Today, each of the six Pac-12 teams with league records greater than 7-7 plays against a conference opponent with a record less than 7-7. In almost every league in the country, that would make for a dreadful boring day, except #7 and #8 in the Pac-12 are Washington State and Oregon, who are vying for NCAA bids.
USC, UCLA, and Utah look closer to March readiness than they have before.
Utah 92 Washington 69
I use 1800 as a back-of-the-envelope benchmark for outstanding shooting. If a player shoots FG 500, 3FG 400, and FT 900 for a season, there’s a fine shooter.
In this game, the entire Utes team shot 508, 552, 933, or 1933. (Gonzaga shooter Brynna Maxwell had an off week, sits at 483, 507, 939, or 1929 for the season.)
Seven Utes made a trey; the only starter who didn’t make two was Johnson, who covered for it by committing 0 fouls and 0 turnovers.
25 of 31 FG were assisted. Each Utah starters contributed 3 assists, except for Palmer, who plays the position expected to make assists.
The Utes made 10-of-14 3FG in the first half, including Palmer’s savvy halfcourt shot at the buzzer. She saw time running out, pulled up, let fly. It’s Haley Van Dyke expressing the Huskies’ feelings in the picture.
Seeking more playing time, freshman Lani White set all kinds of season-and-career highs in 14 minutes.
Utah could do a lot for their image as national title contender with a well-executed win vs. Washington St. Sunday. The Cougars are a stronger opponent, on the NCAA bubble. Utah demonstrated against Oregon St. that they could win after letting a large lead get away. They then demonstrated against stronger opponent Oregon that they could nurse small leads for long stretches. The Utes can still win games by lighting up the gym, like this one vs. Washington, and now they must show that there are no lapses in concentration following a relative laugher.
USC 56 Oregon 51
The Ducks led 27-13 at USC with 5 minutes left in the first half, and Southern Cal set to grinding.
The Trojans clawed and scraped until pulling ahead 40-38 with 1:51 to go in the third, and held that lead for good.
With five games on the schedule Friday, Oregon at USC had the most bearing on the standings. Oregon’s building a post-season resume, while USC had more than that to lose.
USC, Arizona, and UCLA are tied for 4th-6th at 8-5, and the team that emerges from that knot takes the first day of the tournament off. The #5 seed gets Arizona St., while the #6 fetches Oregon St. or Cal. It’s conceivable to finish 13-5 in the Pac-12, then face Oregon St. in the first round. That’s insane — to finish six or eight games above .500 in conference, and your reward for that is Oregon St.
Rayah Marshall is amazing — whether she pulls 20 rebounds or not — as likely as Brink to record the next PT/RB/BK triple. With consistent touch around the basket, she’d remind me of Moses Malone, who’d improve his chances at a three-point play in two steps: 1) improve his offensive rebounding position by bouncing a pass to himself off the board, and if successful 2) using that improved position for a better look at the basket.
Graduate transfer Okako Adika was one rebound shy of season highs in points and rebounds, 18 and 11 (I think more of 11 rebounds vs. Oregon than 12 vs. Penn).
An impressive win for USC, who are either going to go a long way with the Littleton-Adika-Sissoko-Marshall nucleus, or eventually look like they were short a player or two.
UCLA 62 Oregon St. 54
The last 32 seconds of the first half served as a snapshot of the good and bad of Oregon St.
Osborne’s layup at 0:55 gave UCLA a 29-27 lead. Mannen took the ball up. Mitrovic trailed, posted high. Mannen looped a short pass to the post, cut, retreated for a handoff. Mitrovic screened, rolled, caught while a little off balance, and Masikewich blocked her shot.
Mitrovic regained control of the ball, and now she’s got her back to the basket a few feet away. Marotte stepped to the elbow, where Mitrovic connected for an assisted jumper.
I suggest again: Mitrovic is more dangerous as a passer than as a shooter.
Osborne missed a three-pointer, and no one stopped Masikewich from putting back the rebound from under the basket. (Coach Rueck seemed to keep his sense of humor about it.)
Masikewich checked in at 1:30, in the classic move “give someone 2 minutes of rest at the end of the quarter or half, because the referees and sponsors often turn it into 10. UCLA asked Masikewich to play a clean 1:30: No turnovers, no fouls, great. Instead, she contributed a blocked shot (because Mannen’s lob to the rolling Mitrovic took her off balance), an offensive rebound plus putback (because the Beavers slept at the buzzer).
The Beavers went 12-2 to start the 3rd, and in the 4th and 7:13 left, led 51-46. UCLA won the last seven minutes 16-3.
I’m revising my view of Oregon State from No Wants Them in an Elimination Game to A Year Away, Probably. Von Oelhoffen, Mitrovic, and Marotte are all sophomores; Beers and Gardiner are freshmen. I still think if they finish 5-13 or 4-14 that they’ll be the best 5-13 or 4-14 team in Division 1.