Player of the Week
Terrell Brown Jr. (Washington)
Over the past week, Brown Jr. has managed to put a clinic on any team that he’s faced. In a win against the George Mason Patriots, he stuffed the stat sheet with a 23 point, 8 rebound, and 4 assist game. The very next day he managed to drop 32 points and 5 rebounds in another win against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Though the Huskies fell to Nevada by a large margin to end the week, Brown Jr. still managed to have a solid 19-point, 5 rebound game. This senior guard currently leads the Pac-12 in scoring and, through many valiant efforts, has Washington above .500 early in the season.
Who’s Hot
Andre Kelly (California)
The Golden Bears aren’t exactly a powerhouse amongst the Pac-12, but Kelly has been phenomenal for them throughout the season and as of late. The senior forward currently leads all the Pac-12 in rebounds per game (9.7) and is fourth in scoring per game (16.5). In two out of California’s last three games, he has managed to score 20+ points along with 10+ rebounds. He’s certainly a player to watch as the year progresses.
Arizona Wildcats
Though there are several undefeated teams so far in the Pac-12, none of them have impressed quite as much as the Wildcats have this season. Not only are they coming off a season filled with controversy and deception, Arizona is playing in a new system under Tommy Lloyd. The players have adjusted quite nicely under this new system and just earned a huge win against Michigan, a team who is fresh off an Elite Eight appearance. This game had four Wildcats score in double figures and made a statement to the Pac-12 that they’re in it to win it.
Who’s Not
Oregon Ducks (3-3)
Turns out the BYU game for the Ducks wasn’t just a fluke; they’ve now managed to lose three of their first six games to open up the season. Currently on a two-game losing streak, Oregon managed to lose to St. Mary’s and Houston, both by double digits. For a team that was projected by many to be a top-3 program in the conference, they’ve surely disappointed thus far.
Oregon State (1-4)
Again, both Oregon teams make the bad part of the blog. The Beavers now sit at 1-4 on the year, losing their last four games to teams like Princeton and Samford. They’re margin of defeat isn’t very large, losing two of the games by one point and not losing by more than 10 in any of their losses but the fact of the matter is they shouldn’t really be losing. Goes to show that preseason rankings are always a tough task.
Top 5 Overlooked Players in the Pac-12
Boogie Ellis (USC)
Ellis has been great to start off the year. He’s averaging a crisp 17 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists with top tier efficiency. He’s shooting 45% from three and 57.1% from the field. His play on the court has also translated to wins for USC, with the team currently standing at 5-0 to start off the year. Be sure to watch out for this junior guard.
Jabari Walker (Colorado)
Walker has been silently having a great year for the Buffaloes. Averaging 14.2 points per game and 8.7 rebounds, the sophomore has managed to snag a double-double in three out of the first five games of the season. Walker has proven to be an integral part of this young Colorado squad.
Christian Koloko (Arizona)
With the Wildcats having a great undefeated start to the season, tons of their success can be attributed to the 7’1” junior in the paint. Koloko has started off the year hot, averaging 15.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2 assists per game to go along with four blocks (yes, I said four). Whether it’s protecting the paint, grabbing a rebound or getting a bucket, Koloko has given Arizona lots of hope for the future of this season.
Eric Williams Jr. (Oregon)
The Ducks have disappointed many to start off the season but not because of Williams Jr. Through the first six games of the season for Oregon, he has managed to put together a stat line of 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He has also managed to average 2 steals per game, tied for most in the Pac-12. Couple this with the fact that he’s shooting 47.4% from deep and 47.5% from the field, it’s safe to say there are other reasons why the Ducks haven’t been able to find success.
Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona)
Complimenting Christian Koloko in the paint this season has been 6’ 11′ ‘ forward Azuolas Tubelis. Tubelis has helped Arizona catch fire early in the season, averaging 15.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Having two solid big men to protect the paint and score has no doubt attributed to this squad’s success and they are certainly getting overlooked.