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Pac-12 Basketball: 3 bold predictions for 2019-20 season

By Brian Rauf

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 10: Mick Cronin speaks to the media after he was introduced as the new UCLA Mens Head Basketball Coach at Pauley Pavilion on April 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 10: Mick Cronin speaks to the media after he was introduced as the new UCLA Mens Head Basketball Coach at Pauley Pavilion on April 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – MARCH 28: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks in action against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second half of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional at the KFC YUM! Center on March 28, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – MARCH 28: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks in action against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second half of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional at the KFC YUM! Center on March 28, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

3) The Pac-12 sends six teams to the NCAA Tournament – and four make the Sweet 16

It had become so easy to make the Pac-12 a punchline in recent seasons but, as mentioned previously, the conference is set up to be one of the two or three best in the country this year.

As we discussed on the Busting Brackets podcast, there looks to be four tiers to the Pac-12. The first contains the top four in the preseason poll (Oregon, Colorado, Washington, Arizona), who are considered to be NCAA Tournament locks. The bottom two tiers – Utah and Stanford in one, Cal and Washington State in the other – are expected to have no shot. It’s that middle tier of four teams (USC, Arizona State, Oregon State, UCLA) that all have tournament hopes but are far from sure things.

Ultimately, I think two of those four get in to give the conference six bids. I already talked about UCLA and I think they get in, and I also think Bobby Hurley and Arizona State find a way with their size, athleticism, and shooting.

Next. Pac-12 Preseason Power Rankings. dark

And, unlike past years, I’m looking for Pac-12 teams to do some damage, too. Arizona’s freshman backcourt of Nico Mannion and Josh Green will carry the Wildcats to at least the Sweet 16 (guard play in March!), as will Oregon’s defense and the matchup problems Washington can exploit with Jaden McDaniels and Isaiah Stewart.

I like one of the other three to join them there, too – likely Arizona State, but all three are capable depending on the draw they get in the bracket.

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