Sports360AZ
By Jeff Metcalfe
The Best of the West offers fans a candid assessment of the top teams in the western third of the country — a collection that includes the Mountain West and the former Pac-12 schools now scattered across the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and West Coast Conference.
The rankings will be published on the Hotline weekly throughout the regular season.
1. UCLA (8-0)
Last week: 1
Results: beat Tennessee-Martin 97-37, Fresno State 97-41 and Hawaii 70-49
Up next: at Washington (Sunday)
Comment: The Bruins breezed through the Rainbow Wahine Classic in their first games since jumping to No. 1 in the Associated Press poll for the first time. Lauren Betts was the tournament MVP, with Gabriela Jaquez and Kiki Rice also on the all-tournament team. The Bruins begin Big Ten play against former Pac-12 foe Washington.
2. USC (7-1)
Last week: 2
Results: beat Seton Hall 84-51, Saint Louis 104-65 and Cal Baptist 94-52
Up next: at Oregon (Saturday)
Comment: The Trojans shook off their disappointing loss to Notre Dame with lopsided wins at an invitational in Palm Desert, California and a home victory Tuesday. JuJu Watkins scored 34 points and Kiki Iriafen added 30 against Saint Louis — the first time USC teammates accomplished a 30-point double since 1990. Watkins scored 40 points, with a school record nine 3-pointers, Tuesday against Cal Baptist.
3. Stanford (7-1)
Last week: 3
Results: beat UC San Diego 84-54
Up next: at LSU (Thursday)
Comment: The Cardinal visits fifth-ranked LSU with a three-game winning streak and looking to pull an upset that eluded Washington in a 68-67 neutral-site loss to the Tigers last week. This is Stanford’s only game in a 13-day period, which figures to help with preparation for LSU.
4. California (7-1)
Last week: 5
Results: beat Arizona 74-62
Up next: vs. Alabama (Thursday)
Comment: The Bears ended a seven-game losing streak against Arizona led by Michelle Onyiah’s career-high 25 points and 13 rebounds. That took some of the sting away from Cal’s first loss, which came one day earlier to Michigan State. The Bears host No. 19 Alabama in an SEC/ACC Challenge game.
5. Utah (6-2)
Last week: 7
Results: lost to Mississippi State 66-62, beat Notre Dame 78-67
Up next: vs. Utah State (Thursday)
Comment: In the Cayman Islands, Utah lost to undefeated Mississippi State before upsetting Notre Dame, which also lost to TCU subsequent to its win over USC. The Utes opened the third quarter with an 11-0 run against Notre Dame and never trailed in the second half for their highest-ranked victory away from home.
6. UNLV (6-2)
Last week: 10
Results: beat UCF 71-52 and East Carolina 64-49
Up next: at Baylor (Sunday)
Comment: The Rebels won twice at home over Thanksgiving following their 30-point loss to No. 11 Oklahoma. Now, they get another crack at a high-caliber opponent in Baylor (7-2). McKinna Brackens had a career-high 19 points and 14 rebounds against UCF, which came in unbeaten only to lose twice in Las Vegas.
7. Northern Arizona (7-1)
Last week: 11
Results: beat James Madison 85-83 (OT) and Tulane 87-70
Up next: vs. Oral Roberts (Wednesday)
Comment: Ranking a Big Sky team this high is admittedly going out on a limb, but the Lumberjacks are worthy for now with a school record-tying best start and the No. 23 strength of schedule in the country. NAU’s only other 7-1 start was in 1994-95, when Charli Turner Thorne was coach.
8. Colorado (7-2)
Last week: 9
Results: beat Utah Tech 85-73, lost to Louisville 79-71, beat Tennessee Tech 91-79
Up next: vs. Southern Utah (Saturday)
Comment: The Buffaloes’ four-game winning streak ended at home against No. 22 Louisville, primarily due to turnovers (25, which led to 33 Cardinals points). Louisville put the game away with a 16-0 run in the fourth quarter that Colorado could not overcome in the final minutes. Transfers Ayianna Johnson and Nyamer Diew combined for 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting against Tennessee Tech.
9. Oregon (6-2)
Last week: 4
Results: Did not play
Up next: vs. Washington State (Wednesday)
Comment: The Ducks haven’t played since taking two losses in Hawaii on Nov. 25-26 but fell out of AP rankings this week and took a five-position hit in the Best of the West. There’s urgency to beat Washington State because the Big Ten opener looms Saturday against USC.
10. Gonzaga (4-5)
Last week: 6
Results: lost to Missouri State 65-64, Texas Tech 67-49 and Florida State 95-54
Up next: at Colorado State (Sunday)
Comment: It’s fair to question the Zags after three losses at the Paradise Jam, although Texas Tech and Florida State are one-loss teams. If Gonzaga is going to live up to the role of WCC preseason favorite, now is the time to flip the switch.
11. Arizona (7-3)
Last week: 8
Results: lost to Cal 74-62, beat Seattle 78-43
Up next: Grand Canyon (Thursday)
Comment: After three losses in its preceding four games, Arizona won comfortably over Seattle on Monday led by North Carolina transfer Paulina Paris with 22 points. The Wildcats lost to NAU on Nov. 20 but still can beat Grand Canyon and Arizona State in the chase for state supremacy.
12. Grand Canyon (5-2)
Last week: 13
Results: beat Liberty 79-50, UC Santa Barbara 69-58 and East Texas A&M 110-71
Up next: at Arizona (Thursday)
Comment: Winning three consecutive games since a loss at Oregon gives the Antelopes some confidence going into Tucson. They already have a win over ASU and host NAU later this month, so the possibility of sweeping their in-state rivals is on the table. GCU shot a school record 63.2 percent against East Texas A&M.
13. Arizona State (4-3)
Last week: 14
Results: beat South Dakota 95-88
Up next: at Coppin State (Thursday)
Comment: UC Irvine transfer Nevaeh Parkinson scored a career-high 26 points on 12-of-13 shooting against South Dakota with four others reaching double figures, including Tyi Skinner, who made six 3-pointers. The Sun Devils are in a stretch of seven consecutive road/neutral site games through Dec. 21.
14. Washington State (4-4)
Last week: Not ranked
Results: beat Norfolk State 68-60 and Virginia 75-74, lost to Drake 79-68
Up next: at Oregon (Wednesday)
Comment: The Cougars won two of three in Puerto Rico with Dayana Mendes earning WCC Freshman of the Week honors. They are holding their own against a tough schedule (No. 27 nationally) despite key personnel losses after the breakup of the Pac-12.
15. Brigham Young (6-2)
Last week: 15
Results: beat Rice 63-51, lost to Iowa 68-48
Up next: at UTEP (Thursday)
Comment: No. 17 Iowa pulled away from the Cougars in the second half to remain undefeated. For BYU, a split in Cancun was an acceptable outcome coming off an upset home loss to Northern Colorado.
Also considered: Portland, Hawaii, Washington and San Diego State
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