The NCAA Tournament selection committee’s early reveal of the top-16 seeds late last week confirmed what has been evident since November to anyone with the courage to tune in: The Pac-12 is a second-rate conference.
Only Arizona was included in the reveal. The Wildcats earned a No. 1 seed, alongside Purdue, Connecticut and Houston, in a process that has proven to be a reasonably accurate predictor of the official hierarchy unveiled on Selection Sunday.
The ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten and SEC all placed multiple teams in the top 16, which was released Saturday morning.
San Diego State joined Arizona to give the Pacific Time Zone a second representative. The Aztecs, who are tied atop the Mountain West and 3-0 in head-to-head matchups with the Pac-12, earned a spot on the No. 4 seed line.
But with UCLA and Gonzaga performing below recent standards, the overall quality of play on the West Coast compares poorly to other regions as March approaches.
To the power ratings ….
1. Arizona (20-5/11-3)
Last week: 1Results: beat Arizona State 105-60NET ranking: No. 3Next up: vs. WSU (Thursday)Comment: If Washington State’s NET ranking improves by one spot in the next 48 hours, the Cougars will count as a Quadrant I opponent for Arizona in McKale Center. Of course, they would have to hold that position for the Quad I result to stick.
2. Washington State (20-6/11-4)
Last week: 2Results: beat Cal 84-65 and Stanford 72-59NET ranking: No. 31Next up: at Arizona (Thursday)Comment: One key to the success is balance. Three different players have led WSU in scoring during the seven-game winning streak: Myles Rice, Isaac Jones and Jaylen Wells.
3. Oregon (17-8/9-5)
Last week: 3Results: won at Oregon State 60-58NET ranking: No. 61Next up: at Stanford (Thursday)Comment: We keep waiting for the Ducks to take their game to the next level down the stretch — a hallmark of Dana Altman-coached teams in the past. Without a strong finish, Oregon has no chance to sneak into the NCAA at-large pool.
4. UCLA (14-12/9-6)
Last week: 4Results: beat Colorado 64-60, lost to Utah 70-69NET ranking: No. 105Next up: vs. USC (Saturday)Comment: Sebastian Mack’s elbow to the throat/neck of Utah forward Branden Carlson makes the short list of most abhorrent fouls we have ever seen in the Pac-12. A multi-game suspension should be forthcoming.
5. Colorado (17-9/8-7)
Last week: 5Results: lost at UCLA 64-60, won at USC 92-89 (2OT)NET ranking: No. 42Next up: vs. Utah (Saturday)Comment: We remain both baffled that the Buffaloes have lost seven games in a mediocre league and confident that they will reach the finals of the conference tournament, especially if CU is placed in the bracket opposite Arizona.
6. Utah (16-10/7-8)
Last week: 6Results: lost at USC 68-64, won at UCLA 70-69NET ranking: No. 50Next up: at Colorado (Saturday)Comment: A stunning win in Pauley Pavilion on several levels, but it did nothing for Utah’s NET ranking. Why? Because it counted as a Quad II result.
7. Cal (11-15/7-8)
Last week: 7Results: lost at WSU 84-65, won at Washington 82-80NET ranking: No. 120Next up: vs. Oregon State (Thursday)Comment: It’s tough to justify Mark Madsen as Pac-12 Coach of the Year, at least right now, given the success in Pullman. But if Washington State falters, the path clears for Cal’s rookie coach.
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8. Stanford (12-13/7-8)
Last week: 8Results: lost at Washington 85-65 and WSU 72-59NET ranking: No. 103Next up: vs. Oregon (Thursday)Comment: Some teams get better as the season unfolds; others get worse. On a possibly related note, Stanford has lost four of its past five.
9. Arizona State (13-13/7-8)
Last week: 9Results: beat Oregon State 79-61, lost at Arizona 105-60NET ranking: No. 135Next up: vs. Washington (Thursday)Comment: The Sun Devils cannot allow one awful loss (in Tucson) turn into consecutive losses, especially against an opponent they should handle at home Thursday night.
10. Washington (14-12/6-9)
Last week: 10Results: beat Stanford 85-65, lost to Cal 82-80NET ranking: No. 72Next up: at ASU (Thursday)Comment: The Huskies are 1-6 in conference games decided by five points or less. Draw your own conclusions.
11. USC (10-16/4-11)
Last week: 11Results: beat Utah 68-64, lost to Colorado 92-89 (OT)NET ranking: No. 108Next up: at UCLA (Saturday)Comment: Example No. 517 that things have gone all wrong: Boogie Ellis and Isaiah Collier combined for 55 points and 14 assists and the Trojans still lost at home to a middle-tier opponent (Colorado).
12. Oregon State (11-15/3-12)
Last week: 12Results: lost at ASU 79-61 and to Oregon 60-58NET ranking: No. 173Next up: at Cal (Thursday)Comment: Clearly, OSU is a basketball school … women’s basketball.
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