The ULCA Bruins are headed to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite 8 for the 3rd consecutive season. #1 UCLA topped #12 Western Kentucky 88-78 on Thursday night, Friday morning in the East, in the Sweet 16 round and will face #3 Xavier on Saturday with the Final Four on the line. The Bruins were led by a career-high 29 points by phenom Kevin Love.
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As the NCAA Tournament approaches and bracketologists make their final predictions on who will crack the beloved field of 65, the Pac-10 will do its final tuning up with its conference tournament starting tonight. An already wild regular season ended with UCLA winning two extremely controversial games, Oregon sweeping the Arizona schools to keep their waning tournament hopes alive, and the lowly Oregon State Beavers finishing conference play winless. The tournament means little to UCLA and Stanford, as they will have a high seed in the NCAA Tournament regardless, but while USC and Washington State look to bolster their seeds, Oregon, Arizona State and Arizona will do all they can to impress the selection committee to try and get a low seed. So with no further adieu:
California v. Washington:
California sure does have a fire under them after controversially losing to UCLA on Saturday, and would love nothing more than another shot at them on Friday. The problem is that the pesky Huskies stand in the way of this rematch, but probably without star Jon Brockman, who badly sprained his ankle in the waning moments of his team’s 76-73 loss to Washington State on Saturday. The Bears will have the services of center DeVon Hardin, who has been out the past two games with a strained hip flexor, which should help the newly undersized Huskies. Cal wins a close one and gets a second shot at UCLA.
PICK: Cal
Arizona v. Oregon State
Come on, seriously?
PICK: Arizona
FRIDAY
USC vs. Arizona State:
This might be the most fun game of the tournament, and almost nobody will see it because of its 12 PM start time. ASU won the last meeting between the teams in a hotly contested, foul filled game in Tempe. The most intriguing matchup is certainly between super-Freshmen O.J. Mayo and James Harden, and a great deal of ASU’s success depends on Harden’s ability to overcome Mayo’s shut-down D. I’d love to see ASU win this one and continue their trek from last year’s laughing stock to tournament bound, but USC is playing too good of basketball right now.
Pick: USC
UCLA vs. CAL:
Josh Shipp’s miraculous(ly questionable) shot instantly lit up YouTube and ESPN Classic and sent Bruin Nation into a frenzy while Cal fans sat fuming over questionable calls and another missed opportunity. The matchup is certainly reminiscent of last year, a UCLA team with nothing to play for and a Cal team with nothing to lose. Cal fans still remember the heroics of Ayinde Ubaka en route to a 76-69 upset in the quarterfinal game last year, a loss this year may cost UCLA a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. UCLA will come out lazy, and Cal will capitalize. UCLA fans need to pray that Dan Guerrero saves their #1 seed.
Pick: Cal
Washington State v. Oregon:
This game all comes down to post presence. Nobody is better at Washington State than establishing the big Australian Aron Baynes as an offensive threat, making teams over-correct, and in turn opening up perimeter guns Derrick Low and Taylor Rochestie. Oregon must find a way to gain their perimeter touch that Washington State shut down very effectively in both games this season, and I do not see that happening especially without Oregon’s home crowd.Pick: WSU
Stanford v. Arizona:
While Cal has no shot of making the tournament unless they win the whole tournament, this could be the make or break game for Arizona’s season, as a win over Stanford would most likely secure their NCAA Tournament bid. Arizona has struggled with Stanford’s size both times this year, but Stanford does not have the defensive answer for sharpshooting “point guard” Jerryd Bayless. I think the Lopezes are too much for Jordan Hill and the rest of Arizona’s mediocre post.
Pick: Stanford (in a close one)
Assuming I’ll be wrong at least once, I’ll pick the semifinals when appropriate. Until then, let the games begin!
