Golden Nuggets - All MBB Edition: What the Heck is Going On With the Pac-12?

Not much to link to today, if there’s anything I missed (especially regarding FB and WBB) feel free to link in the comments.

Cal MBB

• In the opposite of the football team, the defense seems to be the big problem for the Bears.

You could hear the frustration in Wyking Jones’ voice as his Cal team prepared to open Pac-12 play Thursday, still dealing with many of the same issues the head coach was harping on before the season started.

“I’m not happy with our defense, at all,” he said during a conference call. “... We have to do a better job of overall getting tougher and being more physical. We’re an undersized team, so, if we don’t have some edge to us, then we’re not going to be a very good defensive team.”

Through Tuesday, the Bears (5-7) ranked 317th of the nation’s 353 Division I teams in defensive efficiency, allowing 110.6 points per 100 possessions — the most glaring flaw in a team that had back-to-back losing nonconference seasons for the first time since the program did it three straight years (1963-65).

• Neither writers for Cal Bears Maven believe the team will win at USC tonight. (Plus other picks from tonight)

Pac-12 MBB

(There’s some articles about the Pac-12 seeking PR help and private equity investments but I’ll get to those another time, or someone else will do so in a separate article. This is just about MBB)

• Jeff Faraudo predicts the hierarchy for the season, with Cal at 11. But the article also shows how bleak things are in the Pac-12 with a coach firing, no ranked teams and more.
• The Daily Cal also recaps non-conference play, noting that things have gone worse for the Pac-12 than even expected. Here’s just a small list of bad things that have happened...

UCLA losing four straight games, then firing Steve Alford

Cal losing to Yale in China

Arizona State losing to Princeton

Vante Hendrix leaving Utah, Jordan Usher leaving USC

USC and Washington State losing to Santa Clara

Bol Bol, Kenny Wooten and Kevin Porter Jr. (among others) going down with injuries

Arizona failing to score 50 points against Baylor at home

USC losing to TCU by 35 points

Oregon losing to Texas Southern despite being 24-point favorites

No teams being ranked going into conference play

Beat the Trojans and Bruins!