Player of the Week
Spencer Jones (Stanford)
Though a minuscule number of games were played throughout the Pac-12 this week due to holidays and other factors, there were some noteworthy performances put on display. For the 6’7” junior out of Stanford, he had some outstanding games along with helping the Cardinals win their last two contests in a close fashion. In a three-point win against Wyoming, Jones had 15 points and 6 rebounds in just under 30 minutes of play. In the following day, the Cardinals beat the Liberty Flame by once again three, with Jones leading the way with 25 points and 6 rebounds. Stanford managed to find some Christmas magic this week and Spencer Jones was a contributing factor in their victories.
Who’s Hot
Grant Anticevich (California)
Anticevich certainly isn’t the flashiest player in the world but his contributions to the Golden Bears in this last week cannot go unnoticed. An undefeated week for California started with a 61-55 win against Dartmouth, where Anticevich scored only 7 points but held down the paint with 15 rebounds and play made a little with 4 assists. In another win against the Pacific Tigers, he notched a double-double, scoring 25 points to go along with 11 rebounds in a 20-point victory. Anticevich has helped the Golden Bears achieve a 8-5 record thus far, certainly exceeding pre-season expectations.
Benedict Mathurin (Arizona)
The Wildcats only played one game this week and, in fact, lost to the Tennessee Volunteers. The reason Mathurin makes the list is because he did all he could to combat the Volunteers and had an all-around great game. In 36 minutes of play, Mathurin scored 28 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 5 assists. He only had one other player barely score in double digits and it was evident that he could’ve used some extra help to try and keep Arizona’s undefeated record going.
Who’s Not
Arizona Wildcats
Arizona fans certainly shouldn’t be worried about their team as they still hold an 11-1 record, but the loss endured this week at the hands of Tennessee certainly could’ve been avoided. Aside from Benedict Mathurin, no one else really played well. Kerr Kriisa played 38 minutes and only had 11 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. In addition, both Azuolas Tubelis and Christian Koloko didn’t play much, both playing under 20 minutes. This week was no good for the Wildcats.
Top 5 Sleeper Teams in the Pac-12
California (8-5)
Before the season started, California was projected by many to be very close to the bottom of the Pac-12. Now through 13 games, they’re sitting at #7 in the conference. Players like Andre Kelly and Jordan Shephard have stepped up and helped the Golden Bears be where they currently are. Don’t be surprised if this team manages to stick around that 6-8 spot in the Pac-12.
Washington (5-5)
Sitting at .500, the Huskies bright spot solely comes from one player, Terrell Brown Jr.. Brown Jr. is having an insane season at this point, averaging a conference leading 21.4 points per game, 4.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He has been nothing but a bucket for Washington so far and is certainly one of the top players in the Pac-12 if not college basketball. If his teammates could figure it out, don’t be surprised to see the Huskies move up a couple spots in the conference.
Colorado (9-3)
The Buffaloes weren’t necessarily slept on coming into the season but it’s safe to say they’re better than many expected. This semi-young team has gelled fairly nice together, with sophomore tandem Keeshawn Barthelemy and Jabari Walker having solid seasons to help lead Colorado. Their name could very well be called come tournament time.
Utah (8-4)
Utah is a team that didn’t really get any recognition coming into the season. Their team isn’t young by any means, so potential was out the window, and they really didn’t have a recruiting class coming into the season. Through 12 games, they have managed to stay above .500 and have a 6-1 record at home. They may not be called in March, but they have a solid squad.
Oregon (7-6)
This team was well-respected at the beginning of the season, but a rough start took them out of the limelight. As of late, they have managed to put some pieces together but are still a question mark, nonetheless. The real hope of them salvaging their season is looking back at least year and praying that they can try and replicate some of that. They may jump ahead some spots if they can get hot.