Dear Pac-10 Officials,
As we at UCLA celebrate our latest Pac-10 Basketball Championship, I am writing to thank you in your assistance to the acquisition of this title as well as an almost guaranteed #1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. If there was any weekend to come through for us (not like you have not done so in the past!) It was definitely this past weekend against those pesky Bay Area schools. I cannot describe how happy it made all of UCLA nation to see Brook and Robin Lopez mercilessly hacked on virtually every possession, but only get to three free throw line twice in 45 minutes of play. In fact, I think that it is only fair that we got to the line three times more than Stanford did, as our guards (Josh Shipp and Russell Westbrook) clearly drew more fouls than the Lopez twins combined (Did I mention that we hit ten more free throws than Stanford? Good thing we won the game by ten points.) I have been so busy thanking you about the first 39 minutes of the game that I almost forgot to mention Lawrence Hill’s foul on Darren Collison, what a great call at such a crucial time in the game. It was ever so clear that Hill hit Darren with the body, clearly similar contact to the abuse that the Lopezes received over the course of the game. Not only does this call encourage careful defense in the waning seconds of a game, but it essentially tells defenders not to go for blocked shots when the offensive player has a clear path to the basket; brilliant!
The win against Stanford was absolutely what we needed to solidify a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, thus I did not expect any help against the ninth place Cal Bears, a team that we should easily defeat at home. Suffice it to say I was shocked at the Bears tremendous offensive efficiency and their exposure of coach Ben Howland’s supposedly impenetrable defense (on that note, Mr. Howland kindly asks for some assistance if facing USC in the Pac-10 Tournament, Tim Floyd has been too much trouble for him lately.) We were being outshot, outdefended and outplayed, but praise Wooden, you showed up to save us a second time. It must be true that all good things come in threes, because your UCLA goggles helped ignore three blatant violations. Josh Shipp’s downward swipe and Russell Westbrook’s yank of Ryan Anderson’s left arm were not clear at all, neither was the ball hitting off of Shipp’s fingertips out of bounds. I will tell you that it is certainly reassuring that you were properly positioned to make the correct call, that being UCLA ball. This call was so good that we’ve even got ex-UCLA coach Steve Lavin accusing you of some home officiating, he’s probably just bitter or something. I don’t have to write to remind you what happened next, Josh Shipp’s amazing “maybe over the backboard” shot, the fact that we got away with rushing the court with time still on the clock (a technical foul in almost all situations), or Josh Shipp’s punching of the ball into the stands (another technical foul), you just need to remember that we won 81-80 and will be remembered for our comeback ability. Our tenacity and ability to comeback needs a little help sometimes, right?
In conclusion, do not listen to the Pac-10 Head Official Bill McCabe, he does not know how you mean so much to us. I also would like to thank you personally, as if not for these victories, my job may be in question as well. These losses cover up my complete inability to hire a head football coach (who knew that even the search firms would fail me?), the fact that our basketball team was .500 in its major non-conference games, or the fact that we have not won the NCAA Tournament since Jim Harrick committed all forms of violations to put together a winning squad. Who knows, if you can work some games for us in the tournament (which I will choose carefully as a member of the selection committee) maybe our new football coach can make himself a couple extra bucks by betting on us to go all the way! Not like he’s had run into any trouble before.
See you at the Pac-10 Tournament!
Sincerely,
Daniel G. Guerrero
Director of Athletics
University of California-Los Angeles
By Gabriel Baumgaertner
With the culmination of the first half of Pac-10 conference play, everything has been as unpredictable as many predicted. Uber-Freshmen O.J. Mayo and Kevin Love each had breakout games against Cal, Oregon continued its habit of losing to unranked teams on the road, and Arizona State has emerged from the last year’s loser to a contender this year. The Pac-10 is making its case for the strongest conference in the country, having had two teams in the top 5 and five in the top 25 as well as a winning record in the Pac-10/Big 12 challenge. UCLA’s dominance of Washington State appeared to solidify their position as the best in the conference, but a home loss to rival USC certainly has left the Pac-10 as jumbled as most anticipated.
