1. Arizona Wildcats (18-2, 6-1) – The Wildcats solidified their position at number one with solid road victories over Stanford and Cal last week, and they continue to get it done with quality shot-taking, as three-point baskets account for only 19.8 percent of their overall offense. There are currently six Arizona players averaging 8.5 points or more, led by freshman forward Stanley Johnson’s 15.0 per game. (This week: Oregon, Oregon State)
2. Utah Utes (16-3, 6-1) – The Utes 77-56 victory over Washington last week was their fifth conference victory by 20 or more points, and their 15th consecutive win at home. Their current mark of 56.5 points allowed per game is 12th nationally. (This week: UCLA, USC)
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3. Stanford Cardinal (14-5, 5-2) – The Cardinal performed well in the loss to Arizona, and followed that effort up with an 89-70 win at home over Arizona State. Senior guard Chasson Randle continues to lead the conference in scoring with 20.2 points per game. (This week: Washington, Washington State)
4. Oregon State (14-5, 5-2) – The Beavers continue to impress in conference play, taking out both UCLA and USC last week. Gary Payton II’s steal against the Trojans sealed the win late, and he continues to lead the team in points and rebounds, the latter being especially impressive considering that he is a 6-foot-3 guard. (This week: Arizona State, Arizona)
5. Oregon Ducks (14-6, 4-3) – The Ducks also managed to down both the L.A.-area schools last week, perhaps in more convincing fashion than their in-state counterparts. Oregon will also take on the two Arizona schools this week. If they somehow are able to achieve wins against both, expect a Top-25 showing and a firm seat reserved in the tournament come selection time, granted they hold steady. (This week: Arizona, Arizona State)
6. Washington Huskies (14-5, 3-4) – The loss of Robert Upshaw is devastating to the Huskies, and they will sorely miss his 10.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks per game. His presence against The Utes didn’t help, as Washington still lost by 21 points. Belgian junior Gilles Dierickx is the next man up, and the Huskies’ season will depend on how much the 7-footer can fill Upshaw’s void. (This week: Stanford, California)
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7. Colorado Buffaloes (10-9, 3-4) – Saturday’s 90-58 win over Washington State was a much-needed victory for a Buffs team that hadn’t won a game since Jan. 4th. Junior forward Xavier Johnson is expected to make the trip to California this week, but Josh Scott is still out for the foreseeable future. Colorado is currently 3-3 since their star center went out with back spasms in early January. (This week: USC, UCLA)
8. UCLA Bruins (11-9, 3-4) – The Bruins snapped a three-game losing streak last week after being swept by both Oregon schools, and they continue to be mostly-inept offensively in conference play. In other news, fans have started a website with a petition calling for the head of head coach Steve Alford. Check out www.firealford.com for all the fun. (This week: Utah, Colorado)
9. Washington State Cougars (9-10, 3-4) – The Cougars continue to allow teams to score at will, as evidenced by the Buffaloes 90 points on Saturday. Washington State cannot stop anyone, and will likely continue to live and die by their own shooting performances. (This week: Cal, Stanford)
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10. Arizona State Sun Devils (10-10, 2-5) – ASU has four starters averaging 10 points or more per game. The downside? Sun Devils leading scorer Savon Goodman is averaging 10.7. Arizona State simply lacks a go-to scorer. (This week: Oregon State, Oregon)
11. California Golden Bears (11-9, 1-6) – It’s been a rough go for the Golden Bears in January. Cal lost their two games to the Arizona schools by a combined 48 points, as they have struggled with their own point production this season. (This week: Washington State, Washington)
12. USC Trojans (9-10, 1-6) – The Trojans played a little better against Oregon and Oregon State last week, but still fell short. Their next good opportunity for win won’t come until Feb. 8th against Cal, who is currently their only conference win. (This week: Colorado, Utah)
