The Pac-12 conference is on some kind of renaissance. The league has three top 10 AP Poll teams as of the moment: UCLA, Oregon, and Arizona, all of which are strong enough to reach the Final Four. But before the national tournament, these teams will gather for the Pac-12 tourney, which gives a chance for lower tier teams like California and USC to get solidify their credentials for the Big Dance.
You don’t want to take it easy on defense when up against the Bruins. Then again, the team could easily waste opposing teams’ efforts in slowing them down because Lonzo Ball and company seem to be unstoppable entering the Pac-12 tourney. Riding a nine-game win streak, the Bruins’ offense is torching opponents for 91.3 PPG—the best in the nation. They shoot 52.6 percent from the field and make 10.2 threes per game.
According to teamrankings.com, the Ducks have a higher chance of winning the Pac-12 tournament than everybody else in the tournament. Perhaps it’s just the lack of star power and public recognition among their players that the team lack compared to Ball and UCLA that it’s deemed slightly less favored to win the conference championship. Or maybe, Dillon Brooks’ father should take down notes whenever
Lavar Ball talks about Lonzo. In any case, the Ducks are an experienced team with enough tools led by Brooks, who is one of the best players in the nation. Brooks is averaging 16.0 PPG with a UCLA-esque 52.6 FG%, to run the gauntlet and emerge as the new Pac-12 kings.
The Bears will dive into the conference tournament with nothing much positive to say about their recent form. California has one win its last six games. It’s coming off back-to-back demoralizing losses to Utah and Colorado. Generating offense seems to be a big problem for the Bears, who averaged a pathetic 59.3 points in their last six games. The Bears’ offensive struggles can sometimes be offset by the team’s elite defense that gives up just 62.4 PPG. They allow just 91.1 points per 100 possessions, ranked ninth best by KenPom.
So long as the Bears keep the other team’s offense in check, they have a shot to win any given game. They nearly beat Oregon on Feb. 22, 68-65.
You really have to be a loyal fan to put money on the Huskies. Or a real believer of the innate craziness of college basketball. The Huskies haven’t won a game since Jan. 21.
Since then, they’ve suffered 12 straight losses, including the regular-season finale against USC (74-58). They’ll meet the Trojans again on Wednesday in the first round of the tournament likely without Markelle Fultz again. Fultz, a potential top pick in this year’s NBA Draft, is yet to be cleared to play due to a knee injury. Not having Fultz around leaves the Huskies bereft, not only of their best player, but also of the only reason you’d watch a Huskies game.
Complete Pac-12 Tournament Odds
Team
Odds
UCLA
+160
Arizona
+200
Oregon
+200
California
+1,200
Utah
+1,600
USC
+1,800
Colorado
+3,000
Stanford
+5,000
Arizona State
+7,000
Washington
+10,000
Washington State
+10,000
Oregon State
+15,000
Writer’s Prediction
Oregon puts UCLA in its place and wins the tournament.
