Pac-10 preview (Part Five)

By Ross Lancaster Sports Central Columnist

The Pac-10 has been very strong recently, with four teams in last year's Sweet 16 and three in the Elite Eight. The same kind of performance is not expected this season, but the conference may still provide a contender or two for the national championship.

Pac-10 Projected Standings

1. UCLA 2. Stanford 3. Arizona 4. USC 5. California 6. Oregon 7. Arizona State 8. Oregon State 9. Washington 10. Washington State

All-Pac-10 First-Team G Jason Gardner, Arizona G Casey Jacobsen, Stanford C Dan Gadzuric, UCLA F Sam Clancy, USC F Jason Kapono, UCLA

Coach of the Year: Steve Lavin, UCLA Player of the Year: Jason Kapono, UCLA

UCLA is the consensus preseason pick to win the Pac-10 and is a national Top Ten team. The Bruins are loaded with talent, as swingman Jason Kapono and center Dan Gadzuric are the focal points of this outstanding team.

Stanford will hurt in several ways, losing four starters and only having one senior who will see playing time. However, the Cardinal should still be a Top 25 team with All-American Casey Jacobsen and other key players such as Justin Davis and Curtis Borchardt.

Arizona is much like Stanford, needing to fill up four starting spots. However, Jason Gardner is now the man in Tucson, and with a crew of six recruits and red-shirt freshman Rick Anderson, this team could make another solid run in the NCAAs.

USC returns three starters from an elite eight club, and one of those includes senior Sam Clancy, who should lead the team at least to the NCAA Tournament.

California should make a return trip to the NCAA Tournament, behind coach Ben Braun, and a team that displays great balance.

NCAA Tournament teams: UCLA, Stanford, Arizona, USC, California.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.