Pac-10 Conference Season Preview
by Scott Allen
The Pacific-10 Conference won’t have much representation in the majority of preseason Top 25 polls and the pundits will predictably continue to call the Pac-10 one of the weakest major conferences in the land. Without fail, incensed fans at Arizona, Stanford and Washington will cry East coast media bias, that teams on the west coast get less respect than the late Rodney Dangerfield. Memo to those fans: Save face and shut it. The Pac-10’s three (count them: 1, 2, 3) teams in the 2004 NCAA Tournament were all sent home by the end of the first weekend, including first round losses by the Wildcats and Huskies. The truth is the Pac-10 should be a more respectable league top-to-bottom this season, with cellar dwellers Arizona State, Oregon State and Washington State all expected to be more competitive. As a result, don’t expect a team to steamroll through the conference season like Stanford did last year, or such a large gap between the league’s elite and second-tier teams.
Arizona is the early favorite to win the conference, thanks to an extremely talented and veteran-laded starting lineup, plus the addition of another impressive freshman class. The Wildcats failed to live up to expectations last season, but the maturation of sophomore point guard Mustafa Shakur could be the difference in this year’s campaign. Though they lost All-American forward Josh Childress, two other starters, and longtime coach Mike Montgomery, Stanford will settle for nothing less than an NCAA Tournament bid in the first year of the Trent Johnson era. Washington will look to show that their strong run at the end of last season was no fluke, while Oregon intends to show they can survive life without Luke. Continuing with the rhyming theme, UCLA’s freshman class provides reason to beam. Cal enters the season without Leon Powe and Jay John and the Beavers hope their time is now. The Trojans must win to save coach Henry Bibby, the Cougars might have a tough time scoring sixty. What more can you say about ASU’s Ike Diogu? Now sit back and enjoy Hoopville’s Pac-10 preview.
Pre-Season Hardware:
All-Conference Team
Ike Diogu, Jr. F, Arizona State
Hassan Adams, Jr. F, Arizona
Channing Frye, Sr. F, Arizona
Nate Robinson, Jr. G, Washington
Chris Hernandez, Jr. G, Stanford
Honorable Mention
David Lucas, Sr. F, Oregon State
Dijon Thompson, Sr. F, UCLA
Matt Haryasz, Jr. F, Stanford
Leon Powe, So. F, California
Jeff McMillan, Sr. F, USC
Malik Hairston, Fr. G, Oregon
Thomas Kelati, Sr. G, Washington State
Conference MVP
Chris Hernandez, G, Stanford
Freshman of the Year
Malik Hairston, G, Oregon
Newcomer of the Year
Dwayne Shackleford, Jr. G, USC
Team Previews (in predicted order of finish):
Arizona Wildcats
Last Season: (20-10, 11-7 Pac-10/3rd)
Lost to Seton Hall, 80-76, in NCAA First Round
Projected Starting 5:
C – Channing Frye, Sr., 6-11, 248 (15.9 ppg/7.4 rpg)
F – Isaiah Fox, Jr., 6-9, 269 (8.5 ppg/6.5 rpg)*
F – Hassan Adams, Jr., 6-4, 201 (17.2 ppg/7.3 rpg)
G – Salim Stoudamire, Sr., 6-1, 177 (16.3 ppg/2.7 rpg)
G – Mustafa Shakur, So., 6-3, 178 (9.4 ppg/3.6 rpg)
* Played two games before suffering season-ending knee injury.
Circle the Dates: Sunday, Dec. 5 vs. Oklahoma State: The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Wildcats after the Pre-Season NIT, as the Cowboys ride into town for the first of several tough December tests.
Saturday, Dec. 18 at Marquette: Arizona downed the Golden Eagles 85-75 at the McKale Center last season. This trip to Milwaukee marks the Wildcats’ first true road test of the season.
Thursday, Feb. 24 at Washington: The Huskies had Arizona’s number last season, sweeping the season series and tacking on another win the Pac-10 Tournament for good measure. Think the Wildcats have forgotten?
