January 15, 2019
After the first week of conference play, this is how the teams line up in the Week 1 Power Rankings.
The Ducks opened up Pac-12 Conference play with an 84-71 victory over the University of Washington. The duo of junior guard Sabrina Ionescu and redshirt-sophomore forward Erin Boley look unstoppable right now as they look to be a tough challenge for any Pac-12 team.
The Cardinals have regained their form as they have won five games in a row after losing their only game of the season to Gonzaga. They opened up conference play with a win over USC as they look to keep their season rolling.
The Wildcats currently lead the Pac-12 with two conference wins over Arizona State and Colorado, however, a relatively easy non-conference schedule leaves them vulnerable. Despite that they have the leading scorer in the Pac-12, redshirt-sophomore guard Aari McDonald, averaging 24.8 points per game.
The Beavers opened conference play with a big win over Washington State with a late three-pointer sealing the game to give the Beavers a big boost to their season. Despite the fact their two losses have come to established programs such as Notre Dame and Texas A&M.
The Bruins are currently second in the Pac-12 with their 2-0 record, with wins over USC and a thrilling overtime victory over No. 18 Cal. Despite the 2-0 start to conference play, UCLA was very inconsistent in non-conference play with some extremely lackluster performances.
ASU opened up their portion of conference play with a tough two game road trip against Arizona and Utah, with the Sun Devils losing to Arizona before squeaking out a close win over Utah.
The Utes started the season 12-0, winning their first conference game over Colorado before Arizona State defeated them 65-63. The Utes are led by senior forward Megan Huff who is fifth in the Pac-12 with 19.5 points per game
The Golden Bears had a strong showing in non-conference play, but a loss to UCLA in overtime to start conference play has them towards the bottom of the standings, even though they look to be a top team in the Pac-12.
The Buffaloes were able to maneuver through a challenging non-conference with a 10-1 record before opening conference play with losses against Utah and Arizona at home, but they will face a tough stretch on the road ahead.
The Cougars have turned their season around after a 2-4 start. They started their Pac-12 schedule with a big win over the University of Washington before taking a tough loss to Oregon, however, the Cougars have the second best scorer in the Pac-12 with redshirt-junior forward Borislava Hristova averaging 23.2 points a game.
The Trojans have lost three of their last four games, with two of those three losses coming to crosstown rival UCLA before losing their next game to Stanford. However, it does not get any easier as the Trojans’ next three games come against Cal, Oregon, and Oregon State, the three highest ranked Pac-12 teams in the Associated Press rankings.
The Huskies have not had the start of the season they were looking to have. After having a decent non-conference showing, they have lost the first two conference games to WSU and Oregon. They will have to turn it around quick if they want to stay in contention this season.
1.Oregon (Last week: 1)
The Ducks have now won eight straight games and have dominated Pac-12 play this season through four games. Oregon has five of their nine players averaging double digits each and are clearly favored to win the division.
2. Stanford (Last week: 2)
Stanford has now won eight straight games and are looking like dangerous competitors for Oregon. Neither Stanford nor Oregon look like they are going to lose right now. With senior forward Alanna Smith paving the way, this Cardinal team will be hard to stop.
3. Oregon State (Last week: 4)
After a tough loss to Texas A&M in mid-December, the Beavers rallied back, winning five games in a row including all four of their conference play matchups. However, it’ll be tough to see them win the Pac-12 after barely escaping some of the less talented teams in the division.
4. Utah (Last week: 7)
The Utes suffered a tough loss to a challenging Oregon State team in early January but with only one loss on the year and an undefeated record on the road this season, Utah has a high chance of moving on up if they stay consistent.
5. Arizona (Last week: 3)
The Wildcats had tremendous success in the non-conference schedule but have looked a little shaky in their conference contests. Despite two of their matchups being against two of the toughest teams, they were blown out by Stanford last night and are 2-4 in the month of January.
6. Arizona State (Last week: 6)
Arizona State saw quite a bit of success in non-conference matchups but their wins in Pac-12 play have not been all that impressive as they scraped by with a win over Cal on Sunday night.
7. UCLA (Last week: 5)
The Bruins looked good in Pac-12 play early on but have now lost three games straight and will look to bounce back with a win this Sunday against the last place Trojans.
8. Washington State (Last week: 10)
WSU crushed the 10-6 Colorado Buffaloes on Sunday afternoon. Despite only having two wins in conference play, they played tightly contested games and have a bright future under Head Coach Kamie Ethridge.
9. California (Last week: 8)
The Golden Bears two straight losses to mediocre conference teams show they aren’t moving up in the rankings anytime soon.
10. Washington (Last week: 12)
UW appeared like they would be a challenge this season yet they have only won one game out of their last seven. They have a lot of work to do in order to move up in the rankings.
