Player of the Week
KJ Simpson (Colorado)
An in-state matchup resulted in a much-needed dominant win for the Colorado Buffaloes over the course of this week. The Buffaloes beat the Colorado State Rams 93-65 behind a great performance from Simpson. The sophomore standout scored 27 points and dished out 3 assists while shooting 10/18 from the field. He also shot 67.5% from three, going 5/8 from beyond the arch. Simpson is definitely one of the better scorers amongst the Pac-12 and has really stepped up his level of play so far in his sophomore season nearly upping his points per game average from 7.4 to 17.3 ppg as a freshman.
Who’s Hot
Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona)
Though the Pac-12 didn’t play many games this week, the Arizona Wildcats won a big game against one of the best teams in the country. The Wildcats beat the Indiana Hoosiers 89-75 in what was an anticipated top 15 matchup. Tubelis played amazingly and was the deciding factor in the win. In 28 minutes of play, Tubelis scored 21 points and grabbed 7 rebounds while blocking 3 shots. He shot an efficient 9/16 from the field and helped hold one of the best players in the country, Trayce Jackson-Davis, to only 11 points and 5 rebounds. The junior big man currently leads the Pac-12 in points per game and is second in rebounding per game.
Will Richardson (Oregon)
Though the Ducks still haven’t caught their stride, the senior guard has finally got back into his groove and proves to be one of the best players in the Pac-12. Richardson had a triple-double in a 78-65 win against the Nevada Wolf Pack. He scored 19 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 11 assists. He did this all while being efficient, shooting 7/12 from the field and 4/7 from the three-point line. After having a rough start to the year, Richardson has tapped into what he did last year while being more efficient.
Who’s Not
California Golden Bear
The Golden Bears still have not won a game this season and continue to lose an array of close games mixed with a couple of blowouts. This week, they went 0-2 against the Eastern Washington Eagles and the Butler Bulldogs. In both games, they shot under 40% from the field and under 15% from three, atrocious numbers for any division 1 team. They also didn’t have a player score over 17 in either game. Only the Louisville Cardinals can match the Bears futility so far this season.
The Top 5 Best Passers in the Pac-12
1. Kerr Kriisa (Arizona)
Kriisa has been phenomenal for the Wildcats this year and has helped them continue to be a top 10 team in the nation. Kriisa currently leads the Pac-12 in assists per game with 7.7 coming from him alone. He does this while averaging less than three turnovers a game, something that’s impressive considering that he is a college guard. He has solidified himself as one of, if not the best, passers in the pac-12.
2. Rollie Worster (Utah)
Rollie Worster is having a career year when it comes to playmaking. During his first two seasons with the Utes, Worster never averaged over 3.5 assists per game. This year, he is averaging just a smidgen under five per game which is sure to go up as the season progresses. He has had multiple performances this year where he either has double digit assists or just under double digits.
3. Tyger Campbell (UCLA)
Campbell has been one of the best facilitators in the Pac-12 since entering in the 2019-2020 season. He has never averaged under four assists in a season and currently averages 4.8 a game while only averaging 2 turnovers. The senior guard runs one of the best offenses in the Pac-12.
4. Will Richardson (Oregon)
Through the Ducks struggles, Will Richardson has been a bright spot for both scoring and passing. He averages 5.8 assists per game, which is good enough for third in the Pac-12. This has been his best playmaking year so far in his five-year NCAA career and he doesn’t look to be slowing down.
5. Drew Peterson (USC)
Peterson is a part of one of the better backcourts in the Pac-12, with Boogie Ellis helping spread the ball along with the 6’9” senior. Peterson is currently averaging 6 assists per game. This ranks second in the Pac-12 and, while the number should decline a bit as the season goes on, shows that when it comes to passing, Peterson is no slouch and is at the top of the Pac-12.