Scoop Dreams columnist Eli Smukler checks in with this week’s Pac-10 men’s basketball Power Rankings (you can find last week’s rankings here):
1. No. 15 Arizona (20-4, 9-2 Pac-10)
With its fifth win in a row, the Wildcats have become the definite front runner for this year’s Pac-10 crown. In this week’s games, Arizona became the first team to sweep the Bay Area road trip, beating Stanford and then scratching out a triple-overtime thriller over Cal.
2. UCLA (16-7, 7-3)
UCLA is playing its best basketball of the season, and it is paying off in the standings. The Bruins’ 64-50 payback win over the rival Trojans provided an emotional boost and a victory against St. John’s boosted their resume.
3. Washington (15-7, 7-4)
Just two weeks ago, the Huskies were shoe-ins for the Pac-10 regular-season title. Now, after three straight losses, most recently at Oregon and Oregon State, Washington is on the outside looking in.
4. California (13-10, 6-5)
Thought to be decimated by last year’s big graduating class, this year’s Golden Bears have slowly become the surprise story of the Pac-10 season. If Cal hadn’t lost in triple overtime to Arizona on Saturday, it would have had five straight wins.
5. Washington State (16-7, 6-5)
Washington State did the opposite of capitalizing on its upset of Washington. Instead, Wazzu was dropped in a 26-point defeat to Oregon. A win over Oregon State two days later made the week not a total loss, but it looks like the Cougs will have to win the Pac-10 Tourney to go dancing.
6. Oregon (12-11, 5-6)
Ducks senior forward Joevan Catron had 37 points total this week to help Oregon with impressive wins over both Washington State and Washington at Eugene’s Matt Court. On Thursday, they’ll travel to face UCLA, the only team yet to beat them on their new home floor.
7. Stanford (12-10, 5-6)
At least Jeremy Green is starting to look like himself again. The Stanford junior guard hit all five of his 3-point attempts and had 23 points in a victory over Arizona State. Too bad the Cardinal have probably the toughest remaining schedule in the league.
8. Oregon State (9-13, 4-7)
The shocking upset of Washington in Corvallis must have felt good, but that doesn’t hide the fact that Oregon State has won only two of its last nine games and sits very deep in the Pac-10 standings.
9. USC (12-11, 4-6)
After a promising start to the Pac-10 season, USC has now lost five of seven. In their most recent ““ Wednesday’s loss at Pauley Pavilion ““ the Trojans’ scoring woes were on full display as they managed just 15 points in the second half.
10. Arizona State (9-14, 1-10)
The Sun Devils are turning this season into an epic faceplant. They made it nine Pac-10 losses in a row this week after getting beaten at Stanford and at Cal. One positive stat: None of their last four defeats have been by more than eight points.