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Non-conference scheduling studs and duds: The Pac-12

Non-conference scheduling studs and duds: The Pac-12

Since most of next season's non-conference schedules have finally been released, it's a good time to assess whose slates are the most daunting and who didn't challenge themselves enough. The Dagger will go league-by-league the next two weeks. Up next: The Pac-12.

Toughest non-league schedule: UCLA

It won't take long to figure out whether UCLA's newcomers can provide the firepower to replace first-round draft picks Kyle Anderson, Jordan Adams and Zach Lavine. By the time the Bruins start Pac-12 play, they could face as many as five teams that begin the season in the Top 25.

One reason UCLA's schedule is the Pac-12's toughest is because the Bruins will participate in the most formidable holiday tournament of the college hoops season. They open the Battle 4 Atlantis against Big 12 contender Oklahoma, meet either North Carolina or Butler on day two and square off against Wisconsin, Florida, Georgetown or UAB on day three.

Besides that, UCLA has a pair of individual games against elite opposition: a visit from Gonzaga on Dec. 13 and a neutral-court matchup in Chicago with likely preseason No. 1 Kentucky on Dec. 20. Then there's also a tricky road game at Alabama on Dec. 28. So this is definitely a tougher schedule than UCLA has played in the recent past. The Bruins will have to hope their returning perimeter talent and their frontcourt-heavy recruiting class are up to the challenge.

Easiest non-league schedule: Washington State

Washington State's non-conference games can easily be separated into two categories: Gonzaga and everything else. The neutral-court rivalry game against the loaded Zags on Dec. 10 should be intriguing, but Cougs fans will have to survive plenty of yawners before and afterward.

The only two true non-league road games Washington State will play in Ernie Kent's debut season are at a UTEP team that could contend in Conference USA and a TCU team looking to stay out of the basement in the Big 12. The Cougars will also participate in the Great Alaska Shootout, a once-proud tournament now a shell of its former self. Washington State will face UC Santa Barbara, either Mercer or Rice and one of Colorado State, Missouri State, Pacific and Alaska Anchorage.

The rest of Washington State's schedule is the usual collection of bottom-tier home games, from Idaho State, to San Jose State, to Idaho, to UC Davis. So it's a weak enough schedule that if Devonte Lacy picks up where he left off last season and sophomores Ike Iroegbu and Que Johnson build on promising freshman seasons, the Cougars could carry a strong record into Pac-12 play.

Team that scheduled too hard: If anyone, Stanford

Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins assembled a schedule worthy of a Sweet 16 team this season. The question is whether this year's Cardinal will be able to absorb the loss of Dwight Powell and Josh Huestis and build on last year's strong finish.

The three toughest individual games on Stanford's schedule are a home game against defending national champion UConn and visits to Big 12 contender Texas and WCC power BYU. Stanford will also participate in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in Brooklyn, where they will face UNLV in the semifinals and either potential top-five Duke or Temple on day two.

That schedule could be a good fit for Stanford if starters Stefan Nastic and Anthony Brown continue to develop and a promising freshman class highlighted by McDonald's All-American Reid Travis is ready to make an instant impact. The schedule also could bury the Cardinal if the freshmen need time to develop and Pac-12 player of the year candidate Chasson Randle has to carry too much of the burden.

Team that scheduled too soft: Washington

It's not entirely Lorenzo Romar's fault that his team has maybe the weakest schedule of any of the Pac-12's realistic NCAA tournament contenders. Washington received no help whatsoever from those who assembled the field and the bracket for the Wooden Legacy tournament over Thanksgiving weekend.

The Huskies open with San Jose State and meet either Long Beach State or Western Michigan on day two. The 49ers and Broncos should both contend in their respective leagues, but the only real strength of schedule bump Washington can receive from the event would come from a potential meeting with Xavier on day three.

Washington does have two marquee games — a home date against San Diego State and a neutral-court matchup with Oklahoma — but there's a ton of pressure on the Huskies to win at least one of those given the state of the rest of their schedule. Lose both, and there's a good chance Washington could enter Pac-12 play in January still in search of its first quality win.

Three Pac-12 non-conference games to watch:

1. Gonzaga at Arizona, Dec. 6: This rematch of Arizona's round of 32 NCAA tournament victory last March could also be a battle of the two best teams in the West next season. The Zags return all but two key players and add a strong recruiting class as well as USC transfer Byron Wesley. Arizona will make up for the loss of Nick Johnson and Aaron Gordon with McDonald's All-American Stanley Johnson and a now healthy Brandon Ashley.

2. UCLA vs. Kentucky, Dec. 20: The last time these two tradition-rich programs met, the Bruins secured a 73-68 victory at the Maui Invitational in 2006. Their task will be a little tougher this season with three first-round draft picks having moved on to the NBA and Kentucky boasting a roster featuring nine McDonald's All-Americans.

3. Utah at San Diego State, Nov. 18: Every key player besides Princeton Onwas is back for Utah from a team that was NCAA tournament-caliber by the end of the season but just didn't play a strong enough non-league schedule to make it. That won't be a problem this season with the Utes also hosting Wichita State and visiting Kansas, BU and UNLV in addition to this intriguing opening-week test at San Diego State.

Game that should have been scheduled but wasn't: USC-UTEP

The feud between Tim Floyd and Andy Enfield has already featured tampering accusations over a McDonald's All-American, mean-spirited jabs in a magazine article and a confrontation so heated that the two men had to be separated by members of their staff. About the only thing it has lacked is a chance for the two coaches to settle their differences on the floor itself.

Alas, don't expect USC and UTEP to schedule a home-and-home series anytime soon. The only way this happens is if the two match up in a preseason or postseason tournament down the road.

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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!