Tag: Pac-12 Basketball

Why Pac-12 should focus on building college basketball super league

Could the Pac-12 prioritize building a basketball superconference by adding Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s, and other non-football schools?

Monday was a chaotic day for the Pac-12 conference and its goals of expansion. First, the conference was rebuffed by four top targets in the American Athletic Conference – Memphis, Tulane, UTSA, and South Florida – who all decided to band together in the AAC.

Then, reports surfaced that UNLV was planning to do something similar with the Mountain West, instantly pulling five of the Pac-12’s most desired targets off the market.

Soon after it was reported – incorrectly – that the Pac-12 had offered a full share to the Gonzaga Bulldogs as a non-football member and that the offer had been accepted. That was quickly rebuffed, although it does sound like talks between Gonzaga and the Pac-12 will continue.

Finally, after a day of chaos, the Pac-12 extended an invitation to Utah State which was reportedly accepted – although as of this writing no formal announcement from the Pac-12 has been made. Stealing Utah State from the Mountain West could result in the Pac-12 landing UNLV after all, as the Rebels’ deal with the MWC was predicated on the rest of the conference sticking together.

With the dust settling, it’s clear the Pac-12 is left without nearly as many options as commissioner Teresa Gould had hoped. Geography is now the focus for the Pac-12, although the league likely doesn’t want to be made up entirely of former Mountain West schools.

One option the Pac-12 could lean into is building a very strong men’s basketball conference, having already added four schools that made the NCAA Tournament last year in Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and (assuming it’s confirmed) Utah State.

The league can do that by prioritizing non-football programs, like Gonzaga, which most believe won’t cost the Pac-12 as much money to build. The conference needs at least one more football team to reach FBS eligibility, and there are plenty of good basketball programs with football that make sense for the Pac-12 to target – especially if they are willing to keep tapping into the Mountain West.

Non-Football Schools

Gonzaga is the obvious option here, the biggest college brand in the country that doesn’t have football attached to it. Located in Spokane, about 75 miles from Pullman where Washington State resides, Gonzaga is a geographic fit and immediately adds a perennial national championship contender to the Pac-12 in men’s basketball, where the Zags have made eight straight Sweet 16 appearances and two national championships dating back to 2016.

Adding Gonzaga’s longtime rival in the WCC, Saint Mary’s, makes sense as well. Although the Gaels are a far smaller school, with less resources, the men’s basketball program has consistently been one of the better mid-major programs in all of college basketball under Randy Bennett for 20 years.

The Zags and Gaels alone would be a big boost to the Pac-12’s basketball competitiveness, but the league doesn’t have to stop there. Grand Canyon is set to join the WCC in 2025-26, and as one of the premier basketball programs on the west coast, the ‘Lopes would make a quality non-football addition to the Pac-12 alongside Gonzaga and SMC. Grand Canyon is likely a lot less interested in the WCC without those two teams, and while GCU is a for profit institution which bothers some folks, there is little doubt the facilities, resources, and fanbase is at a level worthy of inclusion in the Pac-12.

Lastly, while the geography is less than ideal, the Pac-12 could make an offer to Wichita State out of the American. The Shockers aren’t a great fit in the AAC without football, and would very likely jump at the opportunity to join a basketball league with Gonzaga, San Diego State, Grand Canyon, St. Mary’s, and others.

Football Schools

Despite getting raided by the Pac-12 already, the Mountain West still has two programs who made the NCAA Tournament last year in Nevada and New Mexico.

Nevada is not a top target for the Pac-12, although in a scenario where the league is prioritizing basketball it could make sense if they thought they could bring both Nevada and UNLV into the league.

New Mexico is the other successful men’s basketball program in the Mountain West, although like Nevada the football side of things would serve only to bring the competitiveness of the league down.

Verdict

A 14-team league with 10 football programs may not be exactly what the Pac-12 was hoping for, especially with those 10 football teams all coming from the Mountain West outside of Oregon State and Washington State, but the league would still be an above average football conference while boasting a formidable lineup of men’s basketball programs on par with some of the strongest conferences in the sport.

This 14-team basketball league features 10 teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season: Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s, San Diego State, Utah State, Grand Canyon, Boise State, Colorado State, Washington State, New Mexico, and Nevada, while UNLV won 20+ games as well.

