Pac-12 men's basketball power rankings: Where does Oregon rank after three straight wins?
It was an impressive week for Pac-12 men’s basketball.
No. 1 Arizona (8-0) stayed undefeated with a 98-73 rout of then-No. 23 Wisconsin last Saturday, but the Wildcats weren’t the only team with a big nonconference win.
Washington pulled off an impressive upset with a 78-73 victory against then-No. 7 Gonzaga on Saturday in Seattle.
Utah also handed then-No. 14 BYU its first loss of the season when the Utes won 73-69 on Saturday in Salt Lake City. Colorado also defeated then-No. 15 Miami, 90-63, on Sunday.
Those victories did little to bolster the conference in the national standings, as Arizona remained the only team from the Pac-12 in Monday’s Associated Press poll, though the Buffaloes, Utes and Huskies all received votes.
On to our Pac-12 power rankings.
1. Arizona
Last week: 1
What to know: The Wildcats haven’t shied away from competition while building their undefeated record, and that won’t change on Saturday when Arizona heads to Indianapolis to take on No. 3 Purdue in what could be one of the best nonconference games of the 2023-24 preseason.
2. Colorado
Last week: 2
What to know: Tristan da Silva went off for the Buffaloes in their upset of Miami during the NABC Brooklyn Showcase game at Barclays Center, narrowly missing a triple-double. The senior forward had 22 points — 18 in the second half — 10 rebounds and nine assists.
3. Washington
Last week: 7
What to know: Center Franck Kepnang is emerging for the Huskies. The transfer from Oregon had 14 points, seven rebounds and five blocks in Washington’s upset of Gonzaga, and has joined forces with forward Keion Brooks Jr., to create a formidable duo in the front court for the Huskies.
4. Utah
Last week: 9
What to know: The Utes have been on a tear since dropping back-to-back games in mid-November — their only losses of the season. They’ve since won four straight including their rousing victory against BYU last weekend.
5. Oregon
Last week: 4
What to know: The Ducks (7-2) have won three straight games with three starters out with injuries. Freshman point guard Jackson Shelstad has given Oregon a boost since moving into the starting lineup during the winning streak. The Ducks have a neutral-site game against 7-3 Syracuse Sunday in South Dakota.
6. UCLA
Last week: 3
What to know: The young Bruins can’t get any traction or even a signature win this preseason. They’re 2-3 in their last five games with losses to Marquette, Gonzaga and Villanova. UCLA is last in the Pac-12 in scoring (69.1) but also first in scoring defense (58.75).
7. Washington State
Last week: 6
What to know: The Cougars are 8-1 heading into Saturday’s game against Santa Clara and have the best record in the Pac-12 besides undefeated Arizona. Washington State’s strength of schedule is also ranked 183rd nationally — worst in the conference.
8. Southern California
Last week: 5
What to know: Freshman Bronny James made his collegiate debut Sunday against Long Beach State but it didn’t prevent the 5-4 Trojans from losing for the third time in their last four games. The son of LeBron James had four points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in 17 minutes as he eases his way into the season.
9. Arizona State
Last week: 8
What to know: The Sun Devils’ four-game winning streak ended last Saturday in an 89-84 loss to San Diego. They’ll head into their game Saturday against TCU ranked last in the Pac-12 in rebound margin (minus-7.0) and field-goal percentage (42.2%), and 11th in scoring (70.1) and 3-point percentage (30.6%).
10. Stanford
Last week: 10
What to know: The Cardinal haven’t played since a win against San Diego on Dec. 3. They return to the court Sunday against Idaho possibly refreshed or possibly rusty, but with their break for academics behind them.
11. California
Last week: 11
What to know: The 3-6 Golden Bears have only one win in their last six games — an impressive victory against Santa Clara — with two overtime losses and three other losses by a combined nine points. If Mark Madsen’s bunch can figure out how to finish off close games, Cal could become fun to watch.
12. Oregon State
Last week: 12
What to know: The good news for the Beavers’ fanbase is their team is 6-3 and undefeated at home heading into Sunday’s game against UTSA at Gill Coliseum. But that record is a mirage as Oregon State has been unable to get comfortable wins. The Beavers have needed OT to beat Cal Poly, Troy and Appalachian State.
Follow Chris Hansen on Twitter @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Pac-12 men's basketball power rankings: Arizona, UW, Utah see big wins
