In a year of considerable turnaround, ASU basketball and others look to reestablish their programs within an unpredictable Pac-12 conference.
November is finally here, and that means it’s time for turkeys, winter and you guessed it – college basketball season.
Tonight, dozens of universities will open their gymnasium doors to campus crazies each beaming at the hope of one shining moment in March. The record is clean, and each team feels they’re ready to make a statement.
While most eyes will glue to Michigan State, Kansas, Duke and Kentucky in the Champions Classic, there are other games deserving attention. Seven of the Pac-12 conference’s teams kick off tonight while the other five round out the weekend.
After grooming the NBA’s No. 1 overall draft pick in Deandre Ayton, Sean Miller and the Arizona Wildcats prepare for a new era. With Nico Mannion and Josh Green arriving next year, many see this season as time for restoration.
Replacing Ayton’s hype is 7-foot-3 inch Bol Bol, the son of former NBA player Manute Bol. The freshman’s skillset has professional scouts drooling over his potential, and with the return of Payton Pritchard and Kenny Wooten, Oregon has the best chance of cutting multiple nets.
Behind the Ducks are several teams looking to crack the top. Matisse Thybulle returns after Mike Hopkins‘ surprising first year at Washington, Kris Wilkes and Jaylen Hands are set for breakout seasons at UCLA and Stanford might showcase two future professional guards in Daejon Davis and KZ Okpala.
Then, of course, there’s Arizona State. After racing to a 12-0 start with a No. 3 national ranking, Bobby Hurley‘s squad returns with the best recruiting class in his short tenure, ready to show last year’s success wasn’t a fluke.
Without further ado, let’s dive in to where each team stands in the first edition of our Pac-12 Power Rankings.