Pac-12 Power rankings: A muddle in the middle
By Shaun Gordon
4. Utah
It was a good week and a half for the Utes (16-9, 8-6 PAC-12). Last Thursday they beat Stanford by 15, then absolutely demolished Cal on Saturday.
This Thursday they won the battle of the bubble teams, stealing a win up in Washington.
That win put them right back into the at-large discussion, and keeps them in the PAC-12 regular-season title hunt. More importantly, they’re now in position for a first-round bye in Las Vegas.
Right now they’re just outside the NCAA Tournament bubble, but a strong finish and a few more key wins (UCLA and USC) can put them into the field of 68.
This Week:
Saturday: at Washington State (7:00pm PT)
3. USC
After their win over Cal on January 28, the Trojans (18-9, 8-5 PAC-12) were in prime position to challenge No. 17 Arizona for the regular-season title. They sat at 8-2, with their next three games a chance to take control of the conference.
Instead, they lost all three, including the two Arizona schools and rival UCLA.
They righted the ship on Thursday, edging Oregon by two and padding their NCAA Tournament resume just a little bit more.
They’re still sitting in third place, and only two games back of the Wildcats for first.
That win could easily be the start of a four-game winning streak before their cross-town rematch against UCLA.
That could put a lot on the line in that rivalry showdown with the Bruins.
This Week:
Saturday: vs. Oregon State (8:00pm PT)