Emerald
Southern California senior Sam Clancy, who chose not to enter the NBA draft, led the Trojans to the Elite Eight last year.
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With Arizona and Stanford losing key players
and the addition of the league tournament, this
year’s Pac-10 title is up for grabs
By Jeff Smith
Oregon Daily Emerald
A new twist has been introduced
to this season’s Pacific-10 Confer
ence men’s basketball schedule.
Rather, it’s an old twist that has
been brought back after an 11-year
absence.
From March 7-9, at the Staples
Center in Los Angeles, the top eight
teams in the league will square off
in a Pac-10 Tournament.
The lone survivor of the tour
ney will receive an automatic bid
into the NCAA Tournament, giv
ing hope to those teams in the
middle of the pack to make a late
run at being a Cinderella team in
the Big Dance.
While some coaches were against
it — Stanford’s Mike Montgomery
and Arizona’s Lute Olson — many
were for it and agreed that the
league tournament adds a new lev
el of excitement to the Pac-10.
The new addition to the sched
ule has already had a noticeable ef
fect, moving the start of league play
to December as opposed to its usual
January opening.
After Arizona was embarrassed
by Oregon on Dec. 22 at McArthur
Court, 105-75, Olson voiced his dis
pleasure over the early start to con
ference action.
“I’m just not a believer that you
should start Pac-10 play in Decem
ber,” Olson said. “I think we would
rather have a little more time to get
ready for (Oregon).”
But like it or not, Pac-10 hoops
began early and now kicks into
high gear with key games each
week in January and February.
And then, a week before the Big
Dance, a smaller dance will take
place in L.A. in March that could
very well include a few surprises.
Because what would a Pac-10
season be without a few surprises
up its sleeve?
%
1. USC Trojans
(12-2 overall,
4-0 Pac-10)
Head Coach: Henry Bibby
Player to watch: Sam Clancy, F/C
Most preseason prognosticators
have pegged UCLA as this season’s
Pac-10 champi
on. While the
Bruins will be a
S formidable chal
^ lenge, their
■ cross-town rival
could take the
crown.
USC’s breakthrough season in
2001 that included a school-record
24 wins and a run into the Elite
Eight of the NCAA Tournament
will pay off dividends. From that
starting five, three key seniors re
turn: forward Sam Clancy, point
guard Brandon Granville and for
ward David Bluthenthal.
“The expectations for us will be
high and they should be,” head
coach Henry Bibby said. “We set a
level of play where we want to go.
My goal is to get back there.”
While the loss of departed Brian
Scalabrine will be noticeable, the
decision of Clancy not to jump ear
ly to the NBA was crucial.
2. UCLA Bruins (11-2,4-0 Pac-10)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin
Player to watch: Jason Kapono, F
It’s taken a couple of years for the
youth to turn into veterans, but the
time has arrived for the Bruins to
finish near the top of the Pac-10.
Earl Watson has left from last
season’s team, but four other
starters have returned, including
center Dan Gadzuric, forwards
Matt Barnes and Jason Kapono
and guard Billy
Knight.
“Since becom
ing head coach,
it’s the first time
we’ve had real
stability,” head
coach Steve Lavin said. “We now
have balance, stability and continu
ity in each class.”
While the talent is set, and with
a bench filled with emerging ath
letes, the key thing will be to find
the right rotation and stick with it.
The Bruins have already shown
that they can be upset as Pepper
dine beat them, 85-78, in Novem
ber.
3. California Golden Bears
(10-2 overall, 1-1 Pac-10)
Head Coach: Ben Braun
Player to watch: Shantay Legans, PG
No Sean Lampley may turn out
to be no problem for California.
While the versatile Lampley will
be sorely missed, the Bears have
shown thus far
that they have
plenty of players
to pick up the
load.
On Sunday,
Cal ended a 10
game losing streak against its Bay
Area rival in a big way. Senior Ryan
Forehan-Kelly scored 13 of his 19
points in the final five minutes as
Cal beat Stanford, 68-54.
With the veteran leadership of a
combined seven seniors and juniors
that see significant action, this group
could rise to the top of the Pac-10.
“It’s important to have a lot of the
same familiar faces back,” head
coach Ben Braun said. “And that’s
reassuring.”
4. Oregon Ducks
(10-4 overall, 3-1 Pac-10)
Head Coach: Ernie Kent
Player to watch: Luke Jackson, F
Oregon can score a lot of points.
These Ducks have also learned to play
some defense thanks in large part to
the emergence of assistant coach Fred
Litzenberger, who came over from the
Oregon women’s program.
But what the Ducks are going to
have to learn to do is stay com
posed in the
■ ■ game’s final
minutes. While
OREGOn the two blowout
victories over
Arizona are indeed impressive, the
close losses to Portland and Ari
zona State are not.
Look for sophomore Luke Jack
son to take some of the pressure off
senior guard Freddie Jones and
help lead Oregon back to the NCAA
tourney after last season’s dismal 5
13 Pac-10 season.
“This is a very good basketball
team,” head coach Ernie Kent said.
5. Stanford Cardinal
(8-3 overall, 1-1 Pac-10)
Head Coach: Mike Montgomery
Player to watch: Casey Jacobsen, G
This will be a different Stanford
team from the past. Gone are four
starters.
Turn to Men’s, page8B