Who can beat UConn basketball? Can anyone beat them?

Okay, there are some UConn fans who are seriously drinking some spiked Kool Aid:

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-women/hc-wnbavshuskies0214.artfeb14,0,4081957.story

Here's the thing. Some people are wondering because UConn is the runaway best program in college basketball for the past 15 years at least, can they beat the WNBA? Can they beat men's teams like some lower level Division I teams? Hell, can they give the Nets a run for their money?

Well as a women's basketball fan, I will be honest with this. Of course any team can beat any team any night. You never know what can happen. But realistically, here's the deal:

UConn vs. a Division I men's college team (not an elite like the other UConn team but let's say Hartford for example)
Are you kidding me? The men are taller, faster and stronger, that alone should beat the UConn basketball team handily.

UConn vs. New Jersey Nets/Minnesota Timberwolves/Golden State Warriors/Washington Wizards
Hmmm. I think all of these teams would have a field day against the women again more times than not for the same reason as the Division I team. Do I think an Elite Division I mens' team like Kentucky or UConn give the Nets, Wolves, Warriors, or Wizards a run for their lives? Yes. But most of the players on all these bad NBA teams were big time college stars not long ago, so the talent on the NBA teams alone is just a lot more than an elite college team. The best college teams will see at best five guys out of 15 be NBA players for more than a season, so just imagine the butt kicking UConn women would get from the Nets even though they're just a bad team.

UConn vs. US National Team
You've gotta be kidding me. Everyone on the US Team is a WNBA All Star, and of the current UConn lineup, maybe two or three will be there when they're older. UConn played the US NAtional Team before (though it was in the post Diana pre Maya Moore era) and they got their asses handed to them. That would still happen today. I could argue that the 2002 UConn team (the Sue Bird and Swin Cash team) could have beaten the 2002 US Women's National Team though, but this is why. The talent disparity between college and pros was much less then because the WNBA players weren't as good as they are today. Sue and Swin got to see the WNBA when they were in high school, and AAU was in full force for girls too. The previous generation (Lieberman, Anne Donovan, Teresa Witherspoon, etc didn't have the luxury of seeing a legit pro league at least in the US). Today all the girls college players are recruited same way boys are pretty much, and the WNBA and college ball has improved by leaps and bounds.

UConn vs. WNBA teams
Nancy Lieberman said it best in the article. Elite teams, like Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm, and the Indiana Fever would mop UConn on the floor, which uses my analogy of the elite college team vs. the Nets. All the players on the Mercury, Storm, and Fever were college stars not to mention they all have more savvy than the Huskies do. And almost every player in the WNBA at this point grew up watching it. Perhaps some of the bottom tier teams would have some trouble blowing the Huskies out, like the Minnesota Lynx, but again, every Lynx player pretty much was a college star and not every UConn player can or will be a star.

UConn vs. boys high school varsity teams
I think UConn can beat a very good number if not most boys high school teams (to me the latter is likely). The girls on the team have much higher IQ and skills than the high school boys do. Obviously, an NCAA diploma mill high school like Oak Hill Academy in Southwest Virginia, or Montrose Christian in Maryland will beat UConn easily, but the average public high school isn't going to beat the Huskies in my opinion. The height disadvantage would be less. There's a reason why there's a saying called "You can't teach height". There are VERY FEW people taller than 6'7" in this world, and if they are playing decent basketball and are that height, much higher chance that those guys are playing at one of those diploma mill schools or a legit high school that has a super basketball program.


So, what's your verdict on UConn vs. various levels of basketball teams?

The UConn Women's hoop squad should be in the NBA.

But really I feel like they could be a mediocre WNBA team.

UConn Women's team can beat most boys High school team. maybe even Oak Hill Academy lol. But as for WNBA or an NBA team? Nahh they'd get it handed to them.

idk. their margin of victory is like 40 points. They could probably beat a WNBA team.

But I don't know if a bad WNBA team could beat Oak Hill, no offense to women. haha

lol Mhm 40 pts? They might be able to beat a Bad WNBA team

But I bet a bad WNBA team can beat Oak hill, some of the girls are just too big and tall.