Pac-12 Basketball: Can Arizona break the conference’s title drought before it’s too late?

The Pac-12 is months away from becoming extinct. But before the massive departures occur, there is still a basketball season to be played. Once considered a basketball powerhouse, the allure of the Pac-12 has dried up. The conference has won 15 national championships, 11 of those by UCLA, although the last title claimed was by Arizona in 1997.

That doesn't mean there is nothing to look forward to this year in the Pac-12. The fourth-oldest conference in the nation began its 108th conference season with a dozen games this week.

Arizona has been among the best teams in the country in the early going. Utah also looks good, while a few other teams have gotten off to solid starts. However, there have been some disappointments, including UCLA and USC.

Pac-12 Basketball Outlook

Arizona Wildcats

Arizona (9-2) continues its run as one of the best teams over the last three years under head coach Tommy Lloyd. The Wildcats have been ranked in the polls in 44 of the 47 weeks, spending 21 weeks in the Top 5 and 36 weeks in the Top 10.

The Cats, which started the year at No. 12, got as high as No. 1. But they have lost two of three and currently sit fourth in the nation as they head to Berkeley, Cal. to face the California Golden Bears to open Pac-12 play.

Arizona, which is 70-13 under Lloyd (3rd most wins since the beginning of 2021-22), has some quality victories in the early going. The Wildcats are 4-2 in Quad I games, with their biggest win coming against Duke. Their two losses are to Purdue and FAU (double-overtime).

Arizona's roster is littered with talent and athleticism, although Lloyd typically only plays eight players. The Wildcats are the second-highest-scoring team in the country at 92.5 points a game. The Wildcats like to play fast, are an excellent passing team, and are superb on the glass.

Caleb Love, a candidate for the Jerry West award for top shooting guard, appears to finally have figured things out as he leads the team at 16.5 points a game. Keshad Johnson (13.5 points, 6.5 reb) continues to play his typical tough defense while improving on the offensive end.

Oumar Ballo (12.1 points, 8.3 reb) is a National Player of the Year candidate. Meanwhile, senior Pelle Larsson is having a career season, and Kylan Boswell has made major strides.

Arizona State Sun Devils

Arizona State (6-5) entered its Pac-12 opener against Stanford on a three-game losing streak. ASU coach Bobby Hurley brought in 11 newcomers; with that, a demanding opening schedule and injuries are why the Sun Devils have struggled during the nonconference.

The Sun Devils have used six different starting lineups and have played the 25th most difficult nonconference schedule. The Devils are 2-4 in Quad I and Quad II contests.

Illinois transfer Adam Miller recently became eligible on Dec. 16. Shawn Phillips (foot) has been out since mid-November and is not expected to return until sometime in January. Zane Meeks also has been out since the end of November, but there is no timetable for his return.

ASU does have talent, so they could turn things around in Pac-12 play. The Sun Devils, who have a -2.6 scoring margin, have been decent on the defensive end. But they have struggled mightily offensively, as they are one of the worst shooting teams in the nation.

Point guard Frankie Collins has emerged as one of the top all-around players. Meanwhile, senior Jose Perez has been a pleasant surprise, and Jamiya Neal has continued to improve.

California Golden Bears

California (4-7) improved on the offensive end. Under first-year coach Mark Madsen, Cal is scoring 18 more points than a season ago, as the Golden Bears are averaging 76 points a game. They lead the Pac-12 in 3-pointers (9.0) and attempts (25.9) per game, shooting 34.7% from beyond the arc.

Texas Tech transfer Jaylon Tyson leads the way for the Golden Bears with 19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Fardaws Aimaq leads the Pac-12 with eight double-doubles, averaging 16.9 points and a league-best 10.7 boards a contest.

Tyson and Aimaq are the only teammates who rank in the top 10 of the conference in scoring and rebounds. Meanwhile, Jalen Cone (16.5 points) ranks fifth in the nation with 3.7 3-pointers.

Colorado Buffaloes

Colorado was one of four Pac-12 teams off to a fine start to the season, as the Buffaloes' 9-2 record is their best nonconference since 2019-20. The Buffaloes took a four-game winning streak into their Pac-12 opener against Washington on Friday. A big reason for the Buffs being off to a great start is due to their huge improvement on the offensive end.

After finishing 267th in offensive efficiency last year, Colorado ranks 13th in efficiency this season. The Buffaloes, 15th in the nation in scoring (86.2), are well-rounded offensively, with four players averaging double-figures and seven averaging 7.5 or more.

They lead the nation in overall shooting at 52.6 percent, are seventh in 3-point percentage (.407) and eighth from the free throw line (.789).

Colorado has upped its offensive production recently. Prior to the Pac-12 opener, Colorado scored 90 or more points six times, including their last four games. It is already four more times that they have reached that plateau all of last season. Plus, it's the first time in team history the Buffaloes have scored at least 90 points in four straight games.