Arizona and Utah are both 10-2, and they will play each other in two weeks in a game that is very likely to decide the Pac-12.
The 3rd best teams in the conference are 8-5 UCLA and Oregon. Talk about uninspiring. Both of those teams (and probably Stanford) are on the bubble because the NCAA expanded the tournament to 68 teams, and crummy teams are on the bubble every year. That doesn't mean that they deserve it.
So let's just keep talking about Arizona and Utah, who continue to pillage their way through the conference. Utah won two games by an average margin of 15.5 points, which is actually a pretty middling home performance by their standards. Arizona went on the road and humiliated the Washington schools by 24 and 27.
Utah is first in the Pac-12 in adjusted offensive efficiency, and Arizona is narrowly behind in second. Arizona is first in the Pac-12 in adjusted defensive efficiency, and Utah is narrowly behind. In both categories, the 3rd place team (Oregon's offense and Oregon St's defense) is miles behind. Kenpom's statistics-based all-conference team includes 3 Wildcats, 2 Utes, and 0 players from any other team. This is one of the best races in conference history, but you wouldn't necessarily know it because the rest of the conference is so uninspiring.
Team(s) of the week: Arizona and Utah
(See above. I'm done messing around with pretending that whichever non-Utah, non-Arizona team that gets a home sweep deserves being mentioned in the same breath as the Utes and Wildcats.)
Game of the week: Washington St. 74, Arizona St. 71
This wasn't really a week for thrillers, in part because 1/3 of the games this week featured Utah and Arizona stomping somebody. But Wazzu and ASU played a fun one on Friday night that was noteworthy because it featured a 27 point outburst from Player of the Week Dexter Kernich-Drew. Don't know who that is? Don't feel too bad. Kernich-Drew is a low usage, medium minutes guard who had, prior to February, scored more than 11 points against a Pac-12 opponent exactly once.
But in his last three games he has scored 18, 27 and 20 points, mostly because he's shot 14-25 from three in this current stretch. College basketball! Come because you like basketball, stay because you like weird, delightful, random basketball!
Disappointment of the week: Oregon State and Stanford
Two teams with hypothetical NCAA hopes, two teams that got swept on the road when they really needed at least splits. Stanford couldn't get past a beat up Colorado, and Oregon State gave USC their 2nd conference win on the season. I can't tell which lose is worse.
Colorado is obviously a better team than USC, but Stanford actually had pre-season expectations, and had enough of a non-conference resume to earn an at-large spot. Seeing them blow their chances against such a mediocre Pac-12 is at once annoying and hilarious.
Oregon State is the weaker team and likely doesn't have anywhere near the resume to justify an at-large selection, but losing to USC has to be a frustrating set back for Wayne Tinkle and company.
Next Week
Wednesday
UCLA at Arizona State, 6:00, ESPN2
Colorado at Oregon, 8:00, ESPNU
Thursday
USC at Arizona, 6:00, Pac-12 Network
Utah at Oregon State, 8:00, Pac-12 Network
Saturday
California at Stanford, 3:30, Pac-12 Network
UCLA at Arizona, 6:00, ESPN
Colorado at Oregon State, 8:00, Pac-12 Network
Sunday
Utah at Oregon, 12:00, Fox Sports 1
Washington at Washington State, 5:30, ESPNU
USC at Arizona State, 5:30, Pac-12 Network
If there's a potential criticism of Utah, it's that they have yet to beat a team in the top half of the Pac-12 standings on the road. The Utes have had a very home heavy schedule, and already lost to both UCLA and Arizona by double digits away from SLC.
Well, they have a chance to pick up two of those types of wins this weekend in Oregon. If they are going to win this conference then they probably need a sweep.
UCLA also faces a tough road trip to Arizona, and will need at least a sweep to start thinking about the NCAA tournament.
Meanwhile, Cal will hopefully deal another blow to Stanford's flagging tournament chances, and Washington and Washington St. will play a very sad, no-defense-allowed rivalry game.