Season Outlook: The preseason hype surrounding Arizona is considerably tamer this fall, perhaps due to the Wildcats’ up-and-down play, underachievement and ultimate collapse last season. But lack of hype doesn’t mean lack of hope for this team. While versatile forward Andre Iguodala is gone, Lute Olson returns an as experienced and athletic group as any team in the conference – and perhaps the nation.
All-Conference forward Channing Frye should be a scoring and rebounding machine in his senior season, especially with the return of Isaiah Fox to the lineup after he missed all but two games last year with a knee injury. Forward Hassan Adams will make a case for Pac-10 Player of the Year honors and senior guard Salim Stoudamire is one of the Pac-10’s most dangerous shooters and slashers when his head is in the game.
The offense should be potent again, especially as Mustafa Shakur continues to develop into a better distributor, but the defense must improve for the Wildcats to contend with the nation’s elite. Arizona gave up 78.5 points per game last season (8th in the Pac-10). Depth was another serious problem last season, as five players averaged more than 30 minutes per game. That problem should be remedied this season by the return of Fox and a crop of highly-touted recruits, including Daniel Dillon and Mohamed Tangara.
The Bottom Line: Arizona should be in the thick of the Pac-10 race once again, but just how far this team will go in March – if anywhere – will hinge on remaining healthy and the play of Shakur.
Washington Huskies
Last Season: (19-12, 12-6 Pac-10/2nd)
Lost to UAB, 102-100, in NCAA First Round
Projected Starting 5:
F – Bobby Jones, 6-6, 200 (11.2 ppg/4.9 rpg)
F – Mike Jensen, Jr., 6-8, 240 (10.8 ppg/3.4 rpg)
G – Brandon Roy, Jr., 6-6, 200 (12.9 ppg/5.3 rpg)
G – Nate Robinson, Jr., 5-9, 180 (13.2 ppg/3.9 rpg)
G – Will Conroy, Sr. 6-2, 190 (12.3 ppg/4.6 apg)
Circle the Dates: Wednesday, Dec. 1, at Gonzaga: Last year, the Zags handed the Huskies their first loss of the season, 86-62, in humiliating fashion at home. The ugly defeat sent Washington into an early-season tailspin, as the Huskies lost seven of their next nine games. Bragging rights for the best hoops team in the Evergreen State will once again be put on the line – no disrespect to the guys in Pullman, you just have a ways to go – and the Huskies are salivating at the chance for revenge at The Kennel.
Sunday, Dec. 19, vs. North Carolina State: A little payback might also be in order when the Wolfpack come to town three weeks later. The Huskies gave Julius Hodge and Co. all they could handle in Raleigh last February. While North Carolina State prevailed 77-72, the Huskies’ gritty performance legitimized their late-season surge and propelled them to six straight wins, including an upset of previously unbeaten and No. 1 Stanford.
Thursday, Jan. 27, at Arizona: The Huskies defeated the Wildcats three times last season, including a thrilling 90-85 decision in the Pac-10 Tournament semifinals. Making it four straight in Tucson will be a chore.
Season Outlook: While bowing out to UAB in the first round of the NCAA Tournament was a disappointing end to the season, the high-flying Huskies had nothing to hang their heads about. The school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1999 was highly improbable after Washington opened the conference season 0-5. But an emotional 103-99 overtime victory at Oregon State jumpstarted the Huskies, who went on to win 14 of 17 games to end the season.
Credit head coach Lorenzo Romar for not letting his team pack it in when the chips were down and the criticism heavy. As a reward, Romar returns all five starters in his third year at the helm of his alma mater, including the electrifying Nate Robinson, who considered taking his above-the-rim game to the professional stage and was the talk of the Chicago pre-draft camp. What’s more, all five starters averaged double-figures last season, as the Huskies put up 82.0 points per game. While Washington will once again be able to run and score with the best of them, concerns remain about the team’s defense – particularly inside – and the ability to control the glass. It’s telling that the Huskies leading rebounder last season was Roy (5.3 per game), a guard. One of the best recruiting classes in Husky history, including Joel Smith and Zach Johnson, could alleviate those problems.
The Bottom Line: If they can find some defense, the Huskies have all the pieces in place to win the Pac-10 title and be a serious player in the postseason. But with all the hype that gathered steam at the end of last season, Washington won’t sneak up on anyone this year.
