State Press men's basketball lead reporter Matthew Tonis ranks the 12 teams in the conference. The number in the graphic references the position in the Pac-12; the number headlining each section is his placement of the teams.
1.
The Ducks, ranked No. 11 in AP and No. 12 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, are the clear cut best team in the conference and on the verge of becoming a top ten team if they can survive a trip to the Bay Area this weekend. Both of Oregon’s conference losses came on the road in tough environments, allowing it a pass and solidifying its place at the top.
2.
The Trojans continued their Cinderella run with a three-game winning streak, becoming ranked for the second time this season. The marquee matchup of the weekend takes place in Tucson on Valentine’s Day as USC and Arizona face off in a rematch of their four-overtime battle in January.
3.
The Wildcats are slotted behind USC due to their loss to the Trojans in their aforementioned thriller, but hosting this matchup gives them an advantage. Arizona is more vulnerable at home then it has been — it recently lost at home for the first time since Feb. 20, 2013 — but McKale Center is one of the best home court advantages around.
4.
The Beavers move up strictly because of how mediocre the Pac-12 has been and beating two similarly-ranked teams. Gary Payton II is still really good, averaging 16.5 points per game, so the Beavers have a chance every night. However, closing the season with five of seven games on the road will be tough to overcome.
5.
The Utes took one on the chin in Oregon last weekend, but Jakob Poeltl is still killing it in the middle. Despite fouling a lot, Poeltl has reached double-digit points in his last seven games and averages team-high 17.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game to pace his squad.
6.
The Huskies are the most battle-tested team this season despite playing on a roster that ranks amongst the most freshman-filled in the country. Washington has played in four overtime games, going 3-1 in them, most recently beating ASU in Seattle.
7.
The Buffaloes were swept in Oregon, bringing a swift end to their three game upswing. Senior forward Josh Scott is still leading the charge for Colorado, averaging nearly a double-double at 16.7 points and 9.1 assists.
8.
The hyped Golden Bears are definitely the most predictable team in the conference this year, having not won on the road or lost at home. Despite having two top ten NBA Draft prospects on its roster, Cal has fans pulling their hair out over the lack of consistency.
9.
Maybe we should have seen this coming when the Bruins lost to Monmouth at home, huh? UCLA, despite impressive wins over Kentucky and Gonzaga, refuse to play well in the conference. The Bruins have lost three of four and have a tough trip to The Copper State on the docket.
10.
The Cardinal are doing all they can with no true star, but Johnny Dawkins’ team just isn’t up to snuff. Stanford hasn’t won a conference game by more than six points and they can’t put teams away, which gives the Cardinal trouble against the cream of the crop.
11.
The Sun Devils are doing all they can with nine scholarship players — eight, with the suspension of sophomore guard Maurice O’Field — but being undermanned hurts in a conference as deep as the Pac-12. ASU’s win came at the expense of Washington State, the only team with fewer conference wins than the Sun Devils.
12.
The Cougars are like a free-loading kid with how much time they’ve spent in the basement. Resident bright spot Josh Hawkinson has been banged up, missing Wazzu’s loss to ASU, but he probably would not have made up the 12-point final margin.
Reach the reporter at mtonis@asu.edu or follow @Tonis_The_Tiger on Twitter.
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