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PAC 12 MBB Season Preview (2021-22)
ChillyDawg
Member Posts: 1,469
247 Sports (click link for full article) https://247sports.com/college/ucla/LongFormArticle/Preview-Pac-12-Basketball-Teams-UCLA-Oregon-USC-Arizona-Oregon-State-Stanford-Colorado-Utah-Washington-Washington-State-Cal--174898266/
It's Tip-Off Tuesday! The 2021-2022 college basketball season gets underway today, with all 12 Pac-12 teams playing their first game of the season.
If there's a great day to take off from work and settle in front of your TV with some popcorn, this is it.
You'll also need a guide to get to know all the Pac-12 teams and its players (players listed in conventional class, not COVID-added class, unless otherwise noted).
The 247Sports Pac-12 sites collaborated for this season team preview, with breakdowns and scouting reports on each conference team.
Let the games begin!
WASHINGTON
Starters
PG: 6'1 Terrell Brown Jr (Grad)
SG: 6'3 Daejon Davis 6-3 (Grad)
SF: 6'6 Jamal Bey (Sr)
PF: 6'7 Emmitt Matthews Jr (Sr)
CP: 6'11 Nate Roberts (R-Jr)
Reserves
SG: 6'4 PJ Fuller (Jr)
PG: 6'2 Dominiq Penn (So)
SF: 6'7 Cole Bajema (Jr)
SF: 6'6 Reagan Lundeen (Sr)
PF: 6'10 Jackson Grant (Fr)
PF: 6'8 Samuel Ariyibi (Fr)
PF: 6'9 Langston Wilson (Jr)
CP: 7'5 Riley Sorn (R-Jr)
Roster/Team Analysis
Washington went through a total reset in the offseason after the Huskies went 5-21 in Mike Hopkins' fourth season at Montlake. Gone are Quade Green, Hameir Wright, Marcus Tsohonis, Nate Pryor, Erik Stevenson, RaeQuan Battle, and J'Raan Brooks. Also gone are two of Hopkins' assistants, Cameron Dollar and Dave Rice.
Hopkins and his two new assistants, former UW star forward Quincy Pondexter and former California Head Coach Wyking Jones, completely transformed the roster with the help of the transfer portal. Their new roster also has a very local feel to it, as a number of upperclassmen from other schools decided to come back home to play for the Huskies. Terrell Brown, Jr. (Seattle U/Arizona), Daejon Davis (Stanford), PJ Fuller (TCU), and Emmitt Matthews, Jr. (West Virginia) all prepped in the Puget Sound area before making the decision to come back home. They join the five scholarship players that decided to stay on from the 2020-21 campaign: Nate Roberts, Jamal Bey, Cole Bajema, Riley Sorn, and Dominiq Penn.
Hopkins also added a couple of true freshmen in Olympia forward Jackson Grant, a McDonald's All-American, and his first international recruit, Samuel Ariyibi from the NBA Africa Academy in Lagos, Nigeria. And finally the new staff, with the help of Matthews, was able to reach out and get the signature of 247Sports' number-two JC recruit for 2021, Langston Wilson of Upper Darby, Pa. - by way of Georgia Highlands College.
Team Strengths/Weaknesses
It's very hard to know what the strengths of this team starting from the off because they haven't played together. Three of the five expected starters are brand-new to UW and their systems, especially Hopkins' Syracuse-based zone defense. But if you look at the strengths of the individuals and what they did at their other schools, you'll see an emphasis on defense and an upgrade in athleticism. We've also been told by many people that the team has already created a bond that is stronger and tighter than in previous seasons, but there's no way of knowing how that bond will manifest itself on the court. But with so many veteran players coming back to the 206 to play in front of their friends and families, there is certainly the motivation piece that can't be discounted.
The clear weaknesses stem from the unfamiliarity of a group that hasn't played together. They haven't been asked to play zone, although a player like Matthews played a number of times against Syracuse, and both Brown and Davis have played against Hopkins' zone defense when they played for Arizona and Stanford, respectively. How quickly they pick up the defensive piece will be key.
Brown and Davis have had times in their respective careers where they've been counted on to score, and Matthews has certainly had individual games at West Virginia where he's taken over, but UW is still not considered a great shooting team on paper. Jamal Bey had some great efforts in Pac-12 play last season from deep, and if he can use that as a platform to kick on and be even better in 2021-22, that would be huge for these Huskies.
We've been told that, based on the pressure implemented via the zone, the Huskies want to generate a lot more of their points via transition than before. That can be hit-and-miss with better teams, teams with discipline and solid fundamentals.
Season Projection
The Huskies were picked 11th in the preseason media poll, so there's basically no expectations for this season, other than fans hope to their personal gods UW is better than last year. The fact that they've been able to have a full offseason to train and familiarize themselves with each other can only help, and the spine of their team is incredibly experienced. That kind of leadership bodes well for the Huskies overdelivering, but it would be a huge stretch to consider them anywhere close to a tournament team. They would have to become a much better shooting team than they are on paper, and their defense would have to be stellar from the get-go. Getting to 10 wins doesn't feel like an unattainable goal, but 15 wins feels like it's too much.
