Pac-10 Notes: Teams ready for postseason

More than one weary Pac-10 basketball player has to be asking that very question as he heads to Los Angeles this week for the 10th running of the league’s postseason tournament, which opens with two games on Wednesday night at the Staples Center. Considering the locale, even an evening spent trying to defend Kobe Bryant would be a welcome change.

With the conference never more fiercely competitive from top to bottom, Pac-10 teams just spent the past 10 weeks beating up on each other. Navy Seals in basic training don’t have it this rough.

Consider that the league-champion UCLA Bruins went into Seattle last Saturday and were manhandled by the seventh-place team in the standings, Washington, never leading once and leaving with a 61–51 defeat.

Or that two weeks earlier in Tempe, Ariz., the last-place Arizona State Sun Devils, patiently being rebuilt by transplanted North Carolina State coach Herb Sendek, upset third-place USC 68–58 for their first conference victory after dropping 15 consecutive games.

Or that five Pac-10 teams lost just three games or fewer at home (UCLA 16–0, Washington 17–2, Oregon 16–2, Washington State 13–2 and USC 15–3), and isn’t Arizona’s McKale Center generally singled out as the toughest place for an opponent to play in the league?

With everyone relegated to a neutral floor this week, anything is possible for the league’s top seven teams at Staples. California (14–16) would have made it eight serious tourney contenders had it not lost capable 6’11” center DeVon Hardin (10.7 points per game, 8.4 rebounds) to a foot stress fracture before the conference schedule started. Oregon State (11–20) and Arizona State (8–21) simply don’t have enough talent to join the mix this time, but that might not be the case a year from now, with these schools welcoming highly regarded centers that have transferred from Kansas and Duke, respectively.

For now, the other Pac-10 entries should enjoy this little bit of tourney elbowroom, because it’s going to be hard enough to win.

“Good luck trying to predict this one,” Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said.

Even with its slip-up in the Northwest, UCLA remains the tourney favorite if not a legitimate Final Four candidate again. The Bruins play defense better than most, have the Pac-10 player of the year in guard Arron Afflalo and insist they’re better than the team that finished as the national runner up to Florida 12 months earlier in Indianapolis.

“This year’s team is just different,” Afflalo said. “Last year’s team had to realize that you had to do the job defensively. Offensively, it was already good. Defense is what carried us to the Final Four. This year, we’re a little more talented offensively and just as good defensively, and we’re still improving.”

Afflalo, the league’s third-leading scorer (17.2) and a junior guard likely headed early to the NBA, and Darren Collison, a sophomore point guard who leads the league in steals (2.24) and 3-point shooting (46.7 percent), were two of nine players named to the All-Pac-10 team.

The Bruins (26–4) were given a first-round bye and don’t play until mid-afternoon on Thursday, facing the winner of a first-round pairing between California and Oregon State, teams they swept easily during the regular season.

The Washington State Cougars (24–6) couldn’t catch UCLA in the standings, nor claim their first league championship since 1941, but you won’t find anyone complaining. The equally defensive-minded Cougars consider this season a major success so far, finishing in second place by two full games after being picked to turn up last again. They’ve exceeded their victory total of the previous two seasons combined by one during this magical run and still have two tournaments left to play, including the NCAAs for the first time in 13 years.

If the Cougars didn’t take the floor for another game, the rewards already have been piled up high on their doorstep. Pac-10 coach of the year honors have been awarded to first-year leader Tony Bennett, who replaced his retired father, Dick, as head coach after serving three seasons as his top assistant, and has enjoyed the fruits of their combined efforts. Junior guards Derrick Low, WSU’s leading scorer (13.5), and Kyle Weaver, ranked among the league leaders in several stat categories, were voted in as All-Pac-10 selections.

The Cougars also hold a first-round bye, awaiting the winner of the opener between Washington and Arizona State, teams they went 4-and-0 against during the season.

Attempting to regroup in a hurry for the postseason is USC (21–10) after getting swept by the Washington schools on the road. The Trojans hadn’t lost two consecutive teams all season until stumbling in the Northwest, losing to Washington 85–70 and just falling short at Washington State 88–86 in double overtime.

