All-Pac-12 China Game headlines men's basketball opening week

COMPLETE RELEASE

#PAC12HOOPS STARTING FIVE:

1- For the third time in four seasons, OREGON is the preseason Pac-12 favorite according to the media. COLORADO is picked second - its highest-ever preseason ranking - while WASHINGTON, ARIZONA and USC were among the five teams to receive at least one first-place vote, tied for the most in poll history (2015-16, 1985-86).

3- For the first time since 2014-15, three head coaches will make their Pac-12 debuts this season in CALIFORNIA’s Mark Fox, UCLA’s Mick Cronin and WASHINGTON STATE’s Kyle Smith. The trio has averaged 20.9 wins and combined for 16 NCAA Tournament appearances in 39 years of coaching.

5- The Conference will welcome five 2019 McDonald’s All-Americans – Nico Mannion & Josh Green (ARIZONA), Isaiah Mobley (USC), Jaden McDaniels & Isaiah Stewart (WASHINGTON) – which equals the most ever for the league (2006, 2012, 2017).

7- Seven student-athletes who earned all-league accolades in 2018-19 return to rosters this season:

    • All-Conference - Remy Martin - ASU; Tyler Bey, McKinley Wright IV - COLO; Tres Tinkle - OSU
    • All-Defensive - Kylor Kelley - OSU
    • All-Freshman - Timmy Allen - UTAH; CJ Elleby - WSU

90+% - COLORADO will enter the 2019-20 season as the nation’s most experienced major conference team. CU returns all five starters and nearly 95 percent of its rebounding, assists, blocks and steals as well.

PAC-12 TIPOFF: In the event’s fifth annual installment, ARIZONA STATE and COLORADO will participate in the 2019 Pac-12 China Game at the Baoshan Sports Center in Shanghai on Nov. 9. The contest will tip at 11:30 a.m. local Shanghai time and be televised nationally in the U.S. on Friday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. MT on ESPN2. 

The meeting will not count as a Conference contest in what remains the only regular-season contest by a U.S. sports league, professional or collegiate, in China.

Previous Pac-12 China Game results
    • 2015 - Washington 77, Texas 71
    • 2016 - Stanford 80, Harvard 70
    • 2017 - UCLA 63, Georgia Tech 60
    • 2018 - Yale 76, California 59

NEW SLATE FILLED WITH TOUGH GAMES: 
Pac-12 teams in non-conference play in 2018-19:
  • Will play at least 60 games against teams that participated in the postseason in 2019, including at least 35 against opponents from the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
  • 34 home games against teams in the 2019 postseason, including 16 against teams from the 2019 NCAA Tournament field highlighted by visits from Gonzaga, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Minnesota, Saint Mary’s and Temple.
  • The Pac-12 will also be heavily tested away from home during non-conference play with 26 scheduled road or neutral contests against 2019 postseason teams, including five true road matchups versus 2019 NCAA Tournament teams with trips to Baylor, Kansas, Michigan and Nevada.
  • Will play at least 23 opponents that won a conference title (regular season or tournament) in 2018-19.

PAC-12 PLAYERS TO WATCH:

NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME AWARDS Watch Lists

Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year
Remy Martin, Arizona State
McKinley Wright IV, Colorado
Payton Pritchard, Oregon

Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year
Josh Green, Arizona
Tres Tinkle, Oregon State
Jaden McDaniels, Washington
CJ Elleby, Washington State

Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year
Isaiah Mobley, USC
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year
Chase Jeter, Arizona
Nick Rakocevic, USC
Isaiah Stewart, Washington

CBS SPORTS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Isaiah Stewart, Washington (Second Team)

NBC SPORTS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Isaiah Stewart, Washington (Second Team)

STREET & SMITH’S PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Isaiah Stewart, Washington (First Team)

BASKETBALL TIMES PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Tyler Bey, Colorado (First Team)

CBS SPORTS PRESEASON TOP 100 PLAYER RANKINGS
14. Isaiah Stewart, Washington
16. McKinley Wright IV, Colorado
22. Jaden McDaniels, Washington
27. Nico Mannion, Arizona
31. Tres Tinkle, Oregon State
37. Payton Pritchard, Oregon
59. Tyler Bey, Colorado
70. Josh Green, Arizona
85. CJ Elleby, Washington State
92. Remy Martin, Arizona State

UPCOMING SCHEDULE (All Times Pacific - Expanded Schedule Details)