Pac-12 May Finally Dance on Final Four Weekend

By Ken Cross

The Pac-12, Mountain West Conference, WCC and Big West get lost in the shuffle of the bubble conversation. The overall respect equated to their basketball brethren in the Midwest, East and Northeast as the predominant ideology stems largely from the fact that everyone on the East coast is asleep when their games are over. Members of the NCAA Selection Committee and voters in the polls should know these teams inside-out, as well.

The Pac-12 should be under the microscope nationally as its RPI currently sits at No. 2, while the strength of schedule of the entire league is also at No. 2. The following is a breakdown of the six teams that should be locks to garner NCAA bids and why they will be a tough out when the brackets are announced. The Final Four drought may be broken this year as UCLA was the last team to make the last weekend (2008).

1) Oregon – The Ducks are a balanced team with four starters averaging double figures as Dana Altman can go eight or nine deep with athletes that are capable of matching up with anyone in the nation. Oregon is undefeated when they hold opponents below 70 points (14-0). The key is matching up on the perimeter with the three-point games of opponents. That is a cause for concern for Altman. Dillon Brooks averages 17 points per game and he has turned into a leader on what is a team that the nation is sleeping on, even though Oregon is tied for the top in the Pac-12. Chris Boucher bears watching on defense with 87 blocks, as he is one of the top rim protectors in college basketball.

2) Arizona – Sean Miller has come to within one game of the Final Four in his last two years and the balance of the Wildcats makes them a favorite once again. The ultra-athletic Allonzo Trier is back after missing six games due to an injury. He can guard an opponents’ best player or he can dominate the inside-outside game on offense with his arsenal of weapons. Gabe York is a marksman on the perimeter, shooting 42.3 percent, while Kadeem Allen and Parker Jackson-Cartwright facilitate the offense with efficiency. Kaleb Tarczewski, Ryan Anderson, and Trier make this one of the nation’s top rebounding teams (plus-11.4). The key for Arizona may be forcing more turnovers on the perimeter and getting athletes like Trier on the rim-runs to the basket.

3) USC – Andy Enfield should easily be the Pac-12 Coach of the Year, as he restocked impeccably well and has a youthful team running the transition game that made him a hot commodity at Florida Gulf Coast when the Eagles made their Sweet 16 appearance four years ago. Seven players, in excellent condition for this running game, help the Trojans shoot 46.5 percent from the floor, while averaging 82.3 points per game. Sophomore Jordan McLaughlin has taken over the back court as a key leader with six players averaging between 13.2 and 10.6 points per game. Freshman Chimezie Metu leads the squad in blocks with 43. USC is second in the Pac-12 in defensive field goal percentage (40.3) and leads in three-point field goal percentage (30.8). Meanwhile, the Trojans are the best in the league from beyond the arc with McLaughlin, Elijah Stewart and Reinhardt forcing major matchup issues for opposing guards.

4) Utah – The 6-11 Austrian sophomore center Jakob Poeltl is a defensive nightmare with his polished post skills in the paint where he shoots over 60 percent and is second in the Pac-12 in points per game (17.8) and fourth in rebounds (8.3). Coach Larry Krystkowiak has turned the program over since his arrival in Salt Lake City five years ago. He has another Pac-12 team that is deep, as nine players figure in his schemes. Brandon Taylor is a hard-nosed, tough matchup on the point as he has garnered 32.5 minutes per game. Taylor will be important in the Utah defensive scheme against other backcourts that are more athletic. Jordan Loveridge fits in that roles, as well. Offensively, he is important as the team’s leading three-point shooter to complement Poeltl in the paint.

5) Cal – The Bears’ athleticism, especially in the paint, can be a tough matchup for teams who haven’t seen them regularly. Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb are the two heralded freshmen and are the Bears’ two leading scorers. Brown averages 17.6 points per game in Pac-12 play while going over 20 points in five of six Pac-12 road outings. Jabari Bird has turned up lately with back-back-to-back 20-point games in wins over Oregon and Oregon State. A huge factor for Coach Cuonzo Martin was the return of Tyrone Wallace, two weeks ago from injury. He solidifies the Bears’ depth and is a key in their defensive scheme. Martin’s defenses are always on-point and his first year in the Bay Area completes that definition, as Cal leads the Pac-12 in defensive field goal percentage at 38.9 percent and scoring defense at 67 points per game. Cal has developed consistency as it has won seven of its last nine games.

6) Colorado – The Buffaloes bring the offense, like their league rivals. Josh Scott and George King are an excellent inside-outside scoring tandem on offense. The Buffaloes struggled in Los Angeles this weekend, blowing a 15-point lead at USC and then losing a 77-53 decision at UCLA. Colorado’s defense has to rise to the level of its offense. That trend cannot continue as three of CU’s last four opponents have averaged right around 50 percent from the floor. Sophomore Dominique Collier is becoming even more prolific on opponents’ game plans as he is averaging 8.1 points and leads Colorado in assists (2.9 apg) and steals (1.1 spg) and is second in 3-point percentage (.452).

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