Pac-12 Basketball Power Rankings: 2/15

1. USC Trojans (17-3, 11-2)

Winners of six straight with a full game lead over UCLA in the standings, USC has put themselves in a strong spot to claim a Pac-12 title. Andy Enfield’s group finally looks comfortable in their style and it’s showing in big ways. The Trojans are 12-1 since the calendar’s turned over to 2021.

2. Oregon Ducks (12-4, 7-3)

Riding a three-game winning streak, more and more of the moxie of this Ducks group is rearing it’s head, especially as every game’s importance becomes stacked with an increased urgency. Dana Altman has a squad who could find their way to the Sweet Sixteen, if they continue to defend.

3. UCLA Bruins (14-5, 10-3)

The Bruins were gut-punched by rival USC and follow up that defeat with another on the road at the hands of Washington State. It’s obvious that UCLA isn’t play their best basketball right now, but coasting isn’t exactly an option either with nothing yet secured for the NCAA Tournament.

4. Colorado Buffaloes (16-6, 10-5)

Tad Boyle and company still have to make road trips to Oregon, Oregon State and Utah before the regular season ends, as well as hosting USC and UCLA in that time. This means as much as the Buffs have opportunities to sway the committee, they also have resume-breaking games ahead.

5. Stanford Cardinal (13-8, 9-6)

Stanford’s hot-and-cold tendencies have probably put them a bit too far behind the 8-ball to think about remaining a bubble team, unless this Cardinal roster has a massive late-season run up their sleeve. Could their back of bad losses help them when it comes to Selection Sunday though?

6. Arizona Wildcats (14-7, 8-7)

Sean Miller’s crew may have lost four of their last six overall, but this is still a Wildcats unit that on any given day can knock off just about anyone in the conference. Arizona has five single-digit defeats on the season, including their last two by a combined 5 points. Talk about brutality.

7. Utah Utes (9-8, 6-7)

It’s hard sometimes to comprehend that this Utah roster could’ve still had Both Gach and Donnie Tillman, yet the world of college basketball these days is more fluid than stable. The Utes are known for their consistency and have fought out some tough wins, but it’s been an uphill fight.

8. Washington State Cougars (12-9, 5-9)

Since starting the season 8-0, Washington State has limped to a 4-9 record overall, with three of their wins coming on the road and one happening in Pullman over UCLA. To say that Kyle Smith’s group may be a bit sporadic and unpredictable is probably the understatement of the year.

9. Arizona State Sun Devils (7-9, 4-6)

The narrative around the Sun Devils failing to meet their preseason aspirations has long since passed and it’s figuring out what this team can do with the time they have left in the season that matters now. Remy Martin has given everything he has to this program and it’s culminating now.

10. Oregon State Beavers (10-10, 6-8)

The Beavers are in the midst of a three-game losing skid and now sitting back at .500, Wayne Tinkle’s boys have some work to do. Granted, their last three games were tough draws in away contests at Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State, but Utah and Colorado come to visit this week.

11. California Golden Bears (8-15, 3-13)

In his tenure at Georgia, Mark Fox’s squads were known for their competitive spirit and never-ending fight, which sometimes led them to stunning wins. Fox somehow got his California group to channel that spirit, knocking off Colorado to end their seven-game losing skid. Not too bad.

12. Washington Huskies (3-16, 2-12)

Now losers in 13 of their last 15 games, thing are getting really bleak for Washington. The Huskies rank 335th nationally in assists, 333rd in rebounding, 305th in scoring defense and 279th in scoring offense. You don’t need to be a math major to know that it all adds up to one very ugly mix.