Men’s pac-10 tournament opponent breakdown
The Pacific 10 Tournament will include all 10 teams for the first time since its reincarnation in 2002. Arizona head coach Lute Olson said Pac-10 coaches voted unanimously to have all 10 teams play. Starting tonight in the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the No. 7 seed will play the No. 10 seed and the No. 8 seed will play the No. 9 seed. The top six teams get a bye through to Thursday’s second round. Arizona has won the tournament in four of the eight seasons. UCLA, Oregon, Stanford, and Washington (last year) have each won it once.
In order of Pac-10 finish:
No. 1 UCLA: (24-6, 14-4 in Pac-10)
Arron Afflalo
NCAA chances: In, unless team has a mutiny and refuses invitation
Key Player: All Pac-10 sophomore guard Arron Afflalo (17.1 points per game)
Good wins: Nevada, at Arizona, at California, at Michigan
Bad losses: at USC
Record versus Oregon State this year: (2-0), versus ASU (2-0)
No. 2 Washington: (24-5, 13-5)
Brandon Roy
NCAA chances: In, even though committee should look down on former Husky Nate Robinson’s 14 failed dunk attempts in NBA’s dunk contest
Key player: Pac-10 Player of the Year guard Brandon Roy (19.6 ppg)
Good wins: UCLA (twice), Gonzaga, at Arizona
Bad losses: Washington State (twice)
Record versus Oregon this year: (2-0), versus WSU (0-2)
No. 3 California (18-9, 12-6)
Leon Powe
NCAA chances: Probably need at least first round win to avoid the NIT
Key player: All Pac-10 forward Leon Powe (20.0)
Good wins: at UCLA, Washington, Arizona
Bad losses: at Eastern Michigan, Oregon State, Arizona State
Record versus USC this year: (2-0)
No. 4 Arizona (18-11, 11-7)
NCAA chances: No team with an RPI under 30 has ever missed the Big Dance (basically, we should be good to go)
Key player: All-Pac 10 freshman Marcus Williams (12.4 ppg)
Good wins: Kansas, at Washington, Western Kentucky, California
Bad losses: at Oregon, at Oregon State, at USC
Record versus Stanford this year: (2-0)
Quotable: “”It’s true that in anybody’s line of work that there are years more challenging than others”” – head coach Lute Olson
No. 5 Stanford (15-12, 11-7)
Matt Haryasz
NCAA tournament chances: Have to win Pac-10 to get in. Senior center Matt Haryasz will not play in an NIT game at home, the Stanford Daily reported.
Key player: All Pac-10 selection Haryasz (16.6 ppg)
Good wins: California, Washington
Bad losses: UC Irvine, at Montana, at UC Davis
Record versus Arizona this year: (0-2)
Quotable: “”I’d be shocked if we got consideration (for the NCAA tournament) if we didn’t win all three (Pac-10 tournament games).”” – head coach Trent Johnson
No.6 USC (17-12, 8-10)
Gabe Pruitt
NCAA chances: Only if “”Baby Jordan”” Harold Minor comes back and gets USC to run the table in the tourney
Key player: All-Pac-10 guard Gabe Pruitt (16.7 ppg)
Good wins: Arizona, UCLA, North Carolina
Bad losses: Cal State Northridge, Arizona State, at Oral Roberts (by 20)
No. 7 Oregon (13-17, 7-11)
Malik Hairston
NCAA chances: Only if the Luke and Luke show were back in college
Key player: sophomore guard Malik Hairston (14.4 ppg)
Good wins: Arizona
Bad losses: at Portland, Portland State
No. 8 Oregon State (12-17, 5-13)
Sasa Cuic
NCAA chances: Only if Jay John told the committee he was still an Arizona assistant
Key player: sophomore forward Sasa Cuic (13.9 ppg)
Good wins: Arizona, California
Bad losses: at Portland, Northwestern State, at Tennessee Tech (by 28), ASU (twice)
No. 9 Arizona State (11-16, 5-13)
Jeff Pendergraph
NCAA chances: Better chance of hell freezing over (or Rob Evans keeping his job)
Key player: All-Pac-10 freshman Jeff Pendergraph (11.1 ppg)
Good wins: Northern Arizona, at California
Bad losses: Utah Valley State, Oregon (twice)
No. 10 Washington State (11-16, 4-14)
Josh Akognon
NCAA chance: Better chance of head coach Dick Bennett un-retiring or quitting golf
Key player: sophomore guard Josh Akognon (10.4 ppg)
Good wins: Washington (twice), at San Diego State
Bad losses: Oregon (twice), Oregon State (twice)
Quotable: “”Who knows what can happen, that’s the beauty of tournament time.”” – Bennett
