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Pac-10 Basketball update & Power Rankings 03/11

It turned out to be a year of history for the Pac 10 conference. Washington made history by winning its first outright conference title since 1953. Arizona coach Lute Olson decided it was time to call it a career when he announced his retirement shortly before the season started.

Meanwhile California and Oregon State had nice comeback seasons after dealing with some frustration from previous years.

With that, let’s take a look at the season that was and the tournament that will be starting Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Player of the Year: James Harden, Arizona State, So. G. He was the most consistent performer of the year in the conference and led the Pac 10 in scoring at 20.8 points per game. Harden was held under double figures only 3 times this season. He shot 50 percent from the field and 36 percent from 3-point range. He was a primary reason why the Sun Devils appear to be headed back to the NCAA tournament.

Coach of the Year: Lorenzo Romar, Washington. If your school last won an undisputed conference championship when Dwight Eisenhower was president, you’ve done a pretty good job. The Huskies were thought to be improved, but not by this much. Freshman guard Isaiah Thomas blossomed as he led the team in scoring at 15.3 points per game, while senior forward Jon Brockman was a measure of consistency in the low post averaging nearly 15 points and 11 rebounds per game.

Game of the Year: Washington State 82, UCLA 81, Feb. 21, Los Angeles. It was significant because the Cougars won at Pauley Pavilion for only the second time in school history (53 total appearances). Fifth-year senior Taylor Rochestie scored a career-high 33 points.

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Pac 10 Tournament Preview

Most Intriguing quarterfinal matchup: No. 5 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arizona State. The Sun Devils are trying to beat the Wildcats for the third time this season. That has never happened. Arizona State is trying to improve its seeding. Arizona is trying to win just to get into the NCAA tournament.

Team with the most to gain: California. Mike Montgomery returned to the Pac 10 and seemed to get this program in the right direction. The Golden Bears shot 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range. A couple of wins could get the Bears a pretty good seed in the tournament.

Team with the most to lose: Arizona. The Wildcats are trying to secure their 25 th consecutive NCAA tournament bid. But they have to win this game in order to make their case. A seven-game winning streak got Arizona back into the picture. A four-game losing streak put them back in a precarious position. Regardless, interim coach Russ Pennell has done a good job getting good seasons out of Jordan Hill, Nic Wise and Chase Budinger.

Difference maker in the tournament: Taj Gipson, USC, F, Jr. If the Trojans are going to make a miracle run in the tournament, Gipson has to be in the middle of it. The conference leader in blocked shots has to control things on both ends of the floor. Otherwise, the Trojans are spelling their postseason with NIT.

Who wins the tournament: UCLA. The Bruins had some tough road losses at Arizona State, Arizona and Washington this year. But don’t underestimate coach Ben Howland’s club. They aren’t as balanced as they have been in previous seasons. However, when it comes to tournament time, great play comes from great guard play. And the Bruins have one of the best in the country in senior Darren Collison.

Power Rankings

1. Washington
2. UCLA
3. California
4. Arizona State
5. Arizona
6. USC
7. Washington State
8. Oregon State
9. Stanford
10. Oregon

By Kevin Lonnquist
Pac-10 Correspondent