There are a few weeks left not just of regular season action but of Pac-12 basketball—ever. The conference may be in a lame-duck situation, but the play has been as good as advertised, with five teams ranked in the top 25 and four teams separated by just two games in the conference standings.
The No. 3 Stanford Cardinal (23-3, 12-2) consistently have been the cream of the crop in the Pac-12. Anything can still happen, though, with some critical matchups approaching. Here’s a preview of those key games.
No. 18 Utah Utes (19-7, 9-5) vs. No. 12 UCLA Bruins (20-5, 9-5)
Both Utah and UCLA have underperformed just a tad this season. They’ve both suffered tough losses against ranked opponents in the Pac-12. With both teams with matching conference records, the winner will attempt to finish not just above their opponent, but also with a strong victory against another ranked team as we head closer to tournament time.
The Bruins have a good inside-outside game, but it’s the Lauren Betts show. They go where she goes. She’s leading the team with 15.5 points per game, as well as 8.5 rebounds. UCLA needs to make sure she gets off to a good start versus Utah on Thursday.
If UCLA is all about Betts, then Utah is all about Alissa Pili. The forward has been sensational,…
