It is time to bid adieu to the Pacific-10 Conference season and the conference’s senior athletes.
With nine games left on the Pac-10 slate — four on Thursday and five Saturday — the conference’s seniors are about to play their last games in their respective uniforms.
Sure, players at Washington, Arizona and UCLA may get definite chances in the NCAA Tournament, but for the rest of the conference, these chances are dwindling fast.
“It’s kind of becoming a reality that it’s slimming down, you know, with our games,” Washington’s Loree Payne said after the Huskies beat Oregon on Saturday. “We have only three games left (including the tournament) in the regular season, and there’s not many guarantees after that. This could be an awesome season for us.”
Payne is one of five seniors on the Washington roster, a team that is loaded with experience. Surprisingly, two teams, Arizona State and Stanford, have played the entire season without a player set to leave the program at the end of the year.
That’s an accomplishment, considering the Cardinal stand in first place in the Pac-10.

Meanwhile, California, stuck in ninth place in the Pac-10, sent its seniors out in style Saturday against USC. The Golden Bear seniors — Audrey Watler, Michelle Wald and Amber White — pitched in with just five points but were leaders in the win, according to Cal head coach Caren Horstmeyer.
“I’ve gotten on Amber about being a senior recently, and she responded,” Horstmeyer told the Daily Californian. “It’s always nice to see your seniors do well on a day like today.”
For the record, a Pac-10 senior leads the conference in scoring (UCLA’s Michelle Greco, 19.4 ppg), is fifth in rebounding (Arizona’s Krista Warren, 7.2 rpg), third in assists (Arizona’s Julie Brase, 4.28 apg), and second in three-pointers made (Payne, 62).

McArthur Court loses its title
For the past four seasons, Oregon fans have averaged the highest attendance per game in the Pac-10.
That’s not going to be the case this year. With the Ducks struggling and Washington having a successful season, Bank of America Arena at Hec Edmunson Pavilion will take over the coveted crown.
So far this season, through 13 contests, the fans in Seattle have packed the place, to the tune of 4,862 patrons per game. Mac Court, on the other hand, averaged 4,433 fans.
Even if less people than average show up for the Huskies’ final game of the season, a tilt against Washington State on Saturday, it is mathematically impossible for Bank of America Arena’s average to fall below Mac Court.
For the record, though, Mac Court still averaged 500 fans per game more than the third-place finisher, Stanford’s Maples Pavilion.

Predictions?

What predictions?
Well, the Pac-10 truth is shaping up, and to be quite honest, the conference’s coaches and media aren’t on, and really, aren’t off.
Both groups picked Stanford and Washington to finish 1-2, which, amazingly, is happening. Meanwhile, California and Washington State were predicted to finish nine and 10 in the conference, which is probably going to happen.
But otherwise, it’s a crapshoot. Oregon and USC were picked third and fourth, respectively. In reality, the Ducks and Trojans are tied for sixth.
Arizona was pegged fifth by both coaches and media, but has jumped to third. Arizona State is eighth after being chosen sixth, while Oregon State is fifth.
The coaches and media are off with UCLA. The Bruins (eighth in coaches, seventh in media) should finish fourth after finishing eighth last year.