Player of the Week
Branden Carlson (Utah)
The Utes moved to 14-7 on the season and 7-3 in conference play after beating both the Washington State Cougars and the Washington Huskies. In a 77-63 win against Washington State, Carlson had a dominant performance, scoring 28 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. He paired this with two blocks and only missed one shot on the day, shooting 11/12 from the field and 3/4 from three. The Utes followed this win up by beating the Huskies, 86-61. Carlson once again had a great game, scoring 25 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. He now averages 17.1 points per game and 7.6 rebounds which ranks top five in both categories amongst the Pac-12.
Who’s Hot
Keion Brooks (Washington)
The Huskies have looked to Keion Brooks to lead them and, as of late, he has done just that. In a 75-72 win against the Colorado Buffaloes, Brooks led the team in scoring with 25 points while also grabbing 4 rebounds. He shot 9/12 from the field and 3/5 from three. He had another solid performance in a 86-61 loss to the Utah Utes. He scored 17 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, leading the Huskies in both stats. The transfer from Kentucky has made his presence felt with the Washington Huskies.
Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona)
This list does not exist without the junior big man from Arizona. Arguably the best player in the Pac-12, Azuolas Tubelis had another great week which resulted in an upset win for the Wildcats. In an 81-66 win against the USC Trojans, he scored 15 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, leading Arizona in both of these stats. He followed this up with a double-double performance in a 58-52 win against #5 UCLA. He scored 14 points to pair with 10 rebounds. Tubelis continues to lead the Pac-12 in both points per game and rebounds per game, dominating week in and week out.
Who’s Not
Arizona State Sun Devils
The Sun Devils played two conference games this week that could have helped their case to be ranked in the top 25. Instead, they lost both games and now have five losses on the season. In a game against the UCLA Bruins, they lost 74-62. Although they shot 40.9% from three, they only shot 44.9% from the field and had 18 turnovers. They lost again to the USC Trojans, 77-69. This time they shot terribly from everywhere on the floor (38.5% from the field and 22.7% from three) which ultimately led to the loss.
Top 5 Seniors in the Pac-12
1. Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA)
The UCLA Bruins have looked on Jaime Jaquez Jr. to be an impact player since he joined the team in 2019 and he has stepped up to the challenge. Every year of his career, Jaquez Jr. has gotten better and now that he’s a senior, he’s been playing the best we’ve seen. He currently averages 16.1 points per game, 7.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. In addition, he gets just about two steals per game and shoots 48.9% from the field. He is easily one of the best players in the conference.
2. Drew Peterson (USC)
USC has been an up and down team all year. They currently hold a 14-6 record and a lot of this can be attributed to senior Drew Peterson. He averages 14 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. The 6’9” guard helps the Trojans offense score in different ways and proves himself to be a valuable player for Andy Enfield’s team.
3. Tyger Campbell (UCLA)
Tyger Campbell was in the same class as Jaime Jaquez Jr and the two have both become great college players. This year, Campbell averages 13.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. He runs the offense for the Bruins while providing both playmaking and floor spacing to one of the best teams in the country.
4. Will Richardson (Oregon)
Though Oregon has had a streaky season where they currently sit at 11-9, Will Richardson proves to be one of the bright spots for this team. The senior guard currently averages 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. Richardson is one of the longest tenured players in the Pac-12 and has helped the team stay above .500.
5. Branden Carlson (Utah)
The Utah Utes sit at 14-7 on the year and Branden Carlson has been their breadwinner. He currently averages 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Along with shooting 57% from the field, he also shoots 43.8% from beyond the three-point line. He has solidified himself as one of the best centers amongst the Pac-12.