No. 4 North Carolina at No. 17 Arizona
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The hardest part of being a sports journalist has to be when a team you’ve loathed since you were eight years old comes into town. And you have to stay unbiased. I’m sorry, but there is no way. Because I’m from North Carolina, I can hate on UNC. It’s actually encouraged where I come from. I would love nothing more than to have the Wildcats give them a royal beating. Now, all I have to do is figure out what to wear on game day. My UA gear or my Duke gear? Probably the one that pisses off the Tar Heels the most.
Arizona 105, North Carolina 55
Melissa Krueger, assistant sports editor
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If Arizona wants to make a statement and move up in the rankings, they have a lot to prove against Michael Jordan’s alma mater. Arizona has to step up and defend against offensive juggernauts Tyler Hansbrough and Wayne Ellington, but my guess is they won’t. The Wildcats’ recent three-game skid is enough for me to believe that an upset is not imminent.
North Carolina 72, Arizona 66
Mike Ritter, staff writer
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What to choose? Did Arizona break out of its recent slump by taking it to ASU, The Wildcats’ version of an in-state punching bag? Or was the 24-point win an illusion of dominance, instead illustrating just how bad the Sun Devils are? Will Marcus Williams bounce back from his one-game suspension with a monster game? Or will super soph and preseason All-American Tyler Hansbrough take it to Arizona once again? Will I be able to get through this pick without answering any of the above questions? No.
Arizona 84, UNC 83
Ryan Casey, assistant sports editor
No. 7 Oregon at No. 20 Washington
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Don’t be distracted by the rankings; this game will be tighter than the numbers give away. The Ducks are wading at the top of the Pacific 10 Conference, while Washington State is not very far behind in the No. 3 slot. Hold on to your hats and prepare yourself for the wild ride that is Pac-10 men’s basketball. Oregon will come out with the win, though, due to the No. 1 shooter in the conference, guard Aaron Brooks (18.4 points per game).
Oregon 72, Washington St. 69
Melissa Krueger, assistant sports editor
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Believe it or not, the Cougars have me convinced. Sure, they haven’t had a winning season in more than 10 years and basically have been at the bottom of the Pac-10 ever since, but after wins over Gonzaga, San Diego State, USC and Arizona, this team might just be in it for the long haul. Not to mention the Cougars’ 75-47 win over Washington, the former best Pac-10 team in the state, might have the whole Pacific Northwest region convinced. As for Oregon, it’s already made the rounds among the Pac-10’s best. I like the Cougs.
Washington State 75, Oregon 70
Mike Ritter, staff writer
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What a game this could prove to be: a matchup of arguably the two surprise teams in the conference. It’s contender vs. pretender, the Bulls vs. the Jazz in the late’90s, the Red Sox vs. the Cardinals in 2004, anyone vs. the Bills in the Super Bowl. So who play the Bills here? I’m guessing the clock strikes midnight for the Cougs tomorrow in Pullman.
Oregon 78, Washington State 73
Ryan Casey, assistant sports editor
No. 3 UCLA at Stanford
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The Wildcats saw the athleticism of the Bruins firsthand last weekend. Arron Afflalo and Josh Shipp ran all over Arizona, but UCLA let them crawl back into the game, winning by only four points. Stanford, on the other hand, isn’t necessarily a high-caliber team, and there’s no reason it should win this game. I’ll pick the Cardinal, because, let’s face it, no one else is going to.
Stanford 69, UCLA 67
Melissa Krueger, assistant sports editor
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Let’s face it: no matter what anyone says, UCLA is the best team in the Pac-10. Yeah, it lost to Oregon on the road, and yeah, it had its share of close calls, but Stanford will be lucky to come within 15 points of the Bruins. Stanford is undoubtedly a good team, but it is not likely to compete with the 2006 national runner-up UCLA. I’d be a fool to pick against UCLA, and I’m no fool.
UCLA 73, Stanford 58
Mike Ritter, staff writer
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I’ve noticed a trend. First, the Stanford Tree gets fired for drinking during a basketball game last season. Then, the band – the band – gets suspended for allegedly vandalizing an off-campus trailer last August. Look, all I’m saying is that it’s been at least four months since a non-athlete linked to the athletic department has been in the news for the wrong reasons. I’m calling a cheerleader fight. Oh, the game? UCLA’s for real.
UCLA cheerleaders 1, Stanford cheerleaders 0
Ryan Casey, assistant sports editor
