Pac-12 men’s basketball power ratings: UCLA on top as Arizona gets good news (possibly)

Arizona’s contiguous outlook is agleam nether first-year manager Tommy Lloyd. And due to the fact that of a caller improvement thousands of miles from campus, determination is crushed for the Wildcats to beryllium cautiously optimistic astir their longer-term outlook.

The NCAA’s ruling past week connected the Auburn infractions lawsuit provides a morsel of penetration into what destiny mightiness befall the Wildcats.

Auburn avoided large sanctions stemming from its engagement successful the FBI scandal, with the school’s self-imposed postseason prohibition astatine the bosom of the NCAA’s lenient approach.

Per the ruling:

“Auburn self-imposed the postseason prohibition anterior to the 2020-21 men’s hoops season. In doing so, the punishment was important and not successful effect to a mediocre record. Auburn’s determination to self-impose a postseason prohibition anterior to the play reflects the actions of an instauration intentionally taking work for terrible Level I behaviour successful its men’s hoops program.”

That could bode good for Arizona, which besides self-imposed a postseason prohibition for 2020-21 — and did truthful erstwhile the squad was 7-1 and intelligibly susceptible of contending for an NCAA berth.

And dissimilar Auburn, which has retained manager Bruce Pearl, the Wildcats person purged their programme of the coaches progressive successful the transgressions.

Granted, Auburn’s lawsuit went done mean NCAA enforcement channels, whereas Arizona’s volition beryllium handled by the newly-created Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP). For that reason, we’re wary of drafting conclusions.

But clearly, Arizona has crushed to beryllium hopeful that it volition debar a 2nd NCAA Tournament ban.

Of course, the IARP mightiness not adjacent get astir to ruling connected the lawsuit until the outpouring … of 2028.

To the powerfulness ratings …

NET rankings done Monday

1. UCLA (8-1/2-0)

Last week: 1

Result: won astatine Marquette 67-56

Next up: vs. Alabama State (Wednesday)

NET ranking: No. 22

Comment: For honorary captains Saturday erstwhile the Bruins look North Carolina, we’d similar to spot David Greenwood and Mike O’Koren. If that pairing cannot beryllium arranged, we’d settee for Kareem and Jordan.

2. Arizona (9-0/1-0)

Last week: 3

Results: bushed Wyoming 94-65 and Illinois 83-79

Next up: vs. Northern Colorado (Wednesday)

NET ranking: No. 1

Comment: The Illinois duel marked conscionable the 2nd clip the Wildcats person been pushed to the wire. They could usage different choky decorativeness astatine Tennessee (Dec. 22) to get crisp for league play.

3. USC (10-0/2-0)

Last week: 2

Result: bushed Long Beach State 73-62

Next up: vs. UC Irvine (Wednesday)

NET ranking: No. 14

Comment: We’re not wholly convinced the Trojans are arsenic bully arsenic their grounds and analytics. Our hesitation: The brushed non-conference schedule, which ranks 290th nationally (out of 358 teams) successful the Pomeroy ratio ratings

4. Colorado (8-3/1-1)

Last week: 5

Results: bushed Eastern Washington 60-57 and Milwaukee 65-54

Next up: vs. Cal State-Bakersfield (Saturday)

NET ranking: No. 120

Comment: Five of CU’s 11 games person been decided by 2 possessions oregon less. If that continues done league play, escaped propulsion shooting volition beryllium decisive. Currently, each rotation players are supra 65 percent, and each but 2 are supra 70 percent.

5. Washington State (7-3/1-1)

Last week: 4

Results: bushed Weber State 94-60, mislaid to South Dakota State 77-74

Next up: vs. New Mexico State (Wednesday)

NET ranking: No. 43

Comment: USC’s docket is stout compared to WSU’s non-conference lineup, which is 309th successful the Pomeroy ratings. The enactment committee mightiness not instrumentality kindly to that attack if the Cougars are nether information successful aboriginal March.

6. Utah (7-3/1-1)

Last week: 6

Results: mislaid to TCU 76-62, bushed Manhattan 96-62

Next up: astatine Missouri (Saturday)

NET ranking: No. 63

Comment: The docket worked retired nicely with a roadworthy travel to Oregon connected New Year’s weekend, due to the fact that the lone folks near successful Salt Lake City connected Jan. 1 volition beryllium BYU fans and petty thieves.

7. Stanford (5-3/1-1)

Last week: 9

Result: bushed Oregon 72-69

Next up: vs. Dartmouth (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 152

Comment: The Cardinal’s tangle with Texas successful Las Vegas is conscionable 1 of respective captious games for the league this play — essentially, they signifier what could beryllium considered the Pac-12’s past stand.

8. Arizona State (4-6/1-1)

Last week: 8

Result: bushed Grand Canyon 67-62

Next up: astatine Creighton (Tuesday)

NET ranking: No. 179

Comment: So we cognize the Sun Devils aren’t the worst squad successful their location state. In a fewer weeks, we’ll spot however they comparison to the best.

9. Oregon (5-5/0-2)

Last week: 7

Result: mislaid astatine Stanford 72-69

Next up: vs. Portland (Wednesday)

NET ranking: No. 123

Comment: We would beryllium mildly amazed if the Ducks upset No. 1 Baylor this play (in Eugene) aft a period of mediocre play. Actually, cheque that. We wouldn’t beryllium amazed astatine all.

10. Cal (6-5/1-1)

Last week: 10

Results: bushed Idaho State 72-46 and Santa Clara 72-60

Next up: vs. Dartmouth (Sunday)

NET ranking: No. 128

Comment: The Bears person improved their NET ranking by astir 50 slots successful the past week alone. The adjacent 50 volition beryllium a overmuch much hard ascent.

11. Washington (4-4/0-1)

Last week: 11

Result: vs. Gonzaga (canceled)

Next up: vs. Seattle (Saturday)

NET ranking: No. 222

Comment: COVID wiped retired the toughest three-game agelong immoderate Pac-12 squad was scheduled to look this season: The Huskies had to postpone with Arizona, forfeit against UCLA and cancel against Gonzaga.

12. Oregon State (1-8/0-2)

Last week: 12Results: DNP

Next up: vs. UC Davis (Tuesday)

NET ranking: No. 263

Comment: Woe to the NCAA bubble squad that loses to Oregon State during league play.

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