Cora Hall's AP Top 25 ballot for Week 6
South Carolina
UCLA
NC State
Texas
USC
Baylor
Stanford
Utah
Notre Dame
Colorado
LSU
Indiana
Gonzaga
Marquette
Florida State
Creighton
Miami
Texas A&M
Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How Lady Vols writer Cora Hall voted in the AP Top 25 for Week 6