Tim Floyd’s quick, guard-oriented team opens the tourney on Thursday night against sixth-seeded Stanford (18–11) and still poses a huge problem to anyone its meets, especially if Nick Young is in the lineup. The junior swingman is one of two repeat All-Pac-10 selections, joining UCLA’s Afflalo, and the league’s second-leading scorer (17.2), after dropping 26 and 19 on the Washington schools.

No matter what happens in the league tourney, USC likely has secured its first NCAA Tournament berth in five seasons, a first for senior guard Lodrick Stewart, who no doubt was expecting many more when he signed on.

“That’s every basketball player’s dream is to go to the NCAA Tournament,” Stewart said. “I hope we can go and make some noise and surprise some teams. Anything can happen, just look at UCLA. Nobody thought they would go and be second in the nation last year.”

Stanford appears to be on the shakiest ground of the six Pac-10 teams once thought to be locks for the NCAA Tournament, dropping three of its final four regular-season outings. The loss of sophomore guard Anthony Goods (13.0 ppg) to a high-ankle sprain in the past month has been a significant blow, and he isn’t expected back any time soon.

Goods’ absence negates the luxury of having twin 7-footers in the lineup, Brook and Robin Lopez, plus a recently named all-conference selection in sophomore forward Lawrence Hill, the league’s sixth-leading scorer (15.3).

Oregon (23–7) and Arizona (20–9), two teams that flirted with top-10 rankings and early title contention, enter the Pac-10 Tournament as the fourth and fifth seeds and face each other in the tourney’s first game on Thursday. Each has plenty of firepower among the starters but no discernible bench.

Ducks guard Aaron Brooks returns to Staples Center as the league’s leading scorer (18.0), the only senior named to the All-Pac-10 team and a very contrite college kid. A year ago, his tourney ended early when he swung a flagrant elbow at Washington’s Ryan Appleby, leaving his opponent bloodied and crumpled on the floor. The Seattle native was ejected from the second-round game against his hometown team, unable to properly celebrate an 84–73 Oregon upset victory, and as added punishment was prevented from playing in the semifinals, a 91–87 double-overtime loss to Cal.

If not for a late-season dip by Brooks, and his team, he would have been Pac-10 player of the year, not Afflalo. He’ll have to shoot for tourney MVP now.

Lute Olson’s Wildcats have secured yet another 20-win season and undoubtedly an NCAA berth, their 23rd consecutive. Yet they lack that extra player or two coming off the bench, a healthy 6’11’’ center Kirk Walters (mono) and 6’4’’ guard Jawann McClellan (knee, shoulder) are among the absent who come to mind, that are needed to make a lengthy postseason run.

Arizona will have to enjoy Marcus Williams while it can. The sophomore forward from Seattle is the league’s fourth-leading scorer (16.9) and eighth-best rebounder (7.0), and was named to the All-Pac-10 team. Williams is expected to declare for the NBA draft once the season ends, after mulling this option as a freshman, and no one is denying that fact, least of all his coach.

“I think that’s pretty much a given,” Olson said.

Should Williams depart Tucson as expected, the Wildcats will build around the team around forward Chase Budinger (15.8, 5.9), who was named Pac-10 freshman of the year amid several deserving candidates.

Washington (18–12) is kicking itself on the eve of the Pac-10 tourney. The Huskies come off an impressive sweep of UCLA and USC, two ranked teams, but have way too many bad losses to rate logical NCAA at-large consideration. They will have to win four games in four nights and capture the Pac-10 tourney outright to gain an automatic berth or be content with their first NIT appearance in a decade.

The Huskies hurt themselves with a miserable 1–10 road record, stumbling at times with a team filled with sophomores and freshmen.

“I’m trying not to use the word ‘youth’ again,” Romar joked. “If you press me hard, it might come out again.”

Still, his team is capable of doing considerable damage in the league tourney, largely because of his imposing big men. Sophomore forward Jon Brockman leads the league in rebounding (9.6) and double-double outings (14), and was named to the All-Pac-10 team. Freshman 7-footer Spencer Hawes (15.2, 6.3) has reclaimed his health, after contracting a virus and losing 20 pounds at midseason, and is a force inside again, pulling down a career-high 15 rebounds against UCLA.

