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College Basketball Preview - Pacific 10 Conference

Wed 3rd, November 2010

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - OUTLOOK: Last season, there was not a dominant team in the Pac-10 Conference. The Cal Golden Bears won the regular season title, but they had five league losses. Six of the 10 teams were at least two games below the .500 mark in conference action, and none of the squads proved to be serious contenders for the national title.

The team to watch in 2010-11 may very well be the Washington Huskies, as guard Isaiah Thomas may very well be the best player in the Pac-10. Expect a stiff challenge from the likes of Washington State, Arizona and UCLA. The Cougars possess Klay Thompson, an explosive scorer, and some other key contributors, but a lack of depth may prove costly. the Bruins hope that players such as Malcolm Lee and Reeves Nelson are ready to lead the club back to prominence, as last season's 14-18 overall mark and 8-10 league record were simply unacceptable for the UCLA program. Arizona is an interesting team, as it figures to be extra hungry after missing the NCAA Tournament last season. Coach Sean Miller will rely heavily on forward Derrick Williams, a standout sophomore.

Rounding out the top half of the Pac-10 figures to be Arizona State, as Herb Sendek will undoubtedly get the most from a roster that is rather modest in terms of star power. No team was hit harder by graduation and early departures than Cal, which is still basking in the glow of its first regular season crown in 50 years. A repeat, however, would be shocking.

Stanford will be competitive, especially with senior guard Jeremy Green in the fold, and Oregon State will be scrappy if nothing else. Not much is expected of USC this season, but there is enough talent on that roster to produce a top three or four finish in the conference standings if all goes right. The same can't be said of Oregon, which figures to struggle mightily.

CONFERENCE CHAMPION: WASHINGTON

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Washington, 2. Washington State, 3. Arizona, 4. UCLA, 5. Arizona State, 6. USC, 7. California, 8. Stanford, 9, Oregon State, 10. Oregon

TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS:

WASHINGTON: Last season, Washington won two games in the NCAA Tournament before getting knocked out by West Virginia. Considering the fact that Quincy Pondexter (19.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg) is gone from the squad, many would expect a significant step backwards for the Huskies in 2010-11. That assumption would be misguided, however, as the presence of Isaiah Thomas in the backcourt makes the Huskies an obvious threat to capture the league crown. Thomas scored 16.9 ppg a year ago and handed out 3.2 apg, and he is more than capable of pumping home 20 ppg. The biggest concern for fans of the Huskies is that there are no other returning double-digit scorers on the roster. Fortunately, there are players capable of elevating their game in Pondexter's absence. Forward Matthew Bryan-Amaning posted 8.8 ppg last season to go along with 5.9 rpg, and the 54 percent shooter from the field will need to be more aggressive at the offensive end for this team to flourish. The same can be said of Justin Holiday, Darnell Gant and Venoy Overton, all of whom possess vast experience.

WASHINGTON STATE: Klay Thompson is a stud, as he averaged 19.6 ppg last season despite constant attention from defenders. Thompson did go cold for stretches, but he is more than capable of completely dominating a game when healthy. Reggie Moore tallied 12.7 ppg for the Cougars last season, and his 4.2 apg were proof of his tremendous play-making ability. There is a third double- digit scorer in the fold, as DeAngelo Casto is back for his junior season after netting 10.7 ppg in 2009-10. Casto also ripped down 7.0 rpg, and he is clearly the most accomplished rebounder on the roster. There is a concern that the Cougars lack the depth necessary to contend for the Pac-10 title, but if Thompson, Moore and Casto all play up to their ability, it simply won't matter.

ARIZONA: Sean Miller is the highest paid coach in the Pac-10, and after taking a year to install his system and recruit some players, the former Xavier leader appears ready to return the Wildcats to Pac-10 power status. It certainly helps to have talented players in the fold, and Arizona has its share. Derrick Williams was a force as a freshman, as he tallied 15.7 ppg on 57.4 percent shooting from the field. Williams also ripped down 7.1 rpg and figures to challenge for Pac-10 Player of the Year honors in 2010-11. He is counting on some help from Kyle Fogg, a 6-3 junior guard who netted 11.1 ppg a year ago on the strength of his 41.7 percent efficiency from three-point range. As far as the newcomers, Daniel Bejarno is a 6-5 guard with unlimited range who figures to play major minutes right away. Expect to see plenty of Jesse Perry, a juco transfer, who will give the frontcourt a boost. Miller is preaching defense first, a philosophy that certainly worked for him while at Xavier, and there is reason to be optimistic that this year's version of the 'Cats can capture a crown.

UCLA: Last season, UCLA ranked in the middle of the Pac-10 in both scoring offense and scoring defense, and the team was rather mediocre overall. While this squad is still far from powerhouse status, there is reason to believe that the Bruins will be better in 2010-11. Reeves Nelson, a 6-8 forward, managed to post 11.1 ppg and 5.7 rpg as a freshman while shooting 64.7 percent from the field. With a full year of experience under his belt, Nelson appears poised to take a step forward. The same can be said of Malcolm Lee, the team's top guard, who tallied 12.1 ppg as a sophomore. While Ben Howland knows exactly what to expect from both Nelson and Reeves, he has to keep his fingers crossed that a few others will step up and prove to be consistent contributors. Tyler Honeycutt showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman and has the talent to be a star. He registered 7.2 ppg and 6.5 rpg last season, numbers that could increase significantly with added playing time and a healthy frame. Brendan Lane, another sophomore, brings height to the court at 6-9, and he made some major contributions late last season.