Is it a perfect solution for the Pac-12? No, but it gives them a niche in the second biggest revenue generating sport in the country while also putting together a decently competitive – albeit unexciting – football league as well.

Looking back on Bill Walton’s many memorable trips to Boulder

Basketball legend and Boulder enthusiast Bill Walton has passed away at the age of 71

Basketball legend and longtime Pac-12 Network commentator Bill Walton passed away on Monday at the age of 71 following an extended battle with cancer, the NBA announced.

Walton, who won two national championships with the UCLA Bruins before enjoying a Hall of Fame career in the NBA, will be remembered fondly by Colorado Buffaloes fans due to his appreciation for Boulder. From attending Dead & Company concerts at Folsom Field to sharing his love for Pasta Jay’s and the Flatirons, the Pac-12 great always appeared to enjoy himself at the University of Colorado.

In Boulder, Walton also once rode the Ralphie statue outside of Folsom Field and played ping pong with Evan Battey.

Take a photographic look back at Walton’s many memorable trips to the CU Events Center:

Cameron Brink struggles and fouls out as Stanford exits NCAA Tournament with bitter loss

The Pac-12 has one team in the Elite Eight, but it’s not Stanford. The Cardinal suffered a crushing Sweet 16 defeat.

The Stanford Cardinal won the regular-season Pac-12 championship. They faced USC in the Pac-12 Tournament final. In a season when the Cardinal were not picked to win the Pac-12 in preseason polls, the Trees did better than expected. Cameron Brink was at the center of the conversation for the Cardinal, right there with JuJu Watkins as one of the Pac-12’s very best players all season long. Brink, though, couldn’t put the pieces together in the postseason, and now the Cardinal are once again reeling from a bitter defeat before the Final Four. It’s not how they or most experts thought their season would end.

Cameron Brink fouled out of Stanford’s win over Iowa State this past Sunday. She is an elite defensive player, so fouling out was a shock to the system for this all-time Stanford great. It seemed likely that Brink would have a better game and stay out of foul trouble against N.C. State. After all, how many times does a player of Brink’s caliber foul out of consecutive games. Surely she wasn’t going to struggle two straight games, right? Surely she wasn’t going to foul out of two straight March Madness games, right?

Surely, the sure thing did not happen. The logical thing did not happen.

Brink fouled out again, and this time, it came early in the fourth quarter. Struggling to adjust to non-Pac-12 NCAA Tournament whistles, Brink exited long before the final buzzer. She played just seven minutes in the second half. Stanford’s guards — who have often underperformed in the team’s NCAA Tournament losses — could not step up and compensate for Brink’s absence. North Carolina State, down 10 at halftime, stormed back to beat Stanford 77-67 and advance to the Elite Eight on Sunday versus Texas.

The Pac-12 has four teams left in the NCAA Tournament. Three play on Saturday. They better be on guard if they want to avoid Stanford’s cruel fate.

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Arizona crashes out of NCAA Tournament vs Clemson, ending Pac-12 hopes of a Final Four

Caleb Love shot way too many 3-pointers. He went 0 for 9. Arizona couldn’t defend late. The Wildcats are out.

The Arizona Wildcats were the best team in the Pac-12 Conference this season. They won the regular-season league championship in the conference’s final year. They were a No. 2 seed at the NCAA Tournament. They reached the Sweet 16 and played an opponent seeded four lines lower. Yet, the Wildcats have made a habit out of losing NCAA March Madness games as a much higher seed. They couldn’t break that habit in a loss on Thursday to the No. 6 seed Clemson Tigers.

Arizona fumbled the bag again in March, ending the Pac-12’s hopes of sending a team to the Men’s Final Four in its final basketball season. Oregon, Colorado and Washington State all reached the second round but were eliminated, leaving Arizona as the Pac’s only hope. That hope was extinguished against Clemson, and it happened in a very familiar way.

Arizona struggled this season whenever Caleb Love struggled. Love was 5 of 18 from the field, 0 for 9 from 3-point range. He took way too many threes when Arizona was having success getting to the free throw line. Love shot Arizona out of the game. Teammate Kylan Boswell also struggled, going 1 of 5 on 3-pointers. Arizona was too reliant on one or two players. The Wildcats also played terrible defense in the final two minutes, getting carved up by Clemson cuts to the basket with no one being there to protect the rim.