Lute Olson is certainly a notable absence from the sidelines of the Pac-10 this season, and Arizona is playing as if they truly do miss their old coach. The Wildcats’ anointed future head coach, Kevin O’Neill, has the Cats playing very disciplined basketball, but it still feels as if they have not shown their true potential yet. With a team that boasts future top-10 picks in sophomore Chase Budinger and freshman Jerryd Bayless, many predicted the Cats would challenge UCLA and Washington State for Pac-10 supremacy, but instead they remain jumbled in the middle, three games out of first place. Budinger and Bayless have been consistently strong, but the questioned depth of ‘Zona has proved to be an issue, and the lack of contributions from talents Jordan Hill and Jawann McClellan has been nothing short of frustrating for Cats fans. A victory over Washington State shot Arizona back into the top 25, but a blowout loss at UCLA put them back into the unranked doldrums, a spot where Arizona basketball hardly ever lies. The loss of speedy point guard Nic Wise is another blow to the already undermanned Wildcats, making this upcoming tilt with rival Arizona State all the more interesting.
Arizona State was definitely the Cinderella story to begin Pac-10 play, winning their first four conference games after having won only one all of last year, but the Sun Devils have since drifted into insignificance, losing five consecutive games after a ten game winning streak. Much of the recent problems are attributed to the recently poor post play of junior Jeff Pendergraph, who started tremendously, but has since struggled. Pendergraph has shown glimmers of brilliance (26 points, 8 boards and 4 blocks in a road victory against Cal) but then shows tremendous futility (6 points and 1 rebound in an embarrassing 84-52 loss against UCLA). Freshmen James Harden and Ty Abbot continue to boast their great shooting potential, but defense has been a big question. Coach Herb Sendek clearly has his team headed in the right direction, but he must get his team out of this funk if they hope to reach the coveted NCAA Tournament.
Though the Bay has suffered from “missed opportunities”, there is no denying that Oregon has clearly been the most disappointing state in Pac-10 play this season. Evaluating the Oregon State Beavers is almost pointless, as their winless campaign in the Pac-10 appears to have no end in sight, having lost all but one conference game by ten points or more (the only non-double figure loss was a nine point loss to Washington). The firing of coach Jay John is just the beginning of what should be a giant revamping of the Beaver program. The only real talent the Beavers did have, center CJ Giles, was recently kicked off the team by interim coach Kevin Mouton, adding yet another embarrassing blemish to a team that is nothing short of disgraceful. While players were hardly unnerved by the loss of Giles (fellow starters Josh Tarver and Marcel Jones refused to answer what they thought of Giles being kicked off), Giles was probably their only chance of winning a conference game. While nobody enjoys seeing a team go winless, the Beavers will need to stage a major upset in order to avoid the goose egg.
Most expected the Beavers to finish in last place in the Pac-10, but few anticipated the struggles that the Oregon Ducks have endured this season. Ernie Kent’s squad was predicted by many to compete for the Pac-10 title and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, they now have to finish the season strongly to even hope for an NCAA Tournament berth. The Ducks recently snapped a four game losing streak with a victory over in-state rival Oregon State, but their play has been underwhelming at best. With key contributors Malik Hairston, Bryce Taylor, Tajuan Porter and Maarty Leunen returning from last year’s Elite Eight squad, Oregon was not expected to struggle with the likes of Washington, USC and Arizona State. The Ducks probably need to sweep the streaking Bay Area teams this weekend in order to help their tournament hopes, but they are going to need to improve their perimeter offense to make up for their complete lack of size. The only big man to do anything for the Ducks this season has been Joevan Catron, as 6′9 Maarty Leunen has not been as versatile as expected. The Ducks’ leading rebounder in several games has been the 6′6 Hairston, a testament to their rebounding issues. If Porter, Leunen and Taylor can return to their sharpshooting form, the Ducks will return to the top of the Pac-10.The Pac-10 has been touted by many as the best conference in the country, but only two teams have enjoyed the privilege of being in the top 5 in the country at some point this season.
