Pac-10 Conference Preview

The following preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the most thorough preview available of the upcoming season, order the 2002-03 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.   Blue Ribbon Forecast No. Team  '01-02 Conf. Rec. (Overall) 1. Arizona  12-6 (22-9)  2. Oregon  14-4 (23-8)  3. UCLA  11-7 (19-11)   4. Arizona State  7-11 (14-14)  5. Stanford  12-6 (19-9)  6. Southern Cal  12-6 (22-9)  7. California  12-6 (19-9)  8. Oregon State  4-14 (12-17)  9. Washington State  1-17 (6-21)  10. Washington  5-13 (11-18)  Arizona G Jason Gardner Tom Hauck/Getty Images

All-Conference Team Did You Know? G: Luke Ridnour SR, Oregon G: Jason Gardner SR, Arizona G: Luke Jackson SR, Oregon F: Jason Kapono SR, UCLA F: Luke Walton SR, Arizona Player of the Year Jason Gardner JR, Arizona Newcomer of the Year Ike Diogu FR, Arizona State Top Backcourts 1. Oregon 2. Arizona 3. Arizona State Top Frontcourts 1. Arizona 2. UCLA 3. tie Oregon, Arizona State 2002-03 Conference Tournament March 13-16, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA 2001-02 Champions Oregon (Regular season) Arizona (Conference tournament) 2001-02 NCAA Tournament Postseason Record 9-7 (.563) NCAA Oregon (Elite Eight) Arizona (Sweet 16) UCLA (Sweet 16) Cal (Second round) Stanford (Second round) Southern Cal NIT Arizona State The 2001-02 season was the first in which six teams posted 11 or more conference wins. Oregon emerged as the Pac-10 champion and also won the conference title in football-just the 16th time that the same school has won Pac-10 titles (or been co-champion in both sports). The conference sent a record six teams to the NCAA Tournament, with Arizona and UCLA advancing to the Sweet 16 and Oregon moving all the way into the Elite Eight. USC's Sam Clancy became just the third Trojan to be selected Pac-10 Player of the Year. Oregon freshman Jordan Kent joins his dad, Ducks coach Ernie Kent, to become the first father-son, coach-player combination in the 97-year history of Oregon basketball. Washington State's Paul Graham again will be coaching his son, Nick, a junior guard who red-shirted last season. All Pac-10 members concluded the 2001-02 season with a strength of schedule rating in the top 40, according to the Sagarin Rankings. Arizona was first in the nation, followed by Washington (4), UCLA (6), Stanford (13), USC (17), Washington State (26), Oregon (32), Oregon State (37), Arizona State (38) and California (39) In a May survey by HoopScoop magazine, the publication asked "What former assistant coach is going to do the best job as a head coach?" Oregon State's Jay John was the overwhelming choice, receiving 29 percent of the vote. No other coach received more than 13 percent. UCLA's Jason Kapono already ranks fifth on the Pac-10 career charts for 3-pointers with 253. The toughest place to play in the Pac-10? Over the last two years, it has been Cal's Haas Pavilion, where the Bears are 31-4 (.886). Oregon State has held opponents below 70 points per game for five consecutive seasons, currently the longest streak in the Pac-10.

 

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