Stanford Cardinal
Last Season: (30-2, 17-1 Pac-10/1st)
Lost to Alabama, 70-67, in NCAA Second Round
Projected Starting 5:
F – Rob Little, Sr., 6-10, 260 (9.7 ppg/5.5 rpg)
F – Matt Haryasz, Jr., 6-10, 225 (6.9 ppg/4.1 rpg)
F – Fred Washington, So., 6-5, 205 (2.4 ppg/1.2 rpg)
G – Nick Robinson, Sr., 6-6, 200 (6.1 ppg/3.5 rpg)
G – Chris Hernandez, Jr., 6-2, 190 (10.3 ppg/4.3 apg)
Circle the Dates: Saturday, Dec. 11, at Michigan State: After potential matchups with Texas, North Carolina and Louisville among others at the Maui Invitational, the Cardinal will face their first true road test of the season at The Palace in Auburn Hills.
Saturday, Dec. 18, vs. UC-Davis: This game takes on added meaning for the Cardinal not because of the opponent, but because it will be the team’s first in the newly renovated Maples Pavilion. What cozy Maples lost in the construction – the infamous bouncy floor – is made up for by the addition of a four-sided scoreboard over center court and new seats. Stanford has won 24 of its last 25 games at home.
Sunday, Jan. 2, at Washington: New head coach Trent Johnson caps his first weekend of conference play in Seattle, a city that has produced far too many sleepless nights in recent years for Stanford players and Cardinal faithful. Stanford will look to avenge its only regular season loss of a year ago against one of the top contenders for the conference crown.
Season Outlook: Although they were the No. 1 seed and a Final Four favorite, the Cardinal’s early exit from the Big Dance wasn’t nearly as shocking as the news two months later that longtime head coach Mike Montgomery was leaving the Farm to become head coach of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. Shortly thereafter, All-American forward Josh Childress made official what many already expected by declaring for the NBA draft. The Cardinal also lost big men Justin Davis and Joe Kirchofer and clutch sharpshooter Matt Lottich to graduation. Just who’s back, you ask?
Trent Johnson for one. The former Cardinal assistant coach under Montgomery spent the last three years as head coach at Nevada and garnered national attention by leading the Wolf Pack to upsets of Michigan State and Gonzaga en route to the Sweet 16. Nick Robinson, whom Johnson helped recruit, is one of just two seniors on the Stanford roster. The other, center Rob Little, will anchor a veteran-thin frontcourt. He’ll get help from junior Matt Haryasz, who could be primed for a breakout year and two-sport star Evan Moore when the football season ends.
Johnson, highly regarded for his recruiting prowess, will inherit two solid prospects in freshman Peter Prowitt and Taj Finger. The return of assistant coaches Eric Reveno and Tony Fuller should help lend stability to the Cardinal squad.
The Bottom Line: It doesn’t take Andy Katz to know that this year’s Cardinal won’t win 30 games. That said, with senior point guard Chris Hernandez running the show again, it’s perfectly feasible that this year’s team will advance deeper into March than Stanford teams did in the final few years of the Montgomery era.
Oregon Ducks
Last Season: (18-13, 9-9)
Lost to Michigan, 78-53, in NIT Semifinals
Projected Starting 5:
F – Ian Crosswhite, Jr., 6-11, 250 (12.5 ppg/5.0 rpg)
F – Mitch Platt, So. 6-10, 270 (5.4 ppg/3.6 rpg)
G – Bryce Taylor, Fr., 6-5, 180 High School
G – Malik Hairston, Fr., 6-6, 200 High School
G – Aaron Brooks, So., 6-6, 160 (7.0 ppg/2.4 rpg)
Circle the Dates: Saturday, Dec. 4 vs. Vanderbilt: The Commodores made a Sweet 16 appearance last season, but, like the Ducks, lost their team leader Matt Freije. This is still an intriguing early-season matchup and a loss at home would be more fodder for the Pac-10’s critics.
Saturday, Dec. 11 vs. Illinois: Everyone will have a little better idea of what to expect from the Ducks after this showdown with one of the Big Ten’s best.