The gritty Washington State Cougars do not boast any superstars in their lineup, but stifling defense and a molasses-paced offense have frustrated teams to no end. The Cougars limp into their home weekend series against the Los Angeles schools, having lost consecutive heartbreakers to Cal and Stanford last week. Though the losses sank the Cougars from second in the conference into a three way tie for third, few doubt the Cougars’ abilities. It is difficult to crown any single Cougar as the “best player” this year, as Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver are consistent scoring threats, but are very aware when to dish the ball to somebody like Daven Harmeling or Taylor Rochestie for a perimeter shot or inside to big Australian center Aron Baynes. The young Tony Bennett is certainly proving that he is an elite Pac-10 coach, not having superstars like Kevin Love, O.J. Mayo or Brook Lopez at his disposal. Despite their recent struggles, look for the Cougars to make a huge run come March.
While Pullman, Washington boasts a top 25 team with no superstars, Seattle appears to be a center for disappointing recruits. Jon Brockman, Quincy Pondexter, Ryan Appelby, Tim Morris is great on paper, apparently not so on the court. The Huskies are still a legitimate threat in the Pac-10, but continue to underachieve. The recent bright spot has been the play of reserve Venoy Overton and Brockman never fails to impress, but Pondexter has been a major disappointment, and Ryan Appelby has yet to find the deadly three point touch that torched the Pac-10 last year. Unless a major run is put together by the Huskies, the NIT looks to be a likely destination.
As if the 2007 season for the Arizona State Sun Devils was not enough, College Sports Fans is now labeling Arizona State as a team to watch in 2008. While the Sun Devils fell 52-34 to Texas in the Holiday Bowl, an impressive 10-3 season is more than enough for the Sun Devils to build on. QB Rudy Carpenter and a host of offensive weapons will return for Arizona State in 2008 as the Sun Devils look to take a Pac 10 Championship and earn a BCS Bowl game berth.
By Gabriel Baumgaertner
Whatever sweetness remained from USC’s thrashing of Illinois on New Year’s Day quickly soured this afternoon when sources announced that head coach Pete Carroll has arranged a meeting with Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank concerning the Falcons vacant head coaching position. Carroll has rebuffed several NFL offers during his tenure at USC, but is reportedly showing active interest in the Falcons, a job recently vacated by now Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino, who abruptly abandoned the team with three games left in the season. The Washington Redskins are another team rumored to be after Carroll, who recently lost coach Joe Gibbs to retirement (again). Carroll has repeatedly stated that he will not leave USC for the pros, but another BCS victory this year and two national championships during his stint in the Land of Troy make one wonder if he wants another shot at the NFL.
Carroll was a head coach for three seasons in the NFL, one with the New York Jets and two with the New England Patriots, compiling a 23-28 record. College coaches thrust directly into NFL head coaching positions has an alarming failure rate, as the likes of Dennis Erickson, Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban and Petrino have had tremendous success at the collegiate level, but were rumored to be overwhelmed when given the responsibilities of an NFL team. Many wonder why Blank is looking to another college head coach to fill his coaching vacancy after being completely burned by Petrino, who had had no NFL experience whatsoever, but there appears to be less of a risk with Carroll, who was a not only a head coach for three seasons, but also an assistant for twelve. Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh was criticized early in the year for inferring that Carroll would make the jump after this season, but it appears that the provocative Harbaugh may have seen what others did not.
Carroll has become an L.A. icon not merely because of his astonishing winning percentages, but because of popularity with his players and the community. “He’s a really likeable guy, not a typical old coach that just sits back and draw’s up x’s and o’s” says Redshirt Freshman Daniel Harper “At practice he’s out there running around with us and doing drills, personally it’s hard for me to imagine playing for someone else at this point.” Carroll has also gained popularity with the opening of his practices to the public, a rarity among major college football teams like USC. In doing so, he has drawn fans from all over Los Angeles, most notably from the inner city. Carroll’s presence will be missed not only on the football field, but within the local community as well.