Non-Conference Schedule
They start their non-conference schedule with an exhibition game versus Central Washington on Thursday, November 4. They then play four-straight home games - Northern Illinois, Northern Arizona, Texas Southern, and Wyoming - before traveling to Sioux Falls, SD to play in the Crossover Classic against Nevada, George Mason, and South Dakota State.
The rest of their non-conference schedule - Winthrop, Seattle U, and Utah Valley - will take place in Seattle, but they have one significant non-conference game away from home. They square up with Gonzaga in Spokane on Sunday, December 12.
WASHINGTON STATE
Projected Starters
PG: 6'1 Michael Flowers (Sr)
SG: 6'5 Noah Williams (Jr)
SF: 6'6 DJ Rodman (Jr)
PF: 6'9 Efe Abogidi (So)
PC: 6'10 Dishon Jackson (So)
Reserves
PG: 5'11 Tyrell Roberts (R-Jr)
SG: 6'5 TJ Bamba (So)
PG: 6'3 Jefferson Koulibaly (R-Fr)
SF: 6'8 Andrej Jakimovski (So)
CP: 6'11 Mouhamed Gueye (Fr)
PG: 6'2 Myles Rice (Fr)
PG: 6'5 Ryan Rapp (Jr)
SF: 6'7 Carlos Rosario (So)
SF: 6'6 Tony Miller (R-Sr)
PF: 6'9 Matt DeWolf (Sr)
Roster/Team Analysis
WSU has a number of different guard/wing combinations it is likely to sort through before settling on a rotation. It returns almost all of its key players from a year ago, with the exception of leading scorer Isaac Bonton (17.7 ppg) and role player Aljaz Kunc. But in turn, the Cougars bring in two highly touted transfers in Michael Flowers (21 ppg at South Alabama) and Tyrell Roberts (D-II All-American at UC San Diego). And with them comes Mouhamed Gueye, he’s young and there’s significant talent ahead of him right now but he’s a tremendously talented center from Senegal and the third-highest rated commit in Cougar history.
The returnees include two-way standout Noah Williams who was named first-team preseason All-Pac-12, and dynamic second-year post duo Dishon Jackson and Efe Abogidi -- Abogidi made the All-Freshman team last season while Jackson was honorable mention.
The development of several other young players will likely be crucial to WSU’s goal of making the NCAA Tournament: ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein and others have pegged WSU as a dark horse for the Big Dance. The Cougars need TJ Bamba, Andrej Jakimovski and DJ Rodman to all take a step forward in their development, and they need more consistency from that trio top to bottom.
Team Strengths/Weaknesses
Defense has been WSU’s calling card under Smith, and last year the Cougars finished 24th in KenPom’s defensive ranking. Losing Bonton could hurt in that regard, but there are high expectations for Jefferson Koulibaly to replace him as a shutdown perimeter defender.
The major concern for WSU lies on offense. The Cougars were just 167th in points per 100 possessions last year, and that was with Bonton. Turnovers were a huge problem as well, as without a true point guard, the Cougars turned it over on 21.6 percent of their possessions last year. WSU will be counting on Flowers and Roberts to help solve the issues.
Season Projection
WSU’s defense is at the level of an NCAA Tournament team. And the outlook for the Cougars is more positive than it has been since the days of Klay Thompson. But as Kyle Smith has consistently said, WSU hasn’t proven anything yet and hype means nothing.
That said, the progress that WSU displayed last year mixed with the returning potential and the veteran additions suggests good things are in store for the Cougars this season. They may not have enough scoring punch to compete in the upper echelons of the Pac-12 for the championship, but there should be enough talent and depth mixed with the coaching wizardry of Smith to get Washington State back in the Big Dance for the first time since 2008.
Non-Conference Schedule
On paper, WSU’s non-conference schedule looks weak because the Cougars do not play a Power Five opponent. But intermingled with some cupcakes are some tough mid-majors. UCSB, Winthrop and Eastern Washington were all tournament teams a year ago, although they all lost important pieces. And teams like Boise State, Weber State and South Dakota State won’t be pushovers.
That said, it’s not an extremely grueling schedule as WSU’s lone road game out of conference is at Idaho, a short bus ride from Pullman. Ultimately, the non-conference slate gives the Cougs very little room for error -- losses here won’t look good on the season resume -- and it almost certainly makes an impressive Pac-12 record a must to bolster its case for the Big Dance.
It's Tip-Off Tuesday! The 2021-2022 college basketball season gets underway today, with all 12 Pac-12 teams playing their first game of the season.
If there's a great day to take off from work and settle in front of your TV with some popcorn, this is it.
You'll also need a guide to get to know all the Pac-12 teams and its players (players listed in conventional class, not COVID-added class, unless otherwise noted).
The 247Sports Pac-12 sites collaborated for this season team preview, with breakdowns and scouting reports on each conference team.
Let the games begin!
