Pac-12 men’s basketball power rankings – Week 8

1. No. 25 Washington (Last: 1)

The injustice ends as UW reenters the AP Top-25 poll at No. 25 after defeating Utah and Colorado, claiming at least a share of the Pac-12 regular season crown. The Dawgs play Cal and Stanford this week, looking for conference wins 14 and 15.

2. Arizona State (Last: 2)

The Sun Devils took care of business at home, vanquishing the Golden Bears and the Cardinal. The current two seed, ASU sits two games clear of the five seed and could clinch a first-round bye with a road sweep in Oregon.

3. Oregon State (Last: 3)

The Beavers dropped a rare road game in Pauley Pavilion before rebounding and beating the Trojans. OSU is the third seed in the conference as things stand now, a half-game clear of the fourth seed and a game and a half clear of the fifth seed. The Beavs host the Wildcats and the Sun Devils next week and can lock up a first-round bye with a weekend sweep.

4. Utah (Last: 4)

A Washington split for the Runnin’ Utes (yes, according to their media guide they’re known as the Runnin’ Utes…) was enough to hold pat in these rankings. Utah currently holds the final four and will need to pick up a win in Colorado to secure their spot.

5. Colorado (Last: 5)

Despite being swept in the Evergreen State, the Buffs hold onto their spot in the rankings. Colorado finishes their season with three home games, hosting Utah this week before finishing the season with the LA schools.

6. Arizona (Last: 9)

A week of freebies, the Wildcats feasted on the Golden Bears and Cardinal on their way to collecting their seventh conference win. Arizona, like the top-ten teams in the conference is still alive for a first-round bye but a road series in Oregon will likely hamper their chase for a better seed.

7. UCLA (Last: 10)

An excellent week with wins over the Ducks and Beavers boosted the Bruins to the seventh spot in the rankings. The current fifth seed, UCLA will play Cal in the first round if current seeds hold. UCLA hosts USC in Pauley Pavilion this weekend.

8. Stanford (Last: 6)

An 0-2 road trip tempered any cautious optimism surrounding the Cardinal. Stanford is firmly in the middle of the muddled mess, that is the third through ninth seeds, in the Pac-12. Visiting Washington and WSU should put the team back in their place.

9. USC (Last: 8)

The Trojans knocked off the free-falling Ducks last weekend but fell to conference-elite Oregon State. USC sits only a game out of a first-round bye in the conference tourney but will have to make up that ground on the road, as they have played their final game in the Galen Center.

10. Oregon (Last: 7)

A teetering Oregon squad had a disaster of a weekend, dropping two road contests in Los Angeles. At 6-8, the Ducks sit only one and a half games out of the fifth seed, but a home series against the Arizona schools will likely end their dreams of a high seed in the tourney.

11. WSU (Last: 11)

After four and a half game’s worth of top-level Pac-12 basketball, the Cougars finally stumbled, falling hard in the second half at home to Utah. WSU, winners of three of their last five games, have a fantastic opportunity to win two more conference games this week when they head to the Bay.

12. Cal (Last: 12)

Cal basketball is winding down their worst season in program history (excluding the forfeited 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons, which officially go down as 0-27 and 2-26 respectively.) The Golden Bears’ best chances at wins come at home this week when they host WSU and next week when they travel to Stanford.