Pac-12 Basketball: 2020 conference tournament preview and predictions
Key Players for the Pac-12 Conference Tournament
Payton Pritchard – Oregon
2019-2020 Stats: 20.5 ppg, 5.5 apg, 4.3 rpg
A National Player of the Year candidate, Pritchard has been Oregon’s leading scorer this season. Pritchard has led Oregon to multiple comeback victories and remained a leader for his team throughout the season’s ups and downs. Pritchard surpassed 1,900 career points this season and has left his mark in Oregon during his senior year.
Oscar Da Silva – Stanford
2019-2020 Stats: 16.1 ppg, 1.6 apg, 6.3 rpg
Stanford’s leading scorer suffered an injury, which made it difficult for the Cardinals to consecutively win games during his absence. Following his return, the Stanford Cardinals were able to go on a winning streak and put their names in the conversation of receiving an NCAA Tournament bid.
Da Silva, who averages 16 points per game this season, helped Stanford upset other Pac-12 teams, such as Oregon, Colorado, and UCLA throughout the season. Stanford is definitely one of the underdogs heading into the tournament, but with Da Silva’s talent and ability to match up with just about anyone on the court, they are capable of making a bit of a run in the tournament.
Remy Martin – Arizona State
2019-2020 Stats: 19.1 ppg, 4.1 apg, 3.1 rpg
As Arizona State’s leading scorer and offensive spark this season, Remy Martin plays a big factor in both the Sun Devil’s offensive and defensive performance. Martin has the ability to force turnovers and control the tempo of the game in the Sun Devils’ favor. That, along with his consistent three-point shooting, is something to watch for when it comes to how the Sun Devils perform in the Pac-12 Tournament.
Zeke Nnaji- Arizona
2019-2020 Stats: 16.3 ppg, 0.8 apg, 8.6 rpg
As one of Arizona’s breakout freshmen who managed to fly under the radar for the first part of the season, Nnaji became this season’s leading scorer. Nnaji is one of Arizona’s most effective options inside and has the ability to impact how Arizona fares in this year’s tournament. Not only is his ability to score key for the Wildcats, but his talent when rebounding and capitalizing on second-chance shots has become another one of his great strengths. Nnaji has played a huge part in helping the Wildcats edge out other Pac-12 teams in many close scoring regular-season games.
McKinley Wright – Colorado
2019-2020 Stats: 14.2 ppg, 5.1 apg, 5.6 rpg
The point guard has been one of the bright spots for Colorado during their regular season. Helping lead the Buffaloes in points and assists, Wright is positively impactful in all aspects of the game. Defensively, Wright is able to force turnovers and possess rebounds regardless of his size. Colorado will look to him to help them to continue to create opportunities on both sides of the court.
Isaiah Stewart- Washington
2019-2020 Stats: 16.6 ppg, 0.9 apg, 8.7 rpg
Washington ended their regular season on a high note, sweeping the Arizona schools on the road, while playing what looked like a completely different style of basketball. If they want to carry this momentum into the tournament, Isaiah Stewart, who has been a consistent key player for the Huskies, will have to have a few breakout games.
Onyeka Okongwu- USC
2019-2020 Stats: 16.2 ppg, 1.1 apg, 8.6 rpg
Okongwu has made both his offensive and defensive presence known this year for the USC Trojans. He has an incredible ability to block shots while remaining effective on the other side of the court. Okongwu has become one of USC’s leading scorers as a freshman and is a huge reason why the Trojans have found success this season. In order for USC to have a successful tournament, Okongwu will have to continue his historic season.