# #

Pac-12 basketball teams react to receiving bids to NCAA Tournament

Mar 14, 2022

Nine Pac-12 basketball teams will be dancing this March — three in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and six on the women's side.

Arizona men's basketball, the Pac-12 regular-season and conference tournament champion, kicked off the day by receiving the No. 1 seed in the South Region, setting it up to face the winner of Bryant and Wright State in the first round in San Diego on Friday.

UCLA, the conference tournament runner-up, received the No. 4 in the East Region and will head to Portland, Oregon to face No. 13-seeded Akron in the first round on Thursday. The Bruins are looking to reach their second straight Final Four.

Crosstown rival USC was pegged as the No. 7 seed Midwest Region (Chicago) and will meet No. 10 seed Miami (FL) in the first round on Friday in Greenville, South Carolina. The Trojans are making their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance after reaching the Sweet Sixteen last season.

On the women's side, Arizona received a No. 4 seed in the Greensboro Region and will host No. 13 UNLV on Saturday. By earning a top-4 seed, the Wildcats will get to host the first two rounds of the tournament for just the second time in program history.

There were plenty of postseason milestones to go around as Colorado received its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2013, getting placed as the No. 7 seed in the Greensboro Region. The Buffs will square off against No. 10 Creighton on Friday in Iowa City.

Utah also earned a No. 7 seed—in the Spokane Region, where it will play No. 10 Arkansas in Austin, Texas on Friday. It's the Utes' first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011. 

After ending a 30-year drought last season, Washington State has reached the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years for the first time ever, receiving the No. 8 seed in the Bridgeport Region. The Cougars, who set a program record for Pac-12 wins (11), will take on No. 9 Kansas State in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday. 

It was business for usual for Oregon, which is making its fifth straight NCAA Tournament. The Ducks were selected as the No. 5 seed in the Wichita Region where it will battle No. 12 Belmont in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday.

Stanford knows as the defending national champs that its work is just beginning. The Cardinal will try to become the first women's basketball program to repeat since UConn in 2016.

Stanford is rolling right now, winning the Pac-12 Tournament after an undefeated conference season. It is the No. 1 seed in the Spokane Region and will host No. 16 Montana State on Friday. 

Related News & Videos