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Pac-12 College Basketball Power Rankings: Week 10

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By @Alex_Drude

Pac-12 College Basketball Power Rankings: Week 10

Pac 12 Basketball
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The phrase “on any given Sunday” applies to the NFL, but it ought to apply to Pac-12 basketball as well. Actually, the phrase ought to be “on any given night” for this conference. The Beavers made a statement and helped drastically change the rankings this week. Here's how every team stacks up in Week 10.

12. Arizona State (8-8, 0-3 Pac-12) Last week: 9th

Arizona State Sun Devils team bench players react to a missed free-throw against the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena
Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

12. Arizona State (8-8, 0-3 Pac-12) Last week: 9th

Arizona State Sun Devils team bench players react to a missed free-throw against the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena
Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

The Sun Devils lost by 25 to Arizona and Oregon State by eight. Oregon State beating Arizona is why ASU is the new un-leader!

11. Washington (11-4, 0-3) Last week: 10th

Washington Huskies guard Nigel Williams-Goss (5) reacts to a call against the Washington State Cougars during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

11. Washington (11-4, 0-3) Last week: 10th

Washington Huskies guard Nigel Williams-Goss (5) reacts to a call against the Washington State Cougars during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

With the loss to Washington State, that means the Huskies started 11-0, were ranked No. 13 in the country (and 4th in these rankings) and haven’t touched the win column since.

10. Cal (11-6, 1-3) Last week: 7th

UCLA Bruins guard Noah Allen (22) blocks a shot by California Golden Bears guard Tyrone Wallace (3) during first half action at Pauley Pavilion. Left is UCLA Bruins forward Gyorgy Goloman (14).
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

10. Cal (11-6, 1-3) Last week: 7th

UCLA Bruins guard Noah Allen (22) blocks a shot by California Golden Bears guard Tyrone Wallace (3) during first half action at Pauley Pavilion. Left is UCLA Bruins forward Gyorgy Goloman (14).
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Like Washington, the Bears started very well and are now taking on a lot of water. Unlike the Huskies, Cal has at least won a conference game -- against the Huskies, that is.

9. USC (9-7, 1-3) Last week: 11th

USC Trojans forward Nikola Jovanovic (32) and California Golden Bears forward David Kravish (45) battle under the basket in the second half of the game at Galen Center. USC won 71-57.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

9. USC (9-7, 1-3) Last week: 11th

USC Trojans forward Nikola Jovanovic (32) and California Golden Bears forward David Kravish (45) battle under the basket in the second half of the game at Galen Center. USC won 71-57.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

USC beat the Bears handily and made the game against Stanford pretty darn close late, losing by two.

8. UCLA (10-7, 2-2) Last week: 12th

UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford and guard Bryce Alford (20) react to a blocked shot in the second overtime of the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA won 86-81 in double overtime.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

8. UCLA (10-7, 2-2) Last week: 12th

UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford and guard Bryce Alford (20) react to a blocked shot in the second overtime of the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA won 86-81 in double overtime.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Bruins have now beaten Stanford in Pauley Pavilion for a decade straight. Steve Alford is the youngest coach to ever get to 500 wins. And all of this happened after trailing by 14 to the Cardinal with 10 minutes to play and UCLA boosters already making “next coach” lists in their head. Then UCLA dominated Cal and actually looked like a basketball team -- for this week, at least.

7. Washington State (8-7, 2-1) Last week: 6th

Washington State Cougars forward Brett Boese (33) gives a high-five to head coach Ernie Kent after the Cougars beat the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Arena.
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

7. Washington State (8-7, 2-1) Last week: 6th

Washington State Cougars forward Brett Boese (33) gives a high-five to head coach Ernie Kent after the Cougars beat the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Arena.
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Before the season, if you thought the Cougs would be higher than say, 10th at any time during the season you are probably an extremely optimistic WSU graduate. But here's Wazzu at 2-1 and tied for fourth. A fourth-place finish would mean a first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament. Ernie Kent is a miracle worker!

