USA TODAY International Edition
Three Pac- 12 squads could make title runs
Résumés of UCLA, Arizona, Oregon, tough to beat
Although the Atlantic Coast Conference might claim to be the nation’s deepest men’s basketball league and perhaps the toughest, it might not have the most national title contenders.
That distinction could belong to the Pac- 12, a conference that might not send very many teams to the NCAA tournament. But three of the teams it will send almost certainly will do serious damage.
Oregon, UCLA and Arizona are ranked in the top 10 and projected to land on the top- four seed lines, according to the latest USA TODAY Sports bracketology — with the Pac- 12 tournament champion likely in a strong position to nab a No. 1 seed. All three teams are true Final Four — and, by extension, national title — contenders, Bruins coach Steve Alford says.
“All three teams have a legit chance,” Alford says. “If we all stay healthy, all three of us should all be hard outs because of the way we play.”
There’s UCLA and the high- flying, ultra- efficient offense piloted by Lonzo Ball. Oregon’s highpowered offense led by Dillon Brooks and capable of quickly scoring in bunches at any point. Arizona’s duo of Allonzo Trier, playing his best ball late after a 19- game suspension, and Finnish big man Lauri Markkanen.
But more important than the individual styles of play and the unique defensive approaches each program takes is simply this: There are three great teams in this league.
The Pac- 12’ s three- headed monster not only has led to a great deal of intrigue in terms of the conference regular- season race — Oregon and Arizona were co- champs, with the Ducks earning a No. 1 regional seed in the NCAA tournament because of their head- to- head win vs. the Wildcats — and the NCAA’s West regional. It also has helped that all three teams enter the mid- March stretch more battle- tested than in years past, when it has been a one- or two- horse race.
“You learn the most you can about your team because you’re tested at such a level,” Arizona coach Sean Miller says. “I think for us, whether it’s at Oregon — and obviously we caught them on the wrong night — but seeing a team that’s that skilled, hitting on all cylinders like that, it’s good for you. Playing UCLA twice — the Pac- 12 tournament, we might play each other again. I think it prepares you for the neutral court moment in the NCAA tournament.
“You’ve played against excellence. You’ve played against different styles. Your players realize that, and I think they’re accustomed to playing against talent — teams, coaches, individual players.”
For Alford, this is an extension of what he tried to do with UCLA’s non- conference schedule. The Bruins played five powerconference teams — and beat them all — including a road game against Kentucky. Three ( Texas A& M, Ohio State and Nebraska) were on neutral sites, and one ( Michigan) was at home.
“I like what we’ve done,” Alford said. “There are not a lot of teams that play five of those.”
Throw in two games apiece against Arizona and Oregon — the Bruins lost to each foe the first time before avenging it with a win — and an unblemished mark in February, and that’s why Alford feels good about his team as March approaches its midpoint.
Miller and Oregon’s Dana Altman are confident in their squads, too. All three have been bitten at times, bruised at others — but they’ve all seen their teams fight and bounce back against elite competition. That’s exactly what Final Four- caliber teams do.