Charlisse Leger-Walker is averaging 12.9 points, well off her scoring pace in previous seasons, although she was recently one rebound shy of a second straight triple-double. As a result, WSU dropped out of the AP poll. 25 with losses to Green Bay, Washington and Auburn. Washington State (11-3)Ĭomment: The Cougars are the only Pac-12 team with a victory over Gonzaga - three others have tried and failed - but they are just 4-3 since Nov. The Huskies lead the nation in scoring defense (46.8 ppg allowed) and, by extension, are in the top 20 in scoring margin even without a prolific individual scorer. (The victory in Pullman was their first since 2019.) The 11-0 start tied WSU’s 1976-77 team for the best in school history. 21 Washington State, before losing at No. Washington (11-1)Ĭomment: The 23rd-ranked Huskies won their first 11 games, including a road upset of then No. Formann and Aaronette Vonleh lead a balanced scoring attack, with Michigan transfer guard Maddie Nolan adding to a veteran team. Colorado’s only loss was to third-ranked North Carolina State. 7, one spot ahead of Colorado.) Six weeks later, no one in the Pac-12 has a more impressive win. (LSU has not lost since and is ranked No. Colorado (10-1)Ĭomment: The Buffaloes stunned defending NCAA champion LSU by 14 points in the season opener. Forbes, Kayla Padilla and Kaitlyn Davis are Ivy League graduate transfers making a significant impact. 21 against Long Beach State, so McKenzie Forbes, playing through the flu, responded with a career-high 36 points. Watkins and Rayah Marshall were out due to illness on Dec. USC (10-0)Ĭomment: All Watkins has done in her first nine collegiate games is to trail only Iowa star Caitlin Clark nationally in scoring, win five Pac-12 Freshman of the Week awards and double up as Pac-12 Player of the Week on Dec. Roberts is taking a collective approach to replacing Kneepkens, asking more of a guard corps that includes Jenna Johnson, Kennady McQueen, Isabel Palmer and Ines Vieira. They are 3-1 since the injury and hung tough against powerhouse South Carolina on Dec. Utah (10-2)Ĭomment: The Utes lost arguably their second-best player, guard Gianna Kneepkens, for the season when the junior broke her right foot on Dec. VanDerveer is seven wins shy of becoming the winningest coach in college basketball history (men’s or women’s).

Kiki Iriafen is almost averaging a double-double and Hannah Jump now is the school’s career 3-point shooting leader.

21 Florida State and Duke earlier in the season. Stanford has won twice since then and beat No. That said, the Zags are ranked 20th and 3-1 head-to-head against the Pac-12. 3, losing by 18 points at Gonzaga when Brink, an All-American, was sick and didn’t play in the second half. Stanford (10-1)Ĭomment: The Cardinal slipped up on Dec. “It’s just the right fit,” with returners Charisma Osborne, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez and Londynn Jones. “It was almost like this (puzzle) piece designed for Lauren Betts,” Close says. There have been some close calls (77-74 over Princeton, for example), but the Bruins have dominated most opponents thanks to the addition of Betts, a Stanford transfer. UCLA (11-0)Ĭomment: Five players averaging in double figures adds up to UCLA’s best start since the 2019-20 season (16-0) and includes three wins over AP top-25 teams (Ohio State, Connecticut, Florida State). Three of the 10 remaining undefeated teams in Division I are from the Pac-12.Īnd don’t forget: Two conference games have been played – rivalry wins by Washington and Arizona – and four other rivalries are coming up Dec. The Pac-12 leads all conferences in NET ranking with a 116-20 non-conference record through Dec. I’m going to do the best I can to stay in this place of healthy tension, honoring all the people that have made the Pac-12 so special and still trying to lead to what we’re going to do in the future.” “I don’t want my pendulum to swing too far about leading into the Big Ten and what’s next, and I don’t want to stay moping about what we’re losing in the Pac. “I’m going to relish every moment of this last year.

“I’m so proud to have been a part of the ascension of women’s basketball in the Pac-12,” Close said. They understand the conference’s evolution to greatness beyond Stanford’s enduring success and the meaning attached to the 38th season of Pac-12 women’s basketball with no plans for No. Close is in her 13th season at UCLA and Gottlieb her third at USC (following eight at Cal).

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