Pac-12 Men's Basketball Weekly Release - Nov. 23, 2021

COMPLETE RELEASE

#PAC12MBB STARTING FIVE:

1 vs. 2 - The Pac-12’s 22 games during Feast Week begin with a meeting between No. 2 UCLA and No. 1 Gonzaga on Tuesday in the Empire Classic in Las Vegas.

• It will mark the 43rd all-time matchup between the AP’s top two teams dating to 1949, the first since Nov. 5, 2019 (#2 Kentucky 69, #1 Michigan State 62, New York, N.Y.).
• It also marks the first such meeting between two teams from the Pacific Time Zone, first to be contested in the Pacific Time Zone since the 1975 NCAA title game in San Diego (#1 UCLA 92, #2 Kentucky 85), and first to feature a Pac-12 program since Nov. 29, 1975 (#1 Indiana 84, #2 UCLA 64, St. Louis, Mo.).

2 - Through Nov. 22 games, the Pac-12 is the only conference to secure two AP Top 5 victories - #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT); Arizona 80, #4 Michigan 62.

• According to the STATS Perform database dating back to 1980-81, this marks the ninth time the Pac-12 has secured at least two AP Top 5 victories in non-conference play (1986-87, 1987-88, 1989-90, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1999-00, 2001-02, 2017-18, 2021-22).
• A third AP Top 5 OOC win would equal the most (2001-02) for the Pac-12 in one season in the STATS database.

2 - Two Pac-12 programs captured multi-team event titles last week as ARIZONA won the Roman Main Event (MVP Christian Koloko) in Las Vegas and UTAH won the Sunshine Slam (MVP Branden Carlson) in Daytona Beach, Fla.

• For ARIZONA, it was its first MTE crown since the 2019 Wooden Legacy; for UTAH, it marked its first non-hosted MTE title since the 2008 Glenn Wilkes Classic also in Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Seven Pac-12 programs remain in contention for MTE titles this season; the Pac-12 won a league-record four MTE championships during the 2017-18 season.

3 - For a second consecutive week, three Pac-12 Men's Basketball programs appear in the Associated Press Top 25 as ARIZONA entered at No. 17, USC climbed to No. 24 and No. 2 UCLA remained steady.

• It marks the first back-to-back weeks with three AP Top 25 teams from the Pac-12 since an eight-week stretch early in the 2019-20 season.
• It is ARIZONA’s highest ranking since checking in at No. 16 in the Dec. 16, 2019 poll.

5-0 - While five Pac-12 teams are off to perfect starts, the 5-0 debuts by ARIZONA and UTAH are particularly impressive as both are led by first-year head coaches in Tommy Lloyd and Craig Smith.

• Lloyd is the first Wildcats’ coach to win their first five games since James H. Pierce in 1921-22; Smith is the first to do so at Utah since Robert Richardson in 1909-10.

PAC-12 TIPOFF

FAST STARTS: The teams in the top half of the Pac-12 standings through Nov. 22 are a combined 29-1:

• ARIZONA (5-0) - Third straight season starting at least 5-0, started 9-0 in 2019-20
• UCLA (5-0) - First 5-0 start since 2016-17 (13-0)
• UTAH (5-0) - First 5-0 start since 2013-14 (6-0)
• WASHINGTON STATE (5-0) - Second straight season starting at least 5-0, started 8-0 in 2020-21
• USC (4-0) - First 4-0 start since 2019-20 (5-0)
• COLORADO (5-1) - 10th consecutive season starting 5-1 or better.

KEY NON-CONFERENCE WINS

AP TOP 25 OPPONENTS (2-2)
at #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT)
ARIZONA 80, #4 Michigan 62 (Las Vegas, Nev.)

POWER 6 OPPONENTS (3-3)
at #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT)
UTAH 68, Boston College 61 (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
ARIZONA 80, #4 Michigan 62 (Las Vegas, Nev.)

ROAD OPPONENTS (2-6)
USC 76, at Temple 71
USC 78, at Florida Gulf Coast 61

KENPOM.COM TOP 100 OPPONENTS (5-5)
at #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT)
at #13 OREGON 86, SMU 63
at WASHINGTON STATE 73, UC Santa Barbara 65
ARIZONA 82, Wichita State 78 (OT) (Las Vegas, Nev.)
ARIZONA 80, #4 Michigan 62 (Las Vegas, Nev.)