Saturday, Feb. 26 vs. Stanford: The Ducks had the Cardinal dead in the water last season at Mac Court, leading by 19 points before letting the lead and the game slip away.
Season Outlook: Replacing All-American Luke Jackson is an impossible task for one man, so the Ducks will look for everyone in the starting lineup to increase their production across the board. And they’ll have to, as Jackson was the team’s leading scorer, rebounder and assist man. The loss of Jackson overshadows the departure of Andre Joseph and James Davis, two of the Pac-10’s best three-point shooters the past few years, and big man Jay Anderson. The Ducks return only 37.8 percent of their scoring from a year ago, by far the least amount in the conference.
Help is on the way in the form of Ernie Kent’s best freshman class ever at Oregon. The gem of that group is Malik Hairston, who should contribute immediately and could likely be the next of the Ducks first-round selections, including Jackson, Luke Ridnour and Freddie Jones the past three seasons. Fellow freshman Bryce Taylor is the squad’s best shooter and could find himself in the starting lineup by the time the conference season begins. 6-foot-5 Chamberlain Oguchi will add depth to the Ducks’ frontcourt rotation and Casper College transfer Kenny Love is set to spell Aaron Brooks at the point or replace him in the starting lineup should he falter.
Oregon’s returning starters in the frontcourt aren’t too shabby, either. Ian Crosswhite developed into a solid post player and Mitch Platt, while unspectacular, put up solid numbers in just under 19 minutes per game.
The Bottom Line: The million-dollar question in Eugene: How long will it take for Hairston and Co. to make an impact on the collegiate level? If the answer is sooner rather than later, Oregon could compete for the conference title and make some noise in March. More likely, the Ducks are a season away from being a serious national player.
UCLA Bruins
Last Season: (11-17, 7-11/T-7th)
Projected Starting 5:
C – Ryan Hollins, Jr. 7-0, 225 (6.5 ppg/4.2 rpg)
F – Dijon Thompson, Sr., 6-7, 200 (14.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
G – Arron Affalo, Fr., 6-5, 200 High School
G – Cedric Bozeman, Sr., 6-6, 199 (7.5 ppg/3.8rpg)
G – Jordan Farmar, Fr., 6-2, 180 High School
Circle the Dates: Saturday, Dec. 18 vs. Michigan: Two historic programs go head-to-head at Pauley. The Wolverines are on the way up and the Bruins hope they are as well.
Saturday, Jan. 29 at USC: As if the Bruins need any extra motivation for this one, the Trojans swept the season series last season.
Saturday, Feb. 26 at Notre Dame: This game could have serious NCAA Tournament implications if the Bruins can make some noise during the Pac-10 regular season.
Season Outlook: The Bruins have one of the best mixes of senior leadership and freshman raw talent in the country. Five seniors, including forward Dijon Thompson, return for head coach Ben Howland’s second season at UCLA and they will be joined by a consensus top-10 recruiting class headlined by McDonald’s All-Americans Jordan Farmar and Arron Affalo. With the return of 7-0 post players Ryan Hollins and Michael Fey, plus sharp-shooting guard Brian Morrison, the Bruins have a solid blend of inside and outside weapons.
UCLA needs more production from Hollins and Fey, however, with the departure of T.J. Cummings and Trevor Ariza. Thompson is a great talent but needs to assume more of a leadership role in his senior season. The folks in Westwood are thrilled about the freshman class and Howland will be looking to improve on last season’s 11-17 mark in order to keep the high-profile commits flowing into his program. Scoring was the Bruins’ primary weakness last season, as their 66.5 points per game were second worst in the conference.
The Bottom Line: The Bruins will be an exciting bunch to watch and most forecasters see them finishing in the middle of the Pac-10 standings. Howland’s coaching ability and the five seniors should ensure that UCLA finishes no worse than fifth, and the freshman have the potential to bump the Bruins up a spot or two. Still, it will likely take a Pac-10 Tournament title for the Bruins to have its name called on Selection Sunday.