WASHINGTON
Starters
PG: 6'1 Terrell Brown Jr (Grad)
SG: 6'3 Daejon Davis 6-3 (Grad)
SF: 6'6 Jamal Bey (Sr)
PF: 6'7 Emmitt Matthews Jr (Sr)
CP: 6'11 Nate Roberts (R-Jr)
Reserves
SG: 6'4 PJ Fuller (Jr)
PG: 6'2 Dominiq Penn (So)
SF: 6'7 Cole Bajema (Jr)
SF: 6'6 Reagan Lundeen (Sr)
PF: 6'10 Jackson Grant (Fr)
PF: 6'8 Samuel Ariyibi (Fr)
PF: 6'9 Langston Wilson (Jr)
CP: 7'5 Riley Sorn (R-Jr)
Roster/Team Analysis
Washington went through a total reset in the offseason after the Huskies went 5-21 in Mike Hopkins' fourth season at Montlake. Gone are Quade Green, Hameir Wright, Marcus Tsohonis, Nate Pryor, Erik Stevenson, RaeQuan Battle, and J'Raan Brooks. Also gone are two of Hopkins' assistants, Cameron Dollar and Dave Rice.
Hopkins and his two new assistants, former UW star forward Quincy Pondexter and former California Head Coach Wyking Jones, completely transformed the roster with the help of the transfer portal. Their new roster also has a very local feel to it, as a number of upperclassmen from other schools decided to come back home to play for the Huskies. Terrell Brown, Jr. (Seattle U/Arizona), Daejon Davis (Stanford), PJ Fuller (TCU), and Emmitt Matthews, Jr. (West Virginia) all prepped in the Puget Sound area before making the decision to come back home. They join the five scholarship players that decided to stay on from the 2020-21 campaign: Nate Roberts, Jamal Bey, Cole Bajema, Riley Sorn, and Dominiq Penn.
Hopkins also added a couple of true freshmen in Olympia forward Jackson Grant, a McDonald's All-American, and his first international recruit, Samuel Ariyibi from the NBA Africa Academy in Lagos, Nigeria. And finally the new staff, with the help of Matthews, was able to reach out and get the signature of 247Sports' number-two JC recruit for 2021, Langston Wilson of Upper Darby, Pa. - by way of Georgia Highlands College.
Team Strengths/Weaknesses
It's very hard to know what the strengths of this team starting from the off because they haven't played together. Three of the five expected starters are brand-new to UW and their systems, especially Hopkins' Syracuse-based zone defense. But if you look at the strengths of the individuals and what they did at their other schools, you'll see an emphasis on defense and an upgrade in athleticism. We've also been told by many people that the team has already created a bond that is stronger and tighter than in previous seasons, but there's no way of knowing how that bond will manifest itself on the court. But with so many veteran players coming back to the 206 to play in front of their friends and families, there is certainly the motivation piece that can't be discounted.
The clear weaknesses stem from the unfamiliarity of a group that hasn't played together. They haven't been asked to play zone, although a player like Matthews played a number of times against Syracuse, and both Brown and Davis have played against Hopkins' zone defense when they played for Arizona and Stanford, respectively. How quickly they pick up the defensive piece will be key.
Brown and Davis have had times in their respective careers where they've been counted on to score, and Matthews has certainly had individual games at West Virginia where he's taken over, but UW is still not considered a great shooting team on paper. Jamal Bey had some great efforts in Pac-12 play last season from deep, and if he can use that as a platform to kick on and be even better in 2021-22, that would be huge for these Huskies.
We've been told that, based on the pressure implemented via the zone, the Huskies want to generate a lot more of their points via transition than before. That can be hit-and-miss with better teams, teams with discipline and solid fundamentals.
Season Projection
The Huskies were picked 11th in the preseason media poll, so there's basically no expectations for this season, other than fans hope to their personal gods UW is better than last year. The fact that they've been able to have a full offseason to train and familiarize themselves with each other can only help, and the spine of their team is incredibly experienced. That kind of leadership bodes well for the Huskies overdelivering, but it would be a huge stretch to consider them anywhere close to a tournament team. They would have to become a much better shooting team than they are on paper, and their defense would have to be stellar from the get-go. Getting to 10 wins doesn't feel like an unattainable goal, but 15 wins feels like it's too much.
Non-Conference Schedule
They start their non-conference schedule with an exhibition game versus Central Washington on Thursday, November 4. They then play four-straight home games - Northern Illinois, Northern Arizona, Texas Southern, and Wyoming - before traveling to Sioux Falls, SD to play in the Crossover Classic against Nevada, George Mason, and South Dakota State.
The rest of their non-conference schedule - Winthrop, Seattle U, and Utah Valley - will take place in Seattle, but they have one significant non-conference game away from home. They square up with Gonzaga in Spokane on Sunday, December 12.
