Miller: Week 15 Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Power Rankings

The Conference has the quality at the top of the league to put multiple programs in the Sweet 16

Posted on March 2, 2021


  By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports

March is here.

With four teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament, the Pac-12 has the quality at the top of the league to put multiple programs in the Sweet 16.

Pairings in the Big Dance become key, but Oregon and USC are matchup nightmares, and Colorado and UCLA have experienced upperclassmen to lead the way.

The relative parity in the rest of the Conference remains plain to see, setting the table for a tightly contested tournament in Las Vegas.

With just one week left in the Regular Season, I give you my Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Power Rankings.


1. Oregon (12-4, 17-5)

In control of their own destiny, the Ducks are playing the best basketball in the Pac-12. A victory over UCLA on Wednesday and Oregon State on Sunday would give Dana Altman his fourth Pac-12 Regular Season Championship in his 11th year in Eugene.


2. Colorado (13-6, 19-7)

There arguably isn’t a hotter team in the Conference of Champions than the Buffs. As the only Pac-12 program ranked in the AP Top 25, anything less than an appearance in the Championship Game in Las Vegas would be a disappointment.


3. UCLA (13-4, 17-5)

Securely in the field of 68, Mick Cronin and the Bruins must play consistent to move beyond the first weekend in the Big Dance. The adjustments due to the absence of Jalen Hill have been made, and UCLA enters the final week of the regular season with all its goals in sight.


4. USC (13-5, 19-6)

usc logoAndy Enfield and the Trojans are trending in the wrong direction. Teams have figured out how to slow down Evan Mobley, and the USC guards haven’t compensated. Stumbles at this time of year are difficult to overcome, but not impossible.


5. Arizona (11-9, 17-9)

The Wildcats’ season was cut short by the UA administration’s decision to self-impose a one-year postseason ban stemming from the 2017 FBI investigation surrounding recruiting violations. The decision took away Arizona’s opportunity to play in the Pac-12 Tournament, ending its season with a seventh-straight loss to Oregon.


6. Stanford (10-9, 14-11)

Without Oscar da Silva to guide the Cardinal, Stanford has lost three in a row and played itself out of the projected NCAA Tournament field. With just a single game remaining in the regular season, the Tree likely need to win the Pac-12 Tournament to play in the Big Dance.


7. Utah (7-10, 10-11)

Name a more inconsistent team in the Conference. I’ll wait. The wild swings in Utah’s play make Larry Krystkowiak’s team a dangerous wildcard in Las Vegas. The talent is there to make the semi-finals of the Pac-12 Tournament, but a loss on Wednesday wouldn’t be surprising, either.


8. Oregon State (9-9, 13-11)

At 9-9 in league play, Wayne Tinkle deserves the Pac-12’s Coach of the Year award. If the Beavers end the season with victories over Utah and Oregon this week, it would arguably be a disservice to give it to anyone else.


9. Arizona State (7-8, 10-11)

Remy Martin continues to put the Sun Devils on his back, carrying ASU down the stretch. The return of star freshmen Marcus Bagley and Josh Christopher remains questionable, but nobody wants to play Arizona State in Sin City.


10. Washington State (7-12, 14-12)

Back on a COVID-pause, the Cougars’ availability to play in Las Vegas has suddenly been thrown into question. Positive tests normally result in a shutdown for 7-10 days, putting the Wednesday start date of the conference tournament right on the edge of that window.


11. Washington (4-16, 5-20)

In some ways, Washington is playing its best basketball of the season. The Dawgs fought Arizona State and Arizona hard on Thursday and Saturday, showing the quality of UW when it plays well. And in a season with so many twists and turns, why can’t the Huskies win a game in Vegas?


12. California (3-17, 8-19)

The Bears have regressed in Mark Fox’s second season, losing close games that they would have won last year. The dramatic difference in the overall conference record is stark, even as the quality on the court is relatively comparable.




—More from Dane Miller—