Conference play is heating up and we’ve had Oregon State upsetting UCLA, Stanford reigning supreme and Utah staying undefeated. Here is where every team in the Pac-12 stands at the start of 2023:
1) No. 2 Stanford Cardinal (15-1, 3-0)
Stanford is as good as advertised. They’ve won ten in a row, are undefeated in the Pac-12 and all their key players are performing well. Their next big test will be against No. 12 UCLA next week, but so far Stanford has proven to be head and shoulders above the rest.
2) No. 8 Utah Utes (14-0, 3-0)
If Stanford is as good as advertised, the Utah Utes are better than advertised. They are undefeated and Alissa Pili has been sensational, leading the team in points and rebounds. Gianna Kneepkens has hit her stride, averaging 14.1 points a night on 25.5 minutes, and with four players scoring double digits in points, Utah is as strong as any team in the country. They are still flying under the radar, but that will undoubtedly change if they win their mid-January matchups against No. 15 Arizona and No. 2 Stanford.
3) No. 12 UCLA Bruins (13-2, 2-1)
Will the real Bruins please stand up? Are they the team beat No. 17 Oregon a week ago and went toe-to-toe with South Carolina earlier this season, or are they the team that just lost to Oregon State…