WASHINGTON STATE
Projected Starters
PG: 6'1 Michael Flowers (Sr)
SG: 6'5 Noah Williams (Jr)
SF: 6'6 DJ Rodman (Jr)
PF: 6'9 Efe Abogidi (So)
PC: 6'10 Dishon Jackson (So)
Reserves
PG: 5'11 Tyrell Roberts (R-Jr)
SG: 6'5 TJ Bamba (So)
PG: 6'3 Jefferson Koulibaly (R-Fr)
SF: 6'8 Andrej Jakimovski (So)
CP: 6'11 Mouhamed Gueye (Fr)
PG: 6'2 Myles Rice (Fr)
PG: 6'5 Ryan Rapp (Jr)
SF: 6'7 Carlos Rosario (So)
SF: 6'6 Tony Miller (R-Sr)
PF: 6'9 Matt DeWolf (Sr)
Roster/Team Analysis
WSU has a number of different guard/wing combinations it is likely to sort through before settling on a rotation. It returns almost all of its key players from a year ago, with the exception of leading scorer Isaac Bonton (17.7 ppg) and role player Aljaz Kunc. But in turn, the Cougars bring in two highly touted transfers in Michael Flowers (21 ppg at South Alabama) and Tyrell Roberts (D-II All-American at UC San Diego). And with them comes Mouhamed Gueye, he’s young and there’s significant talent ahead of him right now but he’s a tremendously talented center from Senegal and the third-highest rated commit in Cougar history.
The returnees include two-way standout Noah Williams who was named first-team preseason All-Pac-12, and dynamic second-year post duo Dishon Jackson and Efe Abogidi -- Abogidi made the All-Freshman team last season while Jackson was honorable mention.
The development of several other young players will likely be crucial to WSU’s goal of making the NCAA Tournament: ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein and others have pegged WSU as a dark horse for the Big Dance. The Cougars need TJ Bamba, Andrej Jakimovski and DJ Rodman to all take a step forward in their development, and they need more consistency from that trio top to bottom.
Team Strengths/Weaknesses
Defense has been WSU’s calling card under Smith, and last year the Cougars finished 24th in KenPom’s defensive ranking. Losing Bonton could hurt in that regard, but there are high expectations for Jefferson Koulibaly to replace him as a shutdown perimeter defender.
The major concern for WSU lies on offense. The Cougars were just 167th in points per 100 possessions last year, and that was with Bonton. Turnovers were a huge problem as well, as without a true point guard, the Cougars turned it over on 21.6 percent of their possessions last year. WSU will be counting on Flowers and Roberts to help solve the issues.
Season Projection
WSU’s defense is at the level of an NCAA Tournament team. And the outlook for the Cougars is more positive than it has been since the days of Klay Thompson. But as Kyle Smith has consistently said, WSU hasn’t proven anything yet and hype means nothing.
That said, the progress that WSU displayed last year mixed with the returning potential and the veteran additions suggests good things are in store for the Cougars this season. They may not have enough scoring punch to compete in the upper echelons of the Pac-12 for the championship, but there should be enough talent and depth mixed with the coaching wizardry of Smith to get Washington State back in the Big Dance for the first time since 2008.
Non-Conference Schedule
On paper, WSU’s non-conference schedule looks weak because the Cougars do not play a Power Five opponent. But intermingled with some cupcakes are some tough mid-majors. UCSB, Winthrop and Eastern Washington were all tournament teams a year ago, although they all lost important pieces. And teams like Boise State, Weber State and South Dakota State won’t be pushovers.
That said, it’s not an extremely grueling schedule as WSU’s lone road game out of conference is at Idaho, a short bus ride from Pullman. Ultimately, the non-conference slate gives the Cougs very little room for error -- losses here won’t look good on the season resume -- and it almost certainly makes an impressive Pac-12 record a must to bolster its case for the Big Dance.
Comments
1. UCLA
UCLA has only added pieces to the group that made an improbable Final Four run. Transfer center Myles Johnson from Rutgers blocked 2.4 shots per game in just 24.7 minutes for the Scarlet Knights last season and will bring an element of rim protection that the Bruins lacked last season. Peyton Watson, a five-star freshman wing, will add depth and versatility on the perimeter. Combine them with five returning players who averaged 10 points or more -- NCAA Tournament stars Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez are the most notable -- and you get what is clearly the deepest and most-talented roster in the Pac-12.
2. Oregon
It's another year and another group of talented incoming transfers for 12th-year coach Dana Altman, who made the Elite Eight last season with two transfers and a JUCO player as the leading scorers. That trio is gone, but roster turnover is an annual tradition for Oregon, and the incoming group of Jacob Young (Rutgers), Quincy Guerrier (Syracuse) and De'Vion Harmon (Oklahoma) each averaged double figures for NCAA Tournament teams last season. They will combine with proven producers Will Richardson and Eric Williams Jr. to form the nucleus. Five-star freshman center Nathan Bittle and former five-star center N'Faly Dante are wild cards -- Dante will be out with a knee injury to begin the season -- but if they can help out, this team could make another deep NCAA Tournament run.
3. USC
USC loses the Pac-12 Player of the Year in Evan Mobley, who doubled as the league's defensive player of the year after averaging 2.9 blocks in addition to his 16.4 points and 8.7 rebounds. With he and top guard Tahj Eaddy gone, there are some holes to fill from an Elite Eight team. But this isn't a total rebuild for ninth-year coach Andy Enfield. Six players who started at least one game for the Trojans last season are back, including preseason Pac-12 first-team member Isaiah Mobley. It's hard to imagine USC being as dominant defensively this season, but with so many producers back and former Memphis guard Boogie Ellis transferring in, the drop-off shouldn't be too steep.