11. Colorado (Last week: 9)
Colorado just came off an embarrassing loss to WSU on Sunday and they are now 0-5 in Pac-12 matchups.
12. USC (Last week: 11)
The Trojans are neck and neck with the Buffaloes for last place and have had some harsh losses in the first few weeks of conference play.
The Ducks come off a sweep of the Arizona schools in dominant fashion, winning 93-60 against Arizona. They are undefeated through six conference games for the second time in franchise history.
Stanford dominated both UW and WSU at home this past weekend to remain tied for first in Pac-12 conference wins. With a 16-1 record, the Cardinal falls right behind Oregon’s 17-1 record.
The Utes have been a pleasant surprise this season, only losing one game. They had a big win over Colorado and have a crucial match-up this weekend against Stanford.
Oregon State recieved their first loss of conference play this past Sunday at the hands of Arizona State in double overtime. They look to rebound from their loss as they take on the Washington schools next.
The Sun Devils have not had the start to conference play they were hoping for, but after a gritty win over Oregon State, they look to be headed in the right direction as they go into the second half of conference play.
The Golden Bears took advantage of their home court by winning both of their conference games against WSU and UW. Their next contests will be a road trip to Colorado and Utah.
The Wildcats had to take on three top-10 ranked teams in a one-week span, where they ended up losing to all three. Their schedule lightens up a bit as they look to move back up the standings after they take on USC and UCLA this week.
UCLA has lost their last four conference games, the most recent against their crosstown rivals, USC. They look to get back on track after falling down in the standings this week.
The Cougars have lost their last two games, despite the strong play from redshirt junior forward Borislava Hristova. They have a tough challenge ahead of them as they host Oregon and Oregon State.
USC was able to snap a five-game losing streak and get their first conference win after defeating UCLA for the first time in three years.
Washington continued to struggle in conference play, despite giving Cal a run for their money on Sunday.
Colorado is the last team in the Pac-12 still searching for their first win in conference play, leaving them at the bottom.
OLIVER MCKENNA | THE DAILY EVERGREEN
Oregon continues to dominate top of Pac-12 rankings, Cougars advance one spot up to No. 9
The Ducks continue to lead the field of Pac-12 teams, as they are the only remaining undefeated Pac-12 team in conference play after sweeping both of the Washington schools on the road.
The Utes look to be a real contender in the Pac-12 after defeating Stanford in surprising fashion at home. This gives the Utes their first win in program history over the Cardinal. They have a huge match up at Oregon this week.
The Cardinal lost their first conference game of the season to Utah this past weekend in what was a big blow to Stanford’s hopes of winning the Pac-12 title. However, they still look to be one of the top teams in the nation.
Oregon State is a sneaky team that absolutely dominated both of the Washington schools, beating the Huskies on the road by 47 points before putting on a defense clinic against WSU, holding the Cougs to 35 points.
The Sun Devils lost a close game to UCLA by two points before handily defeating USC at home Sunday. They only have one game this week against in-state rival Arizona.
Cal still looks to find consistency even though they have one of the top players in all of women’s basketball, senior center Kristine Anigwe.
The Golden Bears have come out of nowhere and started to look like a tough opponent. They won two straight road games with both against the Arizona schools, as they have a big home stand against the Washington schools this week.
Arizona comes off a heartbreaking loss to UCLA at home in triple overtime, the first triple overtime game in Pac-12 women’s basketball since the 2001 season.
The Cougars struggle mightily on offense as they have lost four consecutive conference games. WSU was held to a meager 35 points in their loss to Oregon State at home. They travel on the road this week to take on UCLA and USC.
USC still struggles to find their magic touch as they have continued to struggle since conference play has started. After breezing through an easy non-conference schedule, the Trojans may struggle against tougher opponents.
The Huskies had their most embarrassing loss of the season as they lost by 47 points to Oregon State at home as they continue to look to improve under first year Head Coach Jody Wynn.
The Buffs still remain the only team in the Pac-12 without a win in conference play after getting swept by Cal and Stanford at home. They have a tall task ahead of them as they travel to Oregon to take on two top 10 ranked teams this week in Oregon and Oregon State.
OLIVER MCKENNA | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE
Oregon, Oregon State dominate top of rankings after week five, Cougars remain in No. 10 position
Oregon continues their dominant start to conference play as they remain undefeated, they took on a tough Utah team before dominating Colorado 102-43, both wins happening on the road.Â
The Beavs were also able to sweep the mountain schools when they keep surprising teams with their impressive start, especially since their only conference loss came in double overtime.
Stanford had an interesting week, as they took on Cal twice in a three-day span. The Cardinal were upset in game one losing 81-80, before handily defeating the Golden Bears in the second matchup. Stanford has a monumental homestand as they host both of the Oregon schools.