If Carroll in fact leaves for an NFL position, he will certainly be remembered for resurrecting a lifeless program and bringing glory back to the program that has turned out more Heisman Trophy Winners than any school in history. However, it will seem forever premature to USC fans and players because of the success, charisma and overall fun that he has brought to USC. With Rick Neuheisel recently being hired at UCLA, it may turn out that the “perfect” Southern California football program may be on a hunt very soon.
For the 4th time in 5 years, the USC Trojans will be playing in the Rose Bowl. Pete Carroll’s Trojans beat Michigan in January 2004 & 2007 while falling to Texas in the 2005 Rose Bowl which determined the 2004 BCS National Championship. This season it’s USC vs. Illinois in the Rose Bowl and the 2008 Rose Bowl preview is now live from College Sports Fans. While USC apparel & clothing is flying off the shelves at most stores and online, Trojan fans must be thinking about what could have been as injuries are likely the only reason USC isn’t in position for another BCS National Championship this season.
The Las Vegas Bowl will kick off on December 22nd as the UCLA Bruins of the Pac-10 will look to once again defeat the BYU Cougars of the Mountain West Conference. The two teams met up with the Bruins winning 27-17 despite BYU’s offense being the statistical winners. BYU outgained UCLA by nearly 200 yards in that contest but started the season slow before finishing the MWC schedule 8-0 and 10-2 overall. UCLA went 6-6 on the season resulting in the firing of coach Karl Dorrell and looks to finish the season above .500. For a complete 2007 Las Vegas Bowl preview be sure to check out College Sports Fans.
BYU merchandise, hats & clothing as well as UCLA jerseys and autogaphed football memorabilia can be found at great prices online through DFN Sports sites.
By Gabriel Baumgaertner,
After a tumultuous college football season riddled with upsets and injuries, many have looked to the basketball season for stability within the Top 25 rankings. The upset trend appeared to creep into basketball with unknown Gardner-Webb University beating the lauded Kentucky Wildcats 84-68 in Lexington. The college basketball world had barely recovered from the Gardner-Webb shock before witnessing super-recruit O.J. Mayo’s USC debut ruined by the Mercer Bears of Macon, Georgia. Though basketball has frequently been more vulnerable to the upset than football, the point differential of these upsets has many analysts believing that even the smallest conference opponents are formidable. The Pac-10, thought to be the best overall conference of the 2007-2008 season, has already been bit three times by the small conference upset, with USC losing to Mercer 96-81,Oregon losing to St. Mary’s 99-87 and Stanford losing to Siena 79-67. How would those upsets affect this season’s first rankings…
1. UCLA (6-0)
A CBE Classic Championship and the exposure of Kevin Love’s physical side has Westwood excited and the rest of the Pac-10 frightened. Though it is far too early to say whether Love has lived up to the extraordinary expectations placed upon him, he has certainly made a strong impression in the first six games of his freshman season. Love was highly regarded for his passing and scoring abilities coming out of Lake Oswego High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon, but his rebounding and toughness were called into question by some. Tom Izzo’s Michigan State squad attempted to test Love’s brawn by frequently double-teaming him and engaging in a series of physical rebound battles. Love responded by grabbing eleven rebounds and scoring twenty-one points en route to a come-from-behind 68-63 victory over the No. 10 Spartans. The standout play of Russell Westbrook has also elevated UCLA. Averaging twelve points and six assists in replacing injured All-American point guard Darren Collison, the Bruins have a third guard (complimenting Collison and Josh Shipp) with proven scoring ability. Once Collison is able to return, one will be hard-pressed to find holes in this shockingly potent UCLA squad. Facing only one more difficult non-conference challenge with a Dec. 2 bout against the Texas Longhorns, UCLA may very well begin Pac-10 play undefeated.
2. Washington State (6-0)
The Cougars are finally targeted this season, as they are no longer the surprise team that took the Pac-10 by storm last year. Coach Tony Bennett has never been one to gloat over his team’s performance, even after big wins (when asked whether he felt his team had the best defense in the Pac-10 after allowing 26 points to Mississippi Valley State, Bennet responded “Ask me that when we play a Pac-10 team.”) Bennett’s team has hardly been challenged yet, with the only close game coming from Air Force. However, the play of Derrick Low, Kyle Weaver and and Taylor Rochestie has been encouraging. All three have showcased 20 point games and are proven scorers. If Darvin Harmeling, who missed all but one game of the 2006-2007 season, can stay healthy, Washington State will have a fourth solid scoring option to complement the strongest defense in the Pac-10. With state rivals Gonzaga coming to Pullman on Dec. 2, the defensive minded, slow paced Cougars look to make a solid impression on a national stage. If the defensive play and offensive consistency continue, look for many opponents to get pulverized in Pullman.
3. USC (5-1)
This spot probably should go to Oregon, but I still cannot get over the Ducks pitiful defensive performance against the Gaels of St. Mary’s. While several Duck fans will be quick to point out the beating the Trojans suffered at the hands of the Mercer Bears, the Trojans have strung together a series of solid wins while the Ducks face their first true test when they visit Kansas State on Thursday. Super-Freshman OJ Mayo has immediately become the focus of the Trojan offense, avearging just under 22 points a game, and has received tremendous support from fellow freshman Davon Jefferson as well as sophomore Daniel Hackett. Most were skeptical about the Trojans ability to score outside of Mayo this year, having lost top scorers Nick Young, Gabe Pruitt and Lodrick Stewart. USC’s talent shined in their 70-45 domination of No. 19 Southern Illinois, smothering the Salukis defensively and shooting 60% from the floor. Taj Gibson presents a broodish inside presence that should take care of most rebounding responsiblities and help the Trojans develop some form of inside game. If the Trojans can keep up the fast, sharpshooting guard play, they should be able to establish themselves near the top of the conference.
4. Oregon (6-1)
The Ducks have remained in the top 25 despite their embarrassing loss to St. Mary’s just over a week ago, and rebounded nicely with a 110-79 thrashing of University of San Francisco. However, the Ducks have yet to prove they can play defense- at all, and such inconsistency does not belong in the top 25. My skepticism stems from the fact that St. Mary’s did not shoot the ball that well, draining 47% of their shots. 47% is a very solid night, but a squad with talent like Oregon’s should easily overcome a good shooting night by a clearly inferior team. While defense is a big concern for Ernie Kent’s kids, their ability to put the ball in the hoop certainly is not. Oregon has five players averaging in double figures, and have proven themselves one of the most versatile teams in the country. While most praise is directed toward senior guard Malik Hairston, the unsung hero is definitely senior Maarty Leunen, who has proven that he can score both inside and beyond the three point arc. It will be fun to see whether the Ducks can contain freshman phenom Michael Beasely in their visit to Kansas State on Wednesday. If Kent’s club surrendered 37 points to St. Mary’s freshman Patty Mills, who knows what a supreme talent like Beasely could do to this defense.
5. Arizona (3-2)
I hate the fact that I am putting this team here because of how weak I truly think they are, but taking Kansas to OT in an intensely passionate game at Allen Fieldhouse elevates them to the #5 spot. I firmly believe that the ‘Cats have no solid options behind Chase Budinger and Jared Bayless and that will haunt them when Pac-10 play begins. My confidence in the Arizona team comes from the fact that they have been playing sans coach Lute Olson for all five games thus far and I do not believe senior guard Jawann McClellan has played to his full potential. Bayless is emerging as one of the better point guards in the Pac-10, averaging 18 points and 5 assists per game in his first five games as a Wildcat. Arizona’s two losses are by a combined seven points to two teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last year (Virginia and Kansas), but they have yet to defeat a formidable squad, as Missouri-Kansas City, Adams State and Northern Arizona are not foes the Wildcats will see in the postseason. Their matchup against #9 Texas A&M at home should be an accurate barometer of where the Cats will stand in this year’s ferocious Pac-10 field.