California Golden Bears
Last Season: (13-15, 9-9 Pac-10/T-4th)
Projected Starting 5:
C – Rod Benson, Jr., 6-10, 210 (2.6 pgg/1.7 rpg)
F – Dominic McGuire, So., 6-8, 210 (4.2 ppg/3.4 rpg)
F – Marquise Kately, So., 6-5, 220 (10.5 ppg/2.8 rpg)
G – Richard Migley, Jr., 6-2, 200 (10.6 ppg/2.6 rpg)
G – Ayinde Ubaka, So., 6-3, 200 (6.4 ppg/2.1 rpg)
Circle the Dates: Saturday, Nov. 27 at Brigham Young: Cal downed the Cougars, 47-46, in a defensive struggle at Haas Pavilion last season. BYU will look to return the favor in Provo.
Tuesday, Dec. 7 vs. Colorado: The Buffaloes steamrolled Cal, 78-60, in Boulder last season.
Saturday, Jan. 15 vs. Stanford: There’s no love lost when these two schools hit the court and the Bears would like nothing more than to avenge two losses to the Cardinal last season with a big conference win at home.
Season Outlook: The Bears’ inexperience – freshman accounted for 52 percent of the team’s offense – shone through at the beginning and tail end of last season. The result was no postseason. The good news is just about everyone returns with a year of experience under their belt. The bad news is one of the few guys not returning is forward Amit Tamir and reigning Pac-10 Freshman of the Year Leon Powe will be out until January after undergoing knee surgery. Can the Bears tread water until then?
Sophomore Marquise Kately came on strong at the end of last season and sophomore point guard Ayinde Ubaka had an impressive 1.96 assist to turnover ratio. The play of that duo will go a long way toward determining how Cal survives the first three months without Powe.
Cal’s non-conference schedule is not particularly daunting, meaning it could be in fairly good shape once its start finally returns to the court. Then the question becomes whether or not the Oakland native will be as much of a force with his mended knee. The doctors say Powe should make a full recovery with no lasting effects. With Powe out, Rod Benson and David Paris must step up their play in the post. Keep an eye on the Bears’ free throw shooting, an abysmal aspect of their game a year ago (.628).
The Bottom Line: The fact is Cal still remains one of the youngest teams in the conference. If the Bears find another legitimate scorer – perhaps sophomore Dominic McGuire – this team could challenge for an NCAA Tournament bid. Heading into the season, they’re certainly on the outside looking in.
Oregon State Beavers
Last Season: (12-16, 6-12/9th)
Projected Starting 5:
F – David Lucas, Sr., 6-7, 246 (17.2 ppg/6.9 rpg)
F – Kyle Jeffers, So., 6-9, 270 (5.1 ppg/4.8 rpg)
G – J.S. Nash, Sr., 6-2, 210 (10.5 ppg/3.6 rpg)
G – Chris Stephens, Jr., 6-2, 194 (15.8 ppg/2.6 rpg)
G – Lamar Hurd, Jr., 6-4, 190 (5.2 ppg/3.5 rpg)
Circle the Dates: Friday, Nov. 26 at UNLV: The Beavers lost both of their non-conference road games last season and will face a tough early test at Los Vegas this year.
Saturday, Dec. 11 vs. Georgia: Technically a neutral-court game, this one will be played at Phillips Arena in Atlanta. Oregon State hung with Kansas in their only non-conference game against a high-profile opponent last season and don’t be surprised if the experienced Beavers deal the Dawgs an early defeat.
Saturday, Jan. 22 vs. Arizona: The Beavers put up a good fight against the Wildcats last season in Corvallis, ultimately falling 100-87. Arizona will likely be the heavy favorites again, but this game could show whether the Beavers are contenders or pretenders in the conference.
Season Outlook: If you’re looking for a team that could surprise some people in the Pac-10 this year, look no further than Jay John’s Beavers. It’s been 14 long years since Oregon State last finished with a winning record, but after teetering near .500 for most of last season, the Beavers return all five starters and 11 lettermen – a potential winning formula. Guards J.S. Nash and Chris Stephens should put up good numbers once again and senior forward David Lucas was the Beavers’ biggest surprise last season, averaging 17.2 points per game. The Beavers will also look for forward Kyle Jeffers, who bulked up during the offseason, to increase his production this season.
