Pac-12 women’s basketball power rankings: Big weekend awaits as conference nears its end
With most of the top teams in the Pac-12 suffering losses, the rankings remain mostly unchanged, as Stanford, USC, Oregon State, Utah, and Colorado all lost at least once over the weekend.
The Beavers are still adjusting to life without Raegan Beers, and the Ducks rank at the bottom of the Pac-12 for yet another week after their 11th straight loss on Sunday.
Here's our latest Pac-12 women's basketball power rankings.
1. Stanford
Last week: 1
What to know: With the chaos around the top of the standings, the Cardinal’s stunning loss to Arizona didn’t hurt them too much with just one weekend left to play against the Oregon schools. With a win against Oregon State in Corvallis on Thursday, Stanford would clinch the Pac-12 regular season title outright.
2. USC
Last week: 2
What to know: Just like the Cardinal, the Trojans suffered a defeat to Utah, but maintained their place in the standings thanks to other chaos around the top. Though it’s a long shot, USC has a chance to win the Pac-12 title if Stanford can trip up twice.
3. UCLA
Last week: 6
What to know: The Bruins finally looked like the team they were during nonconference play, dismantling Utah by 30 points before hanging on against Colorado in a slugfest on Monday in front of a national audience on ESPN. UCLA took a big step forward in its pursuit of a top-4 seed in the conference tournament and could use a sweep over the Arizona schools to assure one of the best spots.
4. Oregon State
Last week: 3
What to know: The Beavers are still struggling to reach the heights they found midway through the year without star post Beers – who has been out with injury since mid-February – escaping Pullman with a win before dropping a stunner to Washington in Seattle. A huge weekend awaits Oregon State with the Bay Area schools coming to town, and a chance to clinch a top-4 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament.
5. Utah
Last week: 5
What to know: The Utes had an up-and-down weekend, getting pummeled by UCLA on Thursday before halting USC’s win streak on the road Sunday in a six-point win. Utah is taking on the Washington schools this week, and with a sweep could sneak into the top-4 of the Pac-12 after sitting on the outside looking in for most of the season.
6. Colorado
Last week: 4
What to know: The Buffaloes have picked a bad time to get into a slump, dropping four straight games heading into the final weekend of the regular season. A reminder that this Colorado team defeated defending national champion and 2024 favorite LSU in its season opener, and likely won’t finish in the top-4 of the Pac-12 during the regular season.
7. Arizona
Last week: 7
What to know: It doesn’t change the standings too much, but the Wildcats picked up a huge momentum-building win against Stanford last weekend, and now has a two-game lead on Washington State and Cal for the No. 7 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament with the LA schools on the horizon. Arizona swept Cal this season and split with Washington State but has a win against the presumed favorite in the conference, Stanford, for the second tiebreaker. If things hold to form, even with two losses, the Wildcats should solidly be in the seventh seed.
8. Cal
Last week: 8
What to know: The Golden Bears beat ASU, then fell to Arizona to stand pat in the standings. Cal swept WSU during the regular season, so if it were to tie the Cougars in the standings, it would finish as the eighth seed. Barring unforeseen chaos, the Bears and Cougars will probably play each other in the first round in Las Vegas next week as the No. 8 and 9 seeds.
9. Washington State
Last week: 9
What to know: The Cougars fell to Oregon State but slipped past Oregon to stay a game ahead of Washington in the standings, but this final week against Utah and Colorado could determine the middle of the pack, with WSU in play for as high as the No. 8 seed.
10. Washington
Last week: 10
What to know: The Huskies desperately needed a weekend like the one they had, with tight wins against Oregon and Oregon State at home. Now it will be a matter of whether UW can keep its momentum against the mountain schools and make a push for a higher seed in Vegas.
11. Arizona State
Last week: 11
What to know: A win this weekend against either LA school would likely ensure the Sun Devils finish no lower than 11th, but neither the No. 12 or 11 seeds are in an enviable position heading into the Pac-12 Tourney – with a likely date against a top-15 ranked team in the first round. ASU is up one game on the Ducks in the standings, but don’t have the head-to-head tiebreaker.
12. Oregon
Last week: 12
What to know: The Ducks kept close with the Washington schools last weekend on the road but dropped two crucial conference games to move their loss streak to 11, tying a program record. With the losses, Oregon can finish no better than 11th in the conference this year and will likely play a top-15 opponent in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. The Ducks take on the Bay Area schools this week, and with a win could pass Arizona State for 11th.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on Twitter @AlecDietz.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Pac-12 women’s basketball power rankings: Oregon State struggling