4. Arizona
Departed coach Sean Miller left behind some decent players for longtime Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd, who is bringing in a batch of transfers to round out a young but promising roster. Pac-12 All-Freshman honorees Bennedict Mathurin, a 6-foot-7 wing, and 6-foot-11 post player Azuolas Tubelis both averaged double figures last season and should be the leading scorers. Finding a true point guard might be Lloyd's toughest challenge. Estonian prospect Kerr Kriisa played well upon getting eligible in February of last season but remains green. Utah transfer Pelle Larsson flashed some distributing ability for the Utes last season while proving to be an effective outside shooter. But he also struggled with turnovers. If The Wildcats can find their facilitator, they can make noise in the Pac- 12.
5. Oregon State
The darlings of the 2021 NCAA Tournament lose star guard Ethan Thompson, but they return several key players from their remarkable Elite Eight run. The senior class looks strong, with front court players Warith Alatishe, Maurice Calloo, Rodrigue Andela and Roman Silva bringing toughness and leadership. If guard Jarod Lucas can take another step forward after a breakout sophomore season and embrace some of the ball-handling duties left behind by Thompson, the Beavers will have a shot at making the NCAA Tournament again.
6. Colorado
This looks like a transition season for Colorado after the Buffaloes earned a No. 5 seed and won an NCAA Tournament game in their best season yet under coach Tad Boyle, who is entering his 12th season. Fifth-year senior Evan Battey is the last remaining member of the program's incredibly productive 2017 recruiting class and will lead the team. He will pair with second-year forward Jabari Walker to form a quality front line. The ceiling will be determined by how ready the Pac-12's top-ranked recruiting class is to contribute right away. After the 2017 class — led by the likes of Battey McKinley Wright and D'Shawn Schwartz — anchored the Buffs for several seasons, this incoming class looks capable of doing the same in the years to come. Five freshmen are coming in, including top-100 prospects K.J. Simpson, Quincy Allen and Lawson Lovering.
7. Washington State
The Cougars showed signs of life last season in Year Two under Kyle Smith by notching victories against the likes of Oregon and UCLA during the regular season. But they were inconsistent and turned the ball over more than anyone in the Pac-12 during conference play on the way to a 7-12 league mark. High-usage guard Isaac Bonton is gone after finishing fourth in the league in points per game at 17.7, but incoming transfers Tyrell Roberts (UC San Diego) and Michael Flowers (South Alabama) are proven outside shooters who should help pick up some of the scoring load. Junior guard Noah Williams is also back off of a breakout season and will pair with Pac-12 All-Freshman center Efe Abogidi to give Smith two returners who started all 27 games. Look out for sophomore big man Dishon Jackson, who came on strong late last season.
8. Arizona State
Say what you will about seventh-year Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley, but the Sun Devils are never boring. After a bust of of a 2020-21 season in which the Sun Devils finished 11-14 (7-10 Pac-12), Hurley's roster has undergone a makeover. The back court is entirely new and will rely on transfers Marreon Jackson (Toledo), Jay Heath (Boston College), Luther Muhammad (Ohio State) and DJ Horne (Illinois State). The front court should be solid with sophomore Marcus Bagley returning after testing the NBA Draft waters. Between Bagley and veterans Jalen Graham and Kimani Lawrence, there's no excuse for the Sun Devils to struggle on the boards again. If No. 29 overall prospect Enoch Boakye, a 6-foot-10 center, is ready to contribute early, that would be a bonus and help this team compete for an NCAA Tournament bid.
9. Stanford
A year after signing the top-rated prospect in program history in Ziaire Williams, Stanford brings in its third-highest rated prospect, Harrison Ingram, to fill the void Williams leaves after getting drafted 10th overall. That's the good news for the Cardinal. The bad news is that the program has just one NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008, and it didn't come under sixth-year coach Jerod Haase. If the drought is going to end this season, it's going to require an unlikely turnaround. In addition to losing Williams, Stanford loses first-team all-conference performer Oscar da Silva from the front court and a steady guard in Daejon Davis. That puts the onus on Ingram, junior forward Spencer Jones and last season's Pac-12 most-improved player Jaden Delaire to spark a program that has finished .500 in league play the last two seasons.
10. Utah
Utah is pressing reset with a new coach in Craig Smith, who comes in from Utah State. As is typical with first-year coaches in the mass transfer era, the roster is undergoing an overhaul. The good news is that Smith made fast progress during three-year stints in his previous stops -- he was at South Dakota before Utah State -- but the reality is that a quick fix will be tough in the Pac- 12. The Utes' only returning full-time starter is junior center Branden Carlson, and Utah didn't even have an honorable mention in the preseason all-conference voting. Senior wing Both Gach is back after one season at Minnesota, and guard David Jenkins Jr. has been a bucket getter in the past at South Dakota State and UNLV. They should combine with Carlson to at least give this team a competitive core.
11. Washington
Washington ranked at or near the bottom of of the Pac-12 in nearly every statistical category last season during a 5-21 season, and the ensuing roster turnover was needed. Senior wing Jamal Bey is a nice returning piece on the perimeter, and Nate Roberts started all 26 games in the front court. After that, the rotation figures to be stocked with new faces. Guard Daejon Davis (Stanford), guard PJ Fuller (TCU), forward Emmitt Matthews Jr. (West Virginia) and guard Terrell Brown Jr. (Arizona) stand out as the most-proven of the new arrivals. Blending it all together and coming up with a successful formula will be a huge challenge for fifth-year coach Mike Hopkins. But after going 9-29 in league play over the last two seasons, the Huskies needed a roster reboot.
