Pac-12 Basketball power rankings: Ducks enter 2020 as clear favorites
#12 – California
There’s a new coach roaming the sidelines in Berkeley, but that’s just about the only thing that has changed from last year. The Golden Bears enter the New Year as the only team in the Pac-12 to sport a losing record, thanks in part to faceplants against Santa Clara, San Francisco, and Harvard.
One bright spot for Cal has been the play of Matt Bradley. The sophomore guard is averaging 17.5 points per game and could be an important building block for Fox going forward. But outside of maybe Paris Austin, who is scoring 11.5 points nightly, the Bears just don’t have a lot of reliable options outside of Bradley.
The team looked like it had perhaps turned a corner when it started the season 4-0 with wins over Pepperdine, UNLV, Cal Baptist, and Prairie View. But things quickly went sour and they are 2-7 since the win over PVAMU.
It looks for all the world like Cal will spend another year alone in the cellar of the Pac-12, but there may be another Golden State team with a new coach coming to join them.
#11 – UCLA
It’s a little jarring to see the Bruins so low in the rankings, but this team looks absolutely lost under Mick Cronin. The new coach and his inherited roster have simply not jelled so far. The Tigers have the black eyes to prove it, too, with losses to Hofstra and Cal State Fullerton.
The team is not bereft of talent by any means. Jalen Hill was having a good start to the year before slowing down over the past few games. Chris Smith and Cody Riley are both scoring in double figures.
But the production from guards Prince Ali and Tyger Campbell has left a lot to be desired.
Something simply doesn’t look right in Westwood.
Assuming Cronin is given time to put his fingerprint on this UCLA program, he should be able to return the Bruins to their winning ways before too long. But this season might be a throwaway year, with the team limping to a 7-6 record ahead of Pac-12 play.
Unless the team buys in to whatever Cronin is selling soon, it’s going to be a very long season for the Bruins. Don’t be surprised to see some guys transferring or going pro after this year.