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This year in Pac-12 Women's Basketball

Apr 3, 2018

Download Complete Release (PDF) | NCAA Bracket | WNIT Bracket

• Six Pac-12 women’s basketball teams ended the season in the NCAA Tournament, marking the fifth-consecutive year at least five league teams garnered berths. Four teams advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, the third-consecutive year at least four Pac-12 teams advanced that far, and a record-tying three teams were in the NCAA Elite Eight. It was the second time in three years at least that many teams advanced that far.

• The Pac-12 boasts the most NCAA Tournament wins of any conference in the country over the last three years (41) and the best winning percentage among peer leagues (.695). The Pac-12 tied for the most teams in the Sweet Sixteen this season (4) and had the most in the Elite Eight (3). Pac-12 teams went 11-6 in the tournament, the third-straight year league teams posted double-digit NCAA Tournament victories.

• OREGON won its first Pac-12 regular-season title since 1999-2000 and first-ever Pac-12 Tournament crown. The Ducks earned the highest NCAA Tournament seed in the Pac-12, garnering the No. 2 seed in the Spokane Regional. UCLA was a No. 3 seed making it the third-straight year the Bruins have been a top-16 seed. STANFORD was tabbed a No. 4 seed, making an 11th-straight trip to the Sweet 16.

• For the first time in Pac-12 history, three teams are ranked in the final top-25 of the USA Today/WBCA Coaches poll. The Ducks earn their highest-ever final ranking at No. 5 and UCLA finishes at No. 7, its highest since the 1998-99 final poll. OREGON STATE is No. 8 for its second-straight top-10 final rating. STANFORD is No. 13, appearing in the final poll for the 17th-consecutive year.

• Four Pac-12 teams appear in the final Associated Press poll, the fourth-straight year the Conference has at least four teams in the final ranking. The Ducks are No. 6, making its first appearance in the final poll since 2000. UCLA is No. 9, its second top-10 showing in three years. OSU is ranked 13th and Stanford is 15th. The Beavs’ top-15 ranking is their fourth-straight and the Cardinal are in the final writers’ ranking for the 17th-straight year.

• OREGON STATE, ARIZONA STATE and CALIFORNIA joined the Ducks, Bruins and Cardinal in the NCAA Tournament. UTAH also joined in the postseason, earning a WNIT bid, advancing to the second round.

• Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu won the Nancy Lieberman Award, presented to the nation’s top point guard, the second year in a row a Pac-12 student-athlete has claimed the top honor, and teammate Ruthy Hebard nabbed the inaugural Katrina McClain Award for the nation’s top power forward. UCLA’s Jordin Canada, Oregon State’s Marie Gulich and Stanford’s Brittany McPhee were tabbed All-Americans by at least one organization.

• Both Ionescu and Canada have been record setters this season, Canada setting the Pac-12’s all-time assists record that had stood since 1991, while Ionescu has claimed every triple-double record in the Pac-12 and NCAA, including the season and career marks. Ionescu also broke the Conference’s single-season assist record that was set in 1996. Also setting records was Hebard, whose 33-consecutive field goals were a NCAA all-time best. Her shooting percentage this season is also a single-season mark.


FINAL CONFERENCE STANDINGS (Expanded Standings)

Teams Pac-12 Record Overall Record
Oregon 16-2 33-5
Stanford 14-3 24-11
UCLA 14-4 27-8
Oregon State 14-4 26-8
California 11-7 21-11
Arizona State 10-8 22-13
USC 9-9 20-11
Utah 8-10 18-14
Colorado 5-13 15-16
Washington State 3-14 10-20
Arizona 2-16 6-24
Washington 1-17 7-23

PAC-12 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

  Player of the Week Freshman of the Week
Feb. 27 Marie Gulich, OSU Kianna Smith, CAL
Feb. 19 Marie Gulich, OSU Tori Williams, UTAH
Feb. 12 Ruthy Hebard, ORE Michaela Onyenwere, UCLA
Feb. 5 Brittany McPhee, STAN Kiana Williams, STAN
Jan. 29 Jordin Canada, UCLA Satou Sabally, ORE
Jan. 22 Monique Billings, UCLA Tori Williams, UTAH
Jan. 15 Kristine Anigwe, CAL Michaela Onyenwere, UCLA
Jan. 8 Borislava Hristova, WSU Kiana Williams, STAN
Jan. 1 Sabrina Ionescu, ORE Satou Sabally, ORE
Dec. 26 Sabrina Ionescu, ORE Kianna Smith, CAL
Dec. 18 Sabrina Ionescu, ORE Annika Jank, COLO
Dec. 12 Kristine Anigwe, CAL Annika Jank, COLO
Dec. 4 Sabrina Ionescu, ORE Satou Sabally, ORE
Nov. 27 Alanna Smith, STAN Kianna Smith, CAL
Nov. 20 Jordin Canada, UCLA Annika Jank, COLO
Nov. 13 Sabrina Ionescu, ORE Satou Sabally, ORE