It’s up to women’s basketball to deliver a Final Four appearance (maybe more) for the Pac-12 in its final act before death.

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Buffaloes Wire predicts every Pac-12 game in Women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

Buffaloes Wire predicted the outcomes for the five Pac-12 games in the Women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. What are your picks?

Our friends at Buffaloes Wire are going to leave the Pac-12 in a few months, but there’s still the Sweet 16 at the Women’s NCAA Tournament before Colorado and other schools exit for other conferences. Buffaloes Wire predicted the winners for each of the five Sweet 16 games involving Pac-12 teams. Colorado and USC are both part of the action in a star-studded Sweet 16 round with endless intrigue and drama.

Here is what Buffaloes Wire editor Jack Carlough said about USC’s Sweet 16 game against Baylor, which is this Saturday, March 30, in Portland:

“Although JuJu Watkins is navigating only her first NCAA Tournament run, USC’s star freshman hasn’t been fazed by the big lights this year. I’m taking the Trojans to win by at least 10 over the Bears.”

We all hope Jack is right about this game. Jack’s Colorado team goes up against Caitlin Clark and Iowa on Saturday in the Sweet 16. It’s the second straight year CU and Iowa will meet in the Sweet 16 round of March Madness. USC-Baylor immediately follows Colorado-Iowa on the Saturday schedule, which we have for you right here.

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UCLA Wire previews the Pac-12 in Women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

Get a quick look at each of the opponents facing the five #Pac12 teams left in the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Our friends at UCLA Wire are previewing the Pac-12’s games in the Women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.

“There are five Pac-12 women’s teams left as the NCAA Tournament reaches the Sweet 16 stage. The games begin on Friday, with UCLA facing LSU in arguably the biggest matchup of them all on Saturday in Albany, New York.”

UCLA Wire editor Matt Wadleigh looks at the opponents for each of the five Pac-12 teams still in the NCAA Tournament. Oregon State’s opponent in the Sweet 16 is Notre Dame. Stanford faces North Carolina State in its upcoming regional semifinal game. The blockbuster game UCLA Wire alluded to above is UCLA versus LSU, a matchup of top-three seeds which includes the defending national champions from Baton Rouge.

USC, as you know, goes up against the Baylor Bears on Saturday afternoon. That game with JuJu Watkins immediately follows a repeat Sweet 16 clash between Colorado and Iowa, with Caitlin Clark trying to extend her career, go back to the Final Four, and attempt to win the national championship which eluded her grasp last year. This is a huge weekend for the Pac-12, a conference trying to make a stand before it dies. Can this conference go out in the blaze of glory, or will it all end not with a bang, but a whimper?

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Washington State bows out of NCAA Tournament; Pac-12 with two teams left in men’s March Madness

Washington State fell short in an attempt to make the Sweet 16 for the second time in school history.

One of the best seasons in Washington State basketball history ended on Saturday night. That’s not hyperbole. Washington State has made the NCAA Tournament just seven times in school history. Therefore, this is indeed one of the seven best seasons in the life of WSU hoops. Washington State has won an NCAA Tournament game in just five seasons, which makes this one of the five best seasons in the school’s existence.

Washington State was trying to make the Sweet 16 for just the second time in school history. The only previous time the Cougars played a Sweet 16 game was 2008. WSU was playing for history on Saturday against Iowa State, and after shutting out the Cyclones in the first four minutes of the game, the Cougars had reason to think they could win. They held ISU to just eight points in the first 12 minutes and led for nearly the entire first half. However, Iowa State — a No. 2 seed for a reason — tied the Cougars at halftime and then took control in the second half for a 67-56 win which knocked Wazzu out of the Big Dance.

The Pac-12 is down to two teams in the Men’s NCAA Tournament. Arizona is in the Sweet 16. Colorado plays Marquette in the second round. Washington State has a vested interest in seeing those teams win. Every win gives the Pac-12 more win units, which provide future revenue Washington State and Oregon State will collect.

