Pac-12 Basketball: 2018 Conference Tournament Preview

While the Pac-12 may be in a bit of a bad year, the conference tournament is bound to be extremely competitive. Which players and teams will shine in Vegas?

The Pac-12 has been one of the more interesting conferences in the country this season. Enter conference play top teams like Arizona and USC looked disappointing, while projected bottom half teams like Washington and Arizona State looked to be strong contenders.

During conference play, however, things returned to normal, with Arizona and USC finishing first and second as projected. A lot of people regard Pac-12 as a weak major conference this season, and this time it isn’t due to East Coast bias.

Despite being weaker than conferences like the Big 12 and ACC, the Pac-12 has also been one of the most competitive, with seven teams finishing over .500. Even Oregon State, Colorado and Arizona, who all finished with losing records, have given the conference’s top teams a good challenge.

The Pac-12 also has some of the best players in the country. Deandre Ayton out of Arizona might be the top prospect in the NBA Draft, UCLA’s Aaron Holiday has been nothing short of spectacular, and Utah’s Justin Bibbins is one of the best transfers in the country.

It is a shame that more people do not have the Pac-12 Network, because every game in this tournament should be fun to watch. In fact, even the first round will be exciting, with all four games being the rubber match between the two teams. Any team can win this tournament, and that is what makes it so exciting.

Let’s discuss the top players, key teams, and projected winner in the Conference of Champions.