Scoop Dreams: Pac-10 Power Rankings (Feb. 14)

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. 12 Arizona (21-4, 10-2 Pac-10)

The Wildcats took care of business against their rival on Sunday, a 67-52 win over the hapless Sun Devils. Arizona has a chance to avenge an earlier loss when Washington pays a weekend visit to the McKale Center, where the Wildcats have not lost yet this season.

2. UCLA (18-7, 9-3)

UCLA kept pace by beating the Oregon schools at Pauley Pavilion last week with the help of 44 points in two games from junior guard Malcolm Lee. An NCAA Tournament bid is looking solid now, but a loss at California or Stanford this week might eliminate renewed Pac-10 title hopes.

3. Washington (17-7, 9-4)

Apparently, the Huskies’ ship has been righted. After a surprise three-game losing streak, Washington dominated Cal 109-77 and then beat Stanford by 11 to keep its undefeated home record intact. A win in Tucson, Ariz. this week will decide if the Huskies have a chance to win the Pac-10.

4. Stanford (13-11, 6-7)

Cardinal guard Jeremy Green continues a torrid scoring streak through the second half of Pac-10 play, scoring 24 points in each game last week. Stanford managed a key win in its trip to Washington State but could not beat Washington, a team it upset in Palo Alto last month.

5. Washington State (17-8, 7-6)

WSU still has a winning conference record after splitting a home stand to the Bay Area schools, but things aren’t looking too hot for the Cougs. Coach Ken Bone’s team has to get through Tucson and Seattle in the next two weeks, the two toughest places in the league to get a win.

6. California (13-12, 6-7)

The Golden Bears did not manage well in their road trip to the Apple State. In a disheartening 32-point loss to Washington, Cal’s freshman phenom Allen Crabbe was lost for the weekend with a concussion. Then, WSU sneaked by Cal in an ugly four-point defeat.

7. Oregon (13-12, 6-7)

The upstart Ducks got a little wake-up call, scoring just 54 points against the UCLA defense, but Oregon bounced back for a 10-point win over USC. With perhaps the league’s easiest remaining schedule, Oregon could still snag a favorable seed for the Pac-10 Tourney.

8. USC (13-12, 5-7)

It’s been over a month since the Trojans won two games in a row. After a win against Oregon State at the Galen Center, USC had another low-scoring output and got trumped by Oregon. USC now heads to Northern California to try and improve on its 1-4 road Pac-10 record.

9. Oregon State (9-15, 4-9)

OSU is suffering the beating-Washington curse, which has doomed Pac-10 teams that upset the Huskies. The Beavers have lost three games since that surprise victory, including losses at both L.A. schools this week. They venture “Deep in the Woods” this week at rival Oregon.

10. Arizona State (9-15, 1-11)

It can’t get much worse for Sun Devil fans. This week they had to come face to face with their surging first-place rivals, Arizona, who used the game as an up-tempo practice and handed Arizona State its 10th straight Pac-10 loss.