“We want to make sure Spencer Hawes and Jon Brockman touch the ball because they are a big part of our team right now,” Romar said.

California (14–16) is trying to make the best of a trying situation — playing without its best big man. The Golden Bears have played their last 19 games without Hardin after opening 8–3 with him in the middle. They open the Pac-10 tourney on Wednesday against Oregon State, a team they’ve swept twice, but just barely.

The Beavers, outside of a late-season win over Washington, haven’t had many good things happen. If they could only shoot free throws — a nightmarish 59.6 percentage at the line weighs them down — they’d have a better chance at Staples.

Arizona State brings up the rear but no one automatically dismisses this team. The Sun Devils have won two of their past four games and had solid chances to win the last nine. They’re not easy fodder for Washington, which has swept them twice.

“(Washington State’s) Tony Bennett is deserving of coach of the year, but if they had another award, say motivator of the year, it would be Herb Sendek,” the Huskies’ Romar said. “I’ve never seen his players with their heads down this year. Never. Ever. They’ve never had any quit in them.”

That’s not coaches’ talk this time, that’s healthy respect. Anything goes at the Pac-10 Tournament and everybody knows it.

Key Development
As another regular season pulled to a close, 41 of the 50 regular starters in the Pac-10 were underclassmen. Just two or three of them are expected to jump early to the NBA draft. Four transfers become eligible next winter, two from Duke, one from Kansas. Which means if people thought this Pac-10 season was tough, wait until 2007-08 gets rolling.

Rising Team: Washington
The Huskies saved their finest game for last, upsetting newly crowned league champion UCLA 61–51 in Seattle, holding the Bruins to 31.3-percent shooting in the regular season finale. A sweep of the Los Angeles schools, which included earlier beating USC 85–70, allowed Washington to finish 17–2 at home.

Falling Team: USC
The Trojans lost consecutive games for the first time all season, falling to both Washington teams on the road. An 88–86 double-overtime loss at Washington State was particularly aggravating. USC had a chance to win at the end of the first OT, but Lodrick Stewart connected on just two of three free throws.

Player of the Week: Ivan Radenovic, F, Arizona
One of just nine starting seniors in the conference, the Serbian player closed out the regular season with a career-best 37 points and nine rebounds in an 85–80 overtime victory at Stanford. Two nights earlier, he supplied 19 points and eight rebounds in a 70–65 win at Cal.

Freshman of the Week: Spencer Hawes, C, Washington
The Huskies’ 7-foot center was a definite handful for UCLA, scoring 13 points and grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds, the latter total permitting his team to enjoy a hefty 44–29 advantage on the boards. For the week, Hawes came up with 26 points and 22 boards.

Stat of the Week
0: That’s the number of free throws Arizona State made in a 42–41 victory at Cal. The Sun Devils were given just three chances at the line, but Jerren Shipp missed a pair with 8:23 left to play and Serge Agounou, after he was intentionally fouled with one second remaining, was off target on the other attempt.

They Said It
“I’m packing four suits. That’s not a prediction, that’s optimism.” — Washington coach Lorenzo Romar, on the prospects of winning four games in four nights, which is needed to give his team the Pac-10 tourney title and an automatic NCAA berth.

Key Upcoming Games
Wednesday
(8) California vs. (9) Oregon State
The Pac-10 tourney opener could be highly competitive considering how these second-division teams played against each other during the regular season. The eighth-seeded Golden Bears swept the series, but won by just three and four, with the latter game going to overtime.

Thursday
(4) Oregon vs. (5) Arizona
More hotly contested could be this second-round game, matching two middle-of-the-pack teams during the regular season. They split their earlier meetings, with the Ducks winning by two on the road and the Wildcats returning the favor with a three-point victory in Eugene, Ore.

Saturday
(1) UCLA vs. (2) Washington State (tentative)
They have to get there first, but the league’s top two teams easily could meet in the championship game. The Bruins swept WSU during the season, taking three- and eight-point victories.

Dan Raley covers Pac-10 and University of Washington basketball for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer