Top 5 Transition Teams in the Pac-12 Conference

Teams who adhere to the traditional grind it out, slow paced basketball have usually flourished in the college basketball ranks. Slow down, shmow down; the Pac-12 conference has a stable of teams chomping at the bit to be quicken the place and unleash hell in the open court.

Cranking the speed to eleven, these Pac-12 teams turn games into an old west shootout, firing up shots like it is a pop-a-shot machine at the local arcade. Look for these teams to run teams into the ground with their speed and athleticism.

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5. USC Trojans

USC is expected to finish near the bottom of the Pac-12 conference this year, but that doesn’t mean they won’t look good doing it. Trojan’s head coach Andy Enfield and the second installment of Dunk City is looking to run teams into submission and they have the pieces to accomplish that this year.

It all starts with point guard Jordan McLaughlin who will be the little engine that powers this transition game that has athletes and shooters in every position. Fellow class of 2014 members Elijah Stewart, Malik Martin, Malik Marquetti aren’t afraid to shoot the ball and can fill the lanes and finish at the rim. UNLV transfer Katin Reinhardt will act as a second ball handler and give the Trojans more options to start the break.

The only real question is if they have enough defensive stops and forced turnovers to get their transition game going. USC only brings back 32.3% of it’s rebounding from last year. Other than returning forward Nikola Jovanovic, the Trojans don’t have any proven rebounders. They aren’t a particularly physically imposing team either, with only Reinhardt as the only guard topping 200 pounds at 6’5. Enfield will have to utilize their athleticism on defense with a half court press in order to spark their running game.

4. UCLA Bruins

The Bruins had the talents of Jordan Adams, Kyle Anderson, and Zach LaVine who made UCLA one of most exciting teams to watch in transition last year. According to Hoop-Math.com, the first 10 seconds of possession constitutes transition. The Bruins took an initial shot attempt in transition 30.6% of their total possessions and shot a conference leading 38.5% from 3-point range in transition. Unfortunately all three of those players are now in the NBA, so what makes this Bruin team able to maintain its prowess in the fast break? Reloaded talent.

UCLA secured the services of 5-star recruit Kevon Looney, who will be disruptive to say the least on the defensive end, using his long arms to play passing lanes, rebound the ball, and generally being a menace to ball handlers. Helping him to spring the transition game will be bulldog defender Norman Powell who is also adept at finishing in transition with his explosive athleticism.

Rebounding will also be a strength that can lead to fast break opportunities for the Bruins. Along with Looney who is a good rebounder, UCLA has 6’9 forward Tony Parker, 7’0 center Thomas Welsh, and 6’10 Gyorgy Golomon wiping the defensive glass and initiating the fast break with good outlet passes to Bryce Alford or Isaac Hamilton.

3. Arizona Wildcats

What precedes transition 100% of the time? The end of an opposing teams offensive possession. The Wildcats showed last year that they were incredibly efficient at stopping the opposition from scoring with turnovers or difficult shots that resulted in a defensive rebound. According to StatSheet.com, Arizona held teams to 38.7% shooting from the field and gathered 73.2% of available defensive rebounds.

There is little indication that there will be a major change in defensive productivity even with Nick Johnson and Aaron Gordon gone. Defensive madman and athletic finisher Rondae Hollis-Jefferon is now going to get starters minutes. Joining him will be highly touted freshman forward Stanley Johnson who has an equal if not greater defensive motor. Returning senior guard TJ McConnell sets the tone defensively from the point guard position, harassing opposing guards and funneling them into the teeth of the Arizona defense. He also possesses great vision that he uses to set others up in transition.

With the dependable half court scoring of Nick Johnson now gone, the Wildcats will need to get out in transition more to utilize the athletes that they have. Last season, Arizona led the Pac-12 finishing 79.1% of their transition shots at the rim. With Johnson, Hollis-Jefferson, and Brandon Ashley running the floor with McConnell, look for that percentage to stay consistently excellent.

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2. Colorado Buffalo

The boys are (mostly) back in town. Aside from Spencer Dinwiddie, who missed most of last season and bolted for the NBA, the key players from last years NCAA tournament team have returned and so has their running game. Last year, the Buffalo attempted a shot in transition 30.2% of their total possessions, finishing 4^th in the conference in that category.

Colorado brings back stud forward Josh Scott, Xavier Johnson, and Wesley Gordon. Those three players were last years leading rebounders on the team. Last year, they accounted for a majority of Colorado’s 25.9 defensive rebounds a game. With those three behemoths cleaning the glass once more, the Buffalo transition game should be a force to be reckoned with.

Rebounds aren’t the only that’s going to initiate the running game. Colorado ranked 4^th in the Pac-12 last year with 6.03 steals per game. Askia Booker led the way in that category when Dinwiddie went down, stripping the ball 1.3 times a game. With their ability to rebound and turn the ball over effectively, the Buffalo should be a force to reckon with in transition.

1. Washington Huskies

The Washington Huskies are a bit of an anomaly. Washington finished second in the Pac-12 conference last year shooting the ball in transition 30.08% of their total possessions, yet they finished 8^th in steals and 10^th in rebounds in the Pac-12 conference. The fact that they have ball handlers that can rebound and start the break on their own definitely helps their cause.

Sophomore guard Nigel Williams-Goss averaged 4.4 rebounds a game during his freshman year. As soon as he grabbed the ball, he and fellow returning guard Andrew Andrews were off and running looking for an easy basket. Both guards combined for 2.3 steals a game that also ignited the potent Husky fast break and will continue to do so this year.

Not that they are going to have to do everything themselves. Making up for the losses of CJ Wilcox and Perris Blackwell are Jernard Jarreau, who is returning from an ACL tear, and 6’11 Robert Upshaw, who sat out last year due to transfer rules. Jarreau was expected to breakout last year until he tore his ACL the first game of the season. If healthy, he can run the floor with Williams-Goss and Andrews and start the break with improved rebounding. Upshaw is a monster at the center position and should be able to grab rebounds and outlet to the guards.