6. Colorado (9-6, 2-1) Last week: 5th

Utah Utes guard Delon Wright (55) is fouled by Colorado Buffaloes guard Dominique Collier (15) during the second half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Utah won 74-49.
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

6. Colorado (9-6, 2-1) Last week: 5th

Utah Utes guard Delon Wright (55) is fouled by Colorado Buffaloes guard Dominique Collier (15) during the second half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Utah won 74-49.
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffs lost by 25 to No. 9 Utah. The Utes are really good, and Colorado isn’t up to their level. Of course, very few Pac-12 teams are at Utah’s level. That's no reason for the Buffs to get dropped for losing there. A tough weekend looms in the desert at Arizona and Arizona State.

5. Oregon (12-4, 2-1) Last week: 4th

Oregon Ducks guard Jalil Abdul-Bassit (15) is called for a charging foul against Arizona State Sun Devils forward Eric Jacobsen (21) at Matthew Knight Arena.
Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

5. Oregon (12-4, 2-1) Last week: 4th

Oregon Ducks guard Jalil Abdul-Bassit (15) is called for a charging foul against Arizona State Sun Devils forward Eric Jacobsen (21) at Matthew Knight Arena.
Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

The Ducks are in the top 30 nationally in per game scoring but 217th in scoring defense per game. That actually explains a lot.

4. Stanford (11-4, 3-1) Last week: 3rd

UCLA Bruins guard Norman Powell (4) guards Stanford Cardinal guard Chasson Randle (5) in the first half of the game at Pauley Pavilion
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

4. Stanford (11-4, 3-1) Last week: 3rd

UCLA Bruins guard Norman Powell (4) guards Stanford Cardinal guard Chasson Randle (5) in the first half of the game at Pauley Pavilion
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

To stay elite, the Cardinal need to avoid doing things like blowing 14-point leads with 10 minutes to play, as they did at UCLA, and then losing in double overtime. The Cardinal then next almost blew a double-digit second-half lead at USC. To stay elite, in other words, the Cardinal need to find a reliable scoring option not named Chasson Randle.

3. Oregon State (11-4, 2-1) Last week: 8th

Oregon State Beavers guard Gary Payton II (1) walks off the court after defeating the Arizona Wildcats 58-56 at Gill Coliseum
Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

3. Oregon State (11-4, 2-1) Last week: 8th

Oregon State Beavers guard Gary Payton II (1) walks off the court after defeating the Arizona Wildcats 58-56 at Gill Coliseum
Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Only two Pac-12 teams swept a two-game series this past weekend. One was UCLA, and the other was Oregon State. That was their first time beating a top-10 team since Arizona in 2000. Beaver basketball was once a top program nationwide, and I’ve always considered it a sleeping giant. More wins like this and more people will believe.

2. No. 10 Arizona (14-2, 2-1) Last week: 2nd

Oregon State Beavers forward Daniel Gomis (left) wins possession of a loose ball against Arizona Wildcats forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (23) during the second half of the game at Gill Coliseum. The Beavers defeated the Wildcats 58-56.
Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

2. No. 10 Arizona (14-2, 2-1) Last week: 2nd

Oregon State Beavers forward Daniel Gomis (left) wins possession of a loose ball against Arizona Wildcats forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (23) during the second half of the game at Gill Coliseum. The Beavers defeated the Wildcats 58-56.
Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona hasn’t swept the Oregon schools in Oregon since 2009. The Oregon State upset keeps that streak alive. The Beavs played a brilliant slow-down game, and UA didn’t hit the last shot; that’s the reason why the Wildcats lost this time, but a truly elite team needs to be able to win games like that.

1. No. 8 Utah (13-2, 3-0) Last week: 1st

Utah Utes forward Jordan Loveridge (21) and forward Jakob Poeltl (42) react from the bench area during the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Utah won 74-49
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

1. No. 8 Utah (13-2, 3-0) Last week: 1st

Utah Utes forward Jordan Loveridge (21) and forward Jakob Poeltl (42) react from the bench area during the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Utah won 74-49
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Utah now has the longest conference win streak at six games. The Utes are a top-10 team by any measuring stick, and the Arizona loss keeps Utah at No. 1. This Saturday it’s Utah at Arizona, and if you call yourself a hoops fan and don’t watch that game, I can’t abide by your charade any longer.

Alex Drude is a Pac-12 writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Alex_Drude. “Like” him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google+.

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