Autzen Zoo
Fansided

Pac-12 Basketball Whip Around: Oregon Ducks Rolling, Arizona Making A Move

By Mike Vamosi

Jan 14, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright (0) looks to pass the ball as Washington Huskies guard Dejounte Murray (5) defends during the second half at McKale Center. Arizona won 99-67. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright (0) looks to pass the ball as Washington Huskies guard Dejounte Murray (5) defends during the second half at McKale Center. Arizona won 99-67. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Preseason poll can be thrown out the window when it comes to the Pac-12 Conference. After two weeks of Pac-12 play, the Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans stand at the top and Arizona is struggling.

More from Autzen Zoo

In this edition of the PAC-12 whip around we’re going to try and figure out why Arizona has struggled and what has Washington on top of the conference. Oregon is also rolling into the third week of the Pac-12 schedule.

Are The Wildcats For Real?

Arizona entered Thursday night 1-2 in league play having lost to both Los Angeles schools last season which had people wondering what was up with the Wildcats. The U of A took out their frustration on league leading Washington defeating them 99-67 after coming alive in the second 20-minutes outscoring the Huskies 55-26 after leading 44-41 at half.

All five starters for the Cats were in double figures, so will getting to .500 finally wake up this team?

Entering last nights game the Huskies were 3-0 having also beat both UCLA and USC in addition to Washington State before getting ran out of Tucson by Arizona. What’s changed for the dogs since their 8-4 start? Well hard to say since they beat Texas and lost to Gonzaga in their tougher non-conference tests.

They also lost to Oakland and UC Santa Barbara in Seattle, it could’ve just been seeing the right teams at the right time. That said after being competitive in the opening half versus the Wildcats they got absolutely shown out of the McKale center in that 29 point defeat.

They’ll face Arizona State and Washington State respectively this weekend.

Oregon Ducks Building Team Chemisty and Momentum

Jan 14, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Tyler Dorsey (5) brings the ball up the court during the first half against the Utah Utes at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Tyler Dorsey (5) brings the ball up the court during the first half against the Utah Utes at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports /

The Oregon Ducks are surprising a lot of people just a few games into the Pac-12 Season. Following a loss against Oregon State, the Ducks have won three straight games including two games at home and a big road game against Utah, where the Utes home record speaks for itself winning 44 of 47 games before Dana Altman’s team returned to town. Oregon has won the last five games against Utah and with the win are now #7 in the RPI index.

Arizona is getting back on track, but the Ducks travel to Colorado on Sunday before playing the biggest Pac-12 game of the season to this point against another surprise in league leading USC on Thursday night at Matthew Knight Arena.

Next: Could Mike Nolan Be Ducks Answer At Defensive Coordinator?

Oregon faces Colorado on Sunday at 4pm before returning home for games against USC on Thursday at 6pm and a 1pm CBS game Saturday vs UCLA.

Home/Pac-12 News