Miller: Week 14 Thursday Men's Hoops Previews

Miller: Week 14 Thursday Men’s Hoops Previews

The 2020-21 Pac-12 regular season men's basketball championship remains up for grabs

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Posted on February 25, 2021


  By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports

Some days are bigger than others.

Today is one of those days.

The Pac-12 regular season championship remains up for grabs, while Stanford’s dreams of the NCAA Tournament could be on the line. The Cardinal take on the Ducks at Maples Pavilion, UCLA travels to Salt Lake City to face Utah, and No. 19 USC faces a high hurdle in Boulder against Colorado.

There’s no question that tonight’s results will shape the Conference race. And it could even define the regular season.

If ever there was a time to step up, tonight’s the night.

I preview all six games here, and my picks, along with Nick Bartlett’s, appear at the bottom.

Washington at Arizona State

Thursday, February 25th
4:00 pm PT, FS1

In a rematch of Tuesday’s blowout, the Sun Devils face the Huskies for the second time in as many days. Nothing worked for the Dawgs last time out, and that doesn’t seem likely to change tonight. But Quade Green and Erik Stevenson should play better in their second crack at ASU; even so, that won’t matter in the long run if UW’s defensive issues aren’t shored up.

But after an entire season of defensive struggles, Mike Hopkins himself might not even believe in Washington’s ability to win the game.

As for the Sun Devils, leaving the arena as healthy as they entered might be the primary goal beyond winning. The Pac-12 Tournament is just around the corner, and any further injuries in a mostly meaningless game would be another blow to Bobby Hurley’s season.

UCLA at Utah

Thursday, February 25th
5:00 pm PT, Pac-12 Network

It’s official, the Bruins are on upset alert.

UCLA remains in position to win at least of share of the Pac-12 Championship, but Mick Cronin faces a daunting remaining schedule. With games against Oregon, Colorado, and USC still to be played, this matchup with Utah is arguably a must-win.

The Utes have played inconsistent all season, but it’s no secret they are a different team at the Huntsman Center. And after playing a shocking seven of their last eight on the road, you can bet the friendly confines of the arena and altitude will be more than welcomed by Timmy Allen and Alfonzo Plummer.

This game has all the makings of a 7-for-10 from three type of night for Plummer, and a 20+ point outing from Allen.

Buckle up.

Oregon at Stanford

Thursday, February 25th
6:00 pm PT, ESPNU

In arguably the most important game of the day for the Pac-12 as a whole, Stanford does battle with Oregon in Palo Alto. A Cardinal win would push the Tree back into the projected field of 68, while a defeat would seal their fate in the eyes of some.

To say there’s a lot riding on this game is an understatement. The Ducks remain in contention for the Regular Season Championship, and are fighting for an improved seed to position themselves for a Sweet 16 run.

Each team employs a strong defensive system, and the identity of both programs starts on that side of the court. The winner might be the team that commits less turnovers, or the one able to score more points in transition and on the fast break.

But can we all sit back and ask ourselves how the heck a matchup like this is only good enough for ESPNU?

No. 19 USC at Colorado

Thursday, February 25th
6:00 pm PT, ESPN2

This game has the attention of the East Coast.

The Trojans are fresh off the most impressive win of their season—a victory that helped convince any doubters that USC is for real—while the Buffs continue to have one of the strongest Tournament resumes in the Pac-12.

The clash of the teams with the highest NET rankings in the league should draw plenty of eyes, and the winner could certainly improve its seed on Selection Sunday.

Colorado already has a win over USC in its pocket, setting up dueling storylines of revenge and verification that make the lead-up to the tip as captivating as it comes in the context of this season’s race.

It’s Tahj Eaddy vs. McKinley Wright IV, and Evan Mobley vs. Evan Battey.

What more could we ask for?

Oregon State at California

Thursday, February 25th
7:00 pm PT, Pac-12 Network

For the third time this season, the Beavs and Bears fight it out. It’s not easy to beat a team three times in a row, but that’s the task for Wayne Tinkle and his roster.

Warith Alatishe has come alive over the past two games, averaging 14.5 points in those two contests while shooting 14-of-22 from the field. Cal’s Andre Kelly presents an interesting matchup for Alatishe, but the deciding battle could be fought between Ethan Thompson and Matt Bradley.

And in some ways, Mark Fox needs this win to stop the bleeding from the late-season stumbles suffered in the State of Washington. Fortunately for the Bears, the confines of Haas Pavilion may be just what they need to sneak out the win.

Washington State at Arizona

Thursday, February 25th
8:00 pm PT, FS1

In a clash of two teams coming off their best wins of the season, the Cougars and Wildcats face each other for the first time since their double-overtime showdown in Pullman in early January. The result of that game seemed to derail WSU’s momentum, leaving the Cougars to ponder what-if scenarios, primarily due to poor free throw shooting.

The status of Isaac Bonton remains questionable, but there’s no denying the belief on Kyle Smith’s roster in their ability to pull out the win.

Yet, Arizona is a much-improved team since early January. True freshman Azuolas Tubelis is a different player and Jemarl Baker Jr., who went 1-for-14 from the field in Pullman, is no longer in the rotation due to injury.