It’s conference preview time!
Over the next few months, we’ll break down one league every week, featuring key questions, preseason power rankings, preseason awards, and more.
This week’s focus is on the Pac-12.
Check below for a comprehensive breakdown of the conference:
Five Questions entering the Pac-12
1. How many Pac-12 teams will reach the 2021 NCAA Tournament?
At least five and don’t be shocked if it’s more. The Pac-12 has a legitimate chance to tie its 2016 record next March of having seven teams from its league reach the field of 68. Five Pac-12 teams — UCLA, Arizona State, Oregon, Stanford, and Arizona — are currently ranked in the ROTHSTEIN 45 while four others — USC, Colorado, Utah, and Washington — will all begin practice this week with a legitimate chance to reach the 2021 NCAA Tournament. On paper, the conference looks extremely capable.
2. What can Mick Cronin do for an encore?
Win the Pac-12 regular season title and earn a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. Cronin’s first season in Westwood was the epitome of a rollercoaster; the Bruins began the year 8-9 and then won 11 of their final 14 games to finish second in the conference behind Oregon. UCLA will return eight players from a year ago who averaged double-figure minutes and will also add a Top-100 freshman in Jaylen Clark as well as a potential starter in Kentucky transfer Johnny Juzang. A 10-man rotation should give Cronin the depth he needs to effectively pressure opponents with regularity; an improved commitment to defense will also be a major focus of the veteran head coach. UCLA’s opponents averaged 67 points last season, with 13 of the 31 opponents scoring 70 or more. By comparison, Cronin’s last team at Cincinnati two years ago held its opponents to an average of 62.7 points while only allowing its opponents to score 70 or more seven times in 35 games.
3. How will Arizona State rebound the basketball?
Romello White’s decision to graduate and transfer to Ole Miss means that Arizona State won’t return a single player that averaged more than 3.5 rebounds last season. Bobby Hurley said over the summer that 6-9 sophomore Jalen Graham is in position to have a breakout year in the pivot and he feels like the likely candidate to take over the role that’s been vacated by White’s departure. Graham averaged 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds last season and had three consecutive games in the middle of Pac-12 play with six or more rebounds. With Remy Martin, Alonzo Verge, Josh Christopher, and Marcus Bagley, the Sun Devils are well positioned to be one of the most exciting teams in college basketball in 20-21, but the Sun Devils’ postseason ceiling may ultimately hinge on how well Graham and others can consistently rebound the basketball.
4. Which Oregon guard is about to hit the national radar?
Will Richardson. The 6-5 junior did his work in the shadows over the past few seasons because of Payton Pritchard, but that’s soon about to change. Richardson has great size, plays at a steady pace, and has an uncanny ability to be efficient on offense while always staying under control and using angles effectively around the rim. Last season as a sophomore, he averaged 11 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting an impressive 47.9 percent from the field and 46.9 percent from three-point range. With Pritchard no longer a part of Oregon’s program, look for Richardson to step into the role he left behind as the Ducks’ primary facilitator and initiator on offense.
5. Who is the sleeper?
Washington. The Huskies were 11-4 in their first 15 games last season before Quade Green — Washington’s starting point guard — was ruled academically ineligible. Following that, Mike Hopkins’ squad never recovered and finished 6-13 the rest of the way. Green is now back eligible and should anchor a perimeter driven attack that also features another All-Pac-12 caliber player in 6-6 senior Naz Carter. Four other players who averaged double-figure minutes a year ago — Marcus Tsohonis, Hameir Wright, RaeQuan Battle, and Jamal Bey — also return. The Huskies are also hopeful that Wichita State transfer Erik Stevenson receives a waiver from the NCAA to gain immediate eligibility for next season. Hopkins needs front court mileage out of both Nate Roberts and USC transfer J’Raan Brooks and if that happens there’s no reason that Washington can’t be in the NCAA Tournament picture in 2021. The Huskies won’t have the ceiling they boasted a year ago when they had both Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels on their roster, but the floor of this team seems to be considerably more stable.
Pac-12 Preseason Power Rankings
1. UCLA
2. Arizona State
3. Oregon
4. Stanford
5. Arizona
6. USC
7. Colorado
8. Utah
9. Washington
10. Cal
11. Washington State
12. Oregon State
Pac-12 Preseason First-Team
Remy Martin, Arizona State
McKinley Wright, Colorado
Chris Smith, UCLA
Timmy Allen, Utah
Evan Mobley, USC
Pac-12 Preseason Player of the Year
Remy Martin, Arizona State
15 Impact Freshmen
*In no particular order
Jaylen Clark, UCLA
Ziaire Williams, Stanford
Josh Christopher, Arizona State
Marcus Bagley, Arizona State
Jalen Terry, Oregon
Kerr Kriisa, Arizona
Ben Mathurin, Arizona
Dalen Terry, Arizona
Azuolas Tubelis, Arizona
Evan Mobley, USC
Ian Martinez, Utah
Pelle Larsson, Utah
Keeshawn Barthelemy, Colorado (redshirt)
Dominique Clifford, Colorado
Andrej Jakimovski, Washington State
10 Impact Transfers
*In no particular order
*This does not include transfers who have filed for waivers with the NCAA
Johnny Juzang, UCLA (Kentucky)
Eugene Omoruyi, Oregon (Rutgers)
Eric Williams, Oregon (Duquesne)
Amauri Hardy, Oregon (UNLV)
Jordan Brown, Arizona (Nevada)
James Akinjo, Arizona (Georgetown)
Terrell Brown, Arizona (Seattle)
Jeriah Horne, Colorado (Tulsa)
Noah Baumann, USC (San Jose State)
J’Raan Brooks, Washington (USC)
10 Breakout Players
*In no particular order
Jaime Jaquez, UCLA
Jalen Graham, Arizona State
N’Faly Dante, Oregon
Christian Koloko, Arizona
Ethan Anderson, USC
Evan Battey, Colorado
Alfonso Plummer, Utah
RaeQuan Battle, Washington
Jamal Bey, Washington
Noah Williams, Washington State