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Arizona advances to Sweet 16, keeps Pac-12 perfect at the NCAA Tournament

The Pac-12 is 10-0 at the two NCAA Tournaments at noon Pacific time on Saturday, March 23.

The good times keep rolling for a dying conference. It’s like a person having a big last meal or goodbye party which contains some sadness but manages to hit all the right notes and leave everyone in the room smiling and having a great time. The Pac-12 is 6-0 in the Men’s NCAA Tournament after Arizona beat Dayton on Saturday morning and afternoon in Salt Lake City. The Wildcats answered the alarm clock for a game which began at 10:45 a.m. in Utah. Arizona built a 17-point lead before Dayton pulled within four. Arizona regained control in the final eight minutes and pulled away for a 78-68 win.

With the Pac-12 being 4-0 in the Women’s NCAA Tournament, the Pac-12 hasn’t lost a single game in March Madness as of noon Pacific time on Saturday. The overall conference record in both tournaments is 10-0.

There are six more games to come for Pac-12 teams on Saturday, featuring the top-seeded USC women’s basketball team, which plays its first-ever Galen Center March Madness game. The USC arena has never held a USC NCAA Tournament game before. The Trojans host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

In the women’s tournament, UCLA plays Cal Baptist, Utah plays South Dakota State, and Arizona faces Syracuse. In the men’s tournament on Saturday, Oregon faces Creighton and Washington State takes on Iowa State.

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Pac-12 moves to 5-0 in Men’s NCAA Tournament with Colorado win over Florida

Colorado is 2-0 in the Men’s NCAA Tournament and 1-0 in the Women’s NCAA Tournament. Pac-12 power.

The good times just keep coming for the Pac-12 in the NCAA Tournament. Colorado boosted the Pac to 5-0 in the men’s edition of March Madness with a 102-100 win over Florida on a last-second shot by K.J. Simpson.

Buffaloes Wire reacted:

“After Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. drilled a deep 3-pointer to tie Colorado at 100, the junior point guard sunk a baseline jumper with about two seconds left in regulation, giving the Buffaloes a stunning 102-100 first-round upset over the Gators on Friday.

“Colorado is now dancing into the NCAA men’s basketball tournament round of 32, an accomplishment that few would’ve thought likely earlier this season. The No. 10 seed Buffs will face the No. 2 seed Marquette Golden Eagles on Sunday.”

Gators Wire also had coverage of this game, via decorated sportswriter Pat Dooley, who wrote:

“If I had told you that Florida would score 100 points in its first NCAA Tournament game in three years, you’d have probably taken it.

“Instead, the Gators became one of those moments that make March Madness what it is.”

The Pac-12 keeps earning money for Washington State and Oregon State, who will collect money from Pac-12 NCAA Tournament win units, which continue to accumulate with each March Madness victory.

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Colorado bubble analysis: Win over Washington State was enough to make NCAA Tournament

Colorado’s late winning streak was enough to get the Buffs into the field and give the Pac-12 four NCAA tourney teams.

The Colorado Buffaloes were not a lock to make the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday, but their odds were decent, given that they won two games at the Pac-12 Tournament and beat an NCAA Tournament team from Washington State in the semifinals. Their loss to Oregon — which gave the Ducks the automatic bid from the Pac-12 — did create some bubble drama. A lot of bubble teams’ dreams were crushed by the parade of unexpected autobids which emerged over the weekend. Colorado did have reason to sweat. However, most bracketologists did have the Buffaloes in the field on Sunday.

All the team could do was wait.

The waiting was worth it. Colorado reached the First Four in Dayton and will face Boise State on Wednesday night at 9:10 p.m. Eastern time, 6:10 p.m. Pacific, on TruTV.

Buffaloes Wire had more on the story:

“One day after falling to Oregon in the Pac-12 Tournament championship game on Saturday, the Buffaloes received a First Four bid for the 2024 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Colorado will battle Boise State in Dayton, Ohio on Wednesday with the winner earning the right to face No. 7 seed Florida on Friday in the round of 64.

“Head coach Tad Boyle and the Buffs, who enter the First Four as a No. 10 seed, finished their regular season on a six-game winning streak before reaching the final Pac-12 title game.”

Colorado needed every last one of those six straight wins to sneak into the field. The Buffs saved their season just in time.

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