Pacific 10...

ARIZONA...U of A mired in the middle of the Pac-10 pack, and scouts report head coach Lute Olson (left) could soon be fired. Just kidding. But the squad’s recent travails—2-6 straight up and vs. the pointspread over an 8-game stretch, including the worst home loss during his 24 seasons in Tucson — did have the wily old Wildcat mentor concerned enough to juggle the rotation last Saturday against Washington. Inserted into the starting lineup, rapidly-emerging 6-8 frosh F Jordan Hill responded with 16 points, 8 boards, and 5 blocks in the 84-55 blowout of the Huskies. And struggling jr. G Jawann McClellan, “demoted” in favor of Hill, contributed 15 points in 20 minutes off the bench. The change has been necessitated as much by Arizona’s defensive shortcomings as McClellan’s shooting slump. A six-point home loss to Washington State February 1 was only the second time in the last 11 games that the Wildcats surrendered fewer than 73 points, allowing 79 or more five times during the same span. Lack of much overall size & depth up front has been a major problem, as Ivan Radenovic is the only regular taller than 6-8 without physical 6-10, 241 sr. C Kirk Walters (6 ppg on 59% FGs, 3.5 rpg 1.5 bpg during 19 mpg in 2005-06), who’ll probably seek a medical redshirt season due to a bout with mononucleosis. Hill’s tremendous athleticism should keep foes from thinking they can attack the rim with impunity, while McClellan, one the team’s top perimeter defenders, is an excellent “cooler” off the bench for any opposing shooter that develops an early hot hand from the perimeter. ARIZONA STATE...Transition in Tempe to new head coach Herb Sendek has been far from smooth, as the Sun Devils have lost 12 straight games, including their first 11 in Pac-10 play. Still, ASU is showing signs of adapting to the more deliberate pace preferred by Sendek, who took N.C. State to the NCAA tourney in each of his last 5 seasons at Raleigh. The Devils are 5-3 vs. the spread their last 8, nearly knocking off second-place Washington State on Saturday. While the ASU attack is certainly no juggernaut (fewer than 60 points in 8 of last 9), a trio of newcomers are starting to provide a serviceable perimeter complement to the underrated inside work of 6-10 soph Jeff Pendergraph (13 ppg on 58% FGs, 9 rpg). Frosh PG Derrick Glasser (7 assists in respectable loss at UCLA) is developing composure as a floor general, frosh sharpshooter Christian Polk (10 treys in last 3 games) is gaining confidence on his shot, and slashing 6-4 frosh Jerren Shipp contributed 10 points, 5 boards, and 4 steals during 66-61 home loss to Washington February 1. CALIFORNIA...Bay Area scouts say head coach Ben Braun is searching for defensive solutions, as his Bears allowed 90+ points twice in the last 4 games. It’s no big secret what ails Cal. 6-11 soph Jordan Wilkes blew out his knee prior to the start of the campaign. The team’s top frontcourt player, 6-11 jr. C DeVon Hardin (10 ppg, 8 rpg, 2 bpg), broke his foot prior to Christmas and hasn’t played since. When 6-7, 205-lb. jr. F Eric Vierneisel was sidelined by an ankle injury for a couple games recently, the only regular taller than 6-5 still available was 6-9 frosh phenom Ryan Anderson (17 ppg, 8 rpg). Cal has allowed at least 50% FGs in each of its last 5 games, and, after getting outrebounded by 16 during home losses to UCLA & USC January 25 & 27, the Bears were hammered on the boards, 43-25, during humbling 19-point home loss to rival Stanford last Saturday.

