It has only been a week since the last power rankings, but it has been a busy one.
While no team has made a huge jump, some positions at the top have become clearer while other spots have become decidedly murkier.
1. Stanford (16-2, 7-0 Pac-10)
Top dog status in the Pac-10 has been decided, for now. The Cardinal was perfect again last weekend, and a highly anticipated matchup against No. 11 UCLA quickly turned into a Stanford rout, 64-38. Two days later they brushed aside USC, 95-51, and are headed up to Oregon to wreak havoc this weekend.
It was previously pointed out that Stanford’s two losses meant the team does have a weakness. However, the Cardinal is unbeaten since dropping back-to-back games against DePaul and Tennessee, and right now, it doesn’t look like there is a team in the conference that can challenge them.
Look for Stanford to go undefeated for the rest of the season.
2. UCLA (16-2, 6-1 Pac-10)
The Bruins have the same overall record as Stanford, but last Thursday’s game was anything but equal. UCLA has the depth to run the table on the rest of the Pac-10, but that Feb. 20 home game against the Cardinal is going to be circled on the Bruins calendar. Even if they lose, UCLA needs to play a solid game and prove that they can keep up with Stanford.
A solid win over Cal on Saturday helped the Bruins shake off most of the effects of the Stanford loss. A win at home against Arizona State on Thursday could help UCLA gain back the momentum they had before the rout.
3. USC (12-6, 4-3 Pac-10)
Here’s where it get hazy. Splitting their two-game trip to the Bay Area would have been acceptable for the Women of Troy. Instead, poor rebounding led to a loss against an underperforming Cal squad, and Saturday’s game against Stanford was a no-contest.
USC is now 5-6 when playing away from home, which will have to improve if the squad wants to be considered for a NCAA tournament berth.
However, the Women of Troy keep their spot from last week because the two other teams with the same conference record also lost to Cal and Stanford on the road.
Plenty will be decided when the Arizona schools head to Los Angeles this weekend.
4. Arizona State (12-5, 4-3 Pac-10)
A disappointing loss to lowly Washington State showed the Sun Devils two things.
First, the offense is not as consistent as they would hope and their defense will be the driving force behind a successful season.
Second, there really is no such thing as a lowly Pac-10 team.
A win against a hungry Washington team two days later helped ASU get back on track. A huge away trip this weekend to USC and UCLA will be an excellent gauge as to how far this young team has come.
5. Arizona (13-5, 4-3 Pac-10)
The Wildcats used their own solid defense to avoid two dangerous losses against the Washington schools and are riding high heading in to this weekend.
This is undoubtedly one of the best teams UA has fielded in a long time, and the Wildcats are very close to becoming a major player in the conference.
Although they are currently third in the conference standings thanks to their 13 wins, UA still lost big against the Sun Devils on Jan. 16 and haven’t earned the benefit of the doubt just yet.
6. Oregon (12-6, 3-4 Pac-10)
The Ducks pulled off a win in the Civil War on Sunday, and while a single-digit win against bottom-dwellers OSU may not be impressive, it’s still a conference victory.
OU’s 12 wins put them ahead of California in the rankings, but they have Stanford looming on Thursday. The Ducks have to make sure they’re prepared for Cal on Saturday.
7. California (11-7, 3-4 Pac-10)
After a big win against USC on Jan. 20, Cal couldn’t complete a second-half comeback against UCLA the following Saturday.
The Golden Bears are just 2-5 away from home and are looking at four straight road games beginning on Thursday against Oregon State.
These games will be must-wins for a team that was expected to finish in the top half of the conference.
8. Washington State (5-15, 3-5 Pac-10)
The only team to really make noise this past weekend, WSU shot an incredible 64.7 percent from behind the arc against ASU, which was the deciding factor in its upset win against the Sun Devils.
The Cougars have now won three of their last five games. Despite a terrible start to the season, things could be turning around.
9. Washington (7-10, 2-6 Pac-10)
The Huskies left Arizona without a win and with a bitter taste in their mouths.
UW had a chance to force overtime in the waning seconds against both UA and ASU, but a costly turnover and a blocked shot means the Huskies will head into this weekend’s home game against Washington State with something to prove.
UW needs a rivalry win in Seattle to bounce back.
10. Oregon State (7-10, 0-6 Pac-10)
Another week has gone by, but not much has changed for the Beavers.
Senior forward El Sara Greer had a double-double against Oregon. Even though OSU put up a fight, the team still couldn’t earn the victory.
An upcoming home game against Stanford doesn’t appear winnable, and the Beavers will likely have to wait for Cal on Saturday for a chance to notch their first conference win of the season.
Reach the reporter at egrasser@asu.edu
