Pac-10 men chase Cats
for 2003 conference title
The Ducks and Golden Bears
should be in the mix, but the
Wildcats were preseason No. 1
for a reason—they’re good
Mindi Rice
Freelance Sports Reporter
This year’s Pacific-10 Conference
has the usual suspects.
An Arizona team that will run
over, and jump above, everyone
else. An Oregon team and two Cali
fornia squads who will be a few of
the larger speed bumps in Arizona’s
travels. And a Washington team des
tined for the bottom of the Pac.
1. Arizona Wildcats
Head coach: Lute Olson
Player to watch: Luke Walton, F
Arizona is a no-brainer for the
top of the conference and will have
little difficulty staying in the top
five nationally. The Wildcats must
make sure they keep everyone
healthy, though, because they lack
extensive depth.
Winning in McArthur Court
against the Ducks, with Walton not
playing because of injury, shows that
Arizona is a basketball team depend
ent on everyone, not just one or two
members. This is how the Wildcats
will make it to the Final Four.
Oh, and they can score and re
bound too.
2. Oregon Ducks
Head coach: Ernie Kent
Player to watch: Luke Ridnour, G
After a few stumbles in the early
season, the Ducks have to learn re
bounding technique if they want
to compete with the teams they
know they can. Losses to Cincin
nati, Stanford and California were
unexpected, and the Ducks have
lessons to learn.
Ridnour and junior Luke Jackson
are the bread and butter of the Ore
gon offense. Shut one, or both,
down — as the above teams have —
and teams could run right over the
Ducks. But beware, redshirt fresh
man Ian Crosswhite can hit the
three-point shot right when players
turns their backs.
3. California Golden Bears
Head coach: Ben Braun
Player to watch: Joe Shipp, F
The Golden Bears have been suc
cessful early, with a blowout win
over the Ducks and a win over Stan
ford in their Pac-10 opener.
Shipp was named the Pac-10
Player of the Week and has three
30-point games so far this season.
Add in sophomore Amit Tamir and
senior Brian Wethers, and you have,
on average, 51.7 of the 76 points
California scores each game.
4. Arizona State Sun Devils
Head coach: Rob Evans
Player to watch: Ike Diogu, F
The Sun Devils can make a
name for themselves this season,
returning three starters and seven
players who averaged at least 13
minutes per game last season. Ari
zona State played host to the
Washington schools already this
season, taking both games by an
average of 36.5 points.
Diogu leads his team with 18.2
points and 6.9 rebounds per game,
while averaging 29.9 minutes. He
also is shooting 73.4 percent from
the free-throw line.
5. Stanford Cardinal
Head coach: Mike Montgomery
Player to watch: Matt Lottich, G
Stanford went to the NCAA Tour
nament for the eighth straight time
last season, but the Cardinal have a
difficult road ahead of them if they
want a ninth trip.
Lottich leads his team in 3-point
ers and has hit at least one 3-point
shot in 13 of 15 games.
6. USC Trojans
Head coach: Henry Bibby
Player to watch: Errick Craven, G
USC is on its way downhill after
back-to-back NCAA Tournament
appearances and 20-win seasons.
The Trojans return nine of last
year’s lettermen.
Sophomore Craven led the re
turners in scoring and rebounding
last season, and he led the Pac-10
in steals.
7. Washington Huskies
Head coach: Lorenzo Romar
Player to watch: Nate Robinson, G
First year head coach Romar had
his work handed to him on a platter
when he took this job. A young
team that has talent and needs to
learn to work together is just what
Romar was hoping for.
Freshman Robinson finished out
the football season on the field be
fore joining his teammates on the
court. He has led his team in points
four times already this season.
8. UCLA Bruins
Head coach: Steve Lavin
Player to watch: Jason Kapono, G
If the Bruins want to finish the sea
son winning even half of their games,
they need Lavin to buck up and pull
them together. Knowing he won’t be
there next season, Lavin has no rea
son to worry about angering those
who can fire him and only needs to
anger his team into winning.
Kapono is on the preseason lists
for the Wooden and Naismith
awards, which are given annually to
the nation’s top player.
9. Oregon State Beavers
Head coach: Jay John
Player to watch: Brian Jackson, F
The Beavers have their third head
coach in four years, and the shaky
start shows the inconsistency of lead
ership. Jackson, and fellow seniors
Mike Cokley and Jimmie Haywood
all return as the most consistent as
pect of the team — malting it through
the three coaching changes.
Jackson has 1,032 career points
as a Beaver, and has scored in dou
ble figures in the first six games of
the season.
10. Washington State Cougars
Head coach: Paul Graham
Player to watch: Marcus Moore, G
While the Cougars flounder in
the bottom of the Pac-10, Moore is
at the top. Averaging 20.6 points
per game, Moore leads the Pac-10.
He also has two double-doubles
thus far into the season and 1,011
career points as a Cougar.
Mindi Rice is a freelance writer
for the Emerald.
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