Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Media Poll Released: Oregon State Picked To Finish 8th

The Pac-12 men’s basketball media poll was released on Thursday and Oregon State was picked to finish 8th overall in the twelve-team conference, as the program enters year four of the head coach Wayne Tinkle era in Corvallis. Arizona, a widespread Final Four favorite, was picked to win the conference overall, receiving 22 of the 23 overall first-place votes. The full results of the poll can be found below.

USC was the lone other team to garner a first-place vote, giving them 251 points overall, to finish 22 points behind the top-ranked Wildcats. Rounding out the top four behind the Trojans, is UCLA, who will have to replace a wealth of talent lost to the NBA Draft and Oregon, another team dealing with a reworked roster and an influx of new talent to the program.

Stanford, who will compete during the 2017-2018 in their second season under Jerod Haase, are a potential NCAA Tournament team with a core of returning talent, including All-Pac-12 forward Reid Travis. Arizona State, the team picked sixth overall in the Pac-12, is in a similar position to the Cardinal, who are anchored by an intriguing back-court of Tra Holder and Shannon Evans II.

Rounding out the bottom six of the conference is Utah, Oregon State, Colorado, Washington, California and Washington State. The Utes are coming off their fourth straight twenty-win season under head coach Larry Krystkowiak, which ended in the first round of the NIT to regional rival Boise State.

As for Oregon State, the pick of the Beavers to finish eight should be a welcome sight for fans still regrouping after last season’s 5-27 campaign. Oregon State does have a strong returning core, which includes a healthy Tres Tinkle and NBA Draft prospects Drew Eubanks and Stephen Thompson Jr., as well as some likeable additions including freshman Ethan Thompson and UMASS transfer Seth Berger.

Behind the Beavers, Colorado, another NIT team from last season, is a program at a crossroads, as is Washington, who will take the court for their first season under new head coach Mike Hopkins. Another rookie head coach to the conference in California’s Wyking Jones, was picked to lead his team to an 11th place finish, in front of only Washington State. The full results of the media poll with point values can be found below.

2017-18 PAC-12 MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL

Team (Points) [1st Place Votes]

1. Arizona (273) [22]

2. USC (251) [1]

3. UCLA (223)

4. Oregon (203)

5. Stanford (182)

6. Arizona State (146)

7. Utah (129)

8. Oregon State (125)

9. Colorado (112)

10. Washington (71)

11. California (46)

12. Washington State (33)

Oregon State opens their regular season on November 3rd in Corvallis, with an exhibition game against Division III, Pacific-Oregon. The Beavers begin competition against Division I foes on November 10th at home against Southern Utah.