6. California (3-0)
I should not be ranking Cal, instead I should put “TBA” next to their ranking, since they truly have not played enough to be given a fair assessment. Devon Hardin is expected to lead the Golden Bears back from a disappointing 2006-2007 campaign, but Hardin has been shut down offensively by both Nichols State and San Diego State. The Bears have used Hardin mainly as a decoy in their first three games, delegating most of the scoring to sophomores Ryan Anderson and Patrick Christopher, averaging 20 and 21 points per game respectively. Though the team has been riddled with injuries (until the return of Jerome Randle on Saturday, the Bears dressed only two scholarship guards), Cal was able to overcome a fourteen point defecit to defeat a strong San Diego State squad. Nikola Knezevic has emerged as a strong guard alongside Randle, seamlessly running the offense, fastbreak and displaying shutdown defense in each of the three games thus far. Ben Braun’s squad will face its first difficult non-conference opponents in Nevada, Missouri, Jackson State and Kansas State, four teams that qualified for postseason play last March. If Hardin can continue his defensive paint dominance (averaging fourteen rebounds and just under three blocks in the first three games) and Anderson and Christopher can score with continued efficiency, the Golden Bears will be a feared team.
7. Stanford (7-1)
I am certainly lowballing the Cardinal here. This is not because of how they match up with the other major Pac-10 squads, rather their complete lack of difficult non-conference opponents. An unranked Texas Tech team is the only challenge that Stanford faces heading into Pac-10 play, and none of the eight games, with the exception of UC Santa Barbara, have featured a team that could appear in the NCAA Tournament. An upset loss to Siena dropped Stanford from the top 25 ranks, and they have yet to find their way back despite three consecutive wins since the embarrassing loss to the Saints of Albany. The most obvious absence is that of the academically ineligible Brook Lopez, who combined with his twin brother Robin, made for an unmatched post presence both offensively and defensively last year. Because of Lopez’s academic ineptitude, Coach Trent Johnson has turned to a guard focused scoring attack, relying on sharpshooters Lawrence Hill, Anthony Goods, Landry Fields and Kenny Brown for a deadly perimeter shooting. With transfer point guard Drew Shiller and returning starter Mitch Johnson, the Cardinal might be the deepest backcourt in the Pac-10. I have an inclination that this team will be much higher as conference play commences, but they certainly are not preparing themselves well with a soft non-conference schedule.
8. Washington (4-2)
Lorenzo Romar’s club appears to already miss the one-and-done Spencer Hawes, as they have struggled mightily with ranked opponents Syracuse and Texas A&M to start the season. The bright side of this raw Husky team is that they have three players averaging double figures with one of their leading scorers, Ryan Appelby, continuing to recover from a nagging hand injury. Jon Brockman has emerged as the token “beast” of the Pac-10, reminiscent of Bryant “Big Country” Reeves that led Oklahoma State to the 1995 Final Four. Brockman leads Washington in both points and rebounds per game and has established himself as the team’s go-to-guy. The Huskies have also received solid offensive production from guard Justin Detmon and forward Quincy Pondexter and a great navigator in point guard Venoy Overton. Though Brockman is an intimidating inside presence, his backup options are grim if he suffers from foul trouble that has hindered him in the past or an effective double team. Road tests against Oklahoma State and LSU loom as well as a home bout against No. 14 Pittsburgh, giving the Huskies plenty of challenges before conference play.
