Player of the Week
Boogie Ellis (USC)
The USC Trojans went 2-0 this week behind some stellar performances from Boogie Ellis. In a 97-60 win against the California Golden Bears, Ellis finished the night with 22 points and 6 rebounds in 30 minutes of play. He shot 6/13 from the field, 4/8 from three, and 6/6 from the free throw line. He followed this up with an even better performance in the Trojan’s 85-75 win against the Stanford Cardinal. Ellis scored 33 points and dished out 7 assists. He added another efficient shooting night to his resume, making 9 of his 16 shots from the field and 6 of his 10 shots from beyond the three point line.
Who’s Hot
Drew Peterson (USC)
Drew Peterson and Boogie Ellis had identical weeks when it comes to impact on the game. Peterson led the Trojans in points, rebounds, and assists in their blowout win against California. He scored 30 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 6 assists. He also shot 9/14 from the field and 4/7 from three. In another double-digit victory for USC, Peterson balled out once again. He scored 21 points and grabbed 7 rebounds while stealing the ball twice. He shot efficiently again, going 8/14 from the field and 3/5 from the three-point line.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA)
UCLA continued to assert their dominance over the Pac-12 this week, going 2-0 and improving their conference record to 14-2. Per usual, Jaime Jaquez Jr. was the biggest part of these wins. In a 73-64 win over the Stanford Cardinal, Jaquez Jr. scored 26 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. He shot 8/17 from the field and 9/11 from the free throw line. He followed this up with a 20 point, 8 rebound game against the California Golden Bears. He shot 6/11 from the field and 6/7 from the free throw line.
Who’s Not
Utah Utes
The Utes played in two games that could’ve given them some huge momentum heading into conference championship time but they ended up losing both, sitting at 17-11 on the year. In a game against #7 ranked Arizona, Utah lost 88-62. They shot 19/59 (32.3%) from the field and only had 12 assists. They lost again to the Arizona State Sun Devils, 67-59. They were again inefficient (38.3% from the field and 24% from three) and only had 10 assists as a team. The Utes missed out on some timely wins this past week.
Top 5 Duos in the Pac-12
Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell (UCLA)
These two seniors have been with UCLA since their freshman year and the chemistry they have built certainly rubs off on the rest of the team. Currently, Jaime Jaquez Jr. plays every game as one of the best players in all of the NCAA and Tyger Campbell is one of the best floor generals in the Pac-12. Jaquez Jr. averages 16.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Campbell averages 12.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
Azuolas Tubelis and Oumar Ballo (Arizona)
This big man duo is what separates the Wildcats from lots of other teams throughout the NCAA. Both can put the ball in the basket, protect the paint, and grab every rebound in sight. The two of them have helped Arizona rank twelfth in the nation in rebounds per game, giving them an instant advantage over most teams. Azuolas Tubelis averages 19.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. Oumar Ballo averages 14.6 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson (USC)
Both of these players have helped USC turn into one of the best teams in the Pac-12. The oddly proportioned guard duo consists of Boogie Ellis who is 6’3 and Drew Peterson who is 6’9. Either way, they can both score the ball efficiently and dish the ball effectively. Ellis averages 17.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. Peterson averages 14.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.
Tristen Da Silva and KJ Simpson (Colorado)
The Buffaloes currently sit at 15-13 on the year. Though they’ve been a little disappointing, this junior-sophomore duo has put on a show the entire season. Tristan da Silva averages 16.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. KJ Simpson averages 15.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.
Will Richardson and N'Faly Dante (Oregon)
One of the more experienced duos in the Pac-12 hasn’t led to the most success but they’re both having solid seasons. The guard, Will Richardson, has been averaging 13 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. The center, N'Faly Dante, is averaging 13.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.