12. California
A whopping 10 players who started at least one game for Cal last season return, but considering the Bears finished 9-20 (3-17 Pac-12), it's unclear whether that's a good thing. There is something to be said for having senior leadership in college basketball, though, and Cal will have plenty of it with Grant Anticevich, Makale Foreman and Andre Kelly all back after logging 20+ minutes per game last season. Anticevich and Kelly comprise a solid front court, but the wing and back court are sources of concern. Prolific scorer Matt Bradley left for San Diego State after averaging 18 points per game on 36.4% 3-point shooting last season, and his departure could make the Pac-12's worst 3-point shooting team even worse.
Here’s a look at where each team in the Pac-12 stands up to this point in the season and what’s to come as the year rolls along:
#11 Arizona
Record: 6-0
Head Coach: Tommy Lloyd (1st season)
Best win so far: 80-62 vs. No. 4 Michigan
Analysis: The Tommy Lloyd era has gotten off to a hot start in Tuscon. After starting the year unranked, the Wildcats are up to No. 17 after a big win over then-No. 4 Michigan in Las Vegas. That win wasn’t a last-second buzzer beater, either. Arizona dominated the Wolverines, holding them to just 1-14 shooting from 3-point range and limiting star center Hunter Dickinson’s impact. The Wildcats currently have four players — Chrisitan Koloko, Benedict Mathurin, Azuloas Tubelis and Kerr Kriisa — averaging more than 10 points per game.
Arizona State
Record: 2-5
Head Coach: Bobby Hurley (6th season)
Best win so far: 72-63 vs. North Florida
Analysis: Arizona State’s early-season trip to the Bahamas did not go well, to say the least. The Sun Devils lost three games to three good teams in Baylor, Syracuse and Loyola Chicago, but it’s still not what Bobby Hurley hoped for after already losing to UC Riverside and San Diego State. An injury to preseason All-Pac-12 selection Marcus Bagley hasn’t helped things.
California
Record: 2-4
Head Coach: Mark Fox (3rd season)
Best win so far: 75-70 vs. San Diego
Analysis: Another team off to a rough start is the Cal Golden Bears. Their preseason tournament in Fort Myers, Fla. began well with a win over San Diego, but they ran into ranked opponents Florida and Seton Hall, and things did not go well. Senior forward Andre Kelly has been the bright spot to this point.
Colorado
Record: 5-1
Head Coach: Tad Boyle (12th season)
Best win so far: 87-76 vs. New Mexico
Analysis: Tad Boyle has an incredibly young group this season and despite the solid record, that youth and lack of experience has shown up often. The Buffs survived close home games against Montana State and New Mexico before losing their first game in the Virgin Islands to Southern Illinois. The Buffs rebounded with good wins over Duquesne and Brown to get back on track heading into Sunday’s Pac-12 opener against Stanford in Boulder. Sophomore point guard Keeshawn Barthelemy has filled the void left behind by McKinley Wright well to start the season, while senior Evan Battey has struggled with foul trouble, but has still managed to come up clutch when CU has needed him most. Watch for sophomores Nique Clifford and Tristan da Silva to continue to emerge as reliable options for Boyle as the Buffs face some tough opponents in December.
Oregon
Record: 3-3
Head Coach: Dana Altman (12th season)
Best win so far: 86-63 vs. SMU
Analysis: The Ducks lost two key players from last year’s team that reached the Sweet 16, but still have one of the more experienced groups in the Pac-12. Dana Altman’s team has struggled so far this season, finishing fourth at the Maui Invitational (held in Las Vegas) after losses to Saint Mary’s (Calif.) and a very good Houston team. Look for senior guard Will Richardson to get going in December and lead what could potentially be a dangerous Oregon team come January.
Oregon State
Record: 1-6
Head Coach: Wayne Tinkle (7th season)
Best win so far: 73-64 vs. Portland State
Analysis: Currently on a six-game losing streak, the Beavers have the worst record of any team in the Pac-12. They’ve had a difficult schedule to start the season and they’ve had just one loss by more than 10 points, but this still figures to be a down year in Corvallis. Oregon State scored just 45 points in a loss to Penn State on Saturday.
Stanford
Record: 4-2
Head Coach: Jerod Haase (6th season)
Best win so far: 76-62 vs. San Jose State
Analysis: The loss at Santa Clara earlier this month was a bad one, but the Baylor one is understandable. The Cardinal have just two players averaging in double figures to start the season as the offense has struggled to this point, but they will be the first team CU deals with to start Pac-12 play.
#18 Southern California
Record: 6-0
Head Coach: Andy Enfield (9th season)
Best win so far: 58-43 vs. San Diego State
Analysis: Evan Mobley may have bolted to the NBA after one season, but the excellent defense he provided has remained in Los Angeles to start the year for the Trojans. Only two opponents have scored 70-plus points on USC in the first six games, and the Trojans are coming off a win over San Diego State in the championship game of the Wooden Legacy tournament in which they held the Aztecs to under 50 points. The older Mobley brother, Isaiah, is still with the program and averaging over 12 points per game.
