Thoughts heading into Pac basketball

[CatsTopPac]

Hey guys, had some traveling and holiday shenanigans the last week or so. Looks like two good cupcakes before heading into conference play. Good to see Zeus get some valuable rest.

So, how does everyone feel about the Pac. Anyone want to throw down record and ranking predictions? I have to take a look at which teams are not playing two games against each other, and where those games are.

I do think that Stanford and Utah right now are looking like the one to compete for the last tourney slots for the Pac after AZ, Oregon, CU, and UCLA. ASU and Cal are not looking as good, but there is plenty of basket ball left.

 

[Monte Carlo Wildcat]

Every game will feel like a must win. I think it will be that close again this year.

 

[johnson]

Gonna be tighter than people think. There are some bottom-feeders, but most of the conference is legit. Cats won't be able to get away with taking half the game to get going against Oregon or UCLA so hopefully they start fast there.

 

[nogicat]

Arizona 15-3
Colorado 14-4
Oregon 13-5
UCLA 13-5
Stanford 12-6
ASU 11-7
CAL 11-7
Utah 9-9
UW 8-10
OSU 6-12
USC 6-12
WSU 3-15

I got AZ, UCLA, ORE, CU, and STAN in
ASU and CAL on the bubble
UTAH needs a miracle because their non conf SOS is awful (in the 300's) so I doubt they make it
Look for 5-6 Pac teams to make it.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Arizona 15-3
Colorado 14-4
Oregon 13-5
UCLA 13-5
Stanford 12-6
ASU 11-7
CAL 11-7
Utah 9-9
UW 8-10
OSU 6-12
USC 6-12
WSU 3-15

I got AZ, UCLA, ORE, CU, and STAN in
ASU and CAL on the bubble
UTAH needs a miracle because their non conf SOS is awful (in the 300's) so I doubt they make it
Look for 5-6 Pac teams to make it.

That's ridiculously close to what my predictions will look like.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Arizona 16-2
Colorado 14-4
Oregon 13-5
UCLA 13-5
Stanford 12-6
ASU 11-7
CAL 11-7
Utah 9-9
UW 7-11
OSU 7-11
USC 5-13
WSU 3-15

Teams in: Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, UCLA, Stanford

On the bubble: Cal and ASU

 

[FORKWDEVIL]

All I give a shit about is that we steal one win from UOFA and possible make the tourney! I know, tall order!

 

[FORKWDEVIL]

Hello from "Fork" in the grey cap



Congrats UOFA on your #1 ranking. I look forward to a possible upset in Tempe. Catch us on an 'on night' and things could go bad.

I gave Herb a long hard look today and my wife got this and was cracking up because she knew I was pissed.

 

[520GGATO]

View attachment 8021

Congrats UOFA on your #1 ranking. I look forward to a possible upset in Tempe. Catch us on an 'on night' and things could go bad.

I gave Herb a long hard look today and my wife got this and was cracking up because she knew I was pissed.

hehe. Does that guy with the wrestling mask still show up? I see him every season on tv sitting in the first row.

 

[pistlpete]

Washington Huskies checkin in. WE SUCK!

 

[CatsTopPac]

Hahahaha, os the only thing that made me think of this, is because I did it myself: guys, there can only be a total of 108 wins and 108 losses in the conference. So they have to match up from top to bottom. It may not seem like it, but when you go back and have to take wins away from teams to get it to 108, it gets pretty difficult. Here's mine. I have a whole lot less confidence in my picks, now that I changed it to equal 108-108.

AZ 16-2
Oregon 14-4
CU 13-5
UCLA 12-6
Stanford 11-7
Cal 10-8
Utah 10-8
ASU 9-9
OSU 5-13
USC 4-14
UW 3-15
WSU 1-17

I think that Oregon's schedule puts them in a position to take 2nd. And honestly, not even hating, I just see ASU falling apart at the end of the season from just running out of gas. Their final 15 games is just brutal. I really wrestled between ASU and Utah. It could very well be ASU, I just don't know much about Utah. But even with Kearney coming in, I just see their bench killing them down the stretch. I also just really think that Utah could get some surprise wins this year by teams over looking them to play CU.

Can't wait to find out!!!

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Hahahaha, os the only thing that made me think of this, is because I did it myself: guys, there can only be a total of 108 wins and 108 losses in the conference. So they have to match up from top to bottom. It may not seem like it, but when you go back and have to take wins away from teams to get it to 108, it gets pretty difficult. Here's mine. I have a whole lot less confidence in my picks, now that I changed it to equal 108-108.

AZ 16-2
Oregon 14-4
CU 13-5
UCLA 12-6
Stanford 11-7
Cal 10-8
Utah 10-8
ASU 9-9
OSU 5-13
USC 4-14
UW 3-15
WSU 1-17

I think that Oregon's schedule puts them in a position to take 2nd. And honestly, not even hating, I just see ASU falling apart at the end of the season from just running out of gas. Their final 15 games is just brutal. I really wrestled between ASU and Utah. It could very well be ASU, I just don't know much about Utah. But even with Kearney coming in, I just see their bench killing them down the stretch. I also just really think that Utah could get some surprise wins this year by teams over looking them to play CU.

Can't wait to find out!!!

I figured Nogi did that so I went off his numbers.

haha dammit nogs

 

[520GGATO]

AZ should finish with 3 losses at worst.

 

[CatsTopPac]

AZ should finish with 3 losses at worst.

I see it like this: there are 3 road games that look threatening (@UCLA, @CU, and @Oregon). The good news is that not only are these three games spread out (as in one in Jan, one in Feb, and one in March), but they start with the least threatening (@UCLA), and progress to the most threatening (@Oregon). So they shape up well for us to cut our teeth (assuming we didn't do that @SDSU and @Michigan) against UCLA for CU, and then CU for Oregon. I think that we can win 2 out of those 3.

I foresee a wildcard loss though. I know that it is very unlikely on paper, but that's what makes it the wildcard. I think that the only real game that we might be an underdog in, is @Oregon, and that would depend on how the game in Tucson goes, and each team's record when we play in Eugene. But there is usually that game somewhere in the season that gets lost in the shuffle, and we just blow it. It's really not uncommon. Last year it was USC, the year before that it was ASU, etc. These are games against pretty weak teams that we have no business losing, but we lose. Now, I think that this year's team is extremely disciplined and focused. Miller seems to have the ability to get these guys to concentrate only on the game in front of them. But the Pac season is long, and it doesn't even have to come against a shitty team. It could just not be a game that we necessarily anticipate right now, as even on the map as a loss. That is where I think we get our 2nd loss, or a 3rd if we drop two of those tough road games.

If I was going to call the wildcard, I think that a game like @Utah (because we would be looking forward to the game in Boulder) could be a trap game. Or even at home against Oregon, just because we could underestimate how hungry they are (think about when they stunned us at home two years ago).

Again, I think for the most part, you are right: AZ should be able to only lose a couple/three games at most, and should take care of business at home. But there is a lot of basketball left.

I guess I'm just throwing out hypotheticals. Stanford is another team that worries me.

 

[johnson]

AZ 18-0...you heard it here first!!!!

Cats are so sick I can't even bring myself to predict a loss until it happens. And I refuse to acknowledge that possibility.

 

[The Derski]

Sucks we don't play UCLA at home. To me Oregon looks like the biggest threat to us right now. They have so many scoring options and run a deeper bench than us. They like to run and shoot it and always have high scoring affairs.