Two months ago, when defending national champion Stanford had an 8-3 record and alarming turnover rate, it seemed unlikely that the Cardinal would go undefeated in the Pac-12 for the first time in a decade.
Now, Stanford is riding a 13-game winning streak and, with only two weeks left in the regular season, is well positioned to secure a perfect conference season (16-0).
Oregon has the most realistic chance of pinning a loss on the Cardinal with a rematch coming up Sunday in Eugene. The Ducks lost 80-68 at Stanford on Jan. 7.
ESPN’s latest projection for the 68-team NCAA Tournament field includes seven Pac-12 teams: Stanford (No. 1 seed), Arizona (2), Oregon (5), Utah (8), Colorado (11), Arizona State (11), Oregon State (12). And Washington State is among the first four out.
The Pac-12 Tournament is just around the corner, March 2-6 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Here are the Hotline’s ninth women’s basketball power ratings:
(Note: NET rankings through Monday: The NCAA Evaluation Tool rankings are used by the selection committee to determine the seeds and at-large bids.)
1. Stanford (21-3/12-0)
Last week: 1
Results: beat Oregon State 82-59, Utah 91-64 and Colorado 63-46
Next up: at Oregon State (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 3 (no change from Feb. 7)
Comment: Stanford has cleaned up its turnovers enough to rank No. 34 nationally in assist-turnover ratio and get down to No. 59 in turnovers (14 per game). The Cardinal is in the top 25 in six statistical categories, including scoring and rebounding margins, but it lags in free throw percentage (No. 245) and 3-point defense (No. 275).
2. Arizona (18-4/8-4)
Last week: 2
Results: lost at ASU 81-77, beat ASU 62-58
Next up: at Washington (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 12 (change: -5)
Comment: There was nothing easy about securing a rivalry split, but the Wildcats found a way to do so while improving to 11-0 at home this season, with 16 straight home wins overall. Arizona is sixth nationally in home attendance (7,555 per-game average) and well positioned to host an NCAA Tournament sub-regional.
3. Oregon (16-8/9-4)
Last week: 3
Results: beat Washington State 83-30 and Oregon State 74-66, lost to Oregon State 68-62
Next up: vs. UCLA (Wednesday)
NET ranking: No. 11 (change: +2)
Comment: Off a rivalry split, the Ducks dropped out of the AP top 25 for the first time in a month after climbing as high as No. 19. They now face a third straight three-game week after agreeing to play UCLA in a non-conference matchup to replace the game the Bruins were required to forfeit Jan. 28 (due to lack of healthy, non-COVID players). Oregon is No. 5 nationally in home attendance (7,675).
4. Utah (15-8/6-5)
Last week: 4
Results: beat USC 91-69, lost to Stanford 91-64, beat Cal 80-75 (OT)
Next up: at USC (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 23 (no change)
Comment: The Utes are 5-1 in their last six games with the only loss to Stanford, which is capable of making almost anyone in the country look bad. Gianna Kneepkens is the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for the fifth time, tied for the most this season with Cal’s Jayda Curry in what looks to be a tight race for Freshman of the Year.
5. Arizona State (12-9/4-4)
Last week: 6
Results: beat Arizona 81-77, lost at Arizona 62-58
Next up: at Washington State (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 39 (change: +6)
Comment: The Sun Devils moved into the ESPN’s projected 68-team NCAA field (as the last team in) and only helped their case with a rivalry split over top-10 Arizona.
6. Colorado (16-7/5-7)
Last week: 7
Results: beat Cal 73-56, lost to Stanford 63-46
Next up: at UCLA (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 34 (no change)
Comment: A solid road win over Cal and leading Stanford for a half (30-29) earns the Buffs a slight bump in our ratings. They also lost by eight to Stanford on Jan. 14 and now have a three-year history of close games against the Cardinal.
7. Washington State (16-8/8-5)
Last week: 5
Results: lost to Oregon 83-30, beat UCLA 66-65 and USC 57-54
Next up: vs. Arizona State (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 67 (change: -10)
Comment: The Cougars’ one-sided debacle against Oregon was offset with two wins by a combined four points, leaving them fourth in a Pac-12 standings jumble that stretches to ninth place. That’s a bit of a cushion going into a stretch run that includes games against the Arizona schools and Stanford.
8. Oregon State (12-9/5-6)
Last week: 8
Results: lost to Stanford 82-59 and Oregon 74-66, beat Oregon 68-62
Next up: vs. Stanford (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 49 (change: +5)
Comment: There’s no tougher five-game stretch than what the Beavers will conclude this week: Arizona, Stanford (makeup game), Oregon twice, then Stanford. They’re 1-3 so far but found a way, behind Talia Von Oelhoffen, to earn a rivalry split that, at minimum, keeps them on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
9. UCLA (11-8/6-6)
Last week: 9
Results: lost to WSU 66-65, beat Washington 69-61
Next up: at Oregon (Wednesday)
NET ranking: No. 53 (change: -2)
Comment: The Bruins are finally getting healthier and deeper late in the season with the return of Jaelynn Penn and Camryn Brown and the debut of Angela Dugalic, a transfer from Oregon (and Tokyo Olympian for Serbia). It creates “healthy tension,” coach Cori Close said, for playing time and a challenge for her adjusting rotations.
10. USC (10-13/3-10)
Last week: 11
Results: lost to Utah 91-69, beat Washington 70-59, lost to WSU 57-54
Next up: vs. Utah (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 82 (no change)
Comment: The Trojans had a much bigger loss to Utah than Cal but also picked up a win and played close in their third straight road game. That adds up to a coin flip margin with the Bears. Sophomore forward Jordyn Jenkins averaged 22.7 points and 10.7 rebounds, earning her first Pac-12 Player of the Week award.
11. California (10-8/1-6)
Last week: 10
Results: lost to Colorado 73-56 and Utah 80-75 (OT)
Next up: vs. Cal State-L.A. (Wednesday)
NET ranking: No. 97 (change: -3)
Comment: The home game against ASU scheduled for Wednesday has been canceled and won’t be made up, according to the Bears. No explanation was given by either school.
12. Washington (5-13/0-10)
Last week: 12
Results: lost to USC 70-59 and UCLA 69-61
Next up: vs. Arizona (Friday)
NET ranking: 120 (change: -13)
Comment: The Huskies have never had a winless season in their Pac-12 history, going back to 1986-87. But they only won 11 conference games combined in their four previous seasons under former coach Jody Wynn, so this first season under Tina Langley is all too familiar.
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Source: www.mercurynews.com