OREGON...Although his Ducks were swept during last week’s road swing through Los Angeles, our Pac-10 scouts are still praising the job longtime head coach Ernie Kent has done this season. Blessed with a lot of speed & athleticism on the perimeter but precious little size up front (6-9, 215-lb. jr. F Maarty Leunen & 6-8 sr. Adam Zahn are the only regular contributors taller than 6-6), Oregon ripped off 12 straight wins to open the season. And, despite 4 losses in their first 11 conference games, the Ducks own wins over 3 of the 4 teams above them in the Pac-10 standings (UCLA, Washington State & Stanford), losing a pair of close decisions to the other (USC). Intrepid sr. G Aaron Brooks (league-high 19 ppg) leads five players scoring double digits. The perimeter-oriented attack (25 trey attempts pg) gets very little production in the paint out of the skinny Leunen (10 rpg, 37% treys) & the offensively-limited Zann. But Kent’s bunch uses its perimeter quickness & length to lock down on opposing jump shooters, and OU manages to at least hold its own on the boards most nights. OREGON STATE...The Beavers continue to struggle in former Lute Olson assistant Jay John’s fifth season at the helm, their only win the last 11 games coming at the expense rebuilding Arizona State. Lack of success is no mystery when your team is not only perhaps the worst shooting squad in the Pac-10, but is also allowing a league-worst 46% FGs & 37% beyond the 3-point arc. The latest problem (among many) for slow-footed OSU (5 straight double-digit losses) has been the absence of starting sr. PG Wesley Washington, who hurt his wrist early in 91-74 defeats at Washington January 27. Washington sat out last week’s pair of setbacks in southern California, including an 82-35 emasculation at the hands of UCLA. SOUTHERN CAL...Not many Pac-10 observers expected much out of USC in 2005-06, the signing of mega blue-chip recruit O.J. Mayo making next season the biggest topic of discussion early in the campaign. However, the Trojans have barely slowed down after their 9-2 start, emerging as a surprising contender for the conference title in just second season at the helm for respected head coach Tim Floyd. While the offense (fewer than 13 apg, just over 5 treys pg—both worst in the league) remains a work in progress, the resurgence has been fueled by a floor-burn mentality on the other end of the court under the demanding Floyd. USC is permitting a paltry 37% FGs (third in the nation), as the arrival of long-armed 6-9 frosh Taj Gibson (13 ppg on 61% FGs, 9 rpg, 2 bpg), a top candidate for newcomer of the year in the Pac-10, is making foes forgo forays to the hoop and helping the Trojans extend their defense on the perimeter. Jr. G Gabe Pruitt tweaked his ankle a little bit during practice the other day but is expected to play at UCLA tonight. And sr. G Lodrick Stewart will also be in action against the Bruins, leaving to go home to Mississippi after the game following the death of his great-grandmother. STANFORD...Cardinal are one of the hottest teams in the league right now, winning 7 of their last 9 both straight up and against the pointspread. The 7-0 frosh Lopez twins (Brook & Robin) are making a major impact, giving Stanford not just a defensive presence to discourage opponents from putting up shots in the paint, but also a solid low-post offensive threat that has created enough space for sophs Lawrence Hill & Anthony Goods to blossom into reliable scorers. Brook, who had a school-record 12 blocks (!) during 65-50 win over USC January 25, has scored 39 points & hauled down 19 rebounds in the last 2 games. The slick 6-8 F Hill is pouring in 22 ppg over the last 5, including 16 of 28 beyond the three-point arc. And the 6-4 Goods scored 17 second-half points January 28, when the Cardinal turned a 12-point deficit at intermission into a 75-68 home victory over UCLA. UCLA...After making it all the way to the national championship game last year, the Bruins are back among the nation’s elite. The recent come-from-ahead loss at Stanford was only their second setback of the season, following a 2-point setback at Eugene’s rowdy Mac Court earlier in the campaign. UCLA returned many of the prominent pieces from last year’s successful squad, save PG Jordan Farmar. And the Bruins’ deliberate but efficient attack has continued to run smoothly, with lightning-quick new soph PG Darren Collison (6 apg) directing the team to 50% FGs (tops in Pac-10). Still, it’s the relentless UCLA defense (forcing league-high 17 turnovers pg) that fuels the offense. A potential Achilles’ heel for the Ben Howland’s bunch as they head down the stretch of the regular campaign and into post-season tournaments? Although the top 3 scorers—Collison, jr. Aaron Afflalo & soph Josh Shipp—each hits at least 77% of his FTs, frontcourters Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (less than 60%) and Lorenzo Mata (only 27%!) are very shaky at the line. WASHINGTON...The Huskies won 10 of their 11 pre-conference games, rising as high as No. 12 in the rankings the week following Christmas. But U-Dub has looked very vulnerable during Pac-10 play, slipping out the Top 25 after 7 of first 11 league games. While the addition of blue-chip 6-11 frosh C Spencer Hawes has made the Huskies (conference-best +8.4 rpg) more physical around the basket, scouts say Hawes & lumbering soph frontcourt mate Jon Brockman are slowing down the go-go offensive style that head coach Lorenzo Romar used to turn the program into a national power recently. It hasn’t helped that Hawes’ mobility has been limited lately by a nagging ankle injury. WASHINGTON STATE...Across the state in Pullman, the Cougars have surprisingly emerged as one of the teams to beat in the Pac-10. Wazzu, which didn’t win more than 13 games in any of the previous 5 campaigns, already has 19 victories this season. Scouts say a big reason for the Cougs’ improvement is rookie head coach Tony Bennett, who’s allowing his players more freedom on the offensive end while still maintaining the patient nature of the attack that his dad Dick turned over to him when he retired. Dead-eye jr. PG Derrick Low (left) scorched Oregon for 37 points (including 9 treys) in a recent home loss, and slashing 6-5 jr. G Kyle Weaver had double-digit points in 7 straight games prior to last Saturday’s low-scoring win over Arizona State. The improved scoring punch notwithstanding, Wazzu’s calling cards under the younger Bennett remain a careful offense (only 10 turnovers pg) and a relentless defense that hustles for the full shot clock on virtually every possession. The Cougs are permitting only 59 ppg & 40% FGs. Wazzu fans are nervously noting rumors from Big Ten country that Minnesota, unlikely to keep interim HC Jim Molinari on board past March, might have interest in luring Bennett from the Palouse.

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