#5 UCLA
Record: 6-1
Head Coach: Mick Cronin
Best win so far: 86-77 vs. Villanova (OT)
Analysis: Mick Cronin and the Bruins have proved last season’s magical run to the Final Four was no fluke with a solid start to the season headlined by an overtime win over Villanova at Pauley Pavilion in what was an instant classic of a game. That one loss is a big one though — a 20-point defeat against No. 1 Gonzaga, the team that knocked off the Bruins with a buzzer beater in the Final Four in April. UCLA may have the two best players in the conference in Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Utah
Record: 5-1
Head Coach: Craig Smith (1st season)
Best win so far: 72-58 vs. Tulsa
Analysis: Craig Smith has a difficult task in following up the Larry Krystkowiak era in Salt Lake City. It’s gone well so far the Utes as they’re off to a 5-1 start following back-to-back wins over Boston College and Tulsa in Daytona Beach, Fla. Junior center Branden Carlson has led the way so far for Utah.
Washington
Record: 4-4
Head Coach: Mike Hopkins (5th season)
Best win so far: 77-74 vs. George Mason
Analysis: Washington had a good start to the Crossover Classic with wins over George Mason and South Dakota State, but the tournament ended for the Huskies with a bad 81-62 loss to Nevada. Senior guard Terrell Brown Jr. has been a bright spot for the Huskies, averaging over 22 points per game.
Washington State
Record: 5-1
Head Coach: Kyle Smith (3rd season)
Best win so far: 109-61 vs. Idaho
Analysis: The Cougars have done what they’ve needed to so far this season, which is beat the bad teams on their schedule. They’ll be tested a little more in December and we’ll know more about this Wazzu team when January rolls around.
KEY NON-CONFERENCE WINS
AP TOP 25 OPPONENTS (2-7)
at #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT)
ARIZONA 80, #4 Michigan 62 (Las Vegas, Nev.)
POWER 6 OPPONENTS (3-8)
at #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT)
UTAH 68, Boston College 61 (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
ARIZONA 80, #4 Michigan 62 (Las Vegas, Nev.)
ROAD OPPONENTS (3-6)
USC 76, at Temple 71
USC 78, at Florida Gulf Coast 61
#2 UCLA 73, at UNLV 51
KENPOM.COM TOP 100 OPPONENTS (6-17)
at #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT)
at #13 OREGON 86, SMU 63
ARIZONA 82, Wichita State 78 (OT) (Las Vegas, Nev.)
ARIZONA 80, #4 Michigan 62 (Las Vegas, Nev.)
WASHINGTON 87, South Dakota State 76 (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
#24 USC 58, San Diego State 43 (Anaheim, Calif.)
PRESEASON CONFERENCE FAVORITES (7-2)
at #13 OREGON 83, Texas Southern 66
at #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT)
at WASHINGTON 72, Texas Southern 65
at WASHINGTON STATE 73, UC Santa Barbara 65
at CALIFORNIA 75, Southern Utah 68 (2OT)
at WASHINGTON STATE 92, Winthrop 86
WASHINGTON 87, South Dakota State 76 (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
2021 NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS (9-12)
at #13 OREGON 83, Texas Southern 66
at UTAH 70, Abilene Christian 56
at #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT)
at WASHINGTON 72, Texas Southern 65
at WASHINGTON STATE 73, UC Santa Barbara 65
ARIZONA 82, Wichita State 78 (OT) (Las Vegas, Nev.)
ARIZONA 80, #4 Michigan 62 (Las Vegas, Nev.)
at WASHINGTON STATE 92, Winthrop 86
#24 USC 58, San Diego State 43 (Anaheim, Calif.)
PRESEASON NATIONAL AWARDS
AP PRESEASON FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
NABC NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
NAISMITH TROPHY NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
Isaiah Mobley, USC
Will Richardson, Oregon
WOODEN AWARD NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
Tyger Campbell, UCLA
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
Isaiah Mobley, USC
Will Richardson, Oregon
NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME AWARDS WATCH LIST
Bob Cousy Point Guard Of The Year
Tyger Campbell, UCLA
Will Richardson, Oregon
Jerry West Shooting Guard Of The Year
De’Vion Harmon, Oregon
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
Julius Erving Small Forward Of The Year
Marcus Bagley, Arizona State
Harrison Ingram, Stanford
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Jabari Walker, Colorado
Karl Malone Power Forward Of The Year
Quincy Guerrier, Oregon
Isaiah Mobley, USC
Azuolas Tubelis, Arizona
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Of The Year
Myles Johnson, UCLA
5. Washington State
Coach: Kyle Smith
Record: 5-1 (0-0 Pac-12)
Next Pac-12 game: Arizona State, Wednesday, Dec. 1
Last season’s record: 14-13 (7-12 Pac-12)
Current AP ranking: Not ranked
Preseason poll predicted finish: 8th
Best win this season: UC Santa Barbara
Worst loss this season: Eastern Washington
Top Returners (with 2021-22 stats)
Noah Williams (13.8 points)
TJ Bamba (8.4 point)
Efe Abogidi (8.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 13 blocks)
D.J. Rodman (4.5 points)
Top newcomers (with 2021-22 stats)
Tyrell Roberts, transfer from UC San Diego (14.0 points)
Michael Flowers, transfer from South Alabama (13.7 points)
Mouhamed Gueye, freshman (7.2 points)
Top players lost from 2020-21 (with last season’s stats)
Isaac Bonton, playing professionally in Lithuania (17.7 points)
Comment: Kyle Smith continues to elevate the Cougars’ program and he added some pieces via transfers that will help. That home loss to a mediocre Eastern Washington team on Saturday is troubling, though. Picking WSU this high is a stretch, but you know some team is going to exceed expectations. Why not the Cougars?