9. Arizona State (3-1)
Jeff Pendergraph and James Harden are two names that will soon be taking the Pac-10 by storm. Harden was one of the top prospects in the class of 2007 and made a surprise commitment to ASU along with local Arizona native Ty Abbot and East Coast product Kraidon Woods. Pendergraph, a high school teammate of UCLA point guard Darren Collison, is regarded by some as the best rebounder in the Pac-10. Harden, Pendergraph and Abbot have been responsible for most of the scoring in their three victories thus far, including a hard-fought overtime victory over LSU. Reserves Derek Glasser and Duke transfer Eric Boateng are expected to contribute big off of the bench. Glasser started most of last year, but the arrival of Harden, Abbot and Christian Polk has meant a decreased role for the sophomore. Herb Sendek looks as if he has already begun the transformation of a notoriously bad basketball program, but a road test at Nebraska and a home date against No. 23 Xavier will display the real talents of the youthful Sun Devils.
10. Oregon State (3-2)
It is a miracle that coach Jay John has not been fired already. Coming into the season on the hottest of hot seats, John did not exactly thrill Beaver Nation with losses to Colorado State and Alaska-Fairbanks (a team that had lost by 58 points to California one week earlier). OSU does not face a difficult non-conference schedule, but they will need all the wins they can get, as they are sure to be dominated in conference play. Seth Tarver has been the do-it-all guy for the Beavers thus far, leading the team in all major scoring categories. The Beavers have a decent rebounder in Roeland Schaftenaar, but fellow big man Sean Carter has failed to prove himself as the defensive standout he was expected to be. I firmly believe this team will win two games or fewer come Pac-10 play, and Corvallis will be searching for somebody to revive this utterly lifeless basketball program.
By Gabriel Baumgaertner
I never anticipated being sad watching the Oregon Ducks’ national championship hopes go down in flames. However, as Dennis Dixon’s leg turned one way and his knee the other, I felt like I collectively winced with the entire Eugene, Oregon populace. The knees and arms of Dennis Dixon had lifted Oregon to their most successful season since the Joey Harrington days, and the Ducks appeared to have a manageable road to the national championship. Dixon burst onto the national scene in the second week of the season, as he and tailback Jonathan Stewart combined to annihilate what was thought to be a potent Michigan defense en route to a 39-7 victory over the host Wolverines. Dixon then became the most intriguing college QB in the country, reminiscent of Vince Young and Troy Smith, but with a seemingly more effective pocket presence than both. Despite a loss against Cal, Oregon posted big victories over USC and Arizona State and were looking at the Rose Bowl as their backup option. A Thursday night visit against toothless Arizona did not appear to be much of a challenge to a team that defeated top 10 teams in back to back weeks, but an awkward foot plant on an attempted cutback would change so much more than just the fate of the Ducks.
Les Miles infuriated football fans from four states when declaring not only the superiority of the Southeastern Conference, but completely degrading the Pac-10 as a weak conference. Thus, a non-conference affair between Tennessee and California garnered tremendous attention because of Miles’ presumptuous comments. Cal’s sound defeat of the Volunteers helped the Pac-10’s case, but the ultimate goal of qualifying a team to the national championship NOT named USC still loomed. There was Cal, who had their shot at #1, but left it on the 10 yard line against an inferior Oregon State team. And then Arizona State, whose comeback ability and new attitude led to New Orleans aspirations, only to see those wiped away by Dixon and company. Oregon appeared flawless. A rise to number 2 in the BCS rankings and an easy schedule (Arizona, UCLA and Oregon State) had the Ducks primed for New Orleans. This would be much more than simply the Ducks’ first chance at a national championship, but a chance for a non-USC Pac-10 school to win their first BCS title and first outright national title since the 1991 Washington Huskies.
Oregon’s loss means the ascension of the upstart Kansas Jayhawks to the seemingly cursed #2 spot in the BCS; followed by West Virginia, Missouri and Ohio State. Though I’d love to hold out for ASU to make one final push at the #2 spot, I will most likely settle in to watch the hated Les Miles and his LSU Tigers take on a team whose basketball team I’d rather watch and whose state I only hope to visit on a business trip. I will not care to see who hoists the trophy as the 2007 BCS National Champion, rather I will think of the cutback and how the awkward torque of a knee could plummet my beloved Pac-10’s reputation.