Entering the 2014-2015 Pac-12 basketball season, there seemed to be a clear pecking order where teams fell in one of three groups: the contenders, the pretenders and a small group simply had hovering question mark over it.
Now that the non–conference season is over and each team sees what succeeds and what fails, the conference play is expected to heat up.
Pac-12 power rankings:
1) No. 7 Arizona (13-1, 1-0 Pac-12): The Wildcats are one of the best teams in the country. If they hadn’t lost to UNLV, the Wildcats would be undefeated for the second straight year as they head into conference play. The Wildcats are loaded with talent and should expect a long postseason run, as long as the players stay healthy.
2) No. 9 Utah (12-2, 2-0 Pac-12): The Utes have All-Conference guard Delon Wright and surprise 7-foot freshman Jakob Poeltl anchoring both sides of the ball and with a win over then-No. 8 Wichita State. Utah has enough depth and talent to challenge Arizona.
3) Stanford (10-3, 2-0 Pac-12): Chasson Randle is one the most unheralded guards in the country. That doesn’t bode well for Cardinal opponents. Randle plays with a chip on his shoulder, and with Stefan Nastic they combine to make a dirty one-two combo that could beat anybody
4) Oregon (11-3, 1-0 Pac-12): If Joseph Young plays like what he’s capable of, the Ducks will have a chance. Oregon’s offense is first in the Pac-12 with 78.8 points per game and although they lack depth and height, the players’ athleticism makes up for it.
5) California (11-4, 1-1 Pac-12): The Golden Bears are the surprise team of the Pac-12. They retain the No. 5 spot because they have Tyrone Wallace — who might the only player in the conference, aside from Joseph Young, who is capable of winning a game singlehandedly.
6) UCLA (8-7, 0-2 Pac-12): The Bruins have struggled. Four of their losses have come against ranked teams — so this team isn’t as bad as expected. Bryce Alford will lead the turnaround for UCLA.
7) Washington (11-3, 0-2 Pac-12): Washington is the only team in the conference, beside Arizona, to have two wins over top 20 teams. A recent three-game losing streak has the Huskies on high alert. Still with Nigel Williams-Goss running the show and Lorenzo Romar coaching, so don’t count Washington out.
8) Colorado (9-5, 2-0 Pac-12): Although the Buffaloes are perfect in conference play, they’ve been so erratic that it’s impossible to get a beat on them. They have the talent and home court advantage, but three players combine for 65 percent of scoring. Depth is a real concern with this team.
9) Oregon State (9-4, 0-1 Pac-12): Even though Oregon State has the conference’s third stingiest defense, they still have the worst offense. That’s not a good thing with all the defensive star power in the conference. The Beavers have over achieved thus far, and Gary Payton II is starting to resemble his NBA father.
10) Arizona State (8-6, 0-1 Pac-12): The Sun Devils should improve if Shaq McKissie, arguably their best player, can get going. If not, this season could be a long one.
11) Washington State (7-7, 1-1 Pac-12): Josh Hawkinson is the only conference player averaging a double-double. Combined with DaVonte Lacy, they make a good scoring duo. The question is, who is going to help them?
12) USC (8-6, 0-2 Pac-12): It’s never too early to look too next season since every Trojan should return, and hopefully, improve.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter @Ryan_Kostecka