10. Washington
Coach: Mike Hopkins
Record: 4-4 (0-0 Pac-12)
Next Pac-12 game: Arizona, Thursday, Dec. 2
Last season’s record: 5-21 (4-16 Pac-12)
Current AP ranking: Not ranked
Preseason poll predicted finish: 11th
Best win this season: South Dakota State
Worst loss this season: Northern Illinois
Top Returners (with 2021-22 stats)
Jamal Bey (10.0 point, 4.8 rebounds)
Nate Roberts (3.6 points, 7.0 rebounds)
Top newcomers (with 2021-22 stats)
Terrell Brown, transfer from Arizona (21.9 points)
Emmitt Matthews Jr., transfer from West Virginia (10.3 points, 4.9 rebounds)
P.J. Fuller, transfer from TCU (10.1 points)
Daejon Davis, transfer from Stanford (9.5 points)
Top players lost from 2020-21 (with last season’s stats)
Quade Green, with G League’s Maine Celtics (15.4 points)
Marcus Tsohonis, transferred to VCU (10.4 points)
Erik Stevenson, transferred to South Carolina (9.3 points)
Hameir Wright, transferred to North Texas (6.2 points)
RaeQuan Battle transferred to Montana State (4.6 points)
J'Raan Brooks transferred to UC San Diego (3.1 points)
Comment: Washington improved its overall talent through transfers, and Terrell Brown is the top scorer in the Pac-12 at the moment. However, the Huskies may not be able to win enough games to save Mike Hopkins’ job.
OC Register https://www.ocregister.com/2021/12/28/pac-12-mens-basketball-preview-our-picks-for-all-conference-honors-and-postseason-awards/
The Hotline’s projections for Pac-12 postseason awards and honors …
Coach of the Year: Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd. Impressively close to locking up the award before the calendar turns. (There’s nobody close at this point.) As long as the Wildcats finish in the top three, Lloyd will be tough to beat.
Player of the Year: Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin. The top NBA prospect in the conference is the early favorite for POY based on playmaking, efficiency and sample size. We considered UCLA’s Johnny Juzang and USC’s Isaiah Mobley.
Freshman of the Year: Stanford’s Harrison Ingram. An impressive start (12.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and the paucity of competition — the rookie class has been low-impact thus far — make Ingram the smart pick.
Newcomer of the Year: USC’s Boogie Ellis. The Memphis transfer is contributing with points, rebounds, assists and general elevation of the collective. Also considered: Cal’s Jordan Shepherd, WSU’s Michael Flowers and Washington’s Terrell Brown.
Defensive Player of the Year: Arizona’s Christian Koloko. The 7-foot-1 sophomore is averaging 3.3 blocks per game, along with an incalculable number of alterations. Also considered: Colorado’s Elijah Parquet.
All-Conference First Team
Oregon G Will Richardson
Arizona G/F Bennedict Mathurin
UCLA G/F Johnny Juzang
Colorado F Jabari Walker
USC F Isaiah Mobley
All-Conference Second Team
UCLA G Tyger Campbell
Cal F Andre Kelly
UCLA F Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Arizona F Azuolas Tubelis
Arizona C Christian Koloko
All-Conference Third Team
Washington State G Michael Flowers
Washington G Terrell Brown
USC F Chevez Goodwin
Colorado F Evan Battey
Utah C Branden Carlson
All-Freshman Team
Colorado G KJ Simpson
Utah G Lazar Stefanovic
Stanford F Harrison Ingram
UCLA F Peyton Watson
Washington State F Mouhamed Gueye
All-Newcomer First Team (Transfers Only; Intra-Conference Transfers Included)
Washington G Terrell Brown (from Arizona)
USC G Boogie Ellis (from Memphis)
Cal G Jordan Shepherd (from Charlotte)
Washington State G Michael Flowers (from South Alabama)
Utah F Both Gach (from Minnesota)
All-Newcomer Second Team
Arizona State G DJ Horne (from Illinois State)
Utah G David Jenkins (from UNLV)
Oregon F Quincy Guerrier (from Syracuse)
Washington F Emmitt Matthews Jr. (from West Virginia)
UCLA C Myles Johnson (from Rutgers)
All-Defense Team
Colorado G Elijah Parquet
Washington G Terrell Brown
UCLA F Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Utah C Branden Carlson
Arizona C Christian Koloko