Pac-12 Basketball Power Rankings: 'Cats rolling to No. 1 seed, Colorado/Utah on the cusp, UCLA slips
By Mason Duhon
Bubble watch
. 514. . Last week: 3. . 3. CU. 20-9 (11-7 in Pac-12). .
Since taking back-to-back losses to Arizona and UCLA, Colorado has rattled off four straight wins. The third win, an 88-78 affair, came at home against a scrappy Cal team that loves to raise hell and cause chaos. KJ Simpson logged 27 points and Tristan Da Silva logged 22 in a game where the Buffaloes took a lead four minutes into the game and never trailed again.
The roles were reversed against Stanford, and it was Da Silva with 27 points on Senior Night while Simpson tallied 22. Da Silva added 11 rebounds to earn just his second double-double of the season. After trailing early, Colorado went on a 23-6 run to finish the first half with a 44-37 lead and ultimately won their second consecutive game by 10 points in the 81-71 win.
Next week: Colorado will look to solidify itself as worthy of a March Madness bid when heading on the road to play Oregon on Thursday and Oregon State on Saturday.
4. 843. . . . UU. . . 18-11 (9-9 in Pac-12). Last week: 9
Okay, I may have overreacted last week; Utah is still considered one of the First Four Out, and the season isn't quite lost yet (somehow). Deivon Smith continues to fill out the stat sheet and posted his third triple-double of the season with 13 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds. Cole Bajema also scored a career-high 21 points in the dominant 90-68 win.
The Utes kept rolling against Cal on Senior night, with their 88-59 shellacking over the Golden Bears being aided by a 30-point, 10-rebound double-double from Branden Carlson. Smith recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 assists, and the Utes went 2-0 on the weekend. Another great showing in this upcoming week could earn Utah a March Madness berth.
Next week: Utah will look to stay hot and save its season on the road in Corvallis against Oregon State on Thursday and in Eugene against Oregon on Saturday.