Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: Top 16 reveal, Tennessee’s hidden flaw, and more weekly takeaways

By Brian Rauf

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 09: Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers high fives head coach Rick Barnes as he checks out of the second half of the game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 9, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Bulldogs 76-73. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 09: Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers high fives head coach Rick Barnes as he checks out of the second half of the game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 9, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Volunteers defeated the Bulldogs 76-73. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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TUCSON, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 07: Jaylen Nowell #5 and David Crisp #1 of the Washington Huskies react after scoring against the Arizona Wildcats during the second half of the NCAAB game at McKale Center on February 07, 2019 in Tucson, Arizona. The Huskies defeated the Wildcats 67-60. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TUCSON, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 07: Jaylen Nowell #5 and David Crisp #1 of the Washington Huskies react after scoring against the Arizona Wildcats during the second half of the NCAAB game at McKale Center on February 07, 2019 in Tucson, Arizona. The Huskies defeated the Wildcats 67-60. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

7) The Pac-12 will be a one-bid league…but Washington is legitimately good

Arizona’s struggles certainly play a part in the conference’s overall struggles, but the previously mentioned Washington State has virtually ensured that only one team from the Pac-12 will get in – assuming Washington wins the conference tournament.

The Huskies are firmly in the field without a bad loss and were undefeated in conference play until their loss at Arizona State on Saturday. The Sun Devils and their in-state rivals, Arizona, were the conference’s best two chances of getting another team or two in the field. Well, the Cougars (who started the week 8-14 overall and 1-8 in conference play) went and knocked off both the Wildcats and Sun Devils in Tuscon and Tempe.

Suffering that bad of a loss has essentially killed the bubble hopes for Arizona and has put Arizona State’s on life support. Yes, ASU’s win over Washington was big, but it doesn’t make up all of the ground they lost with that defeat to Wazzu.

Three of their five losses were to teams currently ranked in the KenPom top 15 (Auburn, Gonzaga, Virginia Tech) with the others coming to bubble teams in ASU and Minnesota. They are still lacking that big win but are making up for it somewhat by running through the Pac-12.

Washington’s recent run is something they can carry over into March, too. Washington has one of the nation’s best defenses (top 15 in efficiency) thanks to the 2-3 zone head coach Mike Hopkins brought with him from Syracuse. Jaylen Nowell is a bona fide star, Noah Dickerson is a top-end college big man, Matisse Thybulle is one of the nation’s best defenders and David Crisp is an underrated senior point guard.

The Pac-12 stinks, but don’t let that stench distract you from the fact that this Washington team is legitimately good. They will be a factor in the NCAA Tournament.

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