If freshman Aleksandar Cuic, who joined the team in September, and Liam Hughes, a 7-foot-2, 293-pound redshirt freshman, can do anything more than simply take up space in the paint, the Beavers will have one of the deepest benches in the Pac-10. Road woes plagued the Beavers last season, as they were 1-10 away from Gill Coliseum.
The Bottom Line: An NCAA Tournament bid is still a stretch for the Beavers, but a winning record and a handful of upsets is well within the realm of possibility thanks to the experience factor and the leadership of Lucas.
USC Trojans
Last Season: (13-15, 8-10/6th)
Projected Starting 5:
C – Jeff Mcmillan, Sr., 6-8, 260 (11.1 ppg/8.6 rpg)
F – Rory O’Neill, Sr., 6-11, 240 (8.3 ppg/3.8 rpg)
F – Gregg Guenther, Sr., 6-9, 255 (5.6 ppg/4.7 rpg)
G – Derrick Craven, Sr., 6-2, 215 (6.1 ppg/2.2 rpg)
G – Errick Craven, Sr., 6-2, 205 (11.1 ppg/3.0 rpg)
Circle the Dates: Sunday, Nov. 28 at North Carolina: Henry Bibby’s squad will waste no time finding out where it stands before the conference season begins, traveling to Chapel Hill for what, if nothing else, will be a great learning experience.
Saturday, Dec. 18 vs. Western Michigan: The Trojans were blown out by the Broncos, 83-65, in their season opener last year. It’s a safe bet USC won’t take Western Michigan as lightly this time around.
Thursday, Jan. 13 at Arizona: USC shocked Arizona at the Sports Arena with a 99-90 victory in mid-January, but the Wildcats got the best of the Trojans in Tucson and again in the Pac-10 Tournament. The first meeting between the two schools this season should be interesting.
Season Outlook: While Desmon Farmer is the only significant loss for the Trojans, that leaves 19.4 points per game – and quite a character – to replace. Roydell Smiley is expected to miss his second full season, this time with an ACL injury. USC will look to Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year Jeff McMillan to carry the load on most nights. The transfer from Fordham recorded 10 double-doubles last season and his numbers could make an even greater impact with Farmer gone.
The Craven twins form a strong backcourt with the Stewart twins (Rodrick and Lodrick) serving as reserves, and forwards Rory O’Neil and Gregg Guenther are both battle-tested veterans. Head coach Henry Bibby, who is on the hot seat this season, raved about the athleticism of freshman forward Emmanuel Willis and JuCo transfer Dwayne Shackleford will get some minutes as well. The Trojans incoming class was supposed to be even sweeter but prized recruit Robert Swift decided to enter the NBA draft.
The Trojans had the worst assist-to-turnover ratio in the conference and their scoring defense (78.8 points per game) was the second worst. USC also struggled from beyond the arc, shooting a Pac-10 worst 30.8 percent as a team. This team needs a perimeter threat to complement McMillan’s play in the paint.
The Bottom Line: It’s hard to imagine Bibby staying if the Trojans fail to qualify for at least the NIT. Farmer’s departure changes the whole complexion of USC’s offense and a successful season likely requires a much-improved defense.
Washington State Cougars
Last Season: (13-17, 7-11/T-7th)
Projected Starting 5:
F – Shami Gill, Sr., 6-7, 225 (5.9 ppg/5.3 rpg)
F – Chris Schlatter, Sr., 6-6, 216 (4.6 ppg/3.8 rpg)
F – Jeff Varem, Sr., 6-6, 240 (9.6 ppg/4.2 rpg)
G – Thomas Kelati, Sr., 6-4, 194 (11.1 ppg/2.9 rpg)
G – Derrick Low, Fr., 6-1, 177 High School
Circle the Dates: Friday, Dec. 4 at Oklahoma State: The Cougars’ trip to Stillwater is the second, and toughest, of four straight non-conference road games.
Tuesday, Dec. 21 vs. Gonzaga: After capping their non-conference road swing with a game at nearby Portland, the Cougars host the Zags in an in-state clash.