The Utes went into last week with an opportunity to show if they were contenders when they traveled to face Oregon and Oregon State, but after getting swept they look to regain their footing. They take on USC and UCLA this week.
Arizona State looks to become stronger and stronger when they defeated their in-state rival Arizona 60-47 at home. They travel to face the Washington schools this week.
UCLA found the consistency they are used to when they won five straight conference games after opening Pac-12 play with a 1-4 record. They had a nice homestand, sweeping both Washington and WSU.
The Golden Bears pulled off a major upset when they defeated their Bay Area rival Stanford early in the week. They have shown flashes of being a really good team, but not on a consistent basis.
The Wildcats opened conference play on a hot streak, coming in with only one loss on the season. However, after losing four of their last five games, they have started to fall down the standings.
USC has a two-game winning streak for the first time in conference play this season after beating Washington and WSU at home. They look to ride their wave of momentum when they challenge Utah and Colorado this week.
The Cougars have lost six consecutive games after what looked to be a promising first season in Pullman for coach Kamie Ethridge. However, they look to turn it around when they return to the Palouse to take on Arizona and Arizona State.
UW has not had the season they were looking for with second-year Head Coach Jody Wynn, however, they already surpassed their win total from last year (7).
The Buffs have had a dismal season in Boulder, losing by 59 points to Oregon for their tenth consecutive loss after starting the season 10-1. Not only that, but they remain the only team in the Pac-12 without a win.
OLIVER MCKENNA | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE
The Ducks (23-1, 12-0) have outclassed the rest of the Pac-12 so far, remaining undefeated in conference play after facing every team. In fact, they might have had their most impressive win of the season Sunday when they beat Stanford by 40 points.
The Beavers (20-4, 10-2) remain a top contender in the Pac-12 despite a tough loss to Stanford. However, the loss severely decreases their chances of being the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.
Stanford (19-4, 9-3) had quite the week when they defeated Oregon State, putting them back in contention for the top spot in the Pac-12. However, they were dominated by Oregon, which seemed to force them a big step back.
The Bruins (15-9, 8-4) have won six consecutive games. As they move up the standings, they now have a chance become a contender in the second half of conference play. They have a big matchup against Stanford, in which a win would catapult them up the standings even further.
Arizona State (16-6, 7-4) continues to have one of the strongest defenses in the Pac-12, shutting down WSU’s offense Thursday night before its game against Washington on Saturday was canceled due to hazardous weather conditions.
The Utes (18-5, 7-5) were in a position to move into first place with one loss before playing Oregon two weeks ago. Since then, Utah has struggled mightily — they’ve lost four consecutive games and look vulnerable.
The Wildcats (15-8, 5-7) continue to fall down the Pac-12 standings. Even as they get some huge offensive numbers from redshirt sophomore guard Aari McDonald, a tough loss to WSU on Saturday pushed them back.
Cal (14-9, 5-7) received tough scheduling, playing four straight games against top-11 nationally-ranked teams. They now have a bit of a reprieve as they take on UCLA and USC this weekend.
The Trojans (14-9, 4-8) had won three consecutive conference games for the first time this season before they lost to Colorado on Sunday and gave the Buffs their first Pac-12 win of the season.
The Cougars (8-16, 3-10) snapped a seven-game losing streak on Saturday against Arizona, giving them a little momentum before they host in-state rival Washington on Friday night. When the Cougs get offensive production from redshirt junior Borislava Hristova and junior guard Chanelle Molina, they become a dangerous team.
The Buffs (11-12, 1-11) ditched the title of being the last Pac-12 team without a win when they defeated USC to get in the conference play win column. They go on the road to face the Arizona schools this week.
The Huskies (8-16, 1-11) have lost eight consecutive conference games as their season looks to almost be a lost cause. They would need a minor miracle to improve their seeding in the Pac-12 Tournament.
OLIVER MCKENNA | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE
Oregon continues to sit atop rankings despite falling to Oregon State, Cougars remain at No. 10
The Ducks (24-2, 13-1) are by far the best team in the Pac-12 but their 17-game winning streak was snapped by No. 12 Oregon State on Monday night in Corvallis. Oregon defeated the Beavers 67-62 Friday in Eugene. Oregon will look to bounce back from only its second loss of the season this Friday against UCLA.
The Cardinals (21-4, 11-3) had a big weekend, sweeping both of the Los Angeles schools to rebound from a blowout loss to Oregon on Feb. 10. However, they need some outside help if they want to become the No. 1 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament.
The Beavers (21-5, 11-3) got revenge on bitter rival Oregon defeating them 67-62 to climb back into the race for the No. 1 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament.
ASU (18-6, 9-4) pulled off one of the most miraculous comebacks of the season Sunday night in Tempe, Arizona, by fighting back from an 18-point deficit to defeat Utah 60-58. The Sun Devils won by going on a 20-0 run to finish the game after being down by 18 with eight minutes left.
