COMPLETE RELEASE

#PAC12MBB STARTING FIVE:

1st - First place in the Pac-12 will be up-for-grabs for the second straight week as league leader UCLA (8-1) faces ARIZONA (7-1) for the second time in 10 days this Thursday (5:00 p.m. PT, ESPN).

• The Bruins have won six straight in the series, the third-longest series streak since the programs became league rivals (UCLA 11 - 1979-84, UCLA 8 - 2006-09).

2 - Two ranked matchups are part of the Conference’s 16-game weekly schedule, headlined by Thursday’s top-10 meeting of No. 3 UCLA at No. 7 ARIZONA along with No. 19 USC also visiting the nationally ranked Wildcats on Saturday.

• It will mark the first week with multiple AP ranked league matchups since the 2017 Pac-12 Championship semifinals and final.

#3 vs. #7 - Thursday’s clash of No. 3 UCLA at No. 7 ARIZONA will mark the 41st meeting of AP Top 10 teams in Conference history; the 28th involving UCLA (19-8), 21st involving Arizona (11-9), and the 10th between the Bruins and Wildcats (UCLA leads 6-3).

• Saturday will also feature No. 19 USC at No. 7 ARIZONA (2:00 p.m. PT, FOX), the eighth series meeting with both teams ranked in the AP Top 25 (ARIZ leads 4-3) and first since Feb. 15, 2007 (#22 USC 80, at #19 ARIZ 75).

5 - In total, five of the 15 league contests on this week’s schedule are slated to pit NET Top 100 programs:

• UCLA at ARIZONA; WASHINGTON STATE at STANFORD; OREGON at COLORADO; USC at ARIZONA; UCLA at STANFORD.
• Based on current scheduling, it’s the most NET Top 100 matchups of any remaining week of the regular season.

11.9 - Through 56 league games as of Jan. 31, the average scoring margin in 11.9 points.

• 25 games have been decided by single digits
• 11 games have been decided by one possession (3 pts. or less)
• 3 overtime games (4 OT periods)
• 4 decided on team’s final possession (ASU at ORE; STAN vs. ORE; ASU vs. UTAH; STAN vs. ASU)
• 17 games have been postponed (7 rescheduled and played)

PAC-12 TIPOFF

TOP 10 ‘CATS VS. BRUINS (AGAIN): Below are the nine prior meetings between AP Top 10 ranked Arizona and UCLA.

• UCLA leads 6-3 in such matchups
• Home team has won 6-of-8 times
• Better ranked team has losing record (4-5), including four straight losses

1/12/91 - at #6 ARIZ 82, #7 UCLA 77
1/11/92 - #2 UCLA 89, at #6 ARIZ 87
3/12/92 - at #8 UCLA 89, #2 ARIZ 81
1/20/94 - at #2 UCLA 74, #9 ARIZ 66
1/3/98 - at #8 ARIZ 87, #9 UCLA 75
1/2/99 - at #10 UCLA 82, #6 ARIZ 75
2/25/17 - #5 UCLA 77, at #4 ARIZ 72
3/10/17 (MBBT) - #7 ARIZ 86, #3 UCLA 75
1/25/22 - at #7 UCLA 75, #3 ARIZ 59

NET GAINS: WASHINGTON STATE enters the week second in the Pac-12 with a three-game win streak.

• During that streak, the Cougars have climbed from #62 (1/23) to #37 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool.
• WSU is a perfect 9-0 in games decided by double digits, while six of its seven losses are by five points or less.

NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES

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
Late Season Top 20
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
Isaiah Mobley, USC

Midseason Top 25
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
Isaiah Mobley, USC

Watch List
Tyger Campbell, UCLA
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
Isaiah Mobley, USC
Will Richardson, Oregon

LUTE OLSON NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Midseason Watch List
Johnny Juzang, UCLA
Christian Koloko, Arizona
Isaiah Mobley, USC

NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME AWARDS
Watch Lists

Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year
Tyger Campbell, UCLA (Late Season Top 10)
Will Richardson, Oregon (Late Season Top 10)

Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year
De’Vion Harmon, Oregon
Johnny Juzang, UCLA (Late Season Top 10)
Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona (Late Season Top 10)

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

SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Top 30 Candidates
Evan Battey, Colorado
Jules Bernard, UCLA
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 launched 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 - #17 Texas 60, STANFORD 53 (men) - ABC
2:30 p.m. PT -  #11 Texas 74, San Diego 58 (women) - ESPN2 (ARIZONA DNP due to COVID protocols)

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.
• Additionally, ARIZONA STATE will serve as host of the 2024 NCAA Final Four at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

CONFERENCE STANDINGS (Expanded Standings) 

WEEKLY SCHEDULE (All games, tip times & TV broadcasts are subject to change)
For the most up-to-date schedules, visit Expanded Schedule

PAC-12 PERFORMANCE AWARDS PRESENTED BY NEXTIVA

NATIONAL WEEKLY HONORS