Pac-12 Basketball power rankings: Ducks, Trojans land at the top
By Connor Hope
2) USC Trojans 16-4 (5-2)
The fact that USC is in second place in the Pac-12 with Andy Enfield as their coach is a testament to the talent on their roster. It’s not that Enfield is a bad coach, but his coaching in end of game scenarios has been puzzling since he arrived in Los Angeles. A look at their blind resume screams NCAA Tournament, but the name of the front of the jersey has many people doubting.
More people need to watch this team play because the Trojans and freshman forward Onyeka Okongwu have not gotten nearly enough attention. Barring a collapse, the Trojans should be dancing comfortably in March, and that is awesome because the nation deserves Okongwu in the NCAA Tournament.
1) Oregon Ducks 17-4 (6-2)
Its no secret that the Pac-12 has a ton of talent, but only the Oregon Ducks have a National Player of the Year candidate. With the exception of consistent production from their frontcourt, there is not much that the Ducks lack.
They have a star in Payton Pritchard, a reliable second option in Chris Duarte and six other players averaging over five points per game. Their ability to win close games is evidenced by their 4-1 record in overtime games. Outside of a road loss to Washington State, the Ducks have not given fans much reason to doubt their ability.
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It is still not clear if they have the talent down low to win the NCAA Championship, but they should be considered the overwhelming favorite to win the conference championship at this point.