The Bruins (16-10, 9-5) were able to shake off a tough loss against Stanford on Friday by defeating Cal two days later. Despite the loss to the Cardinal, the Bruins won seven of their last eight games and have the chance to make a statement when they play Oregon and Oregon State this week.
The Utes (18-7, 7-7) were right in the thick of a battle for first place in the conference with Oregon before losing six consecutive games. Their collapse against Arizona State might be the biggest disappointment of the year as they look to salvage what was once a great season.
The Wildcats (17-8, 7-7) pulled off a big sweep of the mountain schools, Utah and Colorado, this weekend to increase their chances of playing in the NCAA Tournament in March. They still have two huge weekends remaining to decide their postseason fate.
The Trojans (15-10, 5-9) lost a heartbreaker to Stanford on the road on Sunday. They fought hard to win but ended up losing by two points. They have a tough road trip ahead of them as they travel to take on the Oregon schools.
The Golden Bears (14-11, 5-9) have lost five consecutive conference games and fallen out of contention after starting the season off strong. They host the Arizona schools this week as they look to get back on track.
The Cougars (9-16, 4-10) were able to get a big win over in-state rival UW on Friday, dominating both sides of the ball en route to a 94-61 win. The Cougs had six players score in double figures and they will need to continue playing like that to make a run in the Pac-12 Tournament.
The Huskies (8-17, 1-12) have lost nine consecutive games as their season has really fallen apart lately. They are almost guaranteed to be one of the final two seeds in the Pac-12 Tournament.
The Buffs (11-14, 1-13) have not had the season they were hoping for. Currently, the Buffaloes have four games to climb out of the cellar of the conference, including a game against UW.
OLIVER MCKENNA | THE DAILY EVERGREEN
Oregon still leads Pac-12 despite losing to UCLA, Cougs remain No. 10 after tough two-loss road trip
The Ducks (25-3, 14-2) finally showed they can lose a conference game, as they lost not one, but two games this past week. The first loss came at the hands of the at-the-time No. 12 Oregon State and the second was to a then-unranked UCLA team. Despite that, they are still the best team in the Pac-12.
The Cardinal (23-4, 13-3) have won four consecutive games, putting themselves back in the position to win the conference if they have a miraculous final week in conference play. They travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Washington schools this week.
The Beavers (23-5, 13-3) had the best game of their season when they got a big win over rival Oregon last Monday to end the Ducks’ undefeated season in conference play. They continued their strong week by sweeping both of the Los Angeles schools. The Beavers also still have a chance to be the first seed in the conference tournament.
The Bruins (17-11, 10-6) went 1-1 this past week, but that sole victory came against Oregon in dramatic fashion, earning them a spot in this week’s AP Top-25 rankings. The team’s one loss came to Oregon State on Sunday, which is another great opponent. The Bruins host Utah and Colorado this week.
The Utes (20-7, 9-7) were finally able to escape their six-game losing streak by sweeping the Washington schools at home. After winning both games in dominant fashion, they look to keep their momentum as the regular season winds down.
The Sun Devils (18-8, 9-6) had a rough trip to the Bay Area, losing to Cal by nine points before getting dominated by Stanford in a 21-point loss. They have a tough road ahead as they finish out conference play against the tough Oregon schools.
The Golden Bears (16-11, 7-9) continue their sneaky run in conference play after sweeping the Arizona schools at home. Cal is a dangerous team that is in contention to win any game despite their record, and no one would want to face them in the Pac-12 Tournament.
The Wildcats (17-10, 7-9) were unable to get a win this week despite being within a few plays of getting two big victories. The first loss was to Stanford by two points on the road and the second was a tough overtime loss at the hands of Cal.
The Trojans (15-12, 5-11) are in the middle of a tough stretch after losing four of their last five games and three in a row as they try and navigate a tough portion of their conference schedule.
The Cougars (9-18, 4-12) were swept on the road as they fell to Colorado and Utah. Head Coach Kamie Ethridge needs to make some adjustments soon if the Cougs want to win some basketball games late in the season, especially after an 11-point loss to lowly Colorado.
The Huskies (9-18, 2-13) were able to get their second win of conference play against the same team they got their first Pac-12 victory against this season — Colorado. They look to get their third conference win against Stanford and Cal this week.
The Buffaloes (12-15, 2-14) gave their fans something to cheer about as they got their second conference win of the season at home against WSU. This was a bright spot in the season for Colorado, as it seems they will have a quick stay in Las Vegas for the Pac-12 Tournament.
John Spellman is a freshman broadcast news and sports management major from Burbank, Calif., He was escorted out of Pac-12 media day after meeting Mike...
Isaac is a freshman sports management major with a minor in communication. He is from Tacoma, Washington.
