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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

Pac-12 power rankings: Arizona bounces back, UCLA keeps moving up

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Tyler Baker
Tyler Baker/The Daily Wildcat

1 No. 7 Arizona (22-3, 10-2 Pac-12 Conference)

True to form, the Wildcats atoned for their bad loss at ASU by scoring impressive wins at the Washington schools. How long will they keep rolling, though? Rondae Hollis-Jefferson earned Pac-12 Player of the Week honors for his contributions, with team-highs of 17 points and 9.5 rebounds, and he also earned spots on blooper and highlight reels for his slip on a dunk attempt.

Last week: First, W at Washington 86-62, W at Washington State 86-59

This week: vs. USC (10-15, 2-11), vs. UCLA (16-10, 8-5)

2 No. 9 Utah (20-4, 10-2)

The Utes kept pace with the Wildcats with a sweep of the Bay Area schools. Utah can’t look ahead to the huge Feb. 28 de facto Pac-12 championship game with Arizona, though. This week, they face the tall task of winning at Oregon State.

Last week: Second, W vs. Stanford 75-59, W vs. California 76-61

This week: at Oregon State (16-9, 7-6), at Oregon (18-8, 8-5)

3 UCLA (16-10, 8-5)

Don’t look now, but the Bruins have played themselves back into the NCAA tournament after their horrid start. After losing five in a row, including once scoring only seven points in an entire half, everyone buried them, even this Pac-12 pundit. However, the Bruins have snuck into the last four in slot of ESPN’s Bracketology.

Last week: Third, W vs. Oregon State 75-59, W vs. Oregon 72-63

This week: at ASU (13-12, 5-7), at No. 7 Arizona (22-3, 10-2)

4 Stanford (16-9, 7-6)

The Cardinal was an NCAA tournament team and a potential challengers for the Pac-12 title not too long ago. Now, it’s lost four of its last five, including a loss to lowly Colorado. This week, we’ll see how far its fallen and how far Cal has climbed when the NorCal rivals face off.

Last week: Fourth, L at Utah 75-59, L at Colorado 64-58

This week: vs. California (16-10, 6-7)

5 Oregon (18-8, 8-5)

The Ducks have won four of their last five and six of their last eight. However, they lost a potential statement game against UCLA in the battle of the Pac-12’s renaissance teams.

Last week: Fifth, W at USC 80-75, L at UCLA 72-63

This week: vs. Colorado (12-12, 5-7), vs. No. 9 Utah (20-4, 10-2)

6 Oregon State (16-9, 7-6)

The Beavers should drop (they played on the road, so of course they lost both games), but there’s not really anyone to move ahead of them. Oregon State has had so much trouble on the road that its plane home on Sunday had to be delayed due to a scorpion attack.

Last week: Sixth, L at UCLA 75-59, L at USC 68-55

This week: vs. No. 9 Utah (20-4, 10-2), vs. Colorado (12-12, 5-7)

7 ASU (13-12, 5-7)

The Sun Devils earned the split in Washington, which is normally an impressive feat. However, Washington is so bad of late that it needs to change its name from UW to UL.

Last week: Ninth, L at Washington State 74-71, W at Washington 78-68

This week: vs. UCLA (16-10, 8-5), vs. USC (10-15, 2-11)

8 California (16-10, 6-7)

Last week on the Rocky Mountain road trip, the Golden Bears continued their rebirth. Cal beat CU, and while they lost at Utah, you have to walk before you can run.

Last week: Eighth, W at Colorado 68-61, L at Utah 76-61

This week: at Stanford (16-9, 7-6)

9 Colorado (12-12, 5-7)

The Buffaloes showed some signs of life last week by upsetting Stanford. The win snapped CU’s three-game losing streak. A sweep of the Oregon schools this week would make things interesting.

Last week: 10th, L vs. California 68-61, W vs. Stanford 64-58

This week: at Oregon (18-8, 8-5), at Oregon State (16-9, 7-6)

10 Washington State  (11-14, 5-8)

The Cougars had their way with ASU but then got spanked by the Wildcats. WSU has lost seven of its last nine.

Last week: Ninth, W vs. ASU 74-71, L vs. Arizona 86-59

This week: vs. Washington (14-11, 3-10)

11 USC (10-15, 2-11)

The Trojans snapped their nine-game losing streak last week by burying the Beavers. Was that due to USC playing better, or Oregon State playing like Oregon State on the road? Maybe the Trojans can steal a win in the desert this weekend, but ruining Jason Terry night on Thursday seems pretty impossible.

Last week: 12th, L vs. Oregon 80-75, W vs. Oregon State 68-55

This week: at No. 7 Arizona (22-3, 10-2), at ASU (13-12, 5-7)

12 Washington (14-11, 3-10)

The Huskies have lost seven in a row. It’s a good thing Washington had a “blackout” against Arizona last weekend, because it was another one to forget. It should be noted that the Daily Wildcat does not endorse binge drinking, though.

Last week: 10th, L vs. Arizona 86-62, L vs. ASU 78-68

This week: at Washington State (11-14, 5-8)

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Follow James Kelley on Twitter.

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