ARIZONA STATE: There isn't a better coach in the Pac-10 than Herb Sendek. Unfortunately, he hasn't been the best of recruiters since taking over at ASU, so every year he must squeeze every ounce of potential from his players in order to compete. The fate of the 2010-11 ASU squad will rest solely on the performance of Ty Abbott and Rihards Kuksiks, the club's top two returnees. Last season, Kuksiks scored 12.1 ppg, while Abbott tallied 12.0 ppg on the strength of his 40.4 percent shooting from three-point range. Jamelle McMillan will touch the ball more than any other Sun Devil, as the 6-2 senior is slated to start at the point. The frontcourt looks rather barren outside of Kuksiks and could hold this ASU squad back from a top-half finish in the Pac-10. There isn't a star among the newcomers, as Keala King may be the only one who will make an immediate impact.

USC: Coach Kevin O'Neill is a hard-nosed, defensive-minded coach, and he demands the same from his players. Last season, the Trojans led the Pac-10 in scoring defense, limiting foes to 57.2 ppg on 38.4 percent shooting from the field. The question is whether or not there is enough offensive firepower in the fold to lift USC to contender status. Nikola Vucevic was named the league's most improved player last season, as he netted 10.7 ppg and led the conference with 9.4 rpg. Vucevic is a solid shot-blocker as well and can be counted on for solid production every time out. Senior Alex Stephenson joins Vucevic up front, and he hopes to improve on the 8.4 ppg and 7.2 rpg he posted last season. This USC team will take on a totally different look in December when Jio Fontan, a Fordham transfer, becomes eligible. Fontan is a 6-0 junior with explosive quickness who can score and distribute, exactly what this team needs.

CALIFORNIA: The foursome of Patrick Christopher, Jamal Boykin, Jerome Randle and Theo Robertson accounted for 60.2 ppg of the 77.2 ppg that Cal scored last season. All four players are gone, leaving coach Mike Montgomery with a roster full of both fresh and unproven faces. The leading returning scorer for the Golden Bears is Jorge Gutierrez, but his 5.5 ppg won't scare anyone. There is some positive news to report, as forward Harper Kamp returns from injury. Kamp missed all of last season with a knee injury, but his return solidifies things in the paint. Since there are no other returnees worth mentioning, let's move to the newcomers, a talented group that will be counted on for early contributions. Allen Crabbe is rail thin, but he possesses big-time scoring ability. Alex Rossi is a sharpshooter who will also see some time. Still, this group of Golden Bears won't be nearly as formidable as last season.

STANFORD: As a sophomore, Jeremy Green played nearly 34 minutes per game for coach Johnny Dawkins and the Cardinal. Now, as a junior, Green will once again be counted on heavily. He averaged 16.8 ppg as the second scoring option, but now that Landy Fields (22.0 ppg, 8.8 rpg) has moved on, Green becomes the primary scorer and will need to average nearly 20.0 ppg for Stanford to be successful. Jack Trotter is the second-highest returning scorer for the Cardinal, but his 6.8 ppg won't scare many opponents. Jarrett Mann returns for his second season at the point, and he dished out 4.3 apg in 2009-10. Still, don't be surprised if freshman Aaron Bright, one of the team's top recruits, plays significant minutes at the lead guard position. Another freshman to watch is Dwight Powell, a 6-10 guy who can both score and rebound on the interior. There is no doubt that he needs to add some quality weight, but Powell could develop into a star.

OREGON STATE: The Beavers had some high expectations for a change heading into the 2009-10 season, but they faltered and finished with an 8-10 league mark. Only one double-digit scorer returns from that team, as Calvin Haynes brings back 12.5 ppg. Still, Haynes has plenty of room for improvement, as he shot under 41 percent from the floor. Jared Cunningham netted 9.2 ppg in the games that he started a year ago, and he will help Haynes produce some points from the backcourt. Moving to the frontcourt, Joe Burton can be counted on for tough play on the interior. He averaged fewer than five points and five boards per game last year, but he only played 16 minutes per contest. With an increased role, Burton can be a double-double threat every night. The expectation is that Roberto Nelson, a redshirt freshman, will emerge as perhaps the best player on this OSU team in 2010-11. Nelson had academic trouble last season that kept him off the court, but he is explosive and poised to make a name for himself. True freshmen Devon Collier and Chris Brown will make immediate impacts as well.

OREGON: The Ducks are our pick to finish last in the Pac-10, as the program is clearly in rebuilding mode. Dana Altman has taken over the reins as the new head coach, and along with a roster that is void of major talent, the players must learn a new system. Also, the Ducks will say goodbye to McArthur Court at midseason and move into Matthew Knight Arena, a beautiful new facility. There are two holdovers that Altman can count on to be productive from day one, as guard Malcolm Armstead and center Michael Dunigan will lead the way. Armstead posted 10.3 ppg and 4.3 apg in 2009-10, and he figures to at least maintain those numbers. As for Dunigan, a 6-10 standout, he scored 9.0 ppg last season on 55.4 percent shooting from the field, but his rebounding average of 4.9 rpg was unimpressive. To Dunigan's credit, however, he only played 20.3 minutes per game. Fans of the Ducks need to exhibit patience, as Altman is the right man to turn things around.