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1. UCLA Bruins (26-3)
Last Game: (W) 77-72 at Arizona | Streak: 7W
UCLA used a balanced offensive effort (and a surprise second half defensive showing) to snag a road win in Tucson, giving them a season split with both the Wildcats and Oregon on the season. Not a bad job for a team playing with Final Four expectations every time they touch the floor. They’ll finish their Pac-12 slate up with two manageable home match-ups, against Washington and Washington State.
2. Arizona Wildcats (26-4)
Last Game: (L) 77-72 v. UCLA | Streak: 1L
The Wildcats have had their fair share of testy moments this season but Sean Miller and company have seemingly always pulled some tricks out of their hat, that is until Saturday night against the Bruins. One loss won’t set this group back too far but their inability to execute in the half-court at times has been a concern. It was simply exploited by a more gifted team in UCLA.
3. Oregon Ducks (26-4)
Last Game: (W) 75-73 at Stanford | Streak: 5W
One of those teams who can a win a game played at just about any style, what looks like a strength for this Ducks in February could become a weakness for this team in March. Oregon is at their best when they’re defending and playing with tempo, which is something they haven’t done in their last few outings. Luckily for them, star Dillon Brooks and developing big man Jordan Bell came through with some late-game heroics.
4. California Golden Bears (19-9)
Last Game: (W) 76-46 v. Oregon State | Streak: 1W
A blowout win over Oregon State usually doesn’t do much to help the psyche of a team with almost twenty wins to it’s name, but after the grueling gauntlet of top-ten Arizona, rival Stanford and top-ten Oregon over the course of three games, California will take the wins as they come. The Golden Bears missed their shots at that marquee win in the regular season but they are hands down the team to watch, heading into the Pac-12 Tournament.
5. Utah Utes (18-10)
Last Game: (W) 86-81 at Colorado | Streak: 1W
Nothing will atone for the Utes’ eye-opening loss on the road at Oregon State but sometimes losing can be healthy for a group, especially one who always seems so comfortable like Utah does. The duo of Kyle Kuzma and David Collette on the interior are becoming a bigger and bigger nuisance for opponents by the game and they could propel a seriously Utes-friendly upswing.
6. USC Trojans (21-8)
Last Game: (L) 83-82 at Arizona State | Streak: 4L
On paper, USC may still be the fourth best team in this conference behind Arizona, Oregon and UCLA, but after dropping four straight games down the stretch, questions simply have to be asked. Yes, three of those losses came to the aforementioned conference leaders but a road slip up at Arizona State validated some concerns about this group. They’ll have something to prove when they host Washington and Washington State in the next week.
7. Colorado Buffaloes (16-13)
Last Game: (L) 86-81 v. Utah | Streak: 2L
The Buffs have officially become the conference’s biggest enigma as once they begin a streak in one direction, they seem to do a complete turn-around and find themselves pushing towards the other extreme. Colorado will remain a top-heavy group, which keeps them dangerous, but they need to settle in and find more togetherness. The problem with the Buffs is that their opponents have largely been irrelevant. Their greatest opponent is more times than not...themselves.
8. Arizona State Sun Devils (14-16)
Last Game: (W) 83-82 v. USC | Streak: 1W
Head coach Bobby Hurley and company have struggled to consistently bring a strong nightly effort but when the Sun Devils are on, it’s hard to argue that they’re not one of the more intriguing programs in the Pac-12. Arizona State rallied from down six points in the last thirty seconds of the game against USC to surely add even more chaos to the upcoming conference tournament. Keep an eye on the Sun Devils.
9. Stanford Cardinal (14-14)
Last Game: (L) 75-73 v. Oregon | Streak: 1L
Stanford almost skyrocketed up the list, if they could’ve hung on against Oregon, but even without that marquee win, it’s hard not to notice Stanford’s improved all-around play. The reason they remain at the #9 spot is that finishing the season on the road against Colorado and Utah is the truest of tests for this group. Will the real Stanford Cardinal team please stand up?
10. Washington State Cougars (13-15)
Last Game: (W) 79-71 v. Washington | Streak: 2W
The Cougars helped their own cause by knocking off Arizona State and Washington in back-to-back games, snapping a five game losing skid in the process and signaling some hope for this beaten and weather group. However, Washington State now finishes the regular season with the daunting City of Angels road swing.
11. Washington Huskies (9-19)
Last Game: (L) 79-71 at Washington State | Streak: 10L
Washington hasn’t won since their overtime victory over Colorado back on January 18th and the future doesn’t look to be any brighter for the Huskies, with road trips to UCLA and USC upcoming. At this point, the only thing that could possibly be saving head coach Lorenzo Romar’s job is his star-studded 2017 class recruiting haul, headlined by the country’s top recruit in Michael Porter Jr..
12. Oregon State Beavers (5-25)
Last Game: (L) 76-46 at California | Streak: 2L
The Beavers snapped their conference losing skid against Utah, narrowly avoided their potential fate as the worst team to ever suit up in the program’s 116-year history. However, Oregon State hasn’t looked to show a lick of improvement since then. Head coach Wayne Tinkle and company has lost their last two games by a combined 43 points heading into the second installation of the Civil War against Oregon, in their regular season finale.