The Pac-10 is still a two-team race, what’s left to decide is the champion and if anyone else can make a push for the NCAA tournament.
1. Washington (15-4, 7-1 Pac-10)
It was a good week for UW, as the Huskies maintained their claim to the top spot in the conference with an 85-68 victory over UA on Jan. 20.
Junior point guard Isaiah Thomas has taken his game to the next level, leading the Pac-10 in assists and maintaining his 16.9 points-per-game average, while junior forward Matthew Bryan-Amaning has vastly improved to give the Huskies an inside threat.
UW is the deepest and most talented team in the conference and last week they proved that it isn’t even close. Barring a major injury, UW should cruise to the conference title.
2. Arizona (16-4, 5-2)
The Wildcats’ stay in the Top 25 didn’t last long, as they dropped out of the polls after losing by 17 in Seattle on Thursday. The Wildcats bounced back and rallied for a win at Washington State to get a split on the road trip.
Sophomore forward Derrick Williams didn’t score for most of the second half against UW, a big reason why the Huskies pulled away. He is the only Wildcat scoring in double figures this season.
Another big Thursday game looms this week as they host UCLA on ESPN.
3. UCLA (13-6, 5-2)
The Bruins went 2-0 again last weekend and stretched their winning streak out to four games.
UCLA is now firmly in the NCAA Tournament discussion, currently one of the final teams in ESPN’s bracket. Sophomore forward Reeves Nelson helped the Bruins avoid a major setback, tipping in a buzzer beater to beat California on Thursday.
For UCLA to solidify themselves as a tournament team, they must not lose to the bottom teams in the conference and they must pick up a few statement wins along the way. The chances will be there, starting in Tucson on Thursday.
4. Washington St. (14-6, 4-4)
The Cougars took care of business against ASU on Thursday, but let a golden opportunity to pick up a huge win slip away against UA. WSU led for the majority of the game, but couldn’t hold off the resurgent Wildcats.
Junior guard Klay Thompson had his worst game of the season against UA, including missing a potentially game-tying shot at the buzzer.
The Cougars get another chance at a resume-building win on Sunday when they host UW.
Right now WSU is on the outside of the NCAA Tournament and will need to collect at least one win in its two contests with UW and possibly get a win in Tucson to make the dance.
5. California (10-9, 3-4)
The Golden Bears are playing good basketball, collecting a road victory over USC and nearly winning at Pauley Pavilion last Thursday.
Arizona native and junior forward Harper Kamp is averaging 19.5 points per game in his last four contests.
The Golden Bears have a chance to get on a roll, with four straight home games upcoming on the schedule. Three of those four games are against Oregon, Oregon State and ASU.
Cal could build a lot of momentum down the stretch and continue its run of improved play.
6. USC (11-9, 3-4)
Defense is the Trojan’s bread and butter and they displayed their ability on Thursday, holding Stanford to just 42 points. But instead of building on the blowout win, USC dropped a home game to California on Saturday.
The Trojans postseason hopes are hanging by a thread, only because of their non-conference performance. USC must win in Tempe on Thursday before heading to Tucson and making a cross-town trip to take on UCLA next week.
There is no more time for USC letdowns. One more loss against middle-of-the-road Pac-10 teams will end their tournament chances.
It is also important to note that highly-touted freshman Bryce Jones has left the program.
7. Stanford (10-8, 3-4)
Things have not gone well for the Cardinal since its upset win over UW on Jan. 13. A pair of double-digit losses this weekend in Los Angeles probably ended any outside chance Stanford had at the tournament.
The Cardinal simply has a hard time shooting the basketball, which leads to struggling offense. Stanford plays good defense, but doesn’t score enough to compete with teams that score on its defense.
Stanford hosts the Oregon schools this weekend, a prime chance to get back on track with hopes of getting some momentum heading into a rough schedule in mid-February.
8. Oregon St. (8-10, 3-4)
A poor shooting night cost the Beavers in the Civil War in Corvallis, giving their rival Ducks their second conference victory.
Since starting 2-0 in conference play, OSU is just 1-4. Getting consistent play from sophomore guard Jared Cunningham, senior guard Calvin Haynes and redshirt freshman guard Roberto Nelson will be key to the Beavers’ success the rest of the way.
Which OSU team will we see the rest of the season? The team that upset UA or the team that had a miserable non-conference schedule?
9. Oregon (8-10, 2-5)
Coach Dana Altman has used nine different starting lineups this season and finally found one that worked.
The Ducks’ win over OSU is a step in the right direction, but UO still has a long way to go.
There is no consistent scorer on the team. Sophomore guard EJ Singler is streaky, while senior forward Joevan Catron has battled injuries. Junior guard Malcolm Armstead has all but disappeared after having a promising season last year.
The Ducks may have the least talent of any team in the conference, but Altman is getting his team to play hard every night. Because of that, they will surprise a few teams.
10. Arizona St. (9-10, 1-6)
Ty Abbott called ASU’s performance against Washington State “embarrassing.”
The Sun Devils did bounce back and play very well in a loss at Washington on Saturday and showed signs that they won’t quit.
Injuries have prevented this team from getting into a rhythm. Many of the key players have missed a lot of practice time. When trying to mesh seven newcomers with three seniors, practice time is everything.
Post play will likely be a weakness all season.
Reach the reporter at andrew.gruman@asu.edu
