There’s nothing wrong with Stanford when it comes to strength of schedule.
The Cardinal is No. 2 nationally behind Connecticut, navigating its way to an 8-3 record in Quadrant I games, which is second best behind South Carolina (11-0).
But this month, Stanford has a clear advantage in scheduling over other nationally ranked Pac-12 teams. It last played an AP top-25 opponent on Feb. 4 and only has one remaining: Feb. 29 at No. 9 Oregon State.
Given its two-game lead, Stanford is in solid position to win its 27th conference title before the Pac-12 dissolves as currently constructed.
The real race is for the top-four seeds in the Pac-12 tournament, which receive opening-round byes. Two nationally ranked teams likely will wind up as the No. 5 and 6 seeds.
Here are the Hotline’s eighth weekly power ratings, with seven teams in new positions.
(NET rankings through Monday)
1. Stanford (23-3/12-2)
Last week: 1
Results: beat Cal 84-49
Next up: vs. Arizona (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 2
Comment: Kiki Iriafen was unstoppable in Stanford’s lone game last week, with 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting and 11 rebounds. She had ample help as four others scored in double figures. The Cardinal has 11 consecutive wins over Cal and outscored the Bears 48-18 in the middle two quarters. Cameron Brink leads the nation with 90 blocks.
2. Oregon State (21-4/10-4)
Last week: 2
Results: beat UCLA 79-77, lost to USC 58-50
Next up: at Washington State (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 18
Comment: Even with the end of its six-game winning streak, Oregon State holds onto second in the Hotline power ratings because of its momentous win over UCLA and narrow loss to USC without scoring/rebounding leader Raegan Beers, who suffered a broken nose. Her return, almost certainly wearing a mask, has yet to be announced. But it can’t come soon enough for a team contending to host an NCAA sub-regional.
3. USC (20-4/10-4)
Last week: 4
Results: won at Oregon 88-51 and Oregon State 58-50
Next up: vs. Colorado (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 11
Comment: The hottest team in the Pac-12 (six straight wins) reaped the reward of JuJu Watkins sweeping Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week for a third time. (No one else has done that more than once.) Watkins scored 33 points against Oregon, her 10th game of at least 30, and added 18 more against Oregon State. She now is a 13-time Freshman of the Week award winner and USC’s first three-time Player of the Week since Tina Thompson in 1996-97.
4. Colorado (20-5/10-4)
Last week: 3
Results: lost to Utah 77-76
Next up: at USC (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 16
Comment: Coach JR Payne was less than thrilled with her team falling into an 18-point hole even given a titanic comeback to nearly escape with a road win. “We totally did not execute the scout collectively in the first half,” she said. “I don’t understand how we can just not do what we’re supposed to do for longer periods of time.” The Buffs are down to a projected No. 3 seed in ESPN’s Bracketology.
5. UCLA (20-5/9-5)
Last week: 5
Results: lost at Oregon State 79-77, won at Oregon 74-55
Next up: vs. Utah (Thursday)
NET ranking: No. 7
Comment: It’s still a bit choppy for the Bruins, who are 6-5 since Jan. 14. But they are a threat in every matchup and remain on track to host in NCAA Tournament games. UCLA is on national television twice this week, against Utah on Thursday and Colorado on Monday. Lauren Betts combined for 41 points and 16 boards against the Oregon schools.
6. Utah (19-7/9-5)
Last week: 6
Results: beat Colorado 77-76
Next up: at UCLA (Thursday)
NET ranking: No. 6
Comment: The statement win over Colorado was propelled, in part, by the return of Dasia Young from a four-game absence (concussion). Young had 13 points, including the game-winning basket, adding the depth Utah has missed at times since losing Gianna Kneepkens for the season. There still is time for the Utes, projected as a No. 5 seed, to host an NCAA sub-regional.
7. Arizona (14-12/6-8)
Last week: 9
Results: beat Washington State 64-45, beat Washington 90-82 (3 OT)
Next up: at Stanford (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 42
Comment: Home court almost always boosts Arizona, with last week being no exception. Without Esmery Martinez, the Wildcats dominated Washington State, then outlasted Washington in their first triple overtime affair since 2019. Isis Beh had a breakout game (29 points) against the Huskies — a huge leap from her previous career high (13) while at West Virginia.
8. California (15-11/5-9)
Last week: 7
Results: lost Stanford 84-49
Next up: vs. Arizona State (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 61
Comment: A one-sided rivalry loss never feels good, but Stanford can do that to just about anyone. The Cardinal limited Ioanna Krimili to two points on 1-of-5 shooting, and the Bears gave up 23 points off 19 turnovers. The loss knocked Cal off the NCAA Tournament bubble, per ESPN, but three of its final four regular-season games are against unranked opponents.
9. Washington State (16-11/5-9)
Last week: 8
Results: lost at Arizona 64-45, won at Arizona State 73-46
Next up: vs. Oregon State (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 25
Comment: The Cougars broke a five-game losing streak by finishing off ASU with a 23-3 run that could become a turning point for Tara Wallack as an offensive leader in place of injured Charlisse Leger-Walker. But WSU will have to fight its way back into NCAA Tournament contention while facing three ranked teams in the next two weeks. ESPN has dropped the Cougars from the bubble for now.
10. Arizona State (11-15/3-11)
Last week: 11
Results: beat Washington 73-66 (2 OT), lost to WSU 73-46
Next up: at Cal (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 114
Comment: ASU completed a season sweep of Washington despite trailing almost all of regulation with Trayanna Crisp scoring a career high 23 points and three others in double figures. Despite the ensuing loss to WSU, the Sun Devils remain on a mild upswing with the chance for another sweep this week, against Cal. Freshman post Mallory Miller is coming on to provide needed depth.
11. Washington (13-12/3-11)
Last week: 10
Results: lost at ASU 73-66 (2 OT) and Arizona 90-82 (3 OT)
Next up: vs. Oregon
NET ranking: No. 53
Comment: The pain of two losses in five combined overtimes will be difficult to erase. The Huskies have dropped six straight while Oregon has lost nine in a row, so something has to give Friday. Lauren Schwartz scored 27 against Arizona and 18 against ASU while playing a combined 100 minutes. Freshman guard Sayvia Sellers had her best weekend with a combined 34 points.
12. Oregon (11-16/2-12)
Last week: 12
Results: lost to USC 88-51 and UCLA 74-55
Next up: at Washington (Friday)
NET ranking: No. 92
Comment: The Ducks are perilously close to the school-record losing streak (11 games) from 1992-93, which they would equal with two losses this week. That seems almost inconceivable considering the success of the Sabrina Ionescu era when Kelly Graves was a three-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year. Oregon has not overcome the loss of transfer guard Peyton Scott to a knee injury in the season opener.
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