Pac-12 Basketball Championship Odds: Arizona, UCLA Favored
Ducks, Trojans Given Outside Chance to Win Conference
The Pac-12 basketball championship is expected to be a two-horse race between Arizona and UCLA. They are the two best basketball teams in the conference. The Ducks and Trojans will try to crash the party but will have their work cut out.
There is a definite drop-off in team strength after the Bruins and Wildcats. The Sagarin college basketball ratings have Arizona 1.3 points better than Oregon. Ken Pomeroy, who many people use for their NCAAB score predictions, has Arizona 6.1 points than than the Ducks. USC is farther back, although that is reflected in the Pac-12 basketball championship odds.
The Favorites
UCLA (+185): The Bruins lost leading scorer Johnny Juzang and third-leading scorer Jules Bernard from last season. But the Bruins should be able to withstand the loss of the two guards just fine. Six of the team’s top seven scorers last year were guards and the Bruins have four of those guards back. Returning players include Jaime Jaquez, who was No. 2 in scoring last year and the team’s leading rebounder.
Tyger Campbell led the Bruins in assists and Jalen Clark and David Singleton were impressive in limited roles. The two should get more minutes this year.
UCLA had a solid recruiting class, landing two 5-star recruits in Amari Bailey and Adem Bona. Both are good enough to make solid contributions as freshmen. The Bruins also added a decent player in point guard Dylan Andrews. But it’s doubtful he’ll have the immediate impact of the other two given UCLA’s guard situation.
Arizona (+185): The Pac-12 basketball championship odds have Arizona as co-favorites with the Bruins. Arizona’s top scorer from last year is gone, along with the team’s leading rebounder. Second-leading scorer Azuolas Tubelis is back after averaging 13.9 points in just 24.6 minutes last year. With more playing time this season his scoring could improve.
Assist leader Kerr Kriisa returns for his junior season but just two other returners played 15 minutes a game. But the Wildcats can bring in good talent on a consistent basis. This year was no exception.
Top recruit Kylan Boswell, a point guard, should see quite a few minutes as a freshman and have an impact. Dylan Anderson and Henri Veesar, from Estonia, are both 7-foot centers who will see some playing time. But it’s not always easy for young big men to transition to the college game. But between the two, the Wildcats should get at least 20 minutes a game. Cedric Henderson Jr. is a senior transfer from Campbell. The Pac-12 Conference regular season title could well be decided when Arizona visits UCLA in the final regular season game on March 4.
The Contenders
Oregon (+550): Few teams saw their 2021-22 season end in such disappointing fashion as the Ducks. Sitting at 17-8 and a likely NCAA berth, Oregon went 1-5 down the stretch to miss the tournament. Worse, for Oregon backers, the Ducks went 4-10 against the college basketball point spreads at the tail end of the season. Still, the Ducks have some talent, as evidenced by their Pac-12 basketball championship odds of +550.
Much of that talent is new to the team, with Oregon losing its second- and third-leading scorers. Leading scorer Will Richardson is back as is Quincy Guerrier and big man N’Faly Danete. But the Ducks brought in some help for the upcoming season.
Keeshawn Barthelemy arrives from Colorado and Jermaine Couisnard came from South Carolina. Couisnard started for three years but will be out until December after surgery. Oregon had a decent recruiting class, with Kel’el Ware the big prize.
Ducks have to hope it’s sooner rather than later.
The 7-foot center was ranked one of the top 10 high school recruits a year ago. At just 210 pounds he needs to grow but has athleticism not always seen in big men. He’ll be a good one but the Ducks have to hope it’s sooner rather than later. The Ducks will be a good team but fighting for a tournament berth seems more likely than fighting for the conference title.
USC (+800): Southern Cal said goodbye to leading scorer and rebounder Isaiah Mobley from last year’s team, but welcomes back Boogie Ellis.
Ellis and fellow returner Drew Peterson were big parts of USC’s guard corps last year. Reese Dixon-Walters was solid as a freshman a year ago and should post better numbers with more playing time. Junior Josh Morgan is another expected to improve with more playing time.
The Trojans will need some help from their recruiting class, which was ranked in the top 10. The status of prized bug man Vincent Iwuchukwu is unknown after he collapsed in what he says was a cardiac arrest. He is anxious to get back on the court. But the Trojans are taking it slow with him.
Incoming freshman Tre White will be a good one. But the Trojans’ Pac-12 basketball championship odds of +800 might be a little optimistic. Even with a return to health by Iwuchukwu, USC doesn’t have the talent of UCLA or Arizona.
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