PRESEASON CONFERENCE FAVORITES (6-0)
at #13 OREGON 83, Texas Southern 66
at #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT)
at WASHINGTON 72, Texas Southern 65
at WASHINGTON STATE 73, UC Santa Barbara 65
at CALIFORNIA 75, Southern Utah 68 (2OT)
at WASHINGTON STATE 92, Winthrop 86

2021 NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS (8-4)
at #13 OREGON 83, Texas Southern 66
at UTAH 70, Abilene Christian 56
at #2 UCLA 86, #4 Villanova 77 (OT)
at WASHINGTON 72, Texas Southern 65
at WASHINGTON STATE 73, UC Santa Barbara 65
ARIZONA 82, Wichita State 78 (OT) (Las Vegas, Nev.)
ARIZONA 80, #4 Michigan 62 (Las Vegas, Nev.)
at WASHINGTON STATE 92, Winthrop 86

PRESEASON NATIONAL AWARDS

AP PRESEASON FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN
Johnny Juzang, UCLA

NABC NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Watch List
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Johnny Juzang, UCLA

NAISMITH TROPHY NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Watch List
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
Isaiah Mobley, USC
Will Richardson, Oregon

WOODEN AWARD NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Watch List
Tyger Campbell, UCLA
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
Isaiah Mobley, USC
Will Richardson, Oregon

NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME AWARDS
Watch Lists

Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year
Tyger Campbell, UCLA
Will Richardson, Oregon

Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year
De’Vion Harmon, Oregon
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona

Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year
Marcus Bagley, Arizona State
Harrison Ingram, Stanford
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Jabari Walker, Colorado

Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year
Quincy Guerrier, Oregon
Isaiah Mobley, USC
Azuolas Tubelis, Arizona

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year
Myles Johnson, UCLA

PAC-12 MEN'S BASKETBALL INITIATIVES

YEAR 2 of 20-GAME SCHEDULE IN 2021-22; NEW 10-YEAR ANNUAL ROTATION

• The Pac-12 transitioned to a 20-game league schedule in 2020-21 in an effort to add more competitive and higher quality regional games to schedules and to elevate the national branding of Pac-12 men’s basketball. In addition to the second season of 20 league games, the Pac-12 unveiled in May 2021 a new 10-year annual opponent rotation for 2021-31. More details at pac12.me/21-22MBBsched.

NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE STANDARDS

• The Pac-12 implemented non-conference scheduling standards beginning with the 2020-21 season with goals of improving out-of-league schedule strength and increasing the number of NCAA Tournament selections. The standards include: (i) a non-Conference five-year trailing average of opponents’ NET ranking must be 175 or less, (ii) no participation in road buy games, (iii) no regular season games against non-Division I opponents and (iv) no road games versus a non-conference opponent with a five-year trailing average of 200 NET.

THE ALLIANCE

• On Aug. 24, the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 announced an historic alliance that will bring 41 world-class institutions together on a collaborative approach surrounding the future evolution of college athletics and scheduling. The alliance – which was unanimously supported by the presidents, chancellors and athletics directors at all 41 institutions – will be guided in all cases by a commitment to, and prioritization of, supporting student-athlete well-being, academic and athletic opportunities, experiences and diverse educational programming. More details at pac12.me/Alliance.

PAC-12 TITLE GAME MOVES TO FOX

• The 2022 Pac-12 Tournament Championship Game on Saturday, March 12 will be broadcast by FOX for the first time. The title contest will tip off at 6 p.m. PT with a lead-in from the BIG EAST Championship. It will mark the title game’s first airing on a broadcast network since 2012 (CBS).

PAC-12 US LBM COAST-TO-COAST CHALLENGE

• After having the planned 2020 quadrupleheader canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Conference will launch the Pac-12 US LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge in 2021 – a unique non-conference scheduling event designed to provide opportunities for its programs against quality opponents in marquee markets around the country. More details at pac12.me/C2CChallenge21.

2021 Pac-12 US LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge
Sunday, Dec. 19 - T-Mobile Arena - Las Vegas
12:00 p.m. PT - STANFORD vs. Texas (men) - ABC
2:30 p.m. PT - ARIZONA vs. Texas (women) - ESPN2

PAC-12, SWAC CREATE PARTNERSHIP

• In 2022-23, the Pac-12 and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) will launch an educational and scheduling agreement featuring first-of-its-kind home-and-home series. The men’s and women’s basketball partnership is aimed at creating both a forum for competition, as well as promotion and education around issues of anti-racism and social justice. The partnership is set to begin in Nov. 2022, with six matchups for the initial men’s cycle determined. More details at pac12.me/Pac-12-SWAC.

MCLENDON MINORITY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

• In July 2020, every head men’s basketball coach from the Pac-12 Conference pledged his support to participate in the McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative to provide minorities a jump-start to their careers through practical experiences, opportunities to build their network, and instilling the values of John McLendon: Integrity, Education, Leadership, and Mentorship.

PAC-12, CHASE CENTER TO HOST NCAA WEST REGIONAL IN 2022 & 2025

• The Pac-12 Conference, Chase Center and the Golden State Warriors will serve as hosts for this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship West Regional March 24 & 26, 2022. The groups also will serve as West Regional hosts in 2025.
• It will mark the first time the NCAA Tournament will be played within the city of San Francisco since the West Regional was staged at the California Coliseum on Treasure Island in March 1939. Daly City’s Cow Palace (1955, 1958-60), Oakland’s Oracle Arena (1990, 1995, 2006) and San Jose’s SAP Center (1997, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019) are among the other Bay Area venues to host the tourney.

CONFERENCE STANDINGS (Expanded Standings) 

WEEKLY SCHEDULE (Full Schedule)

PAC-12 PERFORMANCE AWARDS PRESENTED BY NEXTIVA