Saturday, Feb. 19 vs. Washington: Talk about a contrast in styles. The Cougars averaged 57.9 points per game last season compared to the Huskies’ 82.0.
Season Outlook: The Cougars will miss Marcus Moore, whose departure leaves Thomas Kelati and Jeff Varem the top scoring threats for the lowest scoring team in the Pac-10. Washington State doesn’t need to score a lot of points, though, when Dick Bennett’s frustrating defense is operating effectively. The Cougars held opponent’s to a Pac-10 best 59.7 points per game last season.
The defense should be strong again and freshman point guard Derrick Low, who led his high school team to three Hawaii state titles, is just the type of player Bennett wants running his offense. The Cougars could struggle early on as they try to find consistent scoring options, but their defense will keep them in most games.
In addition to Low, the Cougars also welcome guard Josh Akognon, forwards Kyle Weaver, Robbie Cowgill and Daven Harmeling, and center Chris Henry to the program. All could compete for significant playing time.
The Bottom Line: Bennett transformed the Cougars from Pac-10 doormats to a pesky, potential upset in the span of one season. It’s unlikely the improvement will be as dramatic this season, but the overhaul of the program is nearly complete.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Last Season: (10-17, 4-14 Pac-10/10th)
Projected Starting 5:
C – Ike Diogu, Jr., 6-8, 250 (22.8 ppg/8.9 rpg)
F – Wilfried Fameni, So., 6-7, 231 (4.2 ppg/3.5 rpg)
F – Kevin Kruger, So., 6-2, 186 (5.3 ppg/1.6 rpg)
G – Stevie Moore, Sr., 6-4, 190 (12.7 ppg/3.7 rpg)
G – Jason Braxton, Sr., 6-2, 190 (7.1 ppg/4.81 apg)
Circle the Dates: Tuesday, Nov. 30 at Temple: The Sun Devils beat the Owls 70-66 at home last season but the team struggled mightily on the road. A win in Philadelphia would be the perfect precursor to seven straight home games in December.
Monday, Dec. 20 vs. Northwestern: So what if they play in the Big 10 and wear purple jerseys? Wildcats and Sun Devils just don’t mix.
Sunday, Jan. 2 at Arizona: What better way to ring in the New Year than a trip to Tucson. The Sun Devils dropped the ball Dick Clark style against Arizona last year and a win at the McKale Center is just the boost this team could use entering the heart of the conference schedule.
Season Outlook: After a surprising NCAA Tournament run the year before, Arizona State is coming off a nightmarish season in which it struggled to find consistent production from anyone other than All-Conference forward Ike Diogu. Diogu is back for his junior season and should get a little more help this year, but the Sun Devils remain, for the most part, a one-man team.
Stevie Moore, a former JuCo transfer who established himself as one of the conference’s best three-point shooters last season, and fellow senior Jason Braxton form an experienced backcourt. Sophomores Kevin Kruger, Wilfried Fameni and Serge Angounou showed signs of improvement throughout the season and all three will need to score and rebound more this season if Arizona State is to move out of the conference cellar. No Sun Devil besides Diogu averaged more than 3.7 rebounds per game. The addition of JuCo transfers Tyrone Jackson and Bryson Krueger should also help the situation in Tempe and both could see serious playing time immediately.
Head coach Rob Evans used 13 different starting lineups last season with seven newcomers to the team but should have an easier time finding a consistent rotation this year by the time the Sun Devils open conference play.
The Bottom Line: The bottom line for this squad could very well be a spot at the bottom of the conference standings for a second consecutive year. If the sophomore class, Jackson and Krueger can do enough offensively to keep opposing team’s defenses honest (read: not triple-teaming Diogu), Arizona State should win more than 10 games this year.
Just three teams finished with a winning conference record last season in what was certainly a down year for the Pac-10. With six teams returning their top scorers and one of the most talent-rich freshman classes in recent conference history entering the mix, the Pac-10 should begin to bounce back this season. Come March, the rest of the country might have no choice but to respect the Pac-10’s NCAA Tournament-bound teams, even if that shattered sense of respect takes time to develop throughout the season. The Pac-10’s teams are ready to let their play do